New Zulund - The Compleat Guide

Armistice

Armistice

Son of Yoda
I know it's only 3 hours flight away, but somehow I never had a reason to goto NZ before this Easter. Anyway, I'm back, and I can report the following:

* Auckland is dull
* The beaches, at least where I was, all have black mineral sand... not a good look... I want white sand at the beach! Thankfully the sand mining companies are helping out by stripping the minerals from it and making it lighter in appearance, and in weight, so now it just washes away... :facepalm:
* NZ has no native mammals, and only about 6 different (native) bird species. To make up for the small furry critter deficit, they've imported 70 million Australian possums, so that NZers can now experience the joys of roadkill... but it's not the place to go for wildlife spotting
* The few sheep I saw didn't look particularly attractive, as sheep go. They must have low standards...
* Nice craft beer (always end with a compliment... :D)

That's it really. I'm prepared to accept that the other island is more interesting and even that other bits of the north island are more interesting - my findings are based on a small geographical sample. I can see why Melbourne is the second largest NZ city - they can't wait to get away from the place.
 
Armistice said:
* The few sheep I saw didn't look particularly attractive, as sheep go. They must have low standards...
* Nice craft beer (always end with a compliment... :D)
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That's because you delayed your visit so long. All the good looking sheep were taken.

I agree on the craft beers and some of their white wines are pretty nice too.

Anyhow, I wouldn't go to NZ for exciting cities or great beaches, especially not from Australia, but the scenery on the South Island is worth a look.
 
Wasn't there an audio company that hailed from NZ?

I think they made some pretty high end audiophile type stuff...I can't remember their name atm though.

Cheers! :)
 
LOL, you went to dorkland. Sorry. I've only been there once, aged 10, and that was enough to never want me to go back. Should have gone to the south island....rain forests, golden sandy beaches, mountains, lakes....I'm not sure the sheep get more attractive though? :) None of the cities in NZ are that exciting, I think maybe Queenstown is the only one that is worth going to and spending some time in. If you like skiing that is. To get the full NZ experience, you're best to stay out of the cities and travel around for a week or 3 in camper van. :)
 
fritsthegirl said:
To get the full NZ experience, you're best to stay out of the cities and travel around for a week or 3 in camper van. :)
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And you can fly over mountains as well. It's like Mexico in that way. Just find ways to get around. Keep moving. I've only seen the south island. You wind up looking at birds and glaciers and dinosaurs (yes) and fuel gauges and menus that way. Really pleasant setting for a road trip.
 
When I was down under traveling with the wife the best thing about New Zealand was that it was only a short hop from Australia and a convenient way to get away from Aus.....:thumbs up:
 
David's description matches my recollections - I traveled through N&S islands in 1980.
Back then one could purchase a 4ltr plastic bottle of beer poured straight from the tap in the bar of any pub.
I was impressed with the reuse, recycle or re-imagine culture of necessity.
The rubber stripping parrots were cool (but not clever), the goosberries hadn't become a "thing" and the flightless birds may have been nocturnal but they also weren't fooled by the nigh light cages in the exhibits.
My one positive abiding positive memory? Glow worms.
Oh, oh - I did think the drying rooms were pretty flash!
SOUTH Island, they all drank WARM beer, (well, room temp anyway), and insisted we do likewise.
That may be one of the principal contributing factors to my giving up booze a decade later!
One of our traveling companions was barred from going near the sheep.
Oh, everyone bought a rugby union training guernsey, (the ones with mis matched parts), except me as I saw it as money that could be transformed into fermented & spirituous liquors.
 
Armistice said:
I know it's only 3 hours flight away, but somehow I never had a reason to goto NZ before this Easter. Anyway, I'm back, and I can report the following:

* Auckland is dull
* The beaches, at least where I was, all have black mineral sand... not a good look... I want white sand at the beach! Thankfully the sand mining companies are helping out by stripping the minerals from it and making it lighter in appearance, and in weight, so now it just washes away... :facepalm:
* NZ has no native mammals, and only about 6 different (native) bird species. To make up for the small furry critter deficit, they've imported 70 million Australian possums, so that NZers can now experience the joys of roadkill... but it's not the place to go for wildlife spotting
* The few sheep I saw didn't look particularly attractive, as sheep go. They must have low standards...
* Nice craft beer (always end with a compliment... :D)

That's it really. I'm prepared to accept that the other island is more interesting and even that other bits of the north island are more interesting - my findings are based on a small geographical sample. I can see why Melbourne is the second largest NZ city - they can't wait to get away from the place.
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Lol! Are you trolling or what??? You went to the wrong coast! This is the view from my beach house!

Beach6.JPGBeach3.JPGBeach5.JPG406424_2517525506013_1489519305_31870322_552251355_n.jpg
 
LOL - I knew you'd turn up eventually wilko... :D

I went to Piha. Black sand. Volcanic coasts. Nice if you like that sort of thing... I'm sure closer to Hobbiton the scenery's more inspiring though. The lack of animals was disappointing.

BTW, re. the possum problem.... all you need to do is embed possum pheremones in your road marking paint and let the vehicles do the culling. I suggested this to my NZ friends who were whinging about "my" possums invading "their" (they're actually both English...) country, but they didn't think it would work. Either that, or put fruit on the centre line... :laughings:
 
Armistice said:
LOL - I knew you'd turn up eventually wilko... :D

I went to Piha. Black sand. Volcanic coasts. Nice if you like that sort of thing... I'm sure closer to Hobbiton the scenery's more inspiring though. The lack of animals was disappointing.

BTW, re. the possum problem.... all you need to do is embed possum pheremones in your road marking paint and let the vehicles do the culling. I suggested this to my NZ friends who were whinging about "my" possums invading "their" (they're actually both English...) country, but they didn't think it would work. Either that, or put fruit on the centre line... :laughings:
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lol! You are a twat..I was only an hour away! Wanker!
 
You know, it occurs that travelling from a major capital on the East coast of Australia the New Zealand, looking for a cosmopolitan life style and great beaches would be a bit like me flying from Western Canada to Australia for a skiing holiday...
 
wilko said:
lol! Never mind!! Next time... well you didn't seem to have a good time.. :(
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No, it was OK - I got a cold on day 3 and so didn't really do all that much for the rest of the time, or wanted to. I was sort of marooned in this old house in the middle of nowhere with no power points, and no vehicle for a couple of days - so short of walking round the local area, driving into Piha (nobody wanted to go any further abroad...) and drinking wine, there wasn't a bunch to do.

---------- Update ----------

Bobbsy said:
You know, it occurs that travelling from a major capital on the East coast of Australia the New Zealand, looking for a cosmopolitan life style and great beaches would be a bit like me flying from Western Canada to Australia for a skiing holiday...
Click to expand...

Well I wasn't really looking for either... but I was a bit underwhelmed with the little bit of NZ that I saw.... I'm sure it's stunning further south... :)
 
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