Things I Never Thought I'd Say Until I Lived in NZ

[cappuccino]

Ha! I called up AA or the bank or something and I got an automated answer phone.
"If you need to make a claim, say, 'Yes.'"
"Yes."
"I'm sorry, I didn't understand you. If you'd like to make a claim, say, 'Yes.'"
"Yeess."
"I'm sorry, I didn't understand you. If you'd like to make a claim, say, 'Yes.'"
"YEESS!"
"I'm sorry, I didn't understand you. If you'd like to make a claim, say, 'Yes.'"
"Yes, Yes, Yes, A million times YES!"
"I'm sorry, I didn't understand you. If you'd like to make a claim, say, 'Yes.'"
"Yuss"
"Thank you, we'll put you through to a claim representative now"

I felt like those Burnistoun guys in the lift.

That also happened to me when I first arrived and was trying to use one of those voice recognition phone assistants!

[Dell]

Calling the NZ passport office and after a few rings:

them: Hello - this is Helen, how may I help you?

me: pause - waiting for the tone so I can leave a message.

them: Hello? May I help you?

me: Oh - I thought you were a computer. This is a real person?

[Dell]

That also happened to me when I first arrived and was trying to use one of those voice recognition phone assistants!

Hilarious!

[cappuccino]

Yes I have flybuys!
(When I first arrived, I had no idea what the supermarket checkout person was saying, I do now!)

[wellywearer]

great thread..so many of those resonate!

[breeze]

Sweet as...

I heard it as 'sweet ass' at first and looked at the person with narrowed eyes.

[dharder]

"400 kilometres? That'll be a seven hour drive then..."

[newarrival]

"400 kilometres? That'll be a seven hour drive then..."

Are driving times different on the North Island?

[dharder]

Are driving times different on the North Island?

Different from what? My European self, when planning a long journey, calculates about 1hour per 100km. That is not possible here, takes far, far longer. Caught me out a couple of times in when we first got here.

[newarrival]

Different from what? My European self, when planning a long journey, calculates about 1hour per 100km. That is not possible here, takes far, far longer. Caught me out a couple of times in when we first got here.

Yes, true...., but even here 400km don't take seven hours, for sure? Christchurch is 308km from Blenheim and it takes us 3 1/2 hours to get there in normal circumstances. And if there are holidays in Germany, you won't get anywhere near the 1hr/100km average. I know that I am probably on the positive side of the fence, but after our last driving experience in Germany in April I'd much rather drive here!