New Zealand from a Local Perspective

It has been a lifelong dream for me to go to New zealand; everything I ever heard or read about it appealed to me.  

So finally I decided—since I was not getting any younger—to pursue the dream, and visit this magnificent country. I thought I was prepared for what I was   about to see, but I was not. It was beyond my wildest expectations; there are not enough superlatives to describe the place.

The Ins and Outs

Besides the friendliest people and it being the cleanest place I had ever been, there was spectacular scenery on a constant basis. Everytime I thought I had seen the best location, a new surprise was around the corner—and it was always different from what I had witnessed before. It definitely turned out be the trip of my lifetime. With the exception of a bad experience from a local car rental agency (APEX car rental) that proved to be a big scam, the trip was everything I had hoped for.

I was in town during the Rugby World Cup, which actually turned out to be a blessing. Most major hotels in cities were booked, so I ended up staying at inns in outlying villages for a fraction of the price of major hotels. I learned you can get good clean rooms and cabins at small town pubs and camp grounds (or holiday parks as they call them) for a fourth of what it costs for one night at name brand hotels.

The only drawback sometimes was a shared bathroom, which turned out to be no problem since most of the time I was the only one there. I found a car agency where I could rent a car (not new) for half what APEX what renting me (unlimited miles) and insured plus better service. It got me all over both islands with no problems, but beware: Gas is steep ($2.15 a liter).

Food was also expensive due to the higher earnings there. The ferry, which is  the only way to get from one island to the other, was about $150 each way with the car. So it is more economical to rent a car on each island and take the car as a pedestrian. The ferry ride is about three hours; it's a beautiful ride traveling through through magnificent sounds. 

The North Island has the largest population, with Auckland leading the way with close to 2 million (about half the country's population). Once you get out of the major cities, major roads are narrow (usually one lane each way), and some roads are unsealed (unpaved).

Public transportation is not that good; trains or buses are not that consistent unlike Australia. I noticed most rail lines only have one  set of rails as you get outside cities.

Exploring the Islands

After I got my act together, I did a lot of driving. I was able to go where I wanted and stay where I wanted with no restrictions. The scenery was constantly changing and always spectacular (sometimes too much to absorb).

I drove up the coast of the North Island past beuatiful coastlines, islands, beaches, gorgeous hills and valleys. Then more of the same down the west coast.

I visited the town of Napier, complete with its Art Deco architecture downtown. Then on to Wellington, the national capitol—probably one of the prettiest capitols I have ever been. From there, I took the ferry for a scenic voyage through fjords and sounds to the South Island landing at the inland port of Picton.

I drove down the east coast to Christ Church. Nothing prepared me for the devastation that the earthquake had brought to this magnifecent Victorian city (largest on South Island). A chainlink fence surrounded the entire inner citywhile it was being rebuilt.

The Main Attractions

I then proceeded to what turned out be one of my favorite places, past some of the most beautiful scenery I had ever seen, to the small town of Akaroa. It was one of the few places I stayed two days (at a 1870's inn for $35 a night). It is a former French colony that still flies the French tri color, and the only town where police are called "gendarmerie." It was a great place to visit.

After leaving Akaroa, I headed south to Dunedin (the second largest town on the South Island) and passed through villages and pretty towns on the way. I was told a must see was the boulders of Moerekai, so I stopped to view these unique stones. Nothing prepared me for what I was about to see: Massive rounded boulders looked like they had been placed there by some alien characters. It was, indeed, a place to see.

I then proceeded to one of the older cities Dunedin, saw the sight and headed south again.

After a lengthy drive passing through many scenic locations and towns—including Gemstone Beach where gems actually wash up on the beach—I headed for Te Anau, the jump-off spot for my ultimate destination. The town itself has some great scenery with the Alps nearby. But it's most noted as the gateway to Milford Sound, which is considered by many as one of the wonders of the world and probably the biggest tourist attraction in New Zealand.

The next morning, I headed for Milford Sound through the Alps, which was the most spectacular scenery I had ever seen. Past waterfalls, mirror lakes, valleys, winding roads with panoramic views, and numerous other sights that turned a one hour drive into a three-hour venture.

Upon arriving at Milford, I had to rub my eyes to make sure I was actually seeing what was in front of me: Unbelievable! I took a cruise where we saw penguins, dolphins, seals, many spectacular waterfalls and high mountainous peaks: Undescribable!

A Pictureque Postcard

After leaving this spectacle, I drove to Queenstown and the area where "Lord of The Rings" was shot. Queenstown is truly a playground with many attractions and nightlife. Nearby was a mining town from the 1800s, Arrowtown, which has been preserved and is still occupied.

I proceeded up the west coast to another trip and visited two glaciers: Fox and Franz Joseph (within 20 miles of each other). I stopped at a magnificent lake that I had seen on a number of postcards: Lake Matheson. It proved to be as picturesque as the postcards had shown with reflection of the nearby Alps in the glasslike waters.

I headed north to another spot I had heard about: Punakaiki. They were spectacular rock formations, pancake like, on the Tasman sea with blowholes, water caves and other attractions that drew large crowds. When I came to the city of Greymouth, which proclaimed to be the largest city on the west coast (population 13,000) I found it humourous that our local community would surpass this town by a landslide.

After visiting numerous other great places—too many to describe all of them—I departed the South Island after having traversed it for two weeks. I took the ferry back to the North Island and arrived in "windy" Wellington.

I headed back to Auckland and drove through the Thermal Valley where steam rises out of the ground, and mud pools bubble up in various locations. Most of the area is volcanic. I drove through the Coromandel.

I could go on about what I experienced and continue on forever raving about the sights and scenery. But I highly recommend that everyone visit this  paradise once before they leave this earth.