Boat parking
In the picture, you can see a multi-level parking facility for boats I saw in Auckland CBD. There is also a forklift used to move the boats in and out. Overall, it's a big building and they offer all kinds of boat services - lifting them out of the water, maintenance, repairs, and more. You can review it in 3D right on Google Maps.
So, next time you're looking for a place to park your yacht in Auckland, now you know where to go. You're welcome.
(Russian)
In the picture, you can see a multi-level parking facility for boats I saw in Auckland CBD. There is also a forklift used to move the boats in and out. Overall, it's a big building and they offer all kinds of boat services - lifting them out of the water, maintenance, repairs, and more. You can review it in 3D right on Google Maps.
So, next time you're looking for a place to park your yacht in Auckland, now you know where to go. You're welcome.
(Russian)
👍60❤8🦄4🐳2🍓1
Digital NZ
Many believe that Moscow has some of the best digital services in the world, and wherever you go, the digital experience is usually worse than in Moscow.
So, I decided to compare it to Auckland to see how significant the difference really is. Below, I’ll go point by point and compare the two cities in all aspects of digitalisation I could remember.
I’ve also added a competitive element to the comparison - I’ll give my own highly subjective score on each of the listed points. If one country is slightly better, I’ll give it +1 point, if it’s significantly better, then +2. Then I’ll calculate the final result.
Finance
1. Opening a bank account. Opening an account is simple and fast in both countries. There is less paperwork in NZ, as nobody tries to sign you up for broker accounts, credit, etc. But overall, it’s about the same - 15-60 minutes in a bank and you are ready to go.
🇳🇿 = 🇷🇺
2. Digital payments. In NZ, I haven’t used cash for 2 years except in a couple of cases. In Russia, it was generally the same, but occasions when I needed cash were a bit more frequent. I’d say NZ is about 99% cashless, while Russia is around 90%. About the same.
🇳🇿 = 🇷🇺
3. Money transfer. In Russia, there is a system for fast payments (SBP), which allows transactions using mobile numbers (11 digits). In NZ, you have to use a bank account number (15 digits). The difference is minor, but there is another issue - transfers in Russia are instant, while in NZ they can take up to two hours.
+2 to 🇷🇺
4. Money transfer privacy. In Russia, entering a mobile number during payment reveals the recipient's name (first, middle, and initial of last). It helps avoid typos but exposes personal data - anyone can extract your name from your mobile number. In NZ, the system is smarter: you enter the recipient's name yourself, and the system only confirms a match with the account. The result is the same, but with more privacy.
+1 to 🇳🇿
5. Contactless payments. Apple Pay and Google Pay have not worked in Russia since 2022. There’s no such issue in NZ. Also, in Russia, all contactless surcharges are included in the price, while in NZ, they’re sometimes added only for contactless payments - and you have the choice whether to pay or not.
+1 to 🇳🇿
6. Bank apps/sites. The difference is massive - in NZ, all bank apps have no ads, no pop-ups, no credit offers, etc. They are completely ad-free. All apps and sites of Russian banks are covered with ads.
+2 to 🇳🇿
7. Cashback. In Russia, many banks offer cashback. In NZ, it might exist somewhere, but it’s definitely not widespread.
+1 to 🇷🇺
Transport
8. Transport cards. The systems are similar - one card for all city transport. But Auckland’s AT Hop card has significant downsides compared to Moscow’s Troika - there’s a two-hour delay before the money appears on your AT Hop card, and you can’t top it up from your bank app. Payment speed is crucial when using public transport, so the big plus goes to Moscow.
+2 to 🇷🇺
9. Using a bank card to pay. In Moscow, you can pay for any public transport directly with your bank card. In Auckland, the same system was implemented in 2024. A tie.
🇳🇿 = 🇷🇺
10. Transport apps. The apps are about the same. In Moscow, I used the Yandex Transport app. in Auckland, it’s the AT Hop app. Both show prices, buses in real time on the map, routes, and ETAs. No difference.
🇳🇿 = 🇷🇺
11. Toll roads. In RF, toll roads usually have gateways where you must stop and pay. In NZ, it’s more convenient - no gates, no delays. Large roadside signs mark the start of a toll road and the turn-off to a free route. You don't even need to slow down - the system scans your rego plate and charges you through an official website, saving you time.
+1 to 🇳🇿
12. Parking. The apps are similar. They show prices, you can pay directly in the app, see a timer, get notified when it runs out. No difference.
🇳🇿 = 🇷🇺
13. Scooters, taxis, car sharing. I’ve never used them, but they look the same - people install apps, pay on the go, and use the services.
🇳🇿 = 🇷🇺
(Continued in comments)
(Russian)
Many believe that Moscow has some of the best digital services in the world, and wherever you go, the digital experience is usually worse than in Moscow.
So, I decided to compare it to Auckland to see how significant the difference really is. Below, I’ll go point by point and compare the two cities in all aspects of digitalisation I could remember.
I’ve also added a competitive element to the comparison - I’ll give my own highly subjective score on each of the listed points. If one country is slightly better, I’ll give it +1 point, if it’s significantly better, then +2. Then I’ll calculate the final result.
Finance
1. Opening a bank account. Opening an account is simple and fast in both countries. There is less paperwork in NZ, as nobody tries to sign you up for broker accounts, credit, etc. But overall, it’s about the same - 15-60 minutes in a bank and you are ready to go.
🇳🇿 = 🇷🇺
2. Digital payments. In NZ, I haven’t used cash for 2 years except in a couple of cases. In Russia, it was generally the same, but occasions when I needed cash were a bit more frequent. I’d say NZ is about 99% cashless, while Russia is around 90%. About the same.
🇳🇿 = 🇷🇺
3. Money transfer. In Russia, there is a system for fast payments (SBP), which allows transactions using mobile numbers (11 digits). In NZ, you have to use a bank account number (15 digits). The difference is minor, but there is another issue - transfers in Russia are instant, while in NZ they can take up to two hours.
+2 to 🇷🇺
4. Money transfer privacy. In Russia, entering a mobile number during payment reveals the recipient's name (first, middle, and initial of last). It helps avoid typos but exposes personal data - anyone can extract your name from your mobile number. In NZ, the system is smarter: you enter the recipient's name yourself, and the system only confirms a match with the account. The result is the same, but with more privacy.
+1 to 🇳🇿
5. Contactless payments. Apple Pay and Google Pay have not worked in Russia since 2022. There’s no such issue in NZ. Also, in Russia, all contactless surcharges are included in the price, while in NZ, they’re sometimes added only for contactless payments - and you have the choice whether to pay or not.
+1 to 🇳🇿
6. Bank apps/sites. The difference is massive - in NZ, all bank apps have no ads, no pop-ups, no credit offers, etc. They are completely ad-free. All apps and sites of Russian banks are covered with ads.
+2 to 🇳🇿
7. Cashback. In Russia, many banks offer cashback. In NZ, it might exist somewhere, but it’s definitely not widespread.
+1 to 🇷🇺
Transport
8. Transport cards. The systems are similar - one card for all city transport. But Auckland’s AT Hop card has significant downsides compared to Moscow’s Troika - there’s a two-hour delay before the money appears on your AT Hop card, and you can’t top it up from your bank app. Payment speed is crucial when using public transport, so the big plus goes to Moscow.
+2 to 🇷🇺
9. Using a bank card to pay. In Moscow, you can pay for any public transport directly with your bank card. In Auckland, the same system was implemented in 2024. A tie.
🇳🇿 = 🇷🇺
10. Transport apps. The apps are about the same. In Moscow, I used the Yandex Transport app. in Auckland, it’s the AT Hop app. Both show prices, buses in real time on the map, routes, and ETAs. No difference.
🇳🇿 = 🇷🇺
11. Toll roads. In RF, toll roads usually have gateways where you must stop and pay. In NZ, it’s more convenient - no gates, no delays. Large roadside signs mark the start of a toll road and the turn-off to a free route. You don't even need to slow down - the system scans your rego plate and charges you through an official website, saving you time.
+1 to 🇳🇿
12. Parking. The apps are similar. They show prices, you can pay directly in the app, see a timer, get notified when it runs out. No difference.
🇳🇿 = 🇷🇺
13. Scooters, taxis, car sharing. I’ve never used them, but they look the same - people install apps, pay on the go, and use the services.
🇳🇿 = 🇷🇺
(Continued in comments)
(Russian)
👍85❤26👏8🔥4✍1🤣1
Cycling in Auckland
Auckland is quite well designed for cyclists - there are plenty of bike lanes, many of which are fully separated from traffic. On most local streets, the speed limit is 50 km/h, so cyclists often end up riding faster than the cars. In addition, there are special areas in front of all cars at most intersections, so cyclists always start riding first when the green light appears.
Using a bicycle as your main mode of transport is totally fine in summer (December, January, February) - 80% of days are sunny and dry. But in winter (June, July, August), the amount of rain increases. So, anyone planning to rely solely on a bike in Auckland should be prepared to look like the poor drenched guy in the picture above.
Ideally, it’s best to have a car as your main vehicle, and all other alternatives - a bike, a Harley, a scooter, a skateboard - whatever suits you best - as a second option, just for fun and sunny days.
(Russian)
Auckland is quite well designed for cyclists - there are plenty of bike lanes, many of which are fully separated from traffic. On most local streets, the speed limit is 50 km/h, so cyclists often end up riding faster than the cars. In addition, there are special areas in front of all cars at most intersections, so cyclists always start riding first when the green light appears.
Using a bicycle as your main mode of transport is totally fine in summer (December, January, February) - 80% of days are sunny and dry. But in winter (June, July, August), the amount of rain increases. So, anyone planning to rely solely on a bike in Auckland should be prepared to look like the poor drenched guy in the picture above.
Ideally, it’s best to have a car as your main vehicle, and all other alternatives - a bike, a Harley, a scooter, a skateboard - whatever suits you best - as a second option, just for fun and sunny days.
(Russian)
❤🔥41👍29❤10😁4
Digital NZ (follow-up)
Just got a letter from Chorus, an internet infrastructure company in Auckland (and across New Zealand), stating that they’ve just upgraded the network to work faster.
I checked my tariff with my provider (there are dozens of providers, but they all ultimately operate through Chorus) - and yes, my tariff’s speed is now faster. Then I tested the actual speed - it really is faster.
The price is the same. No other changes. Just a letter informing me that my internet is now faster - and that’s it.
They say they’ve boosted speeds for 2 million New Zealanders. So if you’re in NZ and on a 50–300 Mbps fibre plan, check your speed.
(Russian)
Just got a letter from Chorus, an internet infrastructure company in Auckland (and across New Zealand), stating that they’ve just upgraded the network to work faster.
I checked my tariff with my provider (there are dozens of providers, but they all ultimately operate through Chorus) - and yes, my tariff’s speed is now faster. Then I tested the actual speed - it really is faster.
The price is the same. No other changes. Just a letter informing me that my internet is now faster - and that’s it.
They say they’ve boosted speeds for 2 million New Zealanders. So if you’re in NZ and on a 50–300 Mbps fibre plan, check your speed.
(Russian)
👍67🔥11👏6🤝3❤2
Weekend cars (classic)
It's kind of a popular hobby here. People buy cool old cars they like, maintain them, and proudly drive them on weekends. It's a real pleasure to see the happy faces of their drivers - they truly love their cars.
During the week, these cars are usually stored near houses under covers or inside garages. And from time to time, there are exhibitions where people show off their cool cars.
All the photos were taken by me, and there were quite a few more cars I didn’t manage to capture because I was driving. I’ve also got a large collection of exhibition shots, but in my opinion, it’s not as interesting to photograph cars at exhibitions. I much prefer catching them in the wild.
(Russian)
It's kind of a popular hobby here. People buy cool old cars they like, maintain them, and proudly drive them on weekends. It's a real pleasure to see the happy faces of their drivers - they truly love their cars.
During the week, these cars are usually stored near houses under covers or inside garages. And from time to time, there are exhibitions where people show off their cool cars.
All the photos were taken by me, and there were quite a few more cars I didn’t manage to capture because I was driving. I’ve also got a large collection of exhibition shots, but in my opinion, it’s not as interesting to photograph cars at exhibitions. I much prefer catching them in the wild.
(Russian)
🔥61👍40❤14🆒3
Winter in the house
That is what people mean by "cold NZ houses". It's winter here now, and we're at the beginning of the coldest part of the season - July and August.
The picture shows the early morning temperature in our house. It's about 8°C outside. No heaters were on overnight, so this is probably the lowest temperature you'll get inside during winter. It matches my video about the climate in NZ.
I think it's fine. A few hours later, it warms up to 18-20°C. I wear a sherpa hoodie at home (also shown in the video) and feel comfortable.
The consistently high temperature in my Moscow apartment was a bigger problem. For good sleep, it’s important to keep the room below 20°C, but that was hard to achieve in Moscow. In winter, even with all the radiators turned off and the windows slightly open, the temperature stayed at 22-25°C. Too hot for proper sleep. It was almost an unsolvable problem.
In NZ, I can be more flexible.
PS: Humidity is controlled by a dehumidifier and always ideal.
(Russian)
That is what people mean by "cold NZ houses". It's winter here now, and we're at the beginning of the coldest part of the season - July and August.
The picture shows the early morning temperature in our house. It's about 8°C outside. No heaters were on overnight, so this is probably the lowest temperature you'll get inside during winter. It matches my video about the climate in NZ.
I think it's fine. A few hours later, it warms up to 18-20°C. I wear a sherpa hoodie at home (also shown in the video) and feel comfortable.
The consistently high temperature in my Moscow apartment was a bigger problem. For good sleep, it’s important to keep the room below 20°C, but that was hard to achieve in Moscow. In winter, even with all the radiators turned off and the windows slightly open, the temperature stayed at 22-25°C. Too hot for proper sleep. It was almost an unsolvable problem.
In NZ, I can be more flexible.
PS: Humidity is controlled by a dehumidifier and always ideal.
(Russian)
👍42❤12🎉8🔥5😱3🥰2🤯1
YouTube
Что тебе дала родина - и что она получила от тебя?
Разбираем фразу "родина тебе всё дала" и выясняем, как она связана с инфантилизмом.
MP3-версия - https://t.me/OutsidersInsight/181
*Chapters*
00:00 Интро
01:21 Не родина, а государство
03:43 У государства нет своих денег
06:03 Сколько государство забирает…
MP3-версия - https://t.me/OutsidersInsight/181
*Chapters*
00:00 Интро
01:21 Не родина, а государство
03:43 У государства нет своих денег
06:03 Сколько государство забирает…
Video version of my post "Motherland gave you"
👍29🔥16❤1
A Different Kind of Power
Just a quick update on crime in NZ. As I mentioned in my first video, there used to be a lot of ram raids here - that’s when someone steals a car, crashes it into a shop, and loots whatever they can. It was mostly done by young offenders. In that video, I said I hoped things might improve once the left-wing government was gone.
The left-wing Labour Party was voted out in 2023, and now we have a chance to see how things are starting to change.
Here are the latest ram raid stats:
2022 - 714
2023 - 495
2024 - 209
2025 - 45 so far
Pretty decent progress, if you ask me.
One more thing – former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, a left-wing activist who served as Prime Minister until 2023 and under whom crime rates rose, recently presented a book titled A Different Kind of Power (pictured above). I think the title fits perfectly. Her kind of power was definitely different – a good example of how not to govern.
(Russian)
Just a quick update on crime in NZ. As I mentioned in my first video, there used to be a lot of ram raids here - that’s when someone steals a car, crashes it into a shop, and loots whatever they can. It was mostly done by young offenders. In that video, I said I hoped things might improve once the left-wing government was gone.
The left-wing Labour Party was voted out in 2023, and now we have a chance to see how things are starting to change.
Here are the latest ram raid stats:
2022 - 714
2023 - 495
2024 - 209
2025 - 45 so far
Pretty decent progress, if you ask me.
One more thing – former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, a left-wing activist who served as Prime Minister until 2023 and under whom crime rates rose, recently presented a book titled A Different Kind of Power (pictured above). I think the title fits perfectly. Her kind of power was definitely different – a good example of how not to govern.
(Russian)
🔥49👍22❤🔥2❤1
Seagulls
Did you know that seagulls are absolute beasts? I used to think they were just cool birds living by the sea. Their chirping gave the city a relaxed, sunny vibe, and I really liked it.
My impression of them changed after I saw them in action. Turns out, they dominate everything around them.
Especially pigeons. If a group of pigeons finds something on the street, there's usually a seagull nearby that jumps right into the crowd of pigeons, kicks them out, and takes their food.
And it's not just bullying - they kill pigeons! My wife and son once saw a seagull attacking a pigeon so it couldn’t fly away. The seagull started to rip it apart. They decided not to watch the action any further, but it was pretty clear how it would end.
So now you know too - seagulls are real brutal badasses.
(Russian)
Did you know that seagulls are absolute beasts? I used to think they were just cool birds living by the sea. Their chirping gave the city a relaxed, sunny vibe, and I really liked it.
My impression of them changed after I saw them in action. Turns out, they dominate everything around them.
Especially pigeons. If a group of pigeons finds something on the street, there's usually a seagull nearby that jumps right into the crowd of pigeons, kicks them out, and takes their food.
And it's not just bullying - they kill pigeons! My wife and son once saw a seagull attacking a pigeon so it couldn’t fly away. The seagull started to rip it apart. They decided not to watch the action any further, but it was pretty clear how it would end.
So now you know too - seagulls are real brutal badasses.
(Russian)
👍44🤯23❤7🔥2🕊1💯1
YouTube
Регулируем вес тела, не голодая - 5 лет ЗОЖ в одном видео
Точный расчёт, конкретные шаги и советы по питанию, спорту и ЗОЖ. Всё в одном видео, без марафонов, платных курсов и коучинга
MP3-версия - https://t.me/OutsidersInsight/185
*Ссылки*
Калькулятор - https://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html
Питание…
MP3-версия - https://t.me/OutsidersInsight/185
*Ссылки*
Калькулятор - https://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html
Питание…
A slight shift from the channel’s main focus - this new video isn’t about NZ, but about nutrition, fitness, and a healthy lifestyle.
I’m not changing the channel’s direction - future content will remain centred on NZ, Russia, politics, and such.
I’m not changing the channel’s direction - future content will remain centred on NZ, Russia, politics, and such.
1👍43🔥18❤12
Time perception
Have you ever felt time slowing down during a holiday? Two weeks of holidays can feel like two months of everyday life - sometimes even longer.
And the older you get, the faster time flies. In childhood, summer holidays felt like an entire life - huge and endless. As a teenager, time moves a little faster. By middle age, time speeds up drastically. Weeks blur into days, months into weeks, years into months - faster and faster. Sometimes you think you saw a film last year, but it was actually five years ago. Time compresses.
In my opinion, this happens because the older we get, the less we have to learn and the fewer new impressions we encounter. In childhood, we have a whole new world to discover. In our teens, we’ve learned something, but far from everything. By mid-life, we already know most things about life. The brain switches from “discovery” mode to “routine” mode. We live in patterns: work, family, friends, hobbies. Life becomes repetition. The brain relaxes, and time speeds up.
Travelling is one of the few ways people break this cycle. I think that's the main reason people like travelling - it forces the brain back into discovery mode: planning trips, booking tickets, navigating new cities, figuring out how things work there. The majority do it for a few weeks per year. So ~90% of the year they live in “routine” mode and just 10% in “discovery” mode. Not much.
I think you already know where I am going with this. Yes - immigration is exactly the “discovery” mode. Just much longer than any holiday - it slows time for at least the first 2-3 years, and then time gradually speeds up again as you integrate into a new society and establish a set of new patterns.
My first three years as an immigrant have felt like ten years of ordinary life in Russia, perhaps even more. It’s been a constant stream of new experiences - new countries, a new education, new connections, new jobs, new homes, new neighbours, new cities, new traditions, a new climate, new landscapes, and a new language environment. Everything around me was new.
Time slowed down again, almost like in childhood. The brain started to work hard again, creating new patterns and making new connections.
It feels like a huge, wonderful holiday full of new experiences. It’s not easy to process, but that’s exactly the point - if it were easy, the brain wouldn’t be sufficiently stressed to slow down time. To slow it down, you need to break patterns and step out of your comfort zone. Push your brain into stress - just like in childhood, when you had to learn the whole world from scratch.
There are probably other ways to achieve this, but immigration is definitely one of the best. It was also one of the reasons for moving - a few extra years of “perceived” life is a nice bonus.
(Russian)
Have you ever felt time slowing down during a holiday? Two weeks of holidays can feel like two months of everyday life - sometimes even longer.
And the older you get, the faster time flies. In childhood, summer holidays felt like an entire life - huge and endless. As a teenager, time moves a little faster. By middle age, time speeds up drastically. Weeks blur into days, months into weeks, years into months - faster and faster. Sometimes you think you saw a film last year, but it was actually five years ago. Time compresses.
In my opinion, this happens because the older we get, the less we have to learn and the fewer new impressions we encounter. In childhood, we have a whole new world to discover. In our teens, we’ve learned something, but far from everything. By mid-life, we already know most things about life. The brain switches from “discovery” mode to “routine” mode. We live in patterns: work, family, friends, hobbies. Life becomes repetition. The brain relaxes, and time speeds up.
Travelling is one of the few ways people break this cycle. I think that's the main reason people like travelling - it forces the brain back into discovery mode: planning trips, booking tickets, navigating new cities, figuring out how things work there. The majority do it for a few weeks per year. So ~90% of the year they live in “routine” mode and just 10% in “discovery” mode. Not much.
I think you already know where I am going with this. Yes - immigration is exactly the “discovery” mode. Just much longer than any holiday - it slows time for at least the first 2-3 years, and then time gradually speeds up again as you integrate into a new society and establish a set of new patterns.
My first three years as an immigrant have felt like ten years of ordinary life in Russia, perhaps even more. It’s been a constant stream of new experiences - new countries, a new education, new connections, new jobs, new homes, new neighbours, new cities, new traditions, a new climate, new landscapes, and a new language environment. Everything around me was new.
Time slowed down again, almost like in childhood. The brain started to work hard again, creating new patterns and making new connections.
It feels like a huge, wonderful holiday full of new experiences. It’s not easy to process, but that’s exactly the point - if it were easy, the brain wouldn’t be sufficiently stressed to slow down time. To slow it down, you need to break patterns and step out of your comfort zone. Push your brain into stress - just like in childhood, when you had to learn the whole world from scratch.
There are probably other ways to achieve this, but immigration is definitely one of the best. It was also one of the reasons for moving - a few extra years of “perceived” life is a nice bonus.
(Russian)
1🔥105👍40❤15🤔8💯4🦄1
Cherry Blossoms
Winter in Auckland is when the cherry blossoms - or sakuras, as they’re best known - come into bloom. I often see them planted in parks, schoolyards (like in the photo), or just along the footpaths.
They really are beautiful. I can understand why the Japanese feel such a special connection to them.
Every time I see cherry blossoms, I can’t resist taking a photo.
(Russian)
Winter in Auckland is when the cherry blossoms - or sakuras, as they’re best known - come into bloom. I often see them planted in parks, schoolyards (like in the photo), or just along the footpaths.
They really are beautiful. I can understand why the Japanese feel such a special connection to them.
Every time I see cherry blossoms, I can’t resist taking a photo.
(Russian)
1❤73👍24🔥10👏2