Giving up on the source...

I have totally forgotten what the 'source' was going to be about so I will have to tackle a new issue.

Shopping.. not the fruit and vegies, meat, household goods sort of sensible and practical sort but the frivolous, crafty and eating out type of shopping.

We visited a section of Chch city yesterday that just makes me want to move NOW! It's so good seeing little treasure troves of alley-way shops with their hand made, locally made wares. 

The chocolate shop was a real surprise. Choccies weren't the only feature - you could purchase all sorts of hot and spicy condiments in assorted packets and tins. But the lemon and chilli chocolate took my interest. Would you believe there was also Earl Grey chocolate? Who needs a cup of tea when you can just have a choccie?

Some places are known for their cycle paths and cyclists, Chch has a wall of bicycles  a VERTICAL WALL! Bikes of all types - an old bakers delivery bike; one with metal wheels - no rubber there; a super large rusty old one. Very clever design.

But my piece of (least) resistance - was my new favourite shop, even overtaking Eckersleys in Brisbane as the shop I would like most to own! I know it is like coals to Newcastle but I actually purchased some lovely papers. One very large piece of handmade, textured paper. This shop has an incredible variety of papers, card, envelopes etc for the card maker (It really caters for wedding/party stuff). It's not a scrapbooking shop - which is what I like about it. On one side of the large space is the dream for every artist  a retail shop with every imaginable brush, paint, medium, canvas, mounting board, palette, etc for the beginning or experienced artist.

What happened to the source?

Sorry, me old possum, I got a wee bit carried away with the furry things... I forgot to challenge the 'let's sell all our real estate' issues!
So... why is so much property up for sale? Even in Chch, there are so many homes for sale, or am I just too aware of this because of my present investigations?

Do you have any theories about this?

• everyone is moving to Oz - well, that's not too far from fact, just drive around some southern Brisbane suburbs or go to Bondi in Sydney - you will see what I mean.
• investors are selling off their assets to buy other assets
• people can't afford their mortgage
• the market is buoyant - lots of people wanting to buy for big bikkies

What's your guess?

Going to the source

After returning from a road trip touring the northern part of the south island, many questions are whizzing around my head.
We had already done the southern part of the south island so we were pretty well informed about landscape (always overwhelming), weather, insects (I don't like midges), and local industry - sheep, sheep and more sheep; cows; goats; deer and a variety of other farmed animals and also the crops - mostly improving pastures down south. BUT up north of the south island is IS very different.
Some of the questions I am still considering:

• why are SO MANY homes, baches, farms, motels, shops and assorted businesses - FOR SALE?
• why are there so many possums road kill?

I know in OZ we love our possums and even protect them with legislation. hey, people take  them to the vet when they find them sick or injured.But in the country of the long white cloud they are a pest. I get that.They are an introduced species. The possum is in plague proportions in NZ and is interferring with native flora and fauna. So, what are my Kiwi friends doing about this? I can see - we went to a gazillion craft markets on our journey - that some industrious people are using the fur, skins etc to make lovely useful artifacts, so why not do this in a more serious way FARM THE POSSUMS,  then everyone will be more careful NOT to run them over! (My theory)

Where are you?

I am a pretty good internet researcher. I can usually find everything I am looking for (eventually). BUT, I am having difficulty finding websites, blogs etc about living in Christchurch that don’t have something to do with tourism. I want to know about LIVING in the city, not STAYING in the city.
I want to know about: great suburbs too live in; health services for over 50s; craft clubs; walking groups; dog parks; great shopping centres etc.
I know lots of these things seem trivial at this point, but that’s what I have been thinking about.
I could get bogged down in the gripes of others – there are plenty of blogs sharing the issues that others found off-putting. There wouldn’t be a place in the world that didn’t have good and bad points.
I really would love to hear from those of you who have a) moved to another country (not because of a job); b) have done this in mid-life and c) moved to Christchurch from Australia. Can we try to keep it helpful and pleasant please?

The Plan

Well, we've never done this before and it is excitingly daunting.
The plan is to be living in Christchurch (Chch) by August 2010.
This blog is going to cover all aspects of our investigations. My brainstorm so far is:

Pros:

• will be near some family
• slower pace of life
• cooler climate
• get rid of mortgage
• do something new and challenging
• join the craft scene
• get rid of accumulated ‘stuff’
• have clean air
• have a simpler life
• do new things
• family & friends may visit

Cons:

• going to miss family terribly
• organizing everything
• cost to move
• unfamiliar with NZ & lifestyle
• very comfortable in Brizzy
• will miss friends 

Going Across the Ditch!

I have visited many countries in my life and I am sure I have left a little bit of my heart there when I left. It is not just the  location, the weather, the culture, the shopping, the government policy, the transport systems, and the people ... it is all this and more.
After Australia, my fav country to live would be Japan. It has everything I love about a place - and especially the people. It is the one place in the world I felt safest. Yes, that's right... in the middle of their magnificent largest city, Tokyo, I have felt safe and very happy.  With our son moving to Hong Kong after living in Tokyo for over 10 years, we dismissed the dream to move there.
So our next dream location moved up the dream list.
We love the South Island of NZ and especially Christchurch.
This trip (February 2010) confirmed for us that, especially at this time, this is where we'd like to be.
For our mid-life adventure.
Oh, and having our youngest grand daughter and her mummy and daddy living there, was an added incentive!