Pride in New Zealand

[Biff]

I've travelled to every continent, driven, drunk and socialised in most (even in Muslim countries, albeit in special compounds), and there is absolutely no doubt about it; New Zealand is a very special place, and that cwowd of rowdy wabble (rep points if you can name the film that phrase is taken from) that are Kiwis, are very special people. Combine that fact with the way of life, scenery and general well-being that this beautiful country has to offer and you have a country I'd very much like to settle down in with my family. Oh yeah, I'm already here.

The grass is always greener blah blah blah.

[TwoSeven]

Funny, I've done the same, and I would say almost the opposite.

I drove to tech this morning in chch and I had to skirt the broken glass covering the street outside the gas station. There is garbage all over the place in the center of the city, and most women I know wouldnt be seen dead alone after sunset for fear of their safety. There has been one armed defender call out, 1 stabbing, umteen fights and you cant get thru a weekend without the old bill parked up outside someones house around the waltham, beckenham, sydnem area (and I consider this part of town quiet).

This is supposed to be our "garden city"

I've been in a few muslim countries, french, german, italian, american, chinese cities and various other places that would be easily better, cleaner, greener, safer than christchuch, and i've also been in a few that I would say are worse.

I just think kiwis perhaps have their head in the sand more than other people do - or perhaps they listen too much to their own marketing.

[Big Dave]

I've travelled to every continent, driven, drunk and socialised in most (even in Muslim countries, albeit in special compounds), and there is absolutely no doubt about it; New Zealand is a very special place, and that cwowd of rowdy wabble
The grass is always greener blah blah blah.

Life of Brian - Pontious pilot - welease wodger the wapscallion

[c4.]

home is where you hang your hat.
Don't hang it on the floor

[FlyingDutchMan]

No where I can get a bottle of Berenburg?? Think I have spelled it right

Skyryder

Friesland in north of the netherlands... All I've found was "Berenburg is een typisch Friese (sterke) drank." which amounts to saying its a typical (strong) friesian drink and a song which rambled on a lot about spices. So my guess is that its a "kruidenlikeur" or spice liqour or spirit. I took myself a bottle (ceramic bottle) of Uitgeester Kruidenlikeur home last time I was there... I just love the stuff, but its seems to be impossible to find here.

I found this website: http://www.lekker-hollands.nl/WinkelUK.asp?mode=3&id=34 which seems to have it for sale, but it is an absolute ripoff. They're charging 14.50 euro for a dozen Heineken when you can by 2 dozen there for about 8 or 9 euro (ahh the land of cheap supermarket beer). So for 57euro for 1litre + 20 euro for postage it'll be ~$150 wack in your pocket.... I doubt you want it quite that much. I got my 700ml of liquor for 20fl ($20).

[Biff]

Life of Brian - Pontious pilot - welease wodger the wapscallion

Rep Points for Bid D

[Biff]

Funny, I've done the same, and I would say almost the opposite.

I drove to tech this morning in chch and I had to skirt the broken glass covering the street outside the gas station. There is garbage all over the place in the center of the city, and most women I know wouldnt be seen dead alone after sunset for fear of their safety. There has been one armed defender call out, 1 stabbing, umteen fights and you cant get thru a weekend without the old bill parked up outside someones house around the waltham, beckenham, sydnem area (and I consider this part of town quiet).

This is supposed to be our "garden city"

I've been in a few muslim countries, french, german, italian, american, chinese cities and various other places that would be easily better, cleaner, greener, safer than christchuch, and i've also been in a few that I would say are worse.

I just think kiwis perhaps have their head in the sand more than other people do - or perhaps they listen too much to their own marketing.

There's nothing you've described there that sets Christchurch apart from any city in the world, apart from maybe the Vatican city. But if you take a look at the crime stats (I haven't) and compare them to cities around the world I'll bet you that ChCh is somewhere near the bottom.

Having lived in big European cities Christchurch is very quiet and hassle free in my opinion. Then again ask me this time next year and I may tell you something different. Maybe I'm still experiencing a 'honeymoon' period.

[BM-GS]

Right on, Blackbird. That's why I moved here.

The trouble is that once people get settled into a routine, you stop seeing the good bits - it all gets too familiar. The unusual is more likely to be bad (cops, broken glass) than good (seeing a fit streaker, finding $100 down the back of the sofa) but coming over the hill every morning & seeing the sea makes it for me every time.

That, and the fact it's only 20 mins home from work, there's a beach at the bottom of the hill, everybody you walk past says hello, or at least acknowledges your existence, you stand a chance of meeting someone you know every time you go out the door, etc. That stuff's missing in lots of places.

[vifferman]

Having lived in big European cities Christchurch is very quiet and hassle free in my opinion. Then again ask me this time next year and I may tell you something different. Maybe I'm still experiencing a 'honeymoon' period.

Well, Mr Biffery Baff - I used to live in Christchurch, albeit for only a short while (27 munce), and I'd have to say it's got a great lifestyle, and I miss it. One of the dumbest things I ever did was leaving there.
It's not perfect, but it can be pretty good.
Some of that is situational, and our circumstances changed when we left there. However, we've been back to visit a few times since, and each time we feel like we're home, so look out (!!) - we'll be back some day....

[Paul in NZ]

Sadly - There are dickheads, thugs and bullies everywhere on the planet. And guess what, they have cars too....

Christchurch is no exception and if you want to find trouble you won't need a map and it won't take you long. However if you use sensible precautions you would be pretty unlucky to come to serious grief their.

Having said that, I was ChCh born and bred and I would not fancy a stroll down Manchester street at 1am. I mean to say, does chch have the ugliest hookers in the world - shudder - the cathederal has softer looking gargoles - SCARY stuff. I rolled in late one night on the bike, raining, cold, full luggage, obviously done a few miles and still got offered stuff I had to look up on the net by creatures I'm not even sure were human..

ANYWAY!

On the whole. This is a bloody great place!

Paul N

[Lias]

On the whole. This is a bloody great place!

I concur.. I just wish people would stop trying to americanise us.

Oh how I loathe America.

[outlawtorn]

You guys are really spoilt you know that? Think for a minute why there are hordes of people trying to get into this country. Myself and my family have just been told this week that we have been accepted for permanent residence and we are as happy as pigs in shit. We left South Africa because we got sick of living in our home which doubled as a prison, we never went out at night because the roads are so dangerous, we left South Africa because over here there are parks which your wife can take the kids to, there is nothing like that in SA, and if there is you can bet your bottom dollar that crime will take place there.

We became so numb to the crime and that is wrong, if someone got robbed we would say that at least you didn't get stabbed, if someone got shot we'd say well at least you are still alive. I got a gun in my back while drawing money out one day at a petrol station, the bastards made me draw out R1000 ($300) which was my daily limit, I thought that they were going to shoot me afterwards, scared the living fucking daylights out of me.

NZ is a beautiful country with all the right things going for it, it is true that you tend to take everything for granted, but step back and take another good look every now and then. You guys have a wonderful country, thats why we are now living here and so will our best friends and other family members too.

[vifferman]

I mean to say, does chch have the ugliest hookers in the world - shudder - the cathederal has softer looking gargoles - SCARY stuff. I rolled in late one night on the bike, raining, cold, full luggage, obviously done a few miles and still got offered stuff I had to look up on the net by creatures I'm not even sure were human.

Heh heh... Every time I go to a mall, I look at the 'people' walking past, and I'm sure most of them are trolls, goblins and other creatures pretending to be humans and hoping they'll blend in.

It'd be a good premise for a novel, if it was original...

[sels1]

We shouldn't go on about how good it is here - word will get out and everyone will want to come.
Interesting how many KBers are immigrants - Kiwi by choice eh?

[outlawtorn]

We shouldn't go on about how good it is here - word will get out and everyone will want to come.
Interesting how many KBers are immigrants - Kiwi by choice eh?

Hell yes, I'm proud to call myself a "Kiwi in training".