Everday life

In the last few months I seem to have settled into a nice routine of work, music, and local adventures. I have not done much major traveling around New Zealand in quite some time so I do not have as many pictures or new places to share as I did the first few months I was here (not because I have seen everything, just because I have become more grounded in New Plymouth). This means I have the opportunity to share little tidbits about ordinary life that are different in New Zealand than in the US. Do keep in mind that some of what I will say in this post might differ if I were in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, or Dunedin (the 4 large cities in NZ). New Plymouth is a far bigger place than many I have visited, but it is a small city as opposed to something like a major city. For those of you who might be familiar with the area I come from, Clinton or Harrisonville might be reasonable comparisons, although I must say they quite noticeably lack both a gorgeous mountain and the beach J

When you do not own a car, things like the price of gas or the most convenient place to get gas when you are late for work but running on empty tend to not really cross your mind. But since I have recently acquired my very own set of wheels, these are things of which I now take note. Gas around here tends to hover right around $2.15 a liter. I would like to take this opportunity to note that in 15 months time, the lowest I have seen is $2.09 and the highest is $2.25 (within New Plymouth, not the country as a whole). Having grown up with gas prices as moody as the weather, the lack of fluctuation is delightful. However, I still prefer the cost of gas in America, because one gallon is 3.7 liters, which means one gallon of gas costs nearly $8. While we are discussing paying for gas, pay at the pump is not a common find in NZ, but neither is the requirement to pre-pay for your gas. I have now found two gas stations in New Plymouth which have pay at the pump (there are at least 10 stations around town that I know of, probably several more that I have yet to come across), so not a large number. But there is no issue with pumping first and then heading to pay what you owe at any of the non-pay-at-the-pump stations.

It is fairly common knowledge that America has become a nation of convenience. This means drive-through food places and banks and ATMs are easily found in most towns. New Zealand has far fewer drive-thrus and those which I have seen are only food places. I have not yet come across any drive-thru banks or ATMs. In New Plymouth, the only options are Burger King, McDonalds, and the recently re-built KFC (it caught fire about 6 wks ago). There are plenty of ATMs around town, but you have to be willing to get out of your car to get your money (most grocery stores have one, so you can get food with the money you just took out haha). Banks are usually only open Monday through Friday from 9am to 4:30pm so if you need something which cannot be accomplished online or with a phone call, plan your day accordingly.

I have started making a mental list of daily things like this which I find interesting to share. Hopefully it interests you too, because there will likely be more to come. It is a beautiful spring day, warm and sunny with a Taranaki breeze (which means the breeze is a bit strong and still slightly chilly). I am anticipating a week of cabin fever at work as the weather forecast is for sun the next few days J

Back Beach