New Zealand
New Zealand - is a region of rare seismic beauty: glacial mountains, fast-flowing rivers, deep, clear lakes, hissing geysers and boiling mud. You will find also abundant forest reserves, long, deserted beaches including a quantity of fauna, for instance the kiwi, endemic to its shores. Any variety of vigorous outdoor activities - hiking, skiing, rafting and, of course, that perennial favourite, bungy jumping - await the adventurous. You possibly can swim with dolphins, gambol with newborn lambs, whalewatch or fish for fattened trout inside the several streams. The people, bound inside a culture that melds European with Maori ancestry, are resourceful, helpful and overwhelmingly friendly. The extraordinary place names - try Te Awamutu, Whangamomona or Paekakariki for tongue-trippers - are resonant and, with a modicum of practice, effortless to pronounce.
Because it's this sort of a compact place, travel within New Zealand - regardless of whether by plane, bus, rail, car or campervan - is affordable and efficient. Accommodation too is cheap and varied. And also the culinary promise of venison, fresh seafood, sublime ice cream and award-winning wines ought to more than whet the appetite.
Environment - New Zealand is situated inside the South Pacific Ocean, 1600 km south-east of Australia. It stretches 1600 km from north to south and consists of 2 large islands and a smattering of small islands - some hugging its shores, others hundreds of km away. The North Island (115,000 sq km) and also the South Island (151,000 sq km) are the two major state masses; the following largest is Stewart Island (1700 sq km), which lies directly beneath the South Island. The North Island has a amount of large volcanoes (including the currently active Mount Ruapehu) and extremely active thermal areas, though the South Island boasts the Southern Alps - a spine of magnificent mountains running virtually its entire length. One more notable feature of New Zealand is its myriad rivers and lakes: notably the Whanganui River, Lake Taupo and also the breathtaking lakes Waikaremoana and Wanaka.
Culture - The dominant cultural groups are the Pakeha and the Maori. Other small groups include Yugoslavian Dalmatians, Polynesians, Indians and Chinese. A popular thread that binds the entire population is its love of sport - particularly the national game of rugby union - and outdoor pursuits just like sailing, swimming, cycling, hiking and camping. The secular aside, Christianity is the most favorite religion, with Anglicanism, Presbyterianism and Catholicism the largest denominations. An useful religious variation may be the synthesis of the Maori Ratana and Ringatu faiths with Christianity.
New Zealand art is multifarious, valuing innovation, integrity and craftsmanship that reflects Pakeha, Maori and Melanesian heritage. Wood, stone, shell and bone carvings are readily accessible although larger works for example tukutuku (wood panelling) can be observed in most maraes (meeting houses). Paua shell, greenstone, greywacke and greenwacke pebbles are always fashioned into jewellery that takes its inspiration inside landscape: earrings shaped like the leaves of the gingko tree; sunglasses modelled on native fern tendrils; and necklaces in frangipani-flower designs. There's a lively theatre scene inside the country, specially in Wellington, along with a variety of galleries, for example the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, which is the oldest viewing room in New Zealand and 1 of its best. The music scene is vigorous and fecund, spawning a pool of talent - from Split Enz and Crowded Residence towards thrashing guitar pyrotechnics of Dunedin's 3D's and Straitjacket Fits - lauded locally and overseas.
Events - A few of the noteworthy cultural events include: Summer City Programme (January to February; Wellington) that's a series of festivals on the city; Marlborough Food & Wine Festival (2nd week in February; Blenheim); International Festival with the Arts (February, even-numbered years only; Wellington), an entire month of national and international culture; Golden Shears Sheep-Shearing Contest (March; Masterton), a have to for lovers of sheep, scat and sweat; and Canterbury Show Week (November; Christchurch) which has agricultural exhibits, rides and local entertainment.
Getting There & Away - The overwhelming majority of site visitors arrive by air. There are three airports that handle international flights: Auckland (the major exit/entry point), Wellington and Christchurch. Departure tax on international flights is NZ$20. Several cruise ships visit New Zealand, but you'll find no normal passenger ship services and working your way across the Pacific as crew on the yacht now appears something in the past.
Getting Close to - Although New Zealand is a compact nation and commonly easy to get around, it makes beneficial sense to fly - in particular for the views more than the mountains or volcanoes. A variety of discounts also creates flying economical. New Zealand has a couple of major domestic airlines: Air New Zealand and Ansett New Zealand. Several little airlines - Mt Cook Airline, Eagle Air and Air Nelson - are partly owned by Air New Zealand and were grouped together as `Air New Zealand Link'. This network provides thorough coverage on the country.
New Zealand also has an extensive bus network, in the main operator becoming InterCity (servicing each the North Island and South Island). The 2 other major bus operators are Newmans (North Island) and Mt Cook Landline (South Island). Services on primary bus routes are typical (at least once a day); unfortunately they can be costly and slow. A great choice is to use shuttle bus companies that are smaller, cheaper and friendlier than the large bus companies. Some of them are designed to cater in particular for foreign travellers and/or backpackers and have plenty of small `extras' that make them in particular attractive; other companies, possibly drawing on a experiences of Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters, can eat you close to New Zealand on `alternative' buses which are always an unhurried way of seeing the country.
Main train routes are few, although train travel is reasonably quick. Trains are modern-day and comfortable, and also the fares are sometimes cheaper than people by bus over a exact same routes. Car travel (New Zealanders drive on the left) is suggested as the roads are good and well signposted and also the distances short. Rentals of cars, motorcycles and campervans are popular using a number of particular deals available. You will find plenty of boat services, for instance the Interislander ferry (operating between Wellington within the North Island and Picton from the South Island. And finally, there's often cycling about the country. Numerous travellers describe New Zealand as a cyclists' paradise: it is clean, green, uncrowded and unspoiled, and you will discover a lot of places wherever you may camp or discover cheap accommodation. Bicycle rental is also daily, weekly or monthly and is inexpensive.