At a time of what might almost be described as near adventure saturation, when the exploits of the past year practically seemed nigh impossible to match, New Zealand has managed to completely blow me away with its tranquil charm, spectacular vistas and phenomenal people.
Someone once described the country to me as a miniature version of neighboring Australia - boasting the same amount of amazing sights and attractions, but in a much smaller area. Although this rather crude comparison wholly fails to do either country justice, the description rings true in part. Few places on the planet offer as spectacular and varied scenery in as accessible a layout - from flat, expansive plainsland through the characteristic rolling hills to lush forests, active volcanoes, towering snowcapped mountains, and magnificent coastline; all within less than two hours on the road of each other.
This means first and foremost that even a short amount of time in the country allows for a plethora of absolutely sublime and multifaceted experiences every single day should one be so inclined. In comparison, similar activities and encounters were easily 10-hour drives apart on the other side of the Tasman Sea.
For many visitors since Peter Jackson's epic recreation of Tolkien's immortal masterpiece, New Zealand has become all but synonymous with the Lord of the Rings. As avid fans of the books and films, this is a notion we could not help but be guilty of sharing. Fortunately for our inner fantasy nerds, NZ absolutely delivers - and visits to Matamata's Hobbiton, a trek in Frodo's footsteps up the slopes of Mount Doom and a tour of the mind boggling Weta Workshop quickly had us rediscovering the fateful journey of the Fellowship. In the words of Sir Ian McKellan, "Middle Earth is a real place. And it is New Zealand!"
Because of the lay of the land, a relatively meager three weeks in Aotearoa has allowed us to bungee jump, fly in massive freefall simulations, explore the geothermal wonderland of geysers and boiling volcanic lakes around Rotorua and bathe in mineral hotsprings and sulphurous mud. We have black water rafted in tiny inflatable tubes through claustrophobic, pitch black underground caves covered in bioluminescent glow worms, gone hunting through native bush and scaled a frigid mountaintop using crampons and ice axes. We have visited bustling Auckland and homey Wellington, caught a glimpse of the busiest time of year at a Kiwi dairy farm, bottle fed newborn calves and had warm milk straight from the udder of the Harris family cows. We have dug out our own hot tub in the sand at Hot Water Beach, hiked to Cathedral Cove and been taught how to Loom by an adorable gang of precious little peanuts. We have ventured into the home of a colony of hundreds of fur seals at Cape Palliser with no other human in sight and have strolled, hiked and driven through a country that apparently never ceases to impress.
Most of all, however, the last three weeks in New Zealand have offered as pleasant and beautiful a sanctuary as I could ever have hoped for, courtesy of our incredible hosts. Ngaire and Greg and the rest of my recently discovered Kiwi family have received us with open arms and welcomed us into the clan with unparalleled generosity and hospitality. The house on the top of the hill in Hauraki Plains will forever feel like a home away from home for me, and there is no doubt in my mind that this visit has been just the first of many to the land of the All Blacks.
Next up: a visit to Huu and Roe in Malaysia, a week back in Cambodia and a week with Kristian in Dubai. Then onwards to Denmark!
Ka kite anō everyone!
PICTURES:
Pictures, Hauraki Plains - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152838982857262.1073741880.649632261&type=1&l=eda3023f65
Pictures, Matamata and Hobbiton - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152839030707262.1073741881.649632261&type=1&l=f4444b3bea
Pictures, Rotorua and Waitomo - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152840892187262.1073741882.649632261&type=1&l=0a74d55861
Pictures, Tongariro and Mt Doom - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152840901472262.1073741883.649632261&type=1&l=9468590be0
Pictures, Wellington and Cape Palliser - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152843191682262.1073741885.649632261&type=1&l=a20e00b972
Pictures, Coromandel - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152843212907262.1073741886.649632261&type=1&l=189fb6b864
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