Dear New Zealand, I’d Like to Meet You in Person

I’ve never been to New Zealand and my knowledge of the country extends only as far as the images seen on Lord of the Rings. I bet you Kiwis hate that, don’t you? But there’s this whole Blog4NZ thing going on and I hate missing out on a good party, so I started reading through the blog posts. Dear god! If it didn’t cost more than my entire savings account to get there from Newfoundland, I’d be all over it like stink on a hobo.

But when I do get there someday, here’s what I’d like to do.

Walk Baldwin Street in Dunedin - I got this idea from Andy Hayes, and although it seems like a cop-out compared to the other wicked-awesome things to do in New Zealand, climbing the steepest street in the world would be rad. Especially when I’m pretty sure I live on the steepest street in North America. Or at least it feels that way.

Baldwin Street

But I won't ride a unicycle like this fool. Photo by Samuel Mann.

Hike Doubtful Sound - Another from Mr. Hayes, simply because OMGISNTTHISPRETTY?

Doubtful Sound

I wonder why it's called Doubtful Sound. "Is this a Sound?" "Doubtful." Photo by Kiwi-Wings.

Sit on a beach – Because I can.

Visit Hobbiton - I had no idea this actually existed. TINY HOUSES FOR TINY PEOPLE?

White Water Rafting – Like Dave & Deb did with Rangitata Rafting, because water sports are the only sports I really enjoy and yet I’ve never been white water rafting. I’d love being hosed down while clinging to a raft in class 5 rapids, truly.

Visit Aoraki Mount Cook National Park – Because the water is so blue. And the tallest mountain in New Zealand is okay too, I guess.

Mount cook National Park

Photo by dan taylor.

Actually, Camp at all 14 National Parks – If there’s anything I learned from my weekend at winter camp and my unfortunate 20-minute struggle to change my underwear in my sleeping bag, it’s that I definitely need more camping experience.

Hang Out With Some Glow Worms in Waitomo, New Zealand – I hate worms and things that have glowing poop, but these are pretty cool. Also, I had a nightmare not too long ago that I found 3 worms in my hair and they were causing me to go bald, so I feel like somehow it fits into my weird life.

Learn to Dive – I’ve been tossing around the idea of learning how to dive for a few months now, and it’s something I’d like to do. There’s some amazing shipwrecks around the coast of Newfoundland to be explored. One of New Zealand’s 25 marine reserves sounds like a pretty great place to start.

The one thing I won’t do, ever? This.

Now excuse me, this music is giving me a seizure.

Blog4NZ is a grassroots blogging and social media effort to support New Zealand travel in the wake of the Canterbury earthquake.

It is a worldwide blogging event happening on March 21-23, 2011 and you can be a part of it.

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  • http://www.sharingtravelexperiences.com/ Andy Hayes

    Awesome list. Let’s go? :)

  • http://www.dangerous-business.com Amanda

    Yayayay, I’m loving all the New Zealand love floating around these week, even from people who haven’t been there! It’s great.

    I’m really glad you included Hobbiton on your list (it’s awesome) and Balwin Street (also awesome). I did a post on climbing Baldwin Street a while back — check out my silly photos on the way up if you want a feel for how steep it really is! http://wp.me/p10Ebd-12F

  • http://www.travelyourself.ca/1 cailin

    The glowworms in Waitomo were wicked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    and I do believe that you do live on the steepest hill in the world, if you make me walk up that street one more time instead of taking a cab I “may” punch you in the face :) hahahaha love you!

  • http://www.singleoccupancyblog.com Marsha

    What is it about people and unicycles and steep and/or crooked streets???

    Sounds like an awesome plan. Except for the diving part. I don’t dive.

    And yes, the music really is seizure-inducing.

  • http://travelerahoy.com Alouise

    Totally with you on the bungee jumping, I don’t think I could do it either.
    I think one of the best things about all these Blog4NZ posts is seeing the wide variety of things there are to see and do in New Zealand. If about two grand magically appeared in my bank account I’d head over there right away.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    I love it! NZ seems like the outdoorsman’s dream.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    I didn’t realize Hobbiton was an actual thing! So cool! As for the street…PSHH! No sweat. 8-)

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Hey, it keeps me fit!! But yeah, my hill is totally steeper. Psh.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    I’ll probably regret the diving plan…

  • http://kharlamovaa.wordpress.com Arina

    Man, when I was in grade 6, I wrote down bungee-jumping as like the first thing on my bucket list for school. My teacher wrote it was “ambitious, but I should probably wait until I didn’t have to ask my parents permission to do it”. Now I’m thinking that if I just so happen to ask my mom and she says no, I’ll be SO THANKFUL THAT I WON’T ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO IT.

  • http://trustmaggie.wordpress.com/ maggie

    as far as my car is concerned, your street is definitely one of the steepest (though not THE steepest… I think Victoria getting up onto Queens is the worst I’ve ever had to deal with…)…. seems like it would be obligatory for you to experience the steepest street int he world after living in dt st john’s, though ;D
    also, all of that sounds like wicked fun (except the bungee jumping, notevergonnahappen)
    One of my friends went to school in NZ and did some crazy hike that may have involved glaciers? my memory is foggy, but her pictures were awesome. NZ been on my ‘maybe one day’ list ever since.

  • http://www.thetravellerworldguide.com Lindsay aka @_thetraveller_

    Haha you’re hilarious! I also found they boys all wear a lot of short, shorts in NZ… thought that might interest you as well.

  • http://www.beachedeskimo.com Claire

    I actually have a Lord of the Rings Location Guidebook somewhere… I saw some gorgeous places following its direction.

    Man, that must have been a good job – scoping locations for the movie!

  • http://www.recommendeddailydose.com Kate

    That looks freaking awesome. Count me there. As soon as I have a job. And have paid off the debt that’s piling up. And raised Finn. So I’ll meet you there in 60 years. I was really worried about your judgement with the whole winter camping (although the pics on FB are AWESOME) and when I saw the cliff diving I knew you’d lost your mind. When I read you weren’t going to do that, well I am pretty sure

  • http://www.sarahbondtravelwriter.info Sarah Bond

    Considering you haven’t visited us – SWEET BLOG, love it! My local habitat is Dunedin, and if you ever want to see the steepest street I can offer you accommodation and I even have a car, instead of unicycle….Happy travels. SB

  • http://refrigeratormagnate.wordpress.com/ SpilledInkGuy

    My sister had a glow worm doll when she/we were kids. It constantly gave off a really nasty plastic smell. It was probably highly toxic, but it did glow in the dark, which made it totally worth it.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Hahaha, I might do it, for the right price…

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Yep, lots of glacier trekking in NZ! I might go with Glassman in December, hahaha.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    I think about that every time I watch Planet Earth…WHAT A JOB.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Hahaha, glad you liked those photos! I’ll do a winter camping post soon. And I’m in the same boat as you, we’ll meet in NZ. ;)

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Hehe, thanks, Sarah! I’m gonna hold you to that…be careful what you wish for! ;) Jk. I’m a great guest.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Kinda like cracking glow sticks and pouring the glowy stuff all over yourself, right? Totally worth the danger.

  • http://www.marksmayo.com Mark

    Candice, Candice – how can you discard the famous bungy jump?? ;) Seriously, you’ll be on the most incredible adrenaline high the rest of the day!

    Back in NZ myself for three weeks at present, spectacular weather, get yourself over here and start travelling ;)

    Oh, and there’s an annual race up and down Baldwin Street. Some seriously nuts people – I’ve walked up it once – once was enough!

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    I know, I know! I’m sure if someone paid ME to bungee jump, I’d do it. For like, a million bucks though.

  • Meredith

    I know i’m a little late on the NZ convo (..like 2 years late) but a trip to NZ is not complete without tripping ’round the Coromandal Penninsula in summer – especially Hahei & Cathedral Cove they have the most beautiful beaches. At Hot Water Beach just down the road from there, you can dig holes in the sand once the tide’s gone out you can sit in warm spring water – its like sitting in a spa on the beach! The pic below is kayak tours at amazing Cathedral Cove….