dubstar

I am very aptly watching misery

billingham

It is horrible when people say 'cheer up', really annoying. What about 'things could be worse' - now that one deserves a smack. The worst though, by far, is that inane little voice with mock caring which says 'things will look better in the morning'. Say it and run.

dubstar

lol my all time fave, if you dont like it go home

Bo-Jangles

Good on ya, it's a very poor do if you can't have a laugh at work. I thought we were supposed to be the ones with the stiff upper lips.

Don't we just love that famous Kiwi conversation killer. How are you? Good!! Moving right along......how was you're weekend? Good! How's the baby / kids / wife / husband / dog? Good!

I left a job a while back and it struck me after I had done my lap of honour of going around the various departments to say my goodbyes to all the people that I cared about. You night guess the ones I went out of my way to say goodbye or shared a few parting words / have a hug / shed a tear or a handshake with, were of every nationality under the sun - not one of them was a Kiwi.

billingham

I once asked the question 'Are you interested?', in response to the question 'Have a good weekend?'. That went down like a lead balloon.

WRT leaving goodbyes - absolutely true.

Am Loolah

This is one of those threads again that makes me wonder if I got off the plane in an altogether different NZ to you lot or have just been extremely fortunate?!

My everyday life is as boring as the next person's now I'm not working and when the kids are at school. It is up to me to force myself out of the house and meet friends for a walk, a coffee, lunch whatever it is.

Last week I went to Auckland with the 2 youngest and a friend and stayed with another BE and we had a blast. The zoo, some hot pools, some wine and mojitos and then Snow Planet. But granted it all added up and was a school holiday treat.

I've been to a few places in NZ now and have found plenty to do in all of them and enjoyed the variety and experiences on offer. I enjoy the free NZ of the beaches, lakes, mountains, parks etc a lot of the time.

I don't miss travelling abroad as I never did it much in the UK being self employed and a family of 6. I've probably done more travelling round NZ than I ever did in the UK.

I had wonderful work colleagues when I was working and had the most amazing send off when I left. I am still good mates with all of them and even still get invited to some work do's!

I would agree with the early to bed, early to rise thing with the Kiwi's though, as I am more of a late night person!!

dubstar

With all due respect am loolah, i have been site seeing I once went to geraldine or was it fairlie? and saw the largest knitted jumper in a wool shop (guiness book of records)

and sadly to get us four up to auckers, for a few days in the school hols would have cost us just shy of 2grand, Our rivers are currently polluted due to sewer damage and its too dam cold with the sowesterly piercing the bones, to do very little

Am Loolah

Yep, it cost me a small fortune, despite being fortunate enough to be able to drive up and stay with friends - which is why I saved up for it in advance to treat the kids.

I'm sure there are places closer to home for you that would be of interest? And affordable? Maybe the largest jumper in a wool shop deserves a revisit?!

waikatoguy

It's an interesting topic. I guess you guys realised that NZ has about one fifteenth of the population spread out over the same size of land mass as GB before you came? And in the Sth Island it's even more marked with just 1 million people. So things are not going to be like Hollywood here, regardless of how much the Mayor of Wellington would like to make out it is. That is New Zealand! 4.5 million people spread out like Brown's cows ... literally. In summer I go to a surf beach called Ruapuke, just south of Raglan and I swear sometimes our group are the only people within sight. Some may call that boring ... mmm ... then I can go across to the Mount and it will be like Grand Central Station. Me ... I'll go for the Ruapuke option any day.
Then I wonder, if it is people you want ... I can't see what you can do in Sydney or Melbourne that you can't do in Auckland?? Auckland can crawl down to a dawdle on the southern motorway with the best of them!

waikatoguy

Having said all that above, there's no reason why Auckland shouldn't fulfill your needs, if it is people you want. It has 1.5 million people, a Zoo, a harbour, beaches, a casino, nightclubs galore, concerts, sport ... everything any other western city of similar size would have, surely? Or am I being naive?

billingham

So your message is - Get over it? There must be something wrong with you? It is your fault? Helpful.

Just let people get it out of their system without trying to make out that everything is great here so it must be them. There are many people, not just on this forum, who find New Zealand 'not to their taste'. There are also many people who love it. That is how it should be - nothing wrong in that.

I tried, and at times things were great, but too often there was an overwhelming sense of dreariness about the place. I found the atmosphere rather stifling, not conducive to creativity. It simply was not for me long term. I have no regrets about going there, and none about leaving, and would never get angry with those who are happy there - unless they try and impose their happiness on others.

Am Loolah

I agree, but the Mount is only like that for about 3 months of the year, and then you can always head out East along to Papamoa, same beach, just quieter!! Personally I love the fact it can be busy in Summer if that's what I want, I can go up the beach for quieter and out of season it's the best of both worlds ... see I am spoilt where I live!!

Charismatic

The down side of going to Auckland far outweighs any possible benefits .

Agreed about New Zealand towns being boring (except Napier) but it's not that surprising given the population density and comparative short duration of time since civilisation arrived. New Zealand's best features are by far it's natural ones .

Bo-Jangles

It doesn't however have a heart, a soul or any connection from the said zoo to the concert hall or sports ground. It's a mish mash of mostly bolted together areas of ugly industrial /office spaces.

Am Loolah

I see your point, I've only ever visited and enjoyed my time as exactly that, a visitor. I found the CBD and the Viaduct to have some identity - on a tourist level.