New Zealand - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

[Ramrod]

Sheesh! that's soon!

 

You flying Qantas? They seem to be the most direct.

They are the most direct but you also pay a premium for that.  Got an option via Hong Kong but i don't feel like sitting in the airport for a 12 hour layouver

[patches]

But housing alone will be at least 3 times higher for me (compared to current) 

 

True, housing is quite a bit more. Especially in Auckland.

[patches]

They are the most direct but you also pay a premium for that.  Got an option via Hong Kong but i don't feel like sitting in the airport for a 12 hour layouver

 

Yeah, tell me about it! My poor wallet screamed in pain when I paid 3x more for a 1 way ticket to Christchurch than I did for a return ticket to Geneva. 

Edited March 8, 2016 by patches

[Ramrod]

Yeah, tell me about it! My poor wallet screamed in pain when I paid 3x more for a 1 way ticket to Christchurch than I did for a return ticket to Geneva. 

i hear you. I can't figure out how they charge so much for a one way ticket. Its nearly the same cost as a return ticket.

[nolipoli]

ANZ bank account opened. Super easy from this side!

Dude, did you need your visa for that, or is just a job offer sufficient?

[intern]

Another little helpful bit of info I stumbled upon...

 

So in NZ levies are added to petrol, but not to diesel. So diesel is significantly cheaper.

 

BUT, diesel vehicles require a RUC (road user charge) disc to make their contribution. This disc is based on distance travelled. For example, if I do 15 000km/year I will need to buy 15 000km worth of RUC.

 

The RUC rate is also based on vehicle weight, but the lowest bracket covers up to 3500kg.

 

So... the NZ government has been kind enough to publish an excel spreadsheet to help one compare 2 vehicles and see which one is cheaper to run.

 

Look for the link to the spreadsheet here

 

http://www.transport.govt.nz/land/roadusercharges/ruccalculator/

This is also why you should get a boat with an inboard diesel (VW makes a TDI diesel 250hp, I think - 6 cylinder). At around 80c for a litre of diesel, and no RUC license necessary, that's a good deal.

Just as a matter of interest, the RUC scenario is because farm vehicles don't use public roads and therefore aren't taxed on fuel. Boats, also, don't use the roads. That's why on road vehicles need RUC licenses.

I had a diesel ute, but even though it is laaughably simple to get a RUC license, I always forgot. Back to a petrol vehicle for me.

[intern]

and PS my boat has a 3.3 litre 6-cylinder two stroke direct injection motor on it. Petrol, I'm afraid, so no, I don't follow my own advice by any means.

[intern]

True, housing is quite a bit more. Especially in Auckland.

Housing is stupidly expensive, but interest rates are very low at around 4.5% (and a cut expected). I'm too scared to buy a house in Auckland, it is risky because the market is overheated (and that heat is leaking into the regions...which suits me, because I have a house in the regions and its value has shot up).

On that note, I am hoping to be in a position to move back to the countryside within a few months - have a firm offer on a second property we have and might wind up almost mortgage free by the middle of the year. That will be absolute bliss, will be able to ride my bike more and spend more time with my boys.

[intern]

ANZ bank account opened. Super easy from this side!

I bank with ANZ; excellent organisation and the most impressive mobile banking app you will find anywhere in the world. It is even better than online banking.

[patches]

Dude, did you need your visa for that, or is just a job offer sufficient?

 

Nope, no visa or job offer needed. You can do it all in 5-10 minutes over here:

 

http://www.anz.co.nz/personal/migrants-travel-foreign-exchange/microsite/en/move-to-nz/?pid=RET-MIG-HBA-migrant_targeting-Q315-abtest_mountains

[Wayne Potgieter]

The Kiwi Sense of humour is fantastic

 

http://www.trademe.co.nz/business-farming-industry/office-furniture/desk-chairs/auction-1047396619.htm

[Ramrod]

ok so the Sh*t is starting to hit the fan with so much to do and only 2 days to do it in!

 

Starting to stress big time!!!

[patches]

ok so the Sh*t is starting to hit the fan with so much to do and only 2 days to do it in!

 

Starting to stress big time!!!

 

I have 4.5 days and I'm freaking out!

 

I started looking through the shipping documentation yesterday. It's like 30 pages. And they're so strict. All shoes need to be washed and packed near top of box. Everything needs to be itemized on a pack list. Can't ship and batteries.

 

I feel like just leaving everything here and starting over, hahaha

[Ramrod]

I have 4.5 days and I'm freaking out!

 

I started looking through the shipping documentation yesterday. It's like 30 pages. And they're so strict. All shoes need to be washed and packed near top of box. Everything needs to be itemized on a pack list. Can't ship and batteries.

 

I feel like just leaving everything here and starting over, hahaha

Please could you send that to me?  I haven't heard any of that!

[hayleyearth]

Don't know if it has been mentioned here before:

 

https://www.bikewise.co.nz/places-cycle/auckland

 

edit: http://tracks.org.nz/

Edited March 14, 2016 by hayleyearth

[niterider]

Don't know if it has been mentioned here before:

 

https://www.bikewise.co.nz/places-cycle/auckland

 

edit: http://tracks.org.nz/

 

The tracks website hasn't been updated in a few years. The best place to find MTB trails is http://www.trailforks.com/region/new-zealand/