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...]
Must See Sights on New Zealand’s South Island
Having run down my five must do’s on the North island of New Zealand, it only seems fair to address the south island as well. We spent two months touring New Zealand's south island in the late Autumn, going from the very top to the very bottom and pretty much as many places in between as possible, and left just as the island was encased in the grip of a seriously frosty … [Read more...]
My top ten photos of New Zealand
Now that I’m coming to the end of my year long stay in New Zealand, I reckon it’s time to look back at my time here and share with you some of my highlights. I’ve got a number of posts in the pipeline, but first, I just wanted to share with you some of my favourite shots from my trip. I love taking shots of landscapes, and New Zealand happens to have gorgeous … [Read more...]
Top five scenic toilets of New Zealand
The eyes of the world are about to turn on New Zealand for a little upcoming tournament involving an oddly shaped ball and burly men wearing short shorts. As a result, I imagine that the New Zealand tourism board is working feverishly to ensure that every last piece of information that the potential tourist could ever dream of needing is written and ready to go. Information on … [Read more...]
Awe Inspiring Milford Sound
I have a confession to make. In a previous post, I referred to the geological feature known as a Sound as being the New Zealand equivalent of a Fiord. I have come to learn that this is seriously incorrect – they are distinct features and confusing one with the other is a bit like confusing a puddle with a lake. For clarity therefore, here is the definition. A Sound is a … [Read more...]
The Haast Pass and Mount Aspiring
Between the west coast of New Zealand’s south island and the rest of the isle there is a very large chain of mountains known as the southern alps. Getting through these mountains is only possible in a few places, via passes which have been hewn out of the mountains by the glaciers of the past. The most southerly of these passes is the Haast Pass, which also happens to be … [Read more...]