[boonkien]

5th June is the Queen's BD right? Do the Kiwis get all out of their homes over a long weekend and gatecrash the touristy places?

I was planning to visit Rotorua and Taupo during this time (driving up from Welly). Can anyone advise me if the highways will be jammed and sightseeing places mobbed?

I would avoid these places at all costs if it were to be the case. Crowd stresses me out terribly. :exit

BTW, what do kiwis normally do during their holidays?

[katandbob]

nah the roads will be empty it will be the pub that will be full as its Bobs birthday long weekend... :nice1

Kat

[Moorf]

Crowds, crowds... hmm I remember the word.. can't quite put my finger on it...


:D

Not sure about the north island places, can get "busier" around here....

[Howie]

We went to SheepWorld (north of Auckland) on Good Friday, expecting it to be packed because of the long weekend and no one was there. Now I suppose SheepWorld may not be so popular with the locals, but I loved it. Well, I still think sheep are way cool.

[Moorf]

Christchurch was deserted over the Easter weekend - I thought they'd all gone to Sheepworld... :D

[foolsgold99]

Sheepworld ??

Really ? you're not making this up ??

I'm having strange visions of a theme park / entertainment centre, all based on sheep

Please tell us about it

[Marie P]

http://www.sheepworld.co.nz/farm.htm

Marie x

[Smiler]

Yep it really exists, north of Auckland. We met a lovely lady running the shop from Manchester who was returning to the UK last year.

Down side is there is no Pepsi Max ride for the sheep.

I still have my sheep tea towels though :D

[Moorf]

sheep rides... :uhoh

[foolsgold99]

is this link safe to open at work ?? we have filters for dodgy traffic :>

I'm going to write this one off as an "only in NZ" thing

[boonkien]

I guess the locals won't visit these places as they are FOR TOURISTS ONLY. :D To them it is like : "pay money to look at sheep?? Sheesh...we get them on One Tree Hill everywhere."

I think it is safe to visit Rotorua and Taupo then.

[boonkien]

Has anyone tried 100% Pure NZ website. It has neat little travel journal where you can do all your planning online. Cool! :clap

[Howie]

Sheepworld was the best!! They have all sorts of animals and they were all quite friendly. There's a little forest walk where you can learn the names of the trees and look for Wetas. You can pay extra for the dog and sheep show (well worth it, especially if dogs and sheep happen to be your favourite animals) and watch the dog herd some sheep, watch a sheep getting sheared and then you get to bottle feed the lambs (and the baby goad and the baby deer). I think the "farmer" is English, but please forgive me if I'm wrong because I'm still having a lot of trouble distinguishing an English accent from a Kiwi accent (yes it's embarrassing).

[Smiler]

Howie
Looks like it's you and me admitting it then.

I loved it there too, I am mad about sheep. Missed the dog and sheep show though, next time? :(
OH says I looked like a six year old when we were there. :clap

[jubjub]

Our dog would love it..... all those sheep to herd about.

Wonder if they serve lamb chops in the cafe??

Need to remember this place for when Andrew is older..

[SteveR]

http://www.agrodome.co.nz/

if you want to see sheep whilst in Rotorua, you can also bungy and zorb or jet boat, or do the freefall extreme but only if watching the sheep doesn't get the addrenalin pumping ;)

[Carol]

The first year we were here we made the BIG mistake of going off to Taupo for the October long weekend for Labour Day.
We just thought we would have a drive up, didn't bother to book - just thought "we'll ge something when we get there".

Yeah right.


Not a room - caravan tent or even a shoebox available.

We only ended up with a room when someone had to go back to Auckland unexpectedly and we happened to be in the Information centre when the info came in..

Taupo is lovely - but best visited outside of public holiday times!

[mossum]

Hi moorf ,

Sheep rides do (or did ) actually exist As children we used to go to the races at motukarara - on the way to Akaroa & sheep rides were always a feature - poor sheep I was rather a portly child !!! My personal best was about 12 seconds . It seems cruel now though .

I'm hapily remembering lolly scrambles & walking about looking for returnable bottles now - we used to offer to take them back - the adults wer'nt interested in the 5c return fee - we used to get loads & then eat the proceeds ( see previous portly child comment !!! )

LOL

vic x

[Jules]

Me and OH (SteveR) are going to New Plymouth for the long weekend. Any ideas what to do? and no dirty ones :o :laugh

Jules

[sizzlingbadger]

Just in time for the HOG Wellington's Ride :D :D

Quite a few Wellington Harley Biker's are descending on New Plymouth Saturday/Sunday.

[Moorf]

Watch out if you're in the vicinity of the Waimak Gorge - our neighbours are introducing us to the joys of hunting and it's been a while since I pointed a gun at anything !!! :D

[Avalon]

In keeping with the (wierd?) tone of this thread - dont forget Dairyland at Hawera and the way up to NP.

Just in case you are not that into sheep!

[Smiler]

You want weird?

The Fantasy Cave http://www.nzbn.com/fantasycave/

although unfortunately for you Jules, it's not on the way to NP. ;)

IN NP the coastal walkway is good http://www.newplymouthnz.com/visitors+and+events/coastal+walkway.htm and Pukekura Park is nice for short walks, it's a beautiful place with a fernery too. There are lots of arts and craft places around too. Have you seen this site? http://www.cuisine.co.nz/index.cfm?pageID=27412&r=0 There is a good cafe bar almost opposite the wind wand. Can't for the life of me remember the name of it, but it is next door to the Salt restaurant and attached to the council offices.

If you pass through Stratford, don't forget to stop and look at the glockenspiel http://www.windwand.co.nz/ourtaranaki04.htm it's a ermmm classic.;)

(http://%3Cb%3E%3Cbr%20/%3E%0A%3C/b%3E%3Cbr%20/%3E%0A%3Cbr%20/%3E)

[Jules]

Thanks guys for all the information, oh and good look with the hunting Moorf :nice1

Jules

[mark & Heather]

Don't forget theres places like all these in Britain too. Anyone who's ever been to Wales will vouch for that.. :laugh

[bevsere]

Queens weekend. Cleared the gutters of old dead leaves. Fed Spike the hedgehog, out for a warm in the sun when he should be hibernating. Took a long walk along the recently storm ridden shores of Rabbit Island. Visited with friends. View another pals house that he is having built.
Avoided the poxy sales in Nelson. Its always a huge massive sale frenzy for the Queens birthday. Worse than all the other Sales, special offers and 50% to 1000% offs for one day only sales. AArrrgg !

edited to add for Mark and Heather.
Viewed several - well 3 to be precise - dead pigs snouts from the back of a pick-up outsife of an popen home in Wakefield. not yer average pinkies , more your brutish black boar types.

[mark & Heather]

edited to add for Mark and Heather.
Viewed several - well 3 to be precise - dead pigs snouts from the back of a pick-up outsife of an popen home in Wakefield. not yer average pinkies , more your brutish black boar types.

forgive me...but what does this mean ?! lol