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Thread: Our first experiences of Gisborne NZ

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Gisborne, New Zealand
    Posts
    45

    Default Our first experiences of NZ

    Hi everyone,

    Haven't been on the site for a while but said I would update you when we had moved here so here goes.

    We have all settled very well in Gisborne so far. OH loves his job and I am getting used to being a housewife We have moved into a rented house which is pretty 1950's but that's perfectly normal here - the good points are we have amazing views, a 300m walk to the most fantastic beach, my boy can cycle to school, we have a good size garden and we were lucky to get a large rental in this area anyway! We are living outside Gisborne in Wainui which has a wonderful beach, but then so does Gisborne and most of the coast around this area. It is staggeringly gorgeous and the climate is much better than the figures suggest - the summer is very HOT here - they take the figures at the airport on the coast so the sea breeze makes it seem cooler but it is warm, andyou have all the plants that go with that like palm trees etc.

    The school is wonderful - can't say enough good things about it compared to the primary school he was at in the UK - only 15 children in his class, most activities are FUN and outdoors if they can be and he is learning at last.... Both kids will definitely have the life we wanted for them here - outdoors, physical and more freedom with more time with their parents. Every weekend we can be on the beach even if it's only for a an hour or so and when the weather isn't good we can go the hot springs or hunt for crabs in the rock pools etc etc. It's not cold when it does rain so what the heck!

    I have encountered nothing but friendliness from all the kiwis I have met - most people have been amazingly helpful and I have even borrowed stuff for the house which didn't turn up in the container - another story! - from people I had only met a few times. There is a thing here called Playcentre for pre-school children which Iwould recommend - it's run by parents so there's a great level of commitment and I've met some really nice people through that. Wainui is a great place to live - whether we stay here when we want to buy or build is a different matter - it's pricey and we are "country folk" who would love a few acres at home so we may be heading for the foothills when we've done our bit of beach life but even so we'll only be a five minute drive from the beach. If anyone is worried about housing - Wainui has EVERY type/size of house you can imagine and there are some incredible new houses here - stunning, architecturally designed gorgeous places - also some tiny little cottages etc. From what I have seen if you buy a newish house or build you won't have any worries. The worst thing we will face in this house is probably a bit of damp - a dehumidifier should help but hey, if that's your biggest worry....

    Actually, it's not - since we arrived one of our parents has fallen ill in the UK which is our worst case scenario and very difficult to deal with but we are glad to be here anyway.

    We have had a few problems with the shippers - all I would say is, ifyou have a container plus some going groupage then absolutely INSIST that they allow you to say what goes in the container and what doesn't - we asked to prioritise and were told that groupage would be on the same ship and there a few days after the container - nuts, it was still in the UK two weeks ago and with it our bed, kitchen table and chairs, all cutlery, pots andpans, kettle, iron the list goes on..... However, these are minor worries in the big scheme.

    All I would say is that if you are a person who loves modern things, can't live without their dishwasher, all the mod cons etc then you will be ok as long as you can afford those things but they are not necessarily the norm here. That doesn't bother us in theleast - we have bought a TV but haven't really watched it very much - better things to do.

    We are very pleased that we have made this move - it's not without it's difficulties and family and friends clearly are the main issues. What we were hoping for is here and we can all enjoy the things that we would like to.

    I hope this helps

    Helga

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Whitianga. Nz. Pop; 4004
    Posts
    2,163

    Default

    Fantastic news Helga. Thanks for the in depth posting.
    Sorry to hear of your family crisis. Fingers crossed it is nothing serious and the family member concerned makes a speedy recovery.
    Gisy sounds lovely. It is going on my hit list right now.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Waikite Valley, Rotorua
    Posts
    486

    Default

    Helga,

    It's lovely to hear your news - glad you've settled in well and are so happy. Sorry to hear about your problems though - I hope it's nothing too serious.

    It's nice to be reminded that it will all come good in the end,

    Emily

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Auckland [was UK ]
    Posts
    1,391

    Default

    great post Helga ,enjoyed reading it ....

    best wishes

    Marie x

  5. #5

    Default

    Glad your liking Gizzy Helga,

    Don't forget to visit the Morere hot pools on those damp days!


  6. #6

    Default

    Helga

    How's life shaping up in Gisbourne, now that you've seen a bit of winter?

    Cheers

    Rich :smile

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Gisborne, New Zealand
    Posts
    45

    Default A few months on...

    Hi Captain Xmas,

    Funny - I have looked at the forum for the first time in ages today as my boy is home from school and glued to the TV - had a few minutes to myself! Life continues to be really good in Gisborne - everything falling nicely into place. When it's cold, the house is freezing - but that wouldn't be a problem if it weren't a rental as we would just put in a heat pump or whatever necessary! We are in shadow most of the day which is a lesson to be learnt when buying or building - stay away from hillsides! Gisborne is a great place to be - people very friendly and lots going on. Probably a bit quiet for some folk in the winter but suits us fine. Most people say they need to get out for the odd weekend now and then which we will be trying to do in the school holidays.

    Money doesn't go as far as you think it will here but we were warned about that and you soon learn to shop shrewdly - would help if we could sell our house in the UK which has been on the market since September and is empty since we left so costing us a lot of money :eek We have dropped the price massively but people say the market there is falling a bit? Hope this doesn't turn into a huge problem for us... Lots of lovely property here but we won't even look until we can buy :

    Children are as happy as the proverbial pigs in you know what and have made friends easily - also, don't feel the cold like us oldies!!

    Everything is going very well and we are really happy with our move - have noticed that a positive attitude really helps - some people I have met who have made the move are not that happy and I can't put my finger on why but just keep smiling

    Helga

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    staffordshire...but its only a matter or time
    Posts
    143

    Default

    Sounds like your having a whale of a time! So good to hear sucess stories :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
    Hope you sell the house in the UK soon!
    Keep the diaries coming!

  9. #9

    Default

    Helga

    Glad things are going well, we are in the same boat re: house sale and will be coming out regardless.

    We will undoubtedly be visting our Dad (in-law for me) in Morere over the next few months - so we could always catch up. (in-between jumping into the hot pools)

    When the weather turns there is a smashing bookshop on the main Gisbourne high street with a cafe upstairs and a lovely sun-trap balcony. Great place to eat carrot cake and watch the world.

    Cheers

    Rich

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Gisborne, New Zealand
    Posts
    45

    Default You must mean Muirs...

    Hi Rich

    You must mean Muirs? - a great place - just off into town for a coffee myself with no kids for once - the excitement is almost too much

    PM me if you want to meet up anytime - where are you hoping to move to in NZ??

    Helga

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