HSGUY's thread on winter fly fishing in Kiwiland reminded me of something that happened early last week and a reaction I had as a result.
I was patrolling along our State Highway 1. As HSGUY said elsewhere, our highways range from divided multi lane to a twisting two lane road with limited visibility. This part was two lane with some decent straights connected by some slow to moderate bends.
I checked the speed of an oncoming car at 120 km/h (roughly 70 mph). As it approached me I slowed, turned on my flashing lights and as it passed I activated the siren and made a U turn. Unusually for Kiwiland (and most overseas tourist) drivers the driver indicated and pulled over a few hundred meters down the road.
Getting out of my car I found myself speaking to a very nice American couple in their 30's. When I told them why I had stopped them the male driver said "We've only been in your country for two days. I have gotten used to driving on the left but not your lower speed limits. I was so busy watching your beautiful scenery I wasn't thinking about my speed".
While the driver was getting out his drivers license the lady continued on. "We have only been here two days but we're already planning to come back. It is so beautiful, not like at home".
The driver produced a Tennessee driver license and after I checked the address was still current she said "We're from north of Nashville and the landscape there has nothing to see, not like it is here".
At that point I told them of Karen's and my trip to the US last year and how on the drive between Nashville and Knoxville, dropping off the plateau, I had thought I would see some spectacular scenery but the trees hid it from us.
"Oh yeah, said the male, "That's out towards the Smokey Mountains. But elsewhere it's not like that".
The driver was a soldier and I asked him if he was stationed at the base near Clarksville. He agreed he was and I told hm a good friend's nephew was in the US army and based there.
They then asked me where else we had visited and after I told them he commented that it must have taken a month to drive. I agreed it was a little over 5 weeks. He then told me they had just 10 days in Kiwiland and were heading to Queenstown to take a helicopter tour before returning home. My thought was that a 15-18 hour flight was a long time for just 10 days, but all I said was that they were missing out on some great North Island places, especially the coastal areas.
After finishing up I reminded him our roads are not like this in America and speed is one of our biggest problems.
Sitting in my car writing up my notes I thought about other great scenery in Tennessee. The drive from Knoxville to Chattanooga was one highlight, but the highway from Jackson to Clarksville, probably not well travelled as it is no more than the highway where I was sitting, was another. I then thought of how most of our fauna is evergreen and the brilliant autumn colours we saw in Missouri and Tennessee. We get very little deciduous shedding of foliage in our autumn season, but when we do find it it can be just as colourful.
I also remembered a few comments we got in Arizona and New Mexico as to why we would leave New Zealand to come to a desert.
Visiting other places is always a nice way to spend some time, and we get to see some amazing things. But we should also appreciate what we have.
Some time ago our tourist people had a saying, don't leave home before you see our own country first. There are still few places in Kiwiland I have not seen (West Coast of the South Island and the Queenstown/Lake Te Anau regions) and I will undoubtably get there. But still, those greener pastures call.
I was patrolling along our State Highway 1. As HSGUY said elsewhere, our highways range from divided multi lane to a twisting two lane road with limited visibility. This part was two lane with some decent straights connected by some slow to moderate bends.
I checked the speed of an oncoming car at 120 km/h (roughly 70 mph). As it approached me I slowed, turned on my flashing lights and as it passed I activated the siren and made a U turn. Unusually for Kiwiland (and most overseas tourist) drivers the driver indicated and pulled over a few hundred meters down the road.
Getting out of my car I found myself speaking to a very nice American couple in their 30's. When I told them why I had stopped them the male driver said "We've only been in your country for two days. I have gotten used to driving on the left but not your lower speed limits. I was so busy watching your beautiful scenery I wasn't thinking about my speed".
While the driver was getting out his drivers license the lady continued on. "We have only been here two days but we're already planning to come back. It is so beautiful, not like at home".
The driver produced a Tennessee driver license and after I checked the address was still current she said "We're from north of Nashville and the landscape there has nothing to see, not like it is here".
At that point I told them of Karen's and my trip to the US last year and how on the drive between Nashville and Knoxville, dropping off the plateau, I had thought I would see some spectacular scenery but the trees hid it from us.
"Oh yeah, said the male, "That's out towards the Smokey Mountains. But elsewhere it's not like that".
The driver was a soldier and I asked him if he was stationed at the base near Clarksville. He agreed he was and I told hm a good friend's nephew was in the US army and based there.
They then asked me where else we had visited and after I told them he commented that it must have taken a month to drive. I agreed it was a little over 5 weeks. He then told me they had just 10 days in Kiwiland and were heading to Queenstown to take a helicopter tour before returning home. My thought was that a 15-18 hour flight was a long time for just 10 days, but all I said was that they were missing out on some great North Island places, especially the coastal areas.
After finishing up I reminded him our roads are not like this in America and speed is one of our biggest problems.
Sitting in my car writing up my notes I thought about other great scenery in Tennessee. The drive from Knoxville to Chattanooga was one highlight, but the highway from Jackson to Clarksville, probably not well travelled as it is no more than the highway where I was sitting, was another. I then thought of how most of our fauna is evergreen and the brilliant autumn colours we saw in Missouri and Tennessee. We get very little deciduous shedding of foliage in our autumn season, but when we do find it it can be just as colourful.
I also remembered a few comments we got in Arizona and New Mexico as to why we would leave New Zealand to come to a desert.
Visiting other places is always a nice way to spend some time, and we get to see some amazing things. But we should also appreciate what we have.
Some time ago our tourist people had a saying, don't leave home before you see our own country first. There are still few places in Kiwiland I have not seen (West Coast of the South Island and the Queenstown/Lake Te Anau regions) and I will undoubtably get there. But still, those greener pastures call.
