NZ Reflections

When I was in Pahia, I was waiting for the internet and Friends was on (is there a country where it's not?). It was the one where Rachel's mum says 'it's like you're a cave person'. There have been times where NZ has felt resolutely stuck in, if not cave times, then the 80s at least. I have to pay departure tax in cash, at the airport-India now manages to include it in the flight price; I overheard one conversation when 1 guy was telling another he'd booked flights on the net-guy 2 reacted as if he'd converted his house to run off DIY nuclear power; road signage is so adjacent to junctions it can only have bee erected when cars were preceded by a man with a flag; Qantas NZ were bafflingly unhelpful (others have said the same); in one shop the owner looked at me bewildered when I ordered potato wedges-'you can't order them here', so he moved to a till 4 feet to his left, where I could; and then there's the music. For the most part it's character, but on occasion when I've been tired and in a rush, I have wondered why it has to be so difficult. My patience with countries is Marxian like it is with people-each according to their ability. If I think you can do better, I expect you too. Probably why you shower only see the impatient side.

I'm not sure why, but it fails the 'could I live here' test-maybe I've been too long in English speaking former colonies with little human history. Maybe it's a touch bureaucratic.

I do like the fact they have no really small coins-10c is the smallest. In Australia they went down to 5c. It’s like us giving up on 1 and 2 p pieces. Some people moan as things are still priced $0.99 and $0.27 and so on, then it gets rounded, but at the supermarket I reckon it all works out as you buy a bunch of stuff and otherwise it makes no real difference.

It's been a very hard place to write about-for me it's been all about the scenery. I found little to grab me in the cities, was barely inspired to go out and was in a fairly introspective mindset. Scenery is something you need to see, rather than read me babbling about. But what scenery it is; I came here wandering how to spend 7 weeks. I leave exhausted-wishing I'd had an extra week to chill somewhere and another couple to travel.

This is a glorious country and I think almost anyone would enjoy it. For those feeling a little more social than me, apparently there are places to party and there are certainly a lot adrenalin loony things. If you come for less than a month, stick to the South Island-unless you fly into Auckland, in which case go to the Bay of Islands, then go to the South Island.

I feel I'm sounding a bit tough on kiwiland; while it may not rock, it's a majestic place to walk and gaze and reflect. I've made some wonderful new memories here and rekindled many lost ones-that makes NZ a winner for me.