Notes From A Small Island
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Anyway, I came back to live 3 years back,here after being in Aus (Brisbane) for 26 years.
My take is I am quite comfortable living here , we not sure there a huge difference with Aus (though I no longer live in city thank f***) . I find people remarkably friendly, neighbours etc I know better a mile more than I did in Aus. Though I was admitedly a kiwi and always had that held against me a bit, and quite funny almost come out from some accidently. Mind you I always said hi to people when I walked over there and generally got a nod or replay, and can't take a couple of steps here without saying hi etc (but small town etc) , but have no probs when in Wellington etc.
Basically I understand Major's points, but I also understand quite a number who move overseas like to notice things wrong at home subconciously as it helps to reinforce decicions made to live there, and no probs. I must admit my weakness when on hols is I always look for positives whereever I am, so miss a lot of these things anyway. Over years when I have travelled it's usually been locals point out things that are wrong, when I in London .I loved place (wouldn't want to live there), and a few people would say, but there is too many foreigners, or too many homeless, beggars etc etc, San Fran going to airport was taxi driver who bemoaned the amount of homelessness etc (went past park with packed with them, in LA was the amount of Mexicans etc etc. All things people found wrong I didn't look for. Went to Paris, once again loved it sister who went a month later gave me a list of thing wrong that I didn't notice or look for.
I will say with Craft beers etc , I am stoked people are talking them up, and without being rude you sound like my son who lived in Italy for a long time , when you said such and such was a nice wine, you would get a look down nose, what do you know we live in Italy so wine where everyone know wine etc kind of thing. Same as craft beer, living in England doesn't mean you are an expert on beer and I would be disappomited if someone didn't say to me hey this is a nice beer/wine etc.
Plus I am happy as a sand boy living here, perhaps because I always missed the place when I away. Just talking to nephew yesterady who lives in Ireland , here with wife and kids and he is loving every minute with kids suggesting they would like to move over (oldest was borm here) etc. So basically I think it's what you look for
/see?
But will agree with Major's original post, I don't like Auckland,doesn't do it for me, I find it hard to get a vibe on the place. I was same in Aus never liked Sydney, to point one of my favourite groups is playing there in Aus in a few months, aii decent tickets to Melbourne shows are gone, and can't be arsed putting up with Sydney to go see them. Make it clear only my opinion, maybe a bloody great place for others. -
@MajorRage on the scooters, we only have the beam ones here, they are speed restricted in the main areas of town but can get upto about 25km on some of cyxle paths and stuff, I've not used scooters anywhere outside of whangarei to know if the others are different.
Your comment on the Maori communities, as far back as I can recall, northland has always been like that. Some really isolated communities many look pretty much uninhabited bar the old V8 parked out front and the sky dish on the side of a house that looks derelict.
Not really the thread for it, but I think there are also still some of the smaller sub-tribes of nga puhi that still have historical beef within and externally, that seems to hamper any growth or even progression...in Willie Apiatas book he said when he received the VC and his whakapapa was Nga Puhi and Ngati Porou, when they met on his Ngati Porou marae to celebrate it was apparently the 1st time in c200 years they'd done that without fighting due to the bad blood between them.
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@Dan54 said in Notes From A Small Island:
Basically I understand Major's points, but I also understand quite a number who move overseas like to notice things wrong at home subconciously as it helps to reinforce decicions made to live there, and no probs.
No, not the case here. I just find it fascinating the changes observed and like to share with others. Yes there are some negatives in the observations, but it's not fair to only talk about the positives. All countries are moving in certain directions at the moment, rapidly, and I find it interesting from a social point of view.
I will say with Craft beers etc , I am stoked people are talking them up, and without being rude you sound like my son who lived in Italy for a long time , when you said such and such was a nice wine, you would get a look down nose, what do you know we live in Italy so wine where everyone know wine etc kind of thing. Same as craft beer, living in England doesn't mean you are an expert on beer and I would be disappomited if someone didn't say to me hey this is a nice beer/wine etc.
That was an observation last time one which wasn't backed up this time. I don't think I know better because I live in England, I think I know what I like and just because craft are/were on trend, doesn't mean the waiter / friend knows better than me. The attitude seemed to be "you don't know much about beer mate, let me teach you". But that has certainly dissipated.
Plus I am happy as a sand boy living here, perhaps because I always missed the place when I away. Just talking to nephew yesterady who lives in Ireland , here with wife and kids and he is loving every minute with kids suggesting they would like to move over (oldest was borm here) etc. So basically I think it's what you look for/see?
I don't follow your point here. I would be bloody happy living in NZ too, but at the moment it doesn't work for my family, which is the number one thing in my life. If your nephew thinks differently, good for him!
But will agree with Major's original post, I don't like Auckland,doesn't do it for me, I find it hard to get a vibe on the place. I was same in Aus never liked Sydney, to point one of my favourite groups is playing there in Aus in a few months, aii decent tickets to Melbourne shows are gone, and can't be arsed putting up with Sydney to go see them. Make it clear only my opinion, maybe a bloody great place for others.
I've never been a fan of Auckland but again horses for courses! Lived there for 6 months then left. Wasn't for me. See last point!
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@taniwharugby said in Notes From A Small Island:
@MajorRage on the scooters, we only have the beam ones here, they are speed restricted in the main areas of town but can get upto about 25km on some of cyxle paths and stuff, I've not used scooters anywhere outside of whangarei to know if the others are different.
It was mainly Auckland were people were nuts, but I did see them in a lot of different places.
Your comment on the Maori communities, as far back as I can recall, northland has always been like that. Some really isolated communities many look pretty much uninhabited bar the old V8 parked out front and the sky dish on the side of a house that looks derelict.
Yeah, I guess it's "good" (for lack of a better word) that it's always been like that and not some trend. I was pretty surprised.
Not really the thread for it, but I think there are also still some of the smaller sub-tribes of nga puhi that still have historical beef within and externally, that seems to hamper any growth or even progression...in Willie Apiatas book he said when he received the VC and his whakapapa was Nga Puhi and Ngati Porou, when they met on his Ngati Porou marae to celebrate it was apparently the 1st time in c200 years they'd done that without fighting due to the bad blood between them.
Humans and war. Go together like peas and carrots, sadly.
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@Dan54 said in Notes From A Small Island:
nyway, I came back to live 3 years back,here after being in Aus (Brisbane) for 26 years.
My take is I am quite comfortable living here , we not sure there a huge difference with Aus (though I no longer live in city thank f***) . I find people remarkably friendly, neighbours etc I know better a mile more than I did in Aus. Though I was admitedly a kiwi and always had that held against me a bit, and quite funny almost come out from some accidently. Mind you I always said hi to people when I walked over there and generally got a nod or replay, and can't take a couple of steps here without saying hi etc (but small town etc) , but have no probs when in Wellington etc.
Basically I understand Major's points, but I also understand quite a number who move overseas like to notice things wrong at home subconciously as it helps to reinforce decicions made to live there, and no probs. I must admit my weakness when on hols is I always look for positives whereever I am, so miss a lot of these things anyway. Over years when I have travelled it's usually been locals point out things that are wrong, when I in London .I loved place (wouldn't want to live there), and a few people would say, but there is too many foreigners, or too many homeless, beggars etc etc, San Fran going to airport was taxi driver who bemoaned the amount of homelessness etc (went past park with packed with them, in LA was the amount of Mexicans etc etc. All things people found wrong I didn't look for. Went to Paris, once again loved it sister who went a month later gave me a list of thing wrong that I didn't notice or look for.
I will say with Craft beers etc , I am stoked people are talking them up, and without being rude you sound like my son who lived in Italy for a long time , when you said such and such was a nice wine, you would get a look down nose, what do you know we live in Italy so wine where everyone know wine etc kind of thing. Same as craft beer, living in England doesn't mean you are an expert on beer and I would be disappomited if someone didn't say to me hey this is a nice beer/wine etc.
Plus I am happy as a sand boy living here, perhaps because I always missed the place when I away. Just talking to nephew yesterady who lives in Ireland , here with wife and kids and he is loving every minute with kids suggesting they would like to move over (oldest was borm here) etc. So basically I think it's what you look for
/see?This reads like textbook Kiwi defensiveness.
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@Frank Ok if that's what is sounds like to you Frank, simply kind of giving my observations as Major was.
I genuinely don't feel the need to ever defend country, I am incredibly happy here, don't think it perfect (have yet to find Nirvana anywhere), but as I said ,I haven't found any countries I have disliked anyway. As I pointed out we can go anywhere and find what's wrong, or right with any country, just not something I tend to do.
