Travel Diary - New Zealand!

December 18, 2014

You can't find a more picturesque place to begin life in newly wedded bliss! Setting eyes on New Zealand is like looking into a snow globe. Captivating meadows and mystical trees, this little aboard of adventure tucked all the way in the southern hemisphere is right on the money making for an unforgettable, blow-your-socks kind of honeymoon trip. Although making for a surrealistic, dreamy landscape New Zealand does not get enough credit for the kind of adrenaline pumping and liberating experience it can be. You needn't necessarily only snorkel and dive the deeper blues. There are just so many more options. You can go Kayaking or simply just swim afloat the Lake Wanaka overlooking mist-bathed mountains with your beloved. The lake separates visibly in hues of blues ranging from crystal pattering away into a darker inky blue, all the colours of summer. For the love of everything, it does not get more romantic than that!

Did you know that the movie Hobbit was shot here? One look at the meadows, hills and the herds of sheep dotting them going on like a magical patchwork will tell you why they chose this of all the habitable places on earth. You can even spot the bridges and houses that have been included in the movie all perfectly thatched and lain out overlooking the hills. If you stop to count sheep like so many of us end of doing, you can see almost 19 types of sheep alone. There are also lots of other animals that will come out and greet you once you move out of mainland Wellington, and take a boat into the surrounding islands. The air literally smells sweeter.

Don't forget to pack in your good camera because New Zealand is always blooming with patches of wildflowers through spring and summer. You can spot these while driving down the winding country roads that seem to go on forever. The beaches with their stone fronts and coral waters are breath-taking as well, so you'll thank yourself for endlessly clicking all those pictures because the view doesn't just get better than this.

Maybe you want to strap on the gear and feel the wind whistling through your hair? The skydiving and couple bungee jumping is definitely your cup of tea then. For those couples who are faint of heart but still want to rake in the adventure, New Zealand has volumes of limestone caves to explore and plenty of rock climbing and trekking sites. There is literally an exhaustive list of adventure sports and outdoor activities to do in NZ. It's always a beautiful day, so why stay in when you can catch some sun and surf the waves together?

But a trip is quite incomplete without thoroughly indulging your taste buds and good for you, if you're set on NZ. Because the kiwis can cook up quite the feast. Roast lamb, Pavlova and green-lipped mussels are some local favourites that will have you two go in for seconds and thirds. But a bucket list would definitely have New Zealand oysters and the Maori Hangi. Home to the famous and ancient Maori tribe, the authentic Hangi style chicken and lamb are so good, you want to secretly pack some and take it home with you. But home is elsewhere and while you're still smelling the sweet air and looking out into meadows with that special someone you want to stay there longer, even if just for another day.

The evening is young, the weather is bliss and wine tastes better with every sip. Make sure to feed your beloved a slice of vintage cheese and sweet hokey-pokey (kiwi desert) along with your romance. Desert and romance are made for each other, didn't you know?

SHAKTHI TOURS AND TRAVELS: