"Pokarekare ana Nga wai o Rotorua" - ROTORUA, New Zealand

Advantages: Somewhere very diiferent, Maori culture, boiling mud and geysers
Disadvantages: the smell was a little off putting, Maori evening was awful

...ROTORUA: Rotorua is on the North island of New Zealand almost in the middle about three hours drive from Auckland and six from Wellington. We stayed at the Sudima Hotel right beside Lake Rotorua and as we got off the bus the interesting sulphur smell of Rotorua greeted us. It is quite a strong rotten egg sort of smell that gets in to everywhere. I didn?t find it too revolting but others in our group found it very over powering and complained constantly that it even pervaded the air-conditioning in the rooms. The town is quite small enough to walk around the main sights, the lovely steaming lake and the park alongside it and all the way to Ohinemutu. On our first evening we went to the Tamika Maori evening ( see separate review on this one) TE PUIA ? THE NEW ZEALAND MAORI ARTS AND CRAFTS INSTIRUTE: The next day we were up...

catsholiday 03.10.2009 (05.10.2009) · Read review
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Review of Rotorua, New Zealand

Breathtaking New Zealand!!!!

Advantages: Great Scenery, lots to do
Disadvantages: long bus rides to see the whole area

...New Zealand is the youngest country on earth, it was the last major landmass to be discovered. Its history has both Maori and European heritage. There are still amazing Maori historic sites to be found some dating back almost a thousand years. When I visited New Zealand in July I decided to take an organised tour as I had limited time. I travelled with a group of other like minded travellers and we were transported around on a bus with two tour leaders who gave us loads of information along the way. They organised my accommodation and recommended tours to go on in each place we visited. Also most meals were included. The tour overall cost me The Advantages on taking a Connections Tour • It took hassle out of having to navigate and plan the trip. • You travelled with like minded travellers. • Were recommended...

DeniseKelly40 13.09.2007 (14.09.2007) · Read review
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Review of General: New Zealand

Christchurch - a little piece of England in New Zealand

Advantages: Beautiful city
Disadvantages: Not very Kiwi

...Christchurch is in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island and is the largest city on this island. Like the North Island's Auckland, it is a key arrival point and hub for international travellers. Christchurch is situated close to the East coast and to the West lie the immense flat sweeps of the Canterbury plains. These vast plains feel flat, even to me, a native of East Anglia. Their main use is farmland and they require regular wind blocks of tall fences of trees to stop the topsoil from blowing away. Named by the after Oxford's Christ Church (a college that one of the Canterbury Association went to), it was a colony sponsored by the Church of England about 150 years ago. Even today, the city centre has an extremely British in feel to it and even has a river Avon upon which you can go punting!The centre itself has...

beckyXX 03.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Christchurch - New Zealand

New Zealand now has a small peice of my heart!

Advantages: Amazing country!1
Disadvantages: Weather unpredictable

...New Zealand is such an amazing country I have truly fallen in love with it! After 6 weeks of traveling the North and the South Island I fill very happy that I covered most of what this country has to offer. I am going to give a brief over view of New Zealand as I am planning some more in depth reviews about each place. I hope this will give you an idea of how long you need in each place, the highlights and the best advice for getting around etc Traveling around New Zealand: There are many options available to you, camper vans and cars are the best way as you get to create your own journey stopping along the way from place to place, just make sure you get a good guide book so you know where to go etc. I don't drive so I opted to go with magic bus Tours which is a hop on hop off bus service, Magic bus where the cheapest option...

LIZKEMPO 02.04.2008 · Read review
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Review of General: New Zealand

Flying Air New Zealand - they got me there in reasonable comfort

Advantages: Friendly, good luggage allowance, friendly staff
Disadvantages: More expensive than many

...Air New Zealand are towards the upmarket end of the non-luxury airlines. Reliable and professional, they aren't by any means the cheapest, but the Economy class is comfortable, the service excellent and gets you where you need to go. Book well in advance for the cheapest fares - if you decide to go at the last minute like we did, it's pricy (around 1700 pounds if you book 2 weeks before you go). When I went to New Zealand in April 2009, I flew economy class with Air New Zealand. Our route took us from Heathrow to Auckland via Hong Kong, with the return journey starting in Queenstown and a stopover in Los Angeles. My first encounter with the staff was at the checkin desk in Heathrow. The staff there were polite and friendly. They had an additional member of staff in the queue verifying that we all knew about the new requirements...

beckyXX 12.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Air New Zealand - ANZ

New Zealand welcome, Kia-ora

Advantages: Kiwi welcomes you to Aoteoroa - Land of the Long White Cloud
Disadvantages: Long way from anywhere, don't let this put you off

...Kia-ora. Welcome to my place...... Fished up by Maui, a Maori God, in never-never-land tales, New Zealand is a true paradise, in the South Pacific. The myth tells that he stepped all over bush-clad land; leaving crystal-clear lakes in his footsteps, glistening in cool-green native bush, amid massive, rugged mountains, some so virginal they stand today, unconquered by man. In the millions of years that this beautiful country has evolved it has seen primitive life, the Moriori, Maori and European settlement, less than 200 years ago - so it is a new country in civilised history. It's thought that the Maori arrived in their wakas (canoes) around 1000 years ago, from an area you won't find on any map but it is loosely called Hawaiki. Maori legend tells of Kupe, the first warrior, finding The Land of the Long White Cloud...

Writing321 31.01.2006 · Read review
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Review of General: New Zealand

New Zealand - a great experience!

Advantages: Beautiful scenery, friendly people, fantastic!
Disadvantages: Long way away from anywhere, weather (sometimes!!)

...My first impressions of New Zealand were what a beautiful country it is! With a population of around 4 million in total, it is very untouched and natural, and even though Europeans moved in they still keep a lot of the Maori names and I got the feeling they respect their predecessors, a lot more so than Australia with the Aboriginal people. It is actually located across 2 of the earth's tectonic plates so earthquakes are frequent (although severe ones are very rare so don't let this put you off visiting!) and you can see how the ice age, glaciers and volcanoes have shaped the environment with the abundant mountains, lakes and glaciers. With lush green grass due to the large amount of annual rainfall, this really is a wonderful place to visit if you like to be outdoors and enjoy scenery. With a UK passport, you do not need a visa if...

Allyalcock 10.05.2006 · Read review
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Review of General: New Zealand

Te Papa - New Zealand's fun filled museum

Advantages: Fun, educational, entertaining, hands on
Disadvantages: Very big (can't see it all), can't take pictures of exhibits

...Te Papa Tongarewa museum ("Te Papa" or "Our Place" for short) is New Zealand's national museum and is right in the heart of Wellington next to the docks. If you only have time to visit one thing in Wellington, visit Te Papa. Many of the collections are online, so if you can't make it all the way to New Zealand, then have a look at the web pages instead. Originally dating from 1992 (or 1998 for the present incarnation in its iconic building), this is a modern museum suitable for children and adults alike and the exhibits are fun and often interactive, whilst still being educational. Most of the exhibitions are free, but you pay if you want to go on a guided tour. Lifts going to every floor help with accessibility and are useful for everyone - the museum goes up to floor level 7, so we were quite worn out by the end of our trip...

beckyXX 27.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Te Papa Tongarewa (Museum of New Zealand), Wellington

New Zealand - Godzone

Advantages: breathtaking variety of scenery, friendly people and a wonderful feeling of space
Disadvantages: distance and long flight times, need at least a month

...New Zealand is well known by Kiwis as Godzone - or God's Own little country, and I can well imagine this to be true. Often overshadowed by neighbouring Australia, there is little doubt that New Zealand possesses quite simply the most breathtaking variety of scenery and some of the most genuinely friendly people you are likely to meet on holiday. In fact, I think of it as how Britain ought to be, but never will be. The country is not too dissimilar from England in size, but with a much smaller population, leaving plenty of open unspoilt places, and a general feeling of space that England lacks. It is separated into two halves, referred to as North and South Islands. Basically, North Island contains most of the large cities, including Wellington and Auckland. In contrast South Island contains the better scenery of the two...

peppermint 04.07.2001 · Read review
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Review of General: New Zealand

New Zealand's majestic national park

Advantages: Pristine scenery, stunningly clear air,
Disadvantages: None really

...New Zealand's highest mountain is a set of three icy peaks, the highest being 3754m above sea level, dominant in the tussocky McKenzie Country in the South Island. Mount Cook is the central point of the Aoraki Mount Cook National Park and it's also prominent in the Southern Alps, grand to view when you drive along the Tekapo to Twizel long straight roads, or alongside the hydro canal which takes water to the Upper Waitaki district network of lakes, canals, rivers and hydro dams. Whether you fly over this natural wonderland in fixed wing or helicopter aircraft, or view it from a tour bus window, your own vehicle or a hired automobile you will never drive the length of the huge valley without stopping in awe and wonder. You leave the main highway near Pukaki Dam, it is clearly signposted and once you drive alongside Lake...

Writing321 23.02.2006 · Read review
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Review of Mt Cook National Park (New Zealand)