We had a lovely time in New Zealand. We saw such a beautiful and widely varying landscape that we only scraped the surface of outdoor activities we wanted to do. Most of the hostels we stayed in were very comfortable: well-equipped kitchens, cozy wood fireplaces, and even free warm chocolate cake! People were incredibly friendly and helpful, especially the rental car guys who quickly organized a car for us a day early when we got our North/South Island schedule mixed up. We liked it so much that we would probably consider moving there if it was closer... maybe even still will, Rich threatens. Without further ado, here are some - admittedly biased - final thoughts on New Zealand:
- The country is pretty empty. The stereotype that there are more sheep than people in New Zealand holds true - 10 per person. While a "city" may not be more than a town by our standards, this also means that huge swaths of national forests and long stretches of golden beaches are also very quiet. Time and again we marveled at how some idyllic spot would have been completely built up and invaded by tourists if it was in the U.S. or Europe.
- Since we don't own a car any more, it's been a long time since we've been on a road trip. Old habits die hard, and we did get some funny looks when we would park and walk 20 minutes into town. Parking lots would practically overwhelm us with choices. Rich enjoyed driving, particularly on the left side of the road. Roads were not as busy in the winter as we've heard they can be with summer tourists. This could make a big difference since what passes for a motorway in New Zealand usually only has 1 lane in either direction, and getting stuck behind a slow camper van or RV favored by holidaymakers could really add on to your travel time.
- New Zealand felt much more English. It helps that some parts of the countryside looked like they had been transplanted from the South Downs where Rich grew up. Food-wise also, meat pies and sausage rolls and curries abound. Funnily enough, many fish and chips shops also do Chinese food, and the scones are often made with dates instead of raisins. Since we happen to quite enjoy British cookery (despite its detractors), it was great to get these tastes of home.
- Although many would argue that more progress is still needed, it was interesting to see how integrated the indigenous Maori people and Maori culture was. The national anthem sung at the rugby match has both Maori and English lyrics, all New Zealand schoolchildren learn some Maori, and a solemn and moving haka was performed by infantrymen to salute the bodies of three New Zealand soldiers brought home from Afghanistan.
- Things often don't turn the way you think they should. We would normally expect to lock a door by turning the knob towards the side of the the door opens, e.g. clockwise, if the door is hinged on the left and opens on the right. This frequently is not so in New Zealand. To make things more confusing, it can be inconsistent. Rich came back from the shower in the men's room to tell me that hot water is towards the right, and when I go, its towards the left in the ladies'... in the same hostel! Sadly, we got nowhere on the myth that the toilet flushes in the opposite direction in the Southern hemisphere because, in eco-conscious New Zealand, they were all low volume toilets, which shoot in multiple directions!
- The country is pretty empty. The stereotype that there are more sheep than people in New Zealand holds true - 10 per person. While a "city" may not be more than a town by our standards, this also means that huge swaths of national forests and long stretches of golden beaches are also very quiet. Time and again we marveled at how some idyllic spot would have been completely built up and invaded by tourists if it was in the U.S. or Europe.
- Since we don't own a car any more, it's been a long time since we've been on a road trip. Old habits die hard, and we did get some funny looks when we would park and walk 20 minutes into town. Parking lots would practically overwhelm us with choices. Rich enjoyed driving, particularly on the left side of the road. Roads were not as busy in the winter as we've heard they can be with summer tourists. This could make a big difference since what passes for a motorway in New Zealand usually only has 1 lane in either direction, and getting stuck behind a slow camper van or RV favored by holidaymakers could really add on to your travel time.
- New Zealand felt much more English. It helps that some parts of the countryside looked like they had been transplanted from the South Downs where Rich grew up. Food-wise also, meat pies and sausage rolls and curries abound. Funnily enough, many fish and chips shops also do Chinese food, and the scones are often made with dates instead of raisins. Since we happen to quite enjoy British cookery (despite its detractors), it was great to get these tastes of home.
- Although many would argue that more progress is still needed, it was interesting to see how integrated the indigenous Maori people and Maori culture was. The national anthem sung at the rugby match has both Maori and English lyrics, all New Zealand schoolchildren learn some Maori, and a solemn and moving haka was performed by infantrymen to salute the bodies of three New Zealand soldiers brought home from Afghanistan.
- Things often don't turn the way you think they should. We would normally expect to lock a door by turning the knob towards the side of the the door opens, e.g. clockwise, if the door is hinged on the left and opens on the right. This frequently is not so in New Zealand. To make things more confusing, it can be inconsistent. Rich came back from the shower in the men's room to tell me that hot water is towards the right, and when I go, its towards the left in the ladies'... in the same hostel! Sadly, we got nowhere on the myth that the toilet flushes in the opposite direction in the Southern hemisphere because, in eco-conscious New Zealand, they were all low volume toilets, which shoot in multiple directions!
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