When the immigration office begins e-mailing you in warning that your visa is about to expire you know that its time you should start planning your exit strategy. Yes, hard to believe it but we've been in New Zealand for almost a year now and our remaining time is very limited. This has led me to begin reminiscing on the good times. I've found myself looking through our compiled photos and videos smiling, yearning for it not to end. So I've compiled a list of ten things that I'll miss about life in New Zealand for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!
-$1 Movie Rentals from Civic Video
Who can argue with $1 week long movie rentals? (Keep in mind Netflix doesn't exist here) Quite an extensive library to choose from as well, from international and foreign language films to anime.
-Toasted Vogel's with Pic's Peanut Butter on top
Aside from being what I ate for lunch almost everyday at work for almost 6 months, Pic's Peanut Butter is straight up the best damned peanut butter I've ever tasted, and this is coming from a PB fanatic. I shed a tear for the day I finish my last jar.
-Cheap Tuesday Cinema
Ignoring the fact that the "cheap" Tuesday cinema tickets are just realigning the prices more to what we'd be used to on any given day in the US, it was a fun when you suddenly realized it was Tuesday and rushed to see what was playing. We made a bit of a ritual out of it.
-$10 Curry, Rice and Naan
We still can't believe that we hadn't tried Indian food before coming to NZ, and we will always associate the two. One of the few budget restaurant meals in the country, and as delicious as they come
-Hiking in the Rainforest in the Waitakeres
I will truly miss having such an outdoor paradise just out my backdoor. A massive rainforest covered, waterfall scoured, beach backed, secluded mountain range. Yes, please.
-Waterfalls
I doubt many other places on earth can compete with the multitude and diversity of waterfalls here. Certainly not golden California.
-Strolling Along Beautiful Empty Beaches
I'm not sure I'll ever be able to enjoy Santa Cruz again.
-The Coffee
Aside from the fact that NZ is the place that I learned to love coffee (espresso drinks to be more accurate), I'll miss the cafe culture that permeates every nook and cranny of the country. It just doesn't have a parallel in California. I guess Starbucks will have to do.
-The Beer
I'm sure my new found appreciation for this legendary beverage will only continue to grow and come to include many an American beer, but I'll never forget the place I learned to love it. (Anyone know of any good craft breweries back home?)
-Turkish Cafes on Every Corner
An ode to one my new favorite take outs
- (Generally) Clean and Well Stocked Public Restrooms
'nuff said
-A Relaxed and Even-Handed Outlook on Life
Kiwis are intelligent, humble, and mild mannered. They prefer to be understated, even at their most pretentious and you'll be hard pressed to find many moral crusaders here.
-Friends!
Because I couldn't have had the time I did in NZ without them. Thanks for bringing me into the fold and helping me to adjust to my new life thousands of miles from home.
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