Curling Iron vs Converter Update

This is an update to my October 22nd post.

I found a curling iron that takes both 120 and 240 volts. It costs less than a travel power converter and weighs less too. It's a Conair Hot Sticks. Whoopee!!!!!  No need to take a converter.

Third of Four Installments - Facts About New Zealand

1. New Zealand is a small country. It has a population of about 4 million citizens, slightly more than the city of Los Angeles, CA. The combined North and South Islands land mass is about the size of the state of Colorado.  
2. The Kiwis love the water. The country has more than 6,000 miles of coastline, lakes and rivers making it one of the world’s most prolific water sporting countries. No place in New Zealand is more than 105 miles from the sea.  
3. In this year’s America’s Cup, Oracle Team USA pulled off a dramatic 8-1 come from behind victory over a dominant Emirates Team New Zealand to win 8-9. If you wondered why the New Zealand team was considered dominant, consider that Auckland has the largest number of boats per capita than any city in the world. Needless to say, the folks down under have a lot of sailing experience. But Larry Ellison takes no prisoners.
4. The Land of the Long White Cloud, as New Zealand was called by its original settlers, is a former British colony.  And where the British went, they took their golf. Today there are more golf courses in New Zealand per capita, than any other country in the world (over 400 golf courses).

5. In 1893 New Zealand became the first major nation to have universal suffrage when it gave the right to vote to all male and female citizens. Twenty seven years later, the United Stated finally gave women the right to vote.

More Facts about New Zealand

1. The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand (like the American Indians in the USA). They arrived from Polynesia by canoe more than 400 years before Christopher Columbus set foot in the Americas. Today, Maoris make up 15.4 percent of the population.
2. New Zealand is known as the Land of the Long White Cloud, an English translation of Te Whenua o Aotearoa, the name given to the island country by its original settlers.
3. Before the arrival of Europeans in the mid-18^th century, the Maoris led a sophisticated social and material life. They had gods, generals, warriors, priests, chiefs, artists, slaves, even puhi tapu or sacred virgins, the daughters of great chiefs who were protected until a useful political marriage could be arranged. They had forts, villages, beach cottages, plantations, and lovely clothes. Since the Maiori lifestyle was so foreign to early European settlers, they considered the native people as savages.
4. The kiwi is a flightless bird that is distinct and unique to New Zealand. The Maori always regarded the kiwi as a special bird and associated it with their god of the forest. Even early Europeans described the kiwi as a most remarkable and curious bird. Today it is the national bird of the country.  By the early 20^th century, the people of New Zealand became known as Kiwis, perhaps because they are as distinct and unique as the bird.
5. Did you pump gasoline this week? A Kiwi invented the electronic gas pump. Ever read a story about law enforcement officers taking down a rabid animal or violent criminal with a tranquilizer gun? A Kiwi invented that. Feeling more physically fit now that you’ve started jogging? You can either thank or curse a Kiwi. Do you have a neighbor who contains his dog in the yard with an electric fence? Yep, that came from a Kiwi. Ever watch a daredevil bungy jump from a bridge and wonder who came up with the idea? That would be A. J. Hackett, a Kiwi. Feel safer now that you have bugler-proof windows installed? Thank a Kiwi. The idea for the whistle blown by the referee to stop action play at your favorite sporting event came from a Kiwi. And the list goes on.

Five Facts About New Zealand

1. Where in the world is New Zealand anyway? Okay. This might help. New Zealand is about 6,500 miles southwest of California. Situated in the South Pacific Ocean, New Zealand is half way between the Equator and the South Pole and about 1,350 miles east of Australia.
2. It takes about 13 ½ hours to fly from Los Angeles, CA to Auckland, NZ. When the plane traveling to New Zealand crosses the International Date Line, an imaginary line drawn through the Pacific Ocean where the calendar day begins, 24 hours are added to the current time. Even though New Zealand bound travelers gain an entire day when they cross the IDL, they loose it on the return trip.
3. Gisborne, NZ, just over 300 miles west of the International Date Line is the first major city in the world to see the sun rise on a new day. I know, you probably thought it was Sydney, Australia since that’s where we see the big New Year’s Eve fireworks.
4. New Zealand is made up of two bigger islands (North Island and South Island) and hundreds of smaller islands. Seventy five percent of the country’s population lives on the North Island.
5. Wellington, NZ on the southern tip of the North island is the southernmost capital city on the earth. Remember this for Final Jeopardy.

Power Conversions and Adapters

Australia's power voltage is 230 and New Zealand is 240. Since we only need 120 volts in the USA, I decided it was time for me to purchase a new, lighter weight power voltage converter to meet my electrical power travel needs.

When I went shopping, the salesman told me that most of today's electronics can take voltage from 110 up to 240. So no conversion needed. I rushed home, checked my power cords and confirmed that he was right.

Initially I was delighted with the thought that I'd only need to take adapters (much smaller & lighter) but not a converter to recharge my iPhone, iPad and camera batteries. Then I remembered that I need to take a curling iron. Yep! It only takes 120 volts. So back to square one - buy the converter.

Wildfires

My thoughts go out to Aussies in the state of New South Wales. More than a dozen uncontrolled wildfires are now threatening heavily populated areas near Sydney. No rain in the immediate forecast. Hopefully Mother Nature will change her mind and give the firefighters a helping hand.

Weather Down There & Test Packing

As of today, I'll begin regular updates about my upcoming trip to New Zealand and Australia. Updates will include travel planning, a few insights into history and culture of the two countries and anything else that comes to mind.

Only 20 days til liftoff. I've been checking the weather at least a couple of times each week. Except for the middle part of Australia (Uluru and Alice Springs - hot, hot), high and  low temps are almost the exact opposite of those we're experiencing here in the Washington, DC area. Of course, that would make sense since we're on opposite sides of the equator. It's getting warmer there and cooler here.

I've done a test pack to ensure that all of my clothes and toiletries fit into my 22 in. carry-on. They do. And I didn't need to take out any items (I'm learning). Since the temps will be getting warmer, I'll only need lightweight clothing and a few tops with long sleeves, mostly for Queensland, Invercargill and Wellington in the southern part of New Zealand (the further you go south, the cooler it gets).

Yes!!! A carry-on and a backpack - my kind of travel.

Hooroo (goodbye) for now.