"New Zealand" New Zealand by Rodan44

We spent a week in New Zealand in mid-February during the Chinese New Year holidays. We limited ourselves to the North Island, figuring that we would save the South Island for a future trip. We stayed in three different areas, those being Auckland, Hawke's Bay, and Rotorua.

We found Auckland to be a very pleasant and liveable city, although not terribly interesting for tourists. In Hawke's Bay, we concentrated on visiting wineries and tasting wines, which was jolly good fun I do say! In Rotorua, we saw some of the natural wonders, such as Mount Tarawera and the geothermal parks, and we engaged in some adventure sports, including River Sledging and Zorbing. We also made a stop at Mata Mata to see the Hobbiton movie set from Lord of the Rings, as well as at Waitomo where we abseiled into a deep cavern and then did balck water rafting on an underground river. Quite thrilling indeed!

New Zealand may be far away and expensive to get to (not to mention expensive once you're there), but it is well worth the effort and money. Few countries take such pride in their natual environment while at the same time providing so many varied activities for visitors. Definitely a highlight of all our travels!

Please visit the New Zealand page on my personal website to see many more high quality photos from this destination.

• Pros:Nature lover's and adventurer's paradise.
• Cons:Expensive!
• In a nutshell:Where extreme sports meets serene nature.