Random Stories

1. Tsunami warning. It wasn’t long after I arrived in New Zealand that there was a tsunami warning. It seemed like the rest of the world was better notified of the threat than we were, as most of us were not aware of the potential until the morning after. Yes, there were folks in Gisborne, a coastal town south of here, that were advised to evacuate (and some of them did), but the majority of us didn’t hear the news until we turned on the radio the next morning. On the public radio station, there was commentary about the efficacy of the New Zealand disaster warning system, and it reminded me of the FEMA hubbub that surfaced after Hurricane Katrina. The hubbub didn’t amount to much, however, probably because the tsunami didn’t amount to much.

2. Theater. I attended a play at the Te Puke Repertory Theater. It was written by a Kiwi playwright about the depression in New Zealand. It was by no means a cheerful play, but it was done well, especially given its humble locale. The cultural scene of Te Puke is nothing to boast about, and perhaps the repertory theater is the only cultural activity to do, unless one considers going to the Chinese take-out “cultural.” (Although, I have been warned not to eat from there unless I want another experience not worth boasting about.) Nonetheless, the group did a nice job with a rather difficult play. If there was anything jovial about the outing, it was the company. I went with my boss Garry and his 16 year old daughter Amy. Our seats were separated, so Amy and I were seating among a group inebriated women. They were carrying on in loud voices using language that caused the others to shush them, considering they were sitting near “children.” Yes, they were referring to Amy and me. During the intermission, one of the ladies turned around and asked me if I attended Mount Intermediate (the junior high school in Mount Maunganui, the neighboring town.) I just replied, “No, I’m not from here.” Not even my “accent” phased her. Amy reassured me that I didn’t look like a child, and I reassured her that she didn’t either.

3. Driving. I had my first driving experience just over a week ago. I was with Shane, the kiwifruit extension advisor in a HortResearch car, making the three hour return drive from Gisborne. We had gone there that day to sample trials, and when it was time to return, he decided he wanted to take some notes, so I drove back. There are many things about which to be conscious, I came to realize, when driving on the other side of the road. First, not only is the car on the opposite side of the road, the steering wheel is on the opposite side of the car. All the controls are on opposite sides of the steering column, so the blinker switch is on the right and the windshield wipers on the left. There is also the inconvenience of being accustomed to the rear-view mirror being on right, but having to learn to look left instead. The speedometer is in kilometers per hour, etc. These things may not seem like much, but when combined, they can make one feel like quite an inexperienced driver. I don’t want to admit how many times I first turned on the windshield wipers when trying to indicate a turn.

Secondly, there are different rules of the road here in New Zealand. Round-abouts are common instead of four-way intersections. For the most part, these are not too difficult – just a little confusing when there are multiple lanes. Some Kiwis have expressed amazement over our system of yielding to the first arrival at a four-way stop. They can’t believe drivers are courteous enough to make it work! (I suppose that is debatable.) There are no yellow lines on the road to indicate how many lanes belong to each direction. Most roads are just two lanes, so this isn’t too much of a problem, but when a passing lane opens up, it is a bit “dodgy” in my opinion. Three lanes all only separated by dotted, white lines – I just keep to the edge. Finally, there is a ridiculous right-of-way law that even the Kiwis will admit is crazy. Here is the situation… If a car is turning right (think left) off of a two-lane road, and another car coming from the opposite direction is turning left (think right) onto that same road, then the person turning left must yield to the person wishing to turn right – the person who must cross opposing traffic! All of this makes for a very interesting driving experience; yet…

I am now a car owner. Yes, I still chose to buy a car, despite all of these complications. Public transportation in New Zealand is not like it was in the other two countries where I have lived this year. A car is a necessity, especially for anyone who wishes to explore all that this country has to offer. Car values depreciate quickly, so used cars can be purchased cheaply, and reselling is usually fairly simple. So, I am now the owner of a white, 1989 Honda Civic Shuttle. It is gas-efficient, yet spacious. It runs well, and it even has a radio. It should suit me just fine these next few months as I venture about.