When people ask me what's so great about New Zealand and why I'm always singing it's praises, there are three things I tell them about; the wonderfully kind people, the amazing scenery, and the delicious FOOD!
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I've never felt more at peace then the days I spent in Abel Tasman National Park on the north tip of the South Island of New Zealand. When you consider I spent a full day and half tucked into my hotel room after getting glutened - that says quite a lot.
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During college, I was incredibly fortunate to be working my way towards a major with a study abroad requirement; International Security & Conflict Resolution. In the inaugural year of that requirement a group study abroad opportunity took a small number of us to New Zealand. Little did I know at the time how special this country would become to me - I now like to refer to it as "my spirit country."
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The Abel Tasman Coast Track, one of New Zealand's Great Walks, covers a 54.4 kilometer track between Marahau and Wainui in Abel Tasman National Park complete with epic beach views, estuary crossings, and suspension bridges. On our last trip to New Zealand we opted to lighten our load by not bringing camping gear, leaving us only able to hike day length portions of the Great Walks.
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If you're not up for the full 19.4 kilometers of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing or if the weather has taken a turn for the worse and the Crossing is closed - the 6 kilometer loop trail to Taranaki Falls is a perfect introduction to Tongariro National Park. We spent quite a good amount of time dawdling at the two beautiful waterfalls, taking in views of both Mt. Tongariro and Mt. Ngauruhoe, and snapping photos that now hang on our walls - so the loop took us about 3 hours to complete.
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Kaiteriteri is arguably one of my favorite places in the entire country of New Zealand.
That's a lot for me to say about a country in which I've traveled to twice and will continue to return to because I just love it that much. It could have been the welcome sign at the cottage we stayed at or the fruit trees which surrounded the cottage. It may have been the farm stands, nearby gluten free friendly restaurants, or the beaches. In any case it was absolutely lovely.
During our drive down the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand, we stopped to take a short hike out to Fox Glacier. Perhaps one of the most fascinating things about this glacier is that ends in a lush green rainforest which makes the beautiful blues in the ice stand out even more.
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Would you have guessed that this amazing view can be seen alongside the road if I didn't include the text on top of the image? I'd imagine it's quite possible you still don't believe me - blogger trickery you might be thinking to yourself.
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On my first trip to New Zealand, back in 2005, my classmates and I spent one night in Whakatane in between our travels from Auckland to Rotorua. With just a few hours to explore the area, we opted for a short hike to a secluded beach.
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It's probably one of the most recommended activities for travelers headed to New Zealand's south island and it sure doesn't disappoint. A cruise on Milford Sound is an absolute must on any visit to Fiordland. With the gorgeous blue water, the peaks surrounding the sound, and the possibility of seeing penguins - it just doesn't get much better.
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