In mid-May, I traveled to fabulous New Zealand to interview the organizers of the upcoming Gay Ski Week NZ (August 29 - September 6) and to get to know the cities of Auckland and Queenstown. More detailed accounts of both destinations will appear on OutTraveler.com soon but as a sneak peak, here are seven somewhat random Fun Facts, things I learned about New Zealand that I didn't know before.

1) The nickname "kiwi" comes from kiwi birds. Duh.
This seems like a no-brainer, but if you'd asked me a month ago how New Zealanders came to be referred to as kiwis, I might have said the fruit. Maybe … depending on how hungry I was at the time. I'm not proud of this.

There are five species of kiwi birds in New Zealand, I learned. They're all flightless, all endangered, and all really cool looking. My favorite factoid about kiwis is that once they mate, they stay monogamous, sometimes for up to 20 years, which is more than we can say for the stars of John and Kate Plus 8.

2) There's no U in Qantas
You'd think there would be, but there isn't because Qantas isn't a word or someone's name. It's an acronym for Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services, which sounds like one of those hot guy acrobat shows you get at your more fabulous gay dance parties. However you spell it, Qantas, aka the Flying Kangaroo, got me to New Zealand and back on time and in style.

3) The money in New Zealand is idiot proof
New Zealand's paper money isn't actually paper. The bills are made from polymer plastic, which gives them a sheen that's subtle yet glamorous. So if your wallet accidentally goes through the laundry, your bills will come out April fresh and perfectly intact. There's also a little clear, round window on each bill, which you can see through. Perfect for staring at hotties on the bus!

Like Euros, each denomination is a different color, which is handy if you're hammered and trying to pay the cab driver who got you home. Proponents of Girl Power will appreciate to the ten-dollar note, which features the face of women's suffrage pioneer Kate Sheppard. New Zealand, it turns out, was the first country to introduce universal suffrage so Sheppard was a world trailblazer, not just a domestic one.