Kia Ora- ‘A greeting wishing good life and health’

Back in March, I fell in love.

….Not with a man (wishful thinking), but with a country and it’s people!

Coming from a city where it’s standard to barely acknowledge your lifelong friends on our 7am commute into work, there was a noticeable difference in how smiley and friendly everyone I met in New Zealand was.

I’m sure, like so many of you , I’m so far removed from a place where people’s heads aren’t in their phones and everyone pleasantly greets each other walking past, so it was pretty perfect timing on my arrival to see a traditional Maori welcome between two friends.

Every person I met along the way made me fall in love with their country even more. Things just felt more free out there! At one point, I noticed people walking bare foot in the streets and cafes and on a little internet digging found out it was to feel closer to earth. If that isn’t free, I don’t know what is.  Truly though, you can see culture and beauty wherever you go and there was something so warming about that! So yeah, you get it. I fell in love.

Sadly, there wasn’t enough time to fit in a visit down to the South Island, which is a massive shame since I’ve heard its even more beautiful (if that’s even possible), but I had some good fun running around North island and trying out some of the things they’ve got going on. So if you’re looking to take a trip, here are some of my recommendations.

Skydiving. If you have considered doing this but just not taken the leap yet. Do it! I know you can do this pretty much anywhere, but the views in NZ are something else! I did mine with Taupo Tandem and jumped out at 15000ft. Considering I have a fear of open heights and my anxiety is like a wrecking ball, they made me feel so safe and calm, I wanted to go straight back up with them as soon as our feet had touched the ground.

Little disclaimer* When the camera man in front of you is frantically waving his hands and swimming like a fish, these aren’t instructions for the guy on your back! Go along with it so you don’t look like an absolute fool just floating down with your hands in the air and trying to smile on your video.

Take a tour around a Maori Village and get a little insight into the living styles of New Zealand’s indigenous people. If you’re into learning about the history and culture of places (or even if you’re not), this is one for the list! It is a sure family favourite. I visited with family members aged 3 to 65 and every single one of us loved this day out. You take a tour around a village, have a look at how traditional Maori’s live their daily lives, and watch them perform the haka. I can honestly say I sat there in awe with goose bumps at the passion and energy of this!

*Odd request, but you need to try the sweetcorn they sell! It’s cooked in the thermal pools of the village and they are not lying when they say how fresh and sweet the food is when cooked this way.* There are a few different tours, so take a look at what they offer and what you would prefer. I booked with Whakarewarewa- The Living Maori Village and was not disappointed.

Let me know if you make a visit and what your favourite thing was. 

Visit a winery. Or a few. My favourite was Poppies of Martinborough. The wine here was dreamy. So dreamy that I’ve contemplated paying the $100+ dollars it costs to ship bottles across to the UK. If you love a sweet wine, try their late harvest Pinot Gris, and definitely buy a few bottles because one will not last you long! Their whole restaurant and set up was stunning- it would have been a great lunch spot if they have a table available, so it might be an idea to book ahead.

Just a tip, there are two jugs of water when wine tasting. Do not drink from the one that everyone pours their leftovers in too- it does not end well and you will remain the joke of the holiday for the rest of the trip. Also, make sure you have a designated driver as the trip up is very mountainous and then you can spend the rest of the day sipping away without a worry.

New Zealand has some amazing homes. I stayed in huge farm houses where we could feed the animals, to 3 storey townhouses in the middle of Auckland. Book easily with Air BnB- they make travelling so much more homely and exciting and you can hop from one place to the other with less faffing. The ozone layer in NZ is practically non existent, so go heavy with the sun cream. Travelling around so much, it’s difficult to pick a place that you know can guarantee you some good grub but luckily New Zealander’s really love their fresh, good food and it definitely shows! If you can make a trip too Hemingway’s of Davenport, you will not be disappointed. Unluckily for me, I did come home a few pounds heavier than what I started! Swings and roundabouts!

There are so many more places I wish I could have squeezed in! If I had the chance, I definitely would have popped along to Coromandel beach, to dig up my own hot pool or hike up some of their famous mountains. Mount Ruphaeu in Taupo is one for the list. The jet boats on the river looked insane- definitely one for the adrenaline seeking junkies.

Plan your time wisely and think about the main things that you are interested in doing. There is a lot of driving in between these places so pack some snacks and get moving. Hopefully this helps you plan your trip and maybe add a few stops to tick off your list, so you get to see the beauty of this place just as I did!

Where are your favourite places to visit? Let me know any hotspots that are a must below!

1. What a beautiful note. Thank you for your kind words.

2. I pray that God grants you peace as you journey to find the answers and the result you want. How…

3. Thanks for such kind feedback!

4. Congrats on the new blog! It looks amazing.