Testing the Water
Overwhelming is a perfect way to describe it! Have you arrived already, I dont even know what I should be doing in the interim. Work would want me to start 16 Dec!!!! (trying to push for after xmas but not sure I will have the option? Have no real idea about what we should do about living when we get there, some serious work required now!!
Have you found somewhere.
Serial procrastinator and general busybody
The salary you've been offered is way above average for a kiwi and you should be comfortable living on that. Some people of this forum have been offered salaries almost half that and survive. Just, but they do.
We went to Sydney for the first time in march and I found it expensive. But we didn't do regular shops or anything. but finding an Aldi at manly ferry terminal was a bonus!
I buy good wines on special at the supermarket, rarely spending more than $13 a bottle. There's loads of free parks, walking, beaches, camping up the coast. There's the summer festival, choc full of free and cheap activities.
Mr Manks and I were talking this morning, after we'd been for a lovely breakfast at a great cafe in Scorching Bay, and saying what a wonderful place welly is to live. It's a city but it feels like a town. It has everything you need. And you get used to the wind. Days like today make you forgive the bad days too. As they say, you can't beat welly on a good day.
Serial procrastinator and general busybody
If you want a 30-minute walk to Tory Street, your options are:
Most of them have some form of cafe/eatery, but there isn't really a pub scene here. Some cafes are licenced and stay open late though. You will easily find a place within budget in any of these locations. Personally I'd go for Te Aro, Mount Vic or Cook, Oriental Bay, Evans Bay, Roseneath, Haitaitai.Originally Posted by buraddo
Member
^ fantastic, thanks. I take it that the "pushing it" ones are price, and the "borderline" ones are on recommendation?
Member
I've heard lots of people talk about how expensive it is here but I'm not finding it particularly expensive - I've come straight from London and it is no worse than there. Food-wise, if you buy seasonal/local food and look at the price before you put it in your basket it's fine. Rentals are much cheaper than London and for the same price as a one-bed basement flat we've just rented a 3-bed house in a nice area. We've just bought all the whiteware for the flat - fridge, washing machine, dryer etc and I found that to be cheaper than I expected thanks to labour weekend sales. Eating out and drinks in bars seem the same as London, so I'm used to and fine with that - I've exchanged one capital for another after all. I'm also earning a lot more here than I ever could in London and finding the way of life much more agreeable.
In terms of your salary I would think that would be fine for the lifestyle you described. Certainly I could manage on it in your situation (which is, of course all I'm basing my comments on).
Taking that plunge from wanting to do it to actually saying yes is a really big leap, but remember what it was that made you want to move and if you still want all of that face that fear and jump I'd say. Remember, you've nothing to fear but fear itself (or words to that effect!).
Senior Member
Most of those places are not 30minutes walking time, more like 30 minutes bus. If you are looking for cool and chilled have a look at the Miramar peninsula. Not too busy and there is a great cinema, a few excellent cafes and restaurants and shopping facilities - New World, DVD shop, library, butchers, veg shop etc. Lots of the folks who work for Peter Jackson and Weta live there. Good bus links to town and good access to the coast. More info about the individual suburbs here:
http://www.miramarpeninsula.org.nz/
Senior Member
But unfortunately if you come here from outside London, yes, you will find it expensive. And let's face it, it may be a capital city but Wellington is not London. Which is great, because I never managed to find the beaches in London.
Senior Member
I think those are about the distance, not prices. It would be a challenge to walk from Evans Bay to Tory St in 30 minutes, depends on how fast you are walking. With a bike it would be easier, and it is a nice flat ride. Same for distance issue for walking from parts of Brooklyn, Vogeltown, Berhampore, and Kingston.
What is hard to see from maps of Wellington are the exact layout of the hills. Any commute to/from Brooklyn is up a big hill (wow will you have good looking legs!). Kelburn is also up a hill, as is Wadestown, Ngaio, Khandallah. The route from the CBD through Newtown all the way out to Island Bay is relatively flat. The road that goes from Oriental Bay to Evans Bay is flat, but Haitaitai is up a hill (sort of the back side of Mt.Vic).
The Northern suburbs tend to feel a little more conservative (at least from my experience living in Wadestown and Khandallah), the Southern suburbs a little more artsy. Aro Valley has a very counterculture type reputation, lovely old houses and an easy walk to work (downside, less sunshine since you are in a valley). From a safety point of view, the only "bad stuff" seems to happen late at night. If you are out late, take a taxi home. Still, crime is relatively rare from what I see.
Junior Member
Not to hijack this thread, but does anyone have suggestions for a family friendly suburb in the seaview area? The job offer is there but I don't mind a shortish commute (my current commute is 45 minutes and 60km). We have 1 going into year 1, 1 soon to be in kindy and a newborn. Family friendly is by far the greatest desire.
Senior Member
Eastbourne and the bays e.g Days Bay would be my choice. Expensive but great for families.
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