We've left Wellington and will shortly leave New Zealand and begin our journey back to the UK via Australia. Project Koru, our "year out" from life in the UK, has essentially run its course.
Continue reading 'Last post from New Zealand'
Tag archive for 'New Zealand'
Planning on working in New Zealand? How much tax you pay depends on the length of your stay, your income level, and whether you qualify for tax exemption on foreign income. If you'll be self-employed you may need to be registered for Goods and Services Tax (GST), and just like employees will need to pay levies to New Zealand's no-fault personal injury insurance scheme (ACC). Most of your banking, like the filing of your tax return, can be done online.
Continue reading 'Financial affairs in New Zealand'
Sure, you can eat in and eat well, but there's good food to be had if you choose to eat out in Wellington. We hear that there are more cafés and restaurants per head of population in Wellington than in any other city worldwide. If you're taking in an event and need a quick bite, or in the City specifically to go menu shopping, the difficult thing is being confronted by too much choice. You can find reviews in magazines or online, but here's a quick summary of our dining out experience.
Continue reading 'Eating out in Wellington'
We've been a bit slack lately, not doing much in the way of walking (previous Wellington walks here and here). We did, however, take the ferry to Somes Island and managed the City to Sea Walk. We also visited Wanganui National Park and Havelock North/ Napier.
Continue reading 'Lower North Island sightseeing'
Lots of things can go wrong when you travel. Lots of things can go wrong when you stay put too. Spending a year away from our usual home base meant we had to consider protecting ourselves and our stuff both in and in-between two countries. As a result during the course of Project Koru we've had to maintain and newly purchase a number of insurance policies. It may seem like wasted money, but our financial advisor has always been careful to ensure our financial planning is underpinned by appropriate insurance. If you're planning a long trip, these notes might prompt you to ask pertinent questions.
Continue reading 'Insured to the hilt'
Our "new" car is a used Japanese import, so we wanted to be sure of the vehicle's history before going to the expense of a pre-purchase inspection. After purchase we noted that the fitted BMW Business radio could not tune into local radio stations and nor was there an instruction manual for it in the glove compartment. The Internet came through, addressing all three concerns.
Continue reading 'Singing the Internet's praises'
