Kiwi Experience

We've just left New Zealand after spending 6 weeks driving through the country, starting in the north in Auckland, and ending in the south in Queenstown. I know we are skipping ahead in the blog, so Ill quickly catch you up. After laying on the beaches in Thailand we did spend alot of time doing other southeast Asian things: we traveled around the northern moutainous part of Thailand, headed to Cambodia to see the ancient temples of Ankgor Wat and to volunteer at a school, and lastly spent 10 days traveling around southern and central Australia with Matt's parents. These experiences were amazing and must be written about, but it will have to wait until later.

The only other country we've been lucky enough to visit for 6 weeks was Argentina. As was our experience there, you really get to see a different side of the culture, the people, and the land than you would see on vacation. Both countries are amazing and unforgettable in different ways. However, something about New Zealand has left a very deep and permanent mark on me. It will take longer than 36 hours since we left to really process our experience there, but with fresh memories in my head, I want to show you the New Zealand we have been lucky enough to know.

10 Favorite things
1. Hiking the Routeburn Track

2. Driving around in Sunny, our beloved rental Nissan with a 36 day contract.


3. Swimming with dolphins in Kaikoura


4. Camping at truly stunning campsites.

5. Paragliding from Coronet Peak in Queenstown. (And also seeing Matt's pictures from his skydive)


6. Wine Tasting


7. Hiking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing

8. Walking on a glacier


9. Hiking the Abel Tasman track

10. Sheep and Ducks and Cows.



Yes its an awesome country, but these are my gripes.
1. Sandflies. (These are Matts ankles, swollen from about 15 sandfly bites)

2. Sandflies.

3. There are 2 roads. Highway 1 and Highway 6. Everything else is pebbles and gravel. And theres nonstop construction on those 2 roads. (this is a major road)

4. Why is coffee $4? And why is it $4.50 when you want it to-go?

5. Sandflies.

6. Check out time of all hotels, hostels, and campgrounds is 10am. Regardless of whether or not your tent is still sopping wet from last nights 8-hour rainstorm.

7. The speed limit around dangerous mountain curves is inexplicably 100kmph. And people listen to the sign regardless of what makes sense. (One lane road, edge of a cliff, no guardrail)


8.`Sandflies

9. Does bungy jumping really need to cost $240?? And who is A J Hackett???

10. Greymouth is an excellent name for a city. Its a mouth of a river, and its very gray all the time. However, city is not a good name for Greymouth. Its more like a rural Pennsylvanian steel mining town when no one has been mining steel for 100 years. Note: this is the biggest "city" on the west coast of the South Island.


We have posted more photos on Facebook - here is the public link:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=626629&id=591025127&l=3b3b7d65a3