Unless otherwise stated, prices are in $NZ (about $1.88 to the USD on 11/17/98). Click here for current exchange rate for NZ dollar.
New Zealand is 20 hours ahead of California (12 hours ahead of GMT.) Their summer time starts 2 weeks before American Daylight time ends and ends 2 weeks before Daylight time starts in the US. What this means is with exception of 2 weeks in fall and spring, New Zealand is 3 hours behind and one day ahead of San Francisco, October through April. From April through October, NZ is 5 hours behind and one day ahead of San Francisco.
In other words, in December, when it's 12 noon on Sunday in San Francisco, the typical Kiwi is just getting into work (at 9 AM) on Monday morning. If the month were August, then our Kiwi might just be getting out of bed (at 7 AM) on Monday morning.
New Zealand is 2 hours ahead of Sydney (which also observes daylight time during North American winter, although unlike NZ, theirs corresponds to ours), 3 hours ahead of Tokyo and 4 hours ahead of Hong Kong (neither which observe daylight time). Confusing? I thought so.
Payphones in New Zealand require a Telecom New Zealand phone card, these can be bought at any newsstand, dairy (convenience store or superette, not where cows are milked) or grocery store, and are sold in fixed amounts up to $20.00. When using the card, it should be inserted into the slot gently (good luck) so the notched end is facing away from the slot. Calls to the States are expensive, $3.00 a minute when I was there. When dialing locally within an area code, dial the 7 digit phone number, outside the area code, 0 + area code (such as 03 for Christchurch) + 7 digit number. To call New Zealand from the US, dial 011+64 (the NZ country code) + NZ regional code (e.g. 9 for Auckland) + telephone number.
Although not as far along as the US, New Zealand is very much accelerating onto the information superhighway. I highly recommend email, instead of the telephone, when it comes to making reservations and such from the States. It's a lot cheaper.
From my experiences abroad, I have found it's much cheaper to make reservations with a travel agent based in the destination country. Be certain to spell out exactly what you need in advance. We had some difficulty with the tour operator with our package to Queenstown, because what we got was a little different from what we thought we were going to get.
Of course, I know some of you are thinking that if Kiwi food bears any resemblance to British food, it's bound to be foul. Although New Zealanders are a little more lenient on the spices than North Americans (with possible exception of the East Coast), the food overall was very good. The seafood was excellent. I highly recommend trying the green-lipped mussels, bluff oysters, and if you can afford it, crayfish. (No, not the little teeny crawdads found in gumbo or jambalaya - NZ crayfish are huge claw-less lobsters kept alive in tanks at the restaurant.) All other New Zealand-caught fresh fish we tried was uniformly excellent as well.
When dining out in New Zealand, remember two things. First, if you wait for the server to bring you the check, you'll wait all night. When you're ready to pay in NZ, you go up to the front of the restaurant (or wherever the cash register is) to pay. It is then, and only then, that you will see your bill. Second, tipping is unusual in New Zealand. Although occasionally done (usually rounding up the change) when service is exceptional or in a very posh restaurant, tipping isn't expected or considered a necessary part of one's wages to live, the way it is in the US. Lastly (yeah, I know this makes three things), if you want to save some money, buy a bottle of wine at a nearby wine shop and bring it with you. Due to limited number of liquor licenses in NZ, in some places, this is the only way to have wine with your meal. Even if place is licensed, corkage fees are minimal, $1.25 a person to $5.00 per table.
Taxis don't cruise as much as they do in the States. (Although that depends where you are in the US - In San Francisco you have a better chance of hailing Mary than a cab.) They can be found at taxi-stands, in front of hotels or popular clubs, or called ahead of time. Drivers don't expect a tip, although you could probably round up the change if it's in odd amount.
We had one for most of our trip, which was a convenient way to see the country without relying on tours. There is a big range in price depending on whether the car is an older model from a smaller place (such as Betta Rent a Car in Auckland) or a new car from Avis or Hertz. Gas is more expensive than the US, but not as expensive as Europe. Insurance is included with all rentals in NZ, but will be voided if the car is taken somewhere explicitly forbidden on the contract. Read the small print on both sides!
In New Zealand, driving is done on the left side of the road. Be aware that traffic coming from the right always has the right of way (i.e when you are making a left turn and someone is coming the other direction is making a right turn, they have the right of way, unlike the US). In a roundabout (or traffic circle), you should yield (or "give way" to use their term) to all traffic from the right. Unlike the US but like the UK, it's illegal to make a left turn (their equivalent of our right turn) on a red light.
Driving on the left side of the road was not too big a problem although it was hard to get used to the rearview mirror on the left instead of the right. Additionally the turn signal is on the opposite side of the steering column. Americans give themselves away by turning on the windshield wipers to signal a turn.
After deciding who was going to drive, we always had to switch sides prior to getting into the car. I would be standing on the right side when I was a passenger, and left side when I was driving, opposite of location of the steering wheel. Back home, I had the last laugh when driving colleagues from London and Tokyo who would wait by the left side of my car when they were the passengers.
New Zealand has more one lane bridges than any country on Earth. When approaching one, the sign indicates which direction has the right of way. In some places one lane bridges are shared by trains and cars. A piece of advice in this situation, let the train have the right of way.
If you are expecting Southern Hemisphere clones of Squaw Valley, Aspen and Vail, stay home. If you are looking for large wild ski areas that are lift-served, go to Portillo or Las Leñas (although in NZ, big mountains and wild terrain are accessible by helis which, while aren't cheap, are much less expensive than North America.) New Zealand ski areas, while not lacking for challenging terrain are much smaller, with shorter runs, than their North American counterparts. High speed quads are still a rarity, many of the areas still using surface lifts. Also beware that conditions for closing a trail in NZ may differ from those which would close a trail at your local mountain, as I found out the hard way. Thanks to the strong US dollar, the lift tickets, lessons, rentals and foods were all a bargain. Lift ticket for Winter '98 was $58.00 at Coronet Peak and the Remarkables.
The length of jump always appears to be less when you're not standing on the ledge just before your jump. Although operations exist in other areas on both islands, Queenstown is the commercial center with most jump choices, including 102 meters, the World's highest commercial operation. Jumps will set you back $85.00 to $154.00 depending on whether you opt for video and/or photos. At AJ Hackett, additional jumps are $25.00. Sign up at the Station in central Queenstown.
This activity is not for faint of heart. I am not afraid to admit it was the scariest (and probably stupidest) thing I have ever done. My girlfriend overheard a bystander on observation platform say to another person that my screaming during my plunge (which was amplified by the echos off the narrow walls of the Kawarau gorge) sounded like that of a wounded bear.
In Christchurch and Auckland, one can sign up for an activity in which the victim is strapped into a metal cage that is fixed to the center of a horizontal length of bungy cord. The cage is pulled back and the cords stretched, in the fashion of a large slingshot, allowing the rider to experience, upon release, 5 G's of gravity and the facial contortions that go with it. Video is available for those who might otherwise forget the experience.
Paragliding (or jumping off a cliff and floating down to earth on air currents using a maneuverable parachute) is another possibility but requires a day of classroom instruction to go solo. Tandem jumps are available if one does not wish to go through classes to be certified.
For those whose cardiologists or brains forbid the above activities, New Zealand is full of breathtaking scenery and well-maintained trails for hiking and backpacking. Be prepared for rain anywhere at any time and cold weather at any time at higher altitudes.
I have heard fly fishing is phenomenal. Streams that I saw looked like they had tremendous potential. Those who do not wish to camp can sign up to stay at an all inclusive fly fishing lodge, but sky's the limit on price.
Those interested in tours of narrow river gorges can sign up for a jet boat trip. A jet boat is a noisy highly maneuverable boat that uses water forced through the bottom of boat for propulsion, no propellers to catch in shallow spots. This form of propulsion also allows boat to circle in place, allowing for maximum mobility. Some operations in Queenstown sell jet boat/bungy combination tours.
There are numerous places for canoeing, including the Bay of Islands and Abel Tasman National Park. Canoes can be rented, and guided tours are available (reservations required).
New Zealand also has a unique insect whose larvae live in caves and glow. These glow-worm caves can be found on both the North and South Islands, the most well-known being in Waitomo.
Being surrounded by water, New Zealand is full of scenic beaches (and blood-thirsty sand flies in the warmer months).
New Zealand is also home to two of the largest, lowest altitude glaciers outside of the Arctic, the Fox and Franz Josef, on the West Coast of the South Island.
New Zealand, being on the edge of a tectonic plate, in the Ring of Fire, is full of volcanic and geothermal activity, which can be found on the North Island, Rotorua being the most famous area.
In general, the Kiwis are a friendly bunch, although sometimes are reserved until conversation is initiated (I was always the first one to start a conversation on a chairlift). In all of dealings, I never encountered hostility or rudeness, and generally people went out of their way to help, such as the clerk at the hotel desk when we had a problem with our room. I find this amazing when I think of how tired I sometimes get of tourists in my home-town (Sausalito, California). Considering the volume of tourists NZ receives per capita, the natives have the patience of saints. Of course, my group no doubt only asked brilliant questions, but that's another discussion. . . .
As was the case in England, I sometimes had to repeat myself to be understood (maybe it was my mumbling problem.) I have been told by a colleague in London that Californians slur their words and don't have clear breaks between words, rather all words run together. And I always thought it was other people who had funny accents. Like their cousins, the English, the Kiwis speak more quietly than Americans do.
When going out to dinner or out on the town, people still tend to dress up more than Americans. Some of the nicer restaurants and some of the clubs have dress codes. Unless you want to dress up to go out or expect to go out to a higher class restaurant, you don't need to pack a jacket and tie. We didn't pack fancy clothes and never encountered a dress code. But then we didn't go to any super posh places or clubbing either.
With respect to clubs, what constitutes "proper" dress can be up to discretion of doorman (and how strict enforcement of the dress code may be based on your gender.) A friend of my ex-roommate's was refused entrance when wearing his nylon jacket with "Yale" emblazoned in large letters on the back, so he took it off, got into line again, and then was allowed in, although he was just wearing a polo shirt.
As anyone who has been to England knows, some American words and expressions have other meanings in other English speaking countries. Due to New Zealand's closeness to English ways, many UK words and expressions are commonplace there as well. New Zealand and Australia also share a number of common words and phrases.
aubergine -- eggplant
bach - (pronounced batch) a vacation home on the North Island. Referred to on South Island as a crib.
bugger/buggered - exclamation, usually result of unpleasant surprise. Buggered can mean broken/hosed, i.e. "the bloody engine is buggered!"
bush -- forest
bush line - timber line
capsicum - bell pepper
caravan - camper or motorhome
chemist - pharmacist (same meaning as the UK)
chips - french fries, although a "chippy," unlike the UK, isn't a fish & chips takeaway, it's a cookie, as in chocolate chip. American potato chips are crisps.
college - not college as we know in the States, high school
courgette -- zucchini
cuppa - "having a . . . ." as in coffee or tea.
dairy - convenience store or small supermarket, open later than regular grocery
entrée - an appetizer, or a la carte course, not the main course
fanny - a women's genitals. Your fanny pack is called a "bum bag" in NZ.
God's own - New Zealand, where else? As in God's own country.
good as gold, good as - fine, as in everything's fine
hire -- rent
hokey pokey - an ice cream flavor and type of candy resembling lightweight, airy, crunchy butterscotch toffee. Good.
Holden -- Aussie car, now made by GM. Models from the early 70's represent the Aussie equivalent of a Plymouth Barracuda and are also called Boguns.
JAFA -- Just another #$%&ing Aucklander. An indication that dislike of highly urbanized areas is also shared by our Kiwi brethren who don't live in said areas.
jumper - sweater, a sweater in Kiwi or UK is a sweatshirt.
kiwiburger - at McDonalds, it comes with sliced beets, yum.
knackered - tired (used also in UK)
knock up - not impregnate, but to wake up, when your hotel promises a wake-up call, they may tell you that you will be "knocked up" in the morning.
main, main course -- self explanatory, main course of a meal, but not called an entrée (see above)
mate - friend, buddy, bro -- generally refers to males.
metal road - gravel road
mossie -- mosquito
motorway - freeway, not commonly found in NZ
O.E. - overseas experience, what every young Kiwi tries to have by working or going to university in a foreign country (often the UK)
Oy! - Familiar to most Americans thanks to Jack-o and AC/DC. An exclamation meaning "what the hell is going on?!"
pavlova/pavs -- meringues
petrol -- gasoline
pie -- not apple or rhubarb, nor what lies in pastures, but a popular lunch item consisting of a miniature closed pie shell filled with meat and/or vegetables. Served hot with a ketchup-like tomato sauce, can be heavenly or horrific.
Pom, Pommie -- an English person, English
poofter/pooft - a homosexual male
pudding - dessert course of a meal
serviette - a napkin. In NZ, napkins are diapers or feminine protection.
shout - not yell, but to buy a round, or "shout" a round for your mates.
tamarillo - the "tree tomato," a tart fruit the shape of a plum-colored egg.
take-away - (n) take out place, (v) to take out, to go
tea - supper, dinner, as in "evening tea".
togs, swim togs - swimming trunks
toilet - what we call the bathroom. In NZ, the bathroom is where you shower, also known as loo, lavatory and WC.
track - (pronounced "trek") trail, hike
trousers - pants. Pants are your underwear
university/Varsity - what we call college in the US. College is the Kiwi equivalent of high school.
Vegemite - salty brown yeast extract, manufactured by Kraft, similar to English marmite spread on bread or toast, Aussie and Kiwi staple.
wheatbix - cereal similar to wheaties, wheatbix bars are similar to American granola bars
For a more complete guide to Kiwi English, written by John Thornley, a native click here.
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