We’re on the cusp of entering a New Year. Before we go forward though, I’d like to take a bit of time to have a look back at 2011. I’ve decided to do that in photo form, with photos to represent every month of the year that’s gone. Let’s go! January The year started with us working at a small campsite in the Tongariro National Park on New Zealand’s north island. The … [Read more...]
The Best Day Hikes in New Zealand
After a year in Australia, I summarised my three favourite day hikes in that wondrous country. It seems only fair therefore to give New Zealand a similar treatment, particularly since hiking (or tramping, as it is known locally), is a major highlight of any visit to New Zealand. All the hikes in this section are possible in a day for a reasonably fit person. If you’re … [Read more...]
The Best Drives in New Zealand for Stunning Scenery
The best way to see New Zealand is on a road trip. You can take your time, enjoy the scenery, and stop off wherever you like to breathe it all in, all whilst listening to your favourite tunes. If you’ve got a campervan, all the better – there are loads of incredible places to spend the night immersed in the beauty of nature. If you can't afford a camper van, you might be … [Read more...]
Lord of the Rings Filming Locations in New Zealand
The entire Lord of the Rings trilogy, as imagined by Peter Jackson in the film adaption of the books, serves as a highly effective tourism advert for New Zealand. Having seen all the films, and being a bit of a Tolkien fan, it was inevitable that New Zealand would make it onto my list of places I must visit. And so it happened that I spent a year travelling around New … [Read more...]
Must See Sights on New Zealand’s North Island
A year in New Zealand gave me plenty of time to visit quite a lot of this spectacular country. Due to New Zealand’s handily compact nature though, you don’t need as much as a year to get to see most of the splendour on offer. If I was visiting New Zealand’s North island, and didn’t have all the time in the world, then these would be the places and things … [Read more...]