Best Place in the world to live?

[ZKOKQ 986]

Dear lord, how on earth did Auckland make it onto that list? Now Wellington, thats a different story.

ps - I'm not making any claim that Hamilton should be anywhere near either :-)

I don't think poor old Christchurch will be on the must see list for many years. The city is only being held together by sticky tape.I lived there for 53 years off and on, but since the earthquakes,it is just not nice to live there now.

I moved to Dunedin recently, her indoors has had enough of the ground moving beneath her feet, so we packed up and moved south.

Dunedin is known as the Scotland of the South Pacific, but I challenge anyone to wear a Kilt when one of the famous southerly winds blasts it's way up from the South Pole.

 

Hard to play Cricket too, wearing a Kilt :)

[Raindance 25]

"I don't think poor old Christchurch will be on the must see list for many years. The city is only being held together by sticky tape.I lived there for 53 years off and on, but since the earthquakes,it is just not nice to live there now."

 

Spookily, it's all still there in Google Earth with 3D buildings activated.

[smokeyupahead 6]

Toronto of you ask me.

 

 

David DD

[Matthew Kane 1,343]

Christchurch will be back:

 

[Cessnaflyer 56]

Wow, I didn't realize it was that bad!

[Airbus Commander 563]

By-dead, yeh, I didn't realase it was that badly damaged. Wow, every cloud has a silver lining I'm sure this demonstrates...

 

Ró.

[TurboTomato 90]

Hello

England for me, great place to live

 

Yeah. Much as we make a national sport out of whinging we actually have a lot to be happy about. We have one of the best healthcare systems in the world which is free at the point of use and when the weather is good it is a truly lovely place.

 

But on the 'grass is always greener' point I would love to live in rural France - go there on holiday all the time and just love it. Pace of life, the extra space compared to the UK (or at least the SE), house prices that are reasonable and generally better climate. Problem is I'd want to take my friends and family over there as well!

[Clutch Cargo 385]

I remember when I lived in Germany (coming from California), how things were so different. No 24hr stores... can only shop certain hours of the day! How life was evenly divided between work, friends, and personal living, whereas in the US you always have to put work first and foremost. When a group of us went to Dusseldorf to design the first cellular system for the country, our German counterparts got literally scolded for putting in too many hours at work trying to emulate the Americans. We were all told eventually to go home, do not work late and enjoy your family and friends. Boy, did they have it right. Better balance, better output at home and at work.

 

I think they had it right there, as when I returned to the US everything seemed so rushed and every little thing is so important and has to been done now. I was definitely a more balanced person for living in Europe. It took a long time to adjust back to the California lifestyle. Now in San Diego at least I can enjoy some of the best climate in our country.

 

Oh, on the healthcare front... yea I think ours sucks. Just tore my arm muscle moving a 60" display for the Olympics. That few seconds of pain cost me a one hour operation, a one night stay in the hospital and $50,000 tab! Think of all the add-ons I could have got.

[Matthew Kane 1,343]

Similar to moving to New Zealand from North America. The standards are different.

 

In New Zealand you get 20 personal days off a year, 5 sick days in the first year, then 5 sick days every 6 months. 10 public holidays a year. so that is 35 to 40 paid days off a year. North America is less then half of that.

 

I have been here almost 2 years now and still have the North American work ethic. My boss is pressuring me to start using my days off. Right now I have only taken 5 out of my holidays. No sick days and have come into work on some public holidays. When you don't use your days off or sick days they bank them for you. so right now I got over 15 sick days I haven't used and just over 20 days for holidays right now even after using 5 so far....LOL

 

I'm not used to having this much time off. It causes them problems not using them as they have to bank the days for you and they would rather you use them up.

 

Cheers

[Cessnaflyer 56]

Similar to moving to New Zealand from North America. The standards are different.

 

In New Zealand you get 20 personal days off a year, 5 sick days in the first year, then 5 sick days every 6 months. 10 public holidays a year. so that is 35 to 40 paid days off a year. North America is less then half of that.

 

I have been here almost 2 years now and still have the North American work ethic. My boss is pressuring me to start using my days off. Right now I have only taken 5 out of my holidays. No sick days and have come into work on some public holidays. When you don't use your days off or sick days they bank them for you. so right now I got over 15 sick days I haven't used and just over 20 days for holidays right now even after using 5 so far....LOL

 

I'm not used to having this much time off. It causes them problems not using them as they have to bank the days for you and they would rather you use them up.

 

Cheers

 

Haha, sounds like my dad and I. At his work he has nearly a year banked in vacation and half a year in sick days. Most guys that are retiring are taking long vacations at full pay then getting maximum retirement the day they come back to retire. I don't skip work days because I don't want it to have a negative affect on my career. Plus, when you fly an airplane for a living and only have to do it for 6 hours a day it isn't too bad :P

[mauiguy 0]

There's nothing wrong with Maui, Hawaii!

[Cessnaflyer 56]

There's nothing wrong with Maui, Hawaii!

 

I wish I could get over there!

[Matthew Kane 1,343]

I don't skip work days because I don't want it to have a negative affect on my career. Plus, when you fly an airplane for a living and only have to do it for 6 hours a day it isn't too bad :P

 

you forgot to mention that when you are not working, you get grumpy. because when you are not working that means you are not flying...LOL

:p0504:

 

Cheers

[Cessnaflyer 56]

you forgot to mention that when you are not working, you get grumpy. because when you are not working that means you are not flying...LOL

:p0504:

 

Cheers

 

Exactly!

 

It's been a long time since I've flown! Finally have a spot in the sim and I start Thursday. Hopefully in the first week of September I will have my first PIC rating and my Airline Transport License.

[TurboTomato 90]

Similar to moving to New Zealand from North America. The standards are different.

 

In New Zealand you get 20 personal days off a year, 5 sick days in the first year, then 5 sick days every 6 months. 10 public holidays a year. so that is 35 to 40 paid days off a year. North America is less then half of that.

 

I have been here almost 2 years now and still have the North American work ethic. My boss is pressuring me to start using my days off. Right now I have only taken 5 out of my holidays. No sick days and have come into work on some public holidays. When you don't use your days off or sick days they bank them for you. so right now I got over 15 sick days I haven't used and just over 20 days for holidays right now even after using 5 so far....LOL

 

I'm not used to having this much time off. It causes them problems not using them as they have to bank the days for you and they would rather you use them up.

 

Cheers

 

Find it fascinating to find out the differences between our countries/holidays and work practices - little things you wouldn't normally think about!

 

In terms of holidays my company gives you the Bank Holidays paid (8 days), 27 days annual leave (paid). I think I get up to 4 weeks full pay sick days per year, if you are off long term there is Permanent Health Insurance to pay a percentage of your salary.

 

By law I think you have to give the 8 Bank Holidays and 4 weeks annual leave if you are a full time permanent employee. What I get above that is the perks of being in a professional role rather than stacking shelves at a supermarket!

 

I remember when I lived in Germany (coming from California), how things were so different. No 24hr stores... can only shop certain hours of the day! How life was evenly divided between work, friends, and personal living, whereas in the US you always have to put work first and foremost. When a group of us went to Dusseldorf to design the first cellular system for the country, our German counterparts got literally scolded for putting in too many hours at work trying to emulate the Americans. We were all told eventually to go home, do not work late and enjoy your family and friends. Boy, did they have it right. Better balance, better output at home and at work.

 

I think they had it right there, as when I returned to the US everything seemed so rushed and every little thing is so important and has to been done now. I was definitely a more balanced person for living in Europe. It took a long time to adjust back to the California lifestyle. Now in San Diego at least I can enjoy some of the best climate in our country.

 

Oh, on the healthcare front... yea I think ours sucks. Just tore my arm muscle moving a 60" display for the Olympics. That few seconds of pain cost me a one hour operation, a one night stay in the hospital and $50,000 tab! Think of all the add-ons I could have got.

 

Are you a mobile network planner by trade then? I used to write software for that industry :)