One fateful February, after a mere fourteen hours on a plane, coupled with a Melatonin appetizer and two in-flight meals that were presumably baked pigeon, I found myself on the other side of the world. Like Marty McFly, I basically time-traveled, losing a full twenty-four hours when we crossed the international dateline.
On my flight, I chatted with two brothers near my age, who helped pass the time. Then, two days after arriving in Auckland, the craziest coincidence happened. I took a ferry to Waiheke Island to go zip lining, and ran into the guys from my flight on the top of a mountain! Only in New Zealand would you run into two new faces for a second time on a tiny island, forty-five minutes off the coast of Auckland.
Zip lining over sprawling vineyards with a heart full of adventure and a purse full of food was an unforgettable experience. EcoZip Adventures has my seal of approval if any of you fellow thrill-seekers find yourself in Auckland soon! I’ve willingly dangled from many a zip line in my twenty-four years of life. This includes zipping over a series of alligator enclosures in Florida, but my experience with EcoZip still remains my favorite.
A Little About Auckland
Let’s backtrack a bit to my initial arrival in New Zealand. I stayed at a lovely Air BnB with a gracious host who offered to drive me across the city to my first tourist destination. I spent my first couple of days in the capital, checking out museums, cafes, and local hangouts. One of my favorite spots was a cat café in an old Victorian home! I must say, cat fur really adds flavor to coffee.
My final morning in Auckland, I regrettably missed my first Uber ride, and chased my second one about two blocks. During the pursuit, my sleeping bag deployed like a parachute which significantly slowed down my speed, much to my dismay. Eventually I pulled it together, and giggling at my unfortunate lack of coordination, I tumbled into the Uber, and we were on our way.
Stray Tours
I’m pleased to report that I arrived at my Stray bus tour pickup location, none the worse for wear. I immediately embarked on the journey of a lifetime with twenty-four people from all over the world, who were content to be packed like sardines into a small bus to explore the North Island together. Being the only American, “Kate from the States,” I answered a flood of questions about politics and felt pretty insecure about my flat pancake accent. Upon our arrival at our first hostel, we all cracked open Heinekens and got to know each other.
Stray Tours is truly a top notch New Zealand tour company. It’s perfect for those that prefer a range of activities, and want the chance to meet a lot of people. Stray offers structured tours, in which you stay with the same group for the whole trip, like I did. There is also a “hop on, hop off” tour offering. This option allows you to stay in a particular destination for as many, or as few days as you wish!
Natural Jacuzzis, Hikes, and Hakas, Oh My!
The next few days were filled with all types of adventures. We dug our own jacuzzis in the sand at a volcanic hot water beach, and hiked into the beautiful Cathedral Cove. Cathedral Cove is where a scene from Prince Caspian was filmed, for any Narnia fans out there! We also went to a traditional Maori cultural performance in Roturura. It was complete with Hakas, and a delicious barbecue dinner made by the locals. I would highly recommend this lovely, educational experience! New Zealanders are some of the kindest folks you will ever have the pleasure of interacting with.
A Taste of Hobbit Life
Next, the group went to Hobbiton, where we checked out the permanent movie set, built on a lush, green farm. There were of course, Hobbit Holes, and various props, including an iconic manmade tree. There were also impressive gardens where produce was grown and made into film-authentic meals on site. We sipped mugs of hard cider from The Green Dragon Inn, while standing outside by a water wheel, watching sheep graze. We all thought to ourselves, “It doesn’t get much more New Zealand than this.”
After seeing Hobbiton, we made our way to Retaruke. This was the scene of a bush safari on the back of a tractor, and kayaking through a beautiful waterfall-filled gorge at a Blue Duck Station. (A place so remote it needs two Double A batteries). I was also the volunteer guinea pig who tested out a makeshift stretcher constructed of two wooden poles and a couple of rain coats. Shh, don’t ask questions.
Below is a link to Blue Duck Station’s website. This was one of the best hostels of the trip, if you’re into rustic settings.
http://www.blueduckstation.co.nz/
Wellyworld
To top off our trip, we caught a glimpse of Mount Ruapehu aka “Mount Doom.” Unfortunately, we had to skip our Alpine crossing hike to Mordor, due to inclement weather that day. The rest of our plans went off without a hitch however, which was fortunate considering how much it rains in that gorgeous, green paradise. Fun fact: Mount Ruapehu is an active stratovolcano! It looked even more ominous with clouds gathered around the top of it, like it was about to erupt.
Lastly, we made our way to Wellington, affectionately nicknamed “Wellyworld.” The town is essentially a small Hollywood of New Zealand, where the Lord of the Rings studios, and WETA Workshops are. We were able to tour the facility, and see amazing armor, handmade prosthetics, and sculpted creatures, created for the films.
Next up: Melbourne
By the end of the week, I felt like I’d known the people on my tour for years, and nostalgia hit before I even left. With the foreword of my life Down Under wrapped up, I prepared to catch my flight to Melbourne to begin the official first chapter. It knew it would be an adventure worthy of a Hobbit, and I couldn’t wait. Stay tuned for my next adventures in the land down under!