I travelled to the North Island and stayed in Auckland, Whakatane, Waiheke, and Rotorua for my fall break. Each place I stayed and explored offered me beautiful views and nature. It's fall here right now, which is crazy because everyone I know is enjoying spring and entering summer. Auckland felt very different from Dunedin, the city I've been living in on the South Island. As the largest city in New Zealand, Auckland reminded me of a miniature Seattle, especially since it was raining during our visit. The cultural differences between the two islands were striking. The North Island, the most populated and diverse part of New Zealand, offered a refreshing perspective on the country. The south island is more rural, and my city is heavily populated by 20,000 students. In contrast, Auckland and the rest of the north island offer more opportunities to see families and different communities. It also reminded me that even progressive countries like New Zealand have many struggles with poverty, homelessness, and addiction.
I had the pleasure of staying with a friend who lives in the Bay of Plenty, which is undoubtedly the most beautiful region of New Zealand. The beaches are stunning, featuring massive waves and mountains that typically surround the bays. Experiencing mountains and beaches side by side was a new adventure, especially since we don't have towering mountains along the coast in Newport or New England. I had the opportunity to climb a mountain on the beach, which was surrounded by ocean on all sides. While the hike was a challenging uphill 10-mile track, it was an incredibly rewarding summit of the ocean and beach. Hiking is a significant part of experiencing New Zealand, as many tourist attractions are set in its natural environment. I've always loved both mountains and the ocean equally, so being able to experience both has been amazing.
Staying with my friend also deepened my understanding of the indigenous people and the local tribes in her area, as she lives in a more rural community. Her coastal town was one of the first locations where Pacific Islanders landed when they migrated to Aotearoa. So there are many maraes (traditional native meeting houses) and statues in her area; it was beautiful to experience that side of the country.
Additionally, I visited a geothermal park where I saw one of the last natural geysers in the world, another feature New Zealand is known for. The region is filled with natural hot springs, mud baths, and vibrant lakes in shades of green, orange, red, and yellow! There's many active volcanos in the north and south island, so many of those regions have these thermal parks, typically ran by local tribes! Many people do more extreme tourism like sky diving and bungee jumping, it's very popular here but I am terrified of heights so that's a no for me! I did witness someone sky driving, while on the beach and can only imagine their view and experiance was breathtaking.
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