A question for Kiwis

[primavera]

In November, my fiancee and I will be traveling to NZ from the U.S. for two weeks to get married and have a honeymoon trip. Is there anything we should be sure not to miss? Both of us are very interested in natural wonders (I'm a birder, and she's a treehugging dirt worshipper), but we'd also like to visit some sites of cultural interest. Additionally, we'd really like to avoid any tacky tourist traps.

We're arriving in Christchurch and leaving from Auckland, and will be renting a car for the trip.

Thanks in advance!

:hi:

[Saynt]

1. As the Freedom Air billboard outside Brisbane Airport says...

'Now Flying to 6 destinations in NZ (yes, NZ has 6 destinations)'

Um, I heard they have a wonderful place just between the Shire and Eisengard... but there's a bit of an Orc problem, although it's nothing that the NZ Army can't handle... assuming the riders of Rohan are still a unit...

... sorry to be absolutely no help and make bad bad jokes at an entire nation's expense (even if it is just NZ). :P

[zum]

2. if you're only travelling north

there's the drive north of Christchurch along the coast through Kaikoura, whale watching trips out of there. Inland through Blenheim and Nelson for the wineries, some of the world's best sauv blanc and pinot noirs (I think the French are okay with identifying from grape varietals, not regions) originate around the Marlborough area. Fishing/cruising the Marlborough sounds from there, too. Catch the RORO ferry out of Picton to Wellington, (often accompanied by dolphins), Te Papa the national museum is a must, Wellington doesn't do a lot for me personally, but there's lots to see, if not people stuff there're wildlife areas around the coast. Seal and bird colonies. Two ways north of Wellington, the coast road and inland through Masterton, coast is more scenic, but both have historic sites along the way. You get to Manawatu, around Palmerston North and can go to the West Coast, Wanganui, New Plymouth and north to Taranaki. Or inland north to Taupo, either way around the lake but Turangi and Tokanu at the south end give access to the Tongariro National Park (snow stuff). From Taupo itself, wide access to the geothermal areas, Rotorua, Rotoiti. Or to the East Coast, Napier and Hastings, then north to Thames and the Coromandel Peninsula, around to Whakatane and Tauranga. I'm a kiwi who's lived in Oz for the past 30 years, don't go back very often but that makes changes obvious. My thoughts on it are that the major cities are much more cosmopolitan than when I lived there, and the rest of the country isn't as insular as it used to be, but it's still a slower pace of life. There really aren't tourist traps per se, tourists gravitate to some areas, but it isn't Disneyland, if you get my drift. There are good informational offices and the things to see are natural and historic, with a lot of the historic having naturally to do with the Maori and colonial history, but a lot of it is the blending of the two. It's a pretty friendly place, I reckon you'll find...

enjoy!

[Kenergy]

3. Sky tower in Auckland...restaurant at top n/t

[Matilda]

4. Wherever you go,

be sure to sample some Cloudy Bay whites, the world's best wine!