# wellington nz



## maximoo11

Hi...anyone new to wellington?
Moved from the uk here,4 weeks ago snd wondered if any one was in the same boat?


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## escapedtonz

maximoo11 said:


> Hi...anyone new to wellington?
> Moved from the uk here,4 weeks ago snd wondered if any one was in the same boat?


Hi.....
We in Welly too, but not newbies. Been here 10 months and also moved over from the UK.
If there's anything you want to know just as away we might have experienced it !
Cheers

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## soeid

How did you find Wellington? I lived there for half a year 5 years ago.
It's the most boring capital city I've been


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## MerryMiller

Hi guys, yesterday we were advised our visas are approved for residency and we will be moving out in March! My job is based around Wellington and travelling up to Hawkes Bay Area. We are looking at 4 bedroom houses around the Kapiti Coast area. Has anyone any good tips on first arrival and things we should put in place? We have 3 kids 8,10 & 12.


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## topcat83

MerryMiller said:


> Hi guys, yesterday we were advised our visas are approved for residency and we will be moving out in March! My job is based around Wellington and travelling up to Hawkes Bay Area. We are looking at 4 bedroom houses around the Kapiti Coast area. Has anyone any good tips on first arrival and things we should put in place? We have 3 kids 8,10 & 12.


Many Congrats! 
I'll leave the 'what to do around Wellington' to the Wellingtonians...


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## escapedtonz

Goran said:


> How did you find Wellington? I lived there for half a year 5 years ago.
> It's the most boring capital city I've been


We think its great but I suppose it all depends on your personal circumstances, age and what you want out of a city.
Being a young family the city and surrounds have everything we need.

Why so boring for you ?

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## escapedtonz

MerryMiller said:


> Hi guys, yesterday we were advised our visas are approved for residency and we will be moving out in March! My job is based around Wellington and travelling up to Hawkes Bay Area. We are looking at 4 bedroom houses around the Kapiti Coast area. Has anyone any good tips on first arrival and things we should put in place? We have 3 kids 8,10 & 12.


Congrats.
Kapiti coast is nice.
We particularly like Raumati Beach & Raumati South as places to live. Lovely feel to them with pubs/bars, coffee shops and restaurants. Small village feel.
We looking to maybe rent there at some point to see if we like it enough to buy there.
Approx 45 mins drive from Wellington assuming no delays on the motorway into the CBD or on the single carriageway bits.

Paraparaumu or Pram for short is the next "town" North up the Kapiti. Larger and with bigger shops and supermarkets altho all on a business park on State Highway 1 - wouldn't live there personally though.....bit too busy, too much industry unless you go live at Pram Beach.
This is where I draw the line for distance commuting into Wellington.
There are more places up the Kapiti like Waikanae and Otaki but just too far of a drive but nice places all the same.

Good tips on first arrival - 
1. Have some temp accommodation sorted before you arrive.
2. Get your mobile phones unlocked before you arrive.
3. Sort yourself out with NZ mobile SIM cards before you arrive so to can give the new no to friends family before leaving.
4. Register the new SIM cards from your home country so they work as soon as you pop them in your phone.
5. Sort out a bank account/'s so you can transfer some money into NZ $ for when you arrive.
6. Book meeting with bank as soon as you can to get your ATM cards.
7. Arrange international transfer of your post to an NZ PO box for the first 12 months - BUT don't make the mistake and think everything will be transferred. All letters no problem, but if its a packet or larger then it must have a customs declaration form. We lost loads of post on the way thinking it would all be forwarded on to us in NZ but alas because a lot didn't have a declaration form they were handed back to Royal Mail who promptly destroyed them - how's that for customer service!
8. If you're shipping furniture etc - just bring everything & sort it out here. There's loads of stuff we wish we'd kept but instead gave away to charity or sold for peanuts.
9. Wouldn't bother shipping vehicles unless they're new or nearly new.
10. Get proof of your insurance NCB before arrival by letter - something you can show here when you take out a new policy.
11. Reference from your mortgage company to prove you are a good customer for renting or when you come to buy.
12. Lots of very high factor sun screen as its expensive here & well needed. You'll be amazed how quickly you burn here even when it's not very sunny - the ozone hole does that!

If you need help with anything just let me know.

Cheers

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