teacara

hello out there.
We are about to step out into the great unknown and are desperately seeking advice from you all. We are heading for wanganui probably in the next month for our new life. We would like to stop off on the way to get a short break before arrival. Are there any suggestions. We are likely to be flying from Birmingham Uk.
Thanks for all the information already gathered from lots of different threads, the other bit of info that might be helpful is whether it is worth shipping our car or nor?

westies

Hi There
We fly out in 24 days, we are going via Dubai, we got a good deal on tickets too! we fly economy to Dubai, then business class from there to Auckland. Hopefully it will make all the difference as it is such a long way, we too are flying from birmingham with emirates, Dubai looks great too, seems a perfect place for a short break!
Good luck with your plans
Tracey

marbles

Having just returned from spending 5 years in Wanganui, good luck!

marbles

P.S if there is anything you would like to know feel free to ask

teacara

How did you find wanganui? We are hoping to spend more time with our two girls and be away from huge city life. What are the highlights and lowlights of your time there.
mark

teacara

we thought about Dubai, but as this may be a once in a lifetime trip we are thinking of hong kong and Bali, however the down side is that we might have to fly from London if we do that.
Where are you going to in NZ?
mark

Winnie

We stopped in Phucket, Thailand on the way. Loved it and it's pretty cheap too. It was just what we needed after organising everything in the UK and gave us the break before we had to start again once we arrived in NZ. Just the ticket to recharge the batteries!
Good luck in your new venture.

westies

We are off to Auckland initially, probably North Shore, but will have a good look around when we get there, may well change our minds, We have been to NZ before and went the Los Angeles way round, won't be doing that again, have decided on Dubai this time as my brother is there so will be a cheap stopover, can always do other ways when we come back to visit, no point going the same way is our view, too much to see,
good luck to you!
Tracey

Biddy

We took a 2 week break in Florida to treat the kids to theme park heaven.

Fantastico!

IainW

We're in Wanganui at the moment. It's a very laid back place, but with plenty going on. We're loving it here.

PM me if you want any info or help.

marbles

We found Wanganui a good place live to start with, but after 5 years there I think we became infuriated with the place and the people that run the place.
They (being very general here) appear quite happy to let things carry on as they always have done and anyone who is interested in change gets a hard time, they call it the tall poppy syndrome.

I dont want to appear negative about the place cos im not really, its just that when we sat down to decide what we wanted it wasnt in NZ,for many reasons.

We had done all we could there and got fed up with the lack of variety in the area and you can only go to the Warehouse so many times and the road to Palmerston North is a drag with not very much more when you get there.

I think the problem we had was that we didnt leave the UK because we didnt like it, we just wanted to try something different and it is something I am glad we have done but the only thing I miss about NZ is our house (which I think is for sale again)and the dog we had to leave behind.

The bottom line i think is that Wanganui was just a bit too small towney for us and NZ as well I think.

And before the UK knockers jump on board this is not a UK is better than NZ thing, this is my opinion after spending five years in NZ and deciding it wasnt the place for our long term future.

Biddy

Having driven to W a few times and I can see your point. Looks nice but is pretty isolated and I guess you need variety or else you could go a bit mad. We've got the best of both worlds here on the Kapiti coast. Not too populated with beach and bush but access to Welly, Hutts, Palmy etc and plenty of variety nearby.

Oh and it's always Sunny.

marbles

I spent a lot of time in Kapiti diving around the island, definitely nicer than Wanganui, i always laugh when i think of Kapiti as when we first arrived in NZ in 2000 we were told about Coastlands and how you could get anything you wanted there so i suppose my as then innocence in the Kiwi scale of things i was expecting a meadowhall or lakeside,and when we went i couldnt believe it, i chuckle now thinking about it

I see what you mean about Kapiti being a little more central i suppose our time in NZ my have been longer if we had been a bit further south, but i reckon we will never know now, having too much fun now we are back, doing the things that we took for granted before we left the UK.

IainW

That was true until very recently, according to the locals - things have changed significantly now though. Michael Laws and a much more energetic council have got rid of the old guard and there seems to be a real vibrancy to the place. Main Street Wanganui work pretty hard at promoting and improving the commercial aspects of the town and the annual referendum ensures the local population have a say in expenditure. There is a concerted effort by the council to try and bring events to the town and raise it's profile nationally.

It is a small town by UK standards, but having toured every town on NI with a population above 10k, I'd say it's one of the nicest small towns on the island.

Each to their own of course, for a lot of people small town NZ isn't what they are looking for, but I much prefer living here to being in Auckland. (Spent the first 7 months after arriving in Titirangi).

marbles

I was there when Laws was elected to mayor and i am pleased things have picked up for Wanganui, i feared that he would not last very long as Mayor as he is very outspoken and opinionated which upset alot of people. I never didnt like W but just ran out of enthusiasm for the place. I am into MTBing and although there is a good scene scene in W nothing beats the miles and miles of bridleways here in west yorkshire. I know every trail in Harakeke forest like the back of my hand, but having said that the local bike shop the Bike Shed is the best I have ever come across.

Just a little after thought, if anyone is into scuba diving make sure the shop you use is Go Deep scuba on the ave, not a free advert i assure you just an expensive hard learnt lesson about the other place.