Moses2013

Funny enough you're the one moaning now. I just said it's hard to compare countries and if you would use some of your imagination, the things you moan about wouldn't be worst or best anywhere. People everywhere, civil unrest in your face could be Auckland if you compare with Kilmartin in Scotland .

Tom H

Worst things

1: Opportunity for growth
2: Lack of job security
3: Momentum
4: Knife Crime
5: Ambulance Chasers
6: In Laws
7: Lack of chips on shoulders over Wayne Barnes, Romaine Poite, dodgy South African cuisines and Quade Cooper
8: No stuff commentators

Best things
1: Seeing cars actually keeping left if not overtaking, using their indicators, keeping a sensible distance and in general - knowing the basics of driving
2: Radio stations that play music for a decent amount of time, not one song and then 10 minutes of adverts.
3: No Harvey Norman adverts being shown every 28 seconds
4: Rugby supporters that understand the offside rule!!!!!!!
5: Public Transport and cheap air fares across the world.

BtotheR

Sure Bev.

NZ Worst:
Badly built houses, lack of choice buying most things, prices of most things, lack of large cities to live in, remoteness worldwide (although it has many advantages), Rugby news, family miles away, nightlife, 10/20 years behind in most respects.

NZ Best:
Space, sun, beaches, work opportunities, 2 degrees of separation, friendliness in general, cafes, coffee, tropical plants, south island, the waitakeres, young country feel that punches well above its weight, tropical fauna.

Thank you please.

BtotheR

p.s whats a no stuff commentator? Ta

Shard

Never been to Kiwiland, but this (good and bad) seems most consistent with my perceptions.

My question is: unless you are being work transferred or infatuated with sheep, why would any Brit choose the more backward more remote NZ over Australia?

Tom H

Aaah the stuff commentator. A unique special breed of human being. One that thinks the year is 1852 and Victoria is still Queen of England.

There's your Rugby Heaven commentator. One that spits his/her dummy out of his/her pram when Stephen Jones writes an article or bangs their computer in rage over an article about South African cuisine, accidental offsides or forward passes.

Then you have your political commentator. One that says they had 6 jobs working from 5am to 2am, with zero social life etc all to afford a child or a house. Often these are found whenever there's an article about the Labour party or about the extension of paid parental leave.

Finally a personal favourite. Your expert motor commentator. One that says there's no such thing as a dreadful local driver. The accidents are all caused by tourists or drivers that stay at the speed limit. Yes in their eyes, the speed limit should be 190kmh and anyone going 100 shouldn't be allowed to drive. Tourists shoukd be banned from driving here and those things called trucks should not be on the road because they go slow. You'll find these on articles about why is the nation so awful at driving.

www.stuff.co.nz for all your hilarious comments

Moses2013

Depends what part of Australia you are talking about but most people move for work + the adventure. New Zealand seems to be better for older people coming from busy parts of the UK who want smaller cities with employment and less people around them + not as hot in general (flora/fauna). Australia seems to be for the younger generation seeking heat or bigger cities with work opportunities (of course there are exceptions too). I suppose it's all relative and unless it's for work you could say why would any Brit choose the more expensive and remote Australia over Spain. It's the same anywhere and people have different reasons for moving. Why move to a remote place where a visa is required if you could move to the Isles of Scilly etc. Little things can make the difference.

Shard

Good comments. I hadn't considered the older/younger aspect.

Moses2013

Of course just thoughts but in Ireland myself now and what I've noticed here compared to the UK would be a bit like New Zealand and Australia. Apart from Dublin, a lot of people in their 20's might think Ireland is boring and would prefer the busier parts of England, just like many younger New Zealanders think New Zealand is boring and prefer Australia (apart from Tasmania:-).


Some things you only appreciate when you get older and I now see a lot of couples in their late 30's or 40's moving back. Let's face it, most people in their 20's don't dream of having a green house in the garden or think looking out the window at a lake is exciting LOL.

Shard

You're telling me.

Moses2013

When a 2 hour trip to IKEA was the highlight of the week and you were just glad to get out again, you know what I'm taking about.

Pom_Chch

Yep, good ol' backwards NZ. Before we throw about that old chestnut lets ask ourselves the following:

1. Which country out of OZ or NZ was the first to allow women to vote?
2. Which country out of OZ or NZ was the first to allow same sex marriage?
3. Which country out of OZ or NZ has the shittest old school banking system ever?

First to answer all three correctly gets a chocolate fish

Tom H

Where's the Pavlova question????
How could you forget the most important question of all, who invented the pavlova?

Anyone that answers Australia deserves a Warriors season ticket for life.

Pom_Chch

Not brave enough to go there. Mentioning pavlova is probably 3rd on list of no go topics after mentioning the price of cucumbers and tomatoes!

Snap Shot

I suspect this is the real reason you left Auckland !

Best: I'm home.

I'm back to a work culture I understand - the radio isn't permanently on in the office like some sort of 11th commandment. People not yakking all morning then going to morning tea where the clique reigns supreme.

Warm friendly people. Feeling welcome. Feeling like I'm in the right place.

No more, 'settler mentality' like there's a virtue in being cold.

Worst: No Whittakers West coast buttermilk caramelised white chocolate or Old Mout scrumpy. I'm not a fan of different flavoured ciders. (Well, Amazon sell the chocolate but it's £4.38 for a single bar !)

Soov - an antiseptic and anaesthetic cream mixture which I could get over the counter in NZ.

Naprogesic - over the counter pain killer most useful at certain times of the month. Neurofen ? Pah !

Dental flossing sticks with renewable heads - that will make no sense unless you use them. However, we've found alternatives.