The Yanks are Comin' The Yanks are Comin'!!

Hello Catmandu,
My better half and I were just there in Feb for the whole month. What a great place to visit. Both Islands are beautiful. The Kiwis are wonderful people who treat you as there own. So much to see and do there. Looks like she has a good bucket list of things to do there. Tell her the only thing nasty about the place is the lousy stinking no good for nothing rotten Sand Flies. They ate me up. Tell her to bring plenty of repellent. They are very small little suckers, but they can do a lot of damage to you. There seem to be more of them on the South Island than the North Island.
Joe Giraud
40' Cat D2/3J#4103
41' Dodge WC-12 military 1/2 Ton 4x4 Pick-up

mate I guess being a girl and all she better watch out for some strapping good looking New Zealand lad's dont no whether she should be running to them or away I guess she will be the best judge of that 😛arty: hope she has a wow of time

Paul

Sandflies are like skeeters but faster so harder to swat - definitely apply the Deet but they're not everywhere - definitely worse in the South Island and on the West Coast particularly. Might be a few round Abel Tasman. Should still be raining a lot at this time, just coming in to spring. Everything costs twice as much there, but luckily our USD buys more of their NZDs. Make sure your guys look to the right when starting to walk across the road.... NZ drivers are amongst the worst - I grew up there through till about my late 30s and drove trucks for a fair length of time so saw plenty of atrocious driving and was myself a bit of an offender until I learned better. They're as impatient as all get-out, and frequently get into fights like the Russians do. There are no real freeways - even the main road is a two-lane so be vigilant! Also beware of the Napoleonic syndrome... Other than that, they're great. Explains why I now live in the U.S. : ) Nah, they're ok. I'm planning a visit January to clean up the last of my junk so at least I'll get to see some sun mid-winter.
Their rugby team is visiting Chicago this weekend to play the US Eagles - game's sold out but it might be on the box.

Hello Neil,
It took me about 1 HR. to get used to right hand steering and driving on the left. Funny though, I had no problems with Kiwi drivers habits. The drivers were courteous and gave you the right of way. The only thing that was strange to me was the 100 KPH limit(62 MPH) even when you were out in the "Middle of nowhere". LOL. One other thing, couldn't believe the octane rating of gasoline there! No 87 octane gas. You had a choice of 91, 93, or 97 octane I believe. Could be wrong about that. Geez, 97 is almost general aviation grade gas!!! 😕
Joe Giraud

Hi all I can say is if you look hard enough you should see one or two of these things.

'N' if she's REAL lucky, she might even get to see a hyoomun - - - or maybe even two.

I flew in and out of Auckland both ways on my first 2 trips to the U.S. and I was absolutely flabbergasted. The lights were still on and there were still real live people there. I had thought they were all over my side of the Tasman ditch.

Not bad people, by and large - and many of the Maoris are LARGE.

Just my 0.02.

Most Aussies would know all of these the rest of you have a laugh thats the best thing about been a Aussie or a Kiwi we can laugh at our selves seeya

Paul

http://www.amazingaustralia.com.au/kiwi_jokes.htm