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Not So Grand Adventure from Wellington to Auckland

Wellington is one of the biggest cities in New Zealand with a lot to offer. From the city centre you can explore different neighbourhoods, each with their own unique atmosphere. There’s also a lot of green space to enjoy, like the Botanic Gardens and Wellington Zoo. If you’re feeling active, you can go for a hike or bike ride in one of the many parks. The city has a lot of history with different museums and landmarks to explore.

On the other hand, Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand and is also one of the most multicultural cities in the world. There’s more to do if you are young and looking for some adventure, from exploring the diverse food culture to attempting the sky jump from the Sky Tower. If you’re after something more relaxed, you can stroll around one of the many markets or take a hike at Waitakere Ranges or other rainforests within close proximity to Auckland.

I recently had the opportunity to move from Wellington to Auckland and it was quite the adventure. Having settled in Wellington for initially and having explored most of what the city had to offer, I decided it was time to move on up to Auckland. As my lease was ending soon, I thought the time was right to plan my relocation to the big city. I thought moving all my belongings out of a one bedroom unit wasn’t that hard but was I wrong about that!

Reflecting upon it now, it seems to have all gone pear shaped when I paid a deposit to the furniture movers that I found on FB. The movers seemed very responsive, answered all my questions and understood my concerns. They had my dates available and assured me that the move was ‘no problems’ and they’ll handle it all. I was convinced, I was only moving a small amount of furniture which shouldn’t take very long for professionals and the date lined up beautifully with the day I was to hand back the keys and catch my flight to Auckland. Having booked in the movers a week in advance and confirmed everything was in order 3 days before moving date, all seemed to be going well and everything was in order. I had given away what I didn’t need, disassembled all the furniture and packed all the boxes so there was nothing left to do but to load it on the truck.

Moving day arrives and I woke up hours earlier, excited about the new adventure that is ahead. I’ve got the movers coming at 9am, cleaners booked in at 11am, flights at 2pm. Should be a breeze right! Unfortunately not so. 9 o’clock and there’s no signs of the movers, I understand that there may be Wellington traffic congestion in the early hours so let’s cut them some slack. 9.30am rolls around and still no sight, I try to call the mover buy it goes straight to voicemail so I leave a message to call me back. Fifteen minutes past and I try calling the number but again, it goes to voicemail, I’m starting to wonder what’s going on, the very least they could do is call and tell me they’ll be late! 10am comes and goes and still nothing, I’m starting to get worried now, I’ve got the cleaners coming in an hour and the furniture is still in the middle of the house. I’ve called and called dozens of times more to get in touch with the mover but I don’t get an answer, at this point I’m really upset, I’ve paid a deposit and I’ve got a no show. The cleaners have arrived and are now being held up, they are unable to start the clean. They do what they can while we wait for the movers to arrive, 30 minutes go by and the cleaners need to leave for the next job. I feel like the day is crumbling and the plan is out the window. My flights in 2.5 hours and I have to vacate the property, my stress levels at this point is unbearable and I’m really worried I’m going to miss my flight. I question if it’s even possible for any one running a business to be this late.

It was now midday and after all the stress, anxiety and anger I was felt in the last few hours I’ve come to the realization that the movers was not going to turn up, I’m going to miss my flight and I’m going to be homeless very soon. I called my real estate agent who were able to accommodate me for another week after hearing my situation, it would just cost me rent for the week. I had to organize some new movers and this time did my research and compared different Wellington movers, I was able to find a reliable furniture mover who was heading up to Auckland in the next couple days, this eventually cost me $300 more than my original moving quote. Flights were re-booked for the end of the week which cost me $150 more and my real estate agent arranged for end of lease cleaning and deducted the total from my bond payment which worked out to be significantly more expensive. All up, the incident cost me an extra $1000 on top of what I had originally planned for.

So, this was my not so grand adventure from Wellington to Auckland, it did cost me dearly along with unnecessary anger, stress and anxiety. It is a lesson learnt and I’ll know how to avoid this mistake going forward. My advice to anyone looking at moving house is to give yourself more of a buffer, don’t squeeze everything into a tight timeline and don’t be too hard on yourself because things can sometimes be out of your control and eventually things will work out, somehow they always do!

Why Choose to Settle in New Zealand Out of All Places?

If you’re considering moving abroad, you may be wondering why I chose New Zealand out of all the places available. Before we get stuck into my reasons, lets talk about the many different reasons why you’ll choose a particular place to settle. The answer can depend on your family’s circumstances, your qualifications, the agreement your existing country has with the one you tend to migrate to. It could depend on the distance or language, the heritage or culture. The are many reasons why one chooses to settle in a particular country, it could even been picked out of a hat or just because it’s on your bucket list.

What is it the caught my attention and navigated me towards the land of the long white cloud? Let me share with you why I chose to settle in New Zealand out of all places.

The landscape, it boasts some of the most diverse and beautiful scenery in the world, from towering mountains to pristine beaches. Whether you’re a thrill seeker or someone who just wants to experience some tranquillity, New Zealand has it all.

The Kiwis are some of the friendliest and most welcoming people you’ll ever meet. They’re always up for a chat and are more than happy to help you out, no matter what the situation is.

The quality of life in New Zealand is comparable to Australia except I feel that it has a better work life balance, with plenty of sunshine and opportunities to enjoy your time off even if its after work during the midweek.

Another factor that drew me to New Zealand is because I my culture and heritage. I came from a Maori heritage but born and raised in Australia. I was keen to discover more about my ancestors and learn more about the Maori culture. I was searching for something and believed I would find it here, so I made the decision to come to New Zealand and explore the land that feels so deeply connected to me.

One of the best decisions I’ve ever made was to move to New Zealand and start a new life here. If you’re thinking about making the move, I urge you to come and experience everything that this amazing country has to offer.

In New Zealand, there are plenty of job opportunities available especially if you’re in the healthcare industry or in construction due to the recent earthquake rebuilds.

There’s no denying that New Zealand is a beautiful country with plenty to offer its residents. I’m grateful for the opportunity to live here and enjoy all that it has to offer. From the stunning landscape, to the friendly locals and the great work life balance, I can’t imagine living anywhere else. If you’re considering moving abroad, I urge you to give New Zealand a go, you won’t regret it.

In terms of security, New Zealand is the second-safest country in the world. This ranking is based on various indicators of societal safety, including the number of ongoing conflicts. New Zealand was only surpassed by Iceland, which has a population of 364 134 people. While New Zealand is an international city, its safest state is still far from being a dangerous place to live.

The climate in New Zealand is more temperate, which is a plus if you like the outdoors and a relaxed pace of life. New Zealand is smaller than Australia and its cities are smaller, meaning less frantic traffic and less crowded spaces. This may not be an ideal choice for those who prefer a big city, but your children are guaranteed a world-class education.

New Zealand is relatively safe, with few natural disasters and a low crime rate. In fact, Auckland New Zealand was named the most liveable city in the world in 2021 according to the EIU, so that ‘s another big tick in the plus column.