[Juniper]

We are finally finally planning our New Zealand research trip for this May/June! After 2 yrs of thinking about moving, we are at last in the financial position to take 3-4 weeks off and check out the place!

So...I'd like to pick your brain! Pardon the lengthyness of my request, here goes:

Does anyone have suggestions on what to do, what not to miss, that might not be included in a guidebook? ;) Stuff locals like to do? We're not so interested in doing really touristy things like visiting umpteen museums and heritage sites...we're trying to get an idea of what it's like to live there, what's going on -now- :cool:

Karaoke bars would be an example of something we'd love to find. (The kind where you sing to a room of strangers, not the personal rent-a-room kind). We also love good food/wine, especially non-European food (sushi, mexican, vietnamese, etc etc). Any recommendations on favorite grocery stores, coffee shops, department stores, bookstores, pubs...

I'm also interested in local dance classes, bellydance in particular, but maybe a maori or polynesian dance class would be cool? If you dance, let me know what teacher you like!

Of course certain landmarks of natural beauty are something we'd love to check out as well! We can't do long hikes or anything sporty, but a nice picnic walk or something...

We also love cute animals! Farm,zoo, or wild, whatever.

Our planned route is:

Fly in to Auckland from San Francisco.
Check out the Auckland area, including excursions out to Northland and Coromandel.

Fly to Wellington.
Check the city as well as some suburbs, drive over the hill to Wairarapa, maybe even make it up to Hawkes Bay.

Fly or ferry to Nelson.
Spend a few days doing the Nelson thing.

Drive down to Christchurch along the Eastern side of the island.
Stop for a few things like maybe whale watching and hot springs.
Check out the Christchurch area.

Time permitting, fly to Queenstown.
Bungee jump? :p
Take a tour out to Milford Sound or Doubtful Sound.

Fly back to San Francisco via Auckland.

Woo hoo! Can't wait to buy those tickets...

[Malay-Coopers]

When we initially toured NZ, my husband and I were surprised at how long it took to drive from one place to another. We found that if we took a local's estimate of the driving time and doubled it we were about right. NZ does not have highways like we do in the states, and certainly no super highways like the ones in CA. Most roads are narrow, and two lanes. While driving from Nelson to Picton for the ferry we often thought we went the wrong way because of the hair pin turns.

If you have time, you should hike the Routeburn or Milford tracks. We did the Milford and will never forget it. You must go to Queenstown and Glenorchy - simply breathtaking.

Also, don't forget Dunedin. The Otago Penninsula is fantastic and there are great pubs.

[stu70]

Drooling listening..er..reading about all this. Good luck with the trip.

[Ana&Steve]

I have a few ideas, but I don't live there *yet*Does anyone have suggestions on what to do, what not to miss, that might not be included in a guidebook? Stuff locals like to do? We're not so interested in doing really touristy things like visiting umpteen museums and heritage sites...we're trying to get an idea of what it's like to live there, what's going on -now- We also love cute animals! Farm,zoo, or wild, whatever. How about finding an A&P show? They're like a country fair, with rides and games, food and exhibits, and all kinds of farm animals. I wanted to go because I'm a bit of a country girl (except the music!), but we both had a great time because we were part of a big mostly Kiwi crowd, doing what one might do if they live in NZ. ;) Also there was a booth there that got me interested in native flora and fauna, and talked about the introduced pests, and what is being done about them.
I'm also interested in local dance classes, bellydance in particular, but maybe a maori or polynesian dance class would be cool? If you dance, let me know what teacher you like! I have a friend named Rob who works at a coffee shop in Taupo called AttiΨq Raz, he is the manager of the shop, and drums for the belly dancers that perform there. (he also gives drum lessons) I will ask him who does belly dancing classes, and in what areas. (Most of the dancers travel to perform there)Karaoke bars would be an example of something we'd love to find. (The kind where you sing to a room of strangers, not the personal rent-a-room kind). We also love good food/wine, especially non-European food (sushi, mexican, vietnamese, etc etc). Any recommendations on favorite grocery stores, coffee shops, department stores, bookstores, pubs... I want to suggest Arty Bees book store in Welly, I think it's on Courtney St, and Fidel's Coffee Shop on Cuba St. (all of Cuba St is pretty cool)Have fun on your trip, we're going out in April for 3wks(YAY!) and hopefully we'll all live there soon!
Ana

[Juniper]

Malay-Coopers, thanks for the driving time warning! We've been wondering which legs should be flown and which should be driven. Hubby is starting to talk about driving from Auckland to Wellington...

How long did it take you to walk the Milford track? I just watched a documentary on that and I think they said 4 days. Looks a little intense for the purposes of this trip, but wow, maybe someday... a cruise to see the waterfalls might be good enough for now :-) I don't know if Milford or Doubtful Sound would be better. Are they much different, I wonder?

An A&P show sounds so fun! I looked it up and found http://www.ras.org.nz/, it looks like there are no shows during our visit :-( being winter and all. Maybe we can do a farmstay instead...cute animals!

I tried looking up the coffee shop, is it spelled "Attiyo Raz"? Sounds like a cool spot, whether or not it's a belly night. If we end up driving through there I'll be sure to check it out!

April would be such a great time to go, you're going to have an awesome time. If only we could make it out a little earlier...but at least we'll know what we're in for, in terms of weather!

[Ana&Steve]

It is spelled AttiΨq Raz on the sign, but I did a search for it as Attiyq Raz and found this: http://www.reap.org.nz/Community/PDF/04%20REAP%20Report.pdf
Rob's nickname is Bongo, he's really making a name for himself over there! :nice1
Have a great trip! Some of the funnest things we did were unplanned and spontaneous, so don't worry too much about an itinerary :D
Ana

[Juniper]

Ok, wow it must have been an effort to type!

I hear you on the spontaneity thing. I kind of ran us ragged when we did Europe, lol! This time I'll leave some breathing room...

[tigerlily]

Hi Juniper, glad to see you back here! We loved a walk on Waiheke Island as a nice break from the city time we spent around Auckland. You can do it without a car too, just walk down to the ferry and it's about a 30 minute ride. There is a trail (a DOC one I think) that leaves right from the ferry terminal and takes you around a bit of island before dropping you in the village and then it's just a little downhill back to the ferry. That was one of our best days in New Zealand.

[dean1968]

All of the places are "nature" in the North Island and have visited.

www.waimangu.co.nz/walking.htm

Volcanic walk - Unspoilt scenery. They have partial remnants of the famous
Pink and White Terraces nothing can compared to the original but have something of what it would have looked like. The pictures don't do this place justice. Walking track. You walk down and they bus you back up.
www.virtualoceania.net/newzealand/photos/volcanic/terraces/

Hot Water Beach on the Coromandel
www.webtrails.co.nz/Coromandel/Pic_HotWaterBeach.htm
If you are on the Coromandel you have to check it out, get there when the tide is right.

Cathedral Cove on the Coromandel
Unspoilt scenery. marine reserve & no coastal development property
www.whitianga.co.nz/hahei.html

www.waitomo.com/waitomo-glowworm-caves.aspx

www.kellytarltons.co.nz/home/

The Automobile Association (AA) polled Kiwis for their favourite tourist activity. Unfortunately 9 out of 10 are in the South Island. Hanmer Springs, Doubtful Sound, Stewart Island, Abel Tasman National Park, Milford Sound, the Marlborough Sounds, the Kaikoura coast, FiordLAND National Park and Mount Cook. The Bay of Islands is the the only North Island activity.

Some of these you will cover in your trip. If you travel by boat and take the Picton ferry across the Cook Strait, you will see the Marlborough Sounds. If you travel by car to Kaikoura there are only 2 roads going south. One heads south to Christchurch City along the coast of Kaikoura . The other cuts inland south west travelling South which can get you across to Hamner Springs which is the thermal hot pools. Milford Sounds is a must. I have done the walk through there as well. The best is to fly across and then they take you out on a boat. It is half the day. If you get to Te Anau which is 6 hour drive from Queenstown, they have a glow worm cave similar to Waitomo caves.

[Juniper]

This is great! Thanks tigerlily and dean1968 for those inspiring suggestions. I've heard of several of those but the links really illustrated it.