At our table sat six men—fathers and their adult sons—cheerfully recounting their day’s fishing trip. When my husband stepped away to get more beers, one of the men leaned in quietly and asked, “Are you two here on holiday or trying to escape?”

I laughed out loud. He smiled playfully, shrugged, and said, “Well, judging by your accents, it could go either way, and I don’t want to offend. You might have a gun!”

My husband came back to the table just as my Kiwi neighbor and I were laughing it up.  I shared his question and answer with my husband, who immediately started laughing too.  From then on, we were friends. The men shared stories of their annual fishing ritual, with The Shucker Brothers as a must-stop before heading home, and staying connected until the following year.

We were learning how open, friendly, and fun the Kiwi people are.