# Anyone in Tawa?



## beckyandandy (Feb 3, 2016)

Hello

Me and m family (5 boys, 13,11,4,2,and 8 months) have just moved to Tawa, Wellington from the UK. Just wondering if there are any friendly people out here to help show us the ropes!

Becky


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

Used to live there up until November 2014. We lived at No 6 Pikitanga Close for a year on the side of the Eastern hills overlooking the Tawa Valley and towards Colonial Knob ;-)

We really liked it there but moved up to Tauranga for higher temperatures and less wind.

If there's anything you wanna know just shout out!


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## beckyandandy (Feb 3, 2016)

Aw thanks! We have only been here a week but really like it!!

One question, is there a post office here? Need to send an urgent letter in the morning


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

beckyandandy said:


> Aw thanks! We have only been here a week but really like it!!
> 
> One question, is there a post office here? Need to send an urgent letter in the morning


Yip. 
It's in the Take Note shop - 181 Main Road, Tawa, Wellington 5028. It's also a bookshop, cards, small gifts, magazines, newspapers etc


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

beckyandandy said:


> Aw thanks! We have only been here a week but really like it!!


Yeah it's a really good place to be. Fairly central and with easy access to Wellington and Porirua.
Whereabouts are you located in Tawa ?

Just a few other snippets that you may like to know......

There's only 2 x major supermarkets - New World in the centre of Tawa and Countdown off Takapu Road. Both pretty new. New World is more upmarket and more expensive so like Sainsbury's where Countdown is cheaper and like Asda. There is an even cheaper supermarket called Pac-N-Save with the nearest being in Porirua.

Porirua is the nearest place for decent (ish) shopping. There's a mid size mall there called North City with a whole host of shops on two floors and a food court. There's also a large retail park on the other side of the mall where you'll find the big stores for furniture, electrical goods, DIY stores etc.
There's a better mall in Lower Hutt city called Westfield Queensgate which is probably the best shopping in Wellington. Wellington city in itself isn't that great for shopping.

Fish & Chips is way different in NZ. You'll never find chips that you are used to. They are generally pre-cooked and come in bags. Chippy's don't peel and cut fresh potato chips here and fry them...summat about the health rules yada yada, so get over it now  When you go in a chippy don't make the mistake of asking for fish & chips as the fish will be like rubber and possibly also pre-battered and pre-cooked. Always ask for fillet. Granted it is more expensive, but it's edible which makes the difference worthwhile. You'll usually have a choice - maybe gurnard, blue nose or snapper. This is way better than cod or haddock back home. You'll also struggle to find any curry sauce, mushy peas or gravy...and vinegar unless you ask and get lucky!
It's all about the different palette being catered for here. Chinese food and Indian food is nowhere near as good as back home. Thai seems fine.

If you go down to Takapu Road train station there's a path that starts/ends here and can take you by foot or bike all the way to Porirua and then beyond to Titahi Bay. It virtually follows the train tracks and Porirua stream and then follows the estuary/inlet pathway.
If you want hills then a must check out is Colonial Knob accessed from Rahia Street past Kenepuru Hospital. There's a 4x4 track you can walk up or you can access from Camp Elsdon further down that street. You can also access from Broken Hill Road. This track links up with the Skyline track and can take you to Mt. KauKau and the Makara hills and all the way to Red Rocks.
Another good walk/ride is up Takapu Road into belmont Regional Park.

The nearest best sand beach which is great for paddling and bathing/lying on the sand when the wind allows is at Plimmerton where you'll also find a great cafe and our favourite chippy run by a Greek family.
There's also a big garden centre there called Palmers with a cafe inside that has a small play area and decent food/coffee. There's also an outdoor trampoline for the kids in the garden centre grounds close by to the cafe. 

The local tip/refuse centre for recycling is up at the top of Broken Hill Road.

Nearest playground area that's decent is at Aotea Lagoon off Papakowhai Rd across from the Police training centre/college.

I'm assuming you have kids ? There aren't many decent cafe's with areas to entertain the kids but we found a couple.
There's a cafe called Benedicts on Dowse Drive, Maungaraki which has an indoor area cordoned off for the kids with toys etc. Does pretty good breakfasts and all you can eat pancakes on a Saturday. Good idea to book a table if there's a few of you as it get's busy at the weekend. Another place is The Short Straw Cafe on Johnson's Road, Whiteman's Valley/Blue Mountains. It's a bit out of the way and I believe a bit of a petting farm animals zoo. They also do dress up kids parties pirates and princesses. Again, decent food and coffee and a great garden out back for the kids to just go wild.

As I said, anything you wanna know about Tawa or the whole of Wellington for that matter just shout out


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## seansal (Feb 10, 2016)

*Tawa*

Hi, 
We just moved to Tawa in Dec 2015. My parents have lived here for 10 years.


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

seansal said:


> Hi,
> We just moved to Tawa in Dec 2015. My parents have lived here for 10 years.


Cool. It's a great place to be in the Wellington area. Whereabouts are you in Tawa ?
Need to know anything about Tawa or Wellington just come out and ask.
The friend who I mentioned in the other thread and who is studying and working in IT lives in Tawa also.


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## seansal (Feb 10, 2016)

escapedtonz said:


> Cool. It's a great place to be in the Wellington area. Whereabouts are you in Tawa ?
> Need to know anything about Tawa or Wellington just come out and ask.
> The friend who I mentioned in the other thread and who is studying and working in IT lives in Tawa also.


On the Main Road closer to Kenepuru area.


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## beckyandandy (Feb 3, 2016)

seansal said:


> Hi,
> We just moved to Tawa in Dec 2015. My parents have lived here for 10 years.


Hi! How are you finding life here in Tawa?


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