New Zealand North Island and Christmas! - December

Hi Everyone!

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a fun celebration and I hope that 2020 treats you all well :). Can you believe its the start of a new decade?!

This month has been busy and feels like its separated into many parts. It now seems like forever ago that I was in New Zealand, yet I only got back from my trip two weeks ago. I then spent a week alone (which was actually just what I needed - a month with a group of people can drive you slightly mad and I was in much need of some time to myself!). And then this past week Ollie has been here in Australia and we spent Christmas together which was lovely!

So on the 1st December I took the ferry to Wellington and started my journey in the north island! It's very different to the south - for a start the weather is much better. We weren't expecting much because people constantly told us that the south island is far better than the north but I don't think that was true - it was just different. There were lots of beaches and I have to admit the cities were far better, I could see myself living in the north island over the south any day. The best thing about the North Island is said to be the Tongariro Crossing, which my friends did and said was incredible but unfortunately I couldn't go because I was really ill and I think a seven hour hike up a volcano may have finished me off!

Wellington 

A view of Wellington from Mount Victoria!


I didn't end up seeing as much of the city as I would have liked because the people I travelled with really didn't care much for cities which is a shame because I love them. We spent one day driving out of the city to see the Putangirua Pinnacles which were spectacular. It's amazing seeing things that are totally natural - I've never seen so many natural wonders all in one go before. 

We were supposed to see Wellington the day after but there was a huge storm. We left the house and it was so windy I felt like I was about to be blown into a car every time I crossed the road (its not called the Windy City for nothing!) and our clothes and shoes got soaked through so we abandoned our ideas of walking. We did end up going to the Weta Caves which was surprisingly cool. It was an exhibition of the studios of the people that did the set and effects for the Lord of the Rings and although I was never into it (although I can proudly say I did watch all three movies whilst on my travels around New Zealand) it was very cool. We did a lot of LotR related activities because one of the guys we were travelling with is very into it. 

Rotorua

Rotorua was an interesting (and smelly!) place. It was the first tourist town of New Zealand and I think that's remained as it was the only place we went to where they charged us to see almost anything. It's built on geothermal ground so is surrounded by boiling hot mudpools, geysers and steam vents, even in the towns park! It does however mean that the entire palce stinks of sulphur. It's also known for its Maori culture. We went to a Maori village and I loved it. I've always been fascinated with how people live so it was right up my alley. 

Parts of the town honestly looked like we were on an alien planet. It was all very very cool. 

The Champagne Pools - these were constantly bubbling!

A bright yellow pool!


Tauranga

The beautiful city..surrounded by beaches!


Tauranga was awesome. I can see myself living there, it had everything - beaches, nice weather and a mountain! I think I have climbed more mountains this holiday than I ever will in my lifetime. But the mountain had a stunning view of the city. I also had the best ice cream of my life - it had coffee, chocolate and fudge all in one!

Coromandel 

A view of the walk we did to Cathedral Cove along the stunning coastline!


Coromandel ended up being a nice surprise. We were supposed to be going to the White Island on the 10th of December but, as I am sure you are all aware, it errupted on the 9th December. We were all very shaken up by it because that really could have been us if we had only gone one day earlier. It was a real tragedy. 

So instead we spent the day at a beautiful beach and went on a lovely walk and ate ice cream, counting our blessings. 

Hobbiton

Me with a cider from the Green Dragon with hobbit holes in the distance!


Hobbiton has to have a mention. We went because of my friend who loves LotR - I think it's the main reason he wanted to go to New Zealand in the first place! Even though I am barely a fan of it I absolutely loved it - it was so incredibly detailed and we got to know loads of cool facts about the movies. 

On the same day we saw Hobbiton we also went to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves and a Kiwi Sanctuary! It was a very very busy day, and with an early start!

Auckland

A view of Auckland from the top of Rangitoto!


Auckland was my final stop in New Zealand. It was amazing! I got to have a good look around the city and also went out to an island called Rangitoto which is a very new volcano that only came up out of the water 600 years ago! Luckily it's an inactive volcano. Climbing the volcano gave us a beautiful view of Auckland. We also went to an ice cream parlour that is in the top 10 ice cream parlours in the world! It was one hell of an experience.

The people I travelled with left a day earlier than me which turned out very well because I got to stay with more members of my family in New Zealand who were also lovely! I got to go to a proper Kiwi family Christmas party which was so different to an English Christmas (mostly because it was almost 30 degrees and didn't match the songs about snow at all). It was just lovely spending time with some family and getting to know them more. I definitely think that I will come back to New Zealand!

Christmas!



On the 23rd I met Ollie at the airport. It had been 5 1/2 months since we last saw each other and I have to say I had been missing him a lot. We had a lovely Christmas! On the day Ollie arrived we went to a fun carol concert which was different from usual - there was a lot of modern dance and even a small aerial show! We also saw fireworks on the South Bank of Brisbane which was lovely. 

Christmas Day was very quiet for us - and was almost entirely revolved around food. We made a delicious breakfast, then cooked a pavlova (Aussie tradition!), then cooked a full roast dinner (which is very very hot work when its over 30 degrees outside), then ate the roast dinner and then ate the pavlova. It was mine and Ollie's first Christmas that we actually spent together and although it was very odd not being with our families it was still really nice! We also went to the Sunshine Coast the day after Boxing Day where we went to Noosa and the Australia Zoo which was Steve Irwins! That was amazing - I got to stroke a koala and see loads of other awesome animals. We also saw a wild koala in Noosa!

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I hope that you all a wonderful Christmas. I would love to hear what you guys all got up to! 

This next month I will be heading back to England for a while! I would have loved to stay out here but everyone I know out here (except one who has to work) has gone home after their study abroad semester or has left Brisbane to go home or travelling! So I would only really be staying here out of principle. I am looking forward to seeing everyone!

All my love,

M xxx



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