Driving on the left side of the road from the right side of the car was not as difficult as I imagined. I was very nervous about driving in New Zealand, but the rental car agent gave me a great piece of advice, “Just follow the car in front of you.” In three weeks, I only recall two times that I reverted to driving on the right side of the road. Both time I was alone on a rural road. My wife quickly corrected me.
New Zealand is an incredibly beautiful country with a enjoyable climate. I’m happy we had the opportunity to drive through it for three weeks. I think driving was the best way to see it. I could have spent another week or two there exploring the areas we bypassed the first time.
The Kiwi’s are more practical about the drinking age. The drinking age in New Zealand is 18. Albert is over 18, but he doesn’t look it. I don’t think any restaurant server ever carded him. We had a couple of severs tell us that if he is drinking with his parents, his age doesn’t matter. So a child of any age can drink in a restaurant with his/her parents. I think this is great. Parents should teach their children to drink, not let their peers do it in high school and college.
The Orion constellation is upside-down in the Southern Hemisphere.
When you order French fries or chips in a restaurant they are served with a garlic aioli (garlic mayonnaise). It is a delicious alternative to ketchup.
New Zealand has a dollar coin and a two dollar coin. Paper money starts with the five dollar note. This is similar to the Euro. I think the US Mint should follow suit and eliminate the one dollar note and issue a two dollar coin.
