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Study Abroad which city?

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*LiNeLover*
Posts: 1224 - Karma: 256
Hey guys so im strongly considering a semester abroad to New Zealand next July-November. I have a list of about 10 places i want to go so i need your help to narrow my list down! Basically i have some questions that are going to help me decide what country im going to study in first. here it goes..

If i was to come to NZ and study i have a choice of going to school in; Auckland, Palmerston North, Christchurch and Wellington. I want to go to the best possible place for skiing-easy access since i probably wont have a car, good skiing + a terrain park & easy to meet people to ski with. Where would you guys suggest ?? & How much is it to ski at these places? & how far of a drive from the city?

Out of all those cities which city is the coolest? I have heard wonderful things about the night life in Wellington from friends but i don't know much else about that city or any others.

Thanks any advice is greatly appriciated! If i go to NZ i want to ski as much as possible while im there, thats why asking about what place is the best for skiing!
Sep 17 2010 2:42PM
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*LiNeLover*
Posts: 1224 - Karma: 256
anybody??
Sep 20 2010 1:06PM
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RAnderson
Posts: 443 - Karma: 74
Im doing the same thing studying abroad from the east coast. im at the university of otago. for skiing anywhere you go your gunna have to drive to wanaka or queenstown. from dunedin its 4 hours and from canterbury which is in christchurch its about 5+ hours. ive got in 20 days out here so far and still got a few weekends left but we bought a car with some friends which you can find from 1000 dollars and up and its def worth it. easy to meet people anywhere you go and new zealand is fucking defiantly do it if you have the opportunity.
Sep 21 2010 1:39AM
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toominator
Posts: 4792 - Karma: 120
Out of your list Christchurch is the winner. But see if you can add Dunedin to you list of options. Its much closer to Wanaka / Queenstown than Christchurch.

In saying that though, there are plenty of club fields in canty to keep you entertained. They're probably just a bit different to what you're used to
Sep 21 2010 7:10AM
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Bukkakeskitrip
Posts: 5677 - Karma: 95
best place to live in new zealand - wellington. best place to live in new zealand with snow, otago/canterbury
Sep 23 2010 2:59AM
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I.Love.Beezy
Posts: 2117 - Karma: 784
maine
Sep 26 2010 3:00PM
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m.doc
Posts: 13 - Karma: 11
Go Otago Uni, its got the student life and heaps of people head to wanaka for the weekends - join the uni alpine club (for skiiers and boarders)  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=lf#!/group.php?gid=19848876861&ref=ts and you can keep intouch with people for rides and places to stay Wanakas a great mountain town
Sep 28 2010 5:05AM
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m.doc
Posts: 13 - Karma: 11
plus... otago uni always wins winter uni games
Sep 28 2010 5:07AM
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Bukkakeskitrip
Posts: 5677 - Karma: 95
massey welly would of won if we actually turned up instead of skiing pow at cardies, just saying
Sep 28 2010 7:39PM
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toominator
Posts: 4792 - Karma: 120
naah otago is just better all round haha
Sep 28 2010 8:37PM
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Bukkakeskitrip
Posts: 5677 - Karma: 95
i beg to differ. you guys are super lucky we didnt compete, or shit would of gone down =)
Sep 29 2010 11:10PM
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*LiNeLover*
Posts: 1224 - Karma: 256
Hey i really appreciate all of the feedback from everyone!

Basically what i have learned from what you all said is that skiing is going to be far from all of the cities that i listed.. Correct?? None of the cities i listed have skiing closer then 4 hrs away?

I really want to be somewhere that the skiing is going to be easy to get to.- being that i am going to be doing school while i'm there, i'm limited to what cites i can go to.

I think someone told me that Christchurch has many ski areas within an hours to an hour and a half drive-MT Hutt & Porters ski ... is this incorrect?

Thanks so much.

Oct 5 2010 2:08PM
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toominator
Posts: 4792 - Karma: 120
Yep, that's right. There's a ton of sick terrain at the club fields, but they're probably a bit different to what you're used to. ie most have rope tows.

http://www.newzealand.com/travel/media/features/adventure/adventure_canterbury-clubfields_feature.cfm

If you're going to uni you'll have mid semester break to make your way down to the Otago fields in Wanaka and Queenstown for more park riding.
Oct 5 2010 6:49PM
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*LiNeLover*
Posts: 1224 - Karma: 256
Thanks! So the Ski areas near christchurch.. are they about 1.5 hrs away? And do you know anything about them?
Oct 5 2010 6:56PM
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LIL_WAT
Posts: 1900 - Karma: 475

Yes. Mt Hutt is about 90 minutes. Porters is about 80 minutes from CHCH.

Here's what I wrote in another thread about Mt Hutt.The park isn't bad. The best one in Canterbury(local province) by far, but not that great by Northern hemisphere standards. There are 2 parks, mini and big. Mini Park is just usually 5 basic jibs and roller/butterbox. 2 small kickers down below also. Big Park has 4 jibs up top of slightly more difficulty incl DFD. then 4 decent kickers 15,25,30,45-50ft in a row. The pipe is not that great because it is small and badly maintained. In a bad season it won't even open! like 07. Big mountain is average. Some good runs(Towers and South face to bottom of triple are reeeally good) but no real  cliffs or anything.  Mt Hutt in general is pretty good. High speed 6 chair to the top and also slow triple(towers run) quad(to both parks /beginner runs). excellent access road. 85-90 mins from CHCH. It has the longest season in South Island . 2 years ago it was 4.5 months, last year exactly 4 month season so really good when compared to say snowpark(3 months) and cardrona(3.5+)  if youre staying on the mtn there is nothing to do. it isnt a "resort" just a main building. Methven (nearest town) is closeby, and handy to mountain. There isn't much to do but its a nice village and some dece mtn bike tracks around. Christchurch is the closest city and has a bit more to do. Some beaches, other fields nearby, biking, modern city center, uni etc. If you are keen on Big mountain skiing there are a few nearby clubfields  which are grass-roots with few crowds and a great vibe. Craigieburn and Mt Olympus are some of the best.

Porters park is pretty bad. 2 small jumps and some OK rails. But it has really nice long runs (Big Mama is longest vertical in NZ). Like toominator said, Christchurch is the best option out of the ones you gave, but Dunedin is worth looking into. Good luck

Oct 24 2010 5:59AM
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LIL_WAT
Posts: 1900 - Karma: 475
Another thing, these days it's always worth checking www.snowpool.org.nz for carpooling. Its a great way to find a cheap ride to the mountains and plenty of people use it now.
Oct 24 2010 6:00AM
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*LiNeLover*
Posts: 1224 - Karma: 256
Thank you! Everything you said was a lot of help.

The park sounds like fun to me! I am from Montana in the US and Montana doesn't have parks like Colorado or Utah so im not too worried about it & when it comes to skiing-as long as im skiing im bound to have a good time no matter what the conditions are or how good/bad the park is : )

I'm stoked to come! I decided on Christchurch last week and now just getting my application submitted!


Oct 29 2010 9:26PM
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