DRIFT Travel Fall 2016

4Get Your Adventure On
Helicopter tours, hiking, kayaking, jet-boating, and
skiing, are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to
things to do in New Zealand. The country is also a hot spot
for extreme sports and adrenaline-pumping activities like
skydiving, white water rafting, zip lining, and Zorbing. It
was a New Zealander, A. J. Hackett, who started organizing
commercial bungee jumping, in 1986, seven years after it
appeared in the U.K., and it’s not difficult to find bungee
operators in New Zealand now.
5The Geothermal Features of Rotorua
Rotorua stinks - literally. This town in the North
Island smells like sulfur (that not-so-delightful
rotten egg smell) because of its intense geothermal activity.
Visit and you’ll see bubbling mud pots, steam rising from
the hot pools of water everywhere, and bursting geysers.
These features aren’t very common in the world; only
Japan, Russia, Iceland, and the U.S. have areas of similar
geothermal activity. So it’s an incredible opportunity to
see one of earth’s rare wonders. To really get up close and
personal, consider going to a spa where you can soak in
the health benefits of the mineral waters in hot baths and
mineral pools. While you’re at it, get a massage, too - after
all, you’re on vacation.
6Glow Worm Caves
Glow worms are insects that glow with
bioluminescence, like fireflies, and they’re plentiful
(relatively speaking) in both Australia and New Zealand.
Make the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves part of your
itinerary, and you’ll see thousands of these little creatures
light up the cave as you travel through by boat - a truly
wondrous site. Waitomo is located in the North Island, not
too far from Rotorua.
7Whales, Dolphins, Seals, and Penguins
New Zealand is a great place to see an abundance of
wild animals you might otherwise never see in your
lifetime. Head out on a whale-spotting sea tour. Two good
places to try are Auckland, a city in the North Island, and
Kaikoura, in the South Island. You’ll likely also encounter
some dolphins on your boat trip. You may see the common
dolphin, the bottle-nosed dolphin, the dusky dolphin, or
even the rare Hector’s dolphin, which lives only in the
waters off New Zealand. After whales and dolphins, go
check out some seals. In Kaikoura, you can walk out to see
the seal colony up close and personal - but not too close -
watch out that you don’t trip over a seal sunning herself.
TRAVEL OFTEN . LIVE WELL . 75