I’ve reunited with my best friend, travelled the country tip to toe, admired scenery so beautiful I didn’t know it could exist, found myself a job at a cafe where I’ve met some incredible people, been welcomed into multiple homes and, drank an unholy amount of NZ coffee and Sav. It’s been an unforgettable 7 months and I’m gutted to be leaving in a week.

However, adventure (and Fiji) calls.

So, here are the top 12 things I’m going to miss most about living in Auckland, New Zealand.

Maori culture

From everything being written in both Maori and English to the Haka being performed before every All Blacks rugby game, in New Zealand, you’re forever reminded of the country’s fascinating culture and history.

I will miss how much New Zealand’s culture is respected and embraced by Kiwis and expats alike.

BYO

Bring your own alcohol restaurants are everywhere in Auckland. For a few dollars corkage, you can buy wine from the offy and drink it alongside a delicious meal.

I will miss this whole new realm of affordable pre drinking.

Eh?

If you’ve ever been to New Zealand or, know a Kiwi, you’ll understand this. It seems as though everyone in New Zealand needs a little reassurance about everything they say. This coffee has sugar in, eh? We’re leaving at 7, eh? You’re from England, eh?

I will miss chuckling to myself every time someone says this.

Coffee

My lord, the Kiwi’s sure know how to make a good cuppa. They pride themselves on how fresh and carefully put together each cup is and it shows.

I will desperately miss large triple shot flat whites in a bowl.

Kiwi dip

Kiwi dip was one of the first things my friend insisted I try when I arrived in Auckland. A mixture of onion soup powder and Nestle reduced cream, it is a strange combo, which works OH so well.

I will miss sinking a whole pack of grain waves with this dip.

Cafe culture

Since arriving in Auckland, I’ve spent most of my days off work lurking in different cafes sampling unique dishes, drinks and coffee. I’ve uncovered some gems, which I’ll be sharing with you all in the next few weeks!

I will miss sitting and writing in some of trendiest cafes I’ve ever been to.

Cornwall Park sunrises

Even though waking up for work at 5.30am most mornings has been killer, each day I’ve arrived at the cafe at dawn (in Cornwall Park) I’ve been treated to some of the most mesmerizing sunrises I’ve ever seen.

I will miss watching these misty mornings transform with the colourful blaze of sunshine.

Skytower skyline

Wherever you are in the city, you’re always greeted with an impressive view of Auckland’s iconic Skytower.

I will miss waving to it every time I see it.

Scenery

Auckland has some of the most fascinating scenery I’ve ever seen. Scattered throughout the city’s suburbs are vibrant green towering volcanic cones and, drifting off of the coastline, are unique volcanic islands.

I will miss seeing a cone of green everywhere I go.

Pastries

New Zealand’s pastries put Ginsters to shame. Everywhere you go, you’re guaranteed a freshly made, beefy sausage roll or a succulent, flaky pie.

I will miss stuffing my face with homemade pastries at every given opportunity.

Waiheke Island

My haven. My love. Waiheke Island is what dreams are made of. Floating 45 minutes from Auckland harbour, Waiheke is doused in vineyards, beaches and pristine countryside.

I will miss having vineyards full to the brim with scrumdumptious wine on my doorstep.

And finally, my bestie

My best friend from the UK (who now lives in Auckland) was the reason why I chose to settle in Auckland so, spending some quality time with her and seeing her life on the other side of the world has been incredible.

I will miss our white wine Thursday dates more than anything.

If you want to plan a trip to Auckland (which I think you should), head on over to Skyscanner to check out some great flight deals from all over the world!

From the trendy cafe and boutique laden streets of Ponsonby to the towering volcanic cone and cutesy cafes of Mount Eden, each area of the city boast its own unique personality and sights.

Here is my quick guide to what to expect from each of Auckland’s suburb…

Parnell

Parnell is the oldest suburb in Auckland and as a result, exudes heaps of character and charm.

Doused in upmarket boutiques, antique jewellers, the city’s beautiful rose gardens and the weekend Farmers’ food market, it’s the perfect suburb to visit for a busy day out (especially at the weekend!)

Must see – Rose Gardens
Must eat – Farmers’ Market

Newmarket

A shopping hub with a bunch of cafes and restaurants thrown in for good measure (#BurgerBurger), Newmarket is home to a Westfield’s shopping centre, designer boutiques as well as, high street fashion brands.

Must eat – Little and Friday

Grafton

Grafton is a suburb situated between Newmarket and Auckland City (both walkable distance). Most well-known for being home to Auckland’s hospital as well as, its Domain, Winter Gardens and museum, it is definitely a suburb worth visiting.

Thanks to the hoards of workers from the hospital, there is also a great array of cafes and sushi bars opposite to grab some food.

Must see – The Domain
Must eat – Ceremony

Mount Eden

Mount Eden is a vibrant, funky and cultural suburb, which boasts an unrivalled 360 degree view across the city at the peak of its volcanic cone.

With a street of quaint book and cake shops as well as, some great cafes, it’s a lovely place to wander around and grab a cuppa before making the easy climb up to the Mount Eden peak.

Must see – Mount Eden volcanic cone
Must eat – Return of the Rad

Ponsonby

Aka. Ponsnoby, Ponsonby is the hip, trendy and arguably, pretentious area of Auckland, which everyone wants a piece of.

You’ll find your raw eating cafes, your Asian fusion restaurants and your sophisticated beauty boutiques here, along with an impressive view of the city.

Must eat – Adam Arnold

Kingsland

Kingsland is a funky suburb situated in inner-city Auckland, which has an abundance of stylish bars, restaurants and cafes to relax in.

Enjoy an early evening bev at a bar before heading to Eden Park stadium to watch a mighty game of rugby.

Must see – Eden Park Stadium
Must eat – Monday’s

Auckland City

Unsurprisingly, Auckland City has everything you could ever need in a city visit and is where most travellers head to if they are only visiting Auckland for a couple of days.

Centred around the ferry port (where you can catch the ferry to Waiheke, Rangitoto etc.), Britomart train station and Queen’s Street, the main shopping street in the city, Auckland centre is buzzing dusk ’til dawn.

Must see – Skytower
Must eat – Chuffed, High Street

K Road

Although K Road is technically part of the CBD, I feel it deserves its own mention.

Renowned for being the ‘red light district’ of Auckland, Karangahape Road (K Road) may be seen as the ‘dodgy’ area of town but, under this shaded disguise lies a unique, quirky and cultural road full of multi-cultural food joints, shops and bars.

Must see – Third Eye shop
Must eat – Coco’s Cantina

Have you ever visited/lived in Auckland? What’s your favourite suburb?

Although I will be covering other parts of our trip in some upcoming blog posts, today I’m going to write about our lavelyyy day out visiting Mount Eden.

As I had never visited this popular sight in Auckland either, I thought it would be a great opportunity to explore an area of the city, which was new and exciting for both of us…

One of the most well-known and prominent volcanic cones in Auckland, Mount Eden is an easy stroll up from the sleepy town of Mount Eden and offers magnificent 360 degree views of the city and beyond.

We started our day with a spot of lunch at The Return of Rad, a hip cafe I’d been recommended by a friend. Offering a unique Vietnamese infused menu as well as their own delicious coffee, it was a great way to start the day. I went for Grandma’s pork banh mi…

Whilst Kristie opted for the black stack burger…

Once we felt sufficiently fuelled for the walk, we meandered towards the Mount Eden walking track.

Taking all of 5-10 minutes to reach the top, it was crazy how phenomenal the views were once we had reached the summit. On one side we were treated to the iconic sky tower skyline whilst on the other side we were blessed with views across the city’s suburbs, parks and water.

Once I’d twirled around enough times to really take in and appreciate the view (and embarrass Kristie at the same time) we then became engrossed by the vibrant green crater, which sat in the centre of the mound.

Finding ourselves questioning how fun/dangerous it would be to roly poly down the steep edge of the crater, we decided to play it safe and find a peaceful tuft of grass to admire the view from instead.

The only thing missing was a glass of New Zealand’s finest and a picnic.

Our day out to Mount Eden was wonderful, made all the way better by the crisp winter sunshine, which continued to shine throughout the day.

Pack a picnic and your best friend for the perfect day taking in the views of Auckland.

However, there is a lot more to this town than just jumping off ledges and boozing.

Here are my must do activities to ensure you see more than just the inside of Cowboys bar and your hostel room during your visit.

Cycle around the lake

Lake Wakatipu is definitely one of the most beautiful lakes in New Zealand (and there are a lot of lakes in New Zealand)! It’s opalescent blue waters lined with fluffy fern trees, vibrant Botanic Gardens and the rugged snow-tipped ‘Remarkable’ mountains, offer an area of Queenstown, which is nothing far from breathtaking.

It is easy for a lot of people to stay on one side of the lake (where the town is). However, if you hop over to the other side, you’ll be greeted by isolated pebble beaches, lavish houses with boat jetties and views to die for.

Renting a bike is one of the best ways to explore the many routes around the lake.

I rented a bike for 5 hours ($40) and cycled from the Botanic Gardens all the way round to the golf course towards Jack’s Point on the other side (and back again). I almost flopped sideways into the lake from exhaustion a few times however, it was a great way to kill a hangover and rewarded me with some magnificent views.

If you’re feeling brave, you could always cycle to Gibbston Valley winery via beautiful Arrowtown…

Visit the ‘Valley of the Vines’

Around 25km from Queenstown you’ll find Gibbston Valley vineyard aka. the ‘Valley of the Vines’.

You can either book yourself onto a tour (you can find some great deals online), which tend to include bike hire and transport to and from the town to the vineyard or, if you’re a bit more of an exercise enthusiast and want to really work for your wine, you can cycle to the vineyard via the Gibbston Valley cycle route.

Gondola and luging

Bobbing up towards Bob’s Peak you’ll find Queenstown’s gondola. Floating you all the way up to the start of the famous luge track, the gondola opens up one of the best, postcard perfect views of the city. An almost birds eye view of the emerald lake with vibrant dots of paragliders and brave bungee jumpers, it is a fab spot to drive like a maniac down the side of the mountain in a little metal cart (luging).

Although it’s pretty pricey ($55 for the gondola and 5 luge rides), taking the trip up to the gondola and luging is, in my opinion, an unmissable activity in Queenstown.

Frisbee golf

Dotted throughout the forest alongside the lake you’ll find the unique playing field for frisbee golf. A game, which consists of aiming your frisbee into a small chain basket, this game is definitely worth giving a go even if it’s just for the lols.

Frisbees can be rented from most sports shops in town.

Hike

The Ben Lomond walk is not for the faint hearted nevertheless, if you’re up for the challenge you’ll be rewarded with awe-inspiring, panoramic views of the lake. If you want a slightly less terrifying hike, attempt the Queenstown Hill Time Walk.

Fergburger

Fergburger. Fergbaker. Mrs Ferg Gelato. I probably spent more money in these establishments than in the neighbouring bars. Fergburger is worldwide famous for its burgers and the bakery and ice cream shops next door are just additional mouth-watering surprises. If you don’t get something from each of these shops at least once during your stay – shame on you…

Have you ever been to Queenstown? What would be your must do activities?

From kayaking around the crystal clear waters of Cathedral Cove in the Coromandel to trekking the extraordinary ice glacier in Franz Josef, it’s a hard job not handing over all of your savings and doing every single one.

If you’re on a budget and have to be careful with how much you’re spending, here are my must do activities whilst travelling on the Kiwi Experience bus.

Note: being on a budget myself, I was not able to do all of the activities on offer and am therefore, unable to comment on these.

Here is a list of all of the activities I did book onto through the Kiwi Experience Bus – Cape Reinga Day Trip, Cream Boat Trip, Waitimo Glow Cave ‘Granny Walk’, Tamaki Maori Village, Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Horse Riding in River Valley, Franz Josef Glacier, Canyon Swing, Deep South and Whale Watching.

Cream Boat Trip, Bay of Islands ($116)

A boat trip around the Bay of Islands is a must whilst staying in Paihia.

Offering crystal clear emerald water, wildlife second to none (#orcas) and vibrant green sprouts of trees and bush on every island you pass, it is hard to believe that you’re not travelling around an exotic Indonesian island.

Kiwi Experience offer a number of boat trips exploring the Bay of Islands all of which vary in price. Some focus primarily on sighting and swimming with dolphins whereas, others focus more on the islands themselves.

The full day Cream Boat Trip was described as offering a bit of both, which is why I chose to book onto this one (even though it was one of the pricier options).

Lasting 7 hours and exploring a number of the islands with a detailed commentary as well as, giving you the opportunity to see/swim with dolphins (for a bargain $15 on top of the $116) and the chance to swim in the tropical shallow waters of one of the islands, you really do get a bit of everything out of this boat trip.

Ladies, be warned, if you decide to go in the boom net there is a 90% chance you’ll lose your bikini. I learnt the hard way…

Tamaki Maori Village Overnight Stay, Rotorua ($88/170ish)

Tamaki Maori Village is a great opportunity to learn about New Zealand’s epic culture as well as, see an example Maori village.

The Kiwi Experience offer two options for visiting the village – either an evening of entertainment and an indulgent hangi (a Maori feast) or, the entertainment and food plus, an overnight stay in a luxury Maori hut as well as, a night of relaxation in an authentic (hmm) hot tub.

I chose the overnight stay and was chuffed with my decision. We were able to spend a lot more time chatting with our hosts, which gave us the opportunity to ask any questions we had about their lifestyle and culture.

I felt as though only doing the evening entertainment may have felt a bit rushed for the cost ($88).

Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Taupo ($65)

Up there with my favourite activity of them all, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is challenging to say the least but one, which comes with incredible rewards.

The remains of extensive volcanic eruptions, the 8 hour (19.4km) trek takes you through terrain resembling that of Mars, up the aptly named killer ‘devil’s staircase’, past three extraordinary emerald lakes and via or up (depending on how brave you are feeling) the iconic Mount Doom.

It’s not a trek for the faint hearted however, it is definitely worth the blood, sweat and tears for the outstanding, unique views you encounter.

Horsemanship, River Valley ($149)

I booked onto the Horsemanship at River Valley excursion rather spontaneously.

I was very tempted when our bus driver was describing it on the bus however, I stayed strong in an attempt to save some pennies. However, as soon as we pulled up into the mountain drenched area of River Valley I knew I had to go on a hack there no matter what the price.

River Valley offered secluded scenery like no other. Its steep rolling hills were so picture perfect they looked like a mirage, the beautiful butterflies, which fluttered into the air as we trekked through sprouts of foliage were mesmerizing and the exciting bouts of freely trotting and cantering through such beauty was unforgettable.

The most stand out factor of this ride however, was that it was a form of horse riding I’d never tried before. Horsemanship encourages you to create a bond with your horse and to use this bond to direct and control your horse (they don’t use bits).

River Valley blew me away and I’m so so happy I decided to go on this excursion. From what I heard about the other horse riding activities offered elsewhere in New Zealand, River Valley was the best option by miles.

Franz Josef Glacier, Franz Josef ($319)

A spectacular phenomenon, Franz Josef Glacier is a cascading glacier situated in the Westland Tai Poutini National Park.

This activity was the most expensive I booked onto however, this price was well justified as it included both a guided tour of the glacier and a helicopter ride up to it.

Stomping through a maze of icy alcoves, slipping up skillfully hand crafted staircases and weaving under crisp ice blocks, you’re never going to be able to experience something quite like walking the Franz Josef glacier.

Canyon Swing, Queenstown ($205)

When in Queenstown one must jump off something…

Be it a ledge, a plane or a bridge, Queenstown is the adrenalin capital of the world and therefore, it would be rude not to jump into nothingness at some point whilst visiting this outrageous city.

As I’d done a bungee jump before, I decided to do a canyon swing. Giving you the choice to hurl yourself off of a ledge forwards, backwards, sideways or even on a tricycle, the options are endless.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t cacking myself before I jumped, but once I had… WOWEEE. Even if you’re not usually one to ‘jump’ on the adrenaline band wagon, Queenstown is the place to challenge yourself and do it.

I never wanted to have to add up how much I spent on excursions during my 6 week trip around New Zealand and now I just have… urmmmm #noregrets…

Wellington was just a bit of me – quirky, relaxed, cultured, picturesque, buzzing and, for a capital city not toooo overbearing.

For some peculiar reason, the Kiwi Experience only recommended one night in Wellington therefore, I decided to extend my stay to three nights to ensure I could get the most out of this hip capital (and thank god I did)!

Here are my top must see sights whilst visiting this city.

Wander around the waterfront

The waterfront is a picturesque and lively area to wander around.

Boasting quirky pop up shops in colourful shipping containers and outside bars serving drinks to people lounging on bean bags, it’s a great place to start your exploring and get a real feel for the city.

Visit the Botanical Gardens

Located at the top of Wellington’s old-fashioned cable car lies the city’s beautiful Botanical Gardens.

A majestic Chinese garden encompassing a shimmering duck pond, a vibrant rose garden emitting fruity floral fragrances and pristine paths weaving through lush greenery and woodland, Wellington’s Botanical Gardens are one of the best gardens I have ever explored (and that’s a lot!)

When I went, the weather was pure perfection meaning I was treated to a fabulous clear view across the city’s skyline.

Explore Cuba Street

A hip, happening area, Cuba Street is the perfect place to find the best of Wellington’s eccentric bars, restaurants and cafes.

Wander down this street at the weekend and you’ll be able to hear music pumping by midday…

Also be sure to grab one of Fidel’s enormous milkshakes!

Climb Mount Victoria

Mount Victoria is a mountain peak around a 20/30 minute walk from the city centre and offers outstanding panoramic views across the city.

A must see at sunrise, sunset (or both), grab a picnic, bottle of wine (it’s never too early for vino…) and a camera and hike your way to the summit. Admire the view as the city comes alive with commuters or twinkling lights as you cheers to picture perfect Wellington.

Te Papa Museum

Te Papa is hands-down the BEST museum I have ever set foot in (sorry British museum).

Renowned for its interactive and playful exhibitions, I spent at least 5/6 hours exploring Te Papa’s six floors. At the time I went, the museum was hosting the heart-wrenching Gallipoli exhibition. It’s hard to put into words how good this exhibition was…

Gigantic, life-like models of war soldiers, veterans and nurses created by the incredibly talented people at the Weta Workshop, the Gallipoli models were embellished in unbelievably realistic details and were accompanied by extensive information about each model’s experience in the war. It was a touching experience and one, which taught me so so much.

From religion and geology to history and gender, Te Papa is rich in all things New Zealand AND is free entry, which means it is a must visit whilst in Wellington!

Weta Workshop

As I’m not a die-hard Lord of the Rings or Hobbit fan (please forgive me), this isn’t somewhere I visited myself however, I’ve heard from LOTR lovers that the Weta Workshop is definitely worth a visit whilst in Wellington!

Offering an insight into Peter Jackson’s skilful wax works and digital special effects, you will get to see some of the props, models and weapons used in some of your favourite films as well as, how they’re made.

Have you ever visited Wellington? What would you add to this list?