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Kiwi Observations
Entry 66 of 93 | show all | print this entry |
A few observations about NZ:
Here in NZ, like no other country we've been to, the hot water for the sink is on the right and the cold is on the left (opposite to home)
When people talk here they are a little hard to understand for us sometimes, they say the letter 'e' with a sound that sounds like the way we say 'i'. (for example - do you have a 'tint'? means - do you have a tent?...(which we were asked at the airport upon our arrival) or (because you have to supply your own sheets (or bedding) at these Holiday Parks we are staying at) they always ask ' Do you have your own "bidding".... yes we do, thanks.
Another thing that takes a bit of getting used to is in the driving department...man, I hope I can explain this right... OK, so you are driving along (on the wrong side of the road) and you decide to turn right (across an oncoming lane of traffic here), you have your blinker on and you are waiting for the traffic to give you the chance. So, as the cars approach, if there is one of those vehicles turning left (with their blinker on) they have to slow down, even stop so that I have the right of way. I have the right of way????? WoW..if driving on the left isn't hard enough....that takes some getting used to.
In this part of the world the moss grows on the south side of the trees.
They have these huge 'hedges' here that look like they are full size trees together in a row (up to 30' high) that they cut on all sides to a square like shape. You can see these things everywhere around Christchurch - they look like they divide a farm into sections - or they are used as a windbreak for the sheep - or something.
A lot of the roads (highways) on the west coast have one lane bridges where you have to give way to the right of way traffic - it works great because of the few people that live here - it's not that busy (4 million people live in NZ and 1.5 live in the city of Aukland (north island) and 1.5 live in all of the south island). It is very easy driving around here.
The best thing they do here is this thing called "swedish rounding'. They do it a bit in Oz but they go even further here. They have no pennies OR nickles here. the smallest denomination of coin here is a dime (which is copper, like our penny). So...anywhere you go...if the bill ends with "1,2,3,4,or 5" it is rounded down to the lower even number (ending in zero) and if the bill ends in "6,7,8,9" it is rounded up to the nearest even number. - no pennies or nickles to deal with makes for a lot lighter load in your pockets - it's a great idea!
Rugby is to Kiwi's as hockey is to Canada - especially with the world cup on right now - you cannot escape the excitement...it's full on.
Something else they do here which we find a bit different - is when you pay someone, say at the grocery store, they reply to you by saying "ta". Now I know this means thank you in kiddie language (at least it does where I come from). But the other day this 6'6" rugby (thick) type guy was behind the cash at a gas bar and when I passed him the $40 for gas, and he said "Ta", I broke out in this funny smile thinking how this huge guy is saying this (to me) and I think it is something that kids say when they are too small to perform the word thank you..."you're we..."
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