On tour

[Happyexpat]

Hi Everybody

I am the moderator of the Spain forum but we are 'on tour' for the next two and half months.

We get to New Zealand (Aukland) for 2 weeks on the 27th January. We plan to stay on the North Island.

If anybody has any tips for places we should see or things we should do I would be very grateful.

Although we have visited Australia before we have never visited New Zealand but we have been told that it is wonderful!

[Purley]

So far as I can tell - it IS wonderful, although I have never been there.

I have emailed my friend Maureen - Carrington the moderator of this board - and she will probably come and give you some advice. She has lived there - both south and north islands - for 30 years so she will know the best places to visit.

She lives in New Plymouth. I have friends in Canada who have been there and they would recommend visiting New Plymouth I know.

[Carrington]

Hi - hope you get this before you leave - I have lived in both Islands and they are very different. However, you will love the North Island and as you have only two weeks I can first of all recommend that you come to Taranaki which is absolutely beautiful - there are places to visit here that you wont find anywhere else - New Plymouth is the city and if you do decide to come here I will be very happy to hear from you - I will not be available from 9th to 16 Feb tho as I have my son from Brussels staying and as I haven't seen him for a few years I need to spend all my out of work time with him. email me ....can arrange something I am sure. [NB email address deleted by Site Admin to avoid it being picked up by spammers' automatic page-scanners. To send an email click on the button at the bottom of Carrington's posting. HTH. - DrDaveHPP]
The other places I would recommend would be Rotorua - where the hot pools,muddy, sulphur smelly place is!!! Unique tho so I s'pose you should visit it!!! If you are into Art Deco then Napier would be a must. It had an earthquake which devastated the whole place and just about demolished every building. It was built up again - all Art Deco as that was the style of the day... Further North is the most wonderful beaches, Waihiki Island and Auckland, the largest City. But - a city is a city anywhere and it is very English so I would suggest going to places that have unique scenery etc/ If you can, and you are driving, travel down the west coast - the surf highway as it's called is just beautiful. Taranaki is where The Last Samurai was filmed - we have a mountain to die for - in fact some people have fallen to their death up there. It has rainforest , alpine meadows and a ski field....I would suggest that you check out the web sites - most towns/cities have one here and you will get plenty of info from Taranaki or New Plymouth sites./ Also Napier - along that side is also Hastings, Gisborne and other smaller towns. Have fun - let me know if you get to New Plymouth.....best wishes for your trip.

[Happyexpat]

Many thanks for all the info. We fly out at 21:45 tonight so will be in auckland in two days time.

If I get a chance I will give you an email!!

[Happyexpat]

Well we have had two weeks in your lovely country but unfortunately we didn't get a lot done. It started raining the day after we arrived and really hasn't stopped since.

We managed to see Auckland, Bay of Islands and Rotorua all of which were very impressive. The Maori institute in Rotorua deserves a special mention, superb value, excellent meal and very informative.

The Wai tupi, again at Rotorua also deserves a mention....somehow chucking 3kg of soap down a geyser to make it go off when the last person has sat down to see it doesn't seem to be playing the game! Its actually advertised as the only regular geyser in NZ.

Anyway that aside its a wonderful country, wonderful people and the Bay of Islands is paradise!

Next step to Australia

[Carrington]

Glad you had a good time - come back again sometime and make it to Taranaki then I can show you the non tourist spots....!

[sjcsystems]

Now isn't that funny - I also thought it a 'con' that they geyser needed to be made to perform aided with a lump of soap. I understand the reason why, but it's not quite what you had in mind. Actually, the highlight for me was the little road next door signposted 'Mud Pools' - I hope you went up there and had a look. We were all fascinated by them (saying something with boys 9 and 14!!).

Sorry to hear about your weather problems.

Simon