Recently I flew to Auckland. It being an exceedingly long flight (over 24 hours with a stopover in Singapore's Changi airport to be precise), I was suitably grumbly and dead tired as I arrived.
(I am only mentioning this because I feel kind-of-bad about not taking the public bus to the city centre that is effective and only slightly less convenient than the taxi I did take out of pure laziness.) Anyway, I did go to Auckland in a taxi.
Having helped the driver haul my far too heavy backpack (containing about one pair of shoes per vacation day) into the boot, I sat down next to him on the passenger seat - presumably because that's where I would sit in a normal car and it isn't my habit to ride in taxis. Those who are more familiar with it - and somewhat richer than myself so that they can afford to be more familiar with it - will probably know that it is customary to sit on the back seats. And they would be totally wrong.
In Auckland I had it right for once. As a man (women are exempt if they are afraid of potential sexual harassment) you are expected to sit on the passenger seat in New Zealand. It is a show of equality and equality, fortunately, is very important in this beautiful country.
Oh, and as an aside: if you ever should be faced with a Maori warrior dropping a spear on the ground in front of you (which luckily tends to happen only to politicians on state visits), do bend down to pick it up, but do not - under any circumstances - lose eye contact.
Have fun in Auckland and New Zealand,
Groggi
Sit where you want while looking at the Auckland Travel Guide.
(I am only mentioning this because I feel kind-of-bad about not taking the public bus to the city centre that is effective and only slightly less convenient than the taxi I did take out of pure laziness.) Anyway, I did go to Auckland in a taxi.
Having helped the driver haul my far too heavy backpack (containing about one pair of shoes per vacation day) into the boot, I sat down next to him on the passenger seat - presumably because that's where I would sit in a normal car and it isn't my habit to ride in taxis. Those who are more familiar with it - and somewhat richer than myself so that they can afford to be more familiar with it - will probably know that it is customary to sit on the back seats. And they would be totally wrong.In Auckland I had it right for once. As a man (women are exempt if they are afraid of potential sexual harassment) you are expected to sit on the passenger seat in New Zealand. It is a show of equality and equality, fortunately, is very important in this beautiful country.
Oh, and as an aside: if you ever should be faced with a Maori warrior dropping a spear on the ground in front of you (which luckily tends to happen only to politicians on state visits), do bend down to pick it up, but do not - under any circumstances - lose eye contact.
Have fun in Auckland and New Zealand,
Groggi
Sit where you want while looking at the Auckland Travel Guide.
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