[Rimbo]

We all have favorite things.

What is your favorite piece of NZ that;
If you could go to one NZ place and see it / experience it. Where would it be?

I'm talking about places, buildings, scenic spots, Vinyards, towns/cities, movie theatres, train track, road, anywhere.

John

[foolsgold99]

A nice new home on the Auckland North shore, with my name over the door and the wife and the collie inside

[jo b]

We all have favorite things.

What is your favorite piece of NZ that;
If you could go to one NZ place and see it / experience it. Where would it be?

I'm talking about places, buildings, scenic spots, Vinyards, towns/cities, movie theatres, train track, road, anywhere.

John

John

you have to do a bungy jump when you go...........Ian has so you have to keep up the Wigan spirit.

Also White water rafting is a must, Oh and sea fishing you will probably see dolphins, Oh and the glow worm caves aren't bad, Oh and hot water beach is like nothing on earth.

Do you think you will have time for interviews in you include these in you schedule :nice1 :laugh

Good luck anyways

Jo

[Timbo]

Cathedral cove out of season is just heaven. :cool

[veronica]

taking aside the scenery and lakes it would have to be a touristy thing and I would reckon.... ta da

The glowworm cave at Waitimo Caves,

(closely followed by wandering around the crators or the moon by Taupo)

[Jules]

Veronica

We went to the Craters of the Moon, fab place.

My favourite is a beach at a place called Matata, fab blue waters, waves crashing on the beach, I would love to sea fish off the beach, heaven. My aviator is of me on that same beach :nice1

Jules

[Loulou]

Having just come back from visiting, I really enjoyed swimming with the Dolphins in the Bay the Plenty. Going up the Skytower, even though I absolutely hate heights.. infact I really enjoyed everything we did, didnt want to come home.

[Diny]

Would agree with all of the above. The glow worm caves are amazing. PB did the bungy jump (idiot). The white water rafting took my breath away (literally), all of the 'touristy' things are well worth doing.

But .... a 'must see' thing/place. It has to be Mission Bay near Taupo.

I'm also rather looking forward to seeing PB's face the day he takes his boat out for the first time :nice1, (however, I'm still telling him he's not having one so don't let on).

Diny

[jo b]

Diny

thats our plan too to have a boat.

joint boat trip up North it is then. :nice1

Jo

[sweetpea]

Penguins!

Oh and also... my friend went and came back with a picture of a sheep shearing arcade game (sort of like the Dance!Dance! games), which is just so over the top.... I think it was in Wellington, I'll have to ask.

[Timbo]

Sweetpea. I dont know about the rest of NZ, but up on the Coromandel, the Blue eyed penguins nest in the dunes next to the road in some areas. We were there out of nesting season, but I am told you can get quite close and personal with them.

[Diny]

Oh I can just see it.

Having a G&T sundowner as the guys cook us a BBQ fish supper (freshly caught of course) ... tough but i think somebody needs to do it.

Chin chin old gal :cheers

Diny

[Watt Dabney]

WD

[macs gold]

Paula

Great to hear you had a good time around Dunedin. We too enjoy the brilliant wildlife and scenery mixture we have here.

My favourite place I've been - Stewart Island - I did a marvellous tramp around the NW of the island over 10 days. Until the last day we saw only one other party in the whole time.

My must do place in NZ - Dusky Sound in remotest Fiordland. It was first explored by James Cook, was then the first place colonised by Europeans, but hasn't had anyone living there for 150 years now. It is real wilderness!

[Diny]

Paula

The Moeraki Boulders you say?

I found the legend behind them very interesting - the Maoris believe they are baskets that have been washed up from an ancient shipwreck.

We left the beach knowing we'd ticked another 'attraction' off our list - but both agreed that we probably wouldn't go again. We passed an elderly-ish American couple who were just standing there, the woman said to the man...."well I'm sorry honey - but I just don't get what all the fuss is about them stones".

Sadly I remember her more than 'them stones'.

Diny

[jam]

There are numerous places we visited, and the quality of the "attractions" are so high, that it's pretty difficult to sift them, but for me the epic items for me were
1. Whale watching at Kaikoura :angel
2. Helicopter flight over the Southern Alps from Twizel :cool
3. The InterIslander Ferry trip with the accompanying dolphins and the amazing scenery. :clap
4. The peaceful aura at Waitangi :yes
5. Our then 8 year old up to his chest deep in water at Cheltenham beach whilst my hubby was reliving his childhood (it was April and we thought the weather fab - better than the NE England) - and the relies there thought we were quite mad to be in the sea, but we are from the North and are dead 'ard :cheers

The whole trip was amazing and totally life changing as we now aim to make it home as soon as possible.

[susanlin]

Hi all

Top of the list has got to be boat trip on Milford Sound - AWESOME!!!! I was just flabbergasted at the beauty and wonder of Fiordland.

The revolving restaurant in the Sky Tower, Auckland - wonderful!

Te Anau - very beautiful place and so serene. Have a picnic beside the lake and just gaze in complete contentment at Lake Te Anau.

[SoCal Gal]

Well, it's not nearly as lively as bungee jumping or hiking, but in Wellington, taking the cable car up to the Botanical Gardens on a crisp, clear day will just about make you cry, the view is so lovely. I remember seeing a group of school girls in really fancy uniforms (heard later it was a posh private school) skipping and giggling with their darling accents, and I felt like I was in a movie. We also loved taking the train down from Auckland to Wellington, right down the middle of the island, the scenery was just fantastic, I saw a river so clear I swear I could see a duck's web feet under the water! :cool

[shagen]

Man! I took down all the "must sees" in NZ metioned in this thread and now am begining to wonder if I will ever find time for that job interview when we are there in March! :laugh

[Diny]

SoCal

Oh yeah - the train ride from Auckland to Wellington ..... what a fantastic way to while away the hours. The scenery is fantastic. The train looked abit old and worn out when we got on it but it's soooooooo comfortable - big comfy seats, masses of leg room and massive windows.

I would recommend that journey to everybody.

Diny

[Moorf]

Go see the Sperm Whales at Kaikoura... it was such an amazing trip - we saw four in total and a rare sighting of two surfacing together.

You also get to see the mighty Albatross, dolphins and penguins!

Here's a pic I got of one of the whales diving.... the remaining 16metres of it is underwater :eek

http://www.practicalsoftwaresolutions.net/nz/dscn2823.jpg

[Rimbo]

Wow!
I cant write all these down fast enough.
:nice1
Has anybody climbed Mt Taranaki?

John

[Timbo]

Nice photo there Moorf. Is that one going in the book?? :mrgreen:

[macs gold]

Has anybody climbed Mt Taranaki?

John

Sorry, its been conquered already. :laugh
Maybe there's a small peak somewhere in the south island with your name on it.

[mechidna]

Actually, since it's a cold winter for many of us, I would be really happy to climb a small sand dune on a nice warm beach.

Thank you all for such wonderful ideas. I'll have to try the less heart intensive ones--meaning no bungies.

[Beach Kiwi]

Here's some mostly Auckland attractions:

For the kids, and young at heart:

Rainbows End Adventure Park (http://www.rainbowsend.co.nz/)

Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World (http://www.kellytarltons.co.nz/home/page.aspx)

Auckland Zoo (http://www.aucklandzoo.co.nz/index.php)

For the grown ups, and older kids:

Auckland Harbour Bridge Climb (http://www.ajhackett.com/?page=bridge)

Auckland Museum (http://www.aucklandmuseum.co.nz/)

Museum of Transport and Technology (http://www.motat.co.nz/)

New Zealand's national museum, located in Wellington:

Te Papa Museum (http://www.tepapa.govt.nz/TePapa/)

[Rimbo]

Great hints and tips everyone. :nice1

I'll rephrase the last question. :oops:
Has anyone here experienced a lovely walk up Mt Taranaki?

John

[NZJ]

Hi,

Just had to have my say. Fox glacier is the best. I have competely and uterly fallen in love. The town is superb. Not much but some good places to eat. the glacier itself is breathtaking. I have been tot he face 4 times, once in the pouring rain, this still did not deter me. It is so beautiful, it completely takes my breath away. So like many NZ attractions it says this is what there is, enjoy it, we wil not dress it up. It really is glorious.


Jill

[Diny]

Jill

I found the most amazing part of the glacier was the noises it makes. Took me quite by suprise.

Diny

[Annierobrigado]

everybody!


thanks for all the ideas on what and where to go and see in nz! there are so many places to go to there, i think even if i become a citizen in 5 yrs i will still feel like a tourist in nz.

john, did you know that the village where the samurai lived in the "Last Samurai" starring tom cruise was on Mt. Taranaki? Watch the dvd again, and look around. you might have an idea of what it looks like. it looks heavenly.

annie

[Pakeha Boy]

Rimbo,
I've been 1/2 way up the the mountain, but had to turn back as the father in law was getting a bit out of breath, though I hear its a very easy climb to the top, and the whole trip up and down can be done in a day.

In my day though it was called Mt Egmont, anyone know if there has been an official governmental name change to Taranaki?

Have been racking my brain for a "must see" for you, but there is just so many choices!
I think something that may well get your juices flowing, (and something I'm yet to do) would be a tandem skydive on a clear clear day, from 15000ft over Taupo...........

[Rimbo]

Hi Annie,
Yes, I knew they filmed it there as the location is supposed to look like Mt Fiji. I've not actually seen the film yet, but i will try to get to see it.

NZJ,
Just had an e-mail (today) off another friend that has just come back from Fox, Franz and Josef Glaciers.. funny that.

Do they make big mints there?
:mrgreen:

John

[Rimbo]

PB,
Yes it is official although i think the surrounding forest is still called Egmont national park.

Don't think the holdiay insurance will cover a ski dive :uhoh
Thats my excuse for not doing one anyway ;)

John