I feel this so hard. Its hard to describe unless you've experienced it. I think part of it is also all the Christmas paraphernalia is winter-themed. Even here in New Zealand, the beach santa is wearing a warm Christmas hat. Sending you warm vibes for the upcoming Christmas holidays! I hope you experience the greatest joy! 💜💜💜

Haha, I used to live in San Antonio several years ago, and I just remember it as always hot and dry! but when it did rain, it was torrential! 💜

@@TheAudaciousPath I guess it's more like the Houston area, being on the coast we stay pretty soaked!

@@twohalf-hitchesyah, that makes sense. Texas weather is known for being nuts, aye. Especially the year it snowed 😂

Oh wow! I had no idea! I love how Maori tradition has so many stories to explain different parts of New Zealand. 💜💜💜 Any tips on how to fight the little buggers?

@@TheAudaciousPath ha ha, not really, often you see trampers (hikers) wearing mesh bags over their head to at least keep them off thier face. They arent too bad on a boat, they dont seem to get far from the shore

My googlings say they live primarily near water sources and plants. I didn't realise they can get all the way up to your face. I've seen them jump, but can they actually fly? 💜

That sounds about right, Maori placed many curses on this land and they are still in force. I have seen demons wandering the roads in the Bay of Plenty and Rotorua at night and early mornings. Yep I photographed them too. Your culture is full of demonic carvings and things, only the white people don't know what's really going down in and with the Maori culture

Omg, what a beautiful story ❤

Yayy! So glad you enjoyed! Its a lovely time of year here!!! 💜💜💜

Hehe, I love the lights! Franklin Street near downtown is the best! but I can see how illogical it is! 💜💜💜

Yayy! I am so pleased you enjoyed it! Merry Christmas to you tooo!!! 💜

Awww thanks! Right back at you! I hope this year will be a good one for us all! 💜💜💜

Yayyy! I hope you enjoy it! It's definitely a special time of year here! Will you spend it on the North or South Island? 💜

@@TheAudaciousPath South Island mainly 😅

@@wongcalvin5691 awesome! That’s the place to go if you’re only here for a short time. Enjoy! 💜

YUP! Even just Wellington in June can be biting cold! The difference between a southerly and a northerly is stark! 💜

Yay! glad you enjoyed!!! Thinking of being here or already here? 💜

Heya! Someone else commented the same. Weird that my research kept saying only the North Island! I wonder if this has changed as the world warms? 💜

Heya! So interesting follow up to this. I’m down on the South Island now, and turns out I was right in my facts. The tree you see down on the South Island are called the Southern Rata, a close sister to the Pohutukawa. Love these learning experiences!!!

​@@TheAudaciousPathnorthern rata are common in the south island, and southern rata are common in the north island, both are called pohutakawa.

@@mitchstevenson8600 Hrm, the tree book I read differentiates the three.

​@@TheAudaciousPathI also note that the video you show at 45 seconds is not a northern rata.

Wow! That's amazing! Indeed, the ghost cities are pretty interesting. It's the only time of year this happens, aye? 💜

@@TheAudaciousPath Oh absolutely.... it's so weird experiencing an empty city.... I was going to ask you if you were American or Canadian... was leaning towards Canadian... but I think you might have answered that question when you said 'aye'........

@@TheCJtheCregg haha, American, but I’ve spent more than half my life overseas. 💜

@@TheAudaciousPath hahah ok, my guess was wrong!

Haha, Ive lived overseas too long!!!!

It's lovely until it rains! Haha, the summer storms can be much more brutal than the winter storms which are more like a constant drizzle. That said. I'd still recommend it. Kiwi summer is lovely! 💜

Haha, I like what you said about "those memories stick with you". I can see that. That said, I have run across them quite often, but I think part of that is I am camping probably more than the average bear, and also in those conditions you mentioned. Stay well!!! 💜

Heya! Which was the first video you saw? 💜💜💜 Hehe, why do you find it hard to believe??? Thanks for coming back, and commenting as well. It helps heaps! :-)

Heyagain ... May i call u Dani? we kiwi's tend to shorten stuff ... First vid was reality check moving to nz? 4monthsago? which is why i'm surprised you have been here so long. U ARE KIWI NOW !! ... Glad to sub&comment. I now c u have other vids which i will checkout ... b good

@@graemeblackledge2076heya! Sure, I don’t mind a nickname. I see your confusion about the other video! But yah, just hit 7 years end of August. 💜

Haha, that's great! Ive heard some pohutukawa are south of those spots, but rarely. It is Tatapouri I believe! I was there around August. It was a lovely time of year to visit because no one was around!!! 💜 Oh wow! How random! Do they do camps there over the summer? Looked like a cozy spot. Okataina

@@TheAudaciousPath I thought so.. It's not a bad spot. Some people, mostly Gizzy locals, camp in the next two bays north of there, Turihaua and Pouawa, where between Labour weekend and Easter I think it is, they usually allow freedom camping there. You just show the council you have a chemical camping toilet and pay a small fee and you can camp anywhere the long grass between the highway and the beach is cut short. Everyone is usually packed in pretty close to each other and some even bring a lawnmower out and open up more space where they can. I hear the council is stopping it this year though, which hopefully won't be permanent. Dad lives by lake Rotoiti and works in Rotorua, and I think they had been shown that lodge and heard they could rent the place. I think it may have been used for summer camps at some point, but not sure if they still do. It's perfect for it, the native bush, the lakes nearby, and it's got bunk beds throughout a few of those buildings and a big kitchen with a walk-in fridge in the main hall. BTW, I watched your second video yesterday and subscribed immediately, because it reminded me a wee bit of a Beau Miles video, who I recently became a big fan of. Then today KZfaq recommended your most recent two videos to me so I watched them obviously, but that's all I've seen so far, so I'm going to go back and watch your first video and all the ones in between when I'm able to. Maybe it's because I'm weirdly drawn to "cultural exchange" content(I find myself watching a lot of Evan Edinger, Curls, Rare Soul Worldwide etc. lately), or maybe it's the inner Doug fan coming out, but I like your channel. LOL. Sorry for rambling on a bit. lol

The building looked in pretty good shape when I was there, so it must be used somehow! I ran into Beau Miles' channel a while back, and he is so .... artistic. So unique! My goal is to get caught up and ahead so that I have more head space to think of creative ways to tell my stories. I hope you enjoy the past videos... my style and goals have evolved a bit. Haha, it's all good! Happy Friday!!! 💜

We have pohutukawa in Dunedin. They flower slightly later than up north.@@TheAudaciousPath

Yah? I looked into it because I was sure that they flowered down south too, but all the several articles I read said only the North Island! How long do they stay with flowers?

I always thought sea lice were the tiny jelly fish that leave little nibbles all over you and get stuck in your clothes - but they live in the water, not sand...? Either way, ick!!! yayyyy! So glad you're enjoying this content. Indeed, I think 7 years has taught me a lot about New Zealand that I missed in the early years. I'm guessing you're kiwi by the use of Aotearoa? 💜

@@TheAudaciousPath Definitely Kiwi despite a lot of time living in the UK.My family seemed to make up its own names for things, like us kids calling those long legged delicate flying insects carrot flies because they semed to like living amongst Dad's rows of carrots rather than any of the other vegetables in our garden.

Hahahaa, I love that! 💜💜💜

How long are you staying for? I hope you like it here!!!!💜

@@TheAudaciousPath yes

I see your logic. I guess what I was thinking is that most southern hemisphere countries don't get a snow at all whereas North Hemisphere countries do (albeit not all of it of course) but I see I completely forgot about Patagonia! 💜

Awww, sorry to hear that. It definitely helped me and others I know, but everyone is different and have different needs. Best wishes with your move. 💜

Interesting.... I remember on Good Friday or around then trying to order a beer and they said same thing, they weren't allowed or there was some requirement to buy food also. My personal experience is New Zealand is way more religious than I originally thought. 💜

@@TheAudaciousPath Indeed. It's a very strange thing yet we take it for granted. Christmas Day and Good Friday have always been very dead, very silent days. In NZ we tend to turn necessity into virtue even though we criticise others for exhibiting the same sensibilities.

Can you explain what you mean by that last sentence? I have a feel for it, but curious to hear more. 💜

@@TheAudaciousPath For instance many Kiwis criticise the US for what they perceive as religion dominating their public discourse and politics, yet it's not the US that has a blanket suppression of business on religious holidays, it's we who do that.

Ah, I see what you mean. That said, where I'm from, you can buy alcohol on Sundays and in some counties, its completely "dry" - no alcohol allowed. 💜

Haha, I feel that! It's not so much not being able to. It's more not knowing to if it's not something you're used to needing to do!!! 💜

💜💜💜