The Amazing Race

There I was, walking around the Sky Tower area, when I guy comes up to me and says:

He: "Hi there!"
Me: "Hello!"
He: "Do you speak any other language apart from English?"
Me: "Yes, I do."
He: "Let me explain to you what we are doing. Do you know The Amazing Race TV show¹?"
Me: "Yep, I think so."
He: "Oh, good! We are one of the contestants of that show. Or at least, we are trying to be... So, this is one of the games that we have to play. We need to find people that can speak another language and ask them to say anything in that language to that lady there."
Me: "Oh, is that so? I don't think that's a good idea..."
He: "Oh, come on! You just need to say anything in your native language to that woman over there. It won't take more than 3 seconds!"
Me: "Humm, ok then. But do I have to give you any personal information, like my passport number or my address?"
He: "No! You just have to say a sentence in your native language. That's it!"
Me: "Ok , I'll do it then."
He: "Cool! Thank you!! Let's go there then. Where are you from?"
Me: "Brazil."
He: "Oh, really? Which part? São Paulo?"
Me: "That's right!"
He: "I know São Paulo. I've never been there though. Oh, here we are..."
Lady: "So, say something in your language."
Me: "O que você quer que eu fale?"
Lady: "Wow! I didn't understand a word! But that's enough, thank you very much!"
Me: "Is that it? LOL!"
Lady: "Lol! Yes! That's it!"
Me: "Cool. Just for you to know, I said "What do you want me to say?" in Portuguese."
Everybody: "LOL!"
He: "Oh, here, take this. It's kind of a prize for you to have helped us."
Me: "Wow! Thanks a lot!"
He: "You are welcome!"
Me: "Humm, I'm liking this you know... Listen, can I say something else so I can win more things?"
Everybody: "LOL!!!"

And that's the kind of people you meet while walking around Auckland! =P 

Here are the "prizes" I got:

And here are the people. Take a look at them carefully. Maybe two of them will be famous in the Amazing Race! =P

## Links ##

1) http://www.cbs.com/shows/amazing_race/

Britomart Transport Centre

For those of you who asked me to upload more videos about Auckland, here it is! =)

Telecom, Vodafone and 2-Degrees - Which one should you choose?

There are 3 main telecom companies in New Zealand: Vodafone, Telecom and 2-Degrees.

There is no golden rule to make the decision on which one you should choose. However, I'm going to share with you the little knowledge I have about those companies so far

1. Text message

A piece of advice: stay away from "casual rates for text" plans. In fact, stay away from any "casual rates for something". They usually cost an arm and a leg (and maybe a kidney). You need to buy the packages the companies offer you instead, otherwise the texts will be TOO expensive! For instance, by Telecom, a single text message costs you NZ$ 0.20 each in the "casual rates" plan. However, you can buy a NZ$ 6.00 package and get 150 text messages (that is NZ$ 0.04 per text message). The only downturn is that the messages expire 30 days later, whether you use them or not! Yet, I think it is worth it. If you happen to use more than the 150 messages available, they will start to charge you the standard "casual rates" again (NZ$ 0.20 for each extra message), so pay attention to your text message "balance"!

Nonetheless, I still find NZ$ 0.04 per text message a rip-off. 2-Degrees, for instance, has a plan of 2500 text messages for NZ$ 10.00¹, which gives you a rate of NZ 0.004 / message.
However, unless you really send about 80 messages a day (2500/30 = 83) I don't think it is worth to buy this plan. You'd be better off sticking with the first one that charges you NZ$ 6.00 (which gives you 5 text messages per day). Again, it all depends on how often you send text messages.



2. 3G network

It is also worth mention that, if you are going to use the 3G network, then it is nice to take a look at Vodafone. They offer you 10MB of data for free every day. After that they charge you NZ$ 1.00 per MB exceeded (which is another rip-off). Telecom has the same plan, except that they charge you NZ$ 1.00 for the first 10MB!!! O__O Stay away from Telecom if you are on a prepaid plan and need to use some 3G.



3. Voice

And last, but not least, there is the voice plans. Honestly, I don't think any of them are worth it. You should just have some credit in order to be able to receive calls and that's it! If you need to make calls, use Skype instead. It's way cheaper. Of course you have the inconvenience that you have to be connect to the Internet, but I still think it is much more worth it.

So, what conclusion can we get from all this? I advise you to stay away from Telecom. Use Vodafone or 2-Degrees instead. To be honest, there might be some cases where Telecom is the best one to choose, however, I didn't find one single situation where that is the case. Everything I looked up (always with a prepaid plan in mind) was more expensive in Telecom. Keep in mind, however, that these are only my first impressions. They might change along my stay in New Zealand. I'll let you guys know if they do!


By the way, here goes some cell phone related vocabulary that might help you:

• To top up: to buy credits for your cell phone.

• Airtime: time during which a cellular phone is in use, including calls made and received (I'm not sure if this definition en globe text messages as well...)

• Stay Key: key called "estrela" in Portuguese.

• Hash key: key called "jogo da velha", "hash" or "cruz" in Portuguese

• Landline: any phone that is not a mobile one (we call it "telefone fixo" in Portuguese)

Hope you found this post useful! If you have any tip and would like to add more information to this post, feel free to do so in the comments!



## Links & Resources ##

1) http://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/prepay/pricing/value-packs/text-pack

New York City??

No! Just Queen Street!! =D

Plug adapter

On my second day here in New Zealand I went look for an adapter. First store I tried, was a big Warehouse in 3-Kings, called Bunnings¹.

There was an universal adapter there, but it cost NZ$ 10.00 !!! I found that too much for a simple adapter and decided to go to another store. Sure enough, just about 1 block from there, I found what New Zealanders call a "two-dollar shopping" store. And guess what, I found the EXACT SAME adapter for NZ$ 2.00 !!!!! =D Such a huge difference... The moral of the story is: always check a 2 dollar shopping first! They are all over Auckland.

Here is the adapter I bought:

It easily fits in the new Brazilian standard, as well as the old ones, as shown bellow:

Hope you like it! ;)

PS: Oh, I almost forgot, the voltage here at New Zealand is 230V, so, pay attention to see if your electronics won't burn out as soon as they are plugged in!


## Links ##

1) http://www.bunnings.co.nz

Video of the week - V

Breathtaking time-lapse!

Link to the original video on Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/23237102

Quote of the week - VII

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." 

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Things I like about New Zealand II - Punctuality of the buses

I really like the punctuality of the buses in Auckland. Really, the buses are never more than 5 minutes late. With me (so far) they were never late more than 3 minutes.

There are also some bus lanes in the main roads, just like the ones in Curitiba (Brazil). Differently from Curitiba, however, the lanes are not separated from the others by a small sidewalk or something like that. Instead, they share the same main road with the cars.

The exclusive lane for the buses is usually empty (or, during hush hours, full of buses). You can usually go where you want faster by using a bus rather than a car in peak hours. And, if you are intending to drive in Auckland, a piece of advice: NEVER park in the bus lane! Tow trucks¹ are always around and they will take your car out of the way pretty quickly (believe me, I often see some cars that have been picked up near downtown)! Not to mention the fine must be exorbitant... so, don't even try (not even for "just 1 minute").

iPhone and Android users, here goes a nice tip. You can download the "MAXX² Auckland Transport" application³. This is a very useful app that shows you, among other things, the real time board of the buses (just like the ones you can see in the main bus stops in Auckland).

That's it for this post! See ya!


## Glossary & Links ##

1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tow_truck
2) http://www.maxx.co.nz/
3) http://www.maxx.co.nz/info/how-to-travel/mobile-services.aspx

Things I like about New Zealand I - Kind people

Almost everyone in New Zealand is always very helpful and kind with me. Whether I'm asking for some information on where to go, buying something or just starting a conversation, most people always treat me very well and I don't have many complaints about it (except for some minor people that were rude).

When I'm asking for some information on where to go (and I do that almost every day), for instance, people usually stop (that is, they don't have that "time is money" thinking that I often see in American movies where people are always in such a hurry that they won't even stop and help you for a few seconds) and explain me in detail how I can get there. There was even one time when I asked a woman how I could go to "So and So Street". She explained it to me and everything. I then started to follow her instructions. However, she realized, after we were separated for almost half a block away, that she had given me the wrong directions. She then came running in my direction just to correct the previous information she had gave me. Pretty nice, isn't it?

Another example is when people get off the bus. I would say that about 60% of them say "Thank you" to the bus driver. That's is something really nice to see.

And last, but not least, when you are in stores, you are usually well treated as well. Ok, that's is something you would expect anywhere (because they want you to buy their products). However, it was just in one of those stores that I met probably the most rude person in New Zealand! I came into the store and asked for some information about a phone. It looked like he was doing a favor for me. Never mind, there are some rude people everywhere in the world, I'm sure of that!

See you!

Auckland's Night Market

Last Saturday I went to the Night Market¹. It is just like a Market in Brazil. The only difference is that the "New Zealand version" is inside a parking lot! Also, 90% of the stores were just selling food. The other 10% were selling souvenirs and cell phone covers.

If you want to eat some junk food, you need to go to the Night Market. It is not very big compared to the ones I know in Brazil (specially Curitiba), however, it has its charms. It is not a must, though. There are more interesting places to go in Auckland.

I'll upload a video I made in the Market soon... or, well... at least as soon as I find some place that doesn't have some tiny limit of uploads/downloads... Right now I'm writing this post from a Coffee Shop in Downtown. And guess what? Their Internet also limits downloading up to 60MB... I can understand why they apply these restrictions, but come on! What can I do with 60MB?? Maybe checking my emails and some news... and that's it! Anyway, I have already complained about the Internet in New Zealand here², so I won't go any further... =P

See you!!


## Links ##

1) http://www.aucklandnightmarket.co.nz
2) http://workingholidaykiwi.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/things-i-dont-like-about-new-zealand-ii.html

111 - New Zealand's Emergency Phone Number

That's the number you want to keep in mind while you are in New Zealand. It's just like the 911 in the US.

Pretty straightforward isn't it?

Getting the IRD number

In order for you to work in New Zealand, you must have not only a work permit of any kind, but also an IRD number. IRD stands for Inland Revenue Department¹. It is the number that your employer will use to discount taxes of your wage/salary. However, after you leave New Zealand, you can actually get a good part of that discounted money back.

If you have a Working Holiday Visa, making your IRD number is the first (and only) thing you need to do before actually start looking for jobs. The good thing about it is that it is really easy to do! You just need to fill out the IRD form (you can find it here²) and provide one of the documents listed in Category A, as well as one of the documents listed in Category B. For both categories, you must provide the original one and its photocopy.

In my case, for Category A, I showed my overseas passport (if you use your passport as well, pay attention that you must also photocopy the page containing the stamp the immigration stamped in your passport when you arrived) . For Category B I showed a letter of enrollment of my school (just ask for it in your school. In my case, the school took 2 days to make it).

With your documents in hand, all you have to do is go to a PostShop (a.k.a Post Office. You can find the closest near you here³) or an Automobile Association and give them the documents (the originals will only be used to check the photocopies, so don't worry, they won't keep them!). Within 10 working days the card with your IRD number will be delivered in the address you put in the form.

That's all! If you have any queries, just give me a holler! =)


# Update - 01/03/2012 #

My IRD card took a little long to be delivered. It just arrived today (that is, almost one week after the set deadline date). However, if your card also takes more time than the expected 10 working days to arrive, you just have to give them a call⁴ (0800 377 774) and ask them to tell you what your IRD number is. Interviewers just ask for your IRD number (not the card itself), so, there is no need for panic! =)



## Links & Resources ##

1) http://www.ird.govt.nz
2) http://www.ird.govt.nz/forms-guides/title/forms-i/ir595-form-individualirdapp.html?id=homepage
3) http://www.nzpost.co.nz/tools/postshop-kiwibank-locator  
4) http://www.ird.govt.nz/how-to/irdnumbers/

Video of the week - IV

Quote of the week - VI

"I tell myself a thousand times. You just cannot be waiting for your whole whole life..."

From a music the name of which I can't find anywhere

Auckland Public Library

Yesterday I went to the Auckland Public Library (specifically the one next to Albert Park, right in the CBD). It is a very clean and tidy place. There is even a small coffee shop inside it! I saw lots of tourists and backpackers there too. I asked the woman by the door if I could enter with my backpack. She said I could, but told me to keep an eye on it because a lot of people were complaining that their things got stolen inside the library lately.

The library has 3 floors and it offers free wireless Internet (with a limit of 100MB per day). There are also CDs, Comic strips (!) and DVDs (!!) available (something I've never seen in a library before). In the CD area, there are some CD players you can use. Just grab a CD, go to a desk that has a CD player and start to play it! It's that simple.

In short, the Auckland Public Library is a must go. When I'm tired of walking around the city, but feel it's still too soon to go home, I always go to the library to hang out. There is no better place for it in downtown.

Here goes some pictures:

See you!!

Things I DON'T like about New Zealand - II (Internet)

I'll be pretty straightforward on this one: the Internet in New Zealand SUCKS!! It is simply the worst broadband connection I have ever seen since Brazilian 3G networks. In fact, you could have a good match between both.

I am writing this post from the Auckland Public Library (located right next to the Albert Park) and the average speed I'm getting is 15KB/s. Yes, you read it right... 15KB/s !!! In Brazil I usually complain when I'm in a connection lower than 200KB/s....

One can argue that that's because I'm in a public network. However, they (the library) also have a ridiculous limit of 100MB of downloading per day, which we all know it is NOTHING. Oh, and the Internet is equally bad in my homestay (on this one, I need to reload at least 50% of the websites I try to access in order to be successful). Videos?? Forget about it!!!

Since I haven't visited another New Zealand city, I'm not 100% sure if I can generalize and say that the Internet is bad in the whole country. However, I'm pretty sure that's the case though (because Auckland is New Zealand's largest and most important city. It should have a decent broadband connection).

If you are planning to come to New Zealand, but can't stand a slow broadband connection, believe me: you should look for some other place.

If you are reading this and you know a place where the Internet isn't slow in Auckland, please, let me know! Just use the comments section below.

Cheers!!

Things I DON'T like about New Zealand - I (Bus price)

So far, the only thing I really disliked here in Auckland is the bus price. They are just TOO expensive. Just to give you an idea, I'm living in Hillsborough. It costs NZ$ 5.60 ONE-WAY to go to CBD (which is just about 10km away)!!!! O__O

New Zealand is the only country I know that uses the concept of a "stage" to measure bus costs. The more stages you need to pass through, the higher the price is. From my experience so far, I would say that you could think of a "stage" as a set of 3 or 4 consecutive bus stops (I know that's fuzzy, but that's exactly how it is!). I have asked some Auckland residents what exactly is a stage but they don't know a definition either. Believe me, you can stick with the above "definition" I created.

So, if you walk a little bit you can catch another bus and save some stages. For instance, from where I'm living to CBD it is considered to be a "4-stage" route. However, if I walk for just about 30 minutes I can go to a bus stop in 3-Kings (that's another neighborhood, right next to Hillsborough) and pay just for 2 stages! It's quite a bit of a walk (because there are some hills you have to go through), but it's definitely worth it! The price then drops to NZ$ 3.40 one-way.

If you use the bus every day, then it is worth to buy the weekly or the monthly ticket. You can always get some discount by doing that. You can also get some discount if you are a student. However, I still don't know how those options work exactly (I'll figure it out when my classes start).

See ya! =)

February 6th - Waitangi Day

My English course was supposed to start today. However, February 6^th is a nation-wide holiday in New Zealand.

The holiday is to remember the Treaty of Waitangi¹, signed in February 6^th, 1980.

Even though my first class was canceled, most stores in New Zealand (at least in Auckland) open during the Sundays and during public holidays (sometimes in different hours though). Most stores open at 9:00 or 10:00am and go up to 4:00, 4:30, 5:00, 5:30 or 6:00pm. Right in the front of every store there is always a sign telling you the range of hours the store stays open.


## Links ##

1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Waitangi

Immigration and Customs in Auckland

After the plane lands you have to pass through a large set of isles. As you pass through them, some really cool effects take place like bird sounds and water dropping (like waterfalls and rivers). I found the distance so large that I felt I was going out of the airport. =P

When I finally arrived in the Immigration, I gave the officer my Passenger Arrival Card and my Working Holiday Visa letter and said: "I have a Working Holiday Visa from Brazil". He didn't even look at the letter (I guess because he had this information on his system). He just asked me what kind of "prohibit or restricted items" I was bringing in (because I had marked "Yes" to the question "Are you bringing into New Zealand: Goods that may be prohibited or restricted, for example medicines, weapons, indecent publications, endangered species of flora or fauna, illicit drugs or drug paraphernalia?"). I said I was bringing 3 boxes of medicine. He then asked me what kind of medicine were those. I said it was just medicines for cold (because I was not feeling very good when I left Brazil). I said my throat was hurting and everything. He then asked me how many pills there were in each box!!! I said I didn't know. He then asked me how long does the medicine take to run out. I said it could last for about 2 months. After that he put a big "No" in the question "Do you know the contents of your baggage?" of the PAC (which I had put "Yes"). He then said I could go.

After walking a little bit more you find the baggage carousel area. I took my 2 bags and moved on. You then have to show the Customs officer that very same Passenger Arrival Card. I thought he would wanted me to open my bags because of that huge "No" the previous officer had marked in the form. But he just asked me what kind of "outdoor items" I had brought with me (because I had also put "Yes" to the question "Are you bringing into New Zealand: Items that have been used outdoors, such as boots, golf or sports shoes, tents, used camping, hiking or sports equipment?"). I said I was bringing a pair of flip-flops and a pair of shoes. "Hiking shoes?' he asked me. "No, just like this shoes I'm wearing." I said. "All right!" he said. He then told me I could go and put the bags in the X-Ray (like everybody else). Bags through the X-Ray, no big deal.

That was the last step. After that you just have to follow the "Way out" signs to finally enter New Zealand! I felt such a relief! Even though I knew that the simple medicines I was bringing in could never get me in trouble, I have to be honest that when the first officer put that huge "No" in my form I felt a little threatened. But everything went well and all the officers were very polite. They also spoke relatively slowly, which helped me not having any trouble in understanding them.

Kia ora New Zealand!!! =D

Plane from Santiago to Auckland

A lot of things happened here.

First, after the plane landed, I went to the immigration section (where everybody seemed to be heading to), waited in the line, and, in about 5 minutes, I was attended by the officer at his counter. However,  the officer told me I took the wrong way! =P I was supposed to go upstairs and wait for my next flight there. You don't even have to pass through the Chile Immigration sector if you'll just take another plane to another country (you do have to pass through the Customs though). The Customs take a look at your bag (like your backpack), if you are carrying any, right after you arrive and before you get on the next airplane.

Second, I wanted to buy a bottle of water in the Santiago airport... Guess what the price was? US$ 3.00!! =P Needless to say that there were no drinking fountains around...

The thing is that I could not find my US$ 50.00 bill (I found it just when I arrived in New Zealand) and they simply didn't accept R$ (the Brazilian currency). I was sure they would accept R$ (I went to at least 3 stores in the airport) but none of them wanted to take my R$ 50.00 bill I had in my wallet. I also had NZ$ bills, but they didn't accept as well.

I was left with the only option to change that R$ 50.00 bill to Chilean pesos. However, I didn't want to change R$ 50.00 (because I would not use more than R$ 10.00). So, I went to the exchange house of the airport and asked the person there to change just R$ 20.00 to Chilean pesos for me. He said that was not possible because he didn't have Brazilian bills to give me back. It was rather change all the R$ 50.00 to Chilean pesos or nothing! I stuck with the later and asked for water inside the airplane. =P

One thing I found interesting is that, at the Santiago airport, all the workers at the stores (at least the ones I went to) speaks fairly fluent English! I didn't have any trouble there.

I really liked Santiago's airport. Very beautiful. I found it more beautiful than Cumbica (São Paulo's International Airport). And, by the window, I could see a Petrobras truck loaded with diesel. =) Seemed like I was still in Brazil. =P

Find the other plane in Santiago was a piece of cake. The video screens were very clear on what gate I should go and everything. Nevertheless, I asked an airline person to make sure I was in the right place as well.

When we got on board, I seated by the window, right next to one of the emergencies doors where there was a lot of space for the legs. I have to say though, I hated this stretch from Santiago to Auckland. I simply could no sleep (because the seats could barely incline more than 20º) and the plane was just FREEZING. I was wearing 2 trousers, 2 t-shirts, 1 coat, 1 scarf and 1 hood. And still I found it was not enough. However, I think it's because I seat by the emergency door (it just seemed to me that it was colder than the other seats). And it was also MUCH MORE louder than the rest (I think it just stays behind the bathroom's noise). I don't think I'll ever choose the emergency door seat again.

Inside the airplane they served 2 meals, one right after the plane take off (there was 2 meal options) and one about 2 hours before it lands in Auckland (this time there was only 1 option). The plane was actually going to Sidney. Auckland was just a scale to those who were going there.

About 30 minutes before the scheduled time for the plane to land, I was worried that the crew didn't gave anyone the form we need to fill out to show the officers on Auckland's Immigration sector. I stood up from my seat and went find a flight attendant in the back of the plane. I asked him the form. I found it strange on why they didn't give us the form in the first place. I though you didn't need to ask for it (from Sao Paulo to Santiago, they passed through all the rows asking if you needed the form. I though it would be the same from Santiago to Auckland). Maybe they gave the form while I was in the bathroom for the last time (I doubt that because the main lights of the isles were off and I didn't stay more than 15 minutes inside the bathroom). Anyway, the thing is that I had to ask for the form. So, pay attention to that and keep an eye in the route map in the television set. If the plane is arriving and they didn't give you the form, ask for it.

On the final approximation I could not see much of Auckland (just some lights here and there, but no buildings at all). In fact, it sucked to stay by the window during this route because, in 99% of the trip, there were nothing to see but the ocean (and once it was dark during the whole trip, you couldn't see anything at all). I was just able to see a little bit of Santiago during the take off, but that was it!

13 hours later after the departure from Santiago, the plane landed in Auckland. Time to pass through the Immigration and the Customs. You can find the continuation on the next post! ;)

Plane from Sao Paulo to Santiago

The plane took off in the scheduled time. Inside the airplane, my first surprise: the crew didn't speak any Portuguese (just Spanish and English). And I just loved it! :) I was forced to speak English with the flight attendants, which made me fell outside Brazil already.

I went to Santiago by LAN and it took 4 hours and 10 minutes (it delayed a little bit during the flight). The snacks were really nice and I don't have anything to complain apart from the fact that I wasn't able to chose my seat. I was left with one of the worse places, right by the idle. Even though we landed in Chile in sunlight, I didn't see ANYTHING!! =( Anyway, I hope I'll at least see the Andes when I go back to Brazil.

See ya!