[skiwi]

Off to check out some real estate in New Zealand and Virgin Blue's offshoot
Pacific Blue came out with a special to celebrate their aniversary
I think they ripped me off $2 on the credit card surcharge though as I
used a debit card . Still, a cheap fare to cross the Tasman when I recall
paying $400/$450 return on many trips I made 10 -25 years ago

Pacific Blue Base Fare AU$ 1.00
Taxes, Fees & Surcharges 32.00
Credit Card Surcharge 2.00
Fuel Surcharge 20.00
Departure Tax 38.00

Total AU$ 93.00

Coming back on Emirates the fare is still a reasonable A$160
$110 for the airfare but only $50 for the extras

[Nelsonbays]

Hey mate...u movin back to aotearoa..what did u reckon to the local prices. I've quit Auckland for Nelson recently and lovin it (goin via Invercargill where I am retraining in joinery at SIT). So whats the story with Oz. Do u reckon NZ will fare better?

I do but then I'm here and probably justifying seeing as I hear good stuff bout OZ.

[Felix]

G'day fellas, good to see a few Kiwis poking around in here.

NZ or Oz, in the bad times to come? Take NZ mate, by a mile. I don't normally quote Pete Hodgson, our esteemed ex-Minister of Energy, but he had a good point when he said (paraphrased a bit here);

'Australia's in trouble (over global warming). It's currently three-quarters desert. Soon, it's going to be seven-eighths.'

Oz needs oil even more than New Zealand, which is saying something. How else do you feed Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane? And once global warming really starts to bite, the Aussies are going to find feeding 20 million people rather difficult. We can export food to them of course, but sending it over the Tasman in large quantities will be bloody difficult, and expensive, without cheap oil.

At least in NZ, with much better soil and a more temperate climate, we won't be in danger of starving, even without cheap oil, pesticides and fertilisers. Our economy and culture are going to take some big hits, but compared to those awaiting Australia, they'll be a minor annoyance. When Peak Oil does start to have a real effect, watch the migration patterns reverse, as Aussies start to shift to NZ. At least that is, until the immigration doors slam shut. Better to be here before that happens.

Just my 2 cents on the situation, but I remain convinced that NZ will be the best place in the world to be.

Cheers,

Felix
Wellington
New Zealand