- Shocking beauty of the snow-capped Southern Alps
- Hobbits lurking around every corner
- Championship golf overlooking Hawke’s Bay at Cape Kidnappers
- Greeting a Maori warrior, forehead to forehead
- Biting into a massive Big Al burger at the one and only Fergburger in Queenstown
- The dubious yet satisfying meat content of a classic sausage roll
- Exciting cuisine using the best locally sourced meats and produce
- Air New Zealand – They make the long journey a true pleasure
- Jet boating on a cool morning through the misty mountains of Wanaka
Wanaka, New Zealand
- The North Island’s rolling hills dotted with millions of sheep. Baa
- Joining Kiwis as they fling themselves from various heights in a variety of ways
- Exploring the stunning vineyards of the Marlborough wine region
- Getting the perfect reflection of Mts. Cook and Tasman at Lake Matheson
- Those strange little nocturnal brown birds known as the Kiwi
- Driving along the South Island’s West Coast and catching the Tasman Sea at sunset
- Interpreting the Kiwi’s unique ability to understate everything.
- Browsing and buying some of the many warm and wonderful wool products. Baa
- Enjoying dinner and a movie at Cinema Paradiso in Wanaka
- Getting used to the smell of sulfur at Lake Rotorua
- Zorbing. Watch the video
- Experiencing one of the top train adventures in the world on the TranzAlpine
- Punting through the classically English scenery of Christchurch
- Flying through the treetops on the Zip Trek experience in Queenstown
- Wandering the bubbling geysers at Te Puia in Rotorua
- Fjordland and its uncommonly gorgeous views
- Phil Keoghan
- Underwater river tubing in Waitomo with the glowworms as your guide
- Enjoying a hot coffee on a foggy morning in Wanaka
- Relaxing in one of the country’s many thermal spas
- No scary or poisonous animals on either island (hear that Australia?)
- Rugby.Rugby.Rugby
- Feel like an explorer as you trek through the New Zealand hinterlands
- For a Northern Hemisphere resident, snow in June is amazing
- Landing and exploring Franz Josef glacier via helicopter
- Feel what it’s really like to be alone with nature with only your thoughts as companion
- A hotel that’s a plane. Or a train. Or a Hobbit hole.
- Without question, New Zealand is the global headquarters for adventure travel
- Meandering through the quiet gold rush town Greymouth
- Exploring the Antarctic missions based in Christchurch. Penguins people, penguins!
- Visiting Christchurch as residents rebuild this still great city
- Partaking in a traditional Maori Hangi
- NON STOP beauty – everywhere, always.
Who am I? I am a typical Gen-Xer and recovering cubicle-dweller who has a passion for all things travel. My site brings a unique perspective that is hard to find online. I am not a backpacker, nor am I...
Thanks for this. I plan on doing more than half of these next January. Wish I had longer than a month! My GF & I are thinking 2 weeks north isle, 2 weeks south isle. Does sound about right?
[Reply]
Matt Long Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 11:04 pm
ha, well since I spent a week exploring both islands, a month sounds like luxury to me
[Reply]
Lori Winter Reply:
October 22nd, 2011 at 6:01 pm
We’ve been here 9 months and we still don’t feel like we’ve seen everything!
I’m glad you’re taking a full month though. You’ll love every minute! Don’t forget the beaches of Northland–they will be spectacular in January! I recommend Bream Head Scenic Reserve near Whangarei and snorkeling at Goat Island (an hour north of Auckland).
[Reply]
Is the 42 number of items, random or a geeky tribute to Douglas Adams?
[Reply]
Matt Long Reply:
October 21st, 2011 at 12:33 pm
Yay Alex! Geeky tribute and you’re the first to get it
If I had prizes, I’d give you one.
[Reply]
Thanks Matt I am ready to go back and do the 35 I missed
[Reply]
Matt Long Reply:
October 23rd, 2011 at 8:23 am
and I’d be more than happy to join.
[Reply]
New Zealand seems like a really great place to live or make a visit to. I wish i could travel there one day. This would be my dream. A friend of mine is in australia now for work and tarvel. She also wants to visit New Zealand for some weeks. I´m so curious about what she will bring from there. i think there will be really nice pictures and memories. When i´m reading your listing i wish i could be there now.
[Reply]
I agree with everything you have said, I Love NZ! I grew up there and one of my favorite treats were milk bottle lollies.
[Reply]
I’m so jealous- I want to love New Zealand too!
[Reply]
As a Kiwi living in Japan, this piece made me nostalgic for home! Thank you for loving my country like I do!
[Reply]
Amen on all of these, Matt, but especially #42. (As my 12,000 photos attest to!)
[Reply]
Thoroughly enjoying browsing your site with a distinct bias towards your Enzed (NZ) experience. As a kiwi living in Australia, anticipating my return home to NZ, you’ve stoked my passion for the return to the country I love notably for the vistas and hiking adventures. Thanks for sharing and caring so much in your travle adventures. Definitely bookmarking your site!
[Reply]
What about the little kiwis Matt? (I mean the birds!) They are so cute! ;o)
[Reply]
Glad you enjoyed NZ. Certainly one of the better places to visit on this planet. I also enjoy the way the small towns have focussed on something special to their area. Tirau – corrugated Iron art , Dargaville – the Kumara , dozens of other examples like Hunterville – Huntaway herding dog.
[Reply]
I love the fact that everything is so delightfully unsafe from the driving to the glaciers to the adventure sport to the open air train carriages…
[Reply]
Matt Long Reply:
May 15th, 2013 at 9:43 am
Yup, it’s an extreme but beautiful place!
[Reply]