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My New Zealand Campervan Trip
Topic Started: May 4 2014, 12:37 PM (191 Views)
Kahu
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Kiwis: The People of New Zealand

He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata! He tangata! He tangata!

What is the most important thing in the world? It is people! It is people! It is people!
Maori Proverb


One of the most important, fundamental differences between England and New Zealand is one that is often overlooked when juxtaposed with the landscape, wildlife and weather: it is the people.

The people of New Zealand are called kiwis. This can cause a certain amount of confusion among tourists, as there are two other distinct entities in New Zealand that also bear the name kiwi:

1) The endangered, native bird that is a symbol of New Zealand, the equivalent of Australia’s kangaroo.

2) The fuzzy, green fruit also known as the Chinese gooseberry, the growing of which is an important industry in New Zealand.

Despite this, kiwis (the people) are in no way confused about their identity. They are a proud nation of do-it-yourselfers, tough and laidback at the same time. They embody the spirit of adventure – a relic, I suspect, from the colonial days of old, when you had to both help and accept help from your neighbours to survive. Above all, it is their attitude – their niceness – that sets them apart from their distant cousins in Mother England.


To illustrate just how different New Zealanders are from the English, I’d like to tell you a story, something of my personal journey since immigrating to New Zealand at the age of ten. You see, I was first awakened to how different kiwis are on my first day of school here. As usually happens when a new kid shows up in class, the teacher introduced me by getting me to stand up in front of everyone.

My New Zealand Campervan Trip - Source link
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Dana
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WWS Hummingbird Guru & Wildlife photographer extrordinaire
Reading that made me remember how different Toronto and Vancouver were in '77 and '88 when I was visiting in TO. I think that close living often brings out the worst in us - the larger the city, the meaner the people. When we feel cramped for space many of us are not nice to strangers. I had no trouble with anyone and often managed to turn around the negative responses I got to ordinary things like asking for the time - I got the feeling that people thought I wanted more than just the time of day.

In '77 there was one young man who wanted to spend more time with me than a bus ride due to my ordinary courtesy. I guess he noticed the lack of friendliness when he was out too.

I feel the same differences between small town life and Vancouver now. There seem to be so many more odd people in large cities that it is a pleasant surprise sometimes, to meet with kind strangers.

Kahu, I do hope that you meet with only kind people when you are visiting our shores. I am sorry that I am not able to get down to Victoria to say hello in person. Bon Voyage!!!

Edited by Dana, May 4 2014, 02:03 PM.
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Delphi51
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Nice story! Most interesting.
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Kahu
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Just like your Campervan Delphi!
It's actually quite a good blog, although it does miss the jewel in the crown 'Wellington' .... written by a now true Aucklander!
Edited by Kahu, May 4 2014, 02:55 PM.
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Kahu
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Dana
May 4 2014, 02:02 PM
Kahu, I do hope that you meet with only kind people when you are visiting our shores. I am sorry that I am not able to get down to Victoria to say hello in person. Bon Voyage!!!

I'm sure we will ... I was rather hoping I would get to see you. C'est la vie.
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Durgan
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I took a two person tent, a couple of sleeping bags, simple primus stove, pot and some silver and traveled NZ particularly on the North Island for three weeks. I did stay in a motel sometimes, if too inconvenient to camp, but not often. All stowed in one gym bag.

I rented a typical car. Avoid the NZ summer, December and January, and there appears to be plenty of camping places. I chose February in one case with no problems.

I found everything expensive but after all one is on a holiday. You are on your own and unless particularly gregarious you may not even talk to a New Zealander. They generally are taciturn and mind their own business. Avoid eating out and cook your own. Seafood and lamb is all you need.

Of course your crow has to be the type who can live without dragging a living room along, which is rare.
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