New Zealand is a long way to come for many Lord of the Rings fans, and many must wonder about this remote country. Is it very strange, this far-away place?
Forget out of date notions like "It was a British colony and still looks to England," or "It is stodgy place full of sheep and dull people, that produces nothing more than wool and butter." If you want to see THAT New Zealand, watch Peter Jackson's 1996 film Heavenly Creatures or Jane Campion's An Angel at my Table which both set their stories against that background.
Currently, New Zealand is as much a Pacific nation as a British one. It has changed due to the resurgence of Maori culture, the growing population of Polynesians, the variety of immigrants from Asia seeking business and educational opportunities, and because tourists from all around the world who ended up staying. The influx of different cultures has made it a lively place to live.
One of the paradoxes about New Zealand is that it is tradionally a fairly laid-back place where people are slow to get excited about anything except perhaps sport, but countering that is the fact that its very remoteness makes it a nation of tireless world travellers. In any year, around 7% of the population at any one time travels out of the country for a long or short term. When they return, they bring with them a familiarity with other cultures. It makes for a relaxed attitude towards visitors.
You might want to know the nitty gritty facts about the country. Government? A parliamentary democracy. How big is the country? Bigger than England, nearly as big as California. Currency? The New Zealand dollar. Do the phones work? Normally, yes. Is Internet available? It's everywhere - every second café in any town tourists are likely to visit has realized that tourists want to email home regularly. Do you have to bring your own towels and toilet-paper? No!
What's the weather like?
Ah, now that's a question. The weather is variable! New Zealand has a maritime climate strongly affected by its landforms - mainly the long, cloud-blocking spine of the Southern Alps, but also the high tableland around the Volcanic Plateau, which you as a determined visitor to Mordor will be visiting. In short, the weather is whatever the great Southern Ocean chooses to throw at us, and temperatures vary with your altitude. There is a lot of altitude to consider, for instance while scaling the location of Edoras which is surrounded by snowcapped mountains even in summer.
The eastern side of the alps - most of the South Island - tend to stay drier, but rain can arrive at any time. The secret to moving comfortably around New Zealand is layering your clothes so you can peel off or add on according to the conditions. Should you arrive and find that you have nothing warm/cool/waterproof enough, there is a dizzying array of locally-made clothes that will make up the lack, and they will be tempting you before you even leave the arrival lounge of the airport.
