Realwomen.co.nz

I know Forgiven - we know all about the States, we are saturated from birth by the movies, the books, the newspapers, the TV..........whereas you, of course, don't get all ours! Funny, that! We don't have cities like yours, of course. We don't have the population. Auckland is very like Portland, Oregon in terms of population, and Wellington City (where I spent a few days, and which is our Capital) only has a population of 163,000 or so. The Wellington region has just under 500,00 people. So as you can see, not large cities. But believe me, our larger cities have all the problems of yours - unfortunately. (except for the guns, we don't do guns, well we do, but it's not a huge problem. We're stabbers more than shooters.) There's only 4 million of us living in NZ - and I kinda think we like it that way.

Great pictures, Jackie. Thanks for sharing them.

May I add something in there Jackie, call it thread diversification if you will
(I keep looking at those pics of yours...its not just that the scenery is great, its the quality of your photos, girl! they are stunning).
NZ has no New York per se, but as with the whole country is a microcosm of this large continent. The City of Phoenix is the fifth largest City in the United States, but in many ways its simply a very large (huge/ginormous) country town when compared with Auckland or Wellington. However, New Zealand has a sophistication that is lacking here. It may be very small by comparison and the smaller population base demands less goods and services but New Zealand is no desolate backwater. I tend to view Phoenix as a backwater in terms of cultural sophistication.

Yesterday a colleague (she does not know that word and would call us 'co workers' asked me if people in Australia used cars. She knew that they didnt in New Zealand. HUH????? This young woman has just graduated with her MBA. Americans don't need to know what is beyond its shores and many of them have no idea what other countries are like. Also, many people think that New Zealand is in Europe and part of Germany. ?????
So...I think its great that you have posted pictures of your fabulous trip, Jackie..and I think its great that Forgiven can see what its like here.

New Zealand is a great nation and a visually stunning country. Its time New Zealanders took one positive leaf out of America's book - patriotism! Love your country. Guess that one has to stand back and look in from the outside to really appreciate!!!

Jackie,

Your so right about us people here in the United States, don't know much about NZ..... To me that is ashame as they are missing out on so much... Until I joined this forum I didn't know myself but really loving the history lessons I get ever now and then. Your country is beautiful and just be thankful you don't have many forigners coming there to destroy the beauty with there trash and way they live. Being an X-military wife I've lived arounf all the walks of life I think, and some was pretty nice and others were as I said trash.

I don't live in a big city and have no desire too although I didn't intend on living out the rest of my like in a desert without water (meaning rain) and sage brush and tumble weeds. One has to spend a fortune to have just green grass in there yards. But you look out the back door at the other countries that don't even have a yard and know how Blessed you are.

To me wellington City and Auckland are good size cities but know the problems that goes with them too. I was in New York and there is no way I'd want to live there. Now I Love Cape Cod and would stay there in a heart beat. Lived there for several years.... Maybe one day I'll get out of this country to come visit your country.... I'd really love that.


Salliemae we always called the people I worked with co-workers and when someone refers to a colleague it means a partner,or an associate in a profession...those are what we call snobs.... No offense,....... or mucky mucks. In other words those people wouldn't give me the time of day and I wouldn't spit on their shoes either. Just two different classes of people.... That is the way it is throughout the US.......

Anyway ....I love the picturse and I usually send them to Sami better known as jabber jaws as she likes them too. Again Thank you......

I'm so glad, forgiven. I had no idea you were sending photos onto your darling GD. I'll PM you with my email address and I can send photos to you that you can send on to her, eh?

Great photos Jackie. I love driving around NZ and now you've made me want to plan my own trip! And like you I love taking photos of the buildings. Those old derelict ones have so much character, especially in B&W. Glad you had a good time.

Hi there ladies,

My family and I have just returned from a few days in Taupo. Jackie, I went to the Taupo Museum and also admired the Chelsea Garden entry. I was also very taken with the artwork on display. Did you take a guess at the queue of figurines and decide what it was that they were lining up for?

Like has been mentioned - wow! what great pictures that you have taken. Keep up the good work I say!

Nice to see you back on Erin... were your ears burning by any chance ? Jackie phoned me a couple of nights ago , and we were wondering together how you are.. long time no see. Just saying that it was time that we had another Auckland Coffee Meet. Then we were on the subject of driving around our wonderful country, and all the great places and things there are to see and go to. We said how nice it would be to sometime trip off into the wide blue yonder. Somewhere... like Gisborne for instance . Look out Jode... we are talking about hiring a mini -bus now!.. LOL...a RW tour of the east coast! Hehe... I reckon we would have a blast!