Know Before You Go: New Zealand
We spent a little under 3 weeks driving around New Zealand's North and South Island and fell in love with a country that makes it very, very easy to do so. New Zealand may be difficult to get to if you live on USA's East Coast (Something like 20+ hrs of transit time), but the trip is worth it if you can stay awhile once you get there.
New Zealand is easy to navigate, there is no language barrier, the infrastructure is well developed, the prices are comparable to the US and the people are friendly and down to earth. If you have time for a longer vacation, are interested in the great outdoors and are maybe a little intimidated by traveling to a foreign country then this is absolutely the place for you.
Even though we spent a good amount of time in NZ, I feel like we barely scratched the surface and I already have the outline sketched for our next trip. If you're planning a trip, here are some things I think you should know. The biggest takeaway, though, is to eat as much red meat as you can handle.
1. Eat steak. Drink beer and coffee. New Zealand does 3 things very, very well and if you are from the US, they will speak directly to your red blooded, American heart: beef, beer and coffee. NZ's climate creates favorable conditions for free range, grass fed cattle and many are processed (ew, im sorry) locally. One of our B&Bs raised and processed their own cattle on site. Free range, grass fed beef is dear, at least in our part of the US, and the fact that it is just the norm in New Zealand is refreshing. Beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage in New Zealand and they are ranked 27th in terms of total beer consumption per capita. It shows. Even their local, cheap beers (think the NZ version of Budweiser or Miller) are really good. When you're nice and sleepy from the beer, just toss back a couple cups of coffee because it is some of the best you'll have.
Hands down, we had some of the best coffee in New Zealand. Nearly everywhere, which was just setting us up for failure when we went to Norway, but we enjoyed it while we could.
2. The South Island is more beautiful. I only say this because I am safely something like 9,000 miles away from New Zealand and therefore cannot be pelted with anything hard. We spent approximately 20 days in both the North and South Islands and at least from MY perspective, the North Island has rainforests, geothermal activity and culture while the South Island, especially the further south you go, has amazing landscapes and hiking. That is not to say that the North Island isn't beautiful, because it is, amazingly, so. The South Island just might take the edge, for me.
North Island:
South Island:
3. Avoid peak season if at all possible. New Zealand's summer is from roughly December to February and that is their peak season. We went at the end of Feb/beginning of March because that was the latest I could travel due to work commitments and it was still very crowded. If I had to do it all over again, I would travel sometime between the end of March - beginning of May to avoid crowds and even to experience slightly cooler, autumn temperatures.
4. Take the time to drive out and explore different beaches and coastlines. They are all so different and we were often the only people on the beach. Many evenings were spent watching the sunset, with a couple beers and our toes in the sand. I am aware that is alarmingly close to a Jimmy Buffet song, but that was not my intention.
5. Kiwis are LOW KEY. Like, we don't wear shoes in the grocery store low key. Like, just hand me your dirty laundry and I will toss it in with my wash, low key.
I LOVE this.
Because I spend so much time planning our trips, I have a teensy smidge of anxiety when we are actually traveling. I want to make sure everything goes the way it should, and that I didn't accidentally make a mistake in my booking or underestimate our transit time. When you get to a country like New Zealand (or Argentina) and no one really cares if you make a mistake (NOT that i did), it deflates your anxieties instantly.
We had some of the kindest, most down to earth B&B hosts and tour guides we've ever had and it really made us feel at home in NZ. Just don't mind when they and their children are running around the grocery store with bare feet and bathing suits.
This is what happens when you ask your Kiwi tour guide to take your picture
Arthur's Pass
Arthur's Pass
This, and the picture below, were taken on a smaller route in Wanaka. I wanted to do Roy's Peak, but the parking lot was so packed that we detoured to this track instead. We only passed one or two other hikers and were rewarded with amazing views, solitude and plenty of opportunities for photographs.
This was taken in Mt. Cook which was probably the least populated National Park we visited.
This was part of the Routeburn Track which was surprisingly empty when we went.
New Zealand is easy to navigate, there is no language barrier, the infrastructure is well developed, the prices are comparable to the US and the people are friendly and down to earth. If you have time for a longer vacation, are interested in the great outdoors and are maybe a little intimidated by traveling to a foreign country then this is absolutely the place for you.
Even though we spent a good amount of time in NZ, I feel like we barely scratched the surface and I already have the outline sketched for our next trip. If you're planning a trip, here are some things I think you should know. The biggest takeaway, though, is to eat as much red meat as you can handle.
1. Eat steak. Drink beer and coffee. New Zealand does 3 things very, very well and if you are from the US, they will speak directly to your red blooded, American heart: beef, beer and coffee. NZ's climate creates favorable conditions for free range, grass fed cattle and many are processed (ew, im sorry) locally. One of our B&Bs raised and processed their own cattle on site. Free range, grass fed beef is dear, at least in our part of the US, and the fact that it is just the norm in New Zealand is refreshing. Beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage in New Zealand and they are ranked 27th in terms of total beer consumption per capita. It shows. Even their local, cheap beers (think the NZ version of Budweiser or Miller) are really good. When you're nice and sleepy from the beer, just toss back a couple cups of coffee because it is some of the best you'll have.
If you know me, you won't 100% trust my judgement when it comes to beer because for so long all I would drink is Miller or Coors Light. I've grown up though! I've changed! Either way, the beer in New Zealand is amazing. Many places brew locally and their national brands are great, too. We really liked Monteith's while we were there, and it's hard to get in the US, so drink up while you're there.
I have already discussed how amazing the burgers in New Zealand are, but it begs repeating. They're phenomenal. If you eat meat, do yourself a favor and eat it as frequently as you dare when you're in NZ.
2. The South Island is more beautiful. I only say this because I am safely something like 9,000 miles away from New Zealand and therefore cannot be pelted with anything hard. We spent approximately 20 days in both the North and South Islands and at least from MY perspective, the North Island has rainforests, geothermal activity and culture while the South Island, especially the further south you go, has amazing landscapes and hiking. That is not to say that the North Island isn't beautiful, because it is, amazingly, so. The South Island just might take the edge, for me.
North Island:
This was a beautiful hike, but truthfully it was just so packed that I felt like I was on a hiking conveyor belt most of the time. I would have enjoyed it 100X more if there were fewer people.
4. Take the time to drive out and explore different beaches and coastlines. They are all so different and we were often the only people on the beach. Many evenings were spent watching the sunset, with a couple beers and our toes in the sand. I am aware that is alarmingly close to a Jimmy Buffet song, but that was not my intention.
I LOVE this.
Because I spend so much time planning our trips, I have a teensy smidge of anxiety when we are actually traveling. I want to make sure everything goes the way it should, and that I didn't accidentally make a mistake in my booking or underestimate our transit time. When you get to a country like New Zealand (or Argentina) and no one really cares if you make a mistake (NOT that i did), it deflates your anxieties instantly.
We had some of the kindest, most down to earth B&B hosts and tour guides we've ever had and it really made us feel at home in NZ. Just don't mind when they and their children are running around the grocery store with bare feet and bathing suits.
6. If you're hiking, try some lesser known hikes and areas. Some of the best hikes we ended up doing were not the most famous in New Zealand, but rather other routes in the same parks as well as other areas such as Arthur's Pass that might not necessarily get a shout out on "Top 10" lists. I understand that you will want to do some of the most popular hikes, and you should! If, however, you go at peak season and feel overwhelmed, choosing some lesser known routes will net you a little more peace and quiet.
Mt. Cook
7. Your time there will feel very short. Maybe it was just the thought of the 20+ hours of flying we had ahead of us. Maybe it was because we were amped up on caffeine and bovine growth hormone (KIDDING!). Either way, we really weren't ready to leave when our vacation was over, which is not always the case for such a long trip.
New Zealand is an amazing, vast country, with so much to offer besides breathtaking landscapes and coastal scenes. I haven't even touched on the Maori culture which is a huge part of NZ's history and is embedded in nearly every aspect of this country. You would be remiss in not taking the time to understand and appreciate the Maori people and their way of life while you are there.
So, go to New Zealand. Try to time your trip so you are in the shoulder season. Spend some time in the North Island to get a better idea of the Maori culture and maybe visit some areas that interest you. If you came for the outdoors, spend the majority of your time in the South Island - in particular Queenstown and points further South. Drink beer. Wear shoes in the grocery store (you're not a local). Fall in love with this country and then watch airfare prices like a hawk for your next chance to go.
Comments
Post a Comment