NEW ZEALAND (dpa) – It is pitch dark, but at the back of the compound the shape of a figure can be made out: a bird with a long beak. It is the kiwi, the flightless bird that is New Zealand’s national symbol.
Strictly speaking, anyone visiting the country has to have seen this bird, and the island group in the South Pacific provides plenty of opportunities for an encounter, for example, in Whakarewarewa.The park in Rotorua, North Island, and its surroundings combine numerous attractions: the fascinating arts and crafts of the native inhabitants, breathtaking natural spectacles and of course the darkened kiwi compound.Metre-high fountains spurt into the air from geysers at Whakarewarewa, and the sulphur-rich thermal springs leave their mark on jeans and T-shirt. Until 15 years ago, the people of Rotorua heated their houses with the geothermal energy source, but today the springs are only there to look at.Whakarewarewa is a word from the language of the Maoris. One in ten of New Zealand’s population is descended from the country’s original inhabitants, the region around Rotorua being their cultural centre.Children are in for a treat at the Agrodome in Rotorua. Lincoln, Perendale and Merino, as every New Zealander knows, are breeds of sheep and youngsters can get to know them at the Agrodome. It has a representative for each of the different kinds making up the 50 million sheep in New Zealand. It goes without saying that they have a black sheep, too.Rotorua is a few hours south of the city of Auckland by car. But if you’ve already experienced kiwis, sheep and geysers at close hand, it might be time to risk the view from the top of the dormant volcano Tarawera, a sacred mountain to the Maoris. You can reach the peak with its total of nine craters by helicopter or four-wheel drive. The panorama stretches to the Pacific.Another destination on North Island is Napier, nestling between the cliffs of Hawke Bay on the Pacific coast.After an earthquake in 1931 almost completely destroyed Napier, residents decided they would reconstruct the town in Art-Deco style with its geometric yet sleek shapes and ornaments. Seventy years on, their grandchildren now realise Napier is an architectural treasure; there is scarcely another location in the world where Art Deco can be found in such homogenous surroundings.Hawke Bay is also the name of a wine-producing region a few kilometres from Napier. But despite the hilly landscape, there are no vineyards here – the vines are only grown on the plains. Over the coming years, the country’s 300 or so wine-producers intend to expand exports: Germany is one destination on their mind. The local Chardonnays and Sauvignons Blancs are highly recommended.A New Zealand trip would not be complete without a visit to South Island with its alpine mountain chains and rugged fjords in the far south. People on the search for solitude should consider spending most of their holiday in this part of the country. The main tourist centre down south is Queenstown. During the New Zealand winter from July to September it is a popular resort for skiers, while in the peak season, beginning in November, a host of adventure activities are on offer.For example, bungee-jumping, which although it enjoyed the peak of its popularity as a fun sport, was apparently invented in Queenstown. There is also a hair-raising outing on a speedboat through the rapids of the river Shotover.The end of the world is really not far from New Zealand’s South Island either. That is clear in the International Antarctic Centre at Christchurch airport. The centre houses various historic exhibitions on the expeditions to the South Pole and invites visitors to experience everyday life at sub-zero temperatures.Unfortunately, flights to the Antarctic are reserved for scientists, so anyone who wants to be among the lucky few one day should sign up at nearby Christchurch University on the “Antarctic Studies” course.
