I'm always a little weary of "lists" comparing one thing to another as they are usually very subjective and what is important to one person is not necessarily important to another. When it comes to Cities and Places I am further disadvantaged by the fact that I am not a seasoned traveller so have no "gut feel" as to how some of these places really would stack up as a place to live, work and raise a family. I spent few days as a tourist in Melbourne - the number 1 city on the list - at the start of this year and I loved it. I was based in the city and didn't get to see the residential suburbs which is a shame as I wanted to "feel" what it would be like to live in suburbia. I have since been told it is a great place to live by people who have lived and worked there.
I was born and raised in Cape Town and lived there until I was 38 so I am used to stunning surroundings. I chose to emigrate with my family in 2003 to Auckland and arrived in a beautiful city and, importantly for a Capetonian, a place surrounded by water and beaches.
So I am in a position to comment on Auckland - or at least the North Shore - as a place to live, work and raise a family. I can comment on a place where my kids could safely catch a bus to meet friends at the mall; where we they could safely go to the beach with friends and access functional amenities which are important when raising kids on a middle class single income with a tight entertainment budget. I can comment on the access to world class tertiary education which was invaluable when I didn't have education savings funds after being a middle class single income earner family.
I now have grandkids being raised here who know no other place and the fact that they are busy taking these benefits for granted, not aware that not every city offers its residents the relative safety and functionality we enjoy here, is a testament to me that Auckland should indeed be on a list of desirable places to live and raise a family. I don't say this to compare it to any other city and certainly not to imply that what is important to me has to be important to anyone else, but I think that most fathers would have the same basic desire for comfort and safety that I had and certainly Auckland is one place they could find that.
This is not a blog about the emotions of emigrating or the pangs one feels when visiting one's place of birth. This is a blog about Auckland - a place me and my family now call "home", and a place I think is worthy of it's ranking. Could my kids move on, as I did, and find a new place to live? Of course! That is one of the benefits we enjoy as NZ citizens, and sure, they could find places that tick more boxes. Goodness, so could I... but for now we are enjoying Auckland with all the benefits we take for granted and which we are often only reminded of when we meet new migrants or tourists who comment on the cleanliness and the fact that things "work".
So for me, I have seen stunning beauty and I am sure that any stunning country could make a great home if one had enough money, but what I love about Auckland is that even on a middle class single income we have been able to enjoy the beauty that surrounds us.
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