For the longest time I've wanted to visit New Zealand, even before the Lord of the Rings films made the country famous for its stunning landscapes. In fact, you could say it's been a lifelong dream of mine to go there.
It might have been a choice article that sparked my initial desire to visit New Zealand or even a documentary on television, but whatever it was, it's safe to say that the country has held a undeniable fascination over me. Images of the awesome mountains, the spectacular forests, the beaches, the wildlife and the Maori culture have embedded themselves in my mind. So favourable was the impression I got that New Zealand has always been high on my list of destinations. It was only recently, though, that I got the chance to discover exactly why I found the country so appealing. I managed to arrange a three week tour of the two islands that make up New Zealand so I could finally see what was so alluring about the place. Click here to find out
about New Zealand's history
My New Zealand tour
The trip that was organised took in a number of venues in the three weeks. You'll find brief descriptions of the places I visited below with the full reports (including pictures) coming later.
Keep checking this page for updates! 
Auckland (2 days) [more details]
It's New Zealand's biggest city with a population of over a million people but it's not the capital. Known as the 'City of Sails', due to its maritime connection, Auckland is a modern, vibrant city that offers the visitor a great deal to see and do... click here for more Rotorua (1 day) [more details]
Rotorua is a tourist hotspot because of the amazing views over Lake Rotorua and the various activities you can participate in. Located in the Bay of Plenty area, the lake itself was formed by a volcanic eruption long ago and you can still see (and smell) the volcanic activity in the area
Hastings (2 days) [details coming soon]
Hastings is in the Hawkes Bay area of New Zealand, which is renowned for its wine production. The town itself resembles a quiet farming community, with its many wineries and restaurants. Like nearby Napier, the town was levelled by a devastating earthquake in the 1930s. It was subsequently rebuilt in an art deco style of architecture
Martinborough (2 days) [details coming soon]
This is another wine region not too far from New Zealand's capital Wellington. The are over twenty-five wineries in or near the town, and the speciality is pinot noir. It's a fairly quiet town but the nearby scenery certainly warrants investigation
Wellington (1 day) [details coming soon]
Based on the southern tip of the North Island, the capital city of New Zealand has a population of just over 200,000 (which is less than Stoke-on-Trent's). It's the cultural and artistic heart of New Zealand where visitors can find out about the history of the country at the Te Papa museum. It also has a vibrant café culture too
Blenheim (2 days) [details coming soon]
This town can be found in the northern part of the South Island. Blenheim is the biggest town in the region with a population of just over 25,000. It's also another one of New Zealand's wine producing areas with plenty of wineries. Bizarrely, you'll find Stoke is not too far away... Christchurch (1 day) [details coming soon]
Christchurch is in a region called Canterbury, and it's just like a little bit of old England complete with its own cathedral (which I reckon has Minton tiles in it). It has the sedate atmosphere of a university town like Oxford or Cambridge with its English-style stone buildings and Victorian botanical park. Amazingly, the river Avon flows through the city centre and Sheffield is just up the road! Fairlee (1 day) [details coming soon]
Fairlee can best be described as a small farming community. What really makes the place stand out is the stunning backdrop of snow-capped peaks that make up the Southern Alps. There's also an intriguing and strange 'Ostrich Hatchery' based in the town
Queenstown (3 days) [details coming soon]
In the heart of the Southern Alps is Queenstown which is known as the adventure capital of New Zealand. You can ski there in the winter but you can also take part in all manner of adrenaline sports from various death-defying bungy jumps to white-water jetboating - there's plenty of exciting things to do if you've got the cash to do it. For the more leisurely minded, you can take a cruise on the picturesque Lake Wakatipu or visit the scenic reserve of Milford Sound (watch out for the Sand flies though - they're vicious). Wanaka (1 day) [details coming soon]
A short distance from Queenstown is Wanaka. The town is a less developed version of Queenstown, which is not entirely a bad thing. You can see the awesome peaks of the Mount Aspiring National Park just beyond Lake Wanaka
Franz Josef (2 days) [details coming soon]
You'll find the village of Franz Josef at the foot of Mount Cook (New Zealand's largest mountain) on the West Coast. It's famous for its glacier, which is remarkable because it practically reaches the rainforest. The Franz Josef glacier (and the nearby Fox glacier) are formed due to unique set of conditions you'll find nowhere else in the world
Christchurch (1 day) [details coming soon]
Back to Christchurch again for a final day before the long journey back to Britain. It was a chance to chill out in what I found to be a really beautiful city
Your holiday online...
Have you been somewhere you really want to talk about? Do you have pictures? Or have you seen a foreign town with the same name as a Staffordshire town? Send us words and pictures, and we'll put your story online! Send your tales by e-mail to us at: [email protected] | 
