All over for NZ

Trip Start Oct 14, 2005
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57
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Trip End ??? ??, 2006


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Thursday, April 13, 2006

After a quick night in Rotorua, I arrived in Auckland, New Zealands Biggest city, not really knowing much a bout Auckland or what to do I had a bit of a wander, saw the Sky Tower, and watched people throw themselves off the top, which seems to be a New Zealand trait, if it's big we will devise ways to jump off. This particular jump is a harness that is used to simulate falling in movies, that has been modified for adrenaline junkies, so you get a brief free fall then, meters from the ground, it drastically slows down to prevent you splatting all over the pavement.

I bumped into a couple of lads I met in Sydney and decided against any more exploring and decided to go to a backpackers bar and watch a dwarf electrocute backpakcers as they tried to drink orange juice, who ever drunk the most got a $60 bar tab, classy place.

Many beers later and now a hangover I have still not seen anything of Auckland and I fly out of here in a couple of hours, oh well I don't think there is that much to see it's just another big city, probably got a botanical garden, a museum, and an art gallery. It is definitely not in the cities that New Zealand has it's treasures, but in the untouched wild life of it's national parks and the natural wonders of it's volcanic activity so close to the surface. I think I will visit NZ again, there is so much I didn't get to see, I didn't visit Stewart Island, in the South or get further north than Auckland to see the Bay of Islands, and the Northlands. I did not dig myself a personal spa pool on not water beach, or go black water rafting through the glow worm infested Waitomo caves. I never got to do any of the 3-4 day walks either, which was in part down to the weather, when I come again it will definitely be in their Summer time.

New Zealnd is ultimately a more satisfying place than it's bigger cousin Australia, the people are friendlier, and they embrace their varied cultures and don't try to destroy them. Probably because when Europeans first settled on New Zealand the Maoris had big spears, and fierce war dances, and fought back, this was not in the Aborigine nature, and so they very often, when faced with conflict tried to run away. Every one knows that is not how you deal with a big bully. The Maoris stood up to the English settlers, and now live peacefully together, although an unpleasant US style gang culture has emerged amongst the youths, which hopefully will just be a passing fad that they will grow out of, but already violent incidents are on the increase in places like Taupo. You just don't really picture things like that when you think of NZ it's all glorious mountains and Lord of the Rings, lots of sheep and bungee jumping, which it is mostly.

So long New Zealand, hopefully see you again soon.
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