Hi, peeps! I am back! Yea this time I am going to list out the differences between New Zealand and Malaysia. I have been here for almost 6 months. I found that actually a lot of things over here is so much different compared to Malaysia. Despite the size of both country are almost the same. Everyone was saying that the populations of sheep are more than human in New Zealand. In fact, when you drive around you can see all the sheep, horses, and cows along the road. So I strongly believed that, since there is so much difference between both country the ways they used to do things will be different too! Let's start!
- Buy Property (Car, bike, house)
Buying a property here just as easy as you buy veggies from the Pasar Pagi (Morning Market). Why say so? I believe most of the Working Holiday-er when they started their journey and they will need a car travelling/moving around New Zealand. People said without a car in New Zealand is equal to you lose your leg. Usually buying a car all you need to do is choose a car type and then head over to the car centre to understand all the procedure and then start to apply load from bank and tons of document need to prepare and follow-up and then argue with the car agent and then get angry to the bank and stuff like that. After that, you wait for months to get your car plate chosen and wait for months again until you get your car. But in New Zealand. We usually go for the second-hand car. Search from the Facebook group / Trade Me / Backpacker board / Countdown and Paknsave notice board looking for those who posted for selling car, contact the owner book a date and time, view the car and test drive, then discuss the final price or bargain, pay for the car and head to post shop (Post office) to change the vehicle name to yours (NZD 9 dollar for this process). DONE. Settle everything in only 5 steps and took half day to own a car. Easy? yes!
- car plate
The car plate here is funny and I seriously like it a lot compares to Malaysia. In Malaysia the car plate you can only choose the numbers you like and only limited to 4 numbers maximum. The patterns are all the same with 3 alphabets in front and continue with the figure. For example, WTH 1234 / BBC 2244 and there is a certain period of time the car plate change to WTH 1234 A / W123B and stuff like that. But here you can find a lot of special car plate-like " I AROUND / DAVID / FOLLOW ME " stuff like that without numbering and just alphabet. I find it special and up to you to choose what you want to put as and it's your car.
- Debit Card is everything
- liquor cannot hold in hand without a bag
- Fast food is SLOW
This seriously surprises me that fast food is slow in NZ. I didn't know why in others country I have been travel so far all the fast food are fast. I mean from order until you get your food the whole process is short and it can be fast. But I didn't know why when coming to New Zealand everything becomes slow. I went to KFC, McDonald's, Dominos, Pizza Hut and Carl's Junior. All are slow. So if you are hungry, don't ever think of fast food. Because you will get frustrated.
- Chili is not hot
I am from Malaysia and I seriously like spicy food. Whenever I go I surely order something hot and spicy. Then they will ask you whether you want hot or mild. I always go for the hot one. Surprise not. The hot spicy is like no spicy. Then I know people here are not really like spicy. Even I went for Nandos the sauce is not hot at all. *cry* Malaysian always want everything with chilli, like eat french fried with chilli, eat chicken with chilli, eat a burger with chilli and even fried rice with chilli. But when come to New Zealand all the chilli here is not spicy but sweet.
- not a materialistic country
People here don't wear Gucci LV Prada Rolex whatever stuff that expensive. Even their car also second-hand one. Apple from the supermarket is all rotten one. Even hot cup they can eat from morning-to-night. They are quite saved. They don't waste food. They don't really care the price but as long as cheap and nice. This is what I notice and maybe some of them are not =D
- Get addicted into "Treasure Hunt"
Oh well, this is not what you really hunt for treasure for yeah something for the gamble. You need a passport to purchase this. $4 per piece. Find out the 3 same symbol and you will win. Okay, I like this game but not going to elaborate on this haha!
- there is a lot of rounds about on the road
There is a lot of rounds about on the road. I think it's good! Because you can make a U-turn anytime anywhere as long as there is a roundabout haha! I find it interesting, but still dangerous because their driving rules are different compared to Malaysia. So before you drive better read the driving rules before you got into an accident *touch wood*
- Highways without toll
When hearing of highway only 2 things come to my mind. First, is speeding, and the second was Toll!!!! I believe the Malaysian know this well. The highway in Malaysia a lot of toll counter and they even make it easier for you to pay with your MyCard. LOL. But the highway here you cannot speed. Maximum speed is 100KM/J and when getting into town or before the roundabout the speed will reduce to 50KM/J. Can you imagine 50KM/J everyone will be sleeping in the middle of the road if this happened in Malaysia? Yes, there is no Toll, but if yes there is only one or two provided you drive a really long distance then only you found one. But the toll over here is just a platform, after your vehicles go through the platform you can check online how much you should pay or head over to post shop pay for it.
- naked foot
People here don't wear shoes. Even during summer also they never wear shoes. No matter where they go, walking, shopping, even in a supermarket. they don't wear shoes. I have been told that it's the Maori (Local people) culture which means close to earth or stuff like that. First I feel surprised and after few months oh well its normal for them haha!
That all for the post. Actually, there is a lot but I think if I really finish up all then this going to be a killing post and no one reading. So I just highlighted some obvious one so that when you guys travel to New Zealand can easily identify the true and false. well, what topic should I write for the next post? let me think and be sure stay with me! xoxo
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