A few Qs!

[mujambee]

i said many. not all. and i have been a position to see it first hand - forgetting what side of the road to drive on, not knowing local rules, driving way too fast for the road type. often resulting in multiple deaths/serious injury. more often though, not, however when 5 people die in 1 crash because dad couldn't remember what side of the road to drive on, or a motorcyclist is killed because someone (again) forgot where they were, i guess focusses some people on the issue of foreign drivers.

Hey, don't get me wrong. I just wanted to know.

I understand what you say, and can see the reasons. Just couldn´t understand why Irish are better. Yes, left driving is a help, but I've always thought that the real cause for trouble is the "give way" rule.

[Gangle]

Cheers for the replies lads, much appreciated!

Yea I'll be getting a car before the bike alright, probably rent one to get me around for the first while. The bike will come as soon as we find a place to live.

I've been to New Zealand twice so am familiar with the whole driving thing. You guys are a lot better drivers that most over here, a lot of whom were just handed lisences years ago, even if they never drove a car in their life!

Smoky - I know all about the other "better" places to live, and in the future we might end up settling somewhere else, but for now we have to go where the jobs are (I'm an Architectural Technician, shes a Special Needs Teacher) and unfortunately that means a city. Not fond of Auckland and I prefered Christchurch to Wellington.

[sinfull]

Cheers for the replies lads, much appreciated!

Yea I'll be getting a car before the bike alright, probably rent one to get me around for the first while. The bike will come as soon as we find a place to live.

. Not fond of Auckland and I prefered Christchurch to Wellington.

Mate go have a look through trade me (like ebay) and buy an old shitter for a few hundy, so long as its rego and warrant are up to date ! Drive it till ya sort yaselves out and sell it for the same coin ya paid ! Renting is just gonna eat up precious bike money !

As for the cities you will prolly find ya made a good choice ! Not always the case but you yourself prolly noticed the ppl are friendlier the further south ya go ! Not sure what it is that causes it (perhaps its the heat lol)

[varminter]

Wellington's not bad, compared to ChCh it's slightly undulating and often has a sea breeze

[Gangle]

Wellington's not bad, compared to ChCh it's slightly undulating and often has a sea breeze

Quite the sea breeze if I remember!

[fredie]

you like sheep . ohh . thats the welsh

[Pixie]

Why Christchurch - bloody hell - every bloody English, Irish or Scott seems to head to the south - the south might be the warmer climate where you are but ITS THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE - it's cold like where you come from down there
Why shift to an island paradise with near tropicana beaches, great bars, fantastic women, and shift to the coldest parts? Where the woman are best described as robust, bars are smelly and closed by midnight, and everyone is still wearing socks and sandals??? I just don't get it.

Like the Scandinavian pioneers who left their homeland for a less harsh existence - and moved to Minnesota

[Guzza]

Why Christchurch - bloody hell - every bloody English, Irish or Scott seems to head to the south - the south might be the warmer climate where you are but ITS THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE - it's cold like where you come from down there
Why shift to an island paradise with near tropicana beaches, great bars, fantastic women, and shift to the coldest parts? Where the woman are best described as robust, bars are smelly and closed by midnight, and everyone is still wearing socks and sandals??? I just don't get it.

And you guys wonder why you need a passport to visit the Mainland now! In any case, one usually only wears socks with his sandals if he intends wear shorts....

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Quite the sea breeze if I remember!

Doesn't matter where you move to... all have their good and bad points from weather to friendliness, big smoke grid locked mainic drivers or open space and great motorcycling roads and scenery or ... ... ... blah blah blah

ChCh is okay and has every thing a city of that size needs and should have, but a bit big and flat for my taste but thats me...

[YellowDog]

Hey Gangle, you will love NZ. It is as Green as Ireland and as Mountainous as Scotland. If you are a 'Townie' then you may find NZ a bit too laid back for you (I can't believe I am saying that to an Irishman). I don't know how well you know your own country but if you head South to County Kerry or Galway, or Cork and meet the friendly trusting village folk down there, well most of NZ is as friendly and welcoming as Ireland (not Dublin).

As for the Roads, they are pretty damn good and you will be pleasantly surprised (heaps better than Irish Roads). NZ is a great biking country and I would recommend bringing your Blackbird (second hand bikes are pricey here) even if it is only to sell once you get here. Make sure you bring your last insurance renewal with you, most insurance companies will accept it as proof of no claims. You generally don't have to prove things out here and Kiwi firms are a lot more trusting than the European ones.

The big thing for you and your missus will be finding acceptable accomodation. Heating and insulation are H U G E issues for Europeans out here. If you are arriving in August, then at least you will be here when it is cold and it will only get better. If you are looking at buying or renting, prices are starting to bottom out so it may be a good time for you. www.realestate.co.nz is good and so is www.trademe.co.nz for rentals. Best you ask fellow posters about areas. The worst areas here are nothing compared with what you will have seen in Europe. And don't forget, "A happy wife is happy life" so look after her for your own sake.

Another small thing, 'Asians' are not people from the Indian sub-continent, they are people of oriental extraction (I found that confusing).

And another even smaller thing: check out the right of way rule when turning left. Don't find out when a bus runs into your side.

And a final itty bitty thing, there is no gastronomic political correctness. Kiwis eat pies by the dozen. Fantastic!

Good luck

[Bren]

Why Christchurch - bloody hell - every bloody English, Irish or Scott seems to head to the south - the south might be the warmer climate where you are but ITS THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE - it's cold like where you come from down there
Why shift to an island paradise with near tropicana beaches, great bars, fantastic women, and shift to the coldest parts? Where the woman are best described as robust, bars are smelly and closed by midnight, and everyone is still wearing socks and sandals??? I just don't get it.

A lot of good folk live in the south island...even if they seem a bit peculiar to you...and Christchurch is NOT the coldest, in fact in summer it can get bloody hot...yeah its a bit nippy in the winter but this bloke has a girl so I expect winter could be quite enjoyable...

As for the cities you will prolly find ya made a good choice ! Not always the case but you yourself prolly noticed the ppl are friendlier the further south ya go ! Not sure what it is that causes it (perhaps its the heat lol)

Yep, all good folks...these norf island folks are a worry though...eh Bill....p.s, ya comin on sat?

Wellington's not bad, compared to ChCh it's slightly undulating and often has a sea breeze

ya call it a breeze....shit I would hate to see what yer gale is, cos if a breeze can knock up 20ft swells then a gale is gonna produce a frikkin tsunami!

[Skunk]

Quite the sea breeze if I remember!

I live in Welly and have been to Christchurch. I rate the wind about the same only Welly's is wet and cold and Chch's is hot and dry. Personally I hate hot and dry.

There is a Social Group on here somewhere for foreigners living in Un Zed... At least you'll get their experiences.

[sinfull]

A sat?



i!

Sat ? down south No wait thats the week after awwww sat ? what we doin ? Know its club day sun if yr doin farrk all ! Fun day sunday, bring a trail bike, or there's a few there to be thrashed !

Edit : Awww haha shit i might just walk down !

[Gangle]

Cheers for the replies lads

YellowDog - cheers for all that mate, you from over here or just traveled around here a lot? Can't wait to get away to a more laid back lifestyle, sick of living in a city (Dublin) and all the shit that goes with it.
Have someone looking at the Blackbird this weekend, if I get the right price I'll let her go, the emigration process has enough paperwork without the hassles of shipping a bike!

We haven't had a summer here for the last 2 years so I'll be happy no matter what the weather or temperature is!

[scracha]

Dude, sell your blackbird. Buy 3 or 4 cheap 250cc bikes with the money and get them crated over here to sell as they go for stupid money in New Zealand.


You'll love New Zealand, scenery is fantastic but the road surfaces are $hite and the standard of driving/riding is way worse than I encountered in Dublin (can't really comment on the rest of Ireland). Kiwi's are mostly good bastards but turn into homicidal maniacs when driving.