The Overview
New Zealand seems so remotely away from the rest of the world. Yet the country is well developed and easily accessible through the West Coast of United States, major cities in Europe and Asia.
The country is safe for travelers, the people are friendly, speaks English and their food is similar to North America.
New Zealand consists of two major islands, the North and the South Islands. Auckland is the largest city in the North Island and Christchurch is the largest in the South Island. Both cities are major gateways for all major airlines of the world.
The best time to visit New Zealand is between the month of October and April. Their seasons are the opposite of North America because it is located in the Southern Hemisphere. Due to its temperate climate, New Zealand can be a year round travel destination. The winter high temperature is about 50 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit (June, July and August).
Travel with Kids in New Zealand
New Zealand is renowned for its outdoor activities and adventures. There are a range of activities that adults and children can enjoy and get involve in. It is a destination where children do not have to sit through hours and hours of presentation, exhibitions and art museum.
It is a land of diversity in landmarks and attractions. Every turn and every corner there will be something to see. There are breathtaking mountains, glacier, volcano, geothermal, bubbly mud pools, sandy beaches, lakes, fjord and lots and lots of sheep.
New Zealand is famous for its bungy jumping. Some of the other great outdoor activities are rafting, skiing, jet boat riding, mountain climbing, and glacier exploration, soaking in natural hot springs, sheep shearing and hiking.
Kids at the age of 3 are allowed to participate in rafting, aged 10 and above for bungy jumping and to ride through rapids they have to be 13 and over. There is no need to leave the children behind.
Traveling on self-drive motor homes and cars are convenient, affordable and flexible way for family with kids. There are reliable rental centers all over the country with safe roadways and road signs. The only difference is they drive on the left-side in New Zealand.
A good way to experience the real New Zealand lifestyle is a farm stay. Farm stay can be found all over the country. It is a stay at self-contained unit like a cottage or an apartment next to the owner’s house. The owner may have a small or a fairly large farm with animals and home grown vegetables and fruits to share with guests. Guests can get involved with the shearing of sheep, horse back riding and a farm tour.
Why Kids Should Travel?
Philosopher, St Augustine said: The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.
Can you imagine high school student learning Chemistry without any actual hands on experiments? Likewise, learning World History, Geography, Politics and Economics without an outside exposure is limiting to a student.
Travel help young and old know the limitless world we live in, the diversity, the uniqueness of each culture, the beautiful and the ugly, extremes of life and definitely help in ones personal growth and development.
Elijah Wood, Actor in Lord of the Rings said:
“There’s a real purity in New Zealand that doesn’t exist in the States. It’s actually not an easy thing to find in our world any more. It’s a unique place because it is so far away from the rest of the world. There is a sense of isolation and also being protected.”
So, what are you waiting for?
