Farewell!

Hope you enjoyed my plans for my dream vacation I will write back when the trip does occur and let you know how everything turns out but now I leave you with some beautiful pictures of New Zealand to marvel at ...

 
 

Last but NOT least

my favorite part of every trip involves trying new and authentic food therefore I plan to try as many authentic dishes as possible (while trying to stay on a low budget) here are a few food places and things that intrigued me..

• Go to the Matakana farmers market just on the countryside outside of Auckland - New Zealand is known for its tasty and unique cheeses which can be found here along with other obscure treats like spiced hot chocolate and plenty of fresh organic fruits & vegetables
• In Greytown, Wellington we would go sample fine chocolates with weird but wonderful fillings at a chocolaterie 
• Auckland Seafood Festival is held at the end of January having venues with all sorts of different fresh seafood to try and buy! 
• Try Maori Hangi which is a traditional Maori feast steamed slowly underground. 

What we will do..

Since we are going to be one with nature and New Zealand is the adventure capital of the world we will try and partake on as many adventurous tours and sites as possible - a few of them include:

IN:
Queensland
1. Shotover jetboating - quick, adventurous and exhilarating ride through narrow canyons

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjmZ2cs8nCU&feature=player_embedded&noredirect=1#! - click this link to see for yourself!

2. Canyon swing - swing down the largest cliff in New Zealand - for one swinger it is $199.00 NZD

WestCoast
1. 7 day hiking tour on the Northern part of the West Coast

• included in the 7 days is a guided walk on the Fox glacier, see ice caves, kayak the tranquil Oquito lagoon, hike through podocarp forest to natural hot pools surrounded by mountain peaks in Westland National Park and look out for wildlife and dolphins as you hike along beautiful seasides and forests. 

Auckland
1. Zorbing - strapped into the Zorb globe in a specially designed safety harness, you are sent on a trip down the hill rolling head over heels as the ground and sky go whizzing past. Your body is subjected to the soft and relaxing feeling of weightlessness.

Wellington
1. Lord of the Rings full day tour - get to see all the scenic areas where Lord of the Rings was filmed and as a huge fan I can say I am most stoked about this

2. city bus tour to get aquainted with the sights and how to get around

3. Cuba street - bohemian style street with lots of chic boutique shopping and trendy restaurants

Where will we stay?

We will be backpacking therefore staying at backpacker and youth hostels 
Southern Island
1. Queensland - Scallywags travellers backpackers hostel $15/night - laidback, civilized atmosphere with a panoramic view of lakes, mountains and valleys and adventure packages to choose from

2. West Coast - Greymouth Seaside Holiday Park from $18/night - campsite right by the seaside to get closer to nature

Northern Island
1. Auckland - Cote Jardin $20/night - eco-friendly bed & breakfast where you can enjoy homegrown organic food

2. Wellington - Downtown Backpackers Wellington $28/night - budget downtown hotel right in the heart of the city

A Few Facts...

• The people of New Zealand speak mainly English and some speak Maori in more remote or rural areas, which is the islands native language 
• The island got the saying, "four seasons in one day," because the temperature and weather can go from one extreme to another very rapidly 
• New Zealanders are known to be friendly, polite and welcoming to tourists 
• It is not mandatory to tip for service
• They live in a democratic society and the atmosphere within most cities is very laidback and somewhat similar to that of Canada's 

Some Nitty Gritty Details

I will be travelling to New Zealand with my roommate, Ellie Somers.  We will be travelling during the month of January, as that is during their Summer and is said to be the warmest month. We will be travelling to both the South and the North parts of the island. We are going to book a one way ticket and plan to travel for 2 months with the potential of staying longer. We will start off January in the South and during the month of February travel in the North. 

First off, WHY?

• escape the city life and be one with nature and explore the earth's natural landscapes
• New Zealand is known to be a land of immense natural diversity
• it has a wide range of sights to see: the seascape, forests, mountains, national parks & lots of wildlife