Four Things to Consider When Traveling to Australia and New Zealand
By Kamico Drakes Brown – Guest Contributor
Visiting Australia and New Zealand is like planning a trip to the United States or to Africa. You can’t see it all in one go unless you are staying for months on end. Very few of us have unlimited time and money to travel and stay as long as we would like to any destination. With that is mind, if you are planning a trip to Australia and New Zealand where there is so much to see and do, it’s critical to decide where your main interests lay and how to fit those things in. Following are four things to consider when traveling to the Australia and New Zealand for two weeks or less.
- 1. Where should you start your journey? If you want to save money, it’s easier and often cheaper to fly into Australia than it is to fly into New Zealand, which is just a short hop over once you land. Personally, I spent more time in New Zealand than I did in Australia because that was the vibe I was on. I wanted to stay at a tiny house, meet up with a friend and see what was so different about this country. And over the course of my week and change in New Zealand, I learned to drive on the other side of the road, which had always intimidated me, hitched a ride with a local from my tiny house rental to Port Wellington, and met some nice people along the way. The relaxed pace of New Zealand allowed me to take my time exploring, and journaling every day all the while enjoying being somewhere new and different. In contrast, my time in Sydney was more active, hitting Bondi Beach and exploring museums with some heavy vintage and home decor shopping thrown in.
- 2. What is your vibe? When choosing which cities to visit in Australia if you can’t visit them all, choose the vibe that you want to be on. Sydney is modern and sophisticated, whereas Melbourne is cooler and more laid back. So as a Cali girl, I chose Sydney, and it was the perfect start to my vacation. Beaches and açai bowls everywhere. And turmeric lattes!!! Hot, cold, however, they come, I am all about it. If you have never had one, they are earthy from the spices (not spicy) they contain – turmeric, star anise, cinnamon, and sometimes more. Then the earthiness is lifted by the coconut milk to make them creamy (and vegan) and with a touch of sugar. The best turmeric latte I had was at a Iittle Indian spot in New Zealand, but they are plentiful all over both countries and didn’t disappoint. I brought home packets as Christmas gifts because I wanted to share my newfound love.
- 3. Don’t Skip New Zealand. Wherever you choose to start your journey, don’t forget about New Zealand because it has a lot to offer. You have most likely traveled halfway around the globe to get to the other side, it only makes sense to visit New Zealand as well. But the vibe in New Zealand is definitely more relaxed than in Sydney. In New Zealand, there are more sheep than people, so it made sense that I would find a woman at a local farmers market spinning her own wool that she had sheared and dyed herself.
- This trip for me was all about relaxing, and processing grief. Therefore, it was important for me to include a few spa treatments and just easy days when I didn’t do too much. New Zealand met all my needs for a relaxing vacation. When people say New Zealand is like Lord of the Rings or Hobbit heaven, they aren’t lying. Yes, those movies were filmed here. Yet, it is so much more than that. New Zealand is such a verdant and pretty country with streams, nooks, and crannies everywhere! There is no way to tell all the little worlds that are hidden from plain sight. The mist rolls in, lingers and just gently waters everything. And sometimes it rains like crazy – like the rains I found myself in when I arrived in late November. Nevertheless, it really is picturesque and lovely. I started in Auckland and did the Auckland thing, which meant light shopping, and visited Auckland War Memorial Museum with an excellent Māori exhibit. My time in Auckland was entirely too short and I wish I had budgeted more time there but alas, I had to make my bus to the Rotorua area for a little R&R. Rotorua is known for its bubbling sulfuric mud pools, shooting geysers, amazing hot springs, and relatively cheap spas. You read that right sulphuric mud, so it’s a smelly part of the island but the spas vary in price range from inexpensive to extravagant, so there is something for everyone. The geysers heat up the water, so they also have pools that you can go to that have waters of varying degrees of heat for every level of relaxation. Need I say more?
- 4. Figure out what’s important to you. Are you dying to see the outback or the Blue Mountains or do you enjoy beaches, traipsing through museums, or catching local culture? Whatever your preference, plan ahead so that you can satisfy your unique interest. Australia is a big country and you don’t want to miss what you came to see.
Personally, I’m a foodie. So, finding places with tasty food that are veggie-forward, is always a top priority for me. Therefore, prior to arriving, I made a reservation at Alibi in Sydney – a vegan restaurant with a wine and tasting menu. I went with a Mezcal because I wasn’t thinking and while it was delicious, the wine pairings probably would have been the better move. When I was there, I found out that their sister restaurant is Crossroads in LA which just happens to be my favorite restaurant in the entire city. Luckily, Alibi did not disappoint. If you go, get the charcoal buns.
As I mentioned before, New Zealand has more sheep than people, so it is no surprise that their lamb dishes are really good. But their veggie game is strong as well! I went into a random café on the South Island and enjoyed a very tasty veggie burger. So, treat yourself, make that reservation, and explore your options. You never know what you may find to satisfy your traveler’s heart in either Australia or New Zealand. And having traveled so far, you should definitely explore both.
Australia and New Zealand
Best times to Go – Spring (March through May) and Autumn (September thru November)
Top 10 Things See & Do
- The Blue Mountains (New South Wales, Australia)
- The Great Barrier Reef (Queensland, Australia)
- Uluru & Kata Tjuta National Park (Northern Territory, Australia)
- The Great Ocean Road Beaches (Queensland, Australia)
- Sydney Opera House (Sydney, Australia)
- Rotorua – mud pools, hot springs, and Māori culture (New Zealand)
- Auckland War Memorial Museum – history and Māori Culture (Auckland, New Zealand)
- Farmer’s Market at Matakana (Auckland New Zealand)
- Wine Tasting on Waiheke Island (New Zealand)
- Hiking, river rafting, and bungy jumping (Queenstown, Zealand)