How's life in NZ/Aus?

watna

Life in NZ is cold. What happened to the beautiful weather we've been having. Didn't have a coat with me today and I was freezing.

Apparently we're going to have a la nina summer and it'll be cold and wet Luckily I'm off to South Africa for 4 weeks over Christmas so I'll get some heat!

doriansmith

watna wrote: »

Life in NZ is cold. What happened to the beautiful weather we've been having. Didn't have a coat with me today and I was freezing.

Apparently we're going to have a la nina summer and it'll be cold and wet Luckily I'm off to South Africa for 4 weeks over Christmas so I'll get some heat!

Damn, it's my first summer in NZ so I hope it's not too cold & wet! Can't believe how horrible it's been the last few days though after being gorgeous last week. I'm in the south island & it's been bitterly cold here, feels like winter. Went exploring the Otago Peninsula yesterday & the wind was like knives to the face!

P.S. Can anyone recommend the best way to find a place to rent long-term? I've had a look on nzflatmates.co.nz but are there any other good sites?

Crumble Froo

yep, check out trademe.co.nz they're good for pretty much everything you want or are looking for.

im on a holiday in dunedin at the moment and it's pretty chilly out. that said, i've come to expect nothing less from dunedin. chrsitchurch was pretty miserable when i left, but we've been having nice weather for the few weeks up to that, so im not too bothered.

always amuses me when you get three days of bad weather in a row and kiwis are convinced it'll never end and that it's been bad weather for aaaaaaaaaaages. would like to see them cope in ireland, tbh :pac:

doriansmith

Thanks Crumble Froo, just checking that out now & they have tons of listings.
Thinking of settling in Christchurch soon, haven't actually been yet though so I'm hoping I like it! Just spent the last few days in Dunedin & loved it, definitely my favourite city in NZ so far. Reckon it'd be easier to get jobs in Chch though

Jumpy

watna wrote: »

Life in NZ is cold. What happened to the beautiful weather we've been having. Didn't have a coat with me today and I was freezing.

SHAAAAADAAAAAP *slaps*

Its feckin minus 7 in Limerick.

Crumble Froo

Jumpy wrote: »

SHAAAAADAAAAAP *slaps*

Its feckin minus 7 in Limerick.

Yeah, but you get snow.

doriansmith wrote: »

Thanks Crumble Froo, just checking that out now & they have tons of listings.
Thinking of settling in Christchurch soon, haven't actually been yet though so I'm hoping I like it! Just spent the last few days in Dunedin & loved it, definitely my favourite city in NZ so far. Reckon it'd be easier to get jobs in Chch though

Yeah, bare.... bear... keep trademe in mind whenever you're going to get something, and remember op shops and second hand shops when you're buying things like furniture etc, can get armchairs for $5, etc.

I live in Christchurch and love it, whatever you're into, there's something to do there, though it did take me a while to find any of it, so feel free to ask on here if you're looking for something.

Dunedin is awesome, though I couldn't live here due to the hills, I don't reckon, got chronic knee pain from an injury, and increasing arthritis, and the hills really do not agree with that, same goes for Wellington, but outside of Christchurch, Dunedin and New Plymouth are my favourite places to go in New Zealand. Not seen a whole lot of the north island, and the West Coast here is pretty, but just a bit too rural to have to put up with the amount of rain it gets.

What kinda jobs are you looking for?

doriansmith

Cheers for the tips, I may be taking you up on the offer of advice so sorry in advance if you get bombarded with questions :P

Dunedin's hills are a bit of a pain alright, takes some getting used to. I spent a month in the north island but never actually made it to New Plymouth - another time I guess! Wellington's nice enough but I'm not sure I could handle the weather to live there. I've a friend living there & she says winter's a nightmare there with the wind & rain.

I'll probably be looking for accounting work or some kind of office job anyway. My boyfriend is looking for retail work, maybe retail management if he can get it. I've heard Wellington is easier to get jobs in but hopefully Chch works out for us.

Crumble Froo

Ah, can't help you out on the jobs front there, I'm more involved with the care industry, but best of luck anyway. Have you had time to think about which part/suburbs of Christchurch you'll live in, or is that to be figured out later?

Actually turned into a nice hazy day here in Dunedin. Still cold enough though that I'm curled up reading my book inside instead of out though. And no problems at all about question bombardment. For the next two weeks I'm staying with a friend and have regular computer access, after that, it's an hour at a time at public libraries.

doriansmith

No idea what part of Christchurch as I don't know it at all. I guess as close to the city centre as possible, unless there's any part you can recommend?

I assume any jobs we'd get would be in the city centre so the closer I can live to work (and thus the later I can stay in bed in the morning) the better! Preferably walking distance cos I hate relying on public transport - though maybe it's better over here than crappy Dublin Bus

We have a car but I can't drive

Crumble Froo

Oh yep, I hear ya on not driving. Lived in Leixlip in Ireland, so getting to town was either an easy bus/train ride, and getting around Leixlip itself was walking or cycling, so never bothered to learn there. Thought I'd learn in Christchurch, but the public transport is actually surprisingly good. Get a metrocard and you'll not pay more than $21 a week. Hop on a bus and with the card any others you hop on in the next two hours are free (without a card the fee is a little more and you can only hop on one bus in the 2hrs). You'll never have to pay more than two trips in a day, and if you use the card 5 days a week, you have free transport for the other two. Failing that, you can bike, Christchurch is really flat. So much so that all the masochistic cyclists flock in their dozens to the hills every weekend, just to cycle diagonally for a while.

I've just moved out of the city centre after the house got fcuked over in the quake, am living in Linwoodhood at the moment, which is on the east side of the city, but still walkable distance to town. Anywhere around St Albans, Edgeware, Linwood, Philipstown, Sydenham are all pretty easily walked/biked (I tend to skate, for the most part). I'm less familiar with the suburbs on the west side, but of the ones I've listed above, Linwood would probably be the only one I'd point out as being a bit dodgy, but even then, I've been living there two years without an issue (I lived there before living in town) and I lived around the St Alban's/Edgeware/Philipstown border-ish area for about a year too.

All that said, having had a pretty major fall out with my flatmate, I'm counting down the days till my lease here is up and I can fcuk off to New Brighton, live by myself and spend more time surfing and skating and nice things like that. It's generally thought of as pretty far away, but takes me - a slow, mellow, un-confident cyclist - about 20mins to cycle there, and it's well served by buses.

Probably worth just going for a drive around the place, and taking note of where appeals to you.

watna

Jumpy wrote: »

SHAAAAADAAAAAP *slaps*

Its feckin minus 7 in Limerick.

Yes, but it's the middle of summer here! It's supposed to be warm.

Had to get my tights and boots out again for work!

doriansmith

Crumble Froo wrote: »

Probably worth just going for a drive around the place, and taking note of where appeals to you.

Will do, will be arriving there in a few days so I'm looking forward to checking it out. Buying a bike's probably a good idea. I used to cycle to work at home & I quite miss cycling now. Only thing that'd put me off cycling here is the terrible drivers! Cheers for all the advice

Mellor

Estate agents decide to ring and say that I have to be out by next wed, was suppsoed to be after xmas, kinda makes it a balls for me atm

jank

Do you have a lease? Can they do that, just ring you up and say out!

hussey

Yeah what lease do you have?

Sounds pretty dodgy to me, check it out

mandrake04

Yeah if your under a lease I think they would have to give you 60 days notification.

Mellor

I needed a place to stay and took a room here until jan. The previous housemate had fallen out with the other girl and left.

After a few weeks, it turns out the person who rang up the agents and took their name off the lease, which basically cancelled it.
So to stay we'd have to sign a new lease. I'm not signing a new lease, and they won't give it to the other girl on her own

so, rock and a hard place really

jank

Thats kinda stupid. They are going to have a hard time getting someone to move in this late to Christmas, unless they have someone already.

Mellor

I know, it makes it tricky for everyone.
i'm looking like an awkward xmas.

Roll on new years i say

Rebel Boy

I'm currently in Sydney at the momant. I've mixed views on it tbh. Its a lovely city and great night life, but its sooooooooo expensive. I know its peak season and things are expected to be a bit dearer but much more than I expected. Out of Melbourne and Sydney, Melbourne is 10 times better. anyone know if North Sydney is cheaper for hostels etc?

Slunk

mandrake04 wrote: »

Yeah if your under a lease I think they would have to give you 60 days notification.

Hi, I seen your post on the previous page regarding work and a certain pub. Could you PM that info please. Wouldreally appreciate it. Thanks

Feelgood

Rebel Boy wrote: »

anyone know if North Sydney is cheaper for hostels etc?

I actually couldn't find any hostels in North Sydney
There are however guest houses. I am staying at a place in Kirribilli / Milsons point in North Sydney at the minute, really nice area. Its literally at the other end of the harbour bridge.

There are loads of guest houses out here that give weekly rates. The place I am in at the minute is 420 bucks for a week for a single room and that includes breakie. If there are 2 of you it would cost less for a twin room...Was the cheapest I could find out this direction!. But yeah you are right, very expensive.

http://www.glenferrielodge.com/

Zambia

Well yesterday some hoon cut me off from the left.

Ran right up the back of the car in front tailgated them at speeds of 80kmph.

Turned into my estate then launched a plastic bottle out the passenger window.

Somedays I F**king hate bogan hoons.

Mahatma coat

Ah Zambia, You will be cheered up no end to learn that I was out most of the Weekend embarrasing the Stupid Hoons on the Roads, my BMW is fairly nondescript, but fast, so on the way back up from the Farm last night I taught a few of them in the Smaller towns the difference between an Quick Car and something with Fuclkoads of POWAAAAH.

Had one fool in a Civic try to race me for about 10 miles, he just didnt seem to understand the intrinsic differences between what a 1.6 Civic can do and what a 3.5 BMW is capable of.

they are idiots, they have no understanding of what their cars can ACTUALY do, Lismore is full of the idiots.

Zambia

Well I got mine back on my hoon as someone in his vehicle threw a bottle out the window.

One quick notification to the EPA and a infringement is on its way to him for aggravated littering.

Mackman

Ah hoons. Endangering lives since 1956

Mahatma coat

Reporting people to the EPA, , much as I dislike Hoons, I Fúckin hate Squealers

Zambia

Mahatma coat wrote: »

Reporting people to the EPA, , much as I dislike Hoons, I Fúckin hate Squealers

Why do you hate "squealers"?

Because if you dont have a good reason well that would be a little sad dont you think.

Is it in this case or just in general?

Mahatma coat

Its an attitude thing.

at its most Basic,

Dont be a GRASS

These Lads drove into the same Estate as you, You could have Followed them and enquired as to What reason they had for acting like Dicks on the Road, And should they not be able to furnish you with a reasonable answer then inform them that you will be reporting their Registration number to the Police along with a Signed statement outlining why you thought they were dicks.

thats the way I'd do it.


theres just something Petty and Childish in making anonomyous phonecalls

Zambia

Mahatma coat wrote: »

Its an attitude thing.

at its most Basic,

Dont be a GRASS

We are a little old for this attitude are we not?

If I reported peadophile would I still be a grass?
If I reported a bloke breaking into your house would that still be a grass?

You may get to draw the line for what you take action on I get to decide what I take action on.

Mahatma coat wrote: »

These Lads drove into the same Estate as you, You could have Followed them and enquired as to What reason they had for acting like Dicks on the Road, And should they not be able to furnish you with a reasonable answer then inform them that you will be reporting their Registration number to the Police along with a Signed statement outlining why you thought they were dicks.

thats the way I'd do it.

Sorry not my job to be their moral compass. They know they should not throw litter from cars.

Mahatma coat wrote: »

theres just something Petty and Childish in making anonomyous phonecalls

Rest assured if they want to see who I am all they have to do is contest the charge. Then they get to see me in court backing up the charge.