With freshly powdered volcanoes only a few hours’ drive away, some people prefer to organise their ski and snowboard rental here in Auckland before setting off. To maximise your time on the slopes, this is a great idea. But, where to go? Presumably you will be hiring a car to get down to Tongariro. This is good because the best hire shops are not that easy to get to and, anyway, who wants to carry a bunch of skis and poles on the bus?

The most central place is Snow Centre in Newmarket. As a suggestion, you might want to park in the Westfield 277 carpark which is nearby and you can park free for a couple of hours if you spend 5 dollars in the shopping centre. There is a supermarket in there so why not pick up your snacks for the road?

In the North Shore, you can go to Snowplanet. Go a day before your trip down south if you want to practice your moves at their indoor snowfield.

Papatoetoe is in southern Auckland. There you can pop in to Ski Trading Post and then just carry on down the motorway until you see the white stuff.

If you’d rather drive, then hire, you can always check out the selection around the ski areas so don’t think that Auckland is your last chance for equipment hire. In fact, you can actually hire right at the Tongariro ski areas of  Whakapapa or Turoa where they will fit you and make sure you are heading out with a nice warm jacket.

Watch for upcoming posts about the ski areas in the North and the South Island.

Something that many travellers to New Zealand want to see is a kiwi bird. The fact is that these little guys are shy, nocturnal and endangered. But it’s not just difficult for visitors to catch a glimpse of kiwis, many local people have never even seen one and, rarer still is the New Zealander who has spotted one in the wild. There are a lot of people working on saving our national icon, however and if you are travelling anywhere near these centres, you may be lucky enough to visit and see a kiwi yourself. Usually you need to enter a dark room and hold very still until your eyes can adjust enough to look out for any movement behind the glass. Because kiwis are nocturnal, it is necessary to reverse their night and day in order for viewing times to coincide with visitor times.

In Auckland, you can go to the Auckland Zoo to try your luck at the kiwi house there. It is just inside the entrance gate on the left and many people miss it. If you are willing to drive south for an hour or so, or if you are headed south anyway, a good option is the Kiwi House at Otorohanga. You can observe feeding time or go on either a self-guided or guided tour. In the South Island, check out the Kiwi Birdlife Park in Queenstown. All of these places serve as educational posts and also keep you entertained and well-fed as they usually have cafes.

Something exciting that has happened recently is that a rare white kiwi was born at New Zealand’s National Wildlife Centre. Have a look at the video of this sweet little chick.

Photo credit: Danger! Kiwis! by Steve and Jemma Copley on Flickr

Yeah, you won’t get me to tie a bit of string to my ankles and jump off a bridge but, hey, I’m sure some of you visitors to New Zealand would like to know what your options are. This photo was taken in Taupo, about a four hour drive from Auckland and a good place to go for the weekend. You can jump there, you can jump in Queenstown and you can even jump in good ol’ Auckland. We’ve got the reverse bungy, the more tethered but still scary jump off the Sky Tower, and the traditional bungy off the Harbour Bridge.

Sure, I’ll stay behind and take the photo.

Have you heard the phrase, “Clean, Green New Zealand”? That’s how we like to think of ourselves down here in Aoteroa (New Zealand) and many people are trying to make changes in their own living situations to contribute towards the further ‘greening’ of New Zealand. Some of this is in the building or renovating of houses, recycling, planting organic gardens or even eating more consciously. For many visitors to New Zealand, this sort of thinking might just be what attracts them. If this is you, then you may be interested to pop into an exhibition that is happening soon in Auckland called the Green Living Show and New Zealand Organic Expo. It’s organised by the green Living Network and is a chance to see what green issues are affecting and concerning Kiwis as well as get some ideas of your own. We have a lot of innovative green building thinkers and if you are building or renovating back at home, there might be some new info here for you. In the very least, you can enjoy some delicious lunch in the organic cafe and check out the vendors.

It’s all happening at the Alexandra Park Function Centre in Green Lane. To get here, you can either drive and park in the pay car park next to the centre, or take a bus from the Britomart Transportation Centre in the CBD.

Saturday 28th May, 2011

11:00AM – 6PM

Sunday 29th May, 2011

10:00AM – 6PM

Check the website for more details and also to book places on the seminars.

If, after all of that, you are feeling like you want to get out into the open air, check out this list of Top 10 Nature and Wildlife related things to do in Auckland or this list of Top 10 Outdoor Things To Do in Auckland.

Photo credit: Recycling 7 by Timtak on Flickr

It’s that time of year again when the writers and readers of Auckland readjust their eyes from short sighted to long and get themselves out to various venues to hear people apeak about the written word. For four days, there are talks, poetry readings, workshops, book sales, book signings and general merriment in the Aotea Centre and other venues. There is a charge for most events, but there are always a few freebies and they are of just as good quality. So, if you are keen to get out of the rain and listen to some authors for a few hours, check out the website or pick up a bright orange programme and get some tickets at the EDGE at Aotea Centre. Students get a great discount.

The festival takes place from11-15 May at various venues around Auckland but mostly in Aotea Centre at aotea Square right in the CBD.

Photo courtesy of Marie Szamborski

As a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Sneetches (star-bellied or otherwise), the Lonely Dog Gallery near the Britomart Transport Centre is having an exhibition of Dr. Seuss artwork and taxidermy. It runs from the 19-29th of May and is sure to please those of us who grew up with the quirky books.

Photo: Goat on Sam’s Wall by smartgoat on Flickr

The by line for this event is “Big Laughs for Little Monsters” and, if you’ve got one or two with you, it might just provide the comic relief you need after a day traipsing round Auckland. Put your feet up for an hour and know that the laughs are all family friendly in this show. Stand Up for Kids is a part of the New Zealand International Comedy Festival and there lots of other events on so pick up a programme at the Edge in Aotea Square if you are keen to see what makes Kiwis laugh.

The Herald Theatre at The Edge, Aotea Centre

Sat 8 & Sun 9 May, 2:30pm

Tickets: Adults $25
Children (under 15 yrs) $15

Family Pass: 2 x adults & 2 x kids for $70

0800 BUYTICKETS (289 842)

Looking for other things to do with kids? Check this out!

Dear Visitor to Auckland,

It’s your friendly Auckland Local Expert here. I’ve written quite a bit about things to do in Auckland over the past year and I wanted to make sure that you haven’t missed anything good. Like if you are planning on visiting Auckland and you’ve got your favourite little monsters with you. You might want to look for a child-friendly place to stay, or since it’s now winter you might need some ideas for things to do when it is raining.

And then there is food. If you get hungry, you may start pondering the newest Kiwi tradition known as the weekend brunch. Or you might like to know what we eat when we are snackin’ hungry or in need of a cheap lunch. Or, perhaps you’d just like to peruse our lovely markets and check out our local produce. I’ll bet we’ve got some things you’ve never tried before.

Looking for things to do? Take your love out to Waiheke Island and have a posh dinner at Mudbrick where you can view Rangitoto and taste some fabulous wines. Or look at this list of alternative autumn activities. Not everyone needs to bungy off the bridge! Hey, maybe even just head out to a beach and chill. There is a beach to suit whatever interest you have. And, if this isn’t enough, you can always look through this list of Top 10 Fun Things to Do in Auckland.

Well, I hope these things can get you started in planning your stay in Auckland. Even just thinking about the foodie scene makese me happy I live here and I get to share this info with all of you. Do let me know if there is anything you want to know about Auckland!

Love from Auckland,

Marie at NileGuide

P.S. Have a great trip!

-

“You win a chocolate fish!”

Heaps of Kiwi kids have grown up with this prize and even more of them have ventured into the local dairy (cornershop) to buy one…or many. It’s essentially marshmallow, white or pink, covered in milk chocolate in the shape of a fish. They are great souvenirs to take back for kids and adults alike. You can buy them in a dairy, the Warehouse, or any supermarket while you are already in there checking out the local produce. They are fairly addictive so buy a few more than you think you’ll need especially if your flight has a layover somewhere.

Other Kiwi favourites:

The Pie

Supermarket Goodies

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Photo by Shanti, shanti (aka Marie Szamborski) on Flickr

I had a press release in my inbox this morning announcing that The Langham Hotel, one of the nicest hotels in Auckland, has now upgraded their Wi-fi and is available throughout the conference areas. As a celebration, they are offering free Wi-fi with all booking up to the 31st of August 2011. Janine Daniel, Director of Events and Conferences says,

“This upgrade means that we can offer meeting planners an additional level of sophistication that they can in turn provide their clients and events. This will make The Great Room not only the most beautiful meeting venue in New Zealand but also the most accessible and technologically advanced”

You might be thinking, ‘What’s the big deal?’, before doing a double take and realising that, yes, this is a current announcement. This is 2011. And even our nicer hotels and conference centres, with The Langham in the lead, are just now upgrading their Wi-fi.

I have often been sitting in a cafe in the city and overheard newly arrived visitors complaining about the internet connection going in and out. Some complain, and some just scratch their heads saying something about how lucky they are back at home. But, I think in general, people are really surprised.

Now before you start asking questions about the caves we live in down here, this is a perfectly modern and developed country. But the fact remains that we are a tiny island nation with a small population. As such, the laws of supply and demand along with those of having a small economy mean that some things get prioritised a little differently. Don’t Kiwis want better internet? Well, of course we do and there are plenty of people lobbying for change, but until then we’ll all have to put up with what we’ve got.

My advice to travellers would be to try and take it in your stride. You are on holiday, after all! Most of what I hear from foreigners wanting to come to New Zealand involves scenery, bungy jumping or some variation of the two. I’ve not once heard anyone say they wanted to come for the internet. So, remember what has drawn you here.

As far as hotel internet goes, many charge a fee for use. So, check ahead if you will need to do a lot of things online. Also, beware that many cafes now offer Wi-fi however this is rarely free. Sometimes there is a charge and sometimes they will give you a voucher for 1 hour with your purchase. Also, bear in mind that this applies to other main centres such as Wellington, Christchurch, Rotorua and Queenstown, but not necessarily to smaller towns.

But, hey, what are you doing sitting in front of your computer? Get out there and see New Zealand!

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Photo: I MEDIA DEI PADRONI VS INTERNET, OASI DI LIBERTA’ by Sinistra Ecologia Liberta on Flickr