New Zealand

AC: We only had a week in NZ, so we decided to just try and see as much of the north island as we could. While it's officially summer it was certainly nice and cool, perhaps a little too cool. We hired a 'sleeper van' to travel around. We started in the Bay of Islands in a lovely little sea side village called Russel, and made our way around the north island. The scenery is just stunning with giant ferns everywhere. Highlights for me were the giant ancient Kauri trees, sand boarding down the huge sand dunes, the very cool (although stinky!) thermal springs in Rotorua and driving the 100 km/h on the 90 mile beach! Also, if you do use a sleeper van and park by the side of the road, just remember that it's better not to tie your plastic bag full of chicken scraps to the windscreen!! Otherwise your van will be attacked by ferral cats during the night (though it sounded like a crazed lunatic scratching at the door!!)

VG:Nous avons passe 8 jours en Nouvelle Zelande (ile du Nord seulement) avec un van, tout comme les 45000 Hollandais et Allemands que nous avons croises! Au menu quasiment tous les soirs: cotelettes d'agneau de NZ au barbecue - elles sont excellents, malheureusement pour eux, pauvres petits! Les paysages sont superbes et intacts, avec de jolies maisons en bois qui se fondent dans la nature. La mer bleu turquoise contraste avec la vegetation luxuriante ! Nous avons pris un bus sur la 90 mile beach qui est une route officielle - vitesse limitee a 100 k/h ! Nous avons fini a Rotorua ou quelques geysers sont en activite, il y a des mares de boue qui bout, et on peut prendre des bains dans les sources chaudes !

:: View the photos from New Zealand here