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Reviews of New Zealand
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The best people to ask about a country you want to visit are people who have actually been there. The reviews below on various parts of New Zealand reflect the views of such people and as such should be very helpful.
Can we Tow this one Closer Please?
"New Zealand - Godzone!
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Can we Tow this one Closer Please?
"It's rather hard to write a review on a whole country, but I fell in love with New Zealand so much that I thought it would be rude not to share it. A country of such contrasts, such amazing scenery and so things to do, most of them requiring removal of your brain first. But more about that in a min!
Most of us know roughly where New Zealand is; yes it's a long way away! Before I went to New Zealand I really didn't know that much about the country only that it had a great rugby team and had a tribal population called the Maori and that really was about it. However New Zealand has so much to it, it really is an amazing country that is often neglected, usually because it is dwarfed in size at least by its neighbour Australia. The country is actually larger than Britain in sheer land mass size spanning over the 2 main islands, North and South Island respectively, which make up the country. Britain has approximately 60 million people rammed in to a similar area, while New Zealand has just under 4 million. You can see the comparisons for yourself. There is therefore a lot of open countryside, just you and nature all around you. It was something that I didn't really appreciate before I went to New Zealand, how little space there is in Britain that is undeveloped places where you can just absorb the beauty and sheer scale of the out door world. Everything is so amazingly natural in New Zealand. Due to the low population much of the country is untouched, literally. Whereas woods, hills, mountains etc would all show evidence that people have been fiddling with them in this country it is not the way in New Zealand. So much is untouched and I can assure you that it is the most refreshing thing to see, such virgin looking countryside. People in England thing we have nice open spaces, well you ain't been to New Zealand yet!
So what are the highlights of New Zealand? Naturally I can't run through the whole country but rather subjectively I shall try and point out a few of the best places and activities to give you an idea of the fun that can be had.
Auckland.
Auckland sits up in the top left of North Island and is one of the main places that people fly in to. It is not the capital of the country that is left to Wellington at the bottom of the North Island. (Though once upon a time the city was the capital, back in the 19th century.) But Auckland is the largest city in the country, housing almost a third of the population, all of 1 million people or so! It's got the big city looks with a centre district of tall high-rise buildings which all very flash and nice, but it's got the feel of a small town. None of the streets are really that busy, nothing in comparison to London where it takes a nerve of steel to cross the road. It is also a very safe feeling city, no feeling of having to check over your shoulder ever 5 seconds while your knuckles turn blue holding on to your bag. Nothing of that, but then that is a real characteristic of New Zealand. Yes, don’t worry girls; it has shops, lots of them! Thankfully they are not all housing in some cheesy 'mall' that seem to spring up all over the place nowadays but along the main street in Auckland, Queens Street. The range goes from the cheesiest of cheesy souvenir shops to the normal up market designer shops for you to go and waste your money in. A very nice city with plenty to do both night and day!
Rotorua
Just north of the middle of North Island, Rotorua is the centre for Maori culture in New Zealand. The Maoris were the founders of the country between 800 and 1350AD (the date is very unsure they didn’t have Psions back then to write it all down, shame). However they were nearly wiped out by the good old European settlers when they arrived in the late 18th early 19th century. Thankfully the Maoris people and culture live on, having resurgence in the 1980s and 90s. If you wish to know more about the Maori people culture and crafts Rotorua is the place to do it. So, do you want to go for a Hongi? No it's not some crude offer (you'll have to mail me for that) but rather it is a night out in a traditional mock up of a Maori village. First of all you are greeted by Maori warrior who does his war dance, sticks his tongue out a lot with wide eyes etc. Then you get to have a look around the village with Maori people taking part in activities that would have occurred in every day life. It is all amazing set in a wood with the village set in around the trees with very atmospheric lighting as it is done at night. From there you are taken to a hall, an honour in itself usually reserved for important people (obviously they knew who I was). Here they explain about the culture, perform dances, songs and speeches ending in the good old Haka or war dance. (The thing that the All Blacks do before the start of every game). After that its time for a grand feast, all having been cooked in a traditional underground oven. You can eat until you explode I can assure you, the Maoris take enormous pride in seeing you are having a good time and are fed well. All in all a very enjoyable and educational night.
Inter Island Ferry.
You have the option to fly between the north and south islands…don’t. For about £10 you can get the ferry across. It takes about 2 hours or so, but the scenery is just something else. You are taken through a number of 'sounds' or flooded river valleys that are just lovely. Go for it!
South Island West Coast.
Along the wet coast the population is a massive 40,000 people or so, meaning there is very little there. However, don’t let this put you off because the sights are amazing, truly amazing. New Zealand was a very active country when it comes to volcanic activity and plate tectonics. Therefore, there are loads of mountains, really seriously big mountains that are just breathtaking. There is nothing to get in the way or spoil the view as you drive through the looming scenery; it's all just there untouched for you to experience. Beautiful.
Queenstown
Situated in the South of the South Island and close to the middle Queenstown is party town. Essentially a ski resort it is a must for anyone who goes to New Zealand. It has one of the most impressive backdrops as it is set in the Remarkable mountains which more than live up to their name. I've never seen anything like it before and truly spectacular view especially as the red sun sets and casts a pink glow over the mountains and snow-covered sides. And once the sun has gone down, well then the fun starts. There are many many bars around the town so go and have fun in after a hard day sitting or skiing. Oh yea, and Queenstown is the home Bunjy jumping, it's where it all started. Here is where the brain removal comes in. Why oh why would people want to go out on to a bridge, or on a cable car, tie some stretchy string around their ankles and jump for 140 metres?? YES, 140 whole long metres! Silly buggers. There are 5 jumps that can be done, each as silly as each other. If you don’t fancy that, go jet boating. A very powerful speedboat that can spin quicker than you can say 'what the….' and get you closer to the sheer rock face that you go through than you ever wished. It's great trust me! You will be grinning all day long, just wrap up warm because it gets very cold!
Milford Sound.
Although a fair trek from Queenstown, Milford sound can be done in a day no worries. What is it? Well, probably the most impressive scenery you will ever see. Essentially the place is massive fjord or flooded valley with vertical mountainsides that rise about 1000m straight out of the water, massive walls of rock with an open lake that leads to the sea. You can take a cruise around it for about 2 hours which is usually incorporated in the price of the day trip. The journey there is something else as well, through very alpine looking mountains cape. It is one of those places that no matter how much is said about it nothing can do it justice. Just go and experience.
New Zealand is all about getting outside. There are so many activities you can do, from the madness of Bunjy and ski diving (only £80 for a 12,000 foot jump) to a slight more sedate white water rafting (some of the best in the world) to the almost stationary walks and glow worm expeditions. The last one takes you deep in to a cave in a white water rafting boat (just flat water, don’t worry). The lights are turned off and a ceiling of tiny bluey green dots creating what looks like stars surrounds you. It is truly something to see, very relaxing and just beautiful. If you are feeling fit one day you can even get a helicopter flight on to a glacier and walk up and down in at a place called Franz Josef on the West coast of South Island…just so much to do!
I'm sorry to have gone on for so long, I’m sure you just waiting for the end now, but to the place justice, a whole country none the less, is usually space consuming, just look at guide books. I hope that I have given you something of the flavour of such a beautiful, exciting, pristine, fresh and friendly country because it really is something else. It has something for everyone and so many things that you would have to go to different countries to experience otherwise. It is a long way but trust me, it's worth it. If only we could bring it closer!
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