Those seeking a more laid-back, healthier, outdoor lifestyle will find just what they're looking for in the incredible landscapes of New Zealand
One of New Zealand's many unique selling point for migrants is its seclusion from the rest of the world, coupled with a decidedly British culture. Though about as far from the UK as you can go without starting to come back around again, it's nonetheless reassuringly familiar to us Brits, with even the landscape and climate echoing Britain's. It's also of comparable size, though split over two islands and with a fraction of the population. As such, it has fewer problems with overcrowding, pollution, congestion and crime. In fact, NZ is a clean and pristine country that offers a healthy, natural lifestyle that's extremely appealing to jaded northern hemisphere residents.
The country has all the comforts of home (except, notably, central heating) and yet many migrants find the way of life simpler and less sophisticated than in the UK, especially in terms of the media, entertainment and shopping. However, this 'backwater' vibe is more than compensated for by a more relaxed pace of life. Kiwis enjoy fabulous food, beer and wine, with wild beaches and majestic, pristine landscapes on their doorstep. There's a strong value placed on creativity, with flourishing art, theatre and music scenes, plus there's the national obsession with rugby. Then there's the unique Maori culture, which is woven intrinsically into the fabric of everyday life and will constantly remind you that you're not actually in a more laid-back and slightly unfinished version of Britain.
Popular leisure activities among Kiwis include going to the rugby, hiking, hunting and shooting (introduced mammals rather than native birds), fishing, sailing, surfing and all-action pastimes from hang-gliding to kayaking - Kiwis are an adventurous bunch and love to make the most of their natural surroundings. And with natural surroundings as incredible as these, it's hard not to get the bug.
New migrants converting pounds to dollars are often pleasantly surprised by the relatively lower cost of living here, especially in terms of housing and transport. You can expect to get much more house for your sterling, and the vast majority of New Zealanders live in spacious detached homes set in good-sized plots of land. However, start earning Kiwi dollars and the reality soon bites. For Kiwis, New Zealand isn't a particularly cheap place to live because salaries here are substantially lower than in Britain or even Australia, while shops and supermarkets charge comparable prices. Of course, with less of a consumer culture in the country and much more emphasis placed on enjoying nature, the cost of living can become less important. Kiwis tend to be reasonably liberal and hard working, but appreciative of the simple pleasures in life, rather than the finer things.
New Zealand is a great place for families, with plenty of healthy, outdoor activities for kids to enjoy and more time for parents to spend with them. Standards of education are comparable to Britain's, with a high uptake of higher education, and healthcare facilities are equally good, with lower waiting times for medical treatment.
Life in New Zealand is all about spending quality time with friends and family; a clean environment; and of course, rugby, all enjoyed in a young, still-evolving country that's full of promise.
A day in the life
Jim, 36, moved to Auckland with his wife Gemma, 34, and son Luke, now 3, in 2005. He says, “We live in Devonport, which is a great suburb because it's close to the city but separated from it by the harbour. It's very picturesque and historic, and it's also close to lots of great beaches. This isn't the cheapest part of Auckland but we found a fantastic house here – four bedrooms, two storeys, built from timber and painted blue, in a beautiful terraced garden with palms, ferns and an outdoor entertaining space. This cost less than we got from the sale of our two-bedroom terrace in Bristol, so even just having the extra space to relax and be a family has made the move worthwhile.
I wake up in our airy double bedroom at around 7am, and help Gemma get Luke ready for playschool. Gemma is working part-time on the north shore, which works out well – it stops her from going stir-crazy and brings in a bit of extra money, but still gives her plenty of time with Luke.
She drives north to work but I catch the ferry south to the city - I'll never get sick of commuting on a boat! It takes 15 minutes to cross and I can even enjoy a beer on the way back. On a sunny morning, I'll sit outside on deck and it gives me a real lift. It's a five-minute walk to my office from the ferry terminal. I work hard here, often through lunch and into the evening, but that seems to be the norm. About once a week, I'll have a drink with my colleagues after work to help us all unwind.
My salary here is about 30 per cent lower than it was in Bristol, and money doesn't necessarily go that far. Gemma will say that there's not much to spend our money on anyway - she misses the choice of shops in the UK, I think! She gets most of her retail therapy in Newmarket, a shopping haven suburb near the city, but she certainly misses her British favourites. Shopping isn't really my thing, and I haven't found that there's anything I can't get hold of, except in the supermarket. They're all about primary ingredients and it's virtually impossible to get a decent ready meal, so we often end up cooking from scratch. The food is great quality, though, and you can get ingredients you don't see in Sainsbury's, such as live green-lipped mussels in seawater tanks, six kinds of kumera or kiwi fruit, and wonderful local produce. Luckily, eating out is quite affordable so we don't miss the ready meals too much – as long as there's a kid's menu for Luke!
Weekends are the best as we spend quality time together as a family and in summer we walk the short distance to the beach or walk up one of the three local volcanoes to enjoy the view and kick a ball around.
We can catch a ferry to Waiheke Island in 30 minutes, and often take a tent so we can stay for the weekend without forking out on a guest house. This is an amazing island with its own vibe, quiet beaches, a great art and sculpture scene, plus walks and vineyards.
We all love it and watching Luke discover the natural world is amazing - he already knows his New Zealand birds! We also like to head to the west coast or up to the Bay of Islands - with a tent it costs practically nothing, though I wouldn't fancy it in winter! The great outdoors is what life is all about here, and we all feel healthier and happier as a result.
