Kiwi Drivers and Boy Racers

Kia Ora!

Fair warning up front: This is going to be a rant. In my opinion, Kiwi drivers generally are impatient, arrogant and rude.

Saturday afternoon Kiwi Consort (KC) and I were driving home from a car trip into the mountains. I was driving and we were cruising down Highway 1 close to home. Through town, the highway does something unique to New Zealand (in my experience). It is 2-lane each way for short intervals but at traffic lights two lanes merge with the outside (left) lane required to move right. I was behind a slower moving, rickety truck carrying a load of wood and one other car. When the street opened into two lanes, I moved to the right to pass these two vehicles, which I did. I was in the right lane which does not change for the two blocks until the next traffic light. The left lane traffic must fall in behind a vehicle in the right lane (me, in this case) when the two lanes converge into one. Except the truck in the left lane didn't even though I was slightly ahead of him. From my peripheral vision, I sensed the truck uncomfortably close and moved to the right eventually forced into the lane for oncoming traffic.  Fortunately, the traffic behind us saw what was happening and hung back allowing me to fall in behind the truck. Believe me, I stayed far behind this dangerous fellow until he pulled over and parked about two blocks further along. This was a very frightening experience. What was he thinking being such a bully? He got a blast of my horn as he rumbled away. I consider him unsafe on the road.


Our Toyota loaner

It is not that we look like tourists. Our car is an older Toyota provided by KC's employer and looks no different than any other car driven by a Kiwi. We have both driven enough in New Zealand and other countries with right side driver controls that driving on the left is no problem for either of us.

We have had episodes that were understandably irritating to other drivers. But really! Slowing for our driveway yesterday on North Street, signal light on, caused the driver behind to let us know with his horn that he was irritated.

There are few 4-lane roads in this country enabling drivers to proceed at varied speeds. Generally roads are not heavily traveled so that passing a slower driver is not difficult. Most highways provide a passing lane every few kilometers. However, Kiwi drivers are not inclined to be patient if they have to wait to pass a slower driver. No, they will blare their horn and expect the slower driver (usually observing the speed limit) to speed up or perhaps just disappear.

This makes me wonder about the general attitude in the entire country about driving. Some towns, most notably Christ Church, have an extreme model in this type of behavior with what is called Boy Racers. In Christ Church an ongoing battle occurs nightly between the police who try to control them and the racers. If the racer is apprehended, his car is confiscated and promptly crushed.

Boy Racers may be much older 'boys' and some are girls. They race on streets at night, roaring at unsafe speed, belching exhaust, pouring bleach on the road to spin out in a flurry of smoke. There were Boy Racers in Greymouth though not near where we were living.

Sometimes at night I hear cars roaring up North Street in front of our flat. Boy Racers or Kiwi citizens? Sometimes it may be hard to tell.

Cheers,
Kiwi Traveler

Mount Cook

Kia Ora!

Kiwi Consort (KC) and I ventured into the mountains recently driving west for 1 1/2 hours to the resort village of Lake Tekopo, where we had lunch. While there we met travelers from Spring Valley, Minnesota who knew my cousin's family. I have 30-something first cousins from my father's family. This is not the first time I have run into tourists overseas who knew members of my extended family.

Bay on Lake Pukaki

After lunch we drove on to Lake Pukaki. These huge lakes are fed by glaciers and cold enough to induce cardiac arrest. The climb was gradual and the roads well maintained. In the valleys and foot hills, we  passed farms with pens of  pigs, sheep, dairy cattle, venison (elk), alpacas, and chickens. In the high country, the stations seemed to be raising cattle, which have replaced sheep in many instances.

Overlooking Lake Pukaki is an historic stone church built by the early settlers in the high country, still actively used for services and gatherings. According to a  pamphlet available to visitors: The early run holders of this district risked their lives in the hills around us caring for their sheep so they understood the words of Jesus the Christ when he said 'I am the good shepherd ...'

Rock cairns around Lake Pukaki

Visitors have taken to building cairns along the shore in front of the church. They project skyward like prayers to heaven, hundreds of them.

Nothing can compare to the majesty of the Queen of the Southern Alps, Mount Cook (Aoraki in Maori).* We have seen Mount Cook from the west side of South Island. Now accessing the high country from the east side, this mountain seems far more dominating. Rising 3,754 meters (12,316 feet), she is the highest of the range of mountains that runs like a spine down the South Island. Her beauty is unmatched.

*The official name of this iconic mountain is now formally known as Aoraki Mount Cook, honoring both the traditional Maori name and the English name that honors the early western explorer, Captain Cook.

Cheers,
Kiwi Traveler

A Bright Spot on a Bleak Circumstance

Kia Ora!

Woe is me! Something weird happened in my computer today so I am back at Timaru District Library.

This is fall in New Zealand and a lovely, sunny warm day. I can't help wondering what winter will bring. We have only been here in the summer before and that has not always been very warm. But this weekend weather prediction promises temperatures about 70 degrees F.

Our garden (yard) is barely 4 feet around the flat. The sunny weather pulled me out the sliding door and I discovered two varieties of rose bushes. I love flowers in the house but resisted buying any bouquets as there are no vases provided. But I couldn't resist a posy arranged in a small wineglass.

I only get 30 minutes on the computer at the library so I'm done for now. I cannot guarantee when I will be able to get back to Vegemite-Tales.

Cheers,
Kiwi Traveler

Bike Polo in Timaru

Kia Ora!

When I read the Australasian Bike Polo championships were happening this weekend in Timaru, I was curious. Bike polo? Never heard of it. By chance, we cruised through the park at Caroline Bay when it was in action and stopped to learn a bit.

There were three arenas in action at once. Both men and women teams competed, but we were there during the men's competition. They sported creative names like Fifty Shades of Graze, Bi Polos, and Dog Head Men. Six players are on the court at once, three for each side. One usually blocks the net but the person playing goalie seemed to change during play. With mallets they viciously whack a small red ball. The cycling skills were awesome. The players would adjust their direction by making small hops with the bike. At one point, a player used the mallet as a pivot point and on the bike did a 180 around it. We watched for some time; as we left the orange shirt team was ahead. In general, the fans and competitors were a tattooed, scruffy looking lot but obviously serious athletes.

The food court held a surprise. Take a good look at the flag in front of the little red food trailer. Yup. They offered Tex-Mexican food. Was it authentic? It certainly smelled like it but the name Tex-Mexican was suspicious. It's called Tex-Mex, folks.

Cheers,
Kiwi Traveler

Where I Write

Kia Ora!


When KC and I move into a new NZ  town, we straightaway hie ourselves off to the public library and get our library cards. The first week in Timaru while waiting to have our home hooked up to the internet, I spent time daily at the Timaru District Library. It is lovely inside and out, where there is a fountain, red roses and statuary.

Unfortunately the main library smells of moldy books from someone's cellar, wreaking havoc with my nasal sensitivities. Thus, I spent my time in the children's section, which provided the amusement of watching children in addition to free internet access with my own laptop.

My spot in the children's library

Device by the TV

Now comes the embarrassing part of this story. Do you know what this device is?

Because it sat in front of the TV and no where near the desk area that had been set up for me, I thought it had something to do with the TV. A lovely woman came from Jim's employer (who is responsible for maintaining our flat) with a new modem to get me connected to the internet. As she opened the box she glanced up and said, "Oh, you already have a modem."



My writing space

"Huh?" said the unobservant and ignorant American. Yes, indeed, that device by the TV was a modem, already functional. Less than five minutes later I was on the internet in our home sitting at this small work area.

Cheers,

Kiwi Traveler

Flying to New Zealand

Kia Ora!

We started our long journey from our "home" airport in Austin, Texas. Flew to Houston with a hour and half layover and boarded a United flight to Los Angeles international airport (LAX). There may be those who love L.A. but that is not our sentiment about this airport. LAX is the most inconvenient international terminal I have traveled from yet. One must leave the domestic terminal, catch a bus or walk from terminal 6 to the international terminal 2 and once more be groped or photo-stripped by TSA. Furthermore, signage at the terminals is scanty. Who knew there were two levels of traffic? Of course we wasted time waiting on the wrong level for the bus. While we have enjoyed the 20 minute walk in the past, finding our way in the dark was intimidating and we finally found the correct bus.

 

We upgraded our reservations to Premium Economy. This Boeing 777 had the most comfortable seats at this level yet. The configuration was two seats abreast with aisles separating three rows of seats. We were in the last two seats in the middle row. In this location, there was no visual of the outside. We could have been in any confined conveyance. The sense of airplane motion was nil. Only the map on the screen in front of our seats assured us we were indeed crossing the Pacific Ocean.

As we prepared to take off, the requisite safety instructions were presented in the most creative video yet featuring a Brit named Bear Grylls promoting NZ scenery, tramping activity, wild life. It has gained a life of it's own on You-Tube (bear grylls new zealand full episode) and is worth watching.

The food was pretty good even though dinner was served about 11:30 PM by our time. We were both able to get decent sleep (we take Ambien to ensure rest.)

We landed in Auckland International Airport and were greeted by a new entry point since we were last here, a most intricately carved doorway in Maori style. We passed uneventfully through passport control and immigration and pushed our luggage the one-half mile to the domestic terminal (resting on the way) where we rechecked our bags to Wellington, capitol of NZ where KC needed to pass the approval of the Medical Council before he could assume the job he was already hired to do.

 

Lunch at the terminal included Monteith's ale, a favorite obtainable only in NZ.

Then it was on to our home for the next few months, Timaru in South Canterbury. This time our airship was a 20-seat Beechcraft. Luckily it was a relatively calm day and the airsickness bag pictured was not needed on this 1 1/2 hour prop flight south. However, it again expresses that delightful Kiwi sense of humour: "how ever you say it it all comes out the same."

On Our Way

Greetings from LAX,

That is as far as KC and I have gotten so far on our trip west to New Zealand. So far.

Back Story: There is no where else on earth KC thinks he would like to be. So he is always angling for work in New Zealand. This is our fourth sojourn to the islands. We have lived in Greymouth, Invercargill, and Takapuna. Today we are heading for Timaru, on the east coast where KC will be employed (and I of course will play and write.) Our departure has been up in the air waiting for passports to be returned from the NZ Embassy in Washington, DC. They arrived on Wednesday afternoon, but our seats on Friday's flights (March 1) had been relinquished. NZ contacts were making the travel arrangements. Whether wait listing paid off or someone pulled strings is unknown to me. On Thursday, February 28 about 4:00 PM we were notified that the trip was on.

 Less than 24 hours and we were underway. Though I planned to take only one piece of luggage plus a carry-on, one glance at the pile I accumulated sent me to the garage to find another piece of luggage. Why does it seem I always take more than I probably need?

So we are this far, staring out the window at the flight activity at Los Angeles airport on a 6 hour layover. We will land in Auckland after an overnight flight of about 12 hours and go right on to Wellington. I will be back on after we arrive and have access to the internet. Kiwi Traveler