Sydney, Australia to Christchurch, New Zealand

We were up at 0430 to get to the airport in time for our 0845 flight to New Zealand.  There was extensive construction around the airport which made it challenging to get to the terminals. So, we took the earliest airport shuttle from the hotel to the airport.  Clearing out was quick and easy since few people were at the airport so early.  We had a nice breakfast at the airport before the crowds arrived.  We boarded our Emirates Airbus A380 and settled in for a pleasant 4 hour flight to Christchurch.  We picked up our rental car and drove a short distance to our B&B for the evening.  Dinner was at a Lone Star restaurant for steak and ribs.  The food was fine; however, the prices were outrageous.  Australia was expensive but New Zealand might be even more so.  We saw an old Morris car in the parking lot which was interesting.  We watched some television afterward.  One program featured Australian Customs and Border Protection officers at work.  We were amazed not only at what they discovered being brought into the country but also the incongruous actions taken in response.  Sometimes things just don't make sense.

A Morris

Another surprise to us was the number of Chinese who are living in Australia and New Zealand.  Most of them arrived within the last 15 years.  In Australia, it was not uncommon to see signs in both English and Chinese.  Many of the passengers on our flight from Australia to New Zealand were Chinese and many did not speak English.  The airline had one flight attendant who appeared to be Chinese and we assumed she was there to assist with the Chinese passengers.  The extent of Asian tourism in New Zealand became quite evident when we discovered signs in restrooms indicating it was alright to deposit toilet paper in the toilet and requesting it not be disposed of in the WC trash receptacles.  We are no longer in the land of the squat toilet and chopsticks.  In Australia and New Zealand, you sit on the toilet and use knives, forks and spoons.  ANZACs like it that way.

Sit Do Not Squat On The Toilet - Paper In The Toilet