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Useful Tips.......Emergency number Christchurch
7 Reviews The New Zealand dollar has depreciated in value over the last few years. It now lies around $1NZ=$0.49US good for all of you wanting to travel to NZ but bad for us kiwi's!! The notes were changed...
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Local People Christchurch
9 Reviews This old english method of having a bloke yelling the news pre newspaper days was trialled a few years ago as a tourism stunt - and it stuck. The Town Crier of Christchurch screams a few items of...
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Maori Christchurch
3 Reviews When you are entering into Maori cultural exhibits, the visitors must be invited in to join the community before entering. Your group must select a chief or king for the group, and then that leader...
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Driving Christchurch
2 Reviews When you drive along the Summit Road please thank all the idiots of Christchurch for being able to park on such nice carparks along the road. Those carparks have been altered attractively because car...
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Climate Christchurch
3 Reviews The South Island is cooler than the North Island by a few degrees but on the whole NZ is known for its clean air. Average temps in winter (July) 1C – 12C Average temps in summer (January) 12C –...
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Wizard Christchurch
3 Reviews Speaking to the masses, though not so often these days, is the Christchurch Wizard aka Ian Brackenbury Channell. He has actually been deemed a "living work of art" and has been doing his thing in...
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When you arrive make sure you have NO organic products with you. From food to dirt in your shoes. They will do a complete examination of your bags, clothing and you for any organic products. They are very concern about bugs, cross contamination and desease entering thier Island.
I only feel sorry for the poor pigs. The 20 pigs that were burnt alive and the 50 pigs that had to be shot and slaughtered because they were so badly burnt.I hope no insurance pays the farmer for this loss.I do not name him - as the newspapers did - because I want to call him a bloody idiot, and I am not allowed to do this without giving him the chance to sue me for insult. But he has deserved it. And at least I can tell you that his farm is west of Rakaia on the South Island.He is one of those Kiwis who never learn. They burn their rubbish (not to speak of the stubble fires that become traffic hazards, and not to speak of the effects on the environment) although they know of New Zealand's unpredictable winds. And so he did. When the nor'westerly picked up suddenly, the fire spread across the farm and lit up the piggery where the poor pigs came to death or were injured so badly they had...
If you read or hear about students in the newspapers and on TV all the time you might get the impression that everybody in New Zealand is a high achiever or is getting a university degree. This is absolutely not the case. But still there are students everywhere. Funnily enough even the biggest fool is or has been a student - because they do not call pupils pupils but students. So we have six year old students who can barely read, ten year old students who can hardly count to ten - and sure, lucky us, we also have students who study at university and some day become the elite of the country. Of course, university students can also turn into idiots at some point in their lives, but this is another story ;-)
One thing I really like about New Zealand is their handling of holidays. When a public holiday coincides with a weekend they get an extra day off on the Friday before or the Monday after, and so can really enjoy a nice and long weekend :-)And there are a lot of holidays as NZ is still celebrating some English dates as the Queen's Birthday on the first Monday in June.Actually there are discussion if NZ should not have a new National Day, because Waitangi Day (6 February) is considered by many people only as the most important day of the year for Maori but not for all Kiwis. And to many it is only a reminder of ongoing controversy about justice and injustice of the Treaty of Waitangi from 1840 in which British sovereignty over NZ was established. Maori and Europeans have always understood it in different ways due to inaccurate translations and (mis)interpretations of certain terms.Another...
The town of Otorohanga claims to be the Kiwiana town of New Zealand. The third Great Kiwiana Festival took place at the Island Reserve on 3 March 2007. The small rural town is about 50kms south of Hamilton.At their annual festival they present marching girls, gumboots, sheepdogs and buzzy bees. Just everything that firms under the expression Kiwiana, collectible and not so collectible items like hokey-pokey ice-cream ;-)All New Zealanders cherish everything Kiwiana which includes heroes like Sir Edmund Hillary and the sports stars like Bruce McLaren and the All Blacks. There are fancy dress Kiwiana parties which guys attend in black singlets, shorts and gumboots, and women wrapped into New Zealand flags and wearing jandals (thongs, flip-flops). The most unique kiwi icon is, of course, the kiwi - the bird, but kiwifruit as well. The bird gave the New Zealanders their nickname.You might...
dont just spend your time knockin around with other backpackers if your there for a while, go to some little town and get to know the locals - theyre so friendly and will want to show you how great nz is [after a while you will "learn" that nz invented everything and are the best at all sports lol!] although you might not get the best impression from some small towns - a few i went to seemed to be jammed with rednecks in tiny tiny shorts drinking vb and driving far to fast in grey market japanese cars - can be really good for a while - especially if u step back with a wry loui theroux smile!
The Haka, originally a Maori War Dance, is an important part of New Zealand culture - I'm saying New Zealand because both Kiwis and Maori embrace and perform this dance nowadays. Every visitor should have seen it at least once in New Zealand.A good chance to see a fairly cheap performance (including the stick-game where sticks arethrown from one dancer to another) is in the Auckland Museum. Performances are at 10amand 2pm (twice daily) and cost about 12 NZ$. But even on TV and at the beginning of rugby games you can hear the team chanting andmoving more or less authentically to "Ka mata ka mata, ka ora ka ora..." (which means:"Tis is death, tis is death, tis is life, tis is life")...enjoy!!
Petanque is quite a popular sport all over New Zealand. In all kinds of green parks in towns and cities you can see the beautifully trimmed lawns on the ground which are used for "bowling on grass" (petanque).The game probably originates in France (boules), and is also popular in Italy (boccia) whereit is played on sand. Of course, the sport - such as croquet - was "made British" and thereforeit is played on the grass. It is prohibited by visitors to step on the lawn. Usually, all players wear white (white pants).
I don't know where to post this , maybe under warning. IN the South Island we were a little alarmed too see some of the one lane bridges also had railroad tracks on them . Hummm who goes first I wonder! Kidding aside , I'm thinking trains can't be too frequent. I'd hate to see those big lights coming my way!
The "wero" or challenge is the enactment of a fearsome warrior who approaches to determine whether you come in peace. He will fix his eyes upon you while he performs a series of what seems like, threatening gestures with the mighty "taiaha" spear before he then places a cutting from a tree in front of you. He then withdraws a few steps fixing his gaze upon you. If you pick up the cutting, at the same time keeping his stare, you will be seen to have come in peace. You will then be welcomed onto the Marae. Should you not pick up the cutting – you are seen to be the enemy and the warrior is compelled by tradition to attack.
Copthorne Hotel Commodore Christchurch Airport Christchurch
6 Reviews and 293 Opinions Prior to the earthquakes, I have always stayed in town at some renowned hotel chains. When I was...
SKYCITY Grand Hotel Auckland Auckland
7 Reviews and 434 Opinions The rooms and hotel in general were nicer than expected, and service was good. While this hotel may...
Browns Boutique Hotel Queenstown
1 Review and 170 Opinions Within stroling distance from the main town. Welcoming and homely. A warm cozey room admist the cold...
Reviews and photos of New Zealand attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for New Zealand sightseeing.
Q: Last time in NSW/Australia it was quite easy to find good parking-places for my small motorhome, partly INside the villages, but...
A: With "official parkinglots" I mean rest-area along highways and other roads, such "Rest and revive-places" that are announced along the bigger roads ! I also saw some of...
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