Stuff to know about New Zealand for North Americans...
If you are planning on traveling here you have likely looked up all the usual stuff, you need australia converters (angled plugs) and your electronics need to be dual voltage. The money looks a bit like Canadian cash (except the 10’s are blue, not the 5’s, very confusing at times) and you drive on the left (it’s really not that bad).
This post is more about the few odds and ends that everyone here takes for granted that those on the other side of the pond will find strange.
Accommodations: This is not very straightforward. Hotels and motels are but then you get into cottages, holiday parks, holiday homes, baches etc.
Most places charge by the number of people staying, whether you are at a campsite or a 5 star. You can rent a giant house but if you only have 2 people you will pay less then if you have 5 or 7. The age of when your kids pay as adults varies as well. Usually you pay an adult rate if they are over 14. But sometimes it is 16 or 12. Pays to ask.
Holiday parks are giant campgrounds, usually with playground and communal cooking facilities and toilets and showers. Pools are rare. You can tent, park your camper, rent a basic room only, rent a room with a toilet or a full on cabin with a private kitchen and loo. However for all of these: bring your own linens. Ok, there might be one somewhere that supplies them but I have not found it yet. This means there might (or might not) be a blanket and pillow on each bed but you will need to bring your own sheets, pillow cases and towels. And any toiletries you want including hand soap for the loo.
The kitchens also vary quite a bit regarding how well equipped they are. A sharp knife is a rare and wondrous find (we have taken to traveling with a sharpener). Some will have tea towels and dish soap but this can be in short supply as well. If you are cooking something that needs a big pot etc you may want to bring your own.
Holiday homes are usually someone’s second home that they rent out when they are not using them. There are many websites (LINK HERE) that you can search by place, availability, size etc. Price varies incredibly from $100 per night to $800 and changes quite a bit by season as well. Be careful when booking because if your vacation crosses from shoulder season to high season you can see your nightly rate more than double. But this is often a great way to spend a week or more in a nicely equipped house with a good kitchen. Check the pictures.
Side note: “Kitchen included” may not mean what you think. In some places this means a sink plus microwave or could mean a full on 5 star kitchen with a convection oven and wine fridge. Many places just have a small fridge, counter stove top with 2 burners and a microwave. Again, check the pictures.
You also may be surprised at what is left in holiday homes. We have stayed at places that are completely stripped (i.e. no personal items) and others where theirs shoes are still in the garage and all spices and condiments are there with a little note to use what you need but replace things if emptied.
Also most holiday home rentals expect you to clean the place before you go unless you have made alternate arrangements for a cleaner etc.
A Bach is someone’s cottage, family vacation spot etc. This can vary wildly from a real house with everything you could desire to a shack in the woods with instructions to go past the pine tree to the ditch to use the loo. If someone offers you their bach this is a real honour no matter what it is like, but ask lots of questions about what you will need to bring including 4 wheel drive and chains.
Summer and Christmas vacation are the same thing. If you are planning on traveling from Dec 22 to Feb 4th BOOK AHEAD! This is when all New Zealanders are on holiday and most places will be full. Many Kiwis go away to the beach for Christmas so this is NOT a slow time of year. Once school is back in, things empty out again.
Ditto for Easter. This is the biggest travel weekend of the year. It starts on Good Friday and ends the TUESDAY after Easter. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. If you don’t book at least 4 weeks ahead you are out of luck.
Coffee: Cafes are everywhere. New Zealanders love their coffee but it is considered a treat not a staple to have in your hand all day long like a Timmies. Drip coffee does exist here (there is a cafe in Lake Tekapo that has it, but as far as I know they are the only ones).
Coffee at a cafe is usually espresso and takes forever to make. But it is good!
A flat white is one shot of espresso with foamy but not bubbly milk (specify if you want blue milk = 3.25% or trim = skim). Most folks here do not have sugar in their coffee so you have to ask for it up front when you order or you won’t get any.
Short black is an espresso shot.
Long black or Americano is a shot of espresso with an extra dose of hot water.
Lattes and cappuchinos are the same. You will be asked if you want chocolate or cinnamon.
Expect to pay $4-5 per coffee everywhere. If you need extra caffeine ask for a double shot but expect to pay more.
Plunger (french press) coffee is what you will see in most people’s homes. Or instant. It is very popular here and if someone offers you a “hot drink” at their home this is what they will serve. Don’t go for the Milo if offered (blech) the kids describe it as really bad hot chocolate... Tea is always a safe bet and will often be loose leaf tea but not always.
Cafes: When eating out for lunch, cafes are the way to go but can be pricey. You usually have two choices for menus: the regular menu and cabinet food. Cabinet food consists of premade sandwiches, quiche etc behind a glass cabinet ready to go but you will be asked if you want it heated toasted etc if it is that type of an item. It is usually less expensive than the menu items.
To order at a cafe. First claim your table, if you do not do this you may be out of luck in 10 minutes. Then go to the counter to find menus and order and pay. No tip. It is rare to find a cafe where they take your order at the table. The cashier will then give you a metal stand with a number on it to take to your table if you ordered coffee and off the menu. If you did just cabinet food you will get it then. If you are lucky they will bring over a couple of big bottles of water and a little glass for each member of your table. If not, have a look around there will be a tray, table etc with glasses stacked on it and big refillable bottles of water or glass pitchers. Just get what you need and take it to your table. Don’t be shy about asking for more water either.
So sit down and relax and chat, the coffees will trickle out one by one and the food will too. Bottled drinks and juices are usually overpriced $4+ each on average and we tend to get by with just lunch and water.
Also of note, even if you are at a restaurant or pub where you are served at your table you go to the cash or bar to pay. They won’t bring you a bill and you will sit there for a very very long time waiting.
Tipping: Service workers do not expect a tip but appreciate it if you do. You will get a look of utter shock and amazement and a huge “thank you” and if you go back to that place expect to see the same server at your table.
Tipping is not expected in cafes, bars or the hair salon. If you are in an upscale restaurant it might be a good idea but otherwise is just not the norm.
We never went to any really highbrow hotels while here so I have no idea regarding bellboys etc ;o)
Schools: If you have come here with your kids for a year or more you will likely want to send them to school. To do this they will require a student visa in their passport (LINK HERE) and the school will want to see the original and take a copy.
School goes from Year 1 to Year 13. The school year starts early February and goes to about a week before Christmas. There are 4 terms with 2 week breaks between each of the terms (NZ School Calendar). Older children, Year 11 and up will also write NCEA exams which are national exams. Every kid in New Zealand who takes year 11 math will write that exam at the exact same time across the country.
99% of the schools have uniforms. There are a couple of mufti (street clothes) schools in larger cities but they are few and far between. For girls the summer uniform is usually a polo/golf shirt and a plaid wrap around skirt (quite short, all the girls wear shorts underneath), white ankle socks and mary jane style shoes. Each school has a different plaid and different polo. For elementary boys the same polo/golf shirt and shorts usually grey or black depending on their school and wool knee high socks in the colour designated by the school with stripes at the top and black shoes. The high school boys wear short sleeved button down shirts in the summer and long sleeved ones in the winter. In the winter jerseys may be worn (usually a v necked pullover, or fleece sweater) and the boys may wear their shorts or trousers (pants means underwear btw) and girls wear long “kilties”, wool kilts often down to their ankles with tights or “school socks” which are thick navy or black socks that go to mid thigh. Very victorian.
Some elementary schools let the kids (including the girls - gasp) wear trousers instead of the school shorts.
Jackets, vests and hats must be plain black or navy, no logos or with the school crest.
There will be a uniform for PE as well.
I would recommend 2 tops and one bottom for each season, 3-4 pair of socks and a school jersey. Most schools have uniform sales before each term starts and you can get used uniforms for a fraction of the cost of buying new.
If you are here for a short time you can resell them yourself easily.
When you contact the schools for registration they will ask you your child’s birthdate and slot him or her into a Year level based on that. In the higher grades they will likely get them to do a couple of hours of testing to see which “band” they will be slotted into. Classes from Year 9 and up are divided into Top, Middle and Low band based on academic ability. I have heard rumours this is being phased out but I don’t know for sure.
Depending where you live your children can attend school based on geography only but some schools will accept children from all over and may even provide transportation.
Many older students attend private schools. It is not uncommon for a student to attend public school until the end of Year 9 and then switch to boarding school for Year 10 and beyond.
Bare Feet: It is NOT no shoes no service here. You will see bare feet everywhere in the summer and sometimes not in the summer. The grocery store, doctors office, walking down the street. Seriously, freaked me out a bit actually.
Roads: In New Zealand the word highway is a very loose term. It basically means the main drag ie: the Number 1 hwy is the main road going north to south. It will take you all the way from Invercargill to Cape Reinga. In some places it is a busy 4 lane highway with dividers and in others it is a very narrow 2 lane road with a mountain face on one side and a very long fall down on the other side, guardrails optional.
If someone tells you to go off the main road beware! this most likely will involve ruts and lots of switchback turns (actually the main drag might involve those too, oh well). Get GPS coordinates and don’t be afraid to ask for directions but you may not understand them. There are some “just can’t get there from here places” and google maps is not infallible. I would invest in a good road atlas. It will be the best $25 to $50 you will spend.
When calculating distances on average you will make about 60km/hr. That’s kilometres folks. Remember those switchbacks I mentioned? Lots of them. The tightest one I have seen gave a recommended speed of 15km for the turn and they were NOT joking.
Also of note Gravol does not exist here so bring your own. Leading into...
Medications: as above, lots of common over the counter North American meds are not available here. Gravol and Pepto to start. No Benadryl either but you can get Reactine and Claritin (called Loraclear). Ibuprofen is brand named Nurofen (don’t ask for Advil) and Tylenol is NOT acetaminophen but paracetomol, brand name of Panadol.
Some common prescription medications are not available here as well but a different drug in that class may be. If you are on a relatively new medication it may just not be here AT ALL. New Zealand is a slow adopter of new medications. My advice would be to bring enough of your prescription meds because you might not be able to get it here and will have to see a doctor to get switched to an alternative and that can be tricky sometimes.
Some meds in Canada and the USA that are prescription are over the counter here and vice versa. Bring what you need with you.
Medical Care: Not a big worry. Get insurance before you come. There is a plan called ACC that covers everyone for accidents (sort of). There are copays with it and it is not comprehensive. It will cover you if you break your leg skiing but not if you have a stroke or asthma attack.
GP (general practioner) visits are about $65 for a casual visitor. If you are a New Zealander and enrolled with a practice they are about $35. I have no idea how emergency care visits work regarding payment and hope to never have to. But medical care is fine and if you have a large issue you will get put on the heli to a larger centre to be cared for.
Hot and Cold: New Zealand is quite temperate. In lay-mans terms this means the temperature does not vary much. In Ashburton where we are based on South Island winter temps are usually in the 4-12C range (dipping to -4C at night) and summer days are often mid to low 20’s. Nice, except NZ houses are not to NA standards.
In Canada you will go into anyone’s home in the daytime and it is 22C. Warmer in the summer but in the winter, spring or fall it will be 22C. Not here. The houses are not insulated well. Double glazing is a luxury item and central heating does not exist. Some people say some new builds have it but I have not seen it yet so I think they are saying that to pacify me.
I’m currently from Ottawa, birthplace of “Damn Cold”, we get -30 on a regular basis and occasionally hit -40C. BUT my house is warm thanks to my gas fired furnace and blower. My alarm in winter months is the sound of the furnace firing up at 6:15am, fifteen minutes before my tuckus has to hit the shower. BUT that does not exist here. Most houses have “a fire” (wood stove) and heat pumps. Heat pumps are air conditioning units that can cool in the summer and then run in reverse in the winter to heat your home but are pretty useless once you get down around 0C. Kiwi houses are built to be sectioned off and you only heat the portions you live in. This does not include bedrooms. Most bathrooms will have a wall mounted heater to pop on while you are in the shower.
So for a comfortable winter in NZ... Make sure you have a wood fire and a good size stockpile of DRY wood, order early. Not kidding. Invest in a nice down or wool duvet for all beds and consider purchasing electric bed warmers. These are like electric blankets but are under your bottom sheet next to the mattress. They rock! And slippers, cozy warm shearling slippers.
When you go visiting in the “winter” ( I use this term loosely, it is more like a long protracted damp fall) to someone else’s home be prepared for temps anywhere from 17C to 26C depending if they have their fire roaring or are limping along with the heat pump and space heaters. This translates into another Kiwi commonality: layers.
You will see these folks walking down the road on chilly wet blustery days wearing nil but a little sweater. Do not be fooled my friend. That person weighs about 10kg less than what they look like and are wearing 38 layers of merino wool. I am in the doctor business and have to fight my way down to bare skin to listen to that chesty cough they have and need to pull up every one of those layers to get there. It can take a while.
Summer is totally different and wonderful. The main reason is NO MOSQUITOS (unless you live on the West coast of southland and poor you) so doors are wide open with no screens. I mean it! No one has screens on their windows. Really!!! Jandals (flip flops) and shorts and life is good.
But... now you will see locals walking down the street with shorts and puffer jackets (down coats). I just don’t understand. But they don’t get why on earth we would live where you get snow for 3-4 months so it all works out.
Groceries: Costco does not exist here. This makes me sad. But if you are a fan of bulk buying get over it. The fridge we have is quite tiny (and is standard for here) so I hit the store every 2 days.
Canada and the States enjoy some of the least expensive groceries in the world. You might just go into shock. I pay double here what I pay at home. Yes, double. Milk is anywhere from $3-5 per 2L, bread is usually $3-5 per loaf. Meat is anywhere from $10 to 35+ per kg depending what you buy. Salmon is usually $38 per kg. Green lipped mussels are relatively inexpensive at $6/kg.
When produce is in season (raspberries and asparagus right now) the best place to get them is a road side stand and they are yummy! Out of season expect to sell off a limb and it will be nasty.
One would think lamb would be reasonable but it is not as Kiwi’s must pay export pricing. I have no idea why and it strikes me as completely wrong but that is how it is.
Sales are good and one can pick up some good deals if you have freezer and storage space.
Some foods have different names and this can be confusing. Kumara = sweet potato, Capsicums = peppers, pumpkin = squash. North American pumpkin does not exist here. If you have a craving for pumpkin pie Martha’s Backyard in Auckland will ship you some canned pumpkin or you can have family send you some.
Cuts of meat are different too and all I can say is try them out except the Hogget, don’t go there, ick. Trust me on this one.
To me, part of travel is trying out new foods and we have tried lots of different stuff and 99% has been great (except for the hogget). Pavlova is heaven on a plate.
Beer and Wine: They make good stuff. Try all the local ones you can. My favourite beer is Speights and I just love the wine... mmmm a chilled Savvy on a hot day. Perfection. Cellar Doors are where local wineries sell their own product and likely have tastings as well. If you see a sign for one it is worth stopping to check it out. Many small breweries do the same. Usually a tasting costs $3 but if you buy a bottle you don’t have to pay for the tasting. Win win.
Shopping: NZ is not a shopping mecca. It is a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific and has a population of 4.5 million people. Stuff is pricey here. BUT there are somethings you really need to take home with you:
A piece of greenstone carved by a Maori carver. This will be something you will treasure forever. If this is out of your budget you can find many bone carvings of the traditional works, such as a fish hook, koru or Tiki.
Merino wool, there are more sheep than people and the wool is amazing. Go for the good stuff and it will last and last and last.
Shearling (don’t say shearling, they will look at you funny, just ask for sheepskin) boots or slippers. Toasty toes anyone?
Art. There are many many fabulous artists here. Whatever you want you will find, sculpture, carvings, pottery, paintings, jewelry. It is here. And beautiful.
But for regular day to day items I would advise to bring what you can from home.
Particular items that are really up there: Running shoes (OMG! 2-3x the cost in Canada) regular shoes, for some reason footwear is expensive and not well made. Cosmetics, again 2-3x the cost. Electronics and cameras. Books!! I would invest in an e-reader before coming ( I use my ipad, my daughter has a kindle).
Cell phones: If you have a GSM cell phone that is unlocked bring it along and drop in a new SIM card and you are ready to go. I did this with my Blackberry and have had no issues. There are many good companies and you will find the prices are quite competitive and reasonable. You can sign up for a year long plan or pay as you go.
People are VERY into texting here. “just flick me a text”
Oh yeah it is called a mobile not a cell.
Movies, DVDs, TVs etc: won’t work here, don’t bother, they are on a totally different system. CDs are ok though. I am not a techie so don’t ask me, there is lots of info online for searching. If you watch a movie you have seen before be prepared for some changes, different scenes etc. Have not seen any with different endings yet.
