Having lived in New Zealand for years, it's always great to head back, even if for a few weeks. I flew into Auckland and explored the Far North since that's where I've spent the least amount of time previously. Although the South Island is still the most popular destination to explore, you shouldn't discount the North Island completely; especially the 'winterless north.' The Far North of NZ is a great place to spend some time, especially if you are here for the kiwi winter. There are so many bays, inlets and beaches to explore in the northland region alone I think it would take at least a few years experience them all. I don't have that long so I just hit some of the highlights I haven't visited before. This included going to the heads area of Whangarei, along with some waterfalls and surf beaches out there. While many wouldn't think of Whangarei as a holiday desitination, I was impressed with some of the hikes and beaches in the area. I didn't make it back up to Kaitaia as planned since I still wanted to visit some people in Wellington, where I used to call home. There are plenty of places to stop on the drive between Auckland and Wellington with a few routes to choose from. It was kind of a shame to drive past so many places without stopping on the way, but I did in Rotorua and Taupo to soak in the hot water.
While I did take the ferry down to Picton, there really is so much more to see in the South Island. NZ in general is a great place to break up the trips into manageable parts and I would highly recommend taking advantage of a Working Holiday Visa (age restrictions apply) since NZ seems to be very generous in the amount of countries included in their scheme (over 40!) Citizens of Philippines recently became eligible to apply. The minimum wage is high and there is a variety of casual jobs to pick up along the way, which greatly assists in extended travel here.
While I did take the ferry down to Picton, there really is so much more to see in the South Island. NZ in general is a great place to break up the trips into manageable parts and I would highly recommend taking advantage of a Working Holiday Visa (age restrictions apply) since NZ seems to be very generous in the amount of countries included in their scheme (over 40!) Citizens of Philippines recently became eligible to apply. The minimum wage is high and there is a variety of casual jobs to pick up along the way, which greatly assists in extended travel here.
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