Experience real life in New Zealand

In goggle-eyed and stunned disbelief as the schedule pummels your intelligence to grey-mash.

Blog Roundup: Crash barriers Kiwi style, NZ TV and why immigration advice might be illegal.

UNTIL you actually see the state of New Zealand roads, and experience the national sport of horn-assisted tailgating, you will always wonder why the death rate is so high from traffic accidents in such a paradise.

Avalon has taken her life in her hands to photo-document why you should be very afraid of driving in the Land of the Ring. Just check out those sheep-pen inspired crash barriers on the Rimutaka race track (SH2 between Wellington and Featherston).

And over at Slightly Intrepid, Ethan describes how NZ TV has sunk into the no-content, no-value quagmire of modern programming.

Two decades of commercial broadcasting without a public service alternative has changed New Zealand society, and the consequences of these changes are mostly negative.

I have few kind words for British TV, but until you have spent a few evenings watching telly here in NZ -- in goggle-eyed and stunned disbelief as the schedule pummels your intelligence to grey-mash -- you have no idea how bad television can get.

Yet, of course, there are many positive experiences you can have in NZ. Wellington Daily Photo takes a look at the traditional Hangi which no visitor can avoid at some point. (And wouldn't want to).

An examination of a traditional hot rocks, open basket, ground hangi reveals exactly how the food obtains the unique flavour that many Kiwis have come to love.

But to finish, it's back to Avalon and her own experiences with NZ immigration. A recent law has thrown into question even innocent advice on immigration given between acquaintences.

With admirable determination Avalon seems to be getting to the bottom of the matter.

This problem has been caused solely by the people who wrote the law, without bothering to pick up a dictionary and read the difference between the word Advisor and Agent.

The delights of the Immigration Service and its special rule book are experienced by all those long-term and permanent visitors to NZ, so it's good that there are dedicated individuals fighting to uncover the hidden secrets.

Comments

[Avalon]

Awwww - thank you :)What a lovely thing to say. I just hope it does some good :) Will keep everyone posted as soon as I know something.

Cheers
Hxxx

[Alan]

And when it comes to traffic you only have to look at what one guy did last week. Lots of rain, road delays etc., so instead of sitting in traffic waiting to drove on a bridge over the Hutt river, he just tried driving his (small) 4WD across the river at a shallow point.. Needless to say he, and a friend who went to help out, both got stuck..