5 things you might not know about NZ

I’ve been in Auckland almost three weeks now, and I’ve learned some pretty surprising things about how things run in this town!  I don’t know if these things apply over the whole country, but I guess I’ll find that out later.  I’d like to take this time to share them with you.

1. Flagging down a bus.  Auckland has a very extensive bus system that makes it very easy for anyone to get around the city or the outer suburbs.  There are so many bus stops that drivers do not stop unless you flag them down.  Very similar to a taxi except much cheaper.  It’s actually a very efficient system since time isn’t wasted on unnecessary stops.

2. No Taco Bell.  There is pretty much every other major fast food chain present here, including Carl’s Jr., which is like the worst one.  If Carl’s Jr. made it, Taco Bell should be given a chance.

3. Assigned seats in movie theaters (aka cinemas).  I really love this.  At first I thought, “Excuse me?  Isn’t it a little too fancy for ‘Oz, The Great and Powerful’ to have assigned seating?”  But then I realized how great it was!  No more showing up 20 minutes before the movie starts to get a good seat and having to sit through all the dumb promos and previews.  I don’t know why we don’t do it in the U.S.

4. No Pepperidge Farm products.  No Goldfish. No Milano cookies. Sigh.

5. Crossing the street diagonally.  This one is my favorite.  At a few very busy intersections downtown, pedestrians are given the little green man in all directions.  This means that all traffic stops while we cross the street.  Which also means you can cross the street diagonally!  It is a big thrill for me to walk through the middle of the street, and I take the opportunity to do so whenever possible.

What do you guys think?  Is there any chance some of these ideas could make their way over to the U.S.?

I’ve got, ONE ticket to Paradise!

Finally!  I booked my flight to Auckland. I’ve been putting it off, and it might have something to do with charging such a large amount on my credit card.  It could also be the fact that more so than anything else, this is what really puts my plans in motion.  Booking this flight was the biggest hurdle for me to jump, and it was looking pretty high.  The Book It button was staring at me for a good ten minutes before I pressed it!  But press it I did, and I’m relieved and excited at the same time!

I’ve been looking at flights for about two months now, checking every booking site and perusing the options to get me to Auckland this February.  Kayak.com was most helpful since it gave me prices from all over the web condensed onto one page.  Living in Frederick does have its advantages, since I have access to three major airports that are all about the same distance away.  Add in the fact that I was flexible on dates to depart, I had many options from which to choose.

Lucky for me, prices have not changed much since I’ve started looking and I think I got a pretty good deal. A one-stop, one-way flight for $1,160.  My total travelling time will be about 23 hours, but since I’m heading West and flying over the International Date Line, I’ll be leaving Monday morning and arriving Wednesday morning.  It’s like I’m traveling to the future!

My layover will be in LA, and I’ll have 9 hours to spend waiting for my next flight.  I don’t know if that’s enough time to go exploring since I’ve heard that traffic is so awful there.  It would be cool to get a Pinks hot dog though.

What do you guys think?  Did I get a good deal?  Should I explore LA?  Leave me a comment and let me know!