I've  been "in country" (that's what we ex-pats. call it) for 5 days and so I now consider myself somewhat of an expert on New Zealand. 

I spent the first few days in Wellington for orientation to Kiwi life and medicine. The first day they asked us (2 Canadian docs, a Brit, a doc from Belgium, one from Oklahoma and me) the standard money question:  "Why did you come to New Zealand?"   one by one around the room it was the usual: "Friendly people." or" Beautiful country," Yea, yea yea but for me I said the deciding factor was; "No extradition treaty with the U.S."  And they still gave me a New Zealand medical license and tax ID number. Silly Kiwis.

Wellington is a great little city.  Compact, easily walkable, clean with lots of good restaurants and some cool museums but it is super windy and it rains All the time.  I imagine it's the way Seattle was 70 years ago.

The Kiwis seem to be a happy lot...very happy..... sometimes too happy.  There is something not quite right here.  It's like a country of Stepford citizens;  too perfect to be real.

On to Greymouth this afternoon