New Zealand blog: ancient trees, endless beaches and a cracking lunch
Saturday, 28 Feb, 2011
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Travelmole’s Graham McKenzie continues his New Zealand trip and finds it’s the little things that make this destination so much fun to visit.
When travelling around New Zealand you quickly learn that there are some ‘must see’ attractions. The list is way too long to detail here but suffice to say yesterday I knocked two more off the register, Ninety Mile Beach and Waipoua Forest.
They are both marvellous to see and witness. Ninety Mile Beach is just one very long stretch of, well, beach but with very few if any people on it. Swept by windy conditions, high dunes and fantastic surf, it’s worth visiting.
So too is the Waipoua Forest that has displays of some of the oldest trees known to mankind – the Giant Kauri. These trees have, over the years, been destroyed in the main by man and disease but they are making a comeback due to the Kiwis’ admirable record on conservation (more of that later).
For me, however, it’s the bits in between the big attractions that make the trip so enjoyable. Small cafes and restaurants, where the level of service and quality of product are beyond reproach and are situated with views you would kill to witness, can easily use up an hour or three of your time.
A good example was Mangonui which is not on the big list and was a small detour yet it offered fabulous views across the bay and village baked bread and local wine and cheese from the farm up the road. We had a very equitable lunch sitting at one of the ubiquitous picnic tables, on our own, next to the water. Fabulous.
The Kiwis definitely have this conservation act sorted out well. Before I arrived I was somewhat sceptical of the 100% pure stuff and the way they big themselves them up from a tourism perspective as environmentally responsible but I have to hand it to them, they have got it right.
Don’t get me wrong it’s not a pipe smoking, open toed sandaled, organic woollen underwear nirvana where everyone hums Blowin’ In The Wind. No. It’s just policies and a way of life that I suspect has been in place for many decades and it is now just an intrinsic part of the culture – cool. It certainly makes for an agreeable sojourn.
To learn more about New Zealand and be certified for your knowledge, you can take Tourism New Zealand’s online training modules by clicking here
For free resources and details on New Zealand places and product, go here
For a chance to win the Kiwi gift pack in this week’s draw, go here
Dinah
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