My New Zealand Top 10
There's really something for everyone in New Zealand. I super loved it and can't wait to bring the parents there as well. I'm sure they would enjoy the gorgeous views, the relaxed driving and the easy nights. It's also great for friends -- especially the adrenaline junkies out there -- and for meeting new people. The Kiwis are some of the nicest friendliest people on the planet.If it weren't so far away, it would be great to retire there and open my own B&B. Maybe still someday... :o) We went at the best time, spring was just around the corner so the sun was always out, there was absolutely no one to queue with (low season) and we got pretty incredible deals for some amazing hotels.
Anyway, here's the top 10 things I enjoyed during my very short 2 weeks there and are definitely on my recommended to-do list!
1) Eat at the French Cafe in Auckland. This has got to be up there as one of my best foodie experiences, consistently voted THE restaurant of the year in NZ. We were extremely lucky to even get in, considering we booked the day before and thankfully they'd had a last minute cancellation. What an experience! Although we were probably equally at fault (on her mostly), the waitress who spilled wine of me never even placed blame. Almost immediately, I got a new glass and the first round of drinks for the table were on the house. They even offered to pay for my dry cleaning.
Marinated tuna with picked crab, aromatic herb salad, toasted rice and lime leaf dressing
Seared scallop with crispy pork, cauliflower and almond puree, apple salad
Marinated tuna with picked crab, aromatic herb salad, toasted rice and lime leaf dressing
Seared scallop with crispy pork, cauliflower and almond puree, apple salad
Roasted French goat's cheese with caramelised onion, beetroot and fig tart, red wine syrup
And if that wasn't enough to win my life-long loyalty, every time we asked what the wine pairing was, they would also offer us a glass of that for free! The food was just as great but the service was really truly mind-blowingly excellent, and a steal with the Tasting Menu (6 courses) for only NZ$100 (EUR50). An absolute must and the perfect way to spend our last night.
2) Zorbing in Rotorua. Who would have thought that getting shoved in a plastic ball that's then rolled down a hill could be so much fun... This definitely tops the list of the longest time spent giggling. It feels a bit like going down a water slide (not dizzying at all) until the ball hits a bump and you start tumbling around inside. Fun, fun, FUN -- cannot recommend this enough. Must... DO!
3) Helicopter ride + Boat trip to Milford Sound. I don't usually spend NZ$700 easily but where else in the world would you get the chance to ride a helicopter over 6, count them SIX, different types of scenery?
There's the view of Queentown (1),
There's the view of Queentown (1),
Lake Wakatipu and other hidden alpine lakes (2), the Remarkables mountain range
including the view of Mordor (r) and Saruman's castle (l) (3),
the lush green rainforest (4), deep bush-lined valleys (5)
and finally, the piece de resistance -- Milford Sound, the 8th Natural Wonder of the World, carved by a massive glacier in the last ice age (6).
We seem to have been blessed with a fairy this trip because a landslide had blocked the roads going in to Milford and the weather had grounded all helicopter flights 10 days before and another few days after, except on the one day we had made the reservation! Talk about luck!
We also happened to be the only people on the only boat going around Milford. Thank you low season! Made for some fantastic pictures (until my camera died on me) and we even saw a rare Fiordland Crested penguin going for its morning bath.
4) Black Water Rafting in Waitomo. Not as scary as the name suggests, this really is a sort of gentle adventure where you stick your ass in a tube and float down an underground river. We even had some 70 year old's doing this with us! What makes the experience is the presence of glow-worms everywhere that light up the ceiling cave like the night sky. Unbelievable...
The scariest thing to it is the cold, with the water just a little over zero degrees. They do offer wet suits which help regulate temperature, but try to do the first one in the morning so they're still dry before you put them on. Bring shampoo, soap, etc to wash off the cave water after.
4) Black Water Rafting in Waitomo. Not as scary as the name suggests, this really is a sort of gentle adventure where you stick your ass in a tube and float down an underground river. We even had some 70 year old's doing this with us! What makes the experience is the presence of glow-worms everywhere that light up the ceiling cave like the night sky. Unbelievable...
The scariest thing to it is the cold, with the water just a little over zero degrees. They do offer wet suits which help regulate temperature, but try to do the first one in the morning so they're still dry before you put them on. Bring shampoo, soap, etc to wash off the cave water after.
5) Lunch at the Huka Lodge. One of the most expensive places to stay in the world... one night here is at least NZ$1000 per person and I don't care if the meals are all included, that's still frigging expensive. You might get the chance to rub shoulders with Queen Elizabeth II, Kate Winslet, Robin Williams, Barbra Streisand etc..., all of whom have stayed there before, but at a hefty price.
We did the next best thing which was to book a meal at the Huka Lodge, which is also recognized as one of the best places to eat in NZ. Maybe it was because of the low season, but again we were surprised that lunch was specially set-up in a separate part of the lodge. It's hard to beat a three-course meal for only NZ$75 with the ultimate in ambiance.
6) Quad biking in Queenstown - I'm not the most sporty person on the planet (and that's an understatement), I was the worst person in the group (poor coordination skills :o) and the guide had to move me all the way up front to keep an eye on me... but even I enjoyed quad biking. Don't think I would have had as good a time if the view wasn't just so freakishly awesome. Everywhere you looked was just picture-perfect out of a postcard. Even the sheep looked like they were posed!
The funniest sign ever...
Here's a tip: They give you the boots, overalls, helmet and even the shades to wear on the quad. No need to do like me and buy new stuff!
7) Mud bathing in Rotorua - Just getting in Rotorua, one smells the sulphur and knows we are no longer in Kansas but the middle of an active thermal area. Hell's Gate is a thermal park and spa and taking a tour of their park is like stepping into Dante's inferno, complete with steam rising from cracks in the earth, boiling mud pools and surreal landscapes.
The funniest sign ever...
Taking a dip in one their steaming mudbaths is quite an experience. Fantastic for the skin apparently and definitely very unique. Short of mudwrestling, I don't think I'll ever do this again though... the smell was in my hair for days after!!
8) Traditional Maori hangi - To be honest, the hangi itself was a bit of a disappointment. I thought they would actually cook the food deep in the earth, but now it's actually quite modernized as per government standards (there are apparently too many potential bugs in the earth for tourist stomachs).
8) Traditional Maori hangi - To be honest, the hangi itself was a bit of a disappointment. I thought they would actually cook the food deep in the earth, but now it's actually quite modernized as per government standards (there are apparently too many potential bugs in the earth for tourist stomachs).
Still, it was a good overall experience and Rotorua is the place to be to experience the Maori culture. Before dinner (which is included in the price), we are invited into the Marae by the chief and treated to lots of song and dance -- the women doing the Poi dance which I was crap at, and the men, the haka.
The evening culminates with a short ride (blankets provided) to watch the Pohutu geyser shoot up. All in all, an enjoyable evening and one you shouldn't miss after traveling all the way to NZ.
9) Scenic drive to Queenstown - In general, the drives pleasantly pass through pastoral scenes where one really believes there are more sheep than people inhabiting the country. But the most breathtaking one was the drive from Christchurch to Queenstown. Leaving the city we passed through lovely cherry blossom trees lining the route towards the highway -- I must have taken dozens of pictures, just of this.
The evening culminates with a short ride (blankets provided) to watch the Pohutu geyser shoot up. All in all, an enjoyable evening and one you shouldn't miss after traveling all the way to NZ.
9) Scenic drive to Queenstown - In general, the drives pleasantly pass through pastoral scenes where one really believes there are more sheep than people inhabiting the country. But the most breathtaking one was the drive from Christchurch to Queenstown. Leaving the city we passed through lovely cherry blossom trees lining the route towards the highway -- I must have taken dozens of pictures, just of this.
I think I was stopping the car every hour or so to step down and take pictures. The view of the ice-capped mountains was just lovely.
But nothing really prepares you for the sight of Lake Tekapo. I was freezing my ass off but still had to take photo after photo, it was just beautiful.
10) It's a bit hard now to pick the last one -- 360 degree jetboating was fun too, but a bit dizzying after a while. Te Papa museum in Wellington combined a great educational experience but made it interactive and engaging. And the Sky Tower in Auckland where you can jump off the top, was terrifyingly cool as well.
So pick your poison. Like I said at the start, there really is something for everyone in NZ!
Labels: adventure, fun, New Zealand, vacation
posted by moan @ 8:23 PM
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