Life in New Zealand - The move has been made...

[silvrav]

So remember that new radio I bought? For when my wife is here so she can navigate around without the need to watch her phone gps all the time?

It turns out the maps are 7 YEARS old  When approaching the seller about it he said he indicates it had NZ maps but not that it was updated or the age of the maps. Updated maps are $49.

 I was livid and bluntly told him I will then return it give you a negative seller rating on trademe. He almost immediately backtracked and about 6hours later me updated maps (oct'2018) for the unit...

It frustrates me wondering how many have fallen for this same trick. Just shows don't matter where in the world you are if you don't keep your wits about it, and just accept things, people will screw you over.

Otherwise, our Christmas party is this coming Friday and we are taking a tour through NZ wine route....I believe lots of wine and food will be had. Luckily public transport is good and I can walk home from the train station 

[TeeJay]

Aaah nice - enjoy the wine route!

Yaaah people are funny hey - all over the world you get those types.

[silvrav]

Wet, rainy and windy day in wellington, and yet most ladies still wear skirts that if they bend over.... 

Another hard pill to swallow this week as it was our wedding anniversary and we could only chat over the phone

My son is also starting to ask about where daddy is every night so the wife and I have made a plan to get skype up and running on her laptop so when she gets ready in the mornings, I will skype with him for a few minutes still 3months before seeing them

I did some cost updating: Hope this helps someone. Take note this is very much on a budget. We have considered bringing a container and quotes we have obtained ranged from R40,000 (half shared container) to R100,000 full container.
But with the good deals I got with black Friday we will just ship some boxes and sell the furniture in SA.

COST RECORD
UPDATED  6 December 2018
Certificates (R75 per marriage/birth certificate) x 3 - R225
Passports (R600 for adult maxi and R400 for son) - R1600
In NZ professional CV and cover letter agency - $300 (R2700 out of the bank)
Toll Fees, Petrol etc to fetch passport -R500
Prelim flight book for NZ visit -R19,000 -  I am fortunate enough to have friends over there that will lodge me for the 2weeks and allow me to use of their car)
So total cost for NZ visit in June was about R25,000
R42,000 paid for the shortfall on car settlement
VISA application fee's - R3,500
Passport verification Fee - R505
Agent Fees - R15,000
My Medicals - R3,000
Wife Police Clearance - R700
Wife medicals - R3,000
Son's Medical - R1,000
One way ticket to Wellington - R11,500
Doggies shots and chips - R1,900
First months living expenses - R20,000 (roughly $2,000, split to about $1,400 for airbnb and the rest food, train tickets, etc)
Rental house deposit, first-week rent, bond and letting (R34,400) fee - $3430
NZ driver license conversion - R250 ($25) but you can drive with your SA licence for up to a year as long as its valid
AA applications - R890 ($89)
Wife Visa fee's - R3,500
Son's Visa Fee's - R2,000

TALLY - R173, 260
*car rentals etc not added as it would work the same out as our car payments so irrelevant (no extra cost)
* have started buying some new stuff for the rental house (furniture, linen etc) but its more replacement so not part of immigration cost - roughly R30,000

Upcoming immediate future expenses
Wife degree verification - $1,300


Planned expenses
R50,000 - Dogs Relocation costs - R25,000 SA side for the transport and vet seal. 2,500 NZD on NZ side for 10 day quarantine
R30,000 - Family Airticket to NZ
R40,000 - Permanent residence applications
R3,500 IELTS test for me
R3,500IELTS test for my wife

[ChrisL - DUSTRIDERS]

Wow dis n helse klomp geld om te emmigreer!!

[Pumbaa]

Nice Desert!  Auckland is busy but relaxing at the same time I can see my wife also going to struggle without bruglar bars, gates, etc

I had a proper WTF moment this morning…. So some background first.

Got up, went to the train station as normal, boarded the train and started to read some local news. The train then proceeded to stop in the second tunnel and the driver comes on over the loudspeaker to say there is a small problem with the link past the tunnel and they trying to fix it.

Another 10mins later and the train driver informed us we going back to the station as they struggling to fix the line and the service is canceled until further notice.

Once back at the station we got off and they informed us busses will come to pick us up but I proceeded to walk about 1km to the nearest normal bus stop in the hopes it will come earlier.

The first bus was 20mins late and FULL! I decided, screw it and drove the 5km to work as my boss said I can use the company car park to park in as CBD parking is $20-$30 a day!!

Now the WTF moment is while standing at the bus station, with another 5-8 people, no less than 3 people stopped to offer people rides into town and to the closer bigger bus stop…. I mean complete strangers, stranger stopping and saying I can take 4 people into town, or to the nearest station. WTF …so friendly and trustworthy. SA you wouldn’t dare for fear of being hijacked or worse.

Yip, isn't it just awesome to live in a place where that can happen? 

I [have completely lost my fears of crime, I no longer see each situation and wonder how I am going to become a victim because of it. It's incredibly liberating

Difficult to explain that and the concomitant stress one is under without being conscious of it...

Took me a while and still probably not 100 percent relaxed about it, guess it’s a bit like PTSD.

Last night I walked to the cycle club AGM, it’s a bout 2 kms and I generally walk wherever I go but last night I knew I was goin to have a couple of pints so walked. The club is across a large park, an I mean large with a walkway that is not lit up. Leave the AGM bout 22:30 and admire the clear sky and the lights in the distance from the town I live in. Lost in thought and suddenly I hear footsteps behind me, large adrenaline shot, fight or flight syndrome kicks in as it does with us ous, just a jogger out jogging at 22:30 ...he got a fright cos I got,a fright I suspect.

I thought I was over it, still have a way to go I guess.

It’s incredibly liberating to be able to walk outdoors late at night and not have to worry. The locals I have friended laugh at me and take it for granted. Sad hey.  Or when I cycle deep in the woods an see lil old ladies with their dogs, completely vulnerable but not a problem here.

It's true what you're saying ICM... We live in a constant state of PTSD. It's sad.

Friday night at 23:15 while sleeping, I was awoken by a loud thud and a loud scream in our bedroom. It wasn't even a split second and I was up screaming NOOOOO! running towards the bedroom door. I cannot even explain what went through my mind....

It took me a few seconds to realize what happened. Our 2,5 year old crawled in his sleep and fell off the bed. (He's co-sleeping in his cot next to our bed)

I cannot explain the shock I STILL have.

I have this thing (I'm sure many people do) when sometimes, when I lay down and as my head hits the pillow, I get flashbacks of dreams I had.
A few minutes after the indecent, when I went to lay down, I relived the scary thoughts and feelings that shot through my body.

Also, having had a break-in in March this year, we've installed beams. Even after numerous tuning, every now and then we'll get a false alarm during the night.
Unfortunately, I cannot go to bed without setting the alarm.

It's such a sad country we live in.

PS. I had a final interview last week for a job in the Netherlands. Holding thumbs.

Jammer vir die hi-jack Hannes.

Hope it works out with the job. I live in NL. Let me know if I can help with anything.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

[Mrs. Zog]

We have considered bringing a container and quotes we have obtained ranged from R40,000 (half shared container) to R100,000 full container.

If this is helpful for anyone - this is exactly what we were quoted for our move to Florida in 2015. We ultimately went with two cargo pallets of only the most basic things we couldn't part with.

[silvrav]

Its 11h00 Sunday morning and I am still recovering 

Friday was our Christmas party, and here its a big thing. A bus was arranged for the staff and our first stop was the upper Hutt valley area. Here we did some clay pigeon shooting  It was enormous fun! It was for staff + partners. Now some background info....our accountant is also a south African and her and family came over about 10 years ago. Her husband, an avid hunter, and shooter  scored a 21/25, with me in second at 22/25 and with a local chap getting 23/25, as he shoots competitively. This however now makes the office boys think that South Africans are born with guns in their hands when we pop out into the world 

It also introduced me to the fact that hunting here is relatively big and not catered for international visitors as its in SA. Here is what is called DOC (department of conservation) land. The land belongs to everyone and you allowed to hunt on these lands for....mahala, yes free. You can shoot Red deer, goat (boerbok) and fallow deer for no charge. Apparently, they all a pest here eating the local flora and fauna so DOC is more than happy for you to get your hunt on.

I have already started looking into licensing, safes, and rifles and its relatively cheap. Until it all comes through I can also go hunt with the Ex-saffer, as I don't need a license to operate a weapon as long as he hunts with me.

We then proceded to a wine estate, stopping 2 or 3 times to do, what they call boatraces. It's basically a relay race with your drink of choice and whichever team finishes first wins....yes, wins lots of headaches for the next day 

Lots of wine and platters were had, and before the day started we were divided into 4 teams.

So some games were played and by 5 we decided its time to head back. We played a game (and apologies but I forgot the name) but by 5 we still havent played the semis and final so on the way back we stopped at a local park to finish! Happy to say our team won  and our prizes was a special drink to finish. 

Drop off were at various train stations for people to commute home... All I can say is I am red in the face, NZ sun is a bliksem, and that Kiwi's can drink... a lot!

Other then that I did do some work on the car this morning. My LED interior globes arrived from ebay (so nice for things to actually get to you from ebay, banggood etc). So now its a nice white light and not an ugly yellow

Clay Pigeon shooting







some of the boat races




Wine estate



Finishing the finals and semi finals in the park



New car interior lights

[Sardine]

 
Lekker!

[ChrisL - DUSTRIDERS]

goat (boerbok)

As in real boerbokke?!!!
Dorsland will have an heart attack!!

Dankie tog dis nie boerbokke nie!!

https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/things-to-do/hunting/what-to-hunt/feral-goats/

[Boerbok]

goat (boerbok)

As in real boerbokke?!!!
Dorsland will have an heart attack!!

Dankie tog dis nie boerbokke nie!!

https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/things-to-do/hunting/what-to-hunt/feral-goats/

Boerbokke is a thing in Aus too. I’ve seen a few around Melbourne...

http://www.australianboergoat.com.au/

“With Australia producing over 50% of world goat meat exports the numbers of Boer goats in Australia continues to rise as farmers and graziers turn to goat meat production as a profitable alternative enterprise.”

Lekker party Silvrav, beautiful surrounds...

[ChrisL - DUSTRIDERS]

goat (boerbok)

As in real boerbokke?!!!
Dorsland will have an heart attack!!

Dankie tog dis nie boerbokke nie!!

https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/things-to-do/hunting/what-to-hunt/feral-goats/

Boerbokke is a thing in Aus too. I’ve seen a few around Melbourne...

http://www.australianboergoat.com.au/

“With Australia producing over 50% of world goat meat exports the numbers of Boer goats in Australia continues to rise as farmers and graziers turn to goat meat production as a profitable alternative enterprise.”

Lekker party Silvrav, beautiful surrounds...

Because every farm had a milk goat or two many years ago instead of a cow those goats have multiplied and gotten "wild" and the farmers catch them at the water troughs and then sell them. Most of that 50% are thus wild goats and are not in fact farmed with but the run wild in the outback.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feral_goats_in_Australia

[Boerbok]

TALLY - R173, 260

Upcoming immediate future expenses
Wife degree verification - $1,300

Planned expenses
R50,000 - Dogs Relocation costs - R25,000 SA side for the transport and vet seal. 2,500 NZD on NZ side for 10 day quarantine
R30,000 - Family Airticket to NZ
R40,000 - Permanent residence applications
R3,500 IELTS test for me
R3,500IELTS test for my wife

If it makes you feel better, our bill came out in the same ballpark for permanent residence visas and move to Aus in Mar 2017.

R120k - Visas and admin for family of 4
R35k - Flight (massive special deal)
R80k - 20ft container, 95% full 
R10k - first month expenses (low because we house-sat)
R20k - misc other stuff
No look-see trip or pet expenses
R265k - Total

[Christian Kuun]

Received a commitment from a NZ company today to take up a job, in Blenheim, Marlborough, in March next year. I just hope all the paperwork is done in time. Looking forward to it. They have offered me a fixed term contract as they are not familiar with what they will get. Hoping to either stay on with them or find something while there.

[Fudmucker]

Blenheim, South Island:

"Most residents are of European origin, predominantly of British, Irish, German and Dutch descent."

Do you think you could fit in there...?   

[Christian Kuun]

hahaha, I dunno...but they have lots of wine there...

[silvrav]

TALLY - R173, 260

Upcoming immediate future expenses
Wife degree verification - $1,300

Planned expenses
R50,000 - Dogs Relocation costs - R25,000 SA side for the transport and vet seal. 2,500 NZD on NZ side for 10 day quarantine
R30,000 - Family Airticket to NZ
R40,000 - Permanent residence applications
R3,500 IELTS test for me
R3,500IELTS test for my wife

If it makes you feel better, our bill came out in the same ballpark for permanent residence visas and move to Aus in Mar 2017.

R120k - Visas and admin for family of 4
R35k - Flight (massive special deal)
R80k - 20ft container, 95% full 
R10k - first month expenses (low because we house-sat)
R20k - misc other stuff
No look-see trip or pet expenses
R265k - Total

  It does!

Received a commitment from a NZ company today to take up a job, in Blenheim, Marlborough, in March next year. I just hope all the paperwork is done in time. Looking forward to it. They have offered me a fixed term contract as they are not familiar with what they will get. Hoping to either stay on with them or find something while there.

Excellent! and you just across the pond from wellington! 

What term are we talking here? 12-24months?

This will determine how prepared you need to be...medical aid, cover, visas, family visas etc.

Did you see them while you were here? If not, might be worth it to fly out again and come spend time with them before the make you an offer?

[Sláinte Mhaith]

If it makes both of you feel any better a friend say they have spent close to R200k already and they are still here.
That includes verification of their degrees and a look see trip or R50k.
Still need to do the visa applications or residency etc. 
They are two going through the process and the employer pay the container/s

[silvrav]

Hells bells I'm kapoet, sore and hungry....i decided to love tonight.

Maybe not the best choice now lying here on the carpet after assembling atleast the bed so I can sleep and carting everything in, and accepting some deliveries where when asking for assistance, it's sorry we in a rush. So had to cart the fridge in by myself from the stoep.

Ill post some more details and photos tomorrow... Shower, atleast put a sheet over the mattress then sleep

[Blou Zebu]

Hells bells I'm kapoet, sore and hungry....i decided to love tonight.

Maybe not the best choice now lying here on the carpet after assembling atleast the bed so I can sleep and carting everything in, and accepting some deliveries where when asking for assistance, it's sorry we in a rush. So had to cart the fridge in by myself from the stoep.

Ill post some more details and photos tomorrow... Shower, atleast put a sheet over the mattress then sleep

Quick ban his wife before she reads this!

Typo or autocorrect? 

[silvrav]

Hells bells I'm kapoet, sore and hungry....i decided to love tonight.

Maybe not the best choice now lying here on the carpet after assembling atleast the bed so I can sleep and carting everything in, and accepting some deliveries where when asking for assistance, it's sorry we in a rush. So had to cart the fridge in by myself from the stoep.

Ill post some more details and photos tomorrow... Shower, atleast put a sheet over the mattress then sleep

Quick ban his wife before she reads this!

Typo or autocorrect? 

  shows you how kapoet I was... Suppose to be move, stupid phone keyboard with my big fingers.