Otago & Southland (New Zealand)

Well, having been born and ‘raised’ in Southland, (and also being in the Southland Hockey Team), I have to say – it’s got every persons dream of wide-open spaces and not a great deal to do. Then again – I used to live there, so I would expect it to be boring! Having now been in the United Kingdom for a wee while, I sure do get excited about going back home again – one day! Otago is full of rabbits and weird weather. They would often have droughts, then you’d have to go and get your gun and shoot as many rabbits as you possibly could! Most English ... more

If you get a chance to go to Milford Sound, try to stay one night on the cruise "Milford Wanderer". You'd never regret for that. Most of the people have a day trip to Milford Sound from Queenstown or Te Anau. It's a very long journey and you'll find yourself most of the time on bus. We set off from Queenstown in the early morning, drop in Arrow Town for a quick look, then stop in Te Anau for lunch break. When we finally got there, it was 5pm and I was totally exhausted after the long hours on the bus. But it was worth it when we finally got on the cruise and sailed to the sea. It was not a ... more

Well that's what it's nicknamed anyway, and Dunedin is gaelic for Edinburgh but that's where the similarities stop - apart from an inordinate amount of tartan & shortbread shops..... Architecturally not similar, but definitely the same for great, friendly pubs, lots of students (depending on the time of year) and very friendly people. It's not as big as I was expecting when you think of it as a city, but all the same a really good place to stop over. Plenty of cheap hostels to stay at, I was lucky enough to stay with friends of friends, and because of the student population good bargains for ... more

Tell people you live in Gore - and they'll laugh, especially if they're from 'oh so chic' Aukland, or cosmopolitan Wellington. After they've got over their fit of hysteria they might ask you what you were doing living in Southland when NZ has so much to offer. I had an easy answer, I was sent to work there. But would I go again - for sure. Why? You might ask. Well, for starters with its green rolling hills, friendly small towns and surrounding awe-inspiring mountains Southland has a way of making you feel like you belong there. I was there for seven months and in that time felt I knew more ... more

Having being born and bred in good old Dunedin I guess I could say ''I'm a tad biased''. This city is sure to please, closly located to some fantastic Ski areas, and of course don't forget that the home of AJ Hackett, inventor of Bunji jumping, is just a short drive away as well. It may not be a 24hr city but the locals and the many students more than make up for it. The beatiful University buildings and grounds are a must see! Dunedin is home to the endangered Yellow Eye penguin, as well as many other notso-exotic sea creatures. (Watch out for the elusive Surfer-Student, a rare breed that is ... more