Saturday, April 16, 2016

N is for Kiwi (Really? I thought we already did that one?)


 I’m in the middle of the A-Z challenge, listing bucket lists of places that I’ve not been, but would I’d like to visit in my life.  I doubt I will be able to make every one of these trips, but can always dream.

We're over half way as we explore places to add to the bucket list that begin with an "N".  A few of my favorite states begin with this letter:  North Carolina, North Dakota, Nevada, and New Hampshire.  I've been to all of them, was born in North Carolina and lived in Nevada, hiked through New Hampshire and taken a train and driven across North Dakota.  Moving further afield, there is Nigeria.  I've enjoyed Achebe’s writings, but I don't think I'd want to live one of them, so I should look further.  Are you ready for it?  My N destination is New Zealand. 

New Zealand is a land far south of the equator.  Beautiful mountains, incredible waterfalls, rocky shorelines, and suspected Hobbits, what more could one want?. And there are no language barrier.   I love lamb and mutton and they raise a lot sheep in New Zealand.  There are also trains, which would be a delight.  They have viaducts that pale the viaduct in Myarmar and is probably a lot safer.  In addition to trains, there’s opportunities to bike, backpack, kayak as well as traveling the nation’s roads.  I have always been envious of a friend who spent a year working in the country before medical school.  Bruce brought a small motorcycle and before coming back to the states, drove it all over the islands, camping and experiencing the beauty.  One problem of traveling to New Zealand is that I might not want to come home.  Wonder how long it’d take to become a kiwi?  Photos lifted from the New Zealand travel site (www.newzealand.com)

14 comments:

  1. I have a male friend who spent a few months there and LOVED it. You might want to move that to the top of the bucket!

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  2. new zealand is HIGH on my list of must-visit places, and not just because of the beautiful scenery from the lord of the rings movies... :)

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  3. I'd like to go as well. Just wish it wasn't on the other side of the planet!

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  4. I'd like to go as well. Just wish it wasn't on the other side of the planet!

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  5. Based on photographs I've seen, New Zealand looks beautiful, as it did in The Lrd of te Rings trilogy.

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  6. New Zealand is like stepping back a few decades in the U.S. Slower pace, less congestion--I didn't get to Auckland, so I may have missed the busy place. I spent most of my time walking the trails and beaches. Beautiful country.

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  7. New Zealand! It's at the lower end of my bucket list, but hey...I know I'll get there one day.

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  8. Lovely post! On the subject of motorcycles (and way closer to home) I have a dream of doing just that along the old 66 Route, and camping out as well.

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  9. I have a friend that lives in New Zealand and I love it when they post pictures.

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  10. Lana visited New Zealand and found it wonderful. I would enjoy that.

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  11. A friend of mine is going there this summer as part of an internship program through her college. She is looking forward to it. I'm sure it is a wonderful place to visit.

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  12. New Zealand quite appeals to me too, specially Dunedin which is the sister city to Edinburgh, it even has a river called the Water of Leith, just like my own favourite river here

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  13. I would love to visit New Zealand. Many years ago a friend of mine took an extended vacation there (two months). He ended up moving there. He told me if you stay longer than a couple of weeks, you WON'T ever want to go home.

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  14. I'd like to see New Zealand, too! So many places, so little time...

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