Why New Zealand is the Best Country Ever- How 6 Months Turned into 2 years- By Josey-May Ball.

Oh, New Zealand… If there is a god and if he has a hand in constructing planet Earth… He went to town on New Zealand. He pinpointed those two little islands right down at the bottom of the world as his secret project of epic-ness, love, beauty and serenity. In my eyes it is literally perfect. So, it’s no wonder it was always at the top of my destination bucket list when I was younger, and then really no surprise that we went, fell in love and ended up staying for two wonderful years.

Leaving before we applied for residency is still a regret I have, probably the only thing I really regret in my entire life… But as Oasis reminds me ‘Don’t look back in Anger.’ We were young, we were homesick after two years, we had commitments, babies to meet and weddings of siblings to attend!

Also, as much as we loved our life there, our jobs, friends, weekend adventures, I never wanted New Zealand or Queenstown in particular to become old and tired out to me, I always wanted to love it and not get despondent or tired of the place.

Now looking back, if we hadn’t made the decision to leave when we did, our lives and careers would be very different now. I think back and remind myself of the precious life moments shared with family and friends which you can never get back. Plus, all the incredible places I have travelled to- The amazing and inspirational people I have met in the last five years since leaving, and all of the adventures and ‘wow’ moments and views I have encountered in other dream destinations all over the planet…

So as hard as it was, and sometimes still is, to know I left my dream living location; I simply wasn’t ready to settle down at that point in my life. (Will I ever??!) I have realised that life is not about looking forward and expecting, nor living in the past reminiscing, it is about the present moment. I LOVED my two years spent in NZ, but I now realise everything happens for a reason, and that by carrying on my journey, my life is forever evolving, expanding and blowing my mind!

So how did New Zealand and the Kiwi’s make me fall so damn hard?! Why does it continue to envelope, amaze, stun and captivate all those who visit its shores? I have 5 main reasons why New Zealand is hands down the best country in the world ever. Let me see if I can convince you too…

1.) The Landscape and the Wildlife

Words such as beautiful, incredible and amazing still don’t really do this country justice! It is more unbelievably epic, magical, truly stunning and magnificent. The landscape simply blows my mind. You can drive from the tip of the north island to the bottom of the sound in two days if you wanted. (Please Don’t though, this place takes time!) But during that time, you will pass numerous completely different landscapes and amazing types of scenery. This is what makes travelling here such a rewarding and unforgettable experience. You feel like you’re seeing five different countries all at once.

There is vibrant, perfectly curved rolling green hills and valleys, that looks like my home county of Dorset, but on steroids! Then you have the beaches. Some rugged dramatic cliffs and windswept coves with weathered arches and caves to explore, to white sand long stretches of golden beaches and calm waters, even black sand beaches too, plus a ‘hot water’ beach where you can dig a hole in the sand and relax in your own natural hot tub!

Follow this with volcanic Mars like terrain and awesome volcanic plateaus to explore. Then the further South you get you hit the grand and gorgeous mountain ranges, the mind blowing glaciers, and the fjords and deep canyons surrounded by jungle, dense forests, mountain peaks, turquoise lakes and gigantic waterfalls.

Believe it or not and more! It is insane- and must be explored to be believed.

(Also, a massive bonus- NZ has basically no predator animals. Literally nothing (bar one small spider) that hunts or kills humans for you to worry about, so go get lost with piece of mind, unlike in Australia!!)

2.) The Freedom and the Peace

It is beyond peaceful in New Zealand. Sure, you have some brilliant and buzzing cities to suss out and if that’s what your after there are plenty of busy, fun and lively places to be seen. However, we, and I think most people come here, to get away from man-made life, crowds, noise, traffic and basically the strains of modern living; and to connect to nature and yourself once again.

The great news is you totally can do that in NZ. My number one essential piece of advice is to either buy or rent your own vehicle to hit up the open road. It MUST be done. This is a country where driving is a joy to behold, the roads are mostly empty and surrounded by beauty, and the landscape continues to beckon you to pull over to (Constantly) take photos, marvel at the view, and just decide to hike up over that ledge or round the next corner to discover more pristine places and moments of peace.

Nothing is really bordered or cornered off in New Zealand, if you are an outdoor, adventurous nature lover kind of person, you will feel as if you have been given ultimate free reign to explore until your hearts content. Maybe with a lot of sheep to keep you company, but if you choose it, no other human being in sight!

3.) The People and the Vibe

Kiwi’s are great, friendly, relaxed people. The Maori culture is fascinating and the blend that has now become modern day New Zealand is a great one. It has a knock-on effect on you too as a visitor. You will find yourself smiling more, relaxing more, and always making the effort to stop and chat with passers-by.

There are some areas that are very remote, and people are extremely stuck in their ways and beliefs, but really that is true of anywhere. New Zealand is not problem free of course- but the general vibe you get all over the country is a place filled with people who are very proud of their heritage and their land, welcoming, friendly and extremely funny and laid back.

4.) The Adventure

Being a nature lover and a hiker is without question catered for in NZ. The country boats some of the best most awe-inspiring walks imaginable. From day walks to weeks long life affirming challenging trips. It has it all, and they are beautiful. Whether you follow the well-trodden sign posted routes, or simply asks locals for secret more hidden walks you have so many options to choose from.

Aside from the joy and cheapness that is hiking in nature, if you have the cash and the guts you can go adventure crazy day after day after day.

New Zealand is known as the adventure capital of the world, and man, does it live up to that reputation! Here’s just a few things you can indulge in to get the heart racing and the adrenaline pumping-

-Sky Diving, Zorbing, Paragliding, Snowboarding and Skiing, Surfing, Scuba Diving, Swimming with Whales and Dolphins, Jet Boating, Zip Wires, Downhill Mountain Biking, Bungee Jumping, Bungee Canyon Swings, Glacier walks, Caving, White Water Rafting- The list goes on, and on, and on!!

We indulged in about half of those adventurous activities during our two years living in NZ, and loved every single minute of it. In time you will forget about the money spent, but the feeling of intense fear, followed by overwhelming excitement and exhilaration, and feeling truly 100% in the moment and alive will stay with you forever.

5.) The Way of Life

If you have enjoyed my sum up of beautiful New Zealand, and are debating whether to go, don’t even question it, just go! It’s a brilliant trip, but it is an even better way of life. If you can get a working holiday visa (Get one here) to go and live in this country for a year or more of your life, I whole heartily recommend you jump on that opportunity as quickly as possible. It is something you simply could never regret. It’s true like most of the world it has become harder to find cheap places to rent and easy jobs to fall into, and prices for day to day things have probably gone up a bit from when we were there 5 years ago, however I’m sure the payback and rewards are still as great as ever.

We had the best two years ever, we had a million-pound view of the giant lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables mountain range peaks out of our kitchen window- and it firmly set us up on a path of travel joy and love. The whole New Zealand experience opened my eyes to how much magnificence there is to discover in our world.

Our place had a gorgeous little garden with a ridiculous view, our flat was tiny and a bit damp, but we loved calling it home. Me and Paul both got good 9-5 Mon-Fri jobs during our stay with great employers who we are still in touch with today, and made countless friends, happy memories and had magical adventures that we will treasure for all our lives.

If your weighing it up, stop now, the decision is an easy one. New Zealand is calling!

We also had the same living, travelling and working life experiences in Australia, if you fancy reading about our time in the land down under, see our article here.

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