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