Wellington, North Island, New Zealand.

I loved windy Wellington. The little city had such a cool and quirky vibe to it. It was sort of a cross between Brighton, Shoreditch and Malibu; all kitsch cafés and cocktail bars, hillside residences, stunning beaches with people paddle boarding offshore, live music and hipsters. 

Here's how we spent our few days:

Day 1

We headed to Wellington for Labour Weekend, which is a bank holiday in New Zealand. Accommodation prices were up and buses were booking fast, so we were sure to book ahead. We booked our accommodation through nakedbus because it was the cheapest we could find. At $23 per night we found ourselves in a 6 bed dorm at Base hostel, which is located at the end of Courtney Place (one of main party strips in town.) The hostel was huge, the beds were squeaky, the showers communal and the residents long-term. People come to Wellington and stay in Wellington, and it's not hard to see why. The three other travellers in our dorm were long-stays, with Craig entering his 7th week in the same bunk bed. The huge communal kitchen and eating area were a bit of a draw, along with the happy hour prices in the downstairs bar, which put g&t's at $4 from 8-10pm. 

Nights out in Wellington start late. We headed out at 10ish and weren't pissed enough for the local Friday night crowd. We were also really under dressed in our vans and hoodies, but our choice was pretty minimal considering the sub-zero conditions. Nonetheless we headed to Mishmosh, ordered the $10 cocktails and danced on the coldest dance floor in the history of the world. It was a cool bar, and is definitely one of the busiest on the Courtney Place strip. We found ourselves in a strange club until 2ish (I was carried there by a Kiwi), and stumbled home in time to wake the whole dorm up with my mini torch and our incessant giggles. 

Day 2

Walk along the promenade and through Oriental bay. It's beautiful and will remind you of Malibu or California or somewhere really warm.

It's worth doing the hike up to Mount Victoria. The sun was shining for us and the 30minute walk to the top, (there's a small chance we took a wrong turning) caused Lou to get a SULA and us all to be pretty pleased we'd opted to be scandily clad tourists for the day. The view is bloody great. 

We headed to Cuba Street for lunch, to Southern Cross, a highly recommended pub the far end of the hipster hangout. 

Southern Cross

It had one of the best beer gardens I've been in and decor that wouldn't have been out of place in Brixton. A huge jug of coffee cost just $3 and we got toasted wraps for $8 each. With live music at the weekends, free BBQs on Fridays and Saturdays and an array of other events running throughout the week, Southern Cross is my top recommendation for this city. 

Lunch!

Take your time to stroll down Cuba street and visit some of it's awesome vintage shops, as well as it's arty boutiques and craft stores. If you've an eye for a bargain you won't be disappointed. 

We ate dinner at The Laundry for $20 a head. Try the gumbo if you ever visit; the African style fish rice stew was amazing. 

For cocktails we headed to Good Luck bar, where the cocktails were BOGOF so we got 6 between us for £7 each - not bad though the place lacked atmosphere and you might be better off paying more and going to the famous Matterhorn which is two doors down. 

Live music at Southern Cross topped off our night, though you could party til the early hours on this town if you're pockets were full and you were fully tanked before heading out.

Day 3

The Sunday market is a definite must do, mainly for the cheap fresh fruit and veg on offer but also for the whitebait fritters, great coffee and the best dumplings I've ever eaten. Head inside for the House of Dumplings stand and follow the crowd for the $2-a-parcel gourmet parcels of gorgeousness. 

If you have time, visit the Te Papa museum. We didn't and we should've done because everyone raved about it. 

For brunch, head to Sweet Mothers Place on Courtney Place. The small cafe with outside seating was constantly busy and served up a great South American inspired menu complete with thick milkshakes, black bean nachos and huge toasted wraps. 

Moving on... If you're staying at Base or YHA, there is a shuttle bus that runs from outside the latter to the ferry terminal for just $3. Get on it, because the walk is so much longer than you think.

We're crossing the channel on the interislander ($52 pp), so next you hear from us we'll be in the South Island! 

Hello hangover.

L, L & A. X 

Taupo, North Island, New Zealand

The lake at Taupo is as stunning as Pinterest promised, so make sure you give yourself a couple of days to take it all in. 

The best hostel in town? Taupo urban retreat. For $23 a night we got a bed in the 16-bed attic dorm. The place was pretty buzzy with a cheap bar - $4 g&t's at happy hour - bike rental for $20 a half-day, free computers in reception and chilli available every night for just $5. Wifi is extra, $4 for 24hrs access, which isn't ideal but is a common situation in the north island. 

The best places to eat? There's plenty of bars and restaurants right on the water, though you'll pay a premium price for the views. The lake house has a great craft beer menu whilst pub'n'grub serves huge salads for $17.

Pub'n'grub (inticing name..)

Tank is a cheap spot for salads and smoothies, and the pantry is a great rustic style cafe/restaurant.

The McDonalds in Taupo is one of the chains most famous, so make sure you take time to drop by for a cuppa/happy meal/McFlurry. 

Drinking? Taupo Retreat's bar is the cheapest in town, so start there. On a Thursday night the Irish pub, Macgullins, has an open mic night. There's one nightclub in town, which is next door to the base hostel. In fact, if you're looking for a big night, the base hostel isn't a bad place to start. 

Must sees? Make sure you head to Huka falls. The huge waterfall is about 20minutes out of town and is one of the biggest national attractions in the country. 

We rented bikes from Top Gear on the Main Street for $20 for a half-day, and the track to the falls was awesome. It's worth the ride, especially if you're a mountain bike fan. Hard work, but great fun. You can see the falls by boat, too, for $35 if you fancy a different point of view. 

Must dos? Skydiving in Lake Taupo is one of the best things I have ever done. Throwing myself out of a plane has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember, and it didn't disappoint. 

Taupo skydive pick you up in limousine, sell you a load of additional merchandise in the shape of personalised GoPro films and pictures, kit you out in a jumpsuit and condom hat and load you into a bright pink plane. 

The climb, to 15,000ft, is beautiful. Lake Taupo stretches out beneath you and on a clear day you can see both of the North Island's coastlines. At 8,000ft everyone is given oxygen, which freaked me out slightly, but I was reassured that it was only there as a precautionary measure and to aid people's recollection of the jump when they land. That aside, I was one of the last to jump to ensure that I recieved as much of the good stuff pre-jump as possible. You're instructed to put your legs out of the plane and put your head back. After that, there's no going back.

Freefallin'

I couldn't describe jumping if I tried, nor the minutes freefall that followed, but it was better than I ever imagined it would be and as soon as it was over I wanted to do it again. 

Taking the reins 

In total, with the video (which I'll share when I'm back in blighty), the photos and a t-shirt, the jump cost $439. Yes, it's expensive (£215) but I'd pay it again in a heartbeat. 

I can guarantee it won't be my final flight.

L x 

Roturua, North Island, New Zealand.

Roturua is a sleepy little town about 4 hours south of Auckland which is infamous for the pungent eggy smell that lingers throughout the town. It's built on volcanic land, and every street bubbles and hisses with volcanic sounds and smells, steam rises from within the flower beds and creates stunning natural spas that can reach over 45 degrees.

 Here's how to see it:

Sleeping.

We stayed at Rock Solid backpackers (formerly Crank) for $23 a night. We stayed in a four bed dorm without a fourth person which was ideal. There's a large shared kitchen, 2 communal areas where you can get access to the free wifi and shared bathrooms. You'll also get cheap entry to the rock climbing wall in the basement which can be viewed through the glass in the too lounge ($12). Despite being almost full the hostel lacked atmosphere; we're not sure why. We were going to move over to Base hostel on the edge of town, but the beds were literally the most comfortable we'd slept in all trip. Go for the beds alone. 

Eating & drinking.

New Zealand is expensive, and it quickly became to clear to us that one of the things we can save money on is food. A lot of people cook their meals in the hostels, and hostel kitchens have plenty of storage for guests. 

If you are eating out in Roturua head to Eat street, a sectioned off part of turakawi street. The pig and whistle is a bustling pub famed for its locally brewed beer, skinners ale. We had double g&t's for $9 each, not bad considering the house gin is Tangueray. The food looked amazing, huge portions, but was pricey so we avoided. 

For cheap Japanese head to Kia Ora Japan for $10 lunch and dinner, or there's Indian express which also boasts $10 curry options.

We ended up eating at Lava, which is the bar-cum-nightclub attached to Base hostel. It was quiz night (Tuesday) so we ordered chicken ceaser salads for $10 a piece and shared chips. This place is clearly the backpackers hotspot in town, though it fell a little flat due to the distinct lack of pace/people. 

For a good morning coffee, take a walk along the lakeside to Third Place Cafè. The coffees strong and the breakfasts are famous about town. Lotus café is another affordable lunch spot. Don't be put off by its canteen style offering, the food is tasty, the cakes were great and it's cheap. 

The view from Third Place

Every Wednesday night Peter Pans throws a party for the backpackers in town. There's a free BBQ, some free drinks and the chance to hang out with hot rafting instructors... Could be worse. 

Exploring.

Roturua is renowned for two things: natural hot springs and living Maori villages, so we set out to experience both on our first day.

Take the number two Polytech bus from the centre of town ($2.50) and ask the driver to point out the stop for Whakawerawera. The living village is the original and had been welcoming guests since the 1800's. It's also the most affordable, at $35 per person it's almost half the price of the other villages. We didn't join a tour, instead we took the map and went exploring.

The Maori are a very spiritual tribe, proud of their heritage and their traditions; and the village is a completely transprant insight into that. We ate food cooked in the hangi, which is a natural hot spring, and met the towns local tattoo artist who explained the detailed and intricate nature of Maori tattoos. Keep an eye out for the natural springs which erupt almost every hour, sending water almost 30ft in the air.

There are hot pools throughout roturua, with some hostels and hotels offering guests private spas. To get the full experience it's worth going to one of the larger spas in the town though, so we headed to the Polyensia spa. For $28 per person (additional $5 for towel and locker) we were given access to 7 different spa pools, set at different temperatures ranging from 36-42 degrees. The natural water, paired with the stunning surroundings, made for a really relaxing hour or so (much more than that and you'd turn into a prune.) 

White water rafting was undoubtedly the highlight of Roturua. We booked through Peter Pans (it's worth popping into the store on the corner of Hinemoa Street, the team are brilliant, really good fun, so knowledgeable and beyond helpful), a the three hour trip cost us $75 each. The river, about half an hour out of town, is graded 5 out of 6 on the difficulty scale and features the largest commercially rated waterfall in the world, flowing 7 metres from top to bottom. 

The team at Kaitiaki kitted us all out in wet suits, fleeces, boots and jackets to try and stave off the cold, then the group was split between the convoy of boats on the river. It was awesome, a little hairy in places, but such good fun and the river was beautiful.

Next stop? Taupo. 

L, L and A. Xxx 

Auckland, North Island, New Zealand.

We had 6 hours in Auckland between buses, so made plans to see as much of the place as possible.

Britomart, the main train station, has lockers where you can store luggage if required it costs about $10 for the day. They happened to be out of order so we ended up stowing our bags on the ferry dock with a random lady at travel agents for just $5 (barg.)

Queen street is the city's main road, snaking up the hill from the bus stop. There's loads of shops, restaurants and cafés so it's worth having a browse.

If you're looking to save money though (enter us!) head to K-road, which interjects Queens street about 20minutes down. Charity shops and vintage stores are dotted between quirky cafés and eateries offering food from around the globe. This is the hipster part of town, and if left a little bit like being back in London. If vintage is your thing, you'll have found a slice of heaven. I bought a huge cable knit jumper for $25 (£12), Alice grabbed some shorts for $10 and I bartered with a woman to get two spoons for $3 (skills I picked up in India are coming in handy!)

We grabbed lunch at Revels, a quirky café on K-road which gave out free sweets at the till and sold it's own peanut butter. Soup and sourdough toast for $8 made it the same sort of price as home. 

Our final stop was the Skytower, because we are tourists after all. Entry was $20 each, but the view was worth it, especially if you're only here for the day. The city looks quite spectacular 182 metres up. We bought bubbles in the bar to toast our first full day in New Zealand - perfect.  

I'd love to have had a night out in Auckland, it's clearly a pretty cool city. Instead we grabbed some g&t tinnies (6 for $12) and re-boarded the Nakedbus.

Us three. Xx 

Whangerai and the Bay of Islands.

We were completely spoilt during our stay in Whangerai, which is 3 hours north of Auckland. Alice's aunty and uncle, Lynda and Pat, put us up in our own little Bach, complete with 2 double beds, a bathtub and a kitchen. 

Home sweet home 

They live in Pataua South, which is right on the water and feels like it is surrounded by sea on each side. It's beautiful, peaceful, and the little town feels as though it's stuck in the 80's. We stayed with Lynda and Pat for four nights and three days and the two of them made sure we were well fed and watered, and kept busy during our stay. Here's how we spent our days:

Day one

We had a slow day, mainly due to jetlag and awaiting the arrival of our bags. But the sun was up so we headed into Whangerai town for lunch and for a little explore. It's tiny, no more than a few streets with the harbour at it's heart. We went to Camels for an Israeli lunch finished off nicely with a Turkish coffee and Turkish delight. 

Whangerai tavern is right on the water, just a few minutes out of town, so we took advantage of the weather and had a g&t in the sunshine. The fish and chip shop opposite is great too, if you're peckish post-pints. 

That evening we went for a run along the nearby beaches to get our bearings and shake out the seemingly incurable effects of 24hours in a plane. 

Running club 

Day 2

The weather wasn't on our side on Saturday, but we didn't let that stop us and drove towards the Bay of Islands  regardless. 

The Waitomo caves weren't a part of our itinerary so, to ensure we still got the chance to see glowworms, pat took us to the Kawiti caves in Waiomio. A 40minute tour cost $20 per person (roughly £10) and was pretty fascinating. 

A coffee stop at the Trainspotters café in allowed us to visit the most famous toilets on north island, designed by 

Hunderwasser. 

Famous toilets!

The weather remained miserable so we took the passenger boat over the bay from Russell and went wine tasting at a recently opened brewery. The tasting was free, and although it wasn't obligatory, Lynda bought a bottle of the Chardonnay which was one of the best white wines I've tasted. 

After a simple lunch in Russell we decided to head home. It was a shame to have missed the stunning views of the Bay of Islands, and the 90mile beach which you can drive along, but we'd had the chance to explore. 

Rain won't stop the tourists 

Alice and I cooked up a storm that evening, trying out the cooking skills we picked up in Goa. I'm not wanting to blow my own trumpet here, but dinner was bloody great.

Day 3

The sun came out for our final day! 

We got up early and headed to ocean beach, a popular surf spot in Pataua South, to try and catch some fish for lunch. Sure, we failed, but thoroughly enjoyed ourselves all the same.

A hike up to the viewpoint over Pataua revealed stunning views of the surrounding countryside and in the sunshine we were able to see the real beauty of New Zealand for the first time.

We took Pat's boat out that afternoon to explore the water around their bach. No waterski meant we weren't able to take advantage of the flat water, but it was great to get out in the sea.

A quick kayak around the bay concluded our final day. Lou and I attempted to pilot a tandem boat and epically failed; Alice had to rescue us. 

New Zealand lamb for dinner, accompanied by Cloudy bay Pinot Noir finished off our tour of the north. 

Lynda and Pat were the most amazing hosts and really showed off the North island. Now we're heading out on our own, boarding a bus down south.

Until Rotorua,

L, A & L. X 

5 Ways To Travel Around New Zealand.

1. Campervan/ Car hire

The main thing option one gives you is freedom. Forget the pre-booked itineraries; the sightseeing and toliet stops, the organised fun and the departure times. Self-driving allows you to see the country how you want to see it, 'be your own boss so to speak.'
Campervans certainly have their perks: no accommodation costs, self-catering options, room for hitchhikers. Maori's hate campervans parking overnight on their roads, but a lot of Maori's also have large, empty driveways. Ask nicely if you can park on their driveway and 65% of the time you'll have got yourself a free pitch for the night, complete with outside dunny.
Drawbacks to this mode of transport are the hidden costs. If you're under 25 you'll need to pay an excess fee on your insurance, if 2 or more of you want to share the driving that also incurs an additional fee. Fuel is not the cheapest in NZ (over $2.20 a litre), and you'll be driving for hours on end every day. So, if like Alice and I you like to party, you'll need to be wary of hangovers and sleep deprivation.
It's probably the coolest way to get around mind... Check out https://www.kiwikombis.com/ and http://www.escaperentals.co.nz/

2. Bus pass

Hop-on, hop-off bus passes are an easy and cost efficient way of seeing the country, whilst still avoiding the touristy backpacker buses. You don't get the freedom of self-driving, but you can tailor make your trip, and don't need to give a huge amount of notice to the company as to when you are planning to get a ride. We are buying a pass with www.nakedbus.com which, for £125 (ferry price not included), allows us to make 22 journeys across the country. You can chose your route, decide how long you want to stay in each place, and only need to give 12hours notice via text or email that you require seats for the next leg of the journey. You don't get the sightseeing or supermarket stops that you get with the backpacker bus, and the age range of travellers is far more varied.

3. Backpacker bus

People rave about backpacker buses. They are a great way of meeting people, and they organise the majority of your trip thus saving lots of planning. They'll take you to all of the top sightseeing spots, give you access to hostels and make sure you party as much as possible all the way. The two most popular are: www.kiwiexperience.com and www.straytravel.com. The Kiwi Experience pass will set you back about £400, and has a slightly younger clientele. If you're under 25 and you're looking to party with 50-odd likeminded young-things; this is the bus for you. Stray is a little more, about £450. The buses are smaller and the travellers vary more, with quite a few couples opting for this operator.

4. Hitchhiking

The power of the thumbs-up. Facebook's proved it, as did Gladiator's Ceaser. Make yourself a sign with your intended destination clearly marked, stand at the start of the long connecting city roads and smile. Chances are you won't be waiting long in NZ. Obviously, you hitchhike at your own risk and I'm not going to insult your intelligence by listing what those risks are. Use your head, trust your instincts; it might just take you far.

5. Trains 

Train travel in NZ isn't as popular with backpackers due to the limited number of stops; however the views are absolutely stunning. This company offers combined train and bus passes: http://www.railbuspasses.com/ Which, if you're looking to make long journeys at points across the country, could be the perfect option for you.

Happy travels :)