From: Jenny Morton
Sent: Saturday, March 1, 2002
Subject: New Zealand wrap-up

Dear All,

New Zealand is fantastic, I would definitely recommend any one of you to come here, there to soo much to see and do. Our 8 weeks here has sped past so quickly it doesn't feel we've been here that long. So, what have we been up to.....?

We arrived in Christchurch, east coast of south island, but didn't get very far in those first few days, there was an important cricket series to finish -so we can recommend a great sports bar there ;) At least England won one match, shame about the rest!

(And don't ever mention the Footy score against them!)

Anyway, having all that time in one place ended up being good as we were undecided on how to travel in NZ. Result - hiring a car for an unbelievable $25 per day - less than a tenner. This gave us the freedom to go where we wanted (unlike the bus route and timetable) and still stay at hostels to meet people (unlike the campervan idea in Oz). And it has been worth it, especially in the touristy areas where the buses stop at the same places for 5 minutes and then move on -ick, ick, ick!

Have wheels, will travel - South. To Dunedin - everything was Scottish, and I mean everything, they ever had a statue of Robbie Burns in the town centre. Onto Invercargill, where we met Henry, a Tuatara, the only living reptiles that were alive the same time as the dinosaurs, Henry was a young 120 years old! But don't try the staring-each-other-out competition, they win every time :)

Then west to Fiordland National Park - this was the most stunningly beautiful place I've ever see! We spend about five days around here, doing a couple of walks and going on the Doubtful Sound and Milford Sound cruises. Doubtful Sound was the better of the two, but only by a whisker! The photos don't do it justice - and they are good!

Onto Queenstown and the Adventure capital of NZ, and yes Julian did a BUNGY!!!!! The orginal 43metres one off a bridge! I didn't think he would do it, but I have the mpeg evidence! I did the 'longer lasting' thrill of a paragliding off the hill above the town. It was breath-taking, and it lasted about 15-20 minutes, we kept catching a thermal and going up, and we did some spins too - that was mind-blowing :)

We've also walked on a glacier at Franz Josef on the west coast, we picked the wrong day though as it chucked it down most of the day and we got thoroughly drenched! Via a another stopover in Christchurch for Julian to pick up his (now fixed) mobile phone, well we had to make a stop at the sports bar too - just so happened that the American Football Superbowl was on at the same time, what is a sports fan to do! Strange watching in daylight, struggling to stay awake, and not half cut by alcohol - well maybe just for the first half anyway :)

The North-west corner of the south island is a place called Abel Tasmin National Park and we stayed at a fantastic place called Kiwiana in Takaka. It was heaven on earth - peaceful, great hostel, with a dog, lovely people, we were actually really really sad to leave the place - a first!

Over the water to the North Island and Wellington for the Rugby Sevens matchs. We didn't actually make it to a match, but the town was buzzing with activity and people dressed up fancy dress - men in nappies are not the greatest turn-ons!?! Watching those rugby players legs were ;)

Straight up the middle of the north island to the volcanic and earthquake zone. I'm happy to report we didn't experience any first hand, but the boiling mud pools, puke green pools, steaming golf fairways, continuous smoking volcanic White Island, all made really fantastic viewing - nothing I'd ever seen before.

Then, of course, was my exhilirating skydive over Lake Taupo. Flung out the plane at 15,000ft to someone I'd just met 20 minutes ago - Julian thought I was mad, but I'd been looking forward to this for at least 6 months, and lets face it he did a Bungy jump that I thought was mad! But it was fantastic, the view was unbelievable and the experience was unforgettable.

Another weird experience was going to Hot Water Beach, the idea is at low tide, dig a hole, in either one of two spots on the beach, and the water that fills in the hole is from a hot water spring running through the sand. We got our water upto 60*C, the further down you dig the hotter it became. Aaahhh, a handmade spa of your own. Really it was an excuse for the adults to be kids again for a day :)

Up to the 'top bit' and my long awaited swim with some dolphins. Well, it would have been if the pod that we encountered didn't have a baby with them - they were beautiful all the same, all 10-15 of them. We tried to find another pod to swim with, but time ran out and I return to meet Julian really disappointed.

Just before hitting Auckland (our departure point to Hawaii) we staying with a past work friend of Julians that put us up for a couple of nights (or should that be 'put up with us'!?) It was brilliant relaxing time, just what we needed after the endless hostels. A Big 'Thank You' to you guys. Again it was sad to say goodbye them, and Elena (their one year old), and Jess (the dog) and Minty (yes you guess it - their sheep, who acts like a dog!) Great fun was had by all :)

So that leaves Hawaii. BTW, how cold is it in the UK at the moment? ;)

Hawaii here we come............

Take care to all,
Love Jenny x

return to the world tour trip reports

last updated:
ramjetfdo web designs