SPACE and HOUSES




The population of New Zealand is around 5 million in 2022, but this vast country recorded 3.4 million residents only in 1990. Its size is 240 times of Hong Kong where its population has already reached 7.8 million. 


This island country covering 268,021 km is slightly bigger than Great Britain. With the abundance of land resources, farms are everywhere. The bungalows are so commonly seen on the South Island, rather than duplexes and houses with multiple stories. The island simply has a lot of space where people can enjoy single-story home living. One can easily access the living room, backyard garden or garage without the hassle of going up and down. Town houses, cottages or cabins may be more susceptible to potential earthquakes compared with taller buildings. 


As far as I remember, there are far more duplexes and multi-story buildings in the UK and Canada even in rural areas. The bedrooms are usually located upstairs, and the dining room, living room and kitchen are located on the ground floor. On one of the weekends, I stayed in a two-story apartment in Akaroa, a holiday French town south of Christchurch. It is quite spacious with 1,000 sq. ft. The room arrangement is the opposite. My friend and I constantly have to walk up and down to have a cup of tea or relax on a sofa upstairs.  The second floor has an open plan with a good recycle box system. That’s not a bad idea for the two balconies to be connected to the living space. The views are great. I can sit down and enjoy the garden view from the balcony, or access another balcony which is close to the street and the harbour. 


The walk around the harbour or lakes is always wonderful. The water is absolutely clear. The mountain view is top of the class. The sun is so bright, wearing sunglasses is essential. People can have their private corners of the lake, enjoying the sunshine or swimming. 


When I walk around the parks in the city centre of Christchurch, I found the benches are placed so far apart. Does it imply how Kiwis love to have their own space? I can see how eager Kiwis like to socialise in cafes, bars and parks. They are polite in some ways, but they remain quite cool on the streets. Almost everyone says “thank you” to the bus drivers when they get off the bus. An old lady said hello to me while waiting at the same bus stop. 


In the city, people stay cool seeing people walking past them or waiting at the Bus Exchange. Customer service is absent in the airport and can be varied to a great degree in different towns. Be patient when you come to a cafe. Quite a few cafes put up a sign telling customers that they are short of staff, especially in remote areas. 


It is a new lesson learnt about the concept of space. Maybe it can help add some head space or gather your thoughts in a less busy life.


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