[Dawn]

Haven't looked at this site for some time and am interested in the replies. I note that many people have viewed the site and that reassures me that it was appropriate to write.

In response to some of the comments
Re: safety: levels of child abuse, traffic accidents and low car insurance take up are not necessarily signs of adventurous spirit.......... - but we might well remember that many health, work and safety benefits that we enjoy were fought for at a cost by our elders.
Scenary: Quite frankly if one has travelled in England, Europe, USA and elsewhere you can beat the scenery in NZ anywhere.
Fresh produce and shopping: Didn't comment much before, but we were surprised by the poor quality and selection of produce. Where do people shop at home, if they think it is better - just can't believe it!

I wrote my original comments not to whing about NZ, to unsettle those of you making the move, to justify our own decision not to go, but to add balance to the euphoria of the books and comments we had absorbed ourselves. Having returned home we note how much more honest people are about their assessments about NZ. Let's be frank we all want to be proved right, not to lose face..... As a family we are happy to do all these things if it means we remain as a stong and healthy family unit, true to themselves. Our teenagers would have got out as soon as they could, like many NZ kids who go to make a better life in Austrialia, US or Europe. Being so far away from them would have been unbearable and certainly not alieviated by spending a couple of hours in warm conditions on a beautiful isolated beach - where are people coming from if they think this really helps. Values are really upside down - no pun intended

We went to NZ to assess it as a possible place to live. If we had just been going on holiday we would have no doubt thought it was lovely and been less critical. However we take the prospect of uprooting ourselves, the children and the impact on our extended families seriously. We had to assess properly and objectively.
I trust that those of you who are going or have gone will fine happiness, if it doesn't meet expectations that you won't feel you have to stay to prove a point. The context of our lives are important, but so is inner peace and happiness, which doesn't come from scenary, weather or activities.

Well that's my last word on this site - really have moved on now ?

Well, in response to some of your comments Clare, not that you'll ever read them because you 'really have moved on now' - how very good for you, but I have a sneaky suspicion you might just have to have a little look because you'll be glad to have provoked a response:
Safety - nobody in their right mind would see child abuse, traffic accidents and low car insurance as adventurous spirit, to infer that anybody would is down right insulting. Everybody is aware of why H & S regulations are in place and you may be surprised to hear that other people are intelligent enough to make the connection between how many people had to suffer terribly in accidents and incidents before it was deemed necessary to sanction and legislate.
ScenEry - quite frankly one has travelled in England, Europe, USA and elsewhere and we realise that there are many beautiful places in the world. But one should remember that there are many people who haven't had the privilege of travel and one shouldn't assume that that makes them any less able to assess natural beauty.
Fresh Produce - where do people shop at home? Golly gosh - it shouldn't be assumed that everyone has the luxury of having paid off their mortgage and so has an unlimited food budget every week enabling them to shop for the freshest produce in selected stores. I also think it's true to say that many UK ex-pats grow their own produce, we certainly intend to and do feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think you can get much fresher than that.
And yes, let's be frank, few people are actually so wrapped in their own egos that they're prepared to marginalise their families so as not to lose face. And I'm so pleased that yours is a strong and healthy family unit who stay true to themselves, because if it weren't it would have been extremely patronising not merely significantly patronising to take such a superior attitude and imply that once we've all made this terrible mistake and our children have cleared off to Australia to pay us back for it we can compensate for that loss by spending a couple of hours in warm conditions on an isolated beach. Where are YOU coming from to dare to assume that we all assume that it will help?
You're not the only people who take the process of uprooting everybody seriously, you're not the only people who have the capability to assess things properly and objectively, other people don't have their heads so far up their own arse that they would stay anywhere to prove a point and as for living with inner happiness and peace....well I'm glad you're in touch with your inner-self and that you're comfortable with it but maybe you ought to look a little more closely as I really wouldn't be able to live with myself if I looked upon my fellow human beings with your unstinting intolerance and disdain. Try a little generosity, respect and basic good manners.

Soz guys but the way that post was written was just rude!

That's my last word on this - really have moved on now