What's New Zealand like? I've always fancied It as I have heard you can go to bits where It's busy or to the lovely country side of It.
As a naturalised kiwi and having lived there the last 8 years it's good. Natives are friendly but with so much different immigraion since 1850 it's hard to summarise the kiwi character. Some parts more friendly than others, some parts real red-neck. Also some crazy violence - don't hitch-hike/auto-stop unless you are seriously able to look after yourself; hardly anyone stops nowadays anyway - all shit scared. Auckland is a suburban sprawl with hopeless traffic problems. South Island is beautiful and empty - slow roads so big distances. Wellington is the nicest city followed by Christchurch. Beautiful nature but not so easy to access the wild bits since nobody lives there. And it's quite expensive nowadays. Good travels, Simon
I live in Christchurch, aside from Wellington I've only been in the South Island. Its nice, come visit
Auckland - busy (more in the city as oppose to the suburbs but they still do get pretty swamped) the weather is quite bipolar especially around winter and spring - it is SUPER hot in summer (not as hot as Australia, hottest it's ever been here was 32.4 degrees celsius and that was back in 09), it never snows up here in winter though we had a pretty cold winter this year and a few flakes came down and it snowed pretty hard in wellington (0.o). The northern area is very spacious, very green and the beaches are great (especially in doubtless bay), I dont particularly like whangerei as it's a bit of a lower peak town I've never been to the South Island in my ten years living here but I hear it's alot colder in winter there scene as it snows there, you've also got the Southern alps (South Island is more for the tourists as it shows the real nature of New Zealand). Overall it's a nice place, small population and limited resources in places but if you're an outdoor sort of person who likes outdoor activities and the beauty of nature and easy living then NZ is a good place for you.
Super hot? Ah it's not that bad!! I like the summer weather in NZ, not too hot and not too cold. I lived in NZ for 17 years before moving to Oz, and although I fell in love with Australia, I still love New Zealand. I only ever lived in smaller towns, and they are so beautiful and peaceful. Very, very quiet though. Those places where you walk into a supermarket and everyone knows everybody there. But you feel really safe and sometimes it's like the community turns into a big family which is nice. Apparently employment is really rough at the moment though. I know so many people who are finding it impossible to find jobs and that. Also - I never went skiing or skydiving or bungee-jumping or any of those amazing things people do when they go to NZ