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Paraparaumu Slideshow
Paraparaumu
Travel Blogs from Paraparaumu, New Zealand
Relaxing at The Split Level
This is a top pick! As it is still fairly quiet in New Zealand, the Bottom Bus only runs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Therefore I had another 2 nights in the area before my next pick up, so I decided to move 5km up the road to Owaka, the Catlins' main township (although ...
Day 4
This is a top pick! I got up nice and early to assess the weather, and as the sun rose it became clear that it was going to be a beautiful day. Therefore I made my beans on toast, made a packed lunch, and off I went at about 8.45am. I set off with Susie until we went our ...
The Tale of the Mandarin Man and the Pukenui Pig
This is a top pick! ... and removed the bastard window from the door before it could fall and smash inside the door. Phew...no break. Luckily New Zealand is warm and our new vehicle with no driver window was comfy for the rest of the amazing drive. We ...
Day 1
This is a top pick! ... . On return to Ship Cove, I met Emmet who had just got off another water taxi - he was seeing some of the real New Zealand before going to the Lions v All Blacks Test Matches, starting in Christchurch on Saturday. Obviously I didn't know it at the ...
Lake Taupo
This is a top pick! We were divided about going to Lake Taupo. It was raining. Ailbhe's case was 'It's just another lake', Michael's: 'Sure, we'll just go and check it out, the Hostel has free internet'. The case for the free internet won out and we set off. It ...
Motueka/Nelson & Abel Tasman Nat. Pk
This is a top pick! ... meals for us) were at home. Megan and Ben would pop in after work and we'd proceed to start trying the New Zealand Sauv Blancs. Meanwhile Dan was tramping across Milford Sound (someone's got to do the hard work!). Diane brought ...
Otago Rail Trail - 4 days on a bike
This is a top pick! ... doesn't make you the ART DECO CAPITAL of anywhere. Never mind, Ranfurly was nice and also had the oldest continual trading shop in New Zealand. Oh, and it also had a very nice pub - like all these towns along the way. All the towns were ...
More beaches and happy oil
This is a top pick! The Karikari peninsula is part of Doubtless Bay. Matai Bay was cool as it has twin coves. It looks kinda like buttocks from afar. We spent half the day at Matai Bay bobbing around in the ocean. Frank tried to do some bodysurfing ...
Xmas at Kapiti
This is a top pick! J here :) Isn't it lovely to have Xmas in Summer aye ? But they still sell Xmas cards with snow here - I never realised that before. Xmas day started with a game of cards for the Lind family while Caroline got up! Then present opening. Lots of ...
Land of the Glowing Skies
This is a top pick! 'Red sky at night, shepherds delight, Red sky in the morning, shepherds house on fire!' (Childhood saying..) I slept well last night. The bed was comfortable and the room was dark and warm. I have to say it's a different feeling sleeping in a ...
The Tongariro Crossing/National Park
This is a top pick! Numerous people advised us to do the Tongariro Crossing which is basically a 6-7 hour trek in Tongariro National Park. There are three peaks (active volcanoes), one of which features in the Lord of the Rings. The Tongariro Crossing, ...
Fiordland National Park Beauty
This is a top pick! We found our best campground yet at the Possum Lodge on the banks of Lake Manapouri. The Circle trek was the highlight, a 3-hour hike overlooking the lake and fijordland, and more training for the upcoming Milford ...
Sheep, hedges, and mountains
... laws in New Zealand that basically tie the police's hands behind their back and bad people can run rampant. But from what I've seen, New Zealand is still a country full of nice people with just a few bad apples, just like anywhere. Today we slept in a ...
Getting closer to the South Pole
The Southern part of NZ, the Southland, is actually not very interesting; it is still really beautiful but not as spectacular as other parts of NZ. They do try to attract visitors though, by calling the main road the Scenic Southern Route. We followed ...
New Zealand's Northlands
01-Mar-07 After another long flight with very little sleep we arrived safely at Auckland airport. The first bit of good news was both bags turned up!! The second bit - we got into the country. We were met at the airport by Michelle ...
Stop 7
... compacted ice, where you can see it is an incredible blue, much like the river water we'd seen on the way through New Zealand. Carl explained the water retains the colour due to the level of copper and the extremely fine sand particules that never ...
Three days left
... I get home, because she has been great in remembering to take her camera out at night and take action photos of all our new best friends. Good times!!!! I must admit, I will be very happy to see Taj(and Shadow). Had my two year anniversary with ...
Head East
Low cloud and drizzle in Taupo when we wake, so it looks as if our decision not to do a big walk today was a good one. We drive east along a long road through a sparsely populated part of North Island emerging near the coast in a fruit and wine growing ...
Albatrosses...understanding poetry.
I never understood the significance of THE RHYME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER until I came to Dunedin.In the poem an old sea dog kills an albatross and for this act,the corpse of the bird is hung around his neck as proof of his crime and the focal point of the ...
Wanganui to Paekakariki
Tuesday, January 16 Wanganui to Paekakariki We are treated to a luxury breakfast in the unique sunroom with grapes growing inside the glass ceiling. As we are driving up the road by the scenic Wanganui River, we suddenly see an entire flock of sheep ...
Sunshine On My Shoulder Makes Me Happy
... I look at my arm for a moment before I realize it's mine. It's seems impossibly brown. Gorgeous day!! New Zealand is not a big country. To illustrate that point, you'll smile to find out that I had run into that couple ...
Otago Peninsula
We took the day to walk around town and do some shopping, after that we decide to go to the Otago Peninsula to see some wild life and may be some pinguins. In the end we decide to skip the pinguins and head back home but fear not cause we are about ...
Paraparaumu
From Wanganui way go south toward Wellington and stop for the night at Paraparaumu. It's a nice town on the beach and we found a nice backpacker near the beach. The next morning we press on toward Wellington. The only good thing that was in this place is ...
Day 105 - Dunedin-Surat Bay (The Catlins)
... . They were all asleep, lazily flicking sand onto themselves with their huge flippers, trying to keep cool. We thought that the New Zealand fur seals we had seen near Kaikoura were big but these were Hooker Sealions and they are absolutely massive. We ...
Lake Tekapo and Mount Cook
After 4 wonderful days in Christchurch, we hit the road for our first long road trip. Made our way to Lake Tekapo for a two night stay. Lake Tekapo is glacier fed and the bluest lake we have ever seen. See our photos of the lake and attractions. The ...
From Tropical Island to Skiing
We decided to head down to Lake Taupo because other family members who had already holidayed there before coming to the Cook Islands had suggested it. When you drive in from the north you come over the final hill leading into Taupo and it is the most ...
Yes sir, yes sir,three bags full...well,one anyway
One fine Sunday Graham (a workmate), also an hilarious dry-witted Scotsman, whose brogue I am just beginning to understand,invited us out with his wife,Nyrie, for a trip into Central Otago. This area is like a plain or moor with tracts of tussocks(a ...
The sound of silence
... off into the fields...straight past the agile athletic bunnies....and found the precious defenceless flightless birds that are unique to New Zealand. This natural disaster has not been reversed and now the endangered birds survive in small numbers only on ...
Helping at Nga Manu Nature Reserve
... on the Kapiti Coast. Basically what we did was (first have morning tea at 10 even though we hadn't done any work yet, lol) create a new trail through the bush to remove a tower-like structure that had been used for falcons. I think they wanted to move it ...