We had an early morning flight to Sydney where we caught our flight home after a 2 hour layover. It is bittersweet. I miss everyone at home but at the same time I think I'm leaving a little piece of me in Australia and NZ. 
 
Things I learned in New Zealand:

• The name New Zealand comes from the Dutch "Nieuw Zeeland" meaning New Sealand, due to the numerous seals on the islands.
• The sun shines on NZ before anywhere else.
• NZ is small and thinly populated but the scenery is unlike anywhere else.
• Only 5% of the population is human. The rest is animals. 
• 15% of NZ population is Maori
• more people live in Auckland than in the whole of the South Island
• Auckland has 1/3 of the entire population of NZ
• NZ has more species of penguins than any other country. We didn't see any but I'll take their word for it. 
• 1/3 of NZ has protected National Parks
• NZ has 14 National parks, 3 of which are World Heritage Areas -Tongariro, Te Wahipounamu and Subantarctic Islands 
• This country recognizes and celebrates it indigenous people - it is a kinder, gentler and more respectful place than anywhere I have ever been.
• NZ is more than the place where the Lord of the Rings, Avatar and Chronicles of Narnia movies were filmed.
• This is a land obsessed with rugby.
• There is a multitude of things to see and do in NZ - it's not just about sight-seeing.
• It is always windy.  A gentle breeze can turn into a gale with no warning.
• It's cooler by a few degrees on the South Island than the North Island.
• NZ is very eco friendly.
• In less than a thousand years the islands have produced 2 new peoples - the Polynesian Maori and the European New Zealanders (Pakeha).
• New Zealand seems small compared to Australia but it is bigger than Britain and much bigger than other Polynesian islands.
• There are more Scottish pipe bands per capita in NZ than in Scotland itself (in the 1880's more Scots settled in NZ than elsewhere, with the possible exception of Canada).
• NZ was the first country in the world to give women the vote in 1893, thanks to Kate Shepard. 
• When they refer to "kiwi" they are not talking about the fruit but a flightless bird, which is NZ's national emblem and the nickname they use for themselves. Who knew?
• They have more than 19,000 of pristine coastline and the largest fishing grounds of any other country on earth. Shellfish abound. Mmmm....
• New Zealanders love steak and their red wines to accompany them are fantastic. 
• Belching is considered the height of bad manners.
• If you're late for a restaurant reservation you'll lose your table. We did not learn about these last 2 taboos from experience, btw.
• Many people think their Manuka honey is to die for......Ironic since it has extraordinary healthful and healing properties. I wasn't big on it and it's very pricey.
• in 1996, a man broke into a Wanganui Radio station, took the manager hostage and demanded they play the Muppet song "Rainbow Connection
• the NZ badminton team was called the Black c***
• Henry the Tuatara became a father for the first time at the age of 111. A tuatara is a NZ lizard
• in 2007, NZ courts banned a couple for calling their child "4Real" so they named him "Superman"
• 3/4 of NZers living overseas are in Australia 
• there are more vending machines in Japan than there are people in NZ
• NZ courts allowed a child to be named "Number 16 Bus Shelter"
• NZ has 3 official languages - English, Maori and sign language 
• Sir Edmund Hillary was the first man in the world to climb Mt Everest (1953)
• the first man to split the atom was NZer Sir Ernest Rutherford in 1917
• bats are the only mammals native to NZ. The rest were introduced by Maori & Europeans
• NZ currently generates power geothermically (10%), hydro electrically (65%) and by wind turbines (5%). Not sure where the other 20% comes from. Some is solar. 
• NZ has no nuclear power
• NZ has the longest coast line in the world with 15,134 km's. 
• kiwi fruit was originally called the Chinese Gooseberry
• NZ is home to the giant Weta, the heaviest insect in the world
• Auto (our CEO) comes from the Waikato
• You really can't judge a book by its cover or people by first impressions
• I love NZ but my heart is in Australia
• Australia & NZ are places I want to come back to, visit with the friends I made here, and explore further - maybe I'll even rent a hippy camper! :)