Andrew 4220 Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 Righty, back from New Zealand and back to work! I could write an absolute essay on the place, we travelled the length and breadth of the country in our time there and there was practically nothing about it that I didn't love. If you ever get the chance, if it ever comes up as a consideration, go. Next time I am out there I am hoping for it to be for more than a holiday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16643 Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 I have a few mates who live and work there now and love it. Keep asking me to join them but for me at the moment I dont want to move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 17776 Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 7 minutes ago, Andrew said: Righty, back from New Zealand and back to work! I could write an absolute essay on the place, we travelled the length and breadth of the country in our time there and there was practically nothing about it that I didn't love. If you ever get the chance, if it ever comes up as a consideration, go. Next time I am out there I am hoping for it to be for more than a holiday. I'm jealous as fuck tbh. But, they say it is a bit like Scotland, which is obviously a bit (!) more accessible. How does it compare scenery, weather and infrastructure wise? And people I guess. Regarding the latter, I must admit top of the lake put me off a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16643 Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 From may mates photos the scenery is fucking stunning. They live in Wellington and Christchurch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew 4220 Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 15 minutes ago, Renton said: I'm jealous as fuck tbh. But, they say it is a bit like Scotland, which is obviously a bit (!) more accessible. How does it compare scenery, weather and infrastructure wise? And people I guess. Regarding the latter, I must admit top of the lake put me off a bit. Scenery is like nothing I have ever experienced, tbh from the top to the bottom it varied so much that there were times where it was like driving through the country at home, then you come across a set of mountains that you just don't see over here. Weather pretty much played out as we expected, it was sort of like here but slightly better, just coming into summer but with slightly less rain and a bit more heat. Getting some days down in Wanaka and Queenstown where it was blue skies and 25-30 degrees, the worst we saw was some slight drizzle when we were kayaking around the bay of islands. Infrastructure wise varies pretty heavily. The proper cities (auckland, wellington) are as you'd expect any city to be, the smaller ones (queenstown) are more like we would think of large towns but much prettier than you get here. Roads are great, went on two motorways the whole time, spent the rest of it on highways which are just nice single carriageways, wide, well surfaced with periodic overtaking lanes to get by the trucks and campers or laybys for them to pull over into (which they actually do). Internet is decent in most population centres, 3G signal is solid across most of the country and wifi/internet was usually fine. People were great, the whole country has a more relaxed feeling than over here, driving makes it the most apparent, everything is a slightly more leisurely pace and it works just fine. Pretty much everyone seems to like New Zealand as well, they like talking about the country, recommending places to go and things to see with actual...pride? (not something im used to ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex 30409 Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 I reckon that, seeing as they make wine on the South Island, it's a bit warmer than Scotland Also, contrary to popular belief, the antipodes of NZ is Spain. And I'm also jealous as fuck. Regret not going there and the South Seas when I was in Oz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew 4220 Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 1 minute ago, Alex said: I reckon that, seeing as they make wine on the South Island, it's a bit warmer than Scotland Also, contrary to popular belief, the antipodes of NZ is Spain. And I'm also jealous as fuck. Regret not going there and the South Seas when I was in Oz. Funnily enough we regularly read the comparison to scotland before we went and packed ready for it, totally not needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex 30409 Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 Just now, Andrew said: Funnily enough we regularly read the comparison to scotland before we went and packed ready for it, totally not needed. I think a lot of Sweaties moved there and they have mountains. Other than that though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew 4220 Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 Just avoid Dunedin and you're golden for it not being scottish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 17776 Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 4 minutes ago, Alex said: I think a lot of Sweaties moved there and they have mountains. Other than that though... Also the comparison with its much bigger neighbour (Australia being representative of England), like the US (England) and Canada (Scotland). Probably a good job you went when you did though Andrew, I've heard the globalists are hedging their bets on NZ after the apocalypse. Not be long til it's ruined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew 4220 Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 Just now, Renton said: Also the comparison with its much bigger neighbour (Australia being representative of England), like the US (England) and Canada (Scotland). Probably a good job you went when you did though Andrew, I've heard the globalists are hedging their bets on NZ after the apocalypse. Not be long til it's ruined. Best get out there soon then, Mrs A and I both want to move out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16643 Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 @Andrew my mates who live in Christchurch said there is still loads of rebuilding needed after the earthquake. Did you see any of that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew 4220 Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 2 minutes ago, wykikitoon said: @Andrew my mates who live in Christchurch said there is still loads of rebuilding needed after the earthquake. Did you see any of that? Oh yeah, theres a ton of work going on. Lots of areas can't be built on anymore so they're just being turned into parkland over time and there are a bunch of new rules as to what type of building can be put up. The way its described doesn't bear out though, it isn't so intrusive that someone who lives in/around a city in england would ever think about it from what I saw. Some people described it was being like a ghost town as well which was total horseshit, we were there on a Wednesday afternoon and it was just a pleasantly busy place, not heaving, not dead. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16643 Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 1 minute ago, Andrew said: Oh yeah, theres a ton of work going on. Lots of areas can't be built on anymore so they're just being turned into parkland over time and there are a bunch of new rules as to what type of building can be put up. The way its described doesn't bear out though, it isn't so intrusive that someone who lives in/around a city in england would ever think about it from what I saw. Some people described it was being like a ghost town as well which was total horseshit, we were there on a Wednesday afternoon and it was just a pleasantly busy place, not heaving, not dead. Aye what you described is what my mate said. He's got his Kiwi citizenship. Loves it and started his own engineering business. I need to get over there and have a look myself. Snowboarding in winter, biking in summer. Sounds like heaven! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16643 Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 I'm Edinburgh this weekend. Superb atmosphere up here with the crimbo markets. Love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meenzer 14055 Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 Just got back from Gran Canaria to find our boiler has packed up. Marvellous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gloom 19824 Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 i'm pretty sure this has been well covered already by some on here, thought not by CT paging our resident lake district experts: @Alex and others for tips on where to stay for a short trip in the summer. i've only ever been on day trips from my mother's place so need advice on where to rent a house for a 4 day break. i need to rent a 5 bedroom house for my mother's 70th, for three couples and 5 kids (aged 11, 8, 8, 6 and 2). i'm looking for a nice, scenic spot, where we could rent bikes and not too far from nice pubs and places to eat, but also with easy access to good hill walks. my first thought was keswick, but appreciate all other suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex 30409 Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 (edited) 4 hours ago, Dr Gloom said: i'm pretty sure this has been well covered already by some on here, thought not by CT paging our resident lake district experts: @Alex and others for tips on where to stay for a short trip in the summer. i've only ever been on day trips from my mother's place so need advice on where to rent a house for a 4 day break. i need to rent a 5 bedroom house for my mother's 70th, for three couples and 5 kids (aged 11, 8, 8, 6 and 2). i'm looking for a nice, scenic spot, where we could rent bikes and not too far from nice pubs and places to eat, but also with easy access to good hill walks. my first thought was keswick, but appreciate all other suggestions. I really like Ambleside. Not that Keswick isn’t nice. But it’s probably got the best eating and drinking options in the National Park and also has loads of walks which begin there. There’s ‘proper’ ones like the Fairfield Horseshoe but others that practically everyone could do eg the Coffin Trail to Grasmere, Loughrigg Fell and Wansfell via Stockghyll Force. It’s nice and central too with places like Grasmere, Coniston and Great Langdale all just short drives away. I’ve used Lakelovers loads of times for renting properties and the standard has always been high. The only issue you’ll have is that you’ll probably have to rent out a place for a week if it’s a large house you’re after as most won’t do it for a short break outside of low season. Edited January 2, 2018 by Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gloom 19824 Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 awesome, cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 17776 Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 4 hours ago, Dr Gloom said: i'm pretty sure this has been well covered already by some on here, thought not by CT paging our resident lake district experts: @Alex and others for tips on where to stay for a short trip in the summer. i've only ever been on day trips from my mother's place so need advice on where to rent a house for a 4 day break. i need to rent a 5 bedroom house for my mother's 70th, for three couples and 5 kids (aged 11, 8, 8, 6 and 2). i'm looking for a nice, scenic spot, where we could rent bikes and not too far from nice pubs and places to eat, but also with easy access to good hill walks. my first thought was keswick, but appreciate all other suggestions. As you're loaded I'd go for Grasmere if you can. Absolute centre of the lake district, chocolate box pretty, and surrounded by hills of all difficulties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gloom 19824 Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 is Ullswater nice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 17776 Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 3 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said: is Ullswater nice? There's two places. Pooley Bridge at the top and glennridding/patterdale at the bottom. Tubs likes the former but I don't, it's too commercial and not that scenic imo. I tend to stay here nowadays in a lodge when I visit the lakes. Absolutely love the place (both the site and the area). https://patterdalehallestate.com/ Can't think of any large houses to rent offhand though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gloom 19824 Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 3 minutes ago, Renton said: There's two places. Pooley Bridge at the top and glennridding/patterdale at the bottom. Tubs likes the former but I don't, it's too commercial and not that scenic imo. I tend to stay here nowadays in a lodge when I visit the lakes. Absolutely love the place (both the site and the area). https://patterdalehallestate.com/ Can't think of any large houses to rent offhand though. There's this Yanwath Gate Farm place. Looks nice and is a few hundred quid cheaper than anything I've been able to find in Keswick. Not everyone in the group has money to piss away. Is it well located? https://www.sallyscottages.co.uk/yanwath-gate-farm?from=Fri 31st Aug 2018&sleeps=11&breakType=short break Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 17776 Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 3 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said: There's this Yanwath Gate Farm place. Looks nice and is a few hundred quid cheaper than anything I've been able to find in Keswick. Not everyone in the group has money to piss away. Is it well located? https://www.sallyscottages.co.uk/yanwath-gate-farm?from=Fri 31st Aug 2018&sleeps=11&breakType=short break No tbqf. It's not even in the national park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16643 Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 Canny area Gloom. Away from the main crowds of Windermere, Ambleside etc. Some cracking walks from the area too. We are looking at where to go in 2018 but fuck me. With the wedding etc last year we didnt go into Europe apart from myself I went to Belgium early on for the cycling. Looked last night at a place I stayed in Ibiza. Last time we stayed was in 2016 and we paid £800 each for a week. Its closer to £1.4k each now! JAYSUS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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