# What is the pro & con for someone migrate from a tropical country to NZ?



## rolypoly (Nov 22, 2012)

I do not have winter in my country..
so, one big thing i might see is get in touch with snow if i would to migrate NZ.

any other big concern i should foresee as an 'asian' chinese living in NZ? :juggle:


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## lorgnette (Dec 19, 2010)

It is a huge leap from HK to NZ in terms of busy noises, market availability in goods, public transport between cities/towns etc. 

any other big concern i should foresee as an 'asian' chinese living in NZ?
1. Shortage of supermarkets in Asian spices, ingredients, hard to find Chinese foodstuff, grocery items etc. 
2. Few Chinese restaurants with authentic dishes in North Island with considerably less choices in South Island 

Pros
1. Beautiful landscape
2. lovely weather, good air and water quality
3. warm/friendly Immigration welcome 
4. Knowledgeable bus drivers in cities
5. Noticeable less noisy, more relaxed than cities in other countries
6. Pass lanes for vehicles to overtake slower speed cars on single lane highways- surely effective - saves hearing honking and prevent road rages 

Cons
1. Hotel reservations on international websites are not necessary cheaper than walk ins,l information on websites might not be updated- we never received a cnfm on any of our reservations
2. Ask directions on street- high probability pedestrians are foreign visitors
3. Prices for local and imported products or fresh produce higher than US, UK supermarkets
4. Costs of rental, real estate, utilities higher than US/UK 

Welcome to NZ!


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## topcat83 (Apr 16, 2009)

lorgnette said:


> I....1. Shortage of supermarkets in Asian spices, ingredients, hard to find Chinese foodstuff, grocery items etc.


I'm really surprised to see this one on your list. We had a great many Asian/Chinese/HK in our area (Howick/Pakuranga) and there were a number of large Chinese supermarkets. Look at Meadowlands.


> 2. Few Chinese restaurants with authentic dishes in North Island ....


 Again, look at Meadowlands. One of the problems we're finding here is that most Chinese restaurants are too authentically Chinese (as opposed to the Fish and Chips/Chinese takeaways, where the food is just horrible), and I'm missing the good old 'English Chinese' just around the corner from my Mum's in NW London.


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## lorgnette (Dec 19, 2010)

> I'm really surprised to see this one on your list. We had a great many Asian/Chinese/HK in our area (Howick/Pakuranga) and there were a number of large Chinese supermarkets. Look at Meadowlands.
> 2. Few Chinese restaurants with authentic dishes in North Island ....
> 
> Again, look at Meadowlands.


Exactly, you re right. There are a few diners/restaurants in Meadowlands/Auckland and a needle in a haystack outside this area. In Wellington, there is a great HK BBQ duck in Mt. Vic and a good restaurant downtown, and a few places not worth recommending. Two such places came to mind on its two islands. 

Recommended by locals to a Chinese restaurant for Dimsum in Upper Riccarton, the window dressing and setting looked fine. Although confirmed fresh before we ordered, the prawn dumplings arrived frost bitten with aroma that stank and stuck to plate. When we mentioned it to this proprietor in South Island, he took them back and deducted items from our bill without charging us. 

In the second case in Napier before the dish landed on our table, I could smell a strong whiff of staleness in the pork ribs. I touched the spoon on the sauce and smell it again to be certain. We quietly mentioned it, the owner said we will not be charged, quickly she removed the dish from our table and served it to the group of Caucasians at the next table! 

Yes, good Chinese restaurants and groceries are rare gems in NZ unless you live near Meadowlands.


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## topcat83 (Apr 16, 2009)

lorgnette said:


> Exactly, you re right. There are a few diners/restaurants in Meadowlands/Auckland and a needle in a haystack outside this area. In Wellington, there is a great HK BBQ duck in Mt. Vic and a good restaurant downtown, and a few places not worth recommending. ...


I do agree with you on the places not to recommend. My pet hate (as I mentioned in the first reply) are Chinese Takeaways associated with fish and chip shops. I think without exception I have found these to serve up sloppy tasteless 'chicken and beansprout' mush. Yuk!

I must recommend a restaurant in Wellington though, which is the only one I have found over here that serves good 'English Chinese', and from the number of Chinese people I 've seen in it, I guess decent 'Chinese C hinese' too. It's really close to the centre too.

On Lambton Quay there is an entrance into the James Cook Hotel, Go in, and just to the right there is a tatty flight of concrete stairs that leads to a restaurant called 'Jasmin'. It's not posh, but and it's a really reasonable price. See http://www.menumania.co.nz/restaurants/jasmin-chinese-restaurant. I head there whenever I can for my 'fix'.


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## lorgnette (Dec 19, 2010)

topcat83 said:


> I do agree with you on the places not to recommend. My pet hate (as I mentioned in the first reply) are Chinese Takeaways associated with fish and chip shops. I think without exception I have found these to serve up sloppy tasteless 'chicken and beansprout' mush. Yuk!
> 
> I must recommend a restaurant in Wellington though, which is the only one I have found over here that serves good 'English Chinese', and from the number of Chinese people I 've seen in it, I guess decent 'Chinese C hinese' too. It's really close to the centre too.


Yes, once you find one, normally it is wise to stick with it as it is iffy attempting others- unless raving online reviews. 

To help as references for visitors and residents, will you suggest few locations with larger Asian supermarket outside Auckland?


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