Random Facts We've Learned

1.  New Zealand has no major predators.  No bears, no big cars, no snakes... nada.  The worst thing you have to watch out for when camping are possums (see #2) and the very rare bush hog.

2.  There is a big difference between a possum back home and a New Zealand possum.  They are both pests, but they are much cuter in New Zealand (don't try to cuddle one, they are mean just like ours!)
USA vs. NZ Possum

3.  There are very few poisonous spiders in New Zealand.  Many say the "White Tailed" is the one to watch out for, but everything I've looked up shows them as harmless.  The only 2 we have to watch out for are the Katipo and the Redback, which are from the same genus as the Black Widow.  Bites are so rare that all the people I asked the other night about poisonous spiders to watch out for didn't even mention them!

4.  Enough about nasty creatures.  Here is another weird fact.  In New Zealand, unlike anywhere else in the world, the person crossing traffic has the right of way to someone turning on the same side.  Let me put this in US terms.  You are at a light (pretend you are not allowed to turn on red, because you can't turn on red here), and you are waiting to turn right.  The person coming the other way is waiting to turn left on to the same street as you.  Instead of them having to wait until the traffic clears through, you, the person turning right, have to let them go first.  It's really weird, because if you are going straight you don't wait for them to turn first, only if you are turning the same place as them.  It certainly confused the heck out of us at first!!

5.  Many of the products here are the same as the ones back home but just have a different name.  We know they are the same because the packaging and commercials are identical, with only the name changed.  For example, Aquafresh Toothpaste = Macleans Toothpaste, Febreeze=Ambi-Pure, Honey Nut Cheerios=Uncle Tobys Cheerios, etc.  You get the point.  They also use the same commercials, only they do voice overs so the people in the commercials have New Zealand accents.  Imagine watching the Mucinex Mucas Man being kicked out of his house in the host lungs... only he now has a New Zealand accent.  It's so funny

 

 I'm sure there are a lot more, but I'm drawing a blank now.  Anyway, will be back on later to show you some pictures of the awesome new walking trail we found less than a mile from our apartment!