Moving to Christchurch

If you do decide to move anyway, here are some towns that are all close by (North side of Chch) that are easy commuting distance: Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Woodend, Waikuku, Oxford, Cust.
Honestly, it is business as usual out here pretty much (on the practical side of things), besides bread, milk and petrol shortages.   

But yes, there will be aftershocks (although we don't really feel them out here as much), and there are a lot of very sad and traumatised people.

I can't say that the idea of aftershocks thrills me but in actual fact, almost anywhere you live in NZ something could happen, so we are not going to let the prospect of another quake put us off.

We are more concerned with not creating a strain on the resources in the city. Might suggest to DH that we look into living in one of the surrounding towns or even Timaru for a start...perhaps that might be the go.

Thanks everyone for your input

Another option is the Selwyn District, You will want to live where the ground is hard and believe me it is hard as rocks in Rolleston. It is only 30 minutes communite to the CBD to give you can idea even though it will not be operating for months. I think you need to just take a look at the areas where the land was affected in both quakes to gain an idea of where to live. We have "shaking damage" to our house and the majority of huses do, however it is what type of land the house is built on that is more important.

its a hard one..personally i wouldnt.. hopefully by then the crazy traffic etc ill have calmed down ..but several suburbs still have no water power or loos..and everyone still has to boil there's..and while some places such as kaipoi and rangiora are 'more normal' i would stay away as long as i could before trying to settle here.. as the others say accomodation is in short supply and some @#$#@$ landlords are raising the rent crazy :(

in short by april we will all have power water and not have to boil it lol..but accomdation will still be an issue ..

realistically timaru is 2 hours in no traffic away...far too far for a daily commute(that's 4 hours !!!) and if i had a baby i would hate that..that's say leaving at 5am and getting home 7-8pm..no good really!:)

re the aftershocks they are way better this time they went on for freaking months last time.. schools havent even gone back yet but hopefully they will soon..and hopefully they dont extend the state of emergency:(! Mostly at the mo its just freaked out people who have little security and many who have dead friends and relatives so it's not a very nice place to live atm:(

I would talk to your husband and see what you decide to do and if you do move have somewhere well sorted before you come etc..it is kind of you to think of all this before you come:)