New Zealand best bits...

Highlights from NZ

We have had such an amazing time in New Zealand over the last 2 months so I wanted to summarise the main highlights.  The experience we have had has been more unique because of the rugby world cup being on and we are so glad we made the decision to be here during the World Cup and the atmosphere that has generated around the country.  They are totally rugby mad and there have been so many other countries represented that every town/city has been brilliant craic.

We have loved basically every bit of this breathtaking country but these are my favourite bits:

• ·         Queenstown – we loved everything about it, skiing, scenery, food and drink. This was definitely our favourite place in the whole country.  It was also where we watched Ireland beat Australia.
• ·         Full day hike in Franz Joseph glacier
• ·         The beautiful mountainous scenery of the South Island
• ·         Blenheim, Marlborough wine tasting and watching the opening ceremony of the RWC11.
• ·         Lugeing in Rotorua
• ·         Visiting the natural thermal spas/springs in Rotorua/Taupo
• ·         Watching Ireland v Russia in Rotorua.
• ·         Black water rafting in Waitomo glow-worm caves
• ·         Tamaeki Mauri cultural evening
• ·         Watching 2 quarter finals in Wellington.
• ·         Sampling the food in the Cloud at the fanzone.
• ·         Doing the Kiwi bus and all the little hidden treasures they take you to off the beaten track.  Also meeting some cool new friends on these trips.
• ·         Watching the semi finals and final in the fanzone in Auckland – fantastic atmosphere with people from lots of different countries.
• ·         Sand-boarding on 90mile beach!
• ·         The All Blacks winning the RWC 2011 and being part of the atmosphere over that whole finals weekend – breathtaking!!

These are only the big main things but there are so many little things that happened and that we saw in NZ its impossible to mention everything.  No doubt when I am home and chatting to you all about our trip the little things will be remembered.  Kiwi really enables you to see wee small places in NZ that we wouldn’t have known existed, but which were really cool and unique.  One of these I loved was the Punakaki blow holes, the rocks have been shaped like stacks of pancakes and the water blows up through the middle caused by the force of the waves and spurts out the top – its really different and off the beaten track so not many tourists find it.

New Zealand is supposed to be adventure capital of the world and we have tried to make the most of this with the things we have taken part in and attempted.  James was crazy enough to jump from 134metres strapped to a large piece of elastic all in the name of fun!! In retrospect this was a big highlight watching him do this but at the time it was not so great!!

New Zealand has been genuinely amazing and will be hard to beat.  We are sad that it has come to an end but are really excited for the next and final part of our trip of a lifetime.   We have created memories that will last forever and lots of stories to tell when we get home and I certainly have enough photos (1300 last count!!!!) to help us relive the good times during the rainy winters at home! This will definitely be a part of our trip we will look back on fondly saying ‘do you remember that time in NZ when...’

Next we have 7 weeks in Australia where we will visit Sydney, Melbourne and Cairns before driving down the east coast in our campervan.  I am really excited for this part and for parking up and chilling out beside the beach working on the tan!  I will keep on blogging and those who haven’t been bored to tears by now can keep on reading.

Keep in touch people it has been great the past few months getting some nice emails from home and keeping me up to date with all the craic and banter. 

12 weeks of the JamNic adventure down.....7 to go!!

Love to you all

xxxx