Hastings, NZ
I emigrated to Napier 5 years ago. Napier was flattened by an earthquake in 1931, and they rebuilt it in an Art Deco style, so architecturally its really interesting, and as small towns go its a nice place to live. Napier has an evil twin, however;

Hastings.

This is a planned town, planned without soul or charm. Think long roads with industrial warehouses selling forklift trucks or hoses for bloody miles, until you hit town, which is full of little shops trying to be big shops, and a K Mart "plaza".

It also full of Mongrel Mob, morons scaring little old ladies via the use of hard stares and dark glasses. My Kiwi mates tell me that more violent offenders come from Hastings than anywhere else in NZ, considering Hastings is smaller than Gorseinon, that's quite an achievement.

There is no cultural life here. Roll into Hastings at 7 on a Saturday and you will not see a single person on the town. Everyone is in Napier, because Hastings as achieved the impossible, being both mind numbingly boring and terrifying.

I grew up in Swansea, so I know about shitholes, but Hastings is just awful.
(micmac is happy as a pig in shite, Sat 31 Oct 2009, 22:05, 2 replies)

Hastings _is_ a hole
The whole time i lived in NZ i never once felt bored or threatened except for Hastings where it happened in the same night. i.e. walking around looking at the nothingness, feeling bored until my night was livened up by being harassed then chased by a bunch of freaks. I'm a girl, and they were threatening to beat me up at 7.30 at night.

Went to Napier after that. It's awesome
( Animanga, Sun 1 Nov 2009, 20:21, closed)

Napier
Yeah, sounds about par for the course.
(micmac is happy as a pig in shite, Mon 2 Nov 2009, 7:07, closed)