Deb and I recently returned from a long trip to New Zealand and Australia where we enjoyed the scenery and various tourist attractions. Botanical gardens in Dunedin and Hobart are world class. The one in Hobart has an excellent cafe which had good gluten free options- lucky me. Aukland and Sydney both have extensive ferry routes allowing easy access to good hikes and interesting suburban communities.

New Zealand and Tasmania residents seemed active and out-doorsy. Obesity was rare; most locals were appropriate weight and vigorous. Sydney is a large metropolis of 5 million and the residents were heavier and less apparently fit, no surprise in a big city. In general I’d compare Sydney residents to southern Californians; Kiwis and Tasmanians to the clientele at REI, the outdoor sporting goods co-op.

Another delight was the scarcity of fast food outlets. There were some but much fewer than in the United States. However diets in both countries leave a lot to be desired, with meat and dairy dominating menus and in supermarkets. These are lands of sheep and cattle with heavy reliance on export and internal consumption of their products. Even fine dining restaurants which advertised local produce had meager veggie choices. The number of vegetarian and vegan restaurants and whole food plant options were similar to what we have in California.