i have been thinking quite a bit about what exploratory things i want to tackle while in new zealand, and i’ve come up with a long list. some things i probably won’t get to… and i am only about 90% sure i want to do the bridge bungee, so the 10% fear factor may win out there. and since i’m basing in wellington for the first two months (and there’s at least two weeks of holiday things in there), my explorations might be limited.
so what’s on my “to do in nz” list? read on…
the bridge bungee, auckland:
i may or may not get to this. yes, i WANT to, and sure, i skydived last year, but i am not sure i’m comfortable with lashing myself to some serious cords and flinging myself off a bridge over the harbour. stay tuned.
the routeburn track, milford sound:
this is very high on the list. it’s a four day trek in milford, and it’s typically less populated than the milford track. it’s only twenty miles long so depending on weather and the trail conditions, i might be able to do it in a long weekend including travel to and from. it does require advance booking, so i had better get on that and find people to walk with.
abel tasman national park hiking, nelson area:
i hiked for a day here last year, and once when i was nine, and both times it was spectacular. the beaches are golden sand, the water is crystal clear blue and the trees tower above you on the path. i want to do the full hike, which takes three to five days and i want to include the inland circuit, which would add about three days on to the trek. my other option is to arrange for a kayak or paddleboard to meet me at the end of the coast track and take that back to the starting point.
work at a winery, central otago:
i love the idea of taking a month to do some seasonal work at a winery. if i can’t get in to the fields, i also would definitely work in their tasting room. hello, you all know i love wine. what a great way to spend some time!
glowworm caves, waitomo and te anau:
{image via pinterest}
{image from must do new zealand}i’ve swam with sea lions and sea turtles, now i want to swim with dolphins in the wild. the bay of islands, on the tip top of the north island, is supposed to be incredibly beautiful and fairly undeveloped. it’s a sub-tropical climate too – a far cry from the fjords of the south island. i’m aiming for a week up here, to hike, to relax on the beaches and to swim with the dolphins.
penguins, south island:
new zealand is home to penguins, and since i’ve never seen one in the wild, i’m making that a goal of my year down there. there’s a penguin colony at oamaru, and another on stewart island. i hear that the little blues also live in wellington so i hope to catch a glimpse of one while i’m living there!
red cat bi-plane, mount cook:
um, ok, this is just cool. and probably expensive. but how cool would it be to spend an hour in the air, flying in a bright red bi-plane over mount cook and the west coast glaciers? yeah, maybe i can find someone who will buy this experience for me (*cough christmas cough*).
mountains to sea cycle trail, whanganui:
i love cycling, and this trail crosses the north island from the central plateau to the west coast town of whanganui on the north island. it’s easy enough to rent a bike and buy some basic survival gear. the trail takes four to six days. oh, and it crosses the bridge to nowhere. plain cool.
stay tuned for more countdown: new zealand posts!
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