You like New Zealand.
I had the good fortune to visit this small nation for a couple of weeks--not long enough to do the country justice, certainly, but enough to give it the Rick Spalding endorsement.
Like I said, it was two weeks, so don't ask me to comment on their politics (I'm guessing peacenik commies), Maori history, NZ culture or really any social subject of substance. I know fuck-all about New Zealanders, the people, except that most of them speak funny and have rotten teeth from eating pavlova all the time (seriously, it's disgusting: every person I met had a mouthful of white meringue and black stubby teeth. Think Gollum on a good day).
Their environment, though, is freakin' gorgeous. The North island is lushly sub-tropical, while the South island, dominated by mountains, ranges from rainforest to high, arid plateaus. The climate is ideal, the vistas spectacular and the flora verdant.
The cities won't wow Europeans, but North Americans will feel at home, except that NZ's communities are likely smaller, cleaner and prettier than the place you come from. Auckland reminds me a bit of Vancouver, but half the size, with little traffic and fewer heroin addicts. Actually, that's a poor comparison. Maybe Auckland is more like a tiny San Francisco but, again, with little traffic and fewer heroin addicts.
Bay of Islands impressed me, as did Milford Sound. I was less impressed with security at the international airport. Fuckers totally confiscated my wolverine and alligator collection. Some bullshit about introduced species. I'm just lucky they didn't find the guns in my carry-on.
(In the linked Auckland photo, see that yacht in the harbor? Yeah, mine is bigger.)
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