Best of South Island New Zealand

Dr Mary Travelbest Guide

In this episode: The FAQ is: How do those from other nations view American travelers? The destination is New Zealand, South Island. The lesson learned is: getting ripped of while traveling.

and the tip is to listen to other podcasts about travel, besides this one from Dr Mary Travelbest, of course.

FAQ : How do others view American travelers?

The answer is a bit uncomfortable to even ask but realistic. To those in foreign countries, they may look at Americans in a negative light, mostly because they only know what they see in the news media. America has the “World Series” in baseball, but it’s all teams from the USA and Canada. Being the greatest nation in the world may not serve the needs of people in other countries, so remember that you are a representative of your home nation, wherever you go. Overall, New Zealand was one country that really liked American travelers.

https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2020/09/15/us-image-plummets-internationally-as-most-say-country-has-handled-coronavirus-badly/

Best of Independent Destination- New Zealand’s South Island

My friend Jenny Latto, from near Auckland, New Zealand is traveling inside of her country due to the pandemic and she’s enjoying it more than ever since the tourists are almost all Kiwis these days. She’s going to travel with a few friends to the South Island for a holiday, and a Multisport race. The team does running, cycling, kayaking, and more.

Check the South Island map of New Zealand and how green it is. One city you may have heard of is Christchurch, where there was a big earthquake and a massacre. Christchurch is hotter than Auckland since it’s not surrounded by water.

When I visited New Zealand, I flew Air New Zealand and loved the service from start to finish. I flew all over the country and it was easy to get around, and lovely to see all the sheep. Once you can travel there, be sure to give yourself time to know the people as well as the beauty there.

If I had limited time in New Zealand, I would visit the Milford Sound, not far from Queenstown on the western side of the south island. One of my worldly traveled friends told me he thinks it’s the best part of the earth. In many ways, this area has similar sights to Norway. The boat trip through the fjords was somewhat magical to me. The waterfalls are stunning. There’s plenty more to see, so look in the show notes.

Franz Josef Glacier is where you can see the glacier firsthand and upclose. I started as a passenger in a plane on land, and minutes later I was ended up walking on the glacier.

Franz Josef Glacier is one of the steepest glaciers in New Zealand, descending from its origins high in the Southern Alps deep into the lush native rainforest of Westland's National Park. It also moves faster than your average glacier. This creates some truly incredible features in the glacier such as ice caves, tunnels and crevasses; all of which are constantly changing and evolving so no two days are ever the same.

https://www.franzjosefglacier.com/

Ride a chairlift above town in Queenstown

https://www.queenstownnz.co.nz/

https://www.milford-sound.co.nz/about/

Be sure to listen to the North Island episode of New Zealand, too.

Today’s Lesson learned-Getting ripped off while traveling.

When did I get ripped off? I almost never get taken when I’m traveling. Most people have been especially nice and thoughtful to me. However, here’s what happened to my friend, a very seasoned traveler. She was walking in a large downtown city, a construction zone, so the sidewalk was narrow. It was nighttime, and someone walked up to her, asked her a question, and then physically took her entire backpack and ran away with it. That’s the kind of story that sounds made up but it wasn’t. So if you’re ever in an area that may seem to be trouble, make sure that you have an escape. If you are wearing a hidden money belt, that’s the safest you can be.

Today’s Travel Advice- Listen to other travel podcasts

You have a choice when it comes to other podcasts. We hope you listen to the following, The Globetrotter Lounge with Lisette, which is an interview format with inspiring women guests who have traveled and shared their stories. Or what about listening to the history of New York through the podcast, Bowery Boys, or even listening to The Thoughtful Travel Podcast with Aussie Amanda Kendle, who talks about practical and useful tips from other travelers?

https://www.notaballerina.com/podcastmenu