Optional Relocation

[Greg111 13]

So.....Christchurch, hows that messed up town going? Still there?

First of all i don't like earthquakes, not one bit, i don't like cold snowy weather, i do however like running water at my finger tips, power at the switch of button and of course money which would help lean me towards moving.

The boys down at Jeff Grey chch are in need of an extra person as i believe some people have run to the hills following all the drama (fair enough).

It would only be for 6 months or so, not permanent as i do have somewhat of a life up here, would be a f**k around with the house i'm in now and all my gear and two cars, all of which will be staying here.

The reason i bring this up is, what's the shaky town like, never been, still quakes here and there i gather, what's the power and running water situation like now? Would need a good reason to relocate even for a short time.

Cheers guys.

[1rotty 40]

Go on....fk off then.....dont like drinking with ya anyway ..hahahahahahaha

Seriously I would think it would need to be financially worth your while to justify the hassle(& the nerve damage lol)

[Greg111 13]

Oh please don't be like that Mark haha, yeah the monies nothing to sneeze at and would get a pretty descent deposit on a house at the end buuuuuuut no trackday in sept and did i mention i'm not fond of quakes, you chch people can pipe up if you like

[Braeden320 0]

New experiences are always good, Maybe they need to give you an M3 demonstrator for your time there to sweeten the deal Haha

Edited July 26, 2011 by braeden.

[Mark 178]

I've recently moved back to town from Rotorua. Mind you, I'm from here and came back not only because I got a promotion but also to be near friends and family again.

You can live here quite comfortably. However there are quite a few things to think about.

- At the moment it's quite difficult to get insurance. (Not impossible as I eventually sorted it, but tougher if you're moving to town from outside the city)

- There's not a lot to do. Pretty much 90% of bars, clubs etc are demolished or still closed. Same with movie theatres, pools, parks, restaurants etc. However, suburban pubs are still open and new ones are popping up all the time to cater for all the nervous locals who rely on alcohol to get a good night's sleep. Going out for a dinner on a whim is not advised, you'll be driving around to find an empty table for a good while before you give up and go to the McDonald's drive thru.

- Driving is a bit of a cock. However, the traffic is still miles better than Auckland. It takes me 18 minutes to get to work, when it would have used to take me 9. (so not a big deal really). Don't drive a lowered car unless you want to develop back problems. The roads have more humps than Alice the camel.

- Water and power is back on in 95% of the city. Find a place to live in the West of the city and you'll be fine. Only problem with that is that everyone else who has been displaced has had the same idea and so rent prices have gone nuts. Budget at least $350 p/w for a decent place in a nice area.

- It does still shake. There haven't been any really horrible ones since June 13, but your first 5.0 aftershock will have you shitting yourself.

Positives:

- If your workmates are a good bunch there's always a house party or poker night to go to. People have taken to buying a box or two and staying at home. (Get Sky if you have no mates)

- You get used to "making do". The novelty factor of living in a quake zone has worn off for the locals, but you'll have fun with it for a while.

- All the ITM cup Rugby is now played at Rugby Park... which has a good old fashioned embankment and you can get right on the sideline to abuse the ref and the opposing team (f**ken Southland!)

- If you want to piss off for the weekend, there's awesome driving roads and lots of great towns to visit that are thriving more than ever before with the influx of Cantabrians escaping the quakes.

To sum up: It's pretty sh*t, but not uber-sh*t.

[Gaz 1061]

Go for it and move down to the snow globe.

I don't notice any of the quakes any more as most at under 3M, (look through here). Do you have to find you own place to live or will they help with that? Because that will dictate power and water situation. Anything out west is fine generally, a few down fences, chimmys but the houses are generally ok with some superficial damage.

Power can be hit and miss. My old flat never lost power, or internet and we only had a half day without water, however my mate lived two blocks over and lost power for 2 days and water for 4. Were I am now, we lost power for an hour after a bigish one on a Tuesday night but back up an hour later.

I'm sure others will have there own opinions but I love Christchurch and would take a lot for me to leave.

[Greg111 13]

I've recently moved back to town from Rotorua. Mind you, I'm from here and came back not only because I got a promotion but also to be near friends and family again.

You can live here quite comfortably. However there are quite a few things to think about.

- At the moment it's quite difficult to get insurance. (Not impossible as I eventually sorted it, but tougher if you're moving to town from outside the city)

- There's not a lot to do. Pretty much 90% of bars, clubs etc are demolished or still closed. Same with movie theatres, pools, parks, restaurants etc. However, suburban pubs are still open and new ones are popping up all the time to cater for all the nervous locals who rely on alcohol to get a good night's sleep. Going out for a dinner on a whim is not advised, you'll be driving around to find an empty table for a good while before you give up and go to the McDonald's drive thru.

- Driving is a bit of a cock. However, the traffic is still miles better than Auckland. It takes me 18 minutes to get to work, when it would have used to take me 9. (so not a big deal really). Don't drive a lowered car unless you want to develop back problems. The roads have more humps than Alice the camel.

- Water and power is back on in 95% of the city. Find a place to live in the West of the city and you'll be fine. Only problem with that is that everyone else who has been displaced has had the same idea and so rent prices have gone nuts. Budget at least $350 p/w for a decent place in a nice area.

- It does still shake. There haven't been any really horrible ones since June 13, but your first 5.0 aftershock will have you shitting yourself.

Positives:

- If your workmates are a good bunch there's always a house party or poker night to go to. People have taken to buying a box or two and staying at home. (Get Sky if you have no mates)

- You get used to "making do". The novelty factor of living in a quake zone has worn off for the locals, but you'll have fun with it for a while.

- All the ITM cup Rugby is now played at Rugby Park... which has a good old fashioned embankment and you can get right on the sideline to abuse the ref and the opposing team (f**ken Southland!)

- If you want to piss off for the weekend, there's awesome driving roads and lots of great towns to visit that are thriving more than ever before with the influx of Cantabrians escaping the quakes.

To sum up: It's pretty sh*t, but not uber-sh*t.

Insurance is no problem as it will be just me, no personals, cars etc. Accomadation is supplied, be it a Motel or one of the employees residence. (Possibly dissposible income?)

I assume a car will be provided but not sure yet, will need to work through the details before any descissions are made.

Go for it and move down to the snow globe.

I don't notice any of the quakes any more as most at under 3M, (look through here). Do you have to find you own place to live or will they help with that? Because that will dictate power and water situation. Anything out west is fine generally, a few down fences, chimmys but the houses are generally ok with some superficial damage.

Power can be hit and miss. My old flat never lost power, or internet and we only had a half day without water, however my mate lived two blocks over and lost power for 2 days and water for 4. Were I am now, we lost power for an hour after a bigish one on a Tuesday night but back up an hour later.

I'm sure others will have there own opinions but I love Christchurch and would take a lot for me to leave.

[Gaz 1061]

Also, just an after thought - have a yarn with a few of the guys you will be working with and get their advice/experiences. I'm work in an office where as they were probably under a car at the time and may have different opinions.

[Greg111 13]

Heard a few shockers through the grapevine, including employees pulling deceased out of cars but that's a hole different matter, as there is a lot involved i'm leaning against declining the offer, if was as simple as hoping on a plane i'd be having a beer with you guys tomorrow.

[OP6 27]

We have run out of dead bodies to pull out of cars so don't worry about that.

Mark basically says it all. It will be an adventure and you only live once.

Do it.

[bellicose 9]

First of all i don't like earthquakes, not one bit,

This made me chuckle a bit.

Being in HB you should be immune to them.

I'm Napier born & bred and don't actually mind quakes.

[oscar90 0]

Do it. if only for the road to Akaroa, it's still ok last time I went over it

[camera doctor 25]

Greg,

My wife and I spent last weekend in CHCH, and to be honest you would find it hard to believe they had such a sh*t of a time lately.

Other than a few empty sections, you really do not get to see much of the damage, as the CBD is still closed and most damaged buildings seem to be already pulled down.

Riccarton Mall ( Westfield ) was fairly busy, but then it was school holidays, and it normally is fairly full ! We walked into Robbie's bar in Riccarton and got a table to eat on Saturday night without booking first.

We did not feel any quakes, and found driving around still OK, not sure what it would be like during work day, but if they are putting you up in a hotel, it may be walking distance to Grays anyway.

They are a resilient lot and it seems they have just mucked in and got on with life !

If you don't do it, you may regret it later, and I always find it good for your work knowledge to work with new guys for a while.

Tell Grays you need a 'M' car as your get-around car and go out and explore the great SI roads !!

Edited July 29, 2011 by camera doctor

[Sick Puppy 1]

From the sounds of it, you'll have accommodation sorted, and won't need to worry about possessions etc. So that leaves the question of rent, vehicle/possession storage in Auckland. If you can sort this for cheap, I'd say go for it.

Living in Chch isn't that bad, I figure if a building was going to fall down, it would have done so by now!

[Greg111 13]

Thanks for all the replies guys, appreciate it.

For now it doesn't seem feasible to go ahead BUT i do have the chance to go whenever, Jeff Grey down there isn't short staffed, they're surviving but just not with as many as before.

All i need to suss out is storage for all personal items and two cars. (Everything i own basically)

Accommodation would have been paid for, assume a car as well?

I haven't said no, just not right now.

[kiwi535 538]

Thanks for all the replies guys, appreciate it.

For now it doesn't seem feasible to go ahead BUT i do have the chance to go whenever, Jeff Grey down there isn't short staffed, they're surviving but just not with as many as before.

All i need to suss out is storage for all personal items and two cars. (Everything i own basically)

Accommodation would have been paid for, assume a car as well?

I haven't said no, just not right now.

could you take a car down and leave the other at Jeff Greys up there?

[Greg111 13]

I possibly could but was advised i didn't need to and would prefer not to.

[crazyarab 6]

If you do come down, I'll make sure to take you for a spin in the V8 down at Ruapuna

Can't really add much more to what others have been saying, it's really not all that bad.

[Greg111 13]

If you do come down, I'll make sure to take you for a spin in the V8 down at Ruapuna

Can't really add much more to what others have been saying, it's really not all that bad.

Ha, it'll happen one day i hope.

[Greg111 13]

Well, come 8:10am tomorrow i'll be in ChCh, there for a week then back to HB for trackday in Taupo then back to ChCh for another week, they've hired another guy so i'm just filling in until he takes up employment. Staying in a Motel, not sure which one yet, have a car supplied for the duration as well.

[Greg111 13]

What a busy ass place! So huge, would have been quicker to walk to motel than drive, traffic is terrible!

[Jeddy 0]

What a busy ass place! So huge, would have been quicker to walk to motel than drive, traffic is terrible!

Where are you staying and working?

Since the cbd is closed, traffic is a bi*ch along certain routes

[Greg111 13]

Where are you staying and working?

Since the cbd is closed, traffic is a bi*ch along certain routes

Staying at Azenza, working at Jeff Greys, that bridge bypass is a bitch on bealey street.

[antil33t 90]

Just a word of advice... People in christchurch can't merge for sh*t.

[1rotty 40]

^^^^^^ Nah but they sure can rock n roll