How often have you been back home since your move?

[LilAmy]

Just wondering, out of everyone who has moved out to NZ how often do you go back 'home' ?

The reason I ask is a few people have mentioned to me that they cant afford to go home as much as they would like. They all had plans of going back every few years but for one reason or another they havent been able to.

I know everyone's financial situation is different but just wanted to get an idea on how often people actually go back.

We would like to think we could go back every two years as we know inbetween that we'll get visitors from home but just want to see what everyone else has done to get a more realistic idea of it.

[Taffy]

I've been back twice since coming over, but wont be going back again for a long while yet.

When you factor in that on average you need to spend $2000 per person for a ticket, maybe transport to/from the airport, accommodation, food, hire car etc etc. then the cost of a trip soon adds up. I would say that a trip for a family of 4 for 3 weeks could easily cost $12000 and upwards. On an average Kiwi salary of 40-50k, thats a considerable amount!

[RedAlligator]

I have only been back once in the 5 1/2 years have been here and even then it was on my own without my OH. It is a cost thing and time as well. We have thought about going back again, the two of us but it is sooo expensive and whenever we have looked we have never managed to find anything less than $2,500. I know some deals come up every now and again but we havent been in a position to take them at the time. Its not just the cost of the flight either, its the fact that you have to save up so much spending money because you lose so much in Kiwi dollars.

The other thing as well - this might sound a bit mean but if we go back to the UK, it costs so much and takes up so much time that we cant really go anywhere else and to be honest when you go back to the UK it isnt really a holiday as your spending all your time visiting. We could have gone back last year but we decided to go the States instead!!! Its a hard choice to make coz on the one hand really want to see our friends back in the UK and on the other I want to see other places too! I suppose the best of both worlds would be to meet people half way possibly.

[nickydwuk]

Strange - but some of you who have been in NZ for a while still call UK/USA etc... home. When do you start classing NZ as 'home'?

[Dawn]

Originally Posted by nickydwuk

When do you start classing NZ as 'home'?

That's a good question! My parents are Scottish, well my dad is half Italian but grew up in the Highlands. I wasn't even born in Scotland and yet it's still 'home' to me. All my extended family is there although my immediate family has always been in England. I don't know what it is but when I drive 'home' something happens to me. My partner Gary was amazed the first time I took him up there. He said this inner contentment, happiness thing seemed to settle over me the closer and closer we got to the border and then as I drove past that sign that says 'Welcome to Scotland' I just let out the biggest whoop!! Crazy I know, but if you ever meet me you'll understand Then again maybe not!!

Anyway, yeah good question. I think Scotland will always be my 'home' even though it's never been my 'home'!!

[Glenda]

I am 'home'.

Perhaps it is easier for me to call NZ 'home' as I moved here at 12 and went to school here before going back to the UK. No reminders from letters, telephone calls, or UKTV have made me feel like going back for a visit. Just as well really as visiting with four kids would warrant a remortgage.

The kids have shown no interest in visiting yet. The timing of school terms means they can only go during the UK winter (yuck!) or a short holiday in June/July. My 15yo has a lot of school homework and revision to do at the moment and going away would affect his schoolwork. They also keenly remember the long travelling distance involved and the monotomy of queuing up at check-ins, customs etc.

[Taffy]

I think most people refer to their original country as home because it's their 'grass roots' home. NZ is most certainly my home, but Wales is my home country. It's probably like the parents phenomena, where you leave home for the first time to set up your own home, and if it doesnt work out, you go back 'home' to your parents.

Thats my 2c worth!

[Bermy Girl]

Originally Posted by Taffy

Thats my 2c worth!

Well, it looks like you and I are broke now Taffy...

In terms of flying "home" for vacations, does anyone use frequent flyer miles? Here Shellbda and I have credit cards that give us FF miles for every dollar we spend, which we have used flying all over the place and intend to fly to NZ next year with. The last time I flew to NZ, I used FF miles to get from Bermuda to LA for free and then I just had to pay for my ticket from LA to NZ. I guess when you live on a rock in the middle of nowhere, you realize how important travel is...we get what we call "rock fever", when you just have to get the hell off the rock for your own sanity. At least in NZ we can go on a driving holiday...

[kokopeli]

Just a thought, if you join the frequent flyer programmes for Qantas and AirNZ before you get to NZ, it's free. They charge you $50 if you live in NZ. It takes ages to build up the airpoints though. I've done umpteen internal flights since we got here and have got enough points for a swimming hat!

[Bermy Girl]

Originally Posted by kokopeli

Just a thought, if you join the frequent flyer programmes for Qantas and AirNZ before you get to NZ, it's free. They charge you $50 if you live in NZ. It takes ages to build up the airpoints though. I've done umpteen internal flights since we got here and have got enough points for a swimming hat!

Thanks for the advice kokopeli, I shall sign up now! Do they not have credit cards that you can earn points with? We have cards here that we use for all our day to day expenses, gas, groceries, etc., and that's how we actually manage to rack up all our miles. So instead of using cash we use the card and then just put the cash on the card...worked out by giving us several free flights so far, which justifies the annual card fee for me. As long as you pay the entire balance off every month it works out very well.