Kara and I have been trying NOT to plan out our year in New Zealand too much- that way lies madness, doom, and lost opportunities- but we do know that we'll be leaving Chicago on November 4th and arriving in Auckland on November 6th (NZST). We'll be staying in Auckland for a least a week to see the city and get our affairs in order. Then, we're going to buy a car (!!!) and drive ourselves to Hobbiton, Rotorua, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Napier, and finally to the ferry to the South Island, where we'll look for jobs and decide where to settle.
Those attractions didn't mean much to me a few months ago (other than getting to Hobbiton, which has been a major life goal since age 16), and so let me tell you a little bit about them.
Rotorua: Rotorua is a city located on a volcanic plateau, sothink "geothermal phenomena". Geysers, bubbling mud pools, a buried city (!!!) and views like this one. Rotorua is also where zorbing happens, so I'm preparing myself for THAT.
Tongariro Alpine Crossing: I'll just quote from newzealand.com: "New Zealand’s greatest day walk, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is a 19.4km journey across a spectacular volcanic landscape. Experience bright turquoise crater lakes, alpine meadows, high volcanic peaks and stunning 360-degree views of the central plateau in this world-renowned hike. "This is also where Mount Ngauruhoe is (aka Mount Doom).
Napier: Napier is a port town on the North Island. An earthquake in 1931 razed most of the city, and the rebuilding coincided directly with the Art Deco architecture heyday. Since nearly all of the center of the city was rebuilt at the same time, this is one of the only towns in the world to be built nearly entirely in Art Deco style.
WHO CAN BELIEVE IT! But it's happening. One month!
<3 Lizzy