Building a dream New Zealand lifestyle

JULIE Treanor and her husband Martin arrived in New Zealand three and a half years ago leaving behind family, friends and the opportunities a heavily populated country like the UK can provide.

"I miss what a bigger market offers in terms of choice and value, as I find NZ limited and the quality sometimes really poor," says Julie.

But, "I came to get away from a life driven by material things," she adds.

So since stepping ashore they have built a new existence and flexible lifestyle around a rural home, close to Wellington, near the Rimutaka hills. And Martin, an electrical engineer, has continued his career as a programme manager in the city.

He can get to town in 40 minutes, "So it's a doddle by UK standards - although Kiwis think we live as far as the moon from town," explains Julie.

It was Martin's work that enabled the couple to stay in the country and they now have permanent residency through the "Work to Residency Scheme."

"We could have done the points thing but that was just too painful a wait to contemplate," explains Julie, who writes about her NZ story online at http://www.domestic-executive.com

Mediterranean dreaming
Julie's original dream was to grow olives in Spain, she says, but an English speaking country made more sense for the couple to get work.

"We may well have had the olive grove in Martinborough had the mountain not been in the way. We didn't want to end up with a long commute, which we left behind in the UK."

Such choices are behind many new arrival's thinking. Though NZ is roughly the same size as Britain, even short distances can take hours to negotiate via single-track, winding roads without the benefit of a motorway network.

New residents must be careful to avoid over-bearing isolation, and while retail opportunities may not be the same in NZ as back in the UK, lifestyle is open to creative expression in a far more fundamental manner.

The Treanors took full advantage to build their own home from scratch and now complete, its been entered in the Master Builders' House of the year show by their builders.

"Our place backs onto the Rimutaka Rail Trail and we overlook Tunnel Gully. Pure bliss," says Julie.

Now she can work from home, grow vegetables and flowers, tend her chickens and two basset hounds – named Fortnum and Mason in a seeming nod to former times. But there is much to do, "The life changing project still has many more years to run," she adds.

We had a very clear goal coming here, explains Julie, "My plan was to jack in the corporate life and become a domestic executive. We were committed from the off and everything has been about making life here work."

Beautiful games
Yet there are things she misses about the UK. For one, she jokes that if Sky were to stop broadcasting English football and the internet collapsed, it might make it difficult to stay.

And she admits she'd like to get back behind the wheel of her Audi cabriolet.

But as it is, "I still read the English newspapers, bitch about the weather and eat about the same type of food - although more of it comes from my backyard," she says.

Overall, she wouldn't be anywhere else. Sure, she says there are things she'd change about NZ if she were given the chance – like far sighted political leadership, and compulsory driving lessons – but the flexible lifestyle she and her husband have striven to create is something they could never again be without.

Comments

[Avalon]

We live on the other side of the hill in the Waiarapapa, and we have noticed that an awful lot of people think we are nuts for doing the commute :) But we do have the best trains in New Zealand on the Wairarapa line, and it gives hubby a good excuse to knock off work at 4pm so he can get to the train.

The house looks pretty cool :)

[Fleur Hindt]

Hi, just want to stop in and say hi, new to blogging myself and looking for others to put on my blogroll. Would you like to put me on yours. Happy building!

Fleur

[Felix]

Will never go back to working for a boss in an office environment ever! I'm your homeboy fromnow on and loving it!!!

[Murray Douglas]

A refreshing take on the idea of the NZ lifestyle. Indeed I am still adjusting to what makes a good lifestyle here and I have been here 8 years! I still can't get to grips with the NZ winter, the freezing cold houses and restaurants. (in Auckland anyway).

:-)

[William Knight]

Yes, I agree.

Im in a Christmassy mood at the moment. We had a frost in Wellington last
week and I wanted to dash home for a sherry and mince pie.

[Best Winter Holiday Destinations]

I really like the way you have explained the whole article. It is very informative.
Regards