Destination of the month! New Zealand

New Zealand – A place you can visit any time of the year and you won’t fall short of things to do. Some people have compared it to Britain some 30 years ago, and yes when I visited I could see the resemblance of green rolling hills, rugged countryside and craggy coastlines, indeed it is the perfect setting for the Lord of the Rings films.

With a population of sheep which equates to 9 times that of people living in the country I would have compared it to Wales! If you fancy a dangerous ‘bug free’ country then New Zealand is at the top of the list, the only pest they suffer with are possums, which are cuddly looking compared to spiders and snakes.

I visited New Zealand during the months of July and August and it was cold, sometimes bitterly cold. The temperature ranged from the North Island 13-8 degrees Celsius to the South island 9-0 degrees Celsius.

Flying into the gateway city of Auckland, I found it quite miserable in the winter months with lots of rain and a general grey look; I think the summer months do the city more justice. Nicknamed the City of Sails, it is based on the water’s edge and harbours the tallest building in New Zealand, the Skytower, which stands at 328 metres. If you are looking to explore this beautiful country from head to toe this is a great place to start. You can head north to the Bay of Islands which is picturesque and very remote or dive down south into the heart of the New Zealand.

If you love adventure and the great outdoors, this is the country to visit. Even if you like the simple things in life, it also offers natural springs to sough aching and tired muscles.

Bursting with culture, the Tamaki Heritage Experience, which is based in Rotorua in the north island, is a fantastic insight into the Maori. This experience takes you through a Maori village, with real Maori descendants; you can see and learn how the tribes used to live. A traditional ‘Hangi’ will be prepared for you to eat, along with singing, dancing and ceremonies.

Nature lover? Then you can visit the caves at Waitomo, full of glow worms, fossils, stalactites and stalagmites, you will leave awe-struck and humbled by the sheer majesty of nature.If you are a keen hiker then Tongariro National Park is a must in the summer time. The beautiful national park offers a challenging yet rewarding trek along with snow-capped mountains, which dwarf the valley below. Volcanos are a large part of the park and an interesting insight into these beasts of nature can be found in the visitors centre.

Sitting at the bottom of the north island and offering a passage to the south island via a ferry is the city of Wellington. One of the best attractions in this wonderful city is the Te Papa museum which is completely free to enter and focuses on educating the individual on history and science, well worth a visit.

Moving into the south island, this island offers ‘crazy’ experiences; you will be spoilt for choice. Everything from glacier hiking to bungee jumping, adrenaline junkies will feel right at home! Aside from the manic activities on offer, the south island is also littered with beautiful, clean, crisp and enormous lakes. One lake in particular which stuck in my mind is called ‘Mirror Lake’, based just outside Franz Josef. It mirrors the land and is so crystal clear you would have thought it was one land stacked on top of the other.

Hiking the Franz Josef glacier was by far one of the best experiences I have had in my life. Don’t be put off by the price of around $200 for the full day tour; it is worth every penny, and far better value than the half day tour which only barely touches the glacier.

If you visit the south island and only have time to do one thing, take a boat trip into Milford Sound. The coach ride to reach the boat and the boat trip itself is breath-taking. The Sound weaves through enormous cliff faces and feels very enchanting. If you are a Lord of the Rings fan you will recognise the Sound within the third movie.

Queenstown is a beautiful town based on the edge of a massive lake with snow-capped mountains masking the distance. An adrenalin pumped town, it offers a 200 meters canyon swing on a plastic chair, a 125 metre bungee jump, jet boating on the Shotover River, paragliding, hand gliding, skydiving, horse riding, mountain biking the list goes on and on!Skiing and snowboarding is popular in the south island, especially in Wanaka and Queenstown.

But that is not all; if you love burgers then a trip to Fergburger is an absolute must! I tried 5 varieties from the menu and could have easily eaten the entire menu, very big and tasty. One of the bigger towns in New Zealand, it offers a variety of accommodation and nightlife, mainly geared towards the keen backpacker.

If you visit the deep south of the south island, be sure to take a trip over to Stewart Island and see the beautiful endangered yellow-eyed penguins. Found only in southern New Zealand, they are considered the most ancient of all living penguins.Also sitting in the southern part of the south island is a town called Dunedin. Aside from a beer factory and the world’s steepest residential road (Baldwin Street), Dunedin does not offer much else.

If you don’t manage to see a Kiwi whilst on your travels, don’t be disheartened, I spent 6 weeks and never saw one! The best souvenir I parted with was a Green Stone necklace, which is becoming very rare and more expensive as supplies are starting to run low, perhaps a worthy investment?