NEW ZEALAND

ABOUT NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand is a long narrow country lying roughly north-south. Consisting of the North and South Islands (and a number of smaller islands), it covers 103,736 square miles (166,940 square kilometres) and is 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres) long. It covers an area slightly larger than the United Kingdom.

New Zealand is situated in the South Pacific, approximately 6,500 miles (10,400 kilometres) south west of North America and 1,400 miles (2,250 kilometres) east of Australia.

Language: English is the common and everyday language, but other languages are also spoken, including Maori, which is New Zealand’s second official language (spoken by the indigenous Maori people who constitute approximately 15 per cent of the population).

Religion: 60 per cent Christian: Anglican, Presbytarian, Roman Catholic and Methodist are all represented.

Currency:

The NZ dollar is the basic unit, divided into 100 cents; Coins: 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, $1 & $2. Notes: $5, $10, $20, $50 & $100.

New Zealand Dollars (NZ$). Current exchange rate is approximately 1USD =NZ$1.45. Please check with your bank for current exchange rates. Travellers cheques and most major international credit cards are accepted.

CLIMATE

New Zealand is in the southern hemisphere, so the seasons are the opposite to those in the northern hemisphere. Summer is December to February whilst winter is June to August. Average summer temperature is 22� Celsius (72� Fahrenheit) and winter 9� Celsius (48� Fahrenheit).

Clothing

In keeping with New Zealand’s relaxed lifestyle, dress is informal on most occasions. A jacket is recommended only for those intending to visit a better restaurant or evening show. A waterproof jacket and umbrella is advisable.

DINING

Over the past five or so years, New Zealand’s cuisine has come into its own. Excellent restaurants have popped up all across the country, serving homegrown fare as well as a wide variety of international cuisines, particularly Asian. The local foods to try include venison, fresh fish (the salmon is especially good), shellfish and fruits like kiwifruit, passion fruit and tamarillos (tree tomatoes). Make sure you sample a meat pie — a tasty throwback of British influence. (You can often find them made with salmon, if you prefer.) Lamb and hogget (one-year-old lamb) is delicious and very different from much of the lamb served in North America — it is much milder and similar to high-quality beef or pork. For dessert, the country’s specialty is pavlova, an incredibly sweet baked meringue flavored with passion fruit.

Note: Be aware that the wait staff will not bring your bill until you ask for it.

SHOPPING

Shop for paua-shell jewelry, Maori items (wood and bone carvings, music and handicrafts), sheepskin rugs, sweaters and other wool clothing, high-quality outdoor clothing and equipment (especially fleece jackets), greenstone jewelry and ornaments, and items carved from native woods. The locally grown produce is fantastic, so look for things like jams and flavored oils. Wine is also a good buy.

The bigger cities and towns have malls if you like concentrated shopping, but the local markets are a fun way to meet New Zealanders. Another tip: As you drive around, be sure to look for little signs along the road identifying artists’ studios and workshops — potters, woodworkers, etc. On our last trip, stopping in at some of these places turned out to be most rewarding.

ACTIVITIES

New Zealand is a Mecca for thrill seekers and anyone interested in wide open spaces and physical activities. Above the ground you can go bungy jumping, parachuting, skydiving, abseiling and flying; on the ground you can go tramping, mountain bike riding, skiing, horse riding, rock climbing, and ‘zorbing’; underground you can go surface caving, cave rafting, and hydro sliding; and on the water you can go jet-boarding, white-water sledging, rafting, boogey boarding, canoeing, kayaking, surfing, sur- rafting, and scuba diving. If there is a difficult and challenging way to get from one point to another you can do it somewhere, somehow, in New Zealand.

Despite the number of off-beat activities available, the most popular one is still tramping (Kiwi lingo for hiking or trekking). Thousands of kilometres of marked tracks and an efficient network of trampers’ huts make it a viable activity for everyone from experienced hikers to country strollers. Be warned that some of the more popular tracks such as the Great Walks will be fairly crowded, especially in summer, so if you prefer solitude contact the nearest Department of Conservation office for further information on tramping in their area.

New Zealand is also one of the most popular destinations in the southern hemisphere for skiing and other winter sports because of its reliable and abundant snowfall. This usually occurs between June and October. There are a number of ski-package tours available and a variety of ski resorts scattered throughout both the north and south islands.

ATTRACTIONS

Wellington

The capital city of New Zealand, Wellington is situated on a splendid harbour at the southern tip of the North Island. Often maligned by its northern counterparts for its ill-tempered weather – the winds are often of gale-force calibre in winter – Wellington is a lively city of culture and arts (with festivals almost every month), and great ethnic restaurants and cafes. It is also home to the country’s government and national treasures.

Buildings of interest include the modernist Beehive (the executive wing of Parliament), the old Government Building (one of the largest all-wooden buildings in the world), the National Library (housing the most comprehensive collection of books in the country), and the Katherine Mansfield Memorials (the property where the famous author was born in 1888). In addition, there are museums (including the excellent new Te Papa museum), a zoo and stunning views of the city from the top of Mt Victoria. Cuba Street has great shopping, Thorndon has historic sites of interest, Lambton Quay is the primary business street and Mt Victoria is the place to go for cheap accommodation and dining. The treetop walk at the Native Plant Museum is also worth the time.

Auckland

This South Pacific waterside city has a strong pulse and a nautical twinkle in its eye. Its bewitching location on a thin stretch of the North Island, surrounded by the Pacific on just about every side, is complemented by the lush subtropical forests of the nearby hills and islands.

Auckland’s tourist attractions are, unsurprisingly, based around all things maritime. When you’ve had enough of aquariums and the history of sailing, go looking for Maori culture and dinosaur skeletons, lie in the gardens or try stargazing at the Observatory.

Northland

Northland is the cradle of both Maori and Pakeha culture: it was here that the Pakeha first made contact with the Maori, and where the first whaling settlements were established. Treaty of Waitangi was also signed here. Often referred to as the ‘winterless north’ because of its mild year-round temperatures, Northland has a number of interesting museums (Otamatea Kauri & Pioneer Museum), glorious, blonde beaches (Ninety Mile Beach) and diving spots (Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve, reckoned by Jacques Cousteau to be among the top 10 diving sites in the world), historic towns (Pahia and Waitangi), game fishing (Bay of Islands) and flora and fauna reserves (Waipoua Kauri Forest).

Otago & Southland

Three highlights dominate Otago and Southland in the bottom half of the South Island: Queenstown with its adrenaline activities; the walkways of Fiordland National Park; and Otago Peninsula, which boasts New Zealand’s first foray into ecotourism. Queenstown, set in a glacial valley on the edge of Lake Wakatipu, is a town synonymous with hairy adventures: parasailing; schussing down icy rapids in jet boats; white-water rafting; and bungy jumping off Skippers Canyon Bridge – the latest and most terrifying being a plunge 300m from a helicopter.

Fiordland National Park, which takes its name from its glacier-carved coast, is a wilderness of mountains, ice and beech forests. The scenic climax of Fiordland is undoubtedly Milford Sound where cruise ships bob toy-like beneath the shadows of towering mountains and waterfalls. There are classic alpine walks, including the Routeburn Track (in Mt Aspiring National Park), the Hollyford Track and the Milford Track (billed as the ‘finest in the world’).

Otago Peninsula is a significant wildlife area with woodland gardens, albatross, penguin and seal colonies, plus aquariums, museums and historic sites. Dunedin, a student city on the peninsula, is a hub for arts and entertainment, and is famous for producing an eclectic pool of internationally successful rock bands. Scottish to its core, the city has a rich architectural heritage with many museums, galleries and castles.

There is a series of huge lakes in the area, including Hawea and nearby Wanaka in Otago, and Lake Te Anau in Southland. Te Anau, gouged out by a huge glacier, is New Zealand’s second-largest lake and features caves full of glow worms, and waterfalls and whirlpools. The Catlins, the largest remaining area of native forest on the east coast of the South Island, is between Invercargill and Dunedin. It has reserves of rarefied plants and trees, plus fauna such as fur seals, sea lions, penguins and ducks.

TRAVEL TIPS

Don’t underestimate the discomfort caused by the bite of a tiny sand fly: Use insect repellent.

Do be considerate about taking pictures of Maoris. Their privacy should be respected.

Don’t disregard Maori wishes if you’re asked not to visit areas that are sacred to their culture.