Welcome to a locals view on

NEW ZEALAND

Its called New Zealand, Aotearoa and 'The Land of the Long White Cloud' and to me its home. 
I share this country with about 3.8 million others 
and we are all descendents of immigrants 
from nearly every country in the world.
Our landmass covers 268,670 sq km, 
which is about the same size as Colorado, 
and we consist of two nicely sized islands with a sweet collection 
of much smaller islands. Our lowest point is the Pacific Ocean at O metres and our 
highest point is Mt Cook at 3,764 metres above sea level.  

I've often heard visitors saying how amazing our landscapes are and even as a local, I have to agree. We've got mountains, beaches (would you like white, gold or black sand), forests, volcanic regions, caves, a wealth of rivers, glaciers and lakes - all within a day to three days drive. We also have animals and birds that can be found nowhere else in the world. And we have no snakes at all! If you want an awe inspiring description of NZ, I can strongly recommend 'Last Chance to See' by Douglas Adams and Mark Sarwardine.

The photo that you see in the background was taken by a friend of mine when she and her girls went for half a days tramp up Mount Egmont. Ed, my partner, and I have been up a couple of the mountains in the central plateau and each one has a unique character. A lot of Kiwis tend towards fairly active lives. We love our beaches and barbeques with the odd trip down a river or up a mountain ridge or two. Its not a bad place, either, to live, work and/or study. 

"....the sort of landscape that makes you 
want to burst into spontaneous applause."
Douglas Adams

So......would you like to see more of NZ?

Or.......turn the page to some NZ links?

Or....... is it back to the bookshelf

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