Notes From A Small Island
-
I thought I'd compile a few notes / thoughts from my just finished NZ trip. Arguably this could be on the politics section, but it's not focused on that, even though some of the themes maybe.
I've lived away from NZ for almost 20 years, and in 2017 spent two months there for the first time since I left and drove the whole country. This time I was there just two weeks and only went around NZ's tri state area (Auckland, Hamilton, BoP) but this is what I noticed in changes from our last visit. Of course my perspective has changed as well, as now living in the UK as opposed to HK on my previous journey.
Bums. There has a been a massive escalation in the number of bums. As a sideline, homelessness has seen a huge (visible, at least) escalation too, but Bums are just everywhere. I'm talking about the homeless drunks being a nuisance. I must have seen 50+ in Auckland, and then also a few in Hamilton, Tauranga, Mt Maunganui & Rotorua. It's a bit of a stain on the NZ tourist industry in my view, my wife said she didn't feel as safe this time as she previously has.
Expense. There is no other way of putting it. NZ is fucking expensive now. I'd estimate things are up 150% on when I last lived there. And grad salaries seem to have only gone up about 50% in that time. Thats a big inequality. 10+ a beer seems the normal now, 75 a head for a meal out at an average place (meant in the true word, not the negative way), gas at 2.10 a litre and lucky to escape with change from a hundy bucks after any visit to a super market. Tourism prices are ridiculous. We were going to go luging at Rotorua, but it was going to cost my fam of 4 almost 200 bucks! Fuck that. I have no idea how average graduates can look to prosper.
Jet Skis / Sea Doo's. Loads of them in the bay now!
NZTA. These guys are undoubtedly the biggest skid mark in NZ. So many sections of road are ridiculous with speed limits. I crossed over the Kaimai's once in clear sky with no traffic, and they had the speed limit at 80 at the peak. Then the next time I went over it was raining and busy, and it was 80 again. What is the point of variable limits if you don't impose them?? And don't even get me started on the looong 70k section around Te Kauwhata. Brand new dual carriageway with separate medium barrier and its 70k. Why?? The focus just seems to be a poorly thought out one around speed. With little on driving to conditions, getting piece of shit cars off the roads, and little advertising around those who drive slow then speed up on passing lanes. This has gotten even worse. 80k traffic, doing 110k on passing lanes seems to be the norm. IT's fucking dumb.
Foreign food. This has improved massively! I used to think everything sort of tasted the same in NZ. This is no longer. Lots of really good places to eat, and with genuine global flavours.
Craft Beer. Why do Kiwi's think they are the global leading knowledge on craft beer? I love Steinlager Pure as it's a taste of home for me and thought their light option is really good. So why does everybody (friends, waiters, people on next table) think they have right to try and push me down the Pinhead APAIPARadler bullshit. I live in England for fucks sake, you think Id on't know what I like when it comes to Beer???
Auckland. Arguably the least friendly city I've ever spent time in. Not sure if house prices have gotten to people's head or not, but I went for 3 runs there (mainly around the bays) and small acknowledgments to those who I passed were all 100% ignored. Like I was a weirdo for saying good morning to people. I mean, WTF? Even in central London people generally say hi or at least do a little wave to fellow runners.
Sky Tower. Took the family up on a clear day and it was stunning. Fantastic views in all directions. Auckland maybe a wannabe Sydney, but it's got the harbour to match it, if not the political direction (the port is a massive eye stain from up there).
Hamilton. This is actually a really nice place, despite all the flak it takes. People are friendly, the run along the Waikato river is as good as anywhere on the planet, and Hamilton Gardens are awesome. People there seem really happy with life, thoroughly enjoyed our time there.
Mt Maunganui. still an amazing place. The huge growth in the region as brought some bigger city problems (traffic, prices, homeless bums), but it really does have it all. Good surf whilst there, people all doing their best to take advantage of the phenomenal lifestyle, it's a really great fantastic place. I could easily drop everything and live there in a heartbeat, although my wife does (rightly) say that I'd probably be bored within 6 months. Tolerance does seem to have slipped a bit tho, as my darker skinned Asian wife, did have a couple of xenophobic comments directed her way. Not cool.
So, overall I think NZ is changing pretty fast. But it's still one of the top places on the planet. The second week we had great weather all week, and caught up with a lot of friends, went fishing, played 3 rounds of golf, and enjoyed the natural playground of the country. And it was just phenomenal. Whether or not the negatives above can be reversed, or at least maintained, I'm not sure. I genuinely hope so tho.
-
Thanks Major. I wouldn't disagree with anything you wrote except maybe the unfriendliness of Aucklanders. I walk a lot and a greeting is almost always acknowledged - albeit often in a surprised sort of way. Maybe it's the grey hair means weird friendliness isn't rebuffed.
If you had gone further afield I think you would have found the trends you observed even more apparent. I've just returned from a week in Napier ad there were at least a dozen bums begging down Emerson St.
Even small towns now have a café culture. NZ is growing up but with that growth is coming a host of problems and a massive price and wage inequality.
I'd welcome the chance to spend another 5 years working somewhere overseas but I can honestly say I can't imagine wanting to live permanently anywhere else and that's probably the first time in half a century I've been able to say that.
-
@dogmeat said in Notes From A Small Island:
except maybe the unfriendliness of Aucklanders.
I agree with MR on this. We get invaded by Aucklanders here over the holiday season. The whole area has a different feel to it. Might just be that everybody is pissed off at sitting in traffic for hours a day buy you don't get the smiles and greetings that are normal if driving or walking the dog.
-
@MajorRage said in Notes From A Small Island:
Craft Beer. Why do Kiwi's think they are the global leading knowledge on craft beer? I love Steinlager Pure as it's a taste of home for me and thought their light option is really good. So why does everybody (friends, waiters, people on next table) think they have right to try and push me down the Pinhead APAIPARadler bullshit. I live in England for fucks sake, you think Id on't know what I like when it comes to Beer???
How on earth are they supposed to promote homegrown then? This is kind of exactly what we want as NZers isn't it? Pushing what is local and broadening our reach globally?
-
On friendliness of the locals, I was over in July with two foreigners who couldn't believe how friendly everyone was, including in Auckland.
@dogmeat said in Notes From A Small Island:
I've just returned from a week in Napier ad there were at least a dozen bums begging down Emerson St.
The annoying thing about them is that they're likely not homeless, they just like to hang around and beg. When I lived in that tutae hole Palmy I was in a fairly nice apartment block of four near the teachers college (basically Hokowhitu) and one of the main beggars in the town used to live in the same building as me. Was annoying as he had the same last name as me, but was actually just a complete and utter prick.
-
@Nepia said in Notes From A Small Island:
On friendliness of the locals, I was over in July with two foreigners who couldn't believe how friendly everyone was, including in Auckland.
@dogmeat said in Notes From A Small Island:
I've just returned from a week in Napier ad there were at least a dozen bums begging down Emerson St.
The annoying thing about them is that they're likely not homeless, they just like to hang around and beg. When I lived in that tutae hole Palmy I was in a fairly nice apartment block of four near the teachers college (basically Hokowhitu) and one of the main beggars in the town used to live in the same building as me. Was annoying as he had the same last name as me, but was actually just a complete and utter prick.
did he make soap?
-
@MajorRage said in Notes From A Small Island:
Expense. There is no other way of putting it. NZ is fucking expensive now.
Ain’t that the fuckin’ truth. I hate to tell family, it won’t make them feel better so I button it, but when I return home I’m always shocked at how expensive things have gotten across the board — and I brace myself for it.
-
@Salacious-Crumb I reckon the past 3 years it has accelerated further as well; cheaper to buy NZ Lamb in the UK than here.
My in-laws always comment on the prices going up, and they come here from the UK every year.
As to the friendliness of people...who knows
When I used to run on the Canals between Rickmansworth and Watford, barely anyone made eye contact or acknowledged you, even after you say hi...
Run a few times around St. HEliers and MIssion Bay with a mate and people seemed reasonably friendly (well other runners always smiled and/or said hi) and my wife and I have been out walking around Whangarei trails the last few weeks and people always say hi....
Yesterday we did one of the popular walks, so plenty of out of towners and foreigners, there was a large group from Aussie walking down as we went up, they stopped to allow us to go past a narrow section, I spied this guy right at the back who I was certain was an old mate...shook his hand, big smile, hey mate, Happy New Year...was only as he smiled I realised it wasnt him, so gave a nod and carried on our way as if thats how I greet everyone...oh well, saw him in the carpark at the bottom, still looked a dead ringer, but wasnt
-
@taniwharugby Senility is a terrible affliction 😉
-
@MajorRage said in Notes From A Small Island:
"> ... Tolerance does seem to have slipped a bit tho, as my darker skinned Asian wife, did have a couple of xenophobic comments directed her way. Not cool."That is a good effort MajorRage and well worth sharing the observations. Travel widens your view and mostly ameliorates your perception of people from other places. It can confirm your pre-existing biases too, of course.
Your "my darker skinned Asian wife" struck a chord. When I met mine twenty odd years ago in Queensland I was astonished at the reaction of a small but noticeable proportion of locals, who would be visibly taken aback when we were out and about. They would just stare as young children stare. It wasn't widespread but it was noticeable at the start. I ended up finding it fabulously amusing.
She was early 30's (and stunning with long shining black hair down past her waist) and I was in my late forties - not long out of Sydney and just discovering that Queensland social attitudes were about twenty years behind the southern states. Even in the professions they were happily less well educated (which was a problem for me commercially, I ended up bringing specialist engineering consultants in from Sydney) and many were just plain ignorant.
I'm reminded now - back then I had a new client out to a function, my work was pleasing him no end and he thought we were much the same because I could also yarn readily about the horses, rugby, boxing, cricket and so on. My wife appeared, I introduced her and he was speechless. I sensed he could not believe a bloke like me could do such a thing!
Back then we had about two Chinese restaurants in Southport and now we would have forty odd from Japan and from an arc of countries all the way around SE Asia to Nepal. It is not like Singapore (my favorite city) or Kowloon but its getting there. The place has a fast growing population from every country in Asia (and from Brazil and elsewhere in South America).
Certain groups are pushing those dumb fella locals aside in the construction game. The Korean tilers will turn up on time every day to lay a precision job; the Chinese carpenters will listen closely then go and do exactly what you ask for; and the lot of 'em routinely pass the drug testing that captures 33 to 40% of the dopey Aussie dills.
-
@Mick-Gold-Coast-QLD you took our jerbs!!
-
re the friendliness of Aucklanders, I cycled round the Waitemata on Saturday. I decided to test this .
I gave everyone oncoming the chance to greet me and if they didn't initiate I would say gidday. About 50% said hi before I did. Of the remainder the majority replied, with, I would say, less than 10% not responding. Although some seemed a bit surprised to be greeted. Some (older males mainly), would just do the Kiwi raised eyebrow greeting with a nod.
Overall I was pleasantly surprised by how friendly people were until right at the end when two old poms had a go at me for riding on the (shared) path. I don't believe they would have called me a friendly Aucklander based on my reply (get a life you stupid old fluffybunnies). Steep hill end of a 60km ride not the time to prod me.
As an aside shitloads of people out running and riding on a blustery day. Must be all the New Years Resolutions
-
@dogmeat said in Notes From A Small Island:
re the friendliness of Aucklanders, I cycled round the Waitemata on Saturday. I decided to test this .
That's because all of the unfriendly, grumpy fluffybunnies have come up here to ruin my live.
It is possible that it is me, not them, that is a little unfriendly, but I'm blaming them.@dogmeat said in Notes From A Small Island:
As an aside shitloads of people out running and riding on a blustery day. Must be all the New Years Resolutions
So should be deserted again by Saturday.
-
@Snowy said in Notes From A Small Island:
@dogmeat said in Notes From A Small Island:
re the friendliness of Aucklanders, I cycled round the Waitemata on Saturday. I decided to test this .
That's because all of the unfriendly, grumpy fluffybunnies have come up here to ruin my live.
It is possible that it is me, not them, that is a little unfriendly, but I'm blaming them.@dogmeat said in Notes From A Small Island:
As an aside shitloads of people out running and riding on a blustery day. Must be all the New Years Resolutions
So should be deserted again by Saturday.
I’m sure the number of your neighbors will mysteriously fall depending on how full your freezer is.
-
-
-
@MajorRage said in Notes From A Small Island:
I thought I'd compile a few notes / thoughts from my just finished NZ trip. Arguably this could be on the politics section, but it's not focused on that, even though some of the themes maybe.
I've lived away from NZ for almost 20 years, and in 2017 spent two months there for the first time since I left and drove the whole country. This time I was there just two weeks and only went around NZ's tri state area (Auckland, Hamilton, BoP) but this is what I noticed in changes from our last visit. Of course my perspective has changed as well, as now living in the UK as opposed to HK on my previous journey.
Bums. There has a been a massive escalation in the number of bums. As a sideline, homelessness has seen a huge (visible, at least) escalation too, but Bums are just everywhere. I'm talking about the homeless drunks being a nuisance. I must have seen 50+ in Auckland, and then also a few in Hamilton, Tauranga, Mt Maunganui & Rotorua. It's a bit of a stain on the NZ tourist industry in my view, my wife said she didn't feel as safe this time as she previously has.
I truly haven't noticed the increase in homeless in Auckland or Hamilton. I just find that they have changed where they hang out.
Expense. There is no other way of putting it. NZ is fucking expensive now. I'd estimate things are up 150% on when I last lived there. And grad salaries seem to have only gone up about 50% in that time. Thats a big inequality. 10+ a beer seems the normal now, 75 a head for a meal out at an average place (meant in the true word, not the negative way), gas at 2.10 a litre and lucky to escape with change from a hundy bucks after any visit to a super market. Tourism prices are ridiculous. We were going to go luging at Rotorua, but it was going to cost my fam of 4 almost 200 bucks! Fuck that. I have no idea how average graduates can look to prosper.
I don't mind the price of tourist activities. Supply/demand and all that. They aren't set up for Kiwi's living in NZ. They are set up to those who can afford to travel.
Jet Skis / Sea Doo's. Loads of them in the bay now!
Biggest waste of money ever!
GET A BOAT!NZTA. These guys are undoubtedly the biggest skid mark in NZ. So many sections of road are ridiculous with speed limits. I crossed over the Kaimai's once in clear sky with no traffic, and they had the speed limit at 80 at the peak. Then the next time I went over it was raining and busy, and it was 80 again. What is the point of variable limits if you don't impose them?? And don't even get me started on the looong 70k section around Te Kauwhata. Brand new dual carriageway with separate medium barrier and its 70k. Why?? The focus just seems to be a poorly thought out one around speed. With little on driving to conditions, getting piece of shit cars off the roads, and little advertising around those who drive slow then speed up on passing lanes. This has gotten even worse. 80k traffic, doing 110k on passing lanes seems to be the norm. IT's fucking dumb.
I have to admit that I have never found these irritating and I like to rattle along when I can. and just for an update, those restrictions are gone now that everything has opened up (Well they were on the 24th of Dec)
Foreign food. This has improved massively! I used to think everything sort of tasted the same in NZ. This is no longer. Lots of really good places to eat, and with genuine global flavours.
still not great though. I struggle to get a great north Asian curry.
Craft Beer. Why do Kiwi's think they are the global leading knowledge on craft beer? I love Steinlager Pure as it's a taste of home for me and thought their light option is really good. So why does everybody (friends, waiters, people on next table) think they have right to try and push me down the Pinhead APAIPARadler bullshit. I live in England for fucks sake, you think Id on't know what I like when it comes to Beer???
Can't comment on this as I still enjoy Waikato and Speights so only buy craft when there isn't an alternate.
Auckland. Arguably the least friendly city I've ever spent time in. Not sure if house prices have gotten to people's head or not, but I went for 3 runs there (mainly around the bays) and small acknowledgments to those who I passed were all 100% ignored. Like I was a weirdo for saying good morning to people. I mean, WTF? Even in central London people generally say hi or at least do a little wave to fellow runners.
After living in London for 7 years, I found Auckland very welcoming and friendly.
Hamilton. This is actually a really nice place, despite all the flak it takes. People are friendly, the run along the Waikato river is as good as anywhere on the planet, and Hamilton Gardens are awesome. People there seem really happy with life, thoroughly enjoyed our time there.
Hamilton is on the improve but isn't a patch on surrounding cities (Auckland and Tauranga)
I found I was disagreeing with most of your post but I kind of see where you are coming from. I find NZ easy to live in but I live in the sticks where everything is a little less complicated or crowded.
The worst part of small town living is that nothing is secret.
-
@Hooroo said in Notes From A Small Island:
I don't mind the price of tourist activities. Supply/demand and all that. They aren't set up for Kiwi's living in NZ. They are set up to those who can afford to travel.
Locals whinge about the price of tourist activities the world over. We constantly get it (despite the huge discounts offered for locals).
The impression is we have inflated prices to fleece tourists. The reality is, tourism margins are fucking tiny, the major cost is usually people, and people are expensive, and need to be paid no matter how many visitors turn up. Agents expect the world, and want to pay nothing, and commission levels are inflated by competition.
Tourism is a bloody hard gig to make a buck out of.
