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Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Yo, New Zealand! Eff You!

It would appear that New Zealand has been by before, but they never got the travelogue treatment, so today New Zealand gets a big Eff You welcome. I think they've only been by once before, and they barely got a mention. I feel bad about that, so here goes.

If Australia is Down Under, then New Zealand is Under Down Under. Located about 900 miles east and a little south of Australia, New Zealand consists of two main islands -- North Island and South Island -- as well as numerous smaller islands. A constitutional monarchy and former British possession, New Zealand has a number of characteristics that distinguish it from most other countries:
Because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans. During its long isolation, New Zealand developed a distinctive biodiversity of animal, fungal and plant life. The country's varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks, such as theSouthern Alps, owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions. New Zealand's capital city is Wellington, while its most populous city is Auckland.
Polynesians settled New Zealand in 1250–1300 CE and developed a distinctive Māori culture. Abel Tasman, a Dutch explorer, was the first European to sight New Zealand in 1642.[10] In 1840, representatives of the British Crown and Māori Chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, making New Zealand a British colony. Today, the majority of New Zealand's population of 4.5 million is of European descent; the indigenous Māori are the largest minority, followed by Asians and Pacific Islanders. Reflecting this, New Zealand's culture is mainly derived from Māori and early British settlers, with recent broadening arising from increased immigration. The official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language, with English predominant. The country's economy was historically dominated by the export of wool, but exports of dairy products, meat, and wine, along with tourism, are more significant today.
They got a lot of sheep in New Zealand, and naturally exports from that are a big part of their economy. Tourism also is large, because the nation is really astoundingly beautiful. Also, the filming of the "Lord of the Rings" movies there created a niche tourism market all its own. Plus, stuff like this:


Might be time to move there. Anyway, let's give a big Eff You welcome to New Zealand. Come back soon, and bring your friends.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I spent a year there as a young man, and let me tell you: New Zealand rocks! The pioneer spirit is still pretty strong there, and the Kiwis are awesome people. I'd love to move there.
/RAF