Huddart Family Wanted Down Under

You're disillusioned with your job

and getting hardly any time at home

with your family.

So, how far would you go for a better life?

Could you risk everything you had in the UK

for a move to the other side of the world?

Sofia Huddart's demanding career is taking its toll on family life.

I feel I'm missing out a lot on the kids growing up.

We have gone times where it's been almost two weeks

before Sofia's actually seen the kids.

She feels a new start in New Zealand could be the answer.

Most of what people say about New Zealand

seems to be very positive.

When a week dipping their toes into Kiwi life

shows just how much is on offer...

I've certainly fallen in love with it. I mean, it's idyllic.

..will it be enough to convince Nik to leave his beloved London behind?

I was up late last night

when my brain was whizzing, thinking things.

We could quite happily stay in London.

Roughly 1,000 miles long and 300 miles across at its widest,

New Zealand's a nation roughly the same size as the UK or Japan.

But with only a 14th of the population of Britain,

there's plenty of room to roam.

Boasting stunning, varied landscapes,

the country's been a magnet for British immigrants since the 1800s

and latest figures show 7,000 UK citizens

start a new life there every year.

Hard-working mum Sofia believes New Zealand could offer her

the family time she desperately needs.

But while husband Nik agrees things need to change,

he worries abandoning what they've achieved in the UK

could be too big a risk.

Ahead of Sofia lies a week to discover

if New Zealand can deliver the family life she's craving

and convince her husband it's where their future lies.

For their first ever visit to New Zealand,

the Huddarts travel for over 24 hours

from London to Auckland via Singapore.

Finally touching down,

the family are exhausted after a day travelling

and Nik's had, well, let's say an eventful flight.

Both flights were long.

But it wasn't too bad apart from Aliza throwing up on me

just before landing in Singapore,

so I got off at Singapore smelling of sick.

And all three of them finally slept for the last hour of the flight.

-I had a big nap, didn't I, Daddy?

-You did have a big nap, yeah.

Sofia's already worked out her priorities for the week ahead.

The most important thing for me to find out is can I work here?

If I can't work, then everything else kind of falls apart, really.

While Nik knows this could be his family's only shot

at determining if the country can become their new home.

The most important thing this week is to find out if we can live here.

Because it's such a long way,

we can't really come and do it again.

Sofia's raring to go.

This will be exciting!

The next week will show if New Zealand can give her

the family time she so deeply desires.

Meet the Huddart family from London.

They're dad Nik, mum Sofia, five-year-old Aliza,

Izzy, who's nearly two, and Idris, who's three.

Got my balloon!

Having lived in London for over ten years,

Nik thrives on life in the capital.

The thing about London is you can do anything you want, you know.

And you meet so many different people from all walks of life

and all sort of different countries that it's just...

I just find it a great place to live.

He absolutely adores London.

It was Dr Johnson who said,

"When a man is tired of London, he's tired of life."

After a career in IT,

Nik's spent the last two years as a stay-at-home dad

giving him more time to enjoy the city

and polish his domestic skills.

It is almost complete sort of traditional role reversal.

Sofia's dinner will be ready by the time she gets back.

I'll have done the washing and everything else

and the house is tidy. You know, I even make cupcakes.

It's ridiculous.

You know, I'm swapping recipes with the children's mums outside,

baking cakes for school sales.

Nik becoming a house husband has also allowed Sofia

to concentrate on her medical career.

I specialise in anaesthetics

so my job involves putting patients to sleep for operations.

That's the long and the short of it. And...

-And then waking them up again.

-Well, yes.

Yes, that's kind of the other important bit of it.

She's passionate about her job, but the shifts can be demanding.

My average working week is a 48-hour week.

We don't really get away much less than that.

It's a long week.

Some weeks, you know, she's home, you know, for teatime

or just after teatime.

There's other weeks where she's, you know, back incredibly late

and then working the weekend.

And the long hours are putting a strain on family life.

We have gone times where it's been almost two weeks

before Sofia's actually seen the kids.

I feel I'm missing out a lot on the kids growing up.

But certainly with Izzy, I went back to work when he was nine months old

and I still come back on days and I'll say, "Oh, he's doing that now."

-And Nik will say, "Oh, no. He's been doing that for weeks."

-Sorry.

"OK, fine. So, missed that as well." It's not... It's not brilliant.

Sofia's also become increasingly frustrated with working in the NHS.

At the moment, I don't see it being a particularly happy place to work.

My main concern is that there is too much tinkering with it

from high up and political agendas that basically mean

that they use it as an electioneering tool,

so everything changes every five years.

With growing disillusionment at work and little family time at home,

Sofia feels the time is now right to start again in a new country.

With the way that NHS England was going,

I think that was my cue to sort of think,

"It's time to go. I can't do this any more.

"I can't work in a system any more

"where everybody's just trying to survive from one day to the next.

"I want to go somewhere where people actually want to make it work."

The couple had discussed emigrating previously,

but Nik felt unable to leave his mum,

who, for years, had suffered from emphysema.

After Mum passed away, it was like,

"Well, there's nothing to tie us to this country."

Whereas, before, there was.

-Ready...

-Steady.

-..steady, go!

-KIDS SCREAM

Now, with little to hold them back, the timing could be perfect

to try and achieve the family life and job satisfaction Sofia wants.

After initially looking at Canada, America and Singapore,

the couple have set their sights on moving to New Zealand.

Most of what people say about New Zealand

seems to be very, very positive, from lots of perspectives.

Neither she nor Nik have ever visited the country,

but Sofia believes it could be the key

to her spending more time with Aliza, Izzy and Idris.

I would love to see them grow up a little bit more.

I'd love to spend time with them a little bit more.

-Go, go, go, go!

-Go, go, go!

-More, more, more!

CHEERING

But while Nik can see some appeal,

he's also more cautious about moving his family

to a country they've never seen.

I'd love for, you know, the boys to play rugby.

It'd be great if they could learn to sail as well.

I think, by all accounts, the schools are better.

Having managed to get his foot on the London property ladder,

he has practical concerns about leaving the city he loves.

House prices seem to be going up. Is it 13% a year?

If a move didn't work out and the family returned to the UK,

Nik knows the door could have firmly closed

on owning a property in the capital again.

The way the house prices are going here,

it's difficult to move back.

Even for two years, the gulf would be too much.

If you sold a house...

It's almost irreversible.

Their upcoming trial week will decide once and for all

if New Zealand's where the family should call home.

It's a very important week for the both of us

because it's a one-shot deal. It's...

You know, is it 12, 14,000 miles away?

It's a long way. It's a 24-hour flight.

It's five of us going out there. We're not going to do it again.

This is not, "Oh, let's just see if we like it this time.

"We'll go again next year."

Just want to get it over and done with

so I can put it to rest and we can just move on one way or another.

And Sofia's job could be the deciding factor.

I'm hoping that New Zealand will prove to be more,

"Yes, I can do my work while I'm at work,

"but then I can come home and I can be with the kids."

It all hangs on Sofia's job and Sofia's happiness at that job.

The Huddarts are spending their trial week

in New Zealand's largest city Auckland.

Their home for the next seven days is a four-bedroom house

in Stanmore Bay on the Hibiscus Coast...

..just over half an hour north of the city centre.

After the long journey,

their temporary base is a sight for sore eyes.

-This is nice. Come on, kiddies.

-Let's go.

-Come on in, kiddies.

Aliza, Izzy and Idris are soon making themselves at home.

-Whose room is this, then?

-Ah, that'd be a kiddies room.

-Aha!

Aliza, I think that might be your bed up there.

I love the bunk bed.

And Sofia's delighted with one kitchen feature.

-OK, let's go.

-Oh, look. The kitchen has an island, Nik!

-SHE GIGGLES

-I really do like this.

-You've got your island.

-I do. I'm excited about having an island.

Upstairs, views of the Hauraki Gulf impress everyone.

-Beautiful.

-It's beautiful, isn't it?

-You can see our car.

-You can see our car.

-But more importantly, we can see the ocean.

-Can you see the ocean?

Let's pull a mattress up and we'll just lay out here.

-Nice.

-That would be perfect.

Keen to explore their new surroundings,

the family head to the beach.

So busy! Idris, come on.

It's just beautiful.

And Nik spots one difference from home straightaway.

I'm struggling to find any litter.

That's was getting me is there's no litter at all down here.

It's absolutely immaculate. It's beautiful. I'm going to...

I'm not going to say it. I'm almost sold just on this.

The house and its environment have won both Sofia and Nik over.

I can't, in some ways, believe that we're here,

except for the fact that I can't get that view outside in the UK.

This is just perfect. It's just beautiful.

I could quite happily live here.

You know, I need to find out if we can afford a house like this.

As they settle in, Sofia has time to focus on the week ahead.

There is going to be a change in our family

and I don't know in what direction it's really going to take us.

But she's all too aware their scenic surroundings

will only be a feature of their future

if she can secure the right job.

So, this week, the most important thing

is to find out whether or not I can get a job

and if I get a job, whether I like said job.

Hopefully. Um, and then it's just a case of,

well, can we get the lifestyle that we want

and can I get the time with family that I want too,

which I currently don't get in the UK?

The next few days will prove once and for all

if New Zealand can deliver the life the Huddarts want.

Home for the Huddarts in the UK is a five-bedroom house in East London.

The couple bought it four years ago

and it still needs some finishing touches.

We've spent time and money trying to make it ours.

It's still a little bit of a work in progress, but we like it.

Living in a terraced house does have some limitations

for a large, active family.

The only thing I miss is a sideway

where we can take the dirty bikes, dirty kids

-and, you know, just...

-Dirty dog.

-Yeah, exactly.

-This fabled dog I would like to get.

-This fabled dog that might turn up.

Which means the couple hope for something bigger in New Zealand

-with their £600,000 budget.

-There's no point moving

if we're going to end up with a terraced house.

-We'd like a detached house.

-Detached.

-Five bedrooms.

A lot of outdoor space for the kids to run around and play football.

I'd love a swimming pool.

We need a house with a little bit of a wow factor

-where you go, "Whoa. This is great."

-And in the kitchen, Sofia?

-Sofia would like an island in the kitchen.

-With an island.

It has to have an island.

To find out what kind of house

they could actually have in New Zealand,

today, we'll show the family three properties,

two on budget and a third

which could be their dream home.

Only after they've seen each one will they find out its value.

For their first viewing,

the family head four miles north from Stanmore Bay

to the Silverdale area.

This recently built home is near to numerous beaches

and with good schools nearby,

the area could be perfect for the Huddarts.

This is the house, kids.

-Wow.

-Ooh.

-This is the lounge.

With two of the five bedrooms downstairs,

there's some speculation over the floor plan.

And another downstairs bedroom.

Aliza, is this house upside down, do you think?

-Yeah.

-I think it might be, yeah.

-Oh, it's a bathroom. Downstairs bathroom.

-Toilet!

Nik's finding it all a bit confusing.

-What's this?

-So, this is... I don't know what this is.

Oh, it's like a breakfast room, isn't it?

Yeah, but where's the kitchen?

But on further inspection, the light dawns.

There might be a kitchen... There is sort of a kitchen in here.

Ah. This is why, hence the granny annexe.

Or maybe not.

I am confused now.

Oh, no, this is a utility room. That's what this is.

No, don't mention a granny...

While the children play, Nik spots an area which should please Sofia.

You might like this kitchen.

-That's nice. Islands are my thing.

-SHE GIGGLES

Only because it just then means

that you've got a kitchen big enough to sit one in.

That explains it. Nik eventually finds the main bedroom.

This has to be the last room. Wow.

-Now, this is more master bedroom-like.

-This is lovely.

Open that door.

Ah, this is the walk-in wardrobe.

Right, by a process of elimination, that has to be a bath. An en-suite.

-Aha. It is a...

-It is the bathroom.

-..bathroom. Nice.

This one doesn't have a tub in it, but, hey.

With direct access onto a deck,

it could be the perfect place to relax.

-Isn't that nice?

-You've got the river over there.

-Yeah.

And then the sea.

And the couple seem right at home.

-SHE SIGHS

-I could do this.

-It's nice.

-No, it is lovely. It is lovely.

But back inside, the layout's still causing concern.

I'm still not sure about this upside down-ness, though.

-What would you...? I don't understand.

-What?

-What would you use that and this for?

-You're kind of...

I guess you use that as a sort of telly, messy-up area.

-Well, what's this, then?

-And then this is your formal living room.

This house has both pleased and perplexed,

but could the Huddarts afford it with their £600,000 budget?

I'm going for 580.

I was going to go 560.

-Shall I go first?

-Go on. You can do the first one.

-What did you say?

-I said 560.

-I said 580.

-Ooh-hoo-hoo!

-613,000.

That's £13,000 over budget.

So, that's a lot more than we thought.

-Workable maybe.

-Well, it's not too much over budget.

-It's workable.

-It's workable.

It's just a funny... It's a funny, upside-down layout.

Oh, well, it's house number one.

Let's see what else they've got for us.

The family head off to view property two.

It's in the Schnapper Rock area of Albany,

an easy 20-minute commute into Auckland city centre.

With a large shopping mall and sports facilities nearby,

it could suit the family to a T.

Wow!

Wow! Big lounge.

-And a telly.

-This is much more homey than the last one.

-Yeah, it is.

People actually live here rather than just a show house.

It feels like someone lives here. It's nice.

Taking a break, the children are looked after by a childminder

while Nik and Sofia explore further.

And, yes, Sofia. SHE GIGGLES

-More kitchens with islands.

-Kitchen with an island.

There's two lounges in this one. Well, two so far.

Well, that's what I said. It's more sort of...

And a cat. Are you OK? Flowers are nice.

But though it has an island, the kitchen's not sizing up.

-Got a big range. Big range cooker.

-I need a lot more kitchen.

And Nik's not a fan of the decor.

"Sing as though no-one can hear you."

-It's just mutter. It drives me bananas.

-Go on.

Upstairs, the main bathroom goes down well.

-Ha! Bathroom.

-Bathroom. Oh, wow.

-This one has a tub.

The big, corner Jacuzzi bath is a plus point.

While some bedrooms failed to get pulses racing...

Ooh, they all look very similar.

..the master gets a better reception.

-Ah. This is a master bedroom.

-SHE GIGGLES

-This is a nice bedroom.

-It's a really nice size.

Until, that is, Nik's attention is drawn to a very special lavatory.

-It's got a very bizarre toilet.

-What's wrong with it?

No, it's got a Japanese, clean-your-bum toilet.

SHE GIGGLES And more mottos.

New Zealanders like mottos in lounges, I've decided.

But it's outside that Nik delivers his most cutting critique,

calling time on the garden furniture.

Sorry. It looks like a pub garden.

-Look.

-SHE GIGGLES

They have four table and chairs. Is it a pub?

Finding a perfect home for the Huddarts could be a challenge,

but is this a property they could afford

-with their £600,000 budget?

-What do you reckon?

Price-wise, I think, because this area's nicer...

-Yeah.

-..I think this is about 650, but I wouldn't...

-Really?

-Yes.

-680 would be my guess.

-OK.

-You go first? Ready? All right, 650.

-OK, this is going to be...

Ooh! 566.

-So, it's cheaper than the other house.

-Yes.

-And it's nicer.

-I'm surprised by that.

-And it's a nicer area. OK.

So, the question is, then,

if you went slightly up on that budget...?

-What could you get around here?

-Get here in Albany. OK.

For the final property of the day,

we found what we feel could be the Huddarts' dream home,

just a 20-minute drive to the east in Rothesay Bay.

Minutes from the beach, with schools and cafes only a stone's throw away,

will this be the one to convince Nik leaving London's worthwhile?

-Can we get down there?

-Yeah.

The incline of the driveway

doesn't get the viewing off to the best start.

Argh!

Wah! I'm never going to get out.

Inside, Nik's keeping a tally of the rooms.

-Lounge number one.

-SHE LAUGHS

We're not counting lounges any more.

-There might only be the one this time.

-Yeah, OK.

The bedrooms win approval for their size...

-Bedroom number one.

-It seems bigger than the others.

-I wonder about in here.

-Oh, wow.

-So, it's another room. OK.

-Bedroom number two.

-It's a nice-sized room.

-Yeah.

-Another upside-down house.

..and en suites.

Oh, wow. Wow.

-OK. An adjoining bathroom, I think.

-This is nice.

-It is nice.

But it's the main bedroom that really gets them excited.

Wow! OK.

-Hey, this is a nice room.

-It's a beautiful room.

This is a proper walk-in wardrobe. It's quite functional.

It's not very attractive with all the metal, but it's perfect.

-It is.

-En-suite with his and hers sinks.

His and hers sinks. Yes, I like that.

Sofia's mood continues to soar

when she comes face-to-face with the kitchen of her dreams.

-SHE LAUGHS

-Now, this kitchen

-has got work space.

-This is a huge kitchen. OK.

-This is beautiful. And white, rather than black.

-Yeah.

Sort of for the shiny effect.

-HE GASPS

-A walk-in pantry.

-No!

-And the light comes on when you open it.

-Oh, my dad would love this.

And outside lies the luxury item Nik had been hoping for.

-HE LAUGHS

-I knew it!

-SHE LAUGHS

-It's got a pool.

That's really special.

It's not that bad. I'd go in.

At last, it's somewhere he'd be happy to call home.

If we change the locks, can we just stay here?

-SHE LAUGHS

-It's beautiful.

It's just fantastic.

Both Nik and Sofia have fallen for this house,

but will it be within reach of their £600,000 budget?

This house, to me, is everything I want from a house.

I think, for us and the kids and for visitors, it's perfect.

I would leave London for this.

-735,000.

-Oh, God. I can't even begin to take a guess at this house.

It's nice. It's got a pool. Near the beach.

-680. I'm throwing out random numbers here.

-OK.

Go on, then. Tell me.

708.

1.5 million.

Yeah, there's still quite a lot out of our budget.

It is out of our budget.

It's not a million miles away from our budget.

We'll have to see what our house does.

It's been a day of mixed fortunes

hunting for property in the Auckland region.

Property one just didn't pass muster with its confusing layout.

Property two also failed to cut the mustard

with a pub-style garden and a technological toilet.

But with its dream kitchen and resort-style pool,

property three really was the dream home,

if over budget.

So, when it comes to the vote,

will the couple choose property at home or away?

Our vote goes to...

-New Zealand.

-New Zealand.

-You kind of guessed that, didn't you?

-Kind of.

-Why?

-Why not?

Well, you liked the houses. It's amazing.

-Especially that last house.

-That last house was amazing.

With this on your doorstep...

With the level of housing we've seen,

I'd quite easily forget London.

Despite initial properties being uninspiring,

a vote for New Zealand from Nik

means his concerns could be crumbling.

But it's Sofia's job that's led the family to consider emigrating,

so her securing the right role will be key if they're to make the move.

Back in the UK, Sofia's the family's sole breadwinner.

Currently working as an anaesthetist,

she's training to become a consultant.

I love my job.

Anaesthetists find themselves in quite a lot of hairy situations

and for me, that's quite nice.

For the most part, everything is calm

and then you just occasionally have little adrenaline rushes

where it's all go, go, go, go, go.

But she does worry about the future of the NHS.

What I don't like about my job is actually the politics.

There's a lot of trying to make the money

that we've got for the NHS fit.

And working around 50 hours a week

means she can go days without seeing her children.

The job is the linchpin.

If I don't work and I don't have the work/life balance that I want,

then nothing else is going to work.

Right, good luck. Don't forget your bag.

With the family's future resting on what she discovers today,

Sofia heads out to investigate her work possibilities.

At Auckland's Southern Cross Hospital,

she meets David Findlow, an expat anaesthetist

who's been living in New Zealand for 15 years.

Shall we start with, "Can I find a job here?"

Well, I've had a... I've had a good look over your CV.

If you were hellbent on Auckland, then the job market is tight

and you would probably have to enter the Auckland system

as a senior trainee or what we call a fellow.

And that has implications in terms of lower salaries,

yet another year of training before you get a consultant job.

A move to Auckland could mean a delay for Sofia

in becoming a fully fledged consultant,

but not too fazed,

she's keen to find out about her potential earnings.

Salary difference-wise, between sort of the UK and here,

consultant and fellow?

The fellows are usually employed

-on what's called a medical officer's scale.

-Yeah.

Now, the start of a medical officer's scale

for a basic working week is 114,000,

but that can then be bumped up

by either on-call or weekend work allowances.

-About 25,000 more.

-OK.

-So, that pushes you around 140.

-Yeah.

And then, on top of that, you have an allowance

for what's called CME - Continuing Medical Education.

The total package could reach £67,000,

not far off the 70,000 she currently earns at home.

Meanwhile, as Nik would continue

in his role as a househusband in New Zealand,

he takes the opportunity to find out about Kiwi education.

At Stanmore Bay School, he meets with principal Carol Abley.

So, this is our library.

-So, the children come in here for library lessons.

-(Really quiet.)

-I like storybooks.

-Do you like storybooks?

-Do you?

Carol explains the school teaches much more

than just the core subjects.

So, we've got a composting bin, we've got a worm farm,

we grow our own vegetables and we've got an orchard.

Aliza and Idris seem right at home.

-CHILD:

-Want to use your hands to pull it out? Pull, pull, pull.

But it's the swimming pool that gets Idris most animated.

-I just want to go in!

-Do you?

You see, we've got so many beaches round here,

it's really important that the children can swim.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you for coming to our school.

Nik's impressed with what he's seen.

The way that school was put together,

the way the children behaved,

all the outdoor stuff, it's far better than I thought.

Back at the hospital, Sofia's getting down to the crunch.

Will working in New Zealand mean more time at home?

-What's an average working week?

-The days can be reasonably long.

Um, so, a typical in-theatre session would start at 7.30am

and then a full day's list is scheduled to finish at 4.30pm.

But, as you well know,

-the unpredictability of things is such that...

-Yes.

Long days are exactly what Sofia's trying to escape.

She asks David how he's found the difference in work/life balance

since moving to New Zealand.

Certainly in medicine, I don't see any great difference.

The... What you do with the life element

of your work/life balance, of course, is very different.

The main positive difference between...

For me, between New Zealand and Britain when I first came over here,

it would be, in a single word, and that would be positivity.

Um, the attitude of local medical people,

on the whole, is positive and can-do.

Back at base, both Sofia and Nik are keen to share their news.

So, what happened?

-So, it was actually very interesting because this is doable.

-It's doable?

From the sort of working point of view,

he said basically that the sort of work commitment

-is probably about the same as the UK.

-OK.

So, from a work/life balance,

the work commitment is the same as the UK,

but the life bit is much better.

-OK.

-And generally, the attitude's a bit better.

-How was your day, then?

-It was great.

It was a nice, happy school.

I liked the way it was put together. Just very friendly.

And I think, you know, I would be happy to send the kids there.

Time for Sofia to vote on work in New Zealand or the UK.

Based on the job that I've seen, my vote goes to...

New Zealand.

Based on what I've seen and what I've heard

about jobs and working life and conditions in New Zealand,

it seems to be that New Zealand is where I should be.

With a full sweep of votes for New Zealand so far,

Sofia could be well on her way

to achieving the family life she's been chasing for so long.

For her, the move's always been about spending more quality time

with her husband and children.

So, will a day making the most of New Zealand's outdoor lifestyle

see her dream come one step closer?

-Whoo!

-Hey! Over here.

With the weather decidedly wet,

the family head indoors to explore one of Auckland's food markets.

For the children, it's a great opportunity

to come face-to-face with an array of Kiwi creatures.

Look at the eels, Idris.

-They're like snakes.

-You see the snakes?

-Oh, there we are. There are some lobsters there.

-Where?

-There.

When were they caught?

-They were caught this week, these lobsters.

-Oh, really?

-Yeah.

-Wow!

-In you go.

-OK.

-Nip your nose.

-SHE LAUGHS

-Is it alive?

-No, they're not alive.

-No, they're not alive any more.

-I don't think so.

-They're dead.

-Ah!

-HE SCREAMS

Enjoying a rare day out together as a family

gets a huge thumbs up from Sofia.

Going pretty well so far, I think.

It's the sort of thing... We've all really enjoyed it.

It's not that you can't do these things back home.

It's just that it seems a lot more difficult to do it.

I think Nik's coming round to the idea.

A seafood lunch gives the whole family

the opportunity to catch up

on how they're feeling about a potential move.

-So, do you think you'd like to live here?

-Yes.

-Would you?

-Yes.

-Would you like to go to school here?

-Yes.

The children sound keen

and Sofia admits her motives for migrating are shifting.

I think my reasons for thinking about probably moving have changed.

-Why?

-Well, because before, it was kind of mostly about my work,

but, actually, now, it's about, you know, the schools

and the kids and what they could get here.

With her work commitment unlikely to shrink in New Zealand,

she feels the lifestyle could compensate.

I don't mind obviously working hard for the money that I earn,

but what we can do outside of that

and the life that we can have outside of that

seems to be so much fuller.

Next, as the sun finally breaks through the clouds,

the family take to the water with a sailing lesson on Lake Pupuke.

The afternoon has confirmed Sofia's earlier thoughts.

The kids loved being out there on the lake.

Aliza loved steering and pulling the boat round.

She was really excited. She enjoyed it so much.

And more than anything else, I think...

I think I'm more convinced that this is the right thing for us to do.

When we were on the boat, it was quite funny.

And I forgot to go down when we turned.

Nik also seems to have been won over.

It is the outdoor lifestyle. It's the Kiwi lifestyle.

I think, for them as kids,

I think it's very important that we make this move.

And the hold London has on him seems to be slowly weakening.

The one thing that has surprised me this week

is how much I like Auckland. It's beautiful.

It's been a fun day out for the whole family.

Time to discover, when it comes to lifestyle,

if everyone's been sold on what New Zealand has to offer.

We've had a great day out in New Zealand, so our vote goes to...

Turn the card. Keep turning.

-Undecided.

-New Zealand.

-New Zealand!

-Outnumbered.

-I was outnumbered.

-Outnumbered.

-Didn't expect that one, did you?

-Go on, then.

-For the family, for seeing the joy on my...

You know, on the kids' faces and you on the boat,

-it has to be New Zealand.

-Yeah.

-For me, it's slightly undecided.

I really loved it. The kids had such a good time.

Other than the slight rain that came in and out.

Slight rain. Slight rain.

But it came and it went, unlike London,

where it'd be there for the whole day and we'd be stuck in the house.

A day out together has shown the couple

New Zealand could be the ideal place to raise their children.

Now they just need to see

if they can afford the lifestyle they've fallen for.

They think their home in the UK is worth around £600,000.

To see if their valuation's accurate,

we sent round two estate agents.

-He's in our house while we're away.

-Yeah, yeah.

Fantastic-size room. Very impressed. Nice and bright.

Good first impressions.

-Oh, this is lovely space.

-Look at the walls you wrote on.

Ideal. So much potential for an extension.

-THEY LAUGH

-The house looks a mess.

Good. Excellent. Good-sized double bedroom, master bedroom.

You know, wooden floors are always a benefit.

Oh, this is lovely.

-She loves it, doesn't she?

-Yeah.

It's got to be in excess of, what, 100ft, I reckon. Yeah.

What I like about this room is the fact

that you could actually fit a double bed in his room.

And we did.

Original-style toilet system, which is really nice.

It's a lovely feature for this bathroom.

Excellent. To see two bedrooms made out of the loft is fantastic.

I must say, in terms of presentation and the standard,

it's been done to a very good one.

In today's market, I would value this property for 600,000

due to the location.

For a quick sale, I would say in the region of 570,000.

-Fair.

-570.

-600. That's a quick sale.

Excellent. OK, well, in today's market,

I'd value this property between

600 to 625,000.

-All right. OK.

-For a quick sale,

I'd recommend an asking price of offers in excess of 550,000.

625. OK. We're on the money with 600.

-Exactly what we thought.

-Exactly what we thought.

-OK.

-No nasty surprises

with the valuations coming in at around what the couple were hoping.

Next, they sit down to compare the cost of living in New Zealand

with the UK, starting with a weekly food shop.

Clementines - £1.47. Cheaper.

Red wine, slightly more expensive cos we put French red wine.

£7.37.

That comes to...?

-BOTH:

-£6.72.

-Minus.

Won't break the bank, will it?

-It's not as bad as we thought it would be.

-That's not bad at all.

Spending around £30 more each month isn't too daunting for the couple,

but they're still to look at the bigger household bills.

Their calculations are based on the first property they saw.

-The difference in the mortgage bill.

-£599 more expensive.

-Did you really need a calculator for that?

-Yeah.

Transport costs. UK is 300. Here is 150.

-So, that's 150 less.

-Really?

-Yeah.

-OK.

-That's surprising.

-586.

-586. More expensive.

-Yeah, which would make sense.

In total, the couple would be spending

around £7,000 a year more in New Zealand.

Which is, to be fair, mostly mortgage.

When Sofia's potential salary is taken into account,

the picture improves, but not by much.

287.

The family would be around £3,500 out of pocket each year

should they choose to move to New Zealand,

but they both feel it's a shortfall they could overcome.

-It's all the mortgage, OK?

-Yeah, it's mostly in the mortgage.

-OK?

-So, it's not impossible.

-It's not impossible.

-Even though I need a spreadsheet.

-SHE LAUGHS

The overall financial picture

doesn't seem to have caused too much concern,

so will that mean another clean sweep

as they prepare to vote on finances in New Zealand versus the UK?

Based on the finances that we've seen today,

our vote goes to...

-New Zealand.

-Undecided.

-Really? Why?

-I don't know.

I just couldn't... I couldn't quite decide

whether we'd be better off or worse off here.

There was nothing that was unworkable.

-I kind of have to mull it over a little bit longer.

-OK.

While previously it was Nik who had practical concerns,

the financial reality of a move may now be causing Sofia to waver.

But the emotional cost also needs to be considered.

After first discussing it with the children,

they sit down together to watch messages from friends and family.

Hi, Sofia, Nik and kids.

-Hi, Nik and Sofia.

-Papa!

-Papa.

Hi, Nik. Hi, Sofia. Hi, kids.

As a family unit,

very, very close.

Sofia is very capable, a very good mother.

She's got a one-track mind.

She gets to where she wants to get.

Nik is probably one of the kindest and nicest boys.

-Boys. I'm still a boy.

-You're still a boy.

She works really, really hard.

She's a fantastic mother.

Nik is a wonderful father.

He looks after the children very well.

The children love him.

Hello!

They're really good fun, actually.

Similar to Nik and Sofia, they're quite outgoing and loud and noisy...

-Hello!

-..but just lovely.

Very full of cuddles and fun and good to be around.

Obviously, we'd be very sorry to see them go.

Particularly to seeing them growing up.

Now we make about 12 hours journey

to UK.

From here to New Zealand,

it's probably about nine hours,

so it's...

I guess we can see them more

if they are nearer.

I'll miss seeing the children grow up.

Um, and I'll miss Nik calling.

It's up to you. It's your decision.

If you do decide

to go to New Zealand,

I think I'd be quite happy with that.

Um, don't, you know...

We wish you the best of luck

in whatever you do.

And God bless.

It's a great opportunity, so we'd really miss you,

but we'll save up and we'll be coming out to see you guys.

Yeah, do the right thing for you.

And if you do move, get another hot tub,

put it in the back yard and we'll see you there.

You can have mine, Matty.

I will miss you. I'll miss you loads and loads.

You know that.

But I'm sure you'll make it for the best decision,

you know, for yourselves.

So, have fun and maybe we can come and visit

if you do decide to stay.

You know that I will totally miss you,

but I think that

our family bonds and our love for each other

will transcend distance and time zones.

So, have a great time there.

As I thought, mostly positive and supportive of whatever...

There was no-one's saying we shouldn't do it.

-It was all, you know...

-They were trying to get rid of us, I think.

Yeah. I think Matty wanted the hot tub.

See, if we sold the house to Matty...

-He can have the hot tub.

-Yeah. Rent it out to Matty.

-I'm not shipping the hot tub out.

-If we rent it out to Matty

-and then we'll sell it to them, we'll be all right.

-Not a bad idea.

I thought there'd be more weeping in there.

I thought there'd be more sadness, "Please don't go."

-More wailing and gnashing of teeth.

-Really?

-Yeah, I thought...

I think we deserved a bit more than that.

While their time in New Zealand may have seen Nik won round,

the potential financial impact of a move

has given Sofia cause for concern.

So, as the family prepare to make their final decision

on where their future lies,

will Sofia decide that's a price worth paying?

Setting foot in New Zealand for the first time a week ago,

Sofia was hoping it would provide the answer to issues at home

and the country's certainly worked its charms.

I've certainly fallen in love with it. I mean, it's idyllic.

There's a shell.

Nik too has fallen under its spell.

This week has gone far better than I thought. It's just been lovely.

We've got a beach like this 100ft from our doorstep

and it's clean and it's beautiful and families are playing happily.

It's just wonderful.

One of Sofia's main worries was that her husband's love of London

would stifle the dream.

I've been giving, you know, my love of London

and my, you know, thinking of moving a lot of thought this week.

I was up till late last night

when my brain was whizzing, thinking of things.

Quite happily stay in London.

Sofia feels she has made real progress on persuading him.

I think I've gotten him over that barrier.

I think there is more for us that we could do as a family

outside of London.

But it's not all been plain sailing.

Learning her working hours wouldn't get any better in New Zealand

came as a disappointment.

But the week has shown Sofia the move could reap other rewards

for the whole family.

The reasons that I think I'd like to come here have changed slightly.

Cos initially, it was more for me

and, you know, work and things like that,

but, actually, now, it's become more about the kids.

Time to take their final vote

and decide on life in New Zealand or the UK.

We've had a great week here in New Zealand,

finding out and discovering more about New Zealand.

So, our final vote goes to...

Go.

-ALL:

-New Zealand!

-New Zealand!

-THEY LAUGH

-Well done, kiddies.

-That is definitely a New Zealand flag?

-Yeah.

-SHE LAUGHS

-Why do you want to live

-in New Zealand, Idris?

-Because I like the sea.

-You like the sea?

-And why did you vote New Zealand, Aliza?

Because it's so tidy and people put their rubbish in the bin.

-They put their rubbish in the bin?

-That feels really good.

Finally weaned him off London enough that he would move away.

It's a difficult lifestyle not to love

and I think it forces you to be outdoors,

it forces you to enjoy the outdoors.

It's all the stuff, you know, that I think we'd like doing.

In the end, although Sofia may still have to put the hours in at work,

both her and Nik have agreed the improved lifestyle

New Zealand could offer their family is more than enough to compensate.

We wish them every success

as they prepare to start their new lives

on the other side of the world.