Living In Auckland NZ

aviationfreak · Tue Jul 12, 2005 8:08 pm

In a few months I'm going to live in New Zealand for aprox. a year. I already have a job at AKL and therefore I'll try to find a place as near the airport as possible. A little research learned that Mangere and Papatoetoe are the closest residential area's am I right?

Now my question is are these good places to live in? Is it safe?

I also noticed there are quite a few properties for rent for reasonable prices at the north of Auckland. How is living there? And how is transport to the airport from this area, how long will it take me to the airport?

And my last question for now: How is transport to the airport in general?

Looking forward to the answers!

Best regards,

Sander

aerorobnz · Tue Jul 12, 2005 8:45 pm

Quoting Aviationfreak (Thread starter):
In a few months I'm going to live in New Zealand for aprox. a year. I already have a job at AKL and therefore I'll try to find a place as near the airport as possible. A little research learned that Mangere and Papatoetoe are the closest residential area's am I right?

Now my question is are these good places to live in? Is it safe?

I also noticed there are quite a few properties for rent for reasonable prices at the north of Auckland. How is living there? And how is transport to the airport from this area, how long will it take me to the airport?

And my last question for now: How is transport to the airport in general?

I'm pretty well qualified to answer this as I live in Auckland, and I work at AKL Intl. Mangere & Papatoetoe are the closest, but but between the two I would choose Papatoetoe as it is slightly nicer suburb. I live further out East and I can make it in between 20-45min (I made it in 12 minutes the other day... Wink

. However I warn you now you must have your own transport as public transport to the airport is limited and infrequent. I would advise against living on the North Shore or too far West. Although the suburbs are nice in general the transport time to AKL can be up to 1 1/2h in peak traffic, although offpeak it will take about 30min. Email if you want to know more - I know most people I work with live in one of these Central/South/South East Auckland suburbs Onehunga/Hillsborough/Manurewa/Papatoetoe/Manukau/Botany/Howick/Pakuranga
Email me if you like. We could well be working together shortly...

aviationfreak · Tue Jul 12, 2005 9:20 pm

Thank you for your answer. This is very useful information for me.

I start at Menzies December 1st. Couldn't get a job wit ANZ, and I already work for Menzies anyway.

Hopefully see you at AKL this year.

Sander

aerorobnz · Tue Jul 12, 2005 9:31 pm

Yeah Menzies handles EK,CX,BI,GA,DJ and soon to be SQ so they are doing a massive recruitment drive currently to fill up all the shifts they need staff to work now. Plenty of scope for moving up quickly with your experience I would think right now. Yep I would think you will see me around, if not at work then certainly planespotting...

aviationfreak · Tue Jul 12, 2005 9:45 pm

Then you are the man who can show me the good spots. bigthumbsup

What is DJ for an airline BTW?

pacificjourney · Wed Jul 13, 2005 5:44 am

Can I suggest Mangere Bridge as a nice spot to live.

Your own car is a must in AKL unfortunately.

aerorobnz · Wed Jul 13, 2005 8:29 pm

Quoting Aviationfreak (Reply 4):
Then you are the man who can show me the good spots.

What is DJ for an airline BTW?

DJ = Virgin/Pacific Blue. Yep will show you the sights. There's a few of us spotters on the 'inside'

ZKSUJ · Thu Jul 14, 2005 3:09 pm

I suggest Botany Downs or Howick. With Te Irangi Drive you can get to AKL within 25-30 minutes by car. It may be a bit far but much much safer that Papatoetoe or Mangere.
Probably a bit steep for Auckland prices though but I am sure you may find a good deal on a house. And also, a car is somewhat a necessity as the public transport to the airport is somewhat unreliable.

Go to trademe and you should be able to find some cars etc... flats which may be of interest.

http://www.trademe.co.nz

777ER · Thu Jul 14, 2005 4:13 pm

can make it in between 20-45min (I made it in 12 minutes the other day What speed did you get upto? Or did you have a police escort/following an emergency vehicle?

aerorobnz · Thu Jul 14, 2005 11:44 pm

Quoting 777ER (Reply 8):
What speed did you get upto? Or did you have a police escort/following an emergency vehicle?

160kph, but no one else on the road at 0400......

aviationfreak · Fri Jul 15, 2005 7:11 am

160kph, but no one else on the road at 0400.....

Than I guess you have no speeding camera's there. Wink

Loving New Zealand already. hyper

I've already orientated on the housing market at Auckland. $95/wk for a unit in Richard Ave, Papatoetoe. Suppose I end up in a unit like that. Do I have to register some where. Do I have to pay some municipal fees?

Looks like you can get fairly cheap cars on trademe.
What about driving a car. How does it work? I'll buy a car and then? What are the costs what comes with driving a car. Out here you are obligated to insurance your car and pay a periodically road tax which depends on the weight of the car and what kind of fuel it burns. The tax for a diesel engine for example is considerably higher. All this together makes driving a car in the Netherlands a huge investment.

Just out of curiosity, what are the fuel prices in New Zealand?

This may appear to be some strange questions but over here it is not just paying the rent, the elektrical bill and the fuel of your car.

I guess that's it for now biggrin

Sander

TS · Fri Jul 15, 2005 7:19 am

Quoting Aviationfreak (Thread starter):
I already have a job at AKL

Interesting. Is it difficult for EU citizens to get NZ work visa?

Thomas

Matt27 · Fri Jul 15, 2005 8:01 am

Aviationfreak, I just want to say congratulations on the new job, and I'm sure you'll have a great time in Auckland. I spent three months there sep-dec 2003 and I loved every minute. I won't be surprised if you decide stay in NZ for more than a year. Once you get there it's difficult to leave.

//Mattias

aerorobnz · Fri Jul 15, 2005 10:03 am

Quoting Aviationfreak (Reply 10):
han I guess you have no speeding camera's there. Wink

Loving New Zealand already. hyper

I've already orientated on the housing market at Auckland. $95/wk for a unit in Richard Ave, Papatoetoe. Suppose I end up in a unit like that. Do I have to register some where. Do I have to pay some municipal fees?

Looks like you can get fairly cheap cars on trademe.
What about driving a car. How does it work? I'll buy a car and then? What are the costs what comes with driving a car. Out here you are obligated to insurance your car and pay a periodically road tax which depends on the weight of the car and what kind of fuel it burns. The tax for a diesel engine for example is considerably higher. All this together makes driving a car in the Netherlands a huge investment.

Just out of curiosity, what are the fuel prices in New Zealand?

This may appear to be some strange questions but over here it is not just paying the rent, the elektrical bill and the fuel of your car.

I guess that's it for now

Sander

There are loads of speed cameras unfortunately, but you get to know where you can and can't get away with it... I haven't had a huge speed camera bill yet though
As for vehicles there's registration/warrant of fitness which will set you back about $350 a year all up before maintenance. Diesels pay an extra road user levy and the price for diesel is around 90c-95c a litre, as opposed to normal unleaded fuel which is around $1.25. It is not compulsory to have insurance for cars here, though I would suggest it in Auckland Traffic.

I don't rent, but it is my understanding that it is the landlord's responsibility to pay the council rates for his property, but obvously he/she will be making your rent high enough to get his money back.

zeekiel · Fri Jul 15, 2005 10:49 am

For you Aviationfreak, if you have some spare time during the week and it's a nice day, come out to the St Heliers and Mission Bay. It's really beautiful out here and get yourself a nice coffee and watch Rangitoto in all it's glory Smile

.

During the rugby season get out and watch the Blues, Auckland NPC or the All Blacks. Trust me, if you watch a Bledisloe Cup match you will feel the emotion resonate through your heart.

If you like the evening and thrive at night, there's plenty to do in the Viaduct Harbour and Parnell.

Quoting Aviationfreak (Thread starter):

Your own car is a must in AKL unfortunately.

Unless the trains become electric, buses have their own lanes up and down, a car is a necessity. Problem with public transport here is that it is uncoordinated, little in the way of integrated tickets and unreliable at times.

I hope you enjoy your time here. Summer is just around the corner and it will be brilliant. Work hard, play harder.

Cheers

Zeekiel

ZKSUJ · Sat Jul 16, 2005 6:03 pm

Quoting Zeekiel (Reply 14):
During the rugby season get out and watch the Blues, Auckland NPC

Geees, he lives in Papatoetoe, Go Counties Manukau and the Chiefs Big grin

zeekiel · Sun Jul 17, 2005 9:27 am

Quoting ZKSUJ (Reply 15):
Geees, he lives in Papatoetoe, Go Counties Manukau and the Chiefs

Hehe. The Chiefs are a bit far from Auckland, don't you think Smile

?

Cheers

Zeekiel

777ER · Sun Jul 17, 2005 9:55 am

160kph, but no one else on the road at 0400...... Help, well that explains why you got there so quickly

Than I guess you have no speeding camera's there. Sorry, but yes we do. There are many fixed speed cameras in every area of New Zealand, with hundreds of mobile speed cameras. New Zealand's busiest speed camera is a fixed camera on the motorway (state highway 1), about 5 kms before WLG CBD.

ZKSUJ · Sun Jul 17, 2005 10:37 am

Quoting Zeekiel (Reply 16):
Hehe. The Chiefs are a bit far from Auckland, don't you think

I'm sort of in the same positions as him. I live in Manukau hence support counties. Technically Counties are part of the chiefs, so........... Smile

Any way Aviationfreak, how is it comming along?

aviationfreak · Mon Jul 18, 2005 10:23 pm

Thank you very much for your help people!!

Sorry guys. I'm (not yet) a rugby fan. As for the speed camera's, I wasn't planning to drive like a maniac on your roads anyways. It is just you have to drive so carefully... biggrin

How is it comming along? Well I was about going to apply for a working holiday visum. As from July 4th the "no longer work than 3 months for the same employer" restriction is lifted for applicants from the Netherlands. So in principle I can work the whole year for the same employer as I intend to at AKL. I asked my future manager if that would be a bit of a problem. He said that any visa which allows me to get an airside pass won't be a problem. He also said I need an IRD number?? What exactly is an IRD number?
So right now I'm trying to find out whether I can get an airside pass with my visa or not. Already send an e-mail to AKL and am waiting for the reply. If not than my employer needs "approval in principle" from the NZIS to hire foreign workers in order to get a "real" working visa/permitt and that is extremely difficult to get. In this case I can forget working airside at AKL.

At the moment I'm putting together my route plan for my round the world ticket which I will purchase very soon.

Oh, and does anyone of you knows whether I can use my cell phone in New Zealand or not?

Sander

aerorobnz · Tue Jul 19, 2005 5:08 am

Which cell hone network are you with? It'd be cheaper for you to buy a simcard so you can charge it up here. The IRD number is the Inland Revenue Dept. That is effectively how they work out how much tax you pay. The Airside pass takes about 6 weeks normally, while they go through all the checks, I would get a copy of your Dutch background check from your local police/Inland Security as that might help.. You could always try emigrating officially as permanent resident....

aviationfreak · Tue Jul 19, 2005 4:23 pm

Thank you!

Buying a simcard is what I'm planning to do. What I like to know is whether a cell phone which can be used on the frequencies of the Dutch network also can be used on the frequencies of the New Zealand network.

Sander

ZKSUJ · Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:04 pm

Quoting Aviationfreak (Reply 21):
frequencies of the Dutch network also can be used on the frequencies of the New Zealand network

Could you re phrase that. As far as I know, are you talking about Vodafone global roaming where your dutch number stays the same as your NZ number?

NZ1 · Tue Jul 19, 2005 7:02 pm

Quoting Aerorobnz (Reply 9):
160kph, but no one else on the road at 0400.

Yes. I do that all the time, when I finish at 3am etc. Good fun.

NZ1

aviationfreak · Tue Jul 19, 2005 8:07 pm

I'm sorry I wasn't clear enough.

Lets put it like this. You buy a cell phone in the Netherlands without a simcard, you take it with you to New Zealand, buy a simcard there and put in in your phone, will it work? In other words are the Dutch and New Zealand systems for mobile telephony compatible?

Sander

aerorobnz · Wed Jul 20, 2005 7:43 am

Quoting Aviationfreak (Reply 24):
ets put it like this. You buy a cell phone in the Netherlands without a simcard, you take it with you to New Zealand, buy a simcard there and put in in your phone, will it work? In other words are the Dutch and New Zealand systems for mobile telephony compatible?

Yes, it will be, but the power points for the charger will be different, just buy an adaptor and you'll be fine. I had no problems with my phone in england/europe so you should visa versa.

aviationfreak · Wed Jul 20, 2005 6:00 pm

OK thanks, than I'll buy a new phone here today as I crushed mine between myself and a towable stairs Sunday. biggrin

Sander

NZ1 · Wed Jul 20, 2005 6:03 pm

Quoting Aviationfreak (Reply 26):
I crushed mine between myself and a towable stairs Sunday.

Haha. Been there done that. Such a pain in the ass too.

NZ1

ZKSUJ · Wed Jul 20, 2005 7:40 pm

Quoting NZ1 (Reply 27):
Haha. Been there done that. Such a pain in the ass too

Sucks more when you accidentally drop it in the toilet Wink

NZ107 · Wed Jul 27, 2005 5:06 pm

Quoting 777ER (Reply 17):
Than I guess you have no speeding camera's there. Sorry, but yes we do. There are many fixed speed cameras in every area of New Zealand, with hundreds of mobile speed cameras.

Haha well some of the mobile ones won't be around till they get that wof issue sorted..

Also in the top 10 in NZ is the mobile, yes mobile, one on Pah Road heading towards the airport from the city or Epsom (Just after Greenwoods Corner, down a slight hill). I live in this area and have only seen it there 3 times. I wonder how many do the same as Aerorobnz do! Wait till you get this $500 fine in the letterbox...

ZKSUJ · Wed Jul 27, 2005 8:06 pm

I've seen a few on Manukau road. Just look for a station wagon pulled over with it's boot open and a cop sleeping in the front seat. Thats what I've been told Wink

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