The good and the not so great of New Zealand:
Most travellers we’ve met along the way love New Zealand, and it’s easy to think ‘what’s not to love?!’, but with any place there are always pros and cons. Here is my personal take on things here.
Good:
It’s the land flowing with milk and honey, seriously! Dairy is big here and it’s delicious. And apparently NZ is famous for it’s manuka honey; the more potent the better for its healing properties.
Tipping is not expected unless you receive exceptional service.
The price you see is the price you pay except for grocery stores and maybe some other places where you pay an extra tax.
The obvious- waterfalls, great hikes, geothermal pools everywhere, crystal clear waters, etc.
Insane abundance of adventures.
Excellent rugby team.
Great churches with Bible based teaching.
The road system for the most part is pretty amazing. It’s a general rule to move over and let people pass if you’re going too slow. And on highways every few kilometers the lane you’re in is doubled and you can pass. It’s very smart and efficient.
Gardens, gardens and more gardens.
It’s a safe country in light of what is happening in the world, but of course it is not free of crime.
Healthcare seems to be pretty amazing.
Delicious wineries.
Everyone is so NICE and welcoming. Locals will go above and beyond to be helpful, and nobody seems to be in a hurry. It appears it is more important to take the time to love others than self serve which I love.
Inexpensive, gorgeous, well-maintained golf courses everywhere.
Incredible hiking trails allover the country. I believe there are endless opportunities for all capabilities and interests. Mountain biking too!
No preservatives in produce. And amazing farmers’ markets everywhere.
Giant trees. We love trees!
Not great:
Sand flies- pure evil.
Honestly, it seems cold most of the year. Burr. I’m not a fan of the cold. You get a couple of months of “hot” weather to enjoy beaches, swimming, etc. It is like torture to me to see this amazing clear gorgeous water and not be able to swim in it. Also, I’m pretty cold natured and I have a weird cold allergy (for real, it’s called cold urticaria) so I need warmer weather. Of course, I’ve only been here for a couple of months so I could be totally wrong about the weather.
Driving on the left side of the road, though you get used to it after a while.
Lots of tourists, and I imagine it is even worse during their peak season. This country seems to depend a lot on tourism, and you will find them in every nook and crannie here. (We just read that tourism has just now become their biggest industry!)
Gas is insanely expensive, as well as other things like food! It costs the equivalent of around $8.00 per gallon for milk!
Oh yeah, the potential for a major earthquake or volcano eruption!
Crazy weather changes.
I know there are lots of things I’m missing in each category, but these are what came to mind first. I may add more later on.