For adventure travelers, is Australia or New Zealand the more extreme down under experience? – Part 5

If your idea of an adrenalin rush is dodging poisonous snakes and spiders, crocodiles and flies the size of sparrows, then by all means, choose Australia for your extreme down under experience. However, if an eclectic mix of beautiful scenery, sparkling waters, mountain ranges and pulse racing adventure is more your style, New Zealand is the place to go. I strongly recommend all thrill seekers pack up their bags or back packs, take out life insurance and head for the land of the Great White Cloud. New Zealand, Aotearoa, or God’s Own as we like to call it, is where the action is, without the nasty critters.

We do have spiders but only one that can kill you and he’s a very shy and discerning wee fellow. The Katipo keeps a low profile, mainly hidden under driftwood in the sand hills of our beaches. Consequently, you’d need to send out a search party headed by David Attenborough to ever find him. New Zealand is snake free and our small reptiles are harmless. Aside from the common or garden Gecko, most, like our prehistoric living fossil, the Tuatara, can only be found at zoos or animal parks. The scariest creature lurking in our rivers and lakes would be the eel. These slimy creatures generally reside in the dark and murky depths, well out of reach, unless you’re actively trying to catch them. They worst they can do is nip your toes.

What we do have in plentiful supply is extreme sports and activities. Spoiled for choice, our mountains and alps provide mountaineering, abseiling and and rock climbing in the warner months, along with snow boarding, sledding and skiing in the winter. The majestic Mount Cook in the Southern Alps of the South Island, renown to climbers the world over, was the first mountain climbed by our favorite son, the late Sir Edmond Hilary, known to New Zealanders simply as Sir Ed. Sir Ed went on to be the first man to scale Mount Everest in 1953,a mammoth achievement, which in many ways signifies the love affair New Zealanders have always had with high adventure. In true understated Kiwi style, on his descent, he commented to a fellow team member; ” we knocked the bugger off”.

Not only are our mountains a haven for the adventurer but our lakes and rivers endow every possible water sport to those who like their thrills wet and wild. Water rafting, canoing, jet boating, you name it, New Zealand has it, what ever part of the country yo happen to be in. Both the South and North islands offer as much, or as little action you can

New Zealand Is For Lovers Of Adventure That Is Travel To New Zealand

Although often times in the gigantic shadow of its Australian neighbor, New Zealand is worlds apart from any experience found elsewhere and it is geographically much farther southeast than most people imagine. New Zealand is a former British colony, with fascinating cultural influences due to its location in southern Polynesia. Large swaths of rolling green meadows, churning geysers, creaking glaciers, and never-ending stretches of magical overgrown beaches encourage travelers to make the long haul across oceans to indulge in the disarming natural beauty of New Zealand year after year.Cinematic Sanctuaries and Bungy* Jumping Buffs
New Zealands geography is divided into two major north-south islands. Depending on where you travel and the time of year, the activities and topography will change dramatically. The South Island is famous for its unique relics of the last Ice Age, the Franz Joseph and Fox Glaciers, which plunge just below the islands tallest peak in the Southern Alps, Mount Cook. These glaciers are particularly spectacular because they continue to flow through temperate rainforest strikingly close to sea level. Winter in the Alps region is excellent for skiing, mountaineering and filmmaking scenes from The Chronicles of Narnia were filmed here. For a thrilling wildlife experience, do not miss the South Islands Otago Peninsula where you can enjoy a cozy bed and breakfast among sea lion, sea elephant and penguin habitats, to name a few.New Zealand is a destination for all seasons, with activities spanning the elements and progressive cities to keep up with those of faster pace. Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown are all very youthful and spirited cities with the distinct eclecticism of New Zealand culture to overload the senses and invigorate the spirit. New Zealand may be far from most places in the world, but it is certainly worth any length of travel to reap the fruit of this nations existence. Travel to New Zealand and experience it all for yourself.