Thanks for the nice welcome, everyone!
Kiwis:
When my wife and I were considering our move to NZ, we took a trip there last February and were pretty much sold instantly. What a gorgeous country! Can't wait to get there! As much as I like Japan and have found ways to keep myself happy here, there's no substitute for open spaces, beautiful beaches, mountains, etc. etc. Oh, and of course friendly people. By the way, saw Helen Clark on Discovery Channel here in Japan. They had New Zealand Week a while back and she was personally giving some guy a tour of NZ, leading him on the trails, taking him down into a cave, etc. Go Helen!
Thomas