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sprinbox98

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Im heading to New Zealdn for a year in July this year. Going to be working in Wellington for the bulk of the time I will be there but also planning on travelling around both the North and South Islands.

 

Has anyone been there before? All hints, tips, advice etc will be gladly taken on board.

 

Also whats the likely hood of meeting fellow Jambos across there to discuss 3pm Saturday kick offs at 4am on Sunday morning (with the ridiculous time difference?!).

 

Cheers guys

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Scooby Doog

I was over there a few years ago and toured the North part of the North island, had a fantastic time. We would have done more but were limited for time.

 

We started in Auckland and from there visited the usual tourist hotspots (Rotorua, Napier, Bay Of Islands, etc.) which are all well worth a visit. The highlight for us however was the Coromandel Peninsula which was absolutely beautiful, nice laid back towns with good bars and restaurants and some cracking beaches too.

 

As for meeting any Jambos whilst you're there - well, I only saw one guy in a Hearts strip when we were in a shopping mall on our last day. Not sure if he was a native or a holidaymaker like me!

 

I'm sure there are a couple of NZ Jambos who post on the board who'll be able to advise you better. Have a great time - good luck!

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Rory B Bellows

Backpacked round both islands a few years back. Amazing country and so much to do but the highlights for me were: Skydiving, Glacier Walking, White water rafting and jet boating, trying to surf! Preferred the South Island for activities but think if your based in Wellington then you get the best of both and that was my favourite town in NZ by far. You'll have an amazing time bud - very jealous!

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Governor Tarkin
Going to be working in Wellington for the bulk of the time I will be there... Has anyone been there before? All hints, tips, advice etc will be gladly taken on board.

 

Wundy Wullington eh.

 

Wear boots with lead insoles.

Gets a bit breezy.

 

You'll have a great time though. Not jealous in the slightest.

Honest.

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stella_jambo

i spent 9 months in NZ. Its a fantastic country, i only spent a few days in wellington but i loved it. The sky diving is a must as is bungee jumping. Both amazing.

 

I was down the south and there was a lot of expat scots about but didnt find many football fans - its all egg chasing and cricket over there.

Get yourself a hearts world account and come in hammered every sat night and listen to the game, times work quite well!

 

if u wanna know anything give me a shout and ill see if i can help.

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Im heading to New Zealdn for a year in July this year. Going to be working in Wellington for the bulk of the time I will be there but also planning on travelling around both the North and South Islands.

 

Has anyone been there before? All hints, tips, advice etc will be gladly taken on board.

 

Also whats the likely hood of meeting fellow Jambos across there to discuss 3pm Saturday kick offs at 4am on Sunday morning (with the ridiculous time difference?!).

 

Cheers guys

 

So far in March, there have been 26 visits to JKB from people in New Zealand. Nineteen of these were from Christchurch. There have been no visits from people in Wellington.

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coppercrutch
Im heading to New Zealdn for a year in July this year. Going to be working in Wellington for the bulk of the time I will be there but also planning on travelling around both the North and South Islands.

 

Has anyone been there before? All hints, tips, advice etc will be gladly taken on board.

 

Also whats the likely hood of meeting fellow Jambos across there to discuss 3pm Saturday kick offs at 4am on Sunday morning (with the ridiculous time difference?!).

 

Cheers guys

 

You on the WHM visa ? IMO to spend most of the time in a NZ city woulf be a real waste. Spend the winter in a ski resort, up the mountains, snow, bevvy fit birds cant beat it. Queenstown or Wanaka are both amazing places. I cant think of one person I have met who didn't love them.

 

For the summer ( and it has to be the summer) try and get some work at one of the lodges dotted around the country. I spent 5 months in a tent, doing random jobs outside, fishing at night off the coast, going away in groups to camp on a beach over night and get wasted. I cannot recommend it enough.

 

I am sure Welligton is ok but I think your time there woudl be wasted NZ is all about the outdoors away from the cities.

 

 

Queenstown: The mountains to the back are where you can ski and board.

 

13_Queenstown_400.jpg

 

Lodge I stayed at up north:

 

http://www.hideawaylodge.co.nz/facilities.html

 

picnic.jpg

 

camping.jpg

 

To live in a tent and have use of all the facilites is only about ~?30 per week. Lots of work around in summer too if you dont mind hard graft outside.

 

Enjoy. I plan to go back in a few years.

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New Zealand is amazing mate. I've been round the north and south islands and had a fantastic time. As Coppercrutch says though, NZ is all about the countryside. The cities aren't really anything special.

 

Two things I'd definitely recommend are black water rafting in the gloworm caves at Waitomo in the North Island....

 

http://www.waitomo.com/black-water-rafting.aspx?source=adwords&gclid=COfJl5vq9pECFQS1aAodaThxwQ

 

Also, take a one day trek up the Franz Josef Glacier....

 

http://www.franzjosefglacier.com/

 

Quennstown is great as well. You can do almost anything during the day (skydiving, bungee jumping, jet boating etc) and plenty nightlife.

 

I'd go back again in a second if I had the dosh!

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You on the WHM visa ? IMO to spend most of the time in a NZ city woulf be a real waste. Spend the winter in a ski resort, up the mountains, snow, bevvy fit birds cant beat it. Queenstown or Wanaka are both amazing places. I cant think of one person I have met who didn't love them.

 

For the summer ( and it has to be the summer) try and get some work at one of the lodges dotted around the country. I spent 5 months in a tent, doing random jobs outside, fishing at night off the coast, going away in groups to camp on a beach over night and get wasted. I cannot recommend it enough.

 

I am sure Welligton is ok but I think your time there woudl be wasted NZ is all about the outdoors away from the cities.

 

 

Queenstown: The mountains to the back are where you can ski and board.

 

13_Queenstown_400.jpg

 

Lodge I stayed at up north:

 

http://www.hideawaylodge.co.nz/facilities.html

 

picnic.jpg

 

camping.jpg

 

To live in a tent and have use of all the facilites is only about ~?30 per week. Lots of work around in summer too if you dont mind hard graft outside.

 

Enjoy. I plan to go back in a few years.

 

 

Cheers for the advice. I have actually got a job set up across there starting in July with an accredited employer meaning I get a working visa and permit for 24 months but can extend that to 30months if I want. Then on you can apply for residency if you so wish.

 

I am only planning on a year across there, but at least i have an option open if I want to extend that stay.

 

I have heard a lot of people saying that time in the city is wasted and you should really be out in the countryside. However the nature of my job (in banking) will mean that I have to be city based.

 

You do get a lot of holidays across there though so at least I will be able to get out and about a far amount.

 

How expensive is living across there compared to edinburgh?

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coppercrutch
Cheers for the advice. I have actually got a job set up across there starting in July with an accredited employer meaning I get a working visa and permit for 24 months but can extend that to 30months if I want. Then on you can apply for residency if you so wish.

 

I am only planning on a year across there, but at least i have an option open if I want to extend that stay.

 

I have heard a lot of people saying that time in the city is wasted and you should really be out in the countryside. However the nature of my job (in banking) will mean that I have to be city based.

 

You do get a lot of holidays across there though so at least I will be able to get out and about a far amount.

 

How expensive is living across there compared to edinburgh?

 

 

No problem with the advice. Always good speaking to someone who has been there before.

 

Well if you have a job set up I can see your point about staying in the one place. You can get away easily, get yourself a vehicle etc. You just need to get it taxed and 3rd party insurance is included. Also cost of living is was much cheaper than here. This was about 4 years ago though. Wages are not very high but generally I found I could live quite decently for just doing basic manual jobs. Not sure what it will be like in Wellington. So you working for ANZ or one of the other big boys ?

 

Just out of interest you can get a year working holiday visa yourself. No need to go through anyone and you can do whatever you want for a year. You can then stay on for another year if you wish but you cant work. ;)

 

You could of course do the bank stuff for the first year then the cash in hand picking fruit stuff etc.. for the next year. Once you have done this you can then go back for another year through a scheme run by BUNAC until you are 35. This is what I am planning to do.

 

I have known people who just went over on a normal Working Holiday visa and have been kept on no problem. Not as difficult as in the US as far as I know.

 

So if you go out for a year with this bank and are under 30 then no need to rush into things. You can come home for a year then go out again if you want and work for them again without the need for a sponsorship. Then you could come home and go out again on the IEP visa up to the age of 35. So 3 chances to see if you really want to go and live there or not before you dive in.

 

Direct Working Holiday VISA through NZ immigration:

 

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/workingholiday/unitedkingdomworkingholidayscheme.htm

 

BUNAC up to 35 years old IEP visa:

 

http://www.bunac.org/uk/worknewzealand/eligibility.aspx

 

Enjoy.

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The Vulture
So far in March, there have been 26 visits to JKB from people in New Zealand. Nineteen of these were from Christchurch. There have been no visits from people in Wellington.

 

That'll be me :)

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Walter Payton

As somebody who's travelled a fair bit, Queenstown is my favourite town in the world I've been to. Lots of outdoor stuff to do, absolutely fantastic nightlife and some absolutely stunning women- not sure why I ever left. If you're travelling down that neck of the woods, make sure you do the Nevis Bungee, fantastic experience! I've got a Kiwi mate that's been to quite a few Hearts games and I think would call himself a jambo, think he's still living in Wellington. If you get over there and want to meet some people, drop me a PM.

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coppercrutch
As somebody who's travelled a fair bit, Queenstown is my favourite town in the world I've been to. Lots of outdoor stuff to do, absolutely fantastic nightlife and some absolutely stunning women- not sure why I ever left. If you're travelling down that neck of the woods, make sure you do the Nevis Bungee, fantastic experience! I've got a Kiwi mate that's been to quite a few Hearts games and I think would call himself a jambo, think he's still living in Wellington. If you get over there and want to meet some people, drop me a PM.

 

I have know loads of people who have been there. I cant think of many who would disagree with the above. I worked there for 6 months - working , snowboarding, getting wasted. Amazing.

 

To any JKB'ers out there under 30. Get the visa, head off, have the time of your life. If you don't you must be mental. Seriously. :1132:

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Walter Payton
I have know loads of people who have been there. I cant think of many who would disagree with the above. I worked there for 6 months - working , snowboarding, getting wasted. Amazing.

 

To any JKB'ers out there under 30. Get the visa, head off, have the time of your life. If you don't you must be mental. Seriously. :1132:

 

Meant to say mate, some great photos in your post above- Is the top one taken from Bob's Peak? Remember spending the whole afternoon up there with about 8 mates racing down the luge (even though "racing" wasn't allowed!). Ended up in a massive pile up at the end of the track because we were playing chicken and all refused to give way to each other at the point where the track narrows- loads of bruises but luckily no broken bones... Good times!

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coppercrutch
Meant to say mate, some great photos in your post above- Is the top one taken from Bob's Peak? Remember spending the whole afternoon up there with about 8 mates racing down the luge (even though "racing" wasn't allowed!). Ended up in a massive pile up at the end of the track because we were playing chicken and all refused to give way to each other at the point where the track narrows- loads of bruises but luckily no broken bones... Good times!

 

Nah those pics are from the internet, not mine !! First one is cracking though. I reckon it is from up the luge, my mate used to work there so we got free go's all the time. That bit where it gets really steep and goes into the tunnel is pretty mental !!

 

Did you work there as well or just on holiday ?

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Walter Payton
Nah those pics are from the internet, not mine !! First one is cracking though. I reckon it is from up the luge, my mate used to work there so we got free go's all the time. That bit where it gets really steep and goes into the tunnel is pretty mental !!

 

Did you work there as well or just on holiday ?

 

Just a holiday- had to change from one Australian visa to another in 2003 so had to leave the country, and it was cheaper to go to New Zealand than come home for that time! Spent about 3 weeks in Queenstown though and if I hadn't had a job in Australia I had to go back for I would have definitely stayed there for much longer- got loads of job offers (including the Nevis bungee!) while I was there because I had climbing and kayaking qualifications.

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Thanks for all the info guys.

 

Good looking birds, drinks plenty, and lots of outdoor activities...looks like Queenstown could be high on the list of places to go to!

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Just a holiday- had to change from one Australian visa to another in 2003 so had to leave the country, and it was cheaper to go to New Zealand than come home for that time! Spent about 3 weeks in Queenstown though and if I hadn't had a job in Australia I had to go back for I would have definitely stayed there for much longer- got loads of job offers (including the Nevis bungee!) while I was there because I had climbing and kayaking qualifications.

 

Andy - out of interest was it easy enough to get another visa for going to OZ? I thought it was pretty difficult to get another visa after you have already had one?

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coppercrutch
Thanks for all the info guys.

 

Good looking birds, drinks plenty, and lots of outdoor activities...looks like Queenstown could be high on the list of places to go to!

 

Have fun, and I can guarantee you, once you go to Queenstown you will not want to go back to Wellington. Be warned !!

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Walter Payton
Andy - out of interest was it easy enough to get another visa for going to OZ? I thought it was pretty difficult to get another visa after you have already had one?

 

You can't get another working holiday visa, but I'd used that up in 2001. I was changing from a study visa to a work visa mate.

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lake taupo is a really good stop, i went on the big green f"C? truck ( kiwi experience) remember finding myself in a bar called the crazy cow or some thing, being encouraged to dance on the tables. I fell off and the only way the bouncers would let me stay in if i wore a pink girls bike helmet. Had such a good time i stayed an extra night went straight to the bar and asked for my helmet back.

 

Queenstown is amazing really crazy folk there dreaming up ways to kill each other with crazy activities, got to try the luge (think those crazy carts from markos when you were a kid stick a track on the side of a mountain and encourage you to race to the bottom) also had the best indoor mini golf anywhere (par ninteen was the norm)

 

you will have a ball wherever you go, im only sorry i only spent a month there1

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