Wheres your fave place to live?
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Category: General Chat
Forum Name: General Chat
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URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10685
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Topic: Wheres your fave place to live?
Posted By: busymum
Subject: Wheres your fave place to live?
Date Posted: 12 September 2007 at 7:06pm
DH is on the job hunt again and we got talking last night about where we'd like to live (and not live hehe). What would be your fave place (in NZ) to live, and why? And for those of you who live in different cities from your families (parents, siblings), do you see them often/as often as you thought you would?
Most of this has come out of me being born within a km from where I now reside - haven't gone far!! So moving out of town sounds exciting but also a bit freaky!
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Replies:
Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 12 September 2007 at 7:11pm
We have lived in Queenstown which has its upsides and down. Very beautiful, but expensive and watching tourists having fun all the time while you are slogging away for a poo wage wasn't much fun. Or in our case wiring houses we would never afford on a sparkies wage .
We know live in Kaiapoi just north of Christchurch, is a nice little town and very close to Christchurch so we have all the great shopping. Plenty of beaches, rivers, parks and forrests and is fairly close to ski fields.
Is just me and DH out here rest of family in Uk, so definatley don't see them as much as we would like. Until we moved out here we had been very close to where we grew up, but you adjust and with modern technology it is really easy to keep in touch with those you love.
Hope that is of some help
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Members/Listings.aspx?member=1738084 - Handmade Jewellery
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Posted By: Helen21
Date Posted: 12 September 2007 at 7:26pm
I was raised in Picton and my parents are still there my sis has moved to christchurch and I moved to Hawkes bay. Hawkes bay is ok sunny and such but I'm not sure I want to be here forever though. We have xmas with my family in picton every 2nd year where my sis goes to and we usually go down one other time a year and my parents come up once as well. It's hard because there isn't so much family support but I enjoy having a space but I ring my parents almost every night partly because the kids like to talk to them but it's keeps us close.
I like the look of fielding maybe for long term.
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Posted By: Freesia
Date Posted: 12 September 2007 at 7:28pm
We live 4 hours away from almost all of our families and we have no body here. It gets very lonely. I love being around family and we used to travel down to see everyone once a month(ish) but with petrol prices (and pregnancy) it's not really an option anymore.
There are positives too though. We love that we have our own schedules and don't get caught up in the normal family issues and dramas. And you can go shopping or whatever and not have to stop every few steps to talk to someone you know (like you end up doing when you live in the same town you grew up in).
I've only lived in two cities Taupo (where I was born) & Auckland (been here for 8/9 years). Taupo is beautiful, very relaxed and has lots of touristy activities you can do within a small area but is very cold and job opportunities are limited. But Auckland has everything you could ever need really close too - just very expensive to live here.
In my experience, if you have grown up in the same town, it can be nice to get away and experience a change but if you are really close with your family it is inevitably going to be pretty hard in the long run.
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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 12 September 2007 at 7:28pm
Blenheim Rocks. Lots to do here for young families. And Te two yummy mummies live here, we would integrate you in to "society", lol
------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P
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Posted By: Lissy
Date Posted: 12 September 2007 at 7:54pm
Busymum - your DH know what ChCh is like It is so beautiful. Streets are easy to find, everything is not too far away either. The beautiful hills are in the background. It is a neat place, and everything else cuppatea said!!!
You are more than welcome to come for a weekend, and we can put you up so you can see for yourself!
------------- Harlan Drew DOB: 06.12.06 & Stepmum to Ethan & Christian, DOB: 25.02.99
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Posted By: jaz
Date Posted: 12 September 2007 at 8:09pm
Near my family but far away from DP's.
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Posted By: daikini
Date Posted: 12 September 2007 at 8:30pm
I've lived all over the place... Tauranga, Taupo and Katikati when I was growing up, then Wellington for a year, Blenheim/Picton for a year, then Hamilton, Ohakune and now Upper Hutt.
When I moved out of home to go to uni in Wellington, I was quite happy to get away from my family for a while. For a number of different reasons, I ended up becoming quite depressed, and so I moved back in with my family to get my head straight. By that stage, they'd moved to Blenheim, so that's where I went too and after 6 months I moved to Picton for work. I followed my family to Hamilton to have Kiya. They moved to Katikati and Nat and I found life a bit easier!
We seem to get on best with my family when I live at least an hours drive from my Mum. I'd love to live closer to Nat's family, but as they live in Tauranga, that would mean that we'd end up too close to mine.
------------- Becca, mum of 2 girls & 3 boys
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Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 12 September 2007 at 8:33pm
I would looooooooooove to live in Nelson.
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Posted By: Brenna
Date Posted: 12 September 2007 at 8:38pm
I'd like to live near a beach. I also really like Chch
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My beautiful 2 girls...nearly 4 and 13 months
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Posted By: Danash
Date Posted: 12 September 2007 at 8:44pm
I moved here from Australia 2 and a half years ago. I'm from melbourne and always lived within a 10k radius of where I grew up, I thend ecided on a move to Sydney and loved it but I went home frequently and had loads of visitors.
I moved here not knowing anyone and had planned to stay for 12 months but met my now hubby. I miss home terribly especially coz hubby's family are all in Tauranga and most of his mates are single so no girls club as such.
But when I hear about the family drama's I am so grateful I'm here, I do love it here but will go back one day.
Its definately soul strengthening moving away from familiar territory!!
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 12 September 2007 at 8:55pm
I'm a chicken, grew up in Auckland, have had two brief stints overseas but always end up back here, and probably will always stay here. My family up and left me when I was 18 and are 3 hours flight away but as you know, we get to see them pretty often, altho we're lucky that circumstances permit that (my Dad is over often on business, and we have plenty of Frequent Flyer points). My brothers and sister are all in Sydney now too and I miss them, but I talk to them on the phone, via email etc. and to be honest even if we lived in the same city we all have such different lives (one bro is a chef, one runs a record label and my sister is a kindy teacher) that we wouldn't see each other all that often anyway.
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Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
 The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 12 September 2007 at 9:07pm
nikkiwhyte wrote:
I would looooooooooove to live in Nelson. |
You are so a nelson chick.
------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P
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Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 12 September 2007 at 9:13pm
I was born in sumner (right by the beach in chch) then moved out to a farm in north Canterbury and loved both places. When I was 19 Ben and I moved to Nelson for a change but I was soooo homesick and newly pregnant so we moved back. I did really love Nelson tho its so relaxed and it was quite fun not knowing anyone. I think we will eventually move back there.
Ben wants to move down south where the houses are cheap but at the moment I love living so close to our families.
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Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 12 September 2007 at 9:18pm
Busymum the thought of spending the rest of my life living here (Manawatu/Feilding/P Nth) is enough to send me to the looney bin.
While I think its a lovely place for raising a young family. It can also be dull and boring, and not nearly enough employment opportunities. Sometimes I find it just a little too small.
I really miss the beach. I grew up in Akl and you can always see the sea.
Family wise we would probably stick with the Nth Island. As travelling between the islands can get expensive. In saying that both our families are scattered around the country and my brother is in Brisbane. So I don't expect much input from them on a daily basis anyway.
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Angel June 2012
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 12 September 2007 at 9:28pm
LOL Fleur, I never liked the feel of Feilding/Ashhurst/Shannon either - seemed to small to me, and that's just compared to Palmy LOL.
jaz wrote:
Near my family but far away from DP's. |
Unfortunately ours live within 5 mins drive from each other! LOL!
This is great guys, keep it coming!
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Posted By: jack_&_charli
Date Posted: 12 September 2007 at 9:29pm
fattartsrock wrote:
nikkiwhyte wrote:
I would looooooooooove to live in Nelson. |
You are so a nelson chick. |
i agree and i've never met you nikki!
i lived in rangiora and moved to nelson when i was 12. i loved it there!! so much to do and you didn't have to drive for miles to get to a nice river unlike here i really really miss nelson and would love to move back there, but its too expensive for us at the moment.
i do like chch too, but would prefer to live in rangiora if i had the choice. i like the 'small town' atmosphere and still being close to chch.
my parents have only moved back to chch from nelson last year and before then, we'd go up there for holidays mostly each public holiday that came up
------------- http://www.alternatickers.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Glow
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 12:03am
Of course i have to say KING COUNTRY all the way
But would love to live in the South- Mot, Abel Tas & West Coast anywhere from Karamea to Haast--- Beautiful
Kahurangi National Park? Paparoa? Wo Treasure..
It really dependson what you are like coz it wont be good living in the wops if you didnt like it & your environment?
------------- Mummy of Two Boys B: 2004 K: 2007
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Posted By: mum2emj
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 6:09am
oooh im a nelson chick! but my family has been here for 4 generations so im a nelsonian in my blood! i love it here, its sunny and things are pretty close, its familiar and safe to me.
other places i have looked into living are christhurch, been there heaps for holidays and love it... and new plymouth where hubby is from, another lovely place. my roots in nelson are so deep it would be pretty hard to actally leave.
i think where ever you go and wind up can become home because its the people in your family that make it home. everywhere has good points and bad points youjust gotta make the most of the good.
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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 8:59am
Tahuna beach in Nelson is the bomb!!!!!!!!!
------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P
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Posted By: sally belly
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 9:14am
I grew up in Timaru, went to uni in Chch, shifted to Wellington & now I'm in Auckland. I would love to live closer to my parents but it's just not an option for us right now (DH is in the navy so has to live in Akld). I don't see my parents as much as I'd like & with a baby on the way, it's slightly "scary" that neither of us have any family living in Auckland. But I'm sure my parents will visit lots after baby is born. DH's family all live in Northland which isn't too far away.
I would love to go back to the SI but DH doesn't so we'll just have to see what happens there.
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Posted By: ShellandBella
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 9:19am
RachandJack wrote:
When I was 19 Ben and I moved to Nelson for a change but I was soooo homesick and newly pregnant so we moved back. I did really love Nelson tho its so relaxed and it was quite fun not knowing anyone. I think we will eventually move back there. |
I moved from CHCH to Motueka, Nelson in April. My family's still in CHCH but I just lllllllooooooooovvvvvvvvveeeeee the weather up here . And although my family aren't that close, they come up often (was always a family tradition when we were kids) for holidays, as Nelson is just a great holiday location too! I don't regret it at all
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Posted By: minik8e
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 9:31am
I grew up in New Plymouth, moved to Hamilton at 16 for work, moved back to South Taranaki at 18 for more work, back to Hamilton at 20, back to central Taranaki (Eltham) a month after my 21st, Hamilton for Uni at 22 and am now back in Taranaki (New Plymouth) at the age of 24 (I moved the day before my birthday). I'll always be a Naki girl though. My family is mainly based in New Plymouth, although there's also siblings in Australia and Christchurch. I found I personally got on better with Mum when we live away from each other (Hamilton was good - we communicated by email). But that's just me.
I have visited Nelson, and love it. I would live there in a flash. It's beautiful, friendly and warm.
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Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 10:16am
I think it depends on whether you like the beach, country or the city. I'm a born and bred aucklander and spent most of my teens hanging out at the west coast beaches. I love the beach, and the convenicence of the city. I now live in the country and driving thru open fields filled with spring lambs (yum) and calfs (so cute) is delightfull.
I'm more of a NI girl than an SI one. I think this is something in your blood. SI people i've met prefer it to NI.
If I could choose somewhere else to live, I'd probably go to either Tauranga or maybe even Cambridge. I want to be within a short distance of the beach, bush for DF and shops for everything else.
I've also discovered that since my Dad moved to the beach (Piha) he's never short of visitors.
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Angel June 2012
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Posted By: MummyFreckle
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 11:01am
Its a tricky one, and depends a lot on the sort of life you lead, how close to your family that you are and what your goasl in life are!
I lived in a small-ish town in Yorkshire, England until I was 10, then we moved to Cyprus for 3 1/2 years, then we moved to NZ, where we have always been based in Auckland. DH and I went to London for 2 1/2 years to live and loved it, and it made us realise that its good to not be living in our families pockets, and we came back much more independant than we were!
We are very much city people, although our dream is to have a beach house on an East Coast beach somewhere (near enough to auckland that we can go on weekends!)
We love living somewhere where we can be as annoymous as we want to be, but still see lots of friends and family too if we want.
------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 11:12am
SimSam wrote:
We love living somewhere where we can be as annoymous as we want to be. |
That is ONE thing you most certainly don't get in a small town!! Everybody knows everybody elses business. It something I stuggle with moving from a big city to a small town.
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Angel June 2012
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Posted By: BabyOnBoard
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 11:33am
The mighty Waikato! It's so gorgeous!! Or anywhere near my mum - tried to live 3 hours away from her but missed her too much. May sound very childish but we have a very special connection!
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Posted By: sally belly
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 12:57pm
So Busymum, what have you decided after all that advice?!
One month in Chch, one month in Tauranga, one month in Auckland... it's not an easy decision that's for sure.
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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 1:02pm
Well I all for moving to AK, and if things don't work out for me down here I'm moving up there with the kids.
------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!
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Posted By: MelanieAndBree
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 1:10pm
Pass. I havnt found anywhere i really like yet.
Tauranga was OK. Hamilton sucked. Auckland is alright but the traffic makes me want to commit.
Umm.. Waihi is okay for a few years but growing up there sucks. The beach is nice though.
Ive never lived anywhere in the South Island. Maybe one day ill pluck up the guts to move away from my family and friends and try places down there.
...or not.
------------- Melanie.
Mum to Briahna Robyn, 3yrs
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Posted By: Glow
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 1:10pm
You can be anoyamus in a small town- coz there aint that many people to know & anyway they just think they know but in actual fact they know nothing.
Its not what you know, its who you know & you dont have to know people that what to or think they know- if that makes any sence LOL
------------- Mummy of Two Boys B: 2004 K: 2007
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Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 2:23pm
When we lived in Nelson we used to always go to little kaiteriteri beach I love it there its beautiful.
I was a teenager in Rangiora and its definately not a place I want my kids to go. I lived on a wee farm in ohoka and loved it so I would love to have a wee bit of land at some stage.
I have never lived in the NI so I don't know what its like either.
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Posted By: my4beauties
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 3:42pm
I love my hometown of Mt Maunganui! Great place to live & bring up a family. The beach, shops, entertainment are all on your doorstep! Traffic can be a nag but with the harbour bridge getting redeveloped it shouldn't be a problem for too much longer. And I'm not out & about at the peak traffic times anyhow. With Tga city right across the harbour there is job opportunities there (depending on what your DH does for work).
My inlaws used to live here but moved to Queenstown last year - but all my family still live here. I think the inlaws will move back at some point - MIL misses the grandchildren 'n' all .
And the beaches.... you can choose the harbourside or the oceanside . The cafes... AWESOME! The shopping - GRAND! A new centre has opened in Papamoa called Fashion Island which is really cool.
------------- My babies:
R (9),G (7), J (5)
http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: my4beauties
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 3:46pm

------------- My babies:
R (9),G (7), J (5)
http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Gwen_
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 4:12pm
Anouska that view is admazing
------------- We're in America for 3 months with Mummy and Daddy!
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Posted By: Orca
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 8:23pm
That picture made me very homesick!! I have lived away from NZ for the last 7.5 years. I spent 6 years in London and the last 1.5 years I have been in Hong Kong. Its only now that I am pregnant that I am feeling the pull to be closer to family.
Obviously I miss family and friends and love visits home but at the same time DH and I like having our own schedule and don't feel obligated to do family things and definitely don't miss the dramas! I have made some great friends on my travels and they have become my family.
Good luck with your decision.
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Posted By: Peace
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 8:30pm
I have traveled to many far a land and New Plymouth would have to be my hands down favourite place to live. Paisley in Scotland would be #2!
------------- DD1 May 2006
DD2 March 2011
DD3 August 2012
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Posted By: jack_&_charli
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 8:38pm
RachandJack wrote:
When we lived in Nelson we used to always go to little kaiteriteri beach I love it there its beautiful.
I was a teenager in Rangiora and its definately not a place I want my kids to go. I lived on a wee farm in ohoka and loved it so I would love to have a wee bit of land at some stage. |
rach it sounds like we've lived in the same places i wasn't a teenager in rangiora so i don't know what that's like......i loved going to little kaiteri too and also lea valley
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Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 9:04pm
Yeah lol Vanessa I mean I had a great time living in Rangiora but it was a bit small so everyone was involved in all the things we shouldn't of but I spose that can happen anywhere. I do love small towns tho.
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 13 September 2007 at 9:47pm
sally belly wrote:
So Busymum, what have you decided after all that advice?!
One month in Chch, one month in Tauranga, one month in Auckland... it's not an easy decision that's for sure. |
Well we've decided that DH will apply for any NZ job (that seems appropriate with what he's looking for of course) and we'll just see what happens! I feel it's right that I be willing to move anywhere for DH to get a job. But I am hoping it will be South of Auckland and not the South Island. Auckland feel so big and both of them feel so far away! DH asked me about overseas and SI and I said "can't we move away in baby steps" lol!
I must say, that Tauranga view is gorgy!! I've never been to Tauranga. Got to Rotorua on our honeymoon then got homesick and turned back and drove home!!
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Posted By: Lisha
Date Posted: 14 September 2007 at 6:29am
I agree with all the CHCH ladies, it's amazing down here, so much to do within a short distance, not far to travel as we are in the middle of the island, I have lived in loads of places in the North Island, orginally from Manaia in Taranaki, and moved heaps when I was working on various dairy farms, and even milked cows in Sweden!! But since my parents moved to the South just over 6 years ago, I decided to come down with them, they are over in Akaroa, have a luxury B&B, if anyone is keen www.garthowen.co.nz and I moved to tge city, and met a cantabrian, and the rest is history!
Don't like living in the city though, so hopefully within the next year we are moving to the country, if you do decide to come down here it is amazing, cold in the winter but lovely in the summer!
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 14 September 2007 at 8:17am
I think Chch would probably be my first choice in the SI. Not keen on West Coast (too windy) or Dunedin (hilly AND freezing) - gee I'm fussy!
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Posted By: Glow
Date Posted: 14 September 2007 at 8:22am
Just go in land from the coast a bit like Reefton or so- first place in NZ to get Electricity- ooo & did you know there is heaps of gold & jewels in those hills
Murchison maybe? Buller River is a beast!!
yipeee im getting excited- freg buying this house in Oto, but then again down there is prone to quakes & slips!!
------------- Mummy of Two Boys B: 2004 K: 2007
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Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 14 September 2007 at 9:30am
i have a girlfriend in Murchison who is not really enjoying lidfe there too much. she said it is just so expensive it gets her down.
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Posted By: Glow
Date Posted: 14 September 2007 at 9:38am
Does she dredge for gold liz?
Whats the expensive stuff?
------------- Mummy of Two Boys B: 2004 K: 2007
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Posted By: jack_&_charli
Date Posted: 14 September 2007 at 4:36pm
OMG murchison!!!???? no wonder she's not enjoying it!
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Posted By: Glow
Date Posted: 14 September 2007 at 4:58pm
What did they talk about metres up in on the air?
------------- Mummy of Two Boys B: 2004 K: 2007
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 14 September 2007 at 5:02pm
I don't even know where Murchison is lol
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Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 14 September 2007 at 5:04pm
busymum wrote:
I must say, that Tauranga view is gorgy!! I've never been to Tauranga. Got to Rotorua on our honeymoon then got homesick and turned back and drove home!! |
LOL Glad I don't get homesick we're going to Paris for our honeymoon.
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Angel June 2012
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Posted By: Glow
Date Posted: 14 September 2007 at 5:04pm
Central Nth westy SI
ETA Nth
------------- Mummy of Two Boys B: 2004 K: 2007
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Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 14 September 2007 at 5:06pm
Glow wrote:
Central westy SI |
That reads 'middle of nowhere'.
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Angel June 2012
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Posted By: Glow
Date Posted: 14 September 2007 at 5:06pm
Homesick...
Im going to da mount next week & am freging freakin
------------- Mummy of Two Boys B: 2004 K: 2007
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