"On the edge of Gondwana." a New Zealand Travel Page by kiwi

New Zealand really is a Jurassic Park separated from the rest of the world. Our islands broke away from Gondwanaland 140million years ago and fauna and life here has been preserved since prehistoric times.
We are known as the "LAST PLACE ON EARTH" and survive in the latitudes known as the Roaring 40's. New Zealand, because of it's location to the International Date Line, is the first country on earth to see the sun of each day. It is a special group of Islands with a unique natural situation. We hope you enjoy your visit to our land, and take home many favourable memories.

New Zealand is also the home to the oldest living reptile species, the TUATARA. These creatures predate dinosaurs and have existed for over 200million years.


To learn more about NEW ZEALAND visit www.newzealand.com
To learn more about NEW ZEALANDERS visit www.nzedge.com
To find a location in NEW ZEALAND visit www.wises.co.nz
To research NZ Road Rules for Driving visit: Road Code
The most amazing Links list & Search Engine for NZ: www.mkiwi.com
And more great links & info: www.newzealandnz.co.nz
Local Search engine: www.searchnz.co.nz
Statistics: www.stats.govt.nz
CHECK OUT MY VARIOUS PAGES TO SEE MORE OF NZ
Read about Lord of the Rings filming on my "Hinuera" page.

BE SURE TO CHECK THE BIOSECURITY WARNING LISTED IN THE WARNINGS SECTION.

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School starts: 7 Feb 2008
School Holidays 2008:
21 April - 2 May.
7 July - 18 July.
29 Sept - 10 Oct.
First schools begin closing on 17 December 2008.

RUGBY: The national sport of New Zealand is Rugby. A ball game where the players not only kick the ball, but carry it while running as well. I won?t go into the intricacies of the game but most kiwi?s are pretty passionate about the national mens team, known as the All Blacks. Even if people won?t admit to being followers of this team, when they go travelling and end up far away from home, and hear the might roar of the All Black Haka they soon get goose bumps and feel very patriotic.
An indication of our remoteness, is that rugby teams from NZ compete in the ?Super 12? contest with Australian and South African teams. This shows their respect for each other, that they are prepared to travel such long distances to compete.

Price (NZ dollars) of petrol fuel in NZ @ 10 June 2008:
Unleaded 91 Octane = 206.9cents/litre Unleaded Premium = 211.9cents/litre.
Diesel = 179.9cents/litre

This price has increased and come down as with most countries.

Our population is currently around 4.06million, and the prediction is to reach 5 million by 2041.
Oct 2007 - The South Island population reaches 1 million!!
A good way to get a taste of life in a country is to visit the newspaper and also the realestate pages. Here are a couple of sites for that:
www.myproperty.co.nz
www.open2view.com

ABOUT NZ:
www.stuff.co.nz
www.nzherald.co.nz
www.tvnz.co.nz
www.immigration.govt.nz
www.aaguides.co.nz
www.rotoruanz.co.nz
www.queenstownNZ.co.nz
www.aucklandnz.com
www.nzmuseums.co.nz

Only NZ would put a skydiver, surfer, canoes and a skier on the flip side of their $10 note! A real adventure country!! This was a special millenium issue.

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We seem to follow a theme with the naming of our National teams.
It all began with the naming of our most famous and most successful national team, that of our mens rugby team.

All Blacks - Mens rugby
Black Ferns - Womens rugby 2006 World Cup Champions!!
Baby Blacks (Colts) - Under 21 rugby
All Whites - Mens soccer
Tall Blacks - Mens basketball
Tall Ferns - Womens basketball
Silver Ferns - Womens netball - 2003 WORLD CHAMPIONS!!
Baby Ferns - Under 21 Womens Netball
Black Caps - Mens cricket
Black Sticks - Womens hockey (field)
Black Sox - Mens Softball 2004 WORLD CHAMPIONS!!
White Sox - Womens Softball
Iron Blacks - Mens gridiron
Ice Blacks - Mens Ice Hockey
Wheel Blacks - Wheelchair Rugby team. 2004 Olympic Gold Medallists!; 2006 Silver medallists World Champs
Boule Blacks - Mens Petanque
eBlacks - NZ gaming team.
Paw Blacks - Dog trialists - obstacle course type, not with sheep.

NZ Music: www.nzmusic.com
One good thing about growing up in NZ is that we have a nice even mix of influence in things like music and tv show, from both the USA and the UK. This gives us diversity and I have noticed when I visit both those countries they don't enjoy the likes of the other. Somehow I feel we are fortunate we enjoy both.

OK the South Island has it's lovely mountains, but in the North Island there is the lovely green grass, and some really nice beaches.
The main feature of New Zealand is the coastline, oh so special and interesting. It's really nice to swim at the beaches but is also nice to sail around with little bays everywhere to harbour in.

"So it was literally going to another world, a world of clean air, the most crystal clear water, and the richest of green in the trees. There are these huge, towering summits and volcanoes, and rivers and streams. It's like Tolkien walked across New Zealand and then sat down to write the trilogy."
Quote by Sean Astin, actor in the Peter Jackson movie trilogy LORD OF THE RINGS.

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YOU NEED TIME TO SEE NEW ZEALAND:
Just make sure you allocate enough time when visiting New Zealand. It is a relatively small country with so many things to see and do, but you still need time to get from A to B. If you only have 2 weeks, stay in one island. A full visit requires 5 - 6 weeks to see the whole country.

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There are three areas of New Zealand that have been granted WORLD HERITAGE Status. They are:
Tongariro National Park - North Island.
Te Wahipounamu - South Westland of the South Island.
NZ's Sub-Antarctic Islands.
All these are granted this honour to preserve them for future generations, for their natural beauty.

MY LIST OF THINGS YET TO DO:
Taieri Gorge Railway - done March 2008
Routeburn Track - done March 2007
Heaphy Track
Arthurs Pass - done March 2008
Banks Peninsular walk
White Island - done March 2007
Palliser Bay