Bus Trip: Auckland-Rotorua

Taking a bus from Auckland to Rotorua was an opportunity for me to see some of the countryside of New Zealand, while at the same time getting to my destination. Travelling by bus, allowed me to observe, if not interact with, other people. It turns out, with a few exceptions, most of the people on the bus were not from New Zealand. My observations and interactions with others were limited and consisted with a few short interchanges with the young man, travelling with his wife, from South Asia (e.g. “What time does this bus arrive in Rotorua?” he asked) and the young Scandinavian woman who frequently had her knees on the back of my seat, making sitting uncomfortable from time to time. 

The old Hannah's building in Rotorua

Seemingly, all towns have a minimum of one superette (a convenience store) and a host other local shops. These small stores sell basic items, magazines, lotto tickets, ice cream and snacks and have interesting signage, which is usually fading. Several of these shops have Coca-Cola advertisements, many of which are faded; a number also have Tip Top signs, a local New Zealand ice cream, since 1936. In many towns, there are buildings several buildings from the 1920s or 1930s that bear the name of the original owners. Although the building has long since found new purposes. It is quite common to see Hannah’s on the front of many buildings. Hannah’s is a shoe store chain in New Zealand, and although still in operation, many of the original buildings have been abandoned for newer shops. Nevertheless, the name and signs for Hannah’s still frequently appears. 

I found it very interesting to read the road signs as the kilometres go by. Just outside of Papakura, a tourist sign “Spookers Haunted Attractions” caught my eye. New Zealand is a car culture country, much like the United States; public transport is not widely used. Pedestrians do not have the right away most of the time and often proceed at their own risk. Nevertheless, the road signs, placed by regional or national government, establish a tone and expectation among drivers. The traffic signs in New Zealand, specifically the Bay of Plenty region, have a different tone than in the United States. One sign that is often seen is: “Think about other road users.” A simple plea not to focus on yourself, but to consider others as your principle for driving. Perhaps the most eye-catching, were a series of roadsigns between Hamilton and Rotorua. The signs feature an owl and warns motorists to obey certain rules and practices, such as slow down in turns. Furthermore they implore the driver to be wise. Some of the signs feature two smaller owls (children), sitting in the back seat, such as one urging people to buckle up. In one devastating sign, approximately 30 kilometres outside Rotorua, the sign depicted the owl weeping with two crosses in the background, with the words underneath: “Speed Kills.” A stark message with great graphics that is probably more effective than simple digital displays along the side of the road.