Its like play money...only more expensive.

Woo hoo! We are gearing up for New Zealand and I cannot wait. I really can't even believe its here!

How on Earth do people get organized enough to leave on their honeymoon the day after their wedding?



Not that I've done anything for the honeymoon since the wedding. We haven't even packed yet.

I wish I were joking. The holidays and the wedding just swept right thru and here we are...2 days away.



I did manage to get us a bit of New Zealand cash though.

Did you notice that the bills themselves are actually different sizes?



New Zealand money is also called the dollar and they come in the same denominations as US.

I understand the change comes in denominations of 10, 20 and 50 cents and $1 and $2.



The texture is different than ours.. its more plastic-y. They also have those cool little clear plastic parts that say the dollar amount.

The $5 is orange and features a yellow-eyed tropical penguin on the back. I really hope I get to see a real one. Penguin that is.



The $10 is blue and features Kate Sheppard who was a key historical figurre in New Zealand women's suffrage movement.



Did you know that Zew Zealand was the first country to grant women the right to vote?

Women have been voting there since 1893.



The $20 bill is green and features Queen Elizabeth II.

All of the bills feature the Silver Fern on the side. It is also made from a translucent plastic and is a symbol widely used by Kiwis.



It does seem a little odd doing an entire post about money but I've always found the different kinds of money to be so interesting.



Why don't we get pretty colors? Our money is rather boring now that I think about it.

The $50 and features Sir Apirana Turupa Ngata a Maori politician. Are you taking notes, there may be a quiz later.



The problem is that this just feels like play money.

Excuse me sir, that will cost two purple pieces of paper. Thank you very much.



On the bright side, the US$ is strong so we get more bang for our buck over there.



But I still don't think B will appreciate me throwing it around because its pretty and it doesn't look like real money.



I think tonight I better get packin'. We'll be gone for 2 weeks, in and out of different hotel and hauling our luggage. I don't need to pack the whole closet.

That will be my mantra.

When was the last time you took a vacation? Where did you go?