Just the Little Things

gordster · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 23 Nov 2003 Posts: 15

you migth of also noticed the toliets flush alright,a nd don't use the poor design found in the UK.

Water pressure is also much stronger, so there is no such thing as a power shower. I only discovered this when I came to the UK and found out how poor the 'shower experience' is. Due to the poor water pressure caused by old narrow water mains.

JCM · Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2003 6:49 am Post subject:

Hi gordster, where are you in the UK?

JCM · Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2003 8:13 am Post subject:

Mini Baths

Kiwis are quite keen on their showers. Quite a lot of the houses we looked at that advertised bathrooms actually had mini-baths in them. Enough to sit down in and wash yourself but not enough to lie down and relax.

dan-ish · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 3:48 am Post subject: Footie.

Hi,

Footie. What does that say to you? Feet, right? Damn right! Those crazy kiwis call 'rugby' by another name - 'footie'. Nutcase

Now correct me if I am wrong, but is it not the hands that are predominantly used in rugby - ask the English or the Ozzies if you are not sure (sorry, cheap shot). Wink

I got quite confused when I was asked if I wanted to play 'footie', but was handed a funny, egg shaped ball.

Madness!

lesly · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 9:56 pm Post subject:

Hi all, this is the time I really get scared, why do I want to go to NZ?

Here in Belgium, everyone has their postboxes where the front garden meets the pavement!
TV adverts are shown during programmes all the time, and worst of all, in between they show them too! Nutcase

We do have a bathroom with a toilet in it, but we have a seperate one too.

Anyway, from now on I 'll buy milk in the supermarket, and won 't turn my car in a semi-circle anymore !! Mr. Green

JCM · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2003 8:35 am Post subject:

How about this lesly? Laughing

Brass bands mounted on the back of open trailers coming into my cul-de-sac, playing a christmas carol and then moving on to the next street.

lesly · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2003 8:06 pm Post subject:

Okay JCM, that sounds great ! Never seen one of those in my entire life!! You convinced me. I 'll see you soon!
But promise me I will get to see one!!! Wink

JCM · Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2003 9:29 am Post subject:

Hi Lesly,

Sorry, no guarantees. I've seen this happen in my street twice so far.

justbishop · Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2003 4:29 pm Post subject:

On the bathroom / toilet issue:

- Here in the US, if a house or apt. is advertised as having a bathroom, that means one room usually housing a bathtub / shower combo, a sink / mirror area, and a toilet. Commonly referred to as a "full bath"

- A "1/2 bath" or "powder room" is a room housing a sink / mirror area and a toilet.

- A "3/4 bath" (less common) is a room housing a toilet, sink / vanity area, and a stand up shower stall.

- If there are special features in a full bathroom (i.e. a jacuzzi style or garden style tub, seperate shower stall in addition to a seperate tub, or a sit down vanity area,) these points are described in full, as they are great selling points.

- It's not uncommon for newer houses to have multiple full baths upstairs (one in the master bedroom, one or more for the other bedrooms to share) and a 1/2 bath downstairs for visitors.

The fact that a "bathroom" in NZ usually doesn't include a toilet is a good tidbit to know:) I AM reading that correctly, right?

JCM · Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2004 8:56 pm Post subject:

JCM · Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 1:00 pm Post subject:

On November 5th (and usually a few days either side Rolling Eyes

) New Zealanders let off fireworks etc to mark Guy Fawkes night. (For non-Brits this is a celebration of the burning at the stake Eek

of Guy Fawkes for treason in Britain a very long time ago.)

JCM · Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2004 4:26 pm Post subject:

In UK supermarkets, isn't it great when you find something you like marked 'buy one, get one free'?

Make the most of it lads and lassies, because you don't see this in NZ. Wah

Tate6 · Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2004 3:37 am Post subject:

I am having a blast reading these fun tidbits! Laughing

Okay, here is one:

How does the water taste? Here, in Wisconsin, US, we have wonderful tasting water. But I remember being in South Dakota, US, and the water was horrible!! We hardly ever buy bottled water here, unless you are walking, exercising or something, then it is just to be able to reuse the bottle to refill with our "free" great tasting water!

Terry

JCM · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2004 4:43 pm Post subject:

Hi Tate6,

The water I've tasted up in Auckland is terrible, full of chlorine.

Christchurch has, supposedly, the purest water supply in the world. It comes straight from artesian wells in the ground with no chemicals added whatsoever. So I guess you could say we have mineral water on tap in Christchurch. The first time I had it, I thought it tasted a little funny, but now I don't notice anything. I just notice the taste of chlorine if I travel elsewhere.

JCM · Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2004 8:36 am Post subject:

When it comes to motoring, certainly in Christchurch, there are far more white coloured cars than in the UK and a heck of a lot of big, off-road 4WD's which can be an irritant when you can't see the road ahead properly because one or more of these brutes is in the way. Rolling Eyes

Another funny thing is that when you come to a junction here, the writing on the road surface doesn't say

GIVE
WAY

it says

WAY
GIVE

The Kiwi designers obviously reckon that as you approach the junction, you read the closest word first - GIVE - and then the second word - WAY. Nutcase