New Zealand Review
New Zealand was the fourth major destination on our world tour after Hawaii, Fiji and Australia. New Zealand is a country full of natural wonders and beautiful farmland. There is a delicate balance between the natural order and the man-made landscape. We started our visit (my third and Faizah’s first) in Auckland. To be blunt, we weren’t impressed with it as a big city. It has some charm in spots but seems out of place in this mostly agrarian country. After getting our fill of the big city we headed east to the Coromandel Peninsula. One of the first things you notice about New Zealand is that it is incredibly green and so many variations of green that you lose count. Eating a good amount of that green are the millions of sheep and cattle. There are so many that they outnumber the humans at something like twelve to one. This gives rise to many Aussie jokes about Kiwi farmers and their sheep. There is a friendly rivalry between Australians and New Zealanders (AKA ‘Kiwis’) but it is mostly superficial as both will point out when belittling their closest neighbor.
Driving in New Zealand is like playing chicken with everyone you encounter. The roads are barely wide enough in some parts to get a car and a large transport truck to pass each other at slow speeds let alone at 80-100 kilometers per hour. Once you’ve acclimated to this Mad Max style of driving and the white fades from your knuckles you can learn a few more of the subtleties of left-side driving like one-lane bridges and roundabouts. New Zealand also has a strange (to us) practice of giving the right of way to the car turning across your lane if you are turning into the same street. This seems odd at first until you find yourself needing to cross traffic in order to make a right turn.
We made a valuable discovery while in New Zealand; ginger root is great for preventing motion sickness. It doesn’t work quickly like Dramamine but it also won’t make you drowsy. As long as you can plan ahead by a day (roughly 24-48 hours) and start consuming it prior to getting on a boat or driving on windy roads you should be good to go. In the past, Faizah would be prone to motion sickness and take Dramamine to counter it, but with the candied ginger root she was fine.
For the bulk of our stay we chose to travel by camper van again, or as the locals say, campa. We opted for something a bit larger than the Wicked vans we drove in Australia. Jucy has a fleet of modified vans they call Cruizas. The Cruiza was big enough for me to stand up inside (I am 6’-3”) but not much larger than the smaller economy campers. It offered us the perfect balance of space, comfort and compact size. There is a sink, a two-burner propane stove, microwave, a safe and a refrigerator. It also had a towel warming rack and the stereo allowed us to plug the iPod in for our own personal road trip soundtrack. This was incredibly valuable for us as radio reception is spotty at best and not much variety once you get outside the major metropolitan areas. There were power outlets and a removable table that became part of the full-size bed by night. Jucy thought of just about everything. We were lucky enough to get an automatic transmission and a diesel engine. Diesel in New Zealand is about a third cheaper than gasoline as opposed to the states where diesel is usually slightly more expensive than gasoline.
On the day we were driving out to the coast there was a tsunami warning in effect so we were a bit cautious once we reached the eastern shore. We did not know the details of the tsunami warning other than it was expected to hit land within a quarter-day window, however nothing happened along our route. Later we would learn of the devastation that happened in Samoa.
The road carnage in New Zealand consists mostly of Possum. The Possum are an invasive, nocturnal species from Australia that devour hectares of foliage and just about anything else they can find. As a result, they threaten many of the bird species, such as Kiwi birds, by eating their eggs. They were originally introduced by humans as a pelt animal but due to the climate in New Zealand their pelts became unsuitable for fur use and the population went unchecked for decades. New Zealanders have no love for the possum and trap and kill them regularly.
Many of the goods and services in New Zealand were on par with what we found in Australia; the cost of beer, food and accommodations are relatively high while wine is more affordable. Most tourist activities have increased in price significantly since I was last there, in some cases the prices have doubled. The New Zealand government has imposed harsher penalties on fruit and other plant life brought into the country illegally. We found this out first hand after taking an early flight from Sydney. On the flight we were given oranges with our breakfasts. We ate one and kept the other for later. When we arrived in Auckland we filled out the paperwork for customs and immigration and forgot to declare our orange. Two hundred (NZ) dollars later we were on our way to the hostel in Auckland. It would have been nice if Qantas told us that the orange was contraband in the country where we landed but really the onus was on us to carefully read and comply with the documentation. Lesson learned.
Kiwis are generally and genuinely gracious people. They are educated and intelligent and certainly have opinions about how things should be, but it might take a while to pull those opinions out of them as they are also quite diplomatic. If you stop to ask for directions you may be invited to someone’s house for tea. The native New Zealanders (which is to say the first settlers) are known as Maori (pronounced may-or-ee or mow-ree). The Maori people are proud and have a very strong voice in the politics of New Zealand, they even have a TV channel where only Maori is spoken. Of all the places I have been where Europeans have settled, the Maori seem as though they have retained the most of their culture and are the most in control of their destiny.
On our second night on the road we stayed near Hot Water Beach; a decent surf spot that also has a hot springs on the beach. It surfaces in the crashing waves and is best reached at low tide so you have to time your visit and bring a spade (shovel) to make a “hot tub” in the sand. We were lucky enough to get the timing right but after digging a big hole in the sand (which collapsed constantly) we could not find the hot spot. You could however walk out into the shore-break and wiggle your feet down into the sand to feel the burning water coming up.
We made our way down the east coast of the north island to Mount Manganui (AKA The Mount) where we stayed in a great camp site at the base of the mount and right at the beach. We were spoiled further with free and fast wifi (wireless internet connection) and didn’t realize that we would not have that combination again for the duration of our trip. Anywhere the wifi was free, it was either broken or extremely slow. In most cases we ended up purchasing something at a cafe or paying exorbitant fees to connect.
In the east of the north island is a city called Rotorua which is home to many geologic wonders worth exploring. Circling Lake Rotorua are hot bubbling pools of mud and gas vents of sulphur and other chemicals which make for a stinky town, but also make for a visually stunning place. To the southwest of Rotorua, in the center of the north island, is Lake Taupo. Taupo is a resort town with a bustling tourist industry catering to all ages and types of thrill seekers. Golfing, fishing, bungy jumping, rafting and other activities can all be done there. It reminds me a lot of Lake Tahoe in California.
Heading further south, all the way to the southern-most tip of the north island is Wellington. Windy Welly, as it is known, is a medium-sized city situated on a large harbor surrounded by cliffs on three sides. From Wellington we caught a ferry to the south island, arriving in Picton and finally staying in Blenheim for a few days where we sampled the Marlborough region’s wines. Marlborough has some beautiful wineries and the wines are decent. We still favor California wines but enjoyed our self-guided tour with two German friends we met at our camp.
The Department of Conservation in New Zealand is the organization that maintains the public parks. For very little money you can stay in many of the parks overnight. A small number have full facilities but most are simple campgrounds with a couple toilets and a water spigot. Fees are collected on the honor system through a slot in a strongbox where you drop an envelope containing your park fees. Overall it’s a great system and the parks are off the beaten path so you experience a closer connection with the environment. We never saw more than a dozen people at any given DOC site we visited. There were a few times where we simply “free camped” in a parking lot or other secluded area. The rest of the time we stayed in commercial campgrounds with full facilities; showers, toilets, laundry, kitchens, the occasional pool/spa and TV room. In the commercial campgrounds we would opt for powered sites where we could use the (Jucy provided) heater so we wouldn’t freeze in the night. This was especially helpful on the south island where it would get down to freezing sometimes.
Driving clockwise around the south island, we made our way to Christchurch. We stayed a few days there and were able to see quite a bit of the city by walking through it. Christchurch has a thriving art community and an active downtown center. The botanical gardens are expansive, diverse and beautifully integrated into the city. There is also a network of waterways running through the city, a few of which you can take a gondola.
A couple hours drive east of Christchurch is the Banks Peninsula, a magnificent, rugged piece of land jutting from the ocean. From the air, the Banks Peninsula looks like a big wheel with spokes of land and bays of water between. On one of these inlets is Akaroa, a quaint, french-influenced town. There are several fantastic restaurants with incredible food and many of the street names are in French. Along the main road out to the Banks Peninsula is a great cheese factory. They have windows between the sales floor and the factory that enable you to see how the cheese is made. There is also a local microbrewery called Three Boys that makes some great brews.
A predominant feature of the south island is the snow-capped mountain range that runs the length of the land like a frosty backbone. When you couple this with the ocean views the outcome is incredible vistas. Around the south island we hiked up to the base of a number of glaciers and mountains including Mt. Cook, and on the east coast, the Fox and Franz-Josef Glaciers. I always had the impression that glaciers were large, but seeing one with your own eyes is quite an experience. Monstrous! The scale is lost in photos. The shear immensity of these living ice flows cannot be conveyed through words or pixels. They must be experienced in person. This is also true for Milford Sound in the southwest. It is an incredible place to behold with the vertical mountains, towering waterfalls and switchback driving through it all.
After Milford we made our way inland to Queenstown. Queenstown is known as the extreme sports center of New Zealand. Bungy jumping in just about any configuration, sky diving, jet boating, skiing and snowboarding, and many other activities are all available here, for a price. It’s not cheap, but many an adrenaline seeker ante up for the excitement every day. Queenstown has a young demographic with a hip, resort town feel to the downtown area. Loads of great restaurants and cafes dot the lakefront walkway. Just north of Queenstown is the lesser known but just as lovely city of Wanaka. On our way to Wanaka we passed through a monster truck driving facility. A former stuntman from South Africa has built a series of tracks and courses for these steroid pumped vehicles which you can take a ride in or drive yourself.
Along the northwestern coast is a small attraction that is easily missed if you blink while passing it. The Pancake Rocks are an astonishing formation of rocks that have eroded over thousands of years to form stacked organic shapes in the rock plates. The shapes themselves are reason enough to stop but there are also a couple spots where, when the tide and surf work together, some incredible water shows are produced. As the crashing waves come into contact with the cliff face the force of the waves slams the water into tiny spaces and sea spray shoots vertically out of the rocks spraying anyone downwind. The walk is short and the views are incredible.
At the north end of the south island is a preserve named after an European explorer of the region; Abel Tasman. The attraction to this part of the country is the natural beauty and seclusion it offers to hikers who wish to spend a few hours or a number of days exploring the coast. The only way in or out of the many coves is by boat or foot. There are no roads for cars or motorcycles so the water taxis are plentiful. We opted for a four-hour walk through some of the more picturesque bays of the area.
The majority of wild animal life is dominated by birds. These are not your ordinary birds though; Albatross, Kiwi, Tui, Wood Pigeon, Kea, Weka, Pukeka, Penguins, just to name a few. The Tui bird has the most remarkable vocabulary of any animal I’ve encountered. An English tourist told us that the bird has two voice boxes which could explain the wide range of sounds it can produce simultaneously. It’s dark blue plumage is equally beautiful with two white groups of feathers sprouting from its neck. The Kiwi bird is an endangered, flightless, nocturnal bird with a long slender beak used to forage through the top four or five inches of soil and leaves. It has poor eyesight and long, powerful legs, each containing a sharp hind claw for defense. Kiwis feed a few hours each night and spend the rest of their time sleeping in underground burrows. Wood Pigeons are massive, colorful cousins of the common pigeon but about twice the size. Keas are beautiful green birds with a loud squawk that resembles a child’s cry for attention. Apparently they are quite crafty at getting food from humans and we were discouraged from feeding them anything. These are just a few of the bird species we encountered in New Zealand. There are a few lizard species and a variety of fish including trout and salmon as well. New Zealand doesn’t have much in the way of mammals, save for some seals, dolphins, and whales, that is until man brought the rodents, possum and domesticated farm animals. All of these non-natives have taken their toll on the native species.
Heading north toward Auckland we stopped in an area known for caving and glowworms. Waitomo is home to many adventure companies with tour packages that include abseiling, rafting, climbing, spelunking, or for a more tame experience, a boat ride into the caves. Faizah and I opted for the middle of the road with a three hour black water rafting trip. We donned our wetsuits, rubber boots and hardhats with lights attached and were dropped off at the entrance to the cave with our trusty black inner tubes and our guide. We were very lucky to have a small group of three, with Megan from Canada joining us. Once inside the cave we had a fantastic time jumping backwards into cold pools, seeing some cave wetas, an eel, and of course, glowworms. At the end of the rafting we changed into our warm dry clothes and were treated to some hot tomato soup.
Once back in Auckland we traded in our Cruiza for a small sedan and continued north. To the far north of the north island is the region of Northland. Original no? Just outside Whangerei is the city of Kamo where uncle Jeff, aunt Vicky and cousin Josh live. We were lucky enough to stay with the fam for about a week. When you travel for such a long period of time it’s nice to see some familiar faces and have a home to rest your head and your belongings. We would like to thank them for their hospitality, for opening their home to us and taking us around to see some of the local land and meet some great people.
Driving north from Whangerei is Russell, a town situated in the Bay of Islands at the northeast end of the north island. It is a small town with old colonial architecture and artifacts dating back to the early English settlements. It was a bit sleepy when we visited but we got the feeling that it is a very popular spot in the summer. We had a fantastic dinner at a restaurant called Gannets where they make the pasta fresh when you order it.
At the very north end of the north island is Cape Reinga. The cape is home to a special tree that, according to Maori legend, is where the souls of the departed travel from the land into the sea to make their way back to Hawaiki. It’s a deeply spiritual place where two seas meet dramatically and the strong winds are relentless. A lighthouse bookends the path from the parking area, complete with a signpost littered with distances to far away places. It is forbidden to eat or drink while at the end of the Cape out of respect for the dead. The road out to the end of the cape is quite long and a full day is recommended for a roundtrip visit. On the west coast there are a few spots where you can rent a sand board and “surf” the sand dunes. The dunes seem almost out of place in this green land but are just as beautiful.
Along the northwestern coast is a native forest of Kaori trees, home to the largest known Kaoris. In the presence of these massive specimens you feel humbled immediately. You could fit a large downtown bus inside the trunk without so much as a tire showing. Tane Mahuta is the largest of the Kaoris measuring in at 51.5 meters high and 13.8 meters in girth. It’s surprisingly close to the main road so it only takes a couple minutes to walk up to the viewing platform. A little further south on the same road is another parking area and a 30 minute walk to see the second largest Kaori and a grouping of the trees known as The Four Sisters.
In conclusion, New Zealand is an incredible country. For interested travelers it is worthy of the long flight, but be prepared to pay more than the average vacation’s budget. The sites will amaze you, the people will warm you and the surprises are plentiful. For the seven weeks we stayed in New Zealand we were never disappointed or felt like anything was ordinary or boring. In short, we love New Zealand.
Here are some links to our photos on Flickr:
