Highlights and lowlights of New Zealand

Kia Ora from Wellington

As I did with the Australia trip, here are some highlights and lowlights of the New Zealand visit;

Highlights:

A Taupo (North Is) expedition - a personal challenge and triumph achieved
2 great Kiwi-Ex drivers, for different reasons - Spud (North Is) and Dave Race (South Is)
Quad biking in the pouring rain(!) in Westport, South Is. HUGE puddles to splash through :)
Kayaking in Abel Tasman NP, South Is, and seeing seals, sting-rays and blue penguins all in one trip
Luge in both Rotorua (North Is) and Queenstown (South Is). Zorbing in Rotorua - crazy idea, like being in a washing machine and getting a shower and hairwash at the same time!
Photographing fungi (inc fly agaric in the woods above QT) and flowers all over NZ
Bathing in hot mineral water springs at the Polynesian Spa in Rotorua
Seeing the bubbling mud and geothermal activity at Wai-o-Tapu, Rotorua
Seeing the Tasman and South Pacific Oceans meet in a V-shape in the Ocean off Cape Reinga
Amazing scenery all over both islands
Getting some perspective on my current and previous life, and future plans brewing

Lowlights:
A period of depression and self-doubt at Franz Josef
Devastatingly acute homesickness and missing special people at home
Pain flare ups - totally unexpected and unprovoked (e.g. not by doing mad activities)
Rain in the places I wanted to see and do things, which cancelled planned activities
Not being able to do the Franz Josef glacier walk due to my deformed feet not able to get into the required footwear (the first time they have stopped me doing an activity)

Overall NZ has not been the wonder (for me, that is) that it is marketed to be. I guess if you had a lot of money and a lot of time, and were young enough to be able to work and stay here for longer than 6 weeks, I would view NZ differently. However, on a limited budget, and with medical issues which banned me from the bungy, the Canyon Swing, the skydiving and the glacier walk, my activities were limited. This is not saying that the kayaking and the Taupo expedition, the Rock 'n' Ropes, and the zorbing (still a totally crazy idea!!) were not fun, but I would have liked to do a lot more. I wish also to be able to walk for the rest of my life - however if I had done the bungy etc above, my spinal cord could have been irreparably damaged, and so I wasn't able to do those things!

Scenery: it was interesting seeing the huge variety of scenery, some of which is found no-where else, but I can't say I was totally blown away by lots of it, like I was in Australia. The scenery around Taupo in the mountains, and that around Milford, were the exceptions.

Travelling: I must be getting old as I would never have thought this when younger. Travelling is very tiring - even when you would think sitting on a coach or ferry all day would be relaxing, it isn't! I am on my knees this evening, and could hardly get off the coach again. The Kiwi Experience is a brilliant idea - a hop on hop off bus, stay as little or as much as you like in places, get accomodation booked for you (at least for the first night) and have access to cut-price activities (www.kiwiexperience.com), BUT the early mornings are a killer, especially over a long period of travel, when you are on the go all the time.

The accomodation is of course at backpacker level (cheap, in other words), but some of the places that Kiwi Ex has deals with (to hold beds for the whole bus e.g.) leave much to be desired. I know of 2 people who picked up bed bugs in Base Backpackers in 2 different cities and I would not have put a dog in the Hot Rocks Base accom in Rotorua. However, there are some really good places around - Treks in Rotorua (www.treks.co.nz) and the Base in Taupo (brand new, only open 2 months) were like 5* places. All the YHAs I have stayed at have been brilliant - especially this one in Wellington which is again 5* rated and it shows.

OK, this is probably my final post from NZ. I hope you have enjoyed reading about it all, and some might have helped plan trips here for you.

I am off to India (Rajasthan) on Sunday. I don't know what the internet access will be up at the teaching project, so will update this when I can. If I can't get on a computer, I will update the whole month's activities in one go when I get back to the UK in the week commencing 31st March

best wishes and Haere Ra (goodbye) to all