The New Zealand Diaries: No.11 - Who needs Victoria Falls?

If you ever get the chance to experience New Zealand, you'll realise just how breathtaking the landscape is. At times, it felt like I was holidaying in the Amazon rainforest, with the vivid colours, cool climate and dense bush.

And experiencing Purakaunui Falls was like the icing on the cake. A stunning, natural waterfall hidden in the middle of the rainforest.

Like an oasis, the waterfall was magical. Blue, fresh spring water splashing down on to smooth, mountain rock, creating a haze that could match the spray from Niagra or Victoria.

The falls are located a small way down a forest track, making it easy for visitors to find. Yet the walk was fun, offering visitors the chance to look up into the trees for various birds, and watching underfoot for any insects or small mammals. Most of it was untouched, and the whole experience seemed very natural, as if I was the first person to explore this wilderness.

With any falls, the sound is the first thing you notice when approaching. Imagine the relaxing sound of water trickling down onto your window pane, only this time louder and more aggressive. Kind of relaxing really.

Then there's the smell. Hard to explain, it was a mixture of wet wood and the freshest air possible (if that is a smell!?) It was great just to stop and breath the atmosphere in, soak it in if you pardon the pun!

Then you see it. A small footbridge takes you right to the heart of the small stream, as you witness the water cascading down from quite some way up. The waterfall is tiered in several places, making it even more magical.

The chance to see such a creation was rather humbling, and definitely worth the twenty minute walk to. If you get the chance, make sure you bring your camera!

(First photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

Read more from The New Zealand Diaries:

No.10 - There he blows!

No.9 - Baaaaaaarmy!

No.8 - If you go down to Owaka today...you're sure of a big surprise!

No.7 - Golden Nuggets!

No.6 - Christmas down under

No.5 - The steepest street in the world

No.4 - Food, glorious food
No.3 - Brighton Beach, but not as you know it!
No.2 - The Good Life
No.1 - Don't Fly Qantas

The New Zealand Diaries: No.6 - Christmas down under

If I was to pick one thing that I missed whilst in New Zealand, it would not be my family. It would not be my friends, nor my life at university. I mean, of course I missed these things, but if I was to name one thing that I really missed, it would have to be the spirit and the festivities of a Christmas in the UK.

In New Zealand, it is hard to make comparisons between there Christmas celebrations and ours back home. Yes they still celebrate it with presents, a few decorations and the annual Boxing Day sales, but that is it. Christmas in New Zealand is very plain otherwise, and I found myself pining for the traditions of the UK.

The first obvious difference was the weather. Never have I experienced a Christmas where the weather is 30c. It is the most bizarre thing, opening presents with all the windows open - forget chestnuts roasting on an open fire. It was so tiring opening presents, that we did not even open them till the afternoon, about the only traditional thing we did do that day.

My celebrations started off with a lie in, rudely interrupted by the prospect of a trek through the New Zealand bush. Sounds fun right? Well, it was I guess. We spent three hours exploring remote rainforest and rapids, clearing our path through the woodland, stopping off now and then when we found an oasis of natural spring water. Half way through, we found ourselves splashing about in white-water rapids, helplessly clinging on to rocks as we cooled off from the tiring trek. Not your usual Christmas morning!

Returning home, it was all systems go as the bird was stuffed - I point black refused having a BBQ, let the English boy have some tradition - and the veg was prepared. I guess Turkey is quite popular in New Zealand, it certainly took us a while to locate one, most of the supermarkets were sold out. After unwrapping presents, pulling crackers - festive ones I had bought over from England, they do not seem to sell them over in NZ - and eating good food, you could say tradition was restored.

But even the Turkey did not feel right. It just did not feel like Christmas. The few weeks build up before Christmas were replaced by the excitement of my holiday, so I guess you could say that I was preoccupied with my holiday then worry about the annual Christmas break. Which is exactly how I felt the Kiwi's view Christmas as; just an opportunity to get the family round, fire up the BBQ and sit back with a beer and a glass of wine. They do not really do the whole decorations thing, they are not bothered about good food and do not really care about getting up early the next day to queue for the latest bargains.

If I could use one word to say what New Zealand was missing at Christmas, I would say it was the 'commercialised' nature of Christmas (OK, maybe that is four.) I know we forget about the real meaning of Christmas, and all respect to the religious guys and girls among us, but to me it means going mad on presents, eating lots of food, watching great TV and queueing up the next day to buy lots of cheap bargains.

So forget the weather, forget the real meaning of Christmas - all I want for next Christmas, is a good old dose of commercial crap and advertising!