New Zealand’s worst kept secret: Queenstown

If you haven’t heard too much about New Zealand yet, you are about to. This year it’s hosting the Rugby World Cup; and filming is about to commence on the much-anticipated Hobbit movie. 2011 could be a great time to visit this country coming into its prime. With a range of New Zealand flights available from Dial a Flight, let’s get better acquainted with this land that lies under Down Under.

It is said that there are about eight sheep to every person in New Zealand. It has a population of just 4.3 million in an area larger than Britain. However, 1.3 million people live in the capital Auckland. The land area is split between the North Island, where you’ll find Auckland and Wellington and the South Island where you’ll find Christchurch, Queenstown and probably several hobbits. The population of the South Island is around one million, even though it is larger than the North Island.

So what is so special about this country, known as the Land of the Long White Cloud by the indigenous Maori people, not for its bad weather we should add, but because of its shape? This country is stunningly beautiful and your camera won’t have time to recharge. The people are so friendly you’ll feel as if you have known them forever, and the general atmosphere and way of life is so relaxed you’ll feel like you are lying down. Unless of course you head to the adventure capital of the planet: Queenstown, where after a few days, you’ll need a good lie down.

Queenstown is home to one of the highest bungee jumps in the world, the Nevis which is 134 metres. It’s also where you can skydive from 14,000 feet, surf river rapids, go white water rafting on grade five rapids, or practically fly (attached to a rope!) across a river at 85km per hour in water that gets as shallow as just 10 metres. Not enough of a buzz? Then how about a canyon swing, a luge high up in the Remarkables mountain range over looking the town; and for those of you with a little less guts you can gallop across the open countryside on huge stallion horses in a large Western-style saddle.

And if by then you’re not drunk off adrenaline you can head to World’s End bar for their famous tea pots full of booze and follow it all off with a colossal sized burger from world-wide backpacker institution, Fergburger. Even reading about it feels like an adventure…!

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