Mozzeenet

You know a nation loves their rugby when even their nappies have an All Black motif printed on them! We were lucky enough to arrive in Auckland on the final of the 2011 Rugby World Cup a few weeks ago. We were very excited when NZ was victorious, not only because we wanted them to win but also because we didn’t want to experience a nation in mourning for the rest of our holiday!

NZ never fails to deliver on gorgeous scenery and friendly people. There are so many beautiful and varied regions across the country that you really need to do several trips or make an extended visit to really appreciate it. Lots of tourists think they can see the whole country in a short time but that just doesn’t do it justice.

In the first week, we explored the top of the country above Auckland. First stop was the Bay of Islands where we took a boat trip, seeing frolicking dolphins in the sparkling blue water. The boat navigated through a hole in a rocky outcrop carved out by the pounding waves and visited an island where we relaxed on the grass by the peaceful beach.

We also visited the site where the Waitangi treaty was signed between Maori chiefs and European settlers in 1840, a significant event in NZ’s history. We watched a cultural performance there and Andrew’s attempt at the haka was very impressive (see the photos)!
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The final leg of the journey – when was that again? Already seems like ages ago. That’s sad! I had no recollections of New Zealand north of Wellington from childhood holidays so it was exciting to be venturing into the unknown.

The trip up through the centre of the North Island was great and completely different again to other parts. I especially like seeing the volcanic mountains in Tongariro national park – Mount Ruapehu and Mount Ngauruhoe were two of them. Mount Ruapehu erupted as recently as 1996 and is one of the most active volcanoes in the world! Quite amazing!

We stopped off at a geothermally active area just past Lake Taupo called Craters of the Moon. Steam rose up out of the ground there. That was a precursor to the famous Rotorua which constantly smells like someone let one rip!

Te Puia is the place in Rotorua where the geysers, boiling mud and mineral springs can be viewed. It was really interesting visiting there and was one of the only places we saw Maori carvings and learnt a bit about Maori culture as well as seeing some kiwis (i.e. the small, flightless birds with the long beaks and not the kind which says ‘fush and chups’ and ‘lupstuck’).

It’s also great because most places to stay at in Rotorua have hot springs. Our campsite had 3 hot pools and we had a nice relaxing dip in one of them for a while. I think the temperature of the water was around 30-35 degrees. Nice!
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Milford Sound is another one of the must-sees in NZ and it had a lot to live up to after the spectacular trip from Christchurch to Queenstown. In a way I wasn’t as excited beforehand about it because I went there last time I was in NZ but I’ve got to say it was an entirely different experience because last time it was sunny and bright whereas it was raining and wild this time. That meant the cascades on the way and in the sound which we saw on our boat cruise were overflowing – they just rush for hundreds of metres down the mountain sides. There was snow on the mountains as we drove by too. The desolate, rugged countryside there is quite awe-inspiring. The Homer tunnel cut straight through the rock is an incredible man-made feat as well.

After the Milford trip, we stayed overnight in Te Anau and that was a lot of fun at a campsite where we hired a cabin and cooked our own dinner. The stars and moon were out and there was a view of Lake Te Anau in the distance.

On the way further south we dropped in at Manapouri, another nice lake, and then followed the coastal route to get to Invercargill where we stayed with Peg and Jock. They looked after us fantastically well and we really appreciated them having us to stay. Invercargill is where Mum grew up so it has sentimental attachments. I saw where my grandparents are buried there.
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