New Zealand Wrap Up: North Island

New Zealand is a relatively short flight across the Tasman Sea from Australia; it is also a former British colony.  These two countries are pretty isolated from the rest of the world.  Unsurprisingly, they are very similar in many ways.

Both countries speak English exclusively, complete with similar accents.  New Zealand TV is mostly Australian TV Channels.  Cars drive on the “wrong” side of the road in both countries.  The people are all very friendly and approachable.  Cuisines largely seemed similar.  New Zealand has even been proposed to be added as the 7th Australian state several times.

Still, the countries are different in many ways.  Australia is mostly desert – or “outback” – and much larger.  New Zealand seemed very green top to bottom, with lots of scenic mountains and lakes.  Look up a list of the deadliest/most venomous creatures, and Australia will be home to most of them.  New Zealand on the other hand has produced defenseless, flightless birds.  Australia’s population (22.3 Mil.) is a little more than 5 times New Zealand’s (4.4 Mil.); in fact, Sydney alone has a larger population than all of New Zealand.

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Hello New Zealand!

Hi everyone!

Sorry for the post from a few years ago! Actually, it’s been almost 4 years since we got married! I can’t believe how fast the time has gone.  I really enjoyed reminiscing about our honeymoon. It was wonderful and the beginning of our travel adventures together.  I look so young in those pictures. I suppose that’s before school made me haggard!

Ok, well let’s get back to the present.  We made it to New Zealand a couple of days ago.  We took an Emirates flight from Sydney to Auckland.  We were in economy of an airbus A380.  It was so nice! Each seat had its own TV screen and entertainment system. I really think that Emirates has the best selection of TV shows and movies that we have seen so far.  Unfortunately, the flight was a little under 3 hours.  I didn’t get to watch everything that I wanted.  That was the twelfth flight that we have taken since we left, but we will have a little break for a while.  No flights until we go back to Australia in a couple of weeks!

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