How many of you have been to or live in New Zealand, opinions on what you liked or disliked?

Question

Am aware that many people do not know where we are, would also like to know how others view us if they are familiar with this Country.

Answer 1

I have come to NZ recently, from Europe. I first learned of the country's existence in a bookstore when I was browsing travel guides on places I did not know.
At the time, I thought NZ was just what the doctor ordered for me. I come from a family of anglophiles, and NZ seemed like "UK Light" if you know what I mean, and so blissfully far away from the Cold War Europe I so dreaded.
I decided back then that I would, some day, live in NZ.
20 years later, it has come true.
You ask what I like and dislike about NZ.
I like the quality of the light and air, the way of life, and the fact that NZ is the most brilliant compromise out there: It does everything well enough, and is not extreme in any way. I have lived in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, and you name it; NZ manages to give me just enough of everything I've come to like about those other countries in one place.
Perfect if you've travelled the world and can't decide where to live.
On the dislike side, well, there is the odd thing, of course, but it's minor, and can be fixed:
For all its European-ness and wisdom, I find traffic and the driving here in NZ totally Neanderthal style. The speeds are crazy, the attitudes reckless, the roads dangerous. That aspect alone came close to making me pack my bags and move on to Sweden once.
And the other thing are the power poles - man, are those ugly! Wood and concrete monstrosities you'd expect in a 3rd world country.
But as I said - those things can be fixed.
For me, there is really no place else I'd rather live now.
Some places come close: Sweden (but it's cold!), Western Canada (even colder!), Australia (I'm too afraid of spiders and snakes though), Wales (fairly little opportunity there for my trade), Switzerland (hmmm...), Southern Germany (they don't want me though), and France (another hmm...).
So, as you can see, NZ is a lot like some other places - all of them very attractive. And it's the mixture that endears me to it.