Onward to New Zealand
Search for “New Zealand” in Google Images, and I dare you to not gasp at the images that appear. The mountains, the ocean, the fauna…everything in this country is heart-stopping—and those heart-stopping views even begin at the tarmac.
As soon as we deplane, I instant shove my earbuds in and hit play on The Lord of Rings soundtrack. I’m not J.R.R Tolkien’s number one fan or anything, but I still can’t help but fan girl, knowing I’m in the place where those epic movies were filmed, knowing that in a few days I’ll set foot on the exact place elves and dwarves and wizards stood (even if they were just pretend).
Attractions
Hobbiton Movie Set Tours: Do I want to come to New Zealand solely to tour all of the locations in The Lord of the Rings movies? Yes. Am I the least bit ashamed of this? Of course not! I’ve seen pictures from some of the locations, and I think that the views and sets are beautiful enough to mesmerize even non-fans.
Sky Tower: 328 meters tall, Sky Tower is the best way to see all Auckland has to offer. But the tower also offers restaurants, a casino, and even…yoga in the sky?
Tantalus Estate Vineyard & Winery: Vineyards are ever so tantalizing, don’t you think? And I'm only mostly saying that because I love wine.
Piha Beach: I’ve never seen black sand before, and I’m really curious to see how it differs from “regular” sand (although also a little afraid—I once got pretty severe burns on my feet from walking in regular sand; I can’t even imagine how hot black sand can get! I may opt to keep my sneakers on, thank you very much).
Rangitoto Island: The island offers black lava caves, breathtaking views, kayaking, and more. To me, it sounds like the perfect day trip out of Auckland.
Auckland Dolphin and Whale Watching Eco-Safari Cruise: All I’m saying is, I grew up watching both Free Willy and Flipper and I am definitely willing to sell my soul to see orcas or dolphins. Also, I’ll accept any opportunity I encounter to go on a boat so that I can sing this song (now where the heck did I put my nautical-themed pashmina afghan?).
Honorable Mentions
Restaurants
For local cuisine: Soul Bar. I’m not usually a cooked fish kind of gal, but for some reason the descriptions in the menu are enough to make my mouth water. And if that’s not a sign, then I don’t know what is.
For breakfast: Best Ugly Bagels. There’s no such thing as an ugly bagel. Especially if cream cheese is involved.
For Asian fusion: Hello Beasty. Why, hello to you, too. I said that in a very sultry manner, for the record. Mostly because the shinyuzu cocktail alone sounds like a good enough reason to travel to the other side of the planet. And on top of that they have pork belly and buns and kimchi…you, Mr. Beast, can call me “Belle.”
For lunch: Hemingway’s Devonport. The food looks delicious, and they have a courtyard where you can people watch while you eat. Traveling is so much about doing, I think it’s easy to forget to just sit and appreciate where you are. This bistro might be just the cure for that.
For tapas: Madriz Spanish Tapas Bar. To be honest, I’ve only been to a tapas bar one time in my life. But I still remember that meal from time to time, the food…the drink…the laughter. I’d definitely like to try another.
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