17 ways in which New Zealand differs from the United States

1. Mexican food does not exist. The horror!!!

2. The general population is friendlier and less stupid here.  Even people from the US seem friendlier than they are in the ‘states.

3. Pedestrians do NOT have the right of way.  Look both ways or you WILL die.

4. Short shorts have not gone out of style. Amongst men that is.

5. There is apparently some sort of national law prohibiting the assignment of homework.

6. Everyone drives on the wrong side of the road.  If you try to drive on the right side, people honk at you.

7. People are way less politically correct and aren’t afraid to say whats on their mind.

8. Canadian accents sound totally normal here.

9. It’s totally legal to have a crap ton of alcohol in a moving vehicle as long as the driver isn’t drinking any of it.

10. Starbucks is only found on every OTHER corner.

11. You don’t hike a trail, you tramp a track.  Also, whoever builds all the trails here has apparently never heard of a “switchback”.

12. The mosquito is replaced by the sandfly as the bug most likely to cause you to apply highly corrosive chemicals to your skin.

13. You don’t tip at restaurants.  If you try to offer someone a tip, they look at you like you’re trying to hand them a live spitting cobra.

14. Sportscasts on the evening news talk exclusively about rugby, cricket, and rowing.

15. The words “beer” and “bear” are pronounced EXACTLY the same.  Thankfully, there are no bears here thus avoiding the possibility of a potentially catastrophic misunderstanding.

16. Most Burger Kings and McDonalds have leather couches and are marketed as very “upscale.” A Big Mac and fries at McDonalds is also $13 (about US$10).

17. I get to listen to American music, watch American TV shows, hear about stupid American “celebrities” on the news, order pizza delivery from American chains like Pizza Hut and Domino’s, listen to people talk about American politics…oh wait…

And with that I will leave you with some pictures of a few hikes I’ve been doing in and around Dunedin the past week:

15m-high Nicols Falls

Cascade along creek just below Nicols Falls

Otago Peninsula and harbor from Mt. Cargill