davros1984

I would say the above is spot on.

I am glad you are at least considering this, it is a huge move and you really need to identify why you will come here. A lot of people (including myself at times) come here with the blinkers on, thinking that life will be easier, that you'll work less and have more time for fun activities. I find the opposite to be true compared to my life back in the UK.

Another thing I've been thinking about is kids and stuff for them to do. Sure I get it that generally the weather here is better = easier to do more outdoors. However.. there are surely only so many times you can take them to the beach, or go for a walk or take them on a bike ride. Sure you can get them into the sports club, but I'd say there are far less sports clubs here than what I got exposed to back at home.

What about doing other things with the kids? Like learning to play an instrument, or going to museums, or doing other educational things? There are so many interesting places to take kids in the UK, educational and fun, that NZ really can't compare. Going to Castles? Theme Parks? Mazes? Historical Buildings? Going to St Mawes, going on the London Eye... I could go on.

Whilst NZ has been great, for me its not a long-term option, life is so limiting here, especially when there's a whole world to see.

TommyLuck

At least the arrangement is fields, fauna and flora instead of derelict pubs, unfinished building work and graffiti.

BEVS

I take it this is reference to the area you personally used to live in the UK. Not to NZ ChCh for instance.

Mark Smith

Could also be pretty big chunks of the Costa del sol as well

BEVS

...or Detroit perhaps.

davros1984

or Northcote, or South Auckland....

pippalonghorn

I've haven't come across any of those where I come from in the UK. Yes there are bad places. On Our drive to the supermarket over here we count the rubbish tips created at the side of the road. They get bigger every week it's not all fields here either.

Stormer999

Please peeps if you don't like it just go back to "Utopia" and stop kicking it in the teeth......

BEVS

I'm not really sure what you mean by this. Telling posters to go back to Utopia. . No-one has kicked anywhere in the teeth, except perhaps TL with his post . Nor has anyone suggested any place is Utopia. What has been pointed out is that TLs last place of residence does not reflect other people's last place of residence. Just his own.

If this about views of NZ being samey then I will say that I am perfectly entitled to my personal views on NZ after 10 years of living here without having someone tell me to basically bog off back to where I came from.

Believe me, if we could afford to have changed our scenery to give us a little stimulation and diversity away from the same old same old more often than twice in ten years, we would have.

Bo-Jangles

I hear ya sista! It's not just us expats and applies equally to locals too who would appreciate a chance of affordable travel to get off the island as it were.

Friend of mine was desperate to get down to South Island over the holidays for a once in however many years opportunity to meet with other visiting family but nothing doing for less than $600 flying Auckland to Dunedin; it was a bit like the sequel to Trains, Planes and Automobiles trying to find a way to get her there. The alternative prospect of driving for two days alone with a small child was unthinkable and besides any chance of getting the ferry was stuffed.

BEVS

Yes. So very true.

I do think I sounded a little grumpy though when I re-read my post. Albeit with good reason. I just sometimes get very exasperated.

We do not walk in each other's shoes do we.

Stormer999

Stopped wearing shoes in NZ Bev,s

Pom_Chch

I started to type a long winded "NZ rocks" kind of reply. Then I thought sod it, life's too short ay! I'm off out to enjoy the sunshine

garethwm

Im sure I read in the herald recently that about 2 million Kiwis, I presume that includes expats, take an overseas holiday each year. Thats almost half the population??

britsinnz

The percentage of the usually resident population who were born overseas increased. In 2013, 25.2 percent of people were born overseas, compared with 22.9 percent in 2006.

Are you saying to a quarter of the country "go back to Utopia"? Then what would NZ do for income? NZ is a great place to live, IF it works for you. Just like anywhere is a great place to live IF it works for you. I personally love living here but some people find it too hard on many levels. You are the only one talking about Utopia, most of us are just wanting to find home.