One thing I would say to anyone when looking at where to live...

There are many places in NZ that seem desirable. We went to Tauranga and thought it was beautiful, and couldnt imagine living anywhere else. While Tauranga still is a lovely place, we ended up feeling very isolated, and it quickly became apparent that it offered nothing to us.

On the flip side, we came out to Hamilton for a visit and vowed never to move here as long as we were breathing as it appeared horrible compared to Tauranga. Now we realise how much more it has to offer as a functioning city, as opposed to just a beautiful place to be. Yes, its just a city, but its quite an attractive one, surrounded by stunning scenery, and close to several other major cities.

So remember, until you retire at least, the old saying 'Beauty is only skin deep, it's whats inside that counts'. Applied to a city, of course!