The Cook Islands have their own currency. However, they also accept the New Zealand dollar at a 1 to 1 exchange rate, or equal value, and the New Zealand dollar felt like it was the currency most people were using.
As a result, trying to get a Cook Islands $3 note (otherwise known as a bill) felt like a wild goose chase. It did not help that we were only in the Cook Islands for the weekend, just Saturday and Sunday when banks were closed, and many of our fellow passengers were looking for them also.
Being Canadian, a $2 coin is not new to Flat Stanley, but this $2 coin is a triangle! As for the $3 note – how many countries have a $3 bill?
currency images were found online
The expression “wild goose chase” has a fascinating history,
and it doesn’t actually involve chasing geese!
Origin: 16th-century England: The phrase originally referred to a type of horse race popular in England during the 16th century.
The race: In this race, riders had to follow a lead horse in a specific formation. The lead horse would take a winding, unpredictable course, much like the flight pattern of wild geese. The other riders had to follow the leader’s exact path, making it a challenging and erratic pursuit.
Shakespeare: One of the earliest recorded uses of the phrase is found in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (Act 2, Scene 4), where Mercutio says, “Nay, if our wits run the wild-goose chase, I am done…”
Evolution of Meaning:
Over time, the phrase evolved to describe any pursuit that is:
Fruitless: The chase is often long and complicated, but it ultimately leads to nothing.
Unpredictable: Like the erratic path of the lead horse, the pursuit can take unexpected turns and lead in different directions.
Time-wasting: The chase can consume a lot of time and energy without yielding any results.
Modern Usage: Today, “wild goose chase” is a common idiom used to describe any futile or pointless pursuit. For example, you might say you were sent on a wild goose chase if you were asked to find something that doesn’t exist or to complete a task with impossible parameters.