Some interesting and fun observations after 1 week

So, 1 week has passed since our arrival to NZ and I gathered some funny, interesting or inspirational observations for you :) And also just for the record, as I still have the fresh perspective when everything is new and sometimes different :)

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1. HEY THERE! This is how people say hi here. :) Or Kia Ora - meaning "be well/healthy” in Maori language. Beautiful, isn’t it?

2. It is winter. Winter meaning 10-15 degrees and mostly sunny - in Auckland at least. Sometimes some rain. BUT! The houses don’t really have radiators. At least not the regular, built in ones as we have back home. They are rather heaters. Which means their capacity to heat is pretty limited and it can get really cold at night. :( Luckily, there is a great invention, the electric bed heating blanket :) You just switch it on and in some minutes, you are all warmed up and cozy in your bed :))) AMAZING!!!

Heater in New Zealand

Electric bed heater

3. Kiwis are just tough cookies! Many of them wear flip-flops - aka jandals - even in winter! Ok, around the beach areas. And shorts! Even more, surfers just cruise around barefoot, even in the rain. And little kids on the playground - barefoot!!! Grrr I got goosebumps and respect!

JandART :)

4. I simply love the restroom signs here. They speak for themselves, the way they see things and what is important in their life!

Surfer toilet

Parent access

Dads welcome

5. Amazed by the surfing spirit and the love for waves and beaches. The quote of the day came from a guy in surfers’ paradise Raglan when I asked him naively if he surfed - “One doesn’t really have a choice if he grows up here…” :) I love it!

Surfboard plug in the bathtub

Wetsuit and shorts resting

6. I learned that tides get more intense at full moon. The difference between low and high tide is somehow bigger. Surprise surprise, you can download an App to check out the tide schedules not to get soaked up in water. How cool is that! :D

NZ Tides App

7. Keep left! Yes, you drive on the left side. Pretty confusing especially when you have a jet lag, too :S Obviously, the bus stops on the other side of the street, too.

The bus stop... on the other side.

8. The sockets look like this. And there is a security button where you cut off the electricity. Pretty useful. The red dot indicates that it is in use.

Secured plugs

9. It’s winter so we have winter sales :) I wish you a happy happy happy July! :)))

Winter sales... in JULY!

10. And last but not least > the Kiwi "accint". Hard to describe, but pretty "spicial". Check out these videos :) Enjoy!