The following experience may not be typical for clubs in New Zealand, but it’s different enough to be worth noting. Fiona and I came to NZ for a wedding and are now enjoying travel for its own sake. Tonight we decided to eat in a local club, hoping to see locals in their native habitat. Being an ex-servicemen’s club, the clientèle were elderly, and we were lucky to see them enjoying a game of bowls.
I should explain that unlike the rambling clubs I’m used to in Australia, the club at Paihia is one large hall, split out into an area for pool tables, an open floor and a mezzanine eatery. Today, the floor was host to a long mat rolled out to create a bowls green that seemed to satisfy the local men.
The last difference we noticed was that patrons chose a glass of their preferred size from the fridge, then asked the barman to pour their preferred drink. We assume that the cost varies depending on which glass is chosen.
Tomorrow we embark on an all-day cultural tour of the Bay of Islands, including visiting a Maori village. I’m not expecting the true experience, but we don’t have time for anthropology this trip.