Enter Matt: Difference between revisions
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Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand, meaning land of the long white cloud. The country has a measly 4 million people, but they have taken as 'quality, not quantity' approach to people production, and allow plenty of personal space per person. | Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand, meaning land of the long white cloud. The country has a measly 4 million people, but they have taken as 'quality, not quantity' approach to people production, and allow plenty of personal space per person. | ||
The first country in the world to give equal rights to women, they elected a woman PM in 1997, then another one immediately after just to prove it wasn't a fluke. The current PM since | The first country in the world to give equal rights to women, they elected a woman PM in 1997, then another one immediately after just to prove it wasn't a fluke. The current PM since 2008* is John Key. His father was an immigrant from the UK so hopefully he's doing us proud. | ||
Any other info required can be wiki'd, or you can ring up Neil Finn and ask him. | Any other info required can be wiki'd, or you can ring up Neil Finn and ask him. | ||
* oops, corrected: it was a decade out! | |||
== Stuff for Matt To Do == | == Stuff for Matt To Do == | ||
Revision as of 19:08, 24 January 2010
Brief
For this operation we will be touring via a ticket we will codename: Short Moe, or Sh'Moe for short.
The key aim of this operation is cramming in as much fun, culture, and awesome as is humanly possible to cram into a trip.
About New Zealand
"Aotearoa! Rugged individual, glisten like a pearl, at the bottom of the world" ~ 'Six Months in a leaky boat', Split Enz.
Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand, meaning land of the long white cloud. The country has a measly 4 million people, but they have taken as 'quality, not quantity' approach to people production, and allow plenty of personal space per person.
The first country in the world to give equal rights to women, they elected a woman PM in 1997, then another one immediately after just to prove it wasn't a fluke. The current PM since 2008* is John Key. His father was an immigrant from the UK so hopefully he's doing us proud.
Any other info required can be wiki'd, or you can ring up Neil Finn and ask him.
- oops, corrected: it was a decade out!
Stuff for Matt To Do
 |
Make a to-do list |
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Book flights |
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Buy Short Moe ticket |
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Get Travel Insurance |
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Get time off work |
Details, details
London -> Auckland
Depart: Saturday 30/10/2010: LHR 10.35pm
change at Hong Kong
Arrive: Monday 01/11/2010: AKL 1.05pm
Christchurch -> Auckland
Depart: Saturday 20/11/10: CHC 9.50am
Arrive: Saturday 20/11/10: AKL 11.10am
Auckland -> London
Depart: Saturday 20/11/2010: AKL 2.30pm
change at Hong Kong
Arrive: Sunday 21/11/2010: LHR 6.20am
Short Moe
Online ticket price: $640 NZD, which is £294.20 GBP - (excludes food and accommodation) Departs: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
The Tour Itinerary
Auckland to Hahei Beach (The Coromandel) Depart from Auckland between 7.30am and 8.15am. We head south travelling towards the Coromandel Peninsula via the old colonial town of Thames. Pick up your free cultural experience (kumara) to keep or have for dinner. In the afternoon do the free walk to Cathedral Cove, go kayaking or dig your own hot pool at Hot Water Beach (tide dependent). If wet we can visit a local winery. Tonight we stay in cabins right on the beach. Option of classic Kiwi BBQ for dinner.
Hahei to Raglan Depart 8am. Head on to the world-renowned Raglan surf beach (with walks and cow spotting on way). Learn to surf, do a bush walk around Mt Karioi, weave your own flax basket and check out the alternative arts and crafts town, or walk along the rugged coastline (and spot pro surfers). Tonight’s accommodation is in a lodge surrounded by native bush near the beach. Warm up in the bush sauna that night, or try out the free flying fox.
Raglan to Cultural Stop Depart 8am. On to the rural town of Waitomo, famous for its caves and glowworms. You can do a free walk around Ruakuri Reserve or try one of the amazing caving options. We then head across to Maketu for our unique and special stopover at our cultural retreat. We stay with local Maori; have a ‘Hangi’ meal and learn about Maori traditions and modern day Maori in their purpose-built marae (meeting house). NB: this is an all inclusive price of $75 including meals.
Maketu to Taupo Depart 8am and head into Rotorua for its smell (geothermal areas). Morning options include: a visit to Whakarewarewa historic Maori village and geothermal area; going zorbing, white water rafting or sledging. We do hostel pickups, then we head south to Taupo and its great lake (the world’s largest crater lake), via Huka Falls. You have the chance to take part in one of our most popular activities ‘skydiving’. We stay in central Taupo for the night.
Taupo to National Park Depart 6.30am. We head around Lake Taupo to the active volcanoes of ‘Tongariro National Park’. Today you get a chance to do what is rated as one of the world’s best one day walks - the ‘Tongariro Crossing’, or go skiing or snowboarding! For those not doing the walk – or on days that the walk or skiing isn’t possible, we take in a couple of shorter walks and visit the Volcanic Centre museum. We stay in a beautiful alpine lodge for the night.
National Park to Wellington Depart 9am. Head to Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city via Ohakune, Taihape and Bulls. We strongly recommend walking ‘Oriental Parade’ and visiting ‘Te Papa’, our national museum. We stay in central Wellington tonight. There is an optional Lord of the Rings tour.
Wellington to Marahau (Abel Tasman) We catch the 8.00am Bluebridge ferry (the ferry will cost between $40-$75, your accommodation provider organises a transfer. We head through the famous Marlborough vineyard area and the coastal town of Nelson before heading onto Motueka to get supplies on our way to our night stop of Marahau, on the edge of the Abel Tasman National Park. We stay at our exclusive accommodation where you have options ranging from dorm rooms to cabins. Tonight we have free mussel tasting around the fire.
Spend an extra day in Marahau (Abel Tasman) You have the day at leisure to explore the National Park - try a sailing trip, a day walk, kayaking, water taxi, horse riding, skydiving, piloting your own stunt plane, hang gliding or just relax on one of the golden sand beaches!
Marahau (Abel Tasman) to West Coast Cultural Stop We depart at 9am. Head south through the Buller Gorge to the 'wild' West Coast. Tonight we stay in a historic hotel in Barrytown near Punakaiki, one of the most beautiful spots along the coast. We make stops on the way for the Westport seal colony, to explore the awesome Pancake rocks and their mighty blowholes, or take a hike down into the temperate rainforests of the Paparoa National Park along the Truman Track. Enjoy the traditional Kiwi roast dinner option here tonight.
Barrytown to Franz Josef You have the morning to walk (head along the beach and search for greenstone); canoe in the National Park (this trip has amazing scenery with some likening it to ‘Jurassic Park’) or make a bone carving with the locals (a unique, highly recommended activity). We depart at midday and head into the heart of the West Coast where time almost stands still. We stop in Hokitika to look at the greenstone factory then head to Franz Josef, a town squashed between the Tasman Sea and the mighty Franz Josef Glacier. We stay at a lodge in the middle of the rainforest.
Spend an extra day in Franz Josef. There are many excellent bush hikes up to the glacier face but we seriously recommend you consider a guided glacier walk or a ‘helicopter hike’ to get onto the glacier. You can warm up and relax after all this in one of NZ’s largest spa pools at your accommodation.
Franz Josef to Makarora. Depart at 9am. We head to Lake Matheson for the amazing mirror lake; we stop at Fox Glacier for pickups then travel through to the mountainous Haast pass. There are a number of free walks to choose from – we’ll do a couple and then travel on to Makarora for a great jetboating option. We recommend the cheap group meal for $10 around the bonfire (and/or try your hand at karaoke!). This is a great place to stay, nestled in between huge mountain ranges in Mount Aspiring National Park.
Makarora to Queenstown A leisurely start in the morning. We pass by the beautiful lakes Wanaka and Hawea and stop briefly in the town of Wanaka for a look around before heading to Queenstown. Just before Queenstown we stop off at the famous A.J. Hackett bungy site, in the Kawarau gorge for the option of throwing yourself off a bridge (bungee attached!) Queenstown also offers an optional big (make that huge) night out with excellent restaurants, pubs and live music. Centrally located accommodation tonight.
Spend an extra day in Queenstown Today is yours to explore. Options include: sleeping in and doing nothing, great local walks, skiing or snowboarding at one of the many local ski fields, and any adventure activity that we mad Kiwis can dream up. Obviously you can break your journey in Queenstown for as long as you want. If going straight to Christchurch, look at doing a one-day trip to Milford Sound before you go.
Queenstown to Christchurch Depart 8am. We head over the Lindis Pass through to the MacKenzie country to Lake Pukaki for the Mount Cook lookout (you can get off at Twizel to go to Mt Cook), and scenic Lake Tekapo. Then it is an express haul across the Canterbury Plains to Christchurch. We drop you at your accommodation in central Christchurch.