what new zealand gets right

 









Wow, there are no words to describe how much I loved our time in New Zealand.  It was laid back, breathtaking and absolutely peaceful.  We rented a campervan making it possible to drive along lakes, glaciers, rainforests and beaches sometimes all in one day!  The land is so preserved and accessible at the same time.  The people are friendly and helpful.  We ate fresh fish on the coast and relaxed in natural hot pools near the glaciers.  We kayaked in the fiordlands with dolphins swimming by and went horseback riding in the mountains.  We also learned a lot about the culture and I brought home some insights.  I have not researched the things I'm about to tell you nor am I a wikipedia.  These are simply things I noticed that made me pause and think "man, these kiwis are really doing it right".  Also take into account that I live in a city so some observations might be amplified due to this fact.  Case in point, this first one:

- I saw a lot of people in barefoot throughout parks, in small towns and sometimes in the street.  I later realized this is because there is no broken glass or garbage.... anywhere.  (um, .... winning!)

- Everyone I saw looked to be in incredible shape; young and old.  I did decide to look this one up and the statistics that I found are the following:  1/3 of Kiwi adults are overweight  where 2/3 of American adults are overweight.

- Typically, houses were modest one story and built to blend in with their landscape (what a crazy idea!).

- They are very advanced with their energy conservation and they have a genuine passion for protecting the environment.

-  It's strongly encouraged by schools and the workplace to take time off to travel the world.

- The integration of the native (Maori) tribes into the present culture is much more substantial than I've ever seen in any other country.  They have their own government funded television station and Māori words accompany the English names at popular destinations and airports.  Presently, Māori make up about 15 percent of the New Zealand population.

Anyway, just some things that inspired me to think we could do better...  We are already talking about when we can go back!  It's easily a destination that you could explore for months on end.  There were many things that we couldn't pack into our two week stay so a second trip is paramount. I also want to acknowledge how rare it is for the two of us to spend such a long period of time alone together even when we live side by side.  I think the city is tough that way and why disappearing for a while is crucial.  I will expand on the places we stopped and parks we stayed at on my tripadvisor account and provide a link. 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

//photos by alyce gorch

Comments

[Jessica]

Hello, I just recently found your site and am in love with all that you uncover and highlight for the rest of us. You are so, much, fun!

This trip looks like a dream. From what you describe, it sounds so opposite from what we live on a daily basis, here at home. Thank you for sharing these photos. I look forward to catching more from you and your lovely (dreamlike) adventures in future posts.

[first came love]

Thanks Jessica! Ack! I just checked out your blog. how cute is your son's bday party!

[Elise / Pennyweight]

So lovely!! My dad just got back from a trip there, and I've been wanting to visit for as long as I can remember.

[OLD BRAND NEW]

I want to swim in your photos! NZ looks absolutely phenomenal. It sounds like they have a huge respect for their environment. And It's wonderful that they encourage traveling because I think both reading and traveling are the foundations of learning. Man, I need to hop on a plane, asap! Thanks for the mini visual getaway!

[Harper Cosper]

When I think of NZ, the movie Lord of the Rings comes into mind because of all those rolling hills and brooding mountains. I was fortunate to see a Maori group perform their traditional chants a year ago... I hope you saw something like that on your trip, too! Keep exploring!

[sean]

campervan is the way to travel when visiting that part of the world! i traveled the great ocean road on the west coast of australia via campervan, and i wouldn't have seen it any other way!

[first came love]

Sean, Australia wow! that is definitely on my wanderlust list. I would love to do the campervan thing again too. Too bad it's not as popular here in the states.