Out and About in Kiwi Country

Thrift shops are mainstream in New Zealand, where they are called Op Shops. The “op” stands for “opportunity”, a term that was coined by a woman in Australia who wanted a more dignified term than “second-hand”. Villages in New Zealand have at least one Op Shop; larger towns may have four or five of them. Thrifty and environmentally-conscious Kiwis know that these enterprises not only benefit the associated charities, but also provide a chance to recycle materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill.

Some mature American travelers have a hard time passing up the chance to paw through the discards of the cultures through which they pass…..

Henry has now acquired quite a selection of music CDs – including a pristine collection of Patsy Cline oldies. (Will have to wait to listen to them, as CD players are few and far between – here, there and everywhere… but not at home!)

One of the most brilliant Op Shop strategies is to take the donated goods, then upgrade or embellish them to enhance their appeal…..

Thus one person’s trash becomes someone else’s one-of-a-kind treasure! What a great activity for a sewing/craft group!

Another way to capitalize on unused resources – the free library (“Take a book; leave a book”), also common in small communities. This one is lodged in a beautifully-painted old refrigerator on the front porch of a local post office/realtor/convenience store.

Lance was taking a break from a long hike down the road, modeling what looks like the latest in Op Shop couture; Henry appears an over-eager fashion dandy next to him.

Lance is a retired farmer who has traveled quite extensively himself; grounded now, he said, by the limits of old age and a fairly recent minor stroke. Sigh. State of the universe was a compelling topic for him, and one we turned over carefully.

New Zealand has a universal public health care system that provides free or subsidized care to all its citizens. A promotion for early cancer screening included a giant inflatable colon, complete with polyps at various stages…

What a nice way to educate people about a potentially deadly disease! And hopefully inspire them to be screened…..

Henry badly needed a haircut. Immediate seating was available at a barbershop in Rotorua that had this image on the door:

We honestly believed the stylist would simply give Henry a trim; he instead opted for this very popular style – shaved on the sides and long on top – looks like a cross between a mohawk and a mullet.

Unfortunately, the style does not translate well for people with thinning silver hair….. We will have to get this fixed in Melbourne!

As idyllic as life in New Zealand appears to us, young people often get itchy and discontent….. in part due to the limited career/work options that exist and perhaps due to the limits of living on a small isolated island. Most Kiwis spend a year or two abroad in their early adulthood; many never return. It is a drain on talent, but one that people ultimately accept if not embrace.

Kiwi grown-ups DO worry about the advent of the “Boy Racers” phenomenon, and it receives a lot of national media attention. These are young people – mostly of the male persuasion – who race each other at high speed in supercharged cars, spinning them around and desecrating paved roads and countryside alike.

Racing usually occurs at night and at high volume. Laws against this activity incorporate penalties such as vehicle impoundment, fines and jail time, but they have been unevenly effective. Some jurisdictions are adapting abandoned go-kart tracks to divert noisy racing from commercial and residential areas. Angry old people shake their fists and say, “These kids need something better to do!” We – not surprisingly – agree with the other seniors….

The Coromandel Peninsula is a close getaway for Auckland residents – with rolling hills, beaches, laid-back villages, agriculture and great hiking. It was our last stop in New Zealand and our favorite Airbnb stay so far – 15 minutes from the closest town in a barn set in the middle of sheep paddocks.

It had a cozy and well-designed interior….

A wood stove…..

And some of Henry’s favorite people next door – chickens!

This red-headed beauty came to call in the morning and had to pay the price….a cuddling session!

Our last day before heading to Australia – how happy we were to be scraping the ice off our rental car instead of sweltering at home!

So now to Melbourne – where we will sample city life for a while, meet up with South African friends Tertius and Ty, and prepare for a flying adventure through the red heart of Australia.