New Zealand trip......short version

[Dogphish]

Hope my Australia thread did not cause mass suicide...
We first spent 4 days in New Zealand (North Island) and 8 days in Sydney....here is New Zealand portion of trip
We landed in Auckland and picked up a rent car, 1999 Nissan Maxima clone, as you know they drive on opposite side of road. The steering wheel is on the right and the gear shift is on the left...we opt for automatic. The turn signal is on the left side of steering column, and the wiper on the right side.
I have been driving here since 1967 and my driving habits are firmly implanted. Driving in the city takes every ounce of concentration...you are on the wrong side of the road in the wrong seat ; the first day every time I used a signal the frickin wipers came on....left turns are a piece of cake...it is the right hand turns that can kill..you have to scoot across oncomming traffic from the right, and turn to the right...once you got out of the city into the countryside, it was not so bad as you saw very little traffic....

 

[Dogphish]

What to do in N.Z.

What to do in N.Z.

N.Z. consists of two islands north and south we opted for North. First day we went to Kelly Tarlton's antarctica experience....pretty cool. Ride thru penquin rookery and tunnels with sealife above and around...exhibit centers on Scott's expedition to Antarctica decades ago. N.Z. has a world claim on a chunk of antarctica.. Second day we drive to Waitamo Cave area....passed thru Hamilton (understand Anders resides there) Driving in N.Z. is a trip... european roadsigns, very few roadmarkers, few red-lights, mostly roundabout circles at very major intersections...you could drive for 50 miles and not see any indication of what is ahead...very very frustrating. I am guessing there are so few people and tourists that is the norm.

 

[Dogphish]

Waitomo caves area

Waitomo caves area

Waitamo caves area was the highlite of my entire trip...this area is riddled with underground caves and streams...We used Blackwater rafting for our underground journey. They issue you a wetsuit, boots, and a miner's helmet..and then it is off to the cave. Upon arrival you pick out an innertube and then you roadtest it in a stream before entering cave. The cave entrance is a large crack in the cliff face we enter with water about two feet deep swirling around our feet . After adjusting to the dark, we turn on our LED emitting helmets and with our guides we are off, floating and walking thru a cave named "Den of Dogs" this is neater than neat, a real adventure..halfway thru the hour and a half experience we turn off our lites and look above to the glow-worms...in the pitch black it looks like looking at the constellations, millions of stars....further in the cave you see stalagtites and stalagmites and other formations. The only hairy part was a couple of backward plunges you have to make from ledges that were about six foot tall....you stood backwards and put the tube on your backside and made the " leap of faith" after experience you are treated to hot soup and bagels and a hot shower...you need them both.

 

[Dogphish]

Waitomo cont'd

Waitomo cont'd

Afterwards we head to our B+B ( bed and breakfast) in Tuisinai, I believe....it is a farmstay. Andrew and his wife Margurite spoiled us rotten....wonderful food, great lodging, good people. We took sheep ranch tour Andrew has thousands of hectacres of the most spectacular rolling countryside on earth...if you saw the green valleys of the " Ring Trilogy", you get the idea....

 

[Dogphish]

Next stop Lake Taupo..Monday nite football??

Next stop Lake Taupo..Monday nite football??

This is a great resort area , lots of trout fishing...we have scheduled jet boat ride. There is a dam there that opens 4 times a day in spring time...the air is heavy with sulphur smell, there is tons of underground thermal steam activity. We saw power staions on steam and drilling rigs looking for more....the jet ride was just ok...40 knots top speed, rapids fairly tame, expected raging colorado river waters, did get wet and tossed and turned but hoped for a crap your pants type experience.

Went back to room and what is on the tube? Al Michaels and John Madden, live Monday nite football!! Only thing wierd it was mid Tuesday afternoon... we decide to head out to the thermal springs and soak our old tired bones. For a small fee you have private and community thermal spring pools of varying temperatures, life is good..

 

[Dogphish]

Next stop Rotorua...

Next stop Rotorua...

We drive on and stop at the various thermal attractions....mudpots, geysers and the like...this area is highly geologically active..there was a 7.2 earthquake off-shore that rattled both islands the day before...Rotorua is a neat area of shops and a back packers mecca....lots of hot looking women from all over doing the N.Z. outdoors....there are youth hostels to stay in on the cheap in Australia and N.Z..could be risky though...heard about a knifing in one in sydney as well as theft and questions about cleanliness...lice and bedbugs... We had an interesting lunch at the RSA ( retired Serviceman Association) upon advice of local we ate lunch there...it is for military retirees but open to all....really cheap and good...tried a local brew......Steinlager..very very good...beer in australia, I had mixed feelings....the Tuhey New they guzzle, was swill to me....the carlton's was ok...I really liked the Victoria Bitter and the Boags Premium (Brewed in Tasmania I was told)

 

[Dogphish]

Final Day N.Z. and thoughts

Final Day N.Z. and thoughts

We settle on a hotel in Thames....near peninsula coast...really awesome coast line and old mining area...

Could have spent a month doing nothing but N.Z. all the serious cool stuff is more likely on South Island...glaciers, whale watching, dolphin experience, on that subject was a neat story about a group of swimmers that were herded by dolphins who swam circular around them, turns out there was a great white in immediate area....

Vacations are a very personal selection, we got an extremely small taste of life and sites of this wonderful part of the world...I found the people to be among the most outgoing and friendly in all of my world travels....I wish I had checked it out earlier in my life...... dual citizenship would be great to have...ran into several Americans who did just that... I would be happy to answer any questions regarding my trip...

 

[THE KOD]

very interesting reading.

I would like to vacation there sometime in future.

thanks for posting.

 

[bombercoops]

Glad to hear you had a good trip down there Dogphish! It's great to hear that people who travel to Australia(and NZ) find the people easy going and helpful. Enjoyed the read and if ever you head back down under, feel free to get in contact with me and catch up for a XXXX!

 

[Dogphish]

Thanks

Thanks

Might take you up on that someday...where are u and what is area like?? While driving around we saw little wildlife...expected lots more birds and stuff...history speaks of rodent problem wiping out lots of species down under...any truth?

 

[Dogphish]

Cheap Lodging..aus-N.Z.

Cheap Lodging..aus-N.Z.

There is a clean cheap motel chain for both Aus N.Z. Budget Motel Chain....their website is www.budgetmotelchain.com.au I wish I had known of it sooner, would have made it easy...hope that info helps someone...

 

[bombercoops]

DP, I live in Brisbane (Queensland) about 45 mins from the gold coast. Big city with plenty to do and see and not far from the famous gold coast beaches which are full of female talent to keep your eyes wide open and aware! :scared In Texas right now but will be home for good in the next few years hopefully. As far as the wildlife, we have plenty of it near my place so i guess you may have hit the wrong spots as far as being able to see it. Clearly, the inner city doesn't have nearly as much wildlife as the outback or even outer suberbs, but I can assure you that it definitely exists. I've been swooped by way too many magpies (a bird that you can find anywhere in OZ) in my lifetime to know that our wildlife is thriving!