My final journey in New Zealand was to visit the one major place I hadn’t yet explored, the capital Wellington.  I researched the best and cheapest way to visit the city and chose to travel on the Northern Explorer on the way down and to take the Kiwi Experience bus back up to Auckland.
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Kiwi Experience organised this whole route called the Northern Express and it made for a varied and fun few days. 

On the morning of my train down to Wellington I hopped on the bus and made my way to The Strand train station, a little used station on the outskirts of the CBD and the home to this famous railway.  The journey is a total time of 12 hours and takes in much of the changing landscape across the North Island.  The train itself offers customers a great relaxed experience with skyroofs and large windows to offer all customers a great viewing experience. 

I was sat in an aisle seat which was a shame but still got a great view of all the amazing sights whizzing by.  A bonus is the open carriage which allows you to get a closer look at the scenery.  I made sure to go here every so often to get some fresh air and check out points of interest along the route. 

Throughout the long journey, the staff keep you informed of interest points and where you are on the map.  The first few hours are rolling hills as you go past Hamilton and Taupo.  The landscape then drastically changes to marsh and rugged hillside as you enter the National Park.  You also get an amazing view of the various volcanos dotting the landscape.  This part of the journey is also home to the popular and impressive Raurimu Spiral which allows the railway to make a 139-metre ascent on to the National Park plateau. 
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After this exciting part of the journey, you continued south past several small towns and over huge viaducts which all overlook beautiful rivers and valleys.  As you approach Wellington, the train comes to skirt the coast, giving views of Kapiti Island which is mainly uninhabited to preserve the fragile ecosystem on the island.  You approach this part of the journey around dearly evening which in the winter means you get amazing views of the sunset. 

Finally, the train arrives in Wellington at approx. 7pm.  I walked from the station to my hostel, The Marion which was around a 20-minute walk.  There are plenty of taxis and buses in the area though for those who don’t fancy the trek! I stayed in Te Aro, just off Cuba street in a modern hostel.  The accommodation looked amazing on Hostelworld and was just as impressive in real life.  It seemed to have a few long-termers staying there due to the nice furnishings and social areas. 
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I stayed in a 10-bed dorm which was unique in that it offered full privacy for all guests.  I think this style is becoming more popular now, but the luxury of having a curtain to shut off your bed from the room is great! The downside of this is that people do tend to keep to themselves more in the dorm and not socialise.  I didn’t mind this too much and spent the evening relaxing before getting an early night. 

The next day I had a relaxed wake up, I was on a little holiday after all! I planned to visit the National Museum, Te Papa and was told this would take up most of the day as there was so much to see.  The Museum is free to enter and has some amazing exhibitions to appeal to all ages. 

​The exhibitions ranged from interactive displays of the country’s formation and geography to Maori history and artefacts.  There is even a giant squid! Te Papa is renowned as one of the best museums in the world and is a must-see attraction when you visit New Zealand.  I ended up spending around four hours in the museum, but you could do less or more depending on personal preference.  I also didn’t visit any of the paid exhibitions. 

I then headed back to the hostel to relax a little, finding a cosy spot to chill in one of the social hubs on each floor of the hostel.  That evening I had arranged to meet up with a traveller I had met all the way back in December on my tour of the Bay of Islands.  Michelle was living in Wellington and we had a lovely night catching up and eating in an amazing Mexican place which served fantastic cocktails. 

On my final full day in Wellington I had a planned a busy day.  First up was a tour of the Beehive, New Zealand’s parliament.  These tours are free but need to be booked in advance.  As a lover of history and politics, this was a fascinating insight into other countries politics and how it compares to other nations.  I was impressed with their handling of party power and the general success the current political party was having in New Zealand.  Sadly, Aunty Jacinda was not in the building but I have since seen her at an All Blacks game in Auckland (from a distance!)

Next on my itinerary was to take the famous Wellington Cable Car and explore the gardens above the city.  The cable car is an old staple of the city and although was used for some residents to access their homes on the hill, was mainly created as a Victorian tourist attraction.  At the top there is a cable car museum showing this Victorian history, a café and restaurants and many other attractions on the hill.  After a bite to eat and a drink in the sunshine I visited the small museum and started my walk through the gardens. 

​Although the sun had been shining when I first got there and ate, I noticed a band of dark clouds coming in my direction.  Making a spontaneous decision, I decided to make a detour to the Space Place Carter Observatory and spent the next two hours exploring the exhibits and watching the impressive light show and cinema story about the Maori story of creation. (I’ve written about this in my previous post on the Bay of Islands) 

It was a good thing that I decided to explore the observatory as the weather turned drastically to heavy rainfall giving me an excuse to really explore the Space Place.  Once the rain slowed down, I walked back down to the city, abet slightly soggy.  I detoured through the botanical gardens which were impressive and varied.  In better weather I would have spent more time checking them out, but I was more focused on getting back to the hostel and getting dry! That evening I got comfy and got some pizza from one of my favourite pizza chains in New Zealand, Sals. 
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I didn’t manage to meet many people in my hostel and as such had very relaxed evenings in but I didn’t mind that after two long days filled with sights.  The next morning, I checked out of the hostel and made my way to the Kiwi Experience bus pick up point. The journey back up North took two days as we stopped off in Taupo.   This made for a scenic ride back with good company. 

I was glad I made my little trip down south to Wellington and was even happier that I did it with Kiwi Experience and not by plane.  It isn’t the traditional Kiwi Experience one usually seeks out, but I enjoyed the journey by road and rail and the added bonus of a stop off at Taupo.

Wellington was vibrant and I really enjoyed my time there.  Part of me wishes I had explored New Zealand before I settled so I could have got a flavour for all parts of the country but as I headed back up to my little home in Auckland’s suburbs I realised how lucky I was to have the opportunity to explore so much of what new Zealand has to offer.

​In April 2019, my parents made the trek across the world to come visit me in New Zealand.  The excitement I felt when I made my way to their hotel lobby to have a tearful reunion was immense. 

After they spent some time on the North Island, we met back up to fly down to Christchurch and start a 10-day adventure on the South Island. 

The flight to Christchurch from Auckland was just over an hour and I was amazed by how flat the landscape was around Christchurch as we landed.  This area of the country is also known as the Canturbury plains and has very few hills or elevation.  This made for a very dramatic landscape difference over the span of the 10 days.
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We stayed in a sweet air bnb in Christchurch which was only a short walk away from the main city area.  As we approached autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, the change was more apparent on the South Island with beautiful turning trees and a clear temperature difference! I was freezing with only a light coat on me.  My first task was therefore to find a suitable coat to last me the next few days.  I found this quickly on Regents Street, which had several boutique shops and restaurants. 

The city is compact and had a British feel to the numerous parks.  Of course Christchurch suffered earthquakes in 2011 and the damage is still evident to see.  Many buildings have external damage and some are even held up by storage containers.  The Christchurch Cathedral has a lot of damage and is a clear reminder for the city of what happened nearly a decade ago. 

We made a visit to Quake City, Christchurch’s museum all things earthquakes.  The museum had some great scientific info and demonstrations of how earthquakes happen and are formed but the main takeaway for me from this experience was the staffs real life experiences.  Every one of the staff had a story to share and it made the facts and information that much more real.

For a day trip out of the city, we decided to spent the day in Akaroa, a small community which is located in the crater of an ancient volcano.  Much of the crater is filled with water with the town sitting on the shores of this dramatic scenery.  The town has French colonial history and therefore had a lot of French inspired shops and restaurants.  

​We didn’t have the best weather when we went so chose to not head out onto the water in search of dolphins.  Instead we walked up the lighthouse and a waterfall near the town centre.  This was a nice day out but the weather was a shame as it limited what we could enjoy in this area. 

After three nights in Christchurch we continued our journey south.  Orignally our plan was to drive to Greymouth on the west coast of the south island.  Here we would have continued down to Fox Glacier and then onward to Queenstown.  However, a few days before our trip, a bridge near Fox Glacier collapsed. This bridge was crucial in allowing us to continue driving south and without it meant retracing our steps in a drive over 10 hours long. 

This didn’t sound too appealing and we decided to change our plans and instead stay in Wanaka for three nights before going onto Queenstown.  This meant we had the chance to visit Mt Cook and the famous Hooker Valley Track.  Driving out of Christchurch we noticed mountains start to appear on our right with the ocean on our left.  As we turned into the Southern Alps and made our way towards Mt Cook we came across Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki.  These lakes are supplied with glacier water and are the most incredible colour.  We drove all the way along Lake Pukaki to the head of the Hooker Valley Track.  Along the way I was desperate to stop off and take in the view of this amazing lake.

Once at the Mt Cook car park, we realised that the Hooker Valley track was sadly only partially open due to maintenance work on the three bridges on the trail.  With no other alternative tracks we chose to walk what we could of the route and enjoyed a slightly closer view of Mt Cook and the glacier lakes.

​We also drove a little further on to a viewpoint of the glacier.  Since it was only just autumn, the glacier had melted slightly into a lake and photos showed how the ice had reduced in the past few decades.   Although this sobered the view a little knowing that one day it wouldn’t exist, we still enjoyed getting as close as we could to the highest peak in New Zealand. 

After our quick journey to Mt Cook, we drove onto our second stay at Wanaka.  This town is on the shores of Lake Wanaka and is a real beauty spot.  Our last minute accommodation here was lovely and was a house close to the lake and town.

During our time here, we went to the famous ‘That Wanaka Tree’ which is a natural phenomenom of a tree which sits in the middle of lake looking very picturesque.  We also hired bikes to explore the lake side, and a few of the other towns around the area.  Hiring bikes was a great way to explore and I loved cycling along the river which was flanked by beautiful autumnal trees.  We cycled to Albert Town where we had the BEST donuts of my life at a local bakery called Pembroke Patisserie. 

Our last big outing in Wanaka was to hike Mt Iron, a small mountain on the outskirts of the town. This was the best compromise to hiking the formidable Roy’s Peak Lookout which was at least a day long and was known for being an extreme hike.  Although it has amazing views which I’d seen all over social media, my parents weren't as keen to try it so this was the next best option.

The hike was gentle but gave us good views of Wanaka and the lake.  We also took a walk through the Highstreet after this hike.  The Highstreet is small but I was able to find some good hiking books for any treks I would be doing in New Zealand and beyond. 
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Wanaka was our favourite collective destination and there was a lot to do here over our three day stay.  On a rainy day, the Puzzling World of Wanaka is a popular tourist stop.  In the winter there is also the famous Treble Cone ski resort.  We drove past this and were amazed at how out of the town it is but Wanaka is the best base to visit this resort.

Our final destination was Queenstown.  This is where I was most looking forward to visiting before our trip.  The town is a backpackers paradise with many high adrenaline activities on offer as well as a thriving pub and bar scene.  Of course, it was a little more relaxed going with my parents but we still made sure to try out lots of things that were on offer.

The first thrilling experience we tried out was a speedboat experience on Lake Wakatipu.  This was a freebie I managed to score from a coupon for our Milford Sound trip.  The speedboat ride was short but a lot of fun and was a great and fun start to our time in Queenstown.  It also gave my parents the adventurous bug and they were more open to other thrilling activities over the next few days.  So much so that they signed us up for zip lining at AJ Hackett.  Not quite the bungy jumping I tried to convince them to do nor the canyon swing I was hoping to do but it was something!

This was still great with them and it was nice that we could do it all together at the same time.  We took the time to watch some bungy jumps and despite my encouragement, neither of the parents were sold on the idea. 

One thing I had signed up to do whilst in Queenstown was a skydive.  Each morning I anxiously headed to the skydiving shop wondering if today would be the day I would jump out of a plane.  Since skydiving requires exact conditions, I couldn’t jump unless there were few clouds and little wind.  This took three mornings to make happen and by the time I could finally do it I was a nervous mess!

I jumped in Glenorchy, the town over from Queenstown and connected by a stunning drive.  Once at the small runway, we were shown the safety video and waited our turn to jump.  I chose to jump from 15,000ft and was told I may need to take oxygen at the top altitude since in reality you are more like 16,000ft in the air due to not being at sea level.  This is one of the hidhest skydives you can commercially do in the world and didn’t help with my nerves!

Luckily I shared my experience with a lovely fellow backpacker and we were able to hype each other up as we waited.  Both Mum and Dad came to watch and even Mum was tempted to give the 9,000ft jump a go!

It finally came time for me to go up.  My skydiving instructior started an introductory video and we were then seated in the small plane.  I really got 2 in 1 with this experience as the plane ride was incredibe.  It was a true scenic flight and my instructor pointed out various peaks, even Mt Cook out the window.  Taking oxygen at the top wasn’t as scary as I thought and next thing I knew I was on the edge of a plane ready to jump. 

I have done a bungy jump and now a skydive and can say a skydive is a lot easier.  Whilst with a bungy you have to jump yourself, with a skydive you don’t have to do anything.  My bungy jump was a real physiological challenge as you have to go against all natural instincts and jump.  With the skydive I let the instructor tell me what to do and had no say as to when we left the plane.  Before you know it, you’re in the sky and experiencing amazing G Force.  I free-fell for around 60 seconds and loved every second. 

My worry of the parachute not opening was unfounded as it all happened without a hitch.  The time in the sky with a parachute is arguably the most relaxing part.  Being in the air and just floating is so relaxing and allows you to really take in the amazing scenery.  My instructor allowed me to try steering us and doing a turn is the most intense but fun thing to try.  I was elated as I touched solid ground once again and was so happy I had done it and was still standing!

I think my parents were equally relieved and thankful they didn’t have to worry about it anymore! 

After an eventful morning, we chose to stay in Glenorchy and try out some of the local walks in the area.  We found one which ended at a lake with the path going through the forest.  After getting slightly lost in the forest we found the hidden lake and reflected on where we were in the world and how stunning and varied this part of the world was.

Heading back to Queenstown, other notable activities we did during our time were visiting the Kiwi Birdlife Park close to the cable car.  This was my first time seeing Kiwis and it was great to see how well they were looked after.  They were part of a breeding programme and we could view them in a special ultra-red room. They are bigger than I thought they would be and a given activity to do whilst in New Zealand.

After our speedboar trip in the lake, we then tried out the Shotover Jet, which jets you over a river which winds through a tight canyon.  It’s thrilling and amazing how well the drivers of these vehicles can control their movements.  

​Our final big activity in Queenstown was a trip to Milford Sound.  This is a long day out as the journey to the Sound is an eight hour round trip.  As we got on the coach for the day though, I soon realised this wouldn’t be so bad as our driver and guide was well versed in how to entertain a bus load of people for eight hours.

She first started by telling us some more of the history of Queenstown and the Milford Sound area. This included Moari tales of the landscape and the human history of the land. Midway through, we stopped at Te Anau for a coffee and break and then continued on where we were treated to some amazing scenery through impressive mountains.  This even consisted of an epic tunnel which came out at the crest of a mountain, the view of untouched forest and mountains was spectacular.  On our way to the sound, our bus also stopped off at Mirror Lakes and a few other points of interest. 

Finally at the sounds themselves, we settled onto our cruise where we had a light lunch before we headed out to the mouth of this famous area.  Milford Sounds is a beautiful location with mountains on either side.  Waterfalls adorn these cliffs and are particularly prevalent after a heavy rainfall.  The cruise takes you along the large estuary to the mouth of the sound which opens to the Tasman sea.  At this point the cruise turns around and allows you to enjoy the pristine scenery for a little longer.
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On the way back from the sounds, our guide put on a Kiwi movie and allowed us to take a little nap and relax.   A trip to Milford Sound or Doubtfall Sounds is a must-do on any trip to Queenstown and although may sound like a daunting long day, is surprisingly enjoyable and very well planned. 

​Finally, we made sure to check out Queesntowns expansive high street and the various shops.  There is of course a lot of tourist shops as well as traditional clothing stores, many activity stores and some great food options.  One of these is Fergbuger which is a cult classic in Queenstown. The queue was large as it always is but was well worth it as the burgers were indeed very good. 

On our final day, Easter Sunday, we had a nice breakfast, complete with a little kiwi Easter egg and took the flight back to Auckland.  The weather was clear the whole way ansd made for an amazing view of Fox Glacier and Southern Alps.  I was very glad I got the window seat!

Our trip of the South Island was really memorable and was made better in that I was able to experience it with my parents.  This route is a very popular one and allows you to explore a variety of landscape and many activites.

Of course, the South Island, being the larger of the two islands, has so much more to explore than what can be done in 10 days so there is definitely unfinished business. 

Over my year in New Zealand, I made sure to make the most of days off to explore the amazing scenery and attractions that the country had to offer.  One area that I spent some time in was central North Island, including the popular areas of Rotorua, Taupo, the Coromandel’s, and National Park. 
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Rather than speaking about each individual trip, I thought I would instead talk about each area, where there is to see and do there and my thoughts. 

Situated in a peninsula east of Auckland, the Coromandel’s are technically not in central North Island but I decided to include it because… why not?  The area is known for its amazing beaches, spectacular views and laid back lifestyle.  I visited for three days and was able to visit the two most popular attractions here as well as a few more.

The first is Cathedral Cove.  I had seen this beach on many Instagram feeds and knew it was somewhere I wanted to visit.  The walk to the beach itself is surprisingly long and full of up an dows making for quite the trek.  There are a number of smaller coves to visit along the way though, including some great spot for snorkelling. 

When you finally make it to the beach, it is quite busy but with enough room for everyone to spread out.  The famous archway and rocks are all on display and make for a great photo backdrop.  The highlight for me was the walk to the cove as the beach was little to busy to fully enjoy. 

If the walk isn’t suitable for you, there is a boat which you can pay and reverse which will take tourists back and forth to the beach.  We didn’t account for how long the walk would take and with it getting later in the afternoon and not fancying the long walk back, we decided to take the boat back to the starting point.  Make sure to book it in plenty of time though as you will not be the only one having this idea!

Hot Water Beach is also another popular spot along the Coromandel’s and is famous for the hot spring running directly underneath it.  In a certain spot along the beach, you’ll know it when you see it, you can dig a hole and enjoy a DIY bath.  Be careful to not choose a spot that is too hot though or dig too deep, you might find yourself getting burnt! You can bring your own spade or hire one from the local café.  However, if you prefer, you can hop in a previous visitors make shift bath and borrow another groups spade to reinforce if needed.  We went here in the evening and loved watching the sunset as we relaxed in our little spa. 

The Coromandel’s is also home to many more amazing beaches, some so white that I was amazed we were still in New Zealand! The peninsula is full of fantastic rainforests to hike through as well as a number of scenic drives complete with twisting and turning roads.  Be careful to not drive too fast on these! The area also has several sweet towns which cater for the tourists as well as locals.  Thames, the main town of the area, is a fantastic example of an old colonial settlement and has a lot of interesting whaling and logging history.
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This part of New Zealand is a must see and well worth a few days to week of your itinerary.  It can get very busy and crowded in the summer months so do be prepared to join the crowds.  It’ll be worth it though! 

This popular tourist destination situated in the North-east of the North Island is an adventure playground.  The area is renowned for its thermal activity with a number of spas and attractions all allowing you to experience the magic of the earth yourself.  As well as this, slightly obvious attraction to Rotorua, you also have an abundance of adrenaline activities to try out including zorbing, ziplining and skydiving.  The area surrounding Rotorua is also beautiful, with clear lakes (free of sulphur) to swim in the popular Bay of Plenty not too far away.

On the one occasion I explored this part of New Zealand, we stayed one night and two days and tried to fit in as much as we could into our time there.  We first went zorbing.  This adrenaline activity is unique to New Zealand and I believe was founded in Rotorua.  They have three different routes you can take with your zorb ball, the straight and relaxed, windy route and finally the extreme route which includes a jump with a decent amount of air!  We decided to be brave and try out all three. 

Since we went in summer, our zorb ball was filled with a small amount of water and once in the zorb, you are zipped in and pushed down the hill.  It is a unique feeling and very fun! I’d say the windy route was the most dramatic as you are being tossed from side to side and have no idea which way is up or down. The zorb company even has a hot tub which you can relax in after your turns are up.  I would recommend this unique thrill to those seeking something new.

The town of Rotorua is very touristy and has a lot of gift shops and fun bars.  The town also has a popular park which features some of the thermal activities underground.  The smell of sulphur is prevalent throughout the town but after a few hours you’ll get used to it. The lake which Rotorua sits on is very sulphuric and is not safe to swim in.  A quick walk around the river front will show you why as you’ll notice mud bubbling away a short distance from the walkway.

The area is also well known for it’s Maori heritage and culture.  There are a number of culture shows to attend in the area but we chose to visit Tamaki Maori Village.  You are first greeted by the chief of the village, your tour groups chosen leader sent to demonstrate you that mean no harm with the offering of a fern leaf.  Once welcomed onto the land, you follow a series of short demonstrations which show the various ways of life still adopted by Maori people.  This part was really interesting and we also got to try the Haka and other dances.  What made this portion a shame for us was that our tour group happened to have a large number of German tourists.  This wasn’t a problem, but due to things having to be translated into German, our group often overran the time allotted for each demonstration which meant we missed quite a bit of information. 

After the demonstrations, you are invited to watch a cultural show which included the haka and other native dances.  It was great to see and really is so important in keeping the culture alive for more generations.  After the show you are treated to a feast which we happily indulged in.  This evening is a great way to experience the culture of the Maori people and help connect to those who keep New Zealand as culturally vibrant as it is today.

Around an hour away from the town is a series of freshwater lakes all surrounded by amazing rainforests.  We decided to drive to one of these on a hot afternoon and enjoyed a sunbathe and swim.  There are quite a few to chose from so you’ll hopefully not have any trouble finding parking.

The highlight of our stay in Rotorua for myself was our trip to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland.  This attraction showcases the huge array of thermal activity in the Rotorua area and allows you to watch a geyser erupt, walk alongside the famous thermal lakes and take in some of the more unusual sights such as a bright green pond!  We spent most of a day here and loved the well-marked route around the attractions.

I would have loved to have stayed another day in this part of the North Island, mostly to try out some of the other attractions on offer in the town such as the cable car and zip lines.  I would have also maybe have been tempted to try out a spa which are popular for the healing properties of the mud used.  Overall, Rotorua is a great and varied destination with something for everyone and a must do in New Zealand.

Located slap bang in the middle of the North Island, this small town and its magnificent lake are well worth your time.  I have been able to visit here twice but felt that I didn’t make the most of my time here each time I visited.   Both trips to Taupo were fleeting but I was able to visit the popular sights such as Haka Falls and see the lake.  Lake Taupo was formed by a huge volcanic eruption thousands of years ago. This left a large crater which over time filled up with water creating the aquatic playground we see today.

The lake is huge and is perfect for sailing, kayaking or simply swimming in.  You can find hundreds of spots to relax in around the lake, make sure to hire a car to get the most out of the area or hire a boat and explore the lake this way.

The popular sight of Haka Falls is also close to Taupo and is a great stop for a photo and a walk.  This impressive waterfall rushes along at a huge speed and the colours of the water are fantastic.  The falls are free to visit and have a series of walks alongside them to explore the surrounding area.  If you want a slice of adrenaline, there is a jet tour of the falls which gets you crazy close to them, some might even say too close!
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The town of Taupo is very touristy and is home to a few shops and fun restaurants and bars.  It is also the home of the only McDonalds in the world which has an airplane one site, which you can sit in!  I mainly ate and slept whist in the town of Taupo itself, but it is a great place to base yourself if you want to explore the lake, skydive, or make a worthwhile stop on your trip.

The final area of central North Island which I was lucky to visit is the amazing National Park.  After driving past the majesty of Lake Taupo the landscape changes, with flatlands making way to awesome mountains and volcanic peaks.  This area of the country has seen a lot of volcanic history and was the setting of the mighty Mount Doom in Lord of the Rings. 

​We stayed in this area for two nights in a rustic hostel.  The temperature dipped when we entered the National Park and we swapped our shorts for fleeces and long leggings.  The purpose of our trip to National Park was to hike Tongariro but it is also popular for skiing in the winter months.  The mountain Whakapapa is well known for having some of the best skiing conditions in New Zealand and is another volcano.

Our full day in National Park was spent hiking.  Tongariro is a famous 19km hike which crosses varied terrain to the peak of the Tongariro volcano.  We walked past flatlands, marshes, craters and finally at the peak were rewarded with the amazing view of the volcano’s lakes, all with their own unique colour.  Next to these lakes rises puffs of steam from thermal vents.  The walk is challenging at parts but was so worth it.  The worst part was the walking down as it is very repetitive and made our legs very shaky by the end.  As soon as we got back to the hostel we went straight to sleep and left early in the morning for the long drive back to Auckland.

If a 19k walk doesn’t sounds appealing to you, there is a large variety of walks available in the National Park area and it is well worth a stay to take in the amazing volcanos, especially in the shoulder seasons as they often have snow covered peaks. 

As you can see, Central North Island has something for everyone and is varied from its beaches to its volcanos.  Although some may be tempted to fly from Auckland to Wellington before heading to the South Island, I urge you to spend some time in central North Island to discover some real hidden gems.  

My time in Hollywood was packed, had lots of variety and boosted my confidence in my skills solo travelling.  Although I didn’t meet many people in the hostel, I found comfort and enjoyment in my own company and got to do everything I wanted to do with no compromises.  ​