I am awe struck by this country and sadden by the short amount of time we are spending here. With more travels remaining in Australia and plans to travel through Chile in the upcoming month, it is nearly impossible for me to stay here many days longer. I pray that my personal and/or professional life brings me back to New Zealand.
So here is a typical day in the life of an American Kiwi:
-Wake up with the sunrise in the camper van at 6 am
-It's freezing cold, so blast the heat in the van
-Eat a peanut butter, nutella, and banana sandwich for breakfast
-Proceed to the nearest public restroom and attempt to use this as a showering facility. Oh the joys of a backpacker lifestyle.
-Attack some hikes, tracks, and scenic routes in the area, or jump on board a guided tour or activity
-Break for a quick lunch of a beef, cucumber, tomato, and avocado sandwich, an apple, and a museli (granola/cereal) bar
-Continue with some small hikes before jumping back in the van to drive to the next location
-Do battle with double trailer milk trucks, attempt to keep at least three wheels on the road at all times, pull off the road at a scenic lookout spot every 15 or so minutes, and capture a few photos out of the bug-splattered van windows
-After reaching the destination, proceed to the nearest info center (and bathroom) to inquire about tours, hikes, and trips in the area to prep for the next day
-Pay an arm and a leg to put gas in the camper van. Gas costs an average of $2.10 per liter (about 4 liters in one gallon). We fill up every time we get down to half a tank to be on the safe side (gas stations close early at 5pm and you can drive over 100km without seeing a station). We spend an average of $70 on each half tank. Ouch.
-Cook dinner on the camp stove (typically chicken or lamb, potatoes, bell peppers, or quesadillas), but only in places infested with blood-drawing sand flies or monstrous winds
-Enjoy a glass of New Zealand wine and turn in for the night. Getting up early in the morning!
My favorite Kiwi Words:
rightio! - alright or let's go
capiscum - bell pepper
chippies - potato chips
cuppa - cup of tea
jandals - flip flops
puke - hill
tiki tour - scenic route
sweet as - great, no problems
top dressing - crop dusting
Some impressions/observations of NZ so far:
-The land is gorgeous! I cannot say this enough. There is something new and exciting around every turn, and now I literally know what the phrase "it takes your breath away" means.
-New Zealand has a rich agricultural lifestyle. I have never seen so many cows, sheep, goats, or deer in my life. It's so fascinating driving through pastures and seeing the land and hills dotted by these animals.
-New Zealanders have a stronger, sharper accent on their words than Aussies. It's more difficult for me to understand Kiwi English, as much of it is spoken quickly and mumbled. It's not as light and musical as the Australian accent. Kiwis are also a lot more blunt in casual conversation than Aussies.
-Kiwis pronounce the letter Z as "zed" rather than "zee". So, when abbreviating New Zealand as NZ, they call their country "en zed" rather than "en zee". It was confusing at first.
-Kiwis LOVE rugby! Games are constantly being shown on TVs, and it's common to see local teams practicing on the fields, or pick up games in the parks. The All Blacks is the New Zealand profession rugby team, and NZ is hosting the 2011 Rugby World Cup starting this September.
-New Zealanders are extremely precise. I love it! Whether it's a pick-up time for a tour, or a sign telling you how long a hike will take, or a caution sign on the road telling you which speed to take the turn at, these signs are always exactly correct. On a posted 2-hour round trip hike, Brandon and I blasted through it with a few stops for pictures, and made it back only a couple minutes under two hours. It's crazy how accurate kiwis are! A New York Minute is short and rushed, an Egyptian Minute is long and lazy, and a New Zealand Minute is exactly 60 seconds.
-There is an assumed level of fitness in both New Zealand and Australia when it comes to hiking and traveling. Routes and tracks are not designed for the faint of heart. It's such a playground, but can become dangerous for an inexperienced and ill prepared hiker. I legitimately get scared when a New Zealander tells me that a hiking track is strenuous. That probably means you'll die if you're not fit by NZ standards. Basically there should be a warning sign in the arrival terminal of the airport, much like warring labels on medicine bottles, saying "Do not enter if you are pregnant, thinking of becoming pregnant, or the average American."
-Horse racing is also big in New Zealand. Many towns that we drive through have race tracks, stables, and training and breeding facilities. In fact, the most famous racehorse in Australian history, Phar Lap, was bred in New Zealand. (Side story- When the young country of Australia took on the bold endeavor of building the Sydney Harbor Bridge in 1923, they wanted it to be the longest single arch span bridge ever constructed. It took longer than expected to build, almost ten years. Just before it was completed, the Bayonne Bridge in New York quietly opened and was found to be 25 inches longer. This is a sore spot for Australian pride, and salt was poured in the wound when two weeks after the opening of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, the beloved Australian race horse Phar Lap died in mysterious circumstances in California. Some Australians still say that we poisoned it. Aussies are very proud of this horse, so don't ever mention that it was actually bred in New Zealand).
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