Six Months Later: New Zealand
‘“So, you see, my heart is held forever by this place,” she said. “I cannot leave.”’ – Susanna Kearsley, The Winter Sea.
Halfway Through Already?!
Today marks the halfway point of my 12 month WHV. Yep, I’ve officially been in New Zealand six months now. It’s hard to believe I’ve been away from home that long already. It feels like the time has flown by. Looking back, I cannot believe how much I’ve packed in to a relatively short space of time.
To mark the fact that I’ve been here for six months now, I will share some of the things about this country that I love. So here goes.
Brunching
So, brunch. That delicious meal that is served sometime between breakfast and lunch. That vague meal that doesn’t have a time slot allocated to it and consists of all sorts of fried treats.
Wellington is good at brunch. I have a couple of favourite brunch spots after several months of living here. Brunch is rapidly becoming my favourite meal of the day, the perfect way to pass a Saturday or Sunday morning or afternoon. I was asked the other day by some travellers if I could recommend any restaurants for dinner. I couldn’t, but I could recommend a few for brunch. Not very helpful! Apparently people don’t want brunch at 8pm at night. By the way, for me, brunch isn’t brunch without a truckload of hollandaise sauce. And for me, 8pm is a perfectly acceptable time for brunch too.
Pohutukawa Trees
Also known as the ‘New Zealand Christmas tree’, this tree blossoms with dozens of brilliant red flowers in December. Around Christmas time, these trees look really vibrant and it’s understandable where they get their nickname from. No baubles or tinsel needed here! These trees are protected in New Zealand, and I can understand why. They’re iconic – a symbol of this beautiful country and rightly so, because they’re awesome.
Tui birds
I’ve mentioned this fantastic bird before. I really think it’s great. The songs it sings are so quirky and really distinctive. You always immediately know if there’s a Tui bird in the vicinity. Either that or it might be R2D2…. Hearing a Tui never fails to make me smile. They sound so crazy and unrealistic, you could almost be listening to a video game being played.
Coffee
They do make some good coffee here. I love the coffee in Wellington and there’s a real café culture here. I have a few favourite cafes now that I go to, knowing the coffee is extra good in those places. There’s nothing nicer than sitting outside on a warm sunny day with a flat white and enjoying watching the world pass by, especially if it’s on the waterfront in Wellington.
The most scenic place I’ve enjoyed a coffee has to be at Lake Matheson. We walked to the lake for photos with Mt Cook and Mt Tasman in the background and paused for a coffee at the visitor centre. Definitely coffee with the most amazing view! On a similar vein, they also do great hot lemon, honey and ginger drinks in this country! Perfect if you’re feeling a bit under the weather.
Proximity to Beaches
In New Zealand, you’re never far from the ocean. I think I’ve visited more beaches since I arrived in New Zealand than I’ve had hot dinners! I love that even in Wellington, you can literally be on a beach in less than ten minutes.
The sea is one of my favourite things in the world, and I’m never happier than when I’m sat on pebbles or sand, listening to the waves crashing onto shore and losing myself in my thoughts as the water claws ceaselessly at the land.
My favourite beach so far was Ship Creek on the South Island’s West Coast, not far from Haast. We stopped here for only ten minutes or so, but it remains firmly lodged in my head as by far the most beautiful beach I’ve seen in New Zealand to date. I’m planning on returning and spending longer there in May, and I can’t wait. I may even find some more jade stone…
The Extremely Friendly People
Yesterday, I was walking to the bus stop and realised my bus had pulled up, people were boarding and I was, in fact, late. The bus was just pulling away from the kerb when the driver, who always drives the 7.45am bus, saw me in his mirror, recognised me and stopped to wait for me. I boarded somewhat breathlessly, paid my $2 fare, thanked him profusely for waiting and sat down.
What a great story, you say. But actually, it is. It’s a great example of how friendly and helpful people in New Zealand are. I’ve never been on any public transport anywhere else where the bus driver has actually stopped the bus and waited for me to board. Not only that, but he smiled and said ‘it was no bother’ when I thanked him. And everyone is like that in NZ. You can’t move for people greeting you cheerfully, asking how your day is going and generally showing an interest in your well-being. It’s nice, it’s welcoming and I love it!
Wine
Before I came here, I’d never been wine tasting. Now I’ve been twice in six months. It’s heaps of fun and some of the wine is absolutely delicious. On top of this, when you buy wine in store, even the cheapest crap is actually not that crap.
I bought a $7 bottle on the weekend just gone. Although I was bit broke, I still wanted to get a bit drunk and have fun. I wasn’t expecting anything good – I’ve bought cheap shit in the UK and it always tastes like vinegar. But the wine I had on the weekend (bought for the equivalent of £3.50), wasn’t crap! It was actually really nice! I was shocked, but pleasantly surprised, and proceeded to have a great evening. Onto a winner, these Kiwis, with their cheap, tasty wine…
Milford Sound
New Zealand has ridiculously beautiful scenery. Milford Sound is up there as one of the most stunning places I’ve ever visited. I’ve talked about the beauty of Milford Sound in previous posts, so I’m not going to go on again now. I’ll just leave you with a couple of pictures to ogle over.
The Help Exchange I did in the Bay of Islands
This is one of my favourite things that I’ve done so far in New Zealand. I stayed with Rod and Julie for nearly a week. In exchange for my time and help with some of the tasks that needed doing around the house, they fed and kept me for the duration of my stay. I’ve never met such kind, welcoming and generous people. Within a few hours I felt right at home with them.
Their house near Oke Bay was simply stunning and I had the best week there, helping Julie make mosaics (photo at top of post) and doing odd jobs like painting and gardening. By the end of my stay, I was more than a little upset to be leaving and saying goodbye sparked the first homesickness I’d had since arriving in New Zealand. I’ll be forever grateful to Julie and Rod for letting me come into their home and become part of their family for a week – it was the best start to New Zealand I could have asked for.
The way New Zealanders talk
It’s often great and sometimes hilarious. For a long time, I thought my old flatmate had a brother called Allen. Imagine my surprise when her sister called Ellen turned up to stay! There’s the timeless mix-up between the words ‘dick’ and ‘deck’, culminating in some funny stories from one of our Stray bus drivers who asked some girls to sit on his ‘deck’, they thought he said ‘dick’ and it all got a bit awkward… Or the muddle between ‘six’ and ‘sex’…
Whales, Dolphins and Seals
New Zealand seems to have these in abundance. I’d seen seals before I came to New Zealand, but never so many and I’d never gotten as close to them as I have done here. I’d seen dolphins too, in Carmarthen Bay, but now I’ve seen them swimming within feet of me, and they’re beautiful.
And whales… That trip in Kaikoura was one of the best things I did on the South Island (despite the seasickness). Seeing the humpback whale break the surface and swim alongside our boat for five minutes was just incredible.
The Endless Views and Photo Opportunities
Wherever you go in New Zealand, there’s usually an awesome view just around the next bend in the road to be admired. I’ve had my fair share, and am extremely excited to be going back south for more mountains, valleys, glaciers, rainforests and rugged shorelines.
Whether it’s Mt Aspiring rising up across the valley on the Haast Past, a turquoise blue river or lake wowing you as you drive past or Mt Cook reflected in Lake Matheson, you’re never far from somewhere beautiful. New Zealand definitely has the most incredible range of scenery. From volcanic plains (Tongariro, I’m looking at you!) to lush rainforests (hello West Coast!) to razor sharp mountains reaching up dark against a beautiful sunset (the Remarkables aren’t called remarkable for nothing!).
Water so blue you won’t believe your eyes!
Whilst I was staying in Bay of Islands, Julie said that she preferred the rivers on the South Island to the North Island. I remember thinking at the time that this was an odd statement, but thought nothing more of it. Then the day came when I set off from Queenstown to go to Mt Cook on the first leg of my epic Stray bus tour.
As we neared Mt Cook, we happened across the Pukaki Canal. Now, in the UK, a canal ain’t necessarily something special. Pukaki Canal, however, is spectacular. The water was blindingly, eye achingly, jaw droppingly blue, so blue that it looked fake. It looked like someone had mixed chemicals in with it to make it that colour.
It’s not chemicals, however, that make it that stunning blue. It is ‘glacial flour’, extremely finely ground rock particles that come from the glaciers in the Southern Alps. And it’s not just the Pukaki Canal that is so blue. Lake Tekapo and pretty much every other lake and river in the area are also shiny blue. Finally, I understood why Julie said she preferred the rivers on the South Island.
Adrenaline Fuelling Activities
I’ve packed a lot into six months, but nothing was as major as jumping out of a plane at 12,000ft. I’m not a huge adrenaline junkie but it was something I knew I had to do.
Of course, this isn’t the only adrenaline activity available in New Zealand, a country famed for its adrenaline activities. Bungee, canyon swing, jet boating, canyoning, luging, rafting and much more besides are all on offer. I’m not sure if I’m brave enough to try any of the above. I’m proud that I did my skydive and I loved every second of it.
Stray Tours
I bought the Stray Max pass, with a free Jack (Far North) pass thrown in. It was one of the best decisions and some of the best money I spent in New Zealand early on. Luckily, it was on offer, so I spent less than the full asking price, and it was excellent value for money.
The concept is simple – you have a pass and you have a recommended minimum number of days that the tour takes although if you want, you can just hop-off the bus if somewhere takes your fancy and you can stay longer. You can then hop back on whenever you’re ready to see the next place. The pass expires after 12 months. Simple but effective.
This is how I saw the South Island and the Far North the first time around, how I made heaps of friends in the beginning and how I arrived in Wellington to start the working part of my visa here. There are other companies, but I’ve not experienced them, so would always recommend Stray to anyone who wants to come to New Zealand and do a tour.
I had four drivers and they were all awesome, but my favourite was Splash, the crazy ass driver from Invercargill who got his nickname because he likes bombing off bridges into those bright blue rivers I’ve mentioned above. There was never a dull moment with him and by the end of the trip, I was sad to say goodbye to him and my other travelling friends. It’s not the end though – I’m back on the Stray bus in May for a week of North Island adventures and I can’t wait!
Bach Life
Breaking away from my usual New Years traditions, this year I went and stayed with some friends in one of their parent’s bach. A bach is a small holiday cottage, an iconic part of New Zealand’s history and culture. The word ‘bach’ is thought to originate from the concept of bachelor pad, although they’ve usually been family holiday homes.
We went to a bach in Waikanae and spent three great nights there, swimming, playing board games, drinking, watching films, hanging out and generally having a really fun time. When the clock struck midnight on New Years Eve, marking the transition into 2015, I was on the beach and listening to Auld Lang Syne. Some new years traditions just won’t be shrugged off as easily as others!
The Antarctic Centre, Christchurch.
I loved it here. I’ve always loved the Antarctic and it’s definitely one of my ambitions in life to visit. And what’s the closest thing to the real deal? The Antarctic Centre, obviously!
I spent a day there, experiencing an ‘Antarctic storm’ (essentially a giant freezer with snow in it and fans blowing cold air – still, I enjoyed it!), met some cute penguins, had a ride on the Hagglund (these ungainly vehicles transport people around Antarctica) and watched two 4D movies (moving seats, water sprayed in your face, bubbles etc). All in all, it was a fantastic visit and definitely worth the $30 I paid (I got a discount from Bookme).
Haast Pass and Lindsey Stirling
The day we drove through the Haast Pass was the day I fell in love with New Zealand. What made Haast Pass extra special for me on the day we drove through wasn’t just the scenery, it was also the music Splash played on our stereo.
I’d never heard of her before, but loved the beautiful violin playing with dub step and found it to be THE perfect song for the journey. Check her out in this YouTube link (Lindsey Stirling – Crystallize) – if you’ve ever been through Haast Pass you might see what I mean with the music perfectly matching the dramatic, as usual, breath-taking scenery.
Ferns
New Zealand has these really awesome ferns. According to the Department of Conservation, New Zealand has an unusually high number of fern species for a temperate climate, approximately 200 overall. 40% of these species occur nowhere else in the world!
I can’t get enough of them. I think they’re great. I’ve taken heaps of photos of them since I’ve arrived and love that in Maori culture, the koru is based on the shape of a new unfurling silver fern and symbolises new life, growth, strength and peace.
There are many, many more things that I love about New Zealand. I’m barely scraping the surface here with this wonderful, wild, scenic, crazy country where the locals like to walk around barefoot (even in winter) and everything is usually ‘sweet as, bro’.
There are also things about New Zealand that I don’t like, which I’ve touched on here, but that’s to be expected when you spend any great amount of time somewhere. Nowhere is perfect.
Overall, though, New Zealand has stolen my heart and what flaws there are here can be reduced to mere quirks when you look at how exceptional the country is in terms of its wonderful people, olde-worlde charm and stunning landscapes.
So here’s to the next six months of New Zealand lovin’… I wonder what adventures lie in store for me?!
