Things that make me laugh...
In the Herald each week day there is a column called Sideswipe. People write in with ridiculous things, and often people 'reply' with similar things. This week there's been a whole lot of things about how NZ is perceived overseas. Without further ado...
Monday 8 January
Jill Freeman read the item about Visit Britain's most stupid tourist questions and was reminded that when she lived in the United States she was once asked that old chestnut - was there a bridge between Australia and New Zealand?
Tuesday 9 January
Margaret Stott says the query from the United States about a bridge between Australia and New Zealand was probably propagated by her father Denis Whelan and his Navy mates during World War II. She writes: "While on shore leave in America, Denny answered questions on the proximity between the countries by advising; 'At low tide you can ride across on your bike'. For my own part, during the 1960s when visiting Wales, I was asked to speak about New Zealand to the local church fellowship. At question time, an innocent parishioner inquired; 'Do you ever see any Maoris?' "
Wednesday 10 January
A reader writes: "While being hosted by a group of teachers in the United States, I was asked in all seriousness by a headmaster, 'I suppose, living in Auckland, you can see the lights of Sydney?' There was genuine surprise when they were told Sydney was 1200 miles away!"
While crossing the Rockies on the Trans Canadian railway, Denis Fisher was chatting to an American woman who commented on how well he spoke English. Denis explained that English was New Zealand's national tongue. She was astounded, saying, "Oh, I thought all you guys spoke Dutch down there!"
Thursday 11 January
Sandy Myhre was at the Indianapolis 500 in May last year when a woman in the media cafeteria asked her and a photographer where they were from. "New Zealand," they replied enthusiastically. "Do you have, like, night and day?" she inquired. "Or is it dark all the time?" "Ah," they said, "you're getting us mixed up with Australia. It's dark all the time there." "Oh, that's right," she replied.
My third-generation NZer mother was tracked down by distant relatives in Britain doing a family tree," says a reader. "After some correspondence on genealogy she sent the two elderly women a Christmas card. Not sure what might interest them she stuck to the 'safe' subject of gardening, describing her latest efforts. 'I have just planted out the garden with some natives,' she wrote. They replied: 'You are so lucky to have natives. We can't get any decent home help over here."'
And this is what started it all off...
Friday 4 January
Tourism agency VisitBritain has compiled a list of the most stupid questions put to it last year. They included: "Are there any lakes in the Lake District?" And: "Is Wales closed during the winter?" One tourist wanted to know: "Why on earth did they build Windsor Castle on the flight path of Heathrow?" Another asked: "Can you tell me who performs at the circus in Piccadilly?" Questions put to VisitScotland staff included: "Are there any Sheena Easton museums in Glasgow?" Best of all, one tourist asked: "What time of night does the Loch Ness monster surface and who feeds it?" (Source: Ananova.com)
Monday 8 January
Jill Freeman read the item about Visit Britain's most stupid tourist questions and was reminded that when she lived in the United States she was once asked that old chestnut - was there a bridge between Australia and New Zealand?
Tuesday 9 January
Margaret Stott says the query from the United States about a bridge between Australia and New Zealand was probably propagated by her father Denis Whelan and his Navy mates during World War II. She writes: "While on shore leave in America, Denny answered questions on the proximity between the countries by advising; 'At low tide you can ride across on your bike'. For my own part, during the 1960s when visiting Wales, I was asked to speak about New Zealand to the local church fellowship. At question time, an innocent parishioner inquired; 'Do you ever see any Maoris?' "
Wednesday 10 January
A reader writes: "While being hosted by a group of teachers in the United States, I was asked in all seriousness by a headmaster, 'I suppose, living in Auckland, you can see the lights of Sydney?' There was genuine surprise when they were told Sydney was 1200 miles away!"
While crossing the Rockies on the Trans Canadian railway, Denis Fisher was chatting to an American woman who commented on how well he spoke English. Denis explained that English was New Zealand's national tongue. She was astounded, saying, "Oh, I thought all you guys spoke Dutch down there!"
Thursday 11 January
Sandy Myhre was at the Indianapolis 500 in May last year when a woman in the media cafeteria asked her and a photographer where they were from. "New Zealand," they replied enthusiastically. "Do you have, like, night and day?" she inquired. "Or is it dark all the time?" "Ah," they said, "you're getting us mixed up with Australia. It's dark all the time there." "Oh, that's right," she replied.
My third-generation NZer mother was tracked down by distant relatives in Britain doing a family tree," says a reader. "After some correspondence on genealogy she sent the two elderly women a Christmas card. Not sure what might interest them she stuck to the 'safe' subject of gardening, describing her latest efforts. 'I have just planted out the garden with some natives,' she wrote. They replied: 'You are so lucky to have natives. We can't get any decent home help over here."'
And this is what started it all off...
Friday 4 January
Tourism agency VisitBritain has compiled a list of the most stupid questions put to it last year. They included: "Are there any lakes in the Lake District?" And: "Is Wales closed during the winter?" One tourist wanted to know: "Why on earth did they build Windsor Castle on the flight path of Heathrow?" Another asked: "Can you tell me who performs at the circus in Piccadilly?" Questions put to VisitScotland staff included: "Are there any Sheena Easton museums in Glasgow?" Best of all, one tourist asked: "What time of night does the Loch Ness monster surface and who feeds it?" (Source: Ananova.com)