Adventurous Andrea

The Solo Female Travel Blog

vacation

Five Unique Activities You Can Only Do In New Zealand

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New Zealand is well known for being a country of beautiful scenery and dramatic landscapes, but it’s also home to some of the world’s most interesting and impressive activities. Whether you’re heading to New Zealand for a few weeks or you’re embarking on a much longer backpacking adventure, there are a lot of different New Zealand guided tours on offer.

There are so many different activities to choose from it can be difficult to know which to prioritise. So, we’ve narrowed it down to five unique activities you can only do in New Zealand. Whether you give them a go as part of one of the New Zealand guided tours or you head there yourself, they’re sure to be experiences you won’t be forgetting any time soon.

  1. See the Southern Lights

Much like the Northern Lights in countries such as Iceland and Alaska, the Southern Lights can be seen from specific places in New Zealand. The Southern Lights – also known as the Aurora Australis – is impressive to witness and it’s something not many people have the opportunity to see in their lifetime.

  1. Brave the Shotover Canyon Swing

You may have seen videos of people braving the Shotover Canyon Swing on social media, as they’re great to watch. Well, if you’re in New Zealand you can give it a go yourself. The unique swing has a 60 metre freefall down into a rocky canyon, followed by swinging for 200m; it’s not for the faint hearted.

  1. See a Wild Kiwi Bird

The kiwi bird is often associated with New Zealand and rightly so; it’s the country’s national icon and the only place they are found on Earth. So, spotting one when you’re there is something you won’t find yourself doing elsewhere.

  1. Check Out Never Before Seen Plants

A number of New Zealand’s plants cannot be found anywhere else. So, if you’re into plants and nature, there’s a whole host you won’t have seen before.

  1. Visit Hobbiton

Whether you’re a fan of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogies or you’re simply interested in seeing something a little bit unusual, you’ll enjoy a trip to Hobbiton. Hobbiton was where a lot of ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit’ were filmed and it’s comprised of movie sets, hobbit holes and exciting things to see.

Making Your Vacation Totally Worth It: Getting the Max from Your Time Out

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Many a spouse has said or thought: “I like vacation N better than I like working N.” Vacations are precious times, both for you—for your mental, emotional, and physical health—and for any partner or family, you have. The chances are you that don’t get as much vacation time as you would like, so it is vital to make the most of the time that you do have.

Make Plans

Good vacations begin with good preparation…but in moderation. One of the problems with the internet is that we can research everywhere in minute detail—so we feel that, if something goes wrong, it must be our fault for not researching enough. Accept that bad luck happens, and don’t feel guilty about it.

Decide on your budget and plan accordingly. A vacation where you are worried about every dollar is a stressful holiday, so be sure that you can spend more than you expect to.

Plan your program with relaxation in mind. If you relax by climbing mountains in British Columbia, do that; if lying on a beach in Florida does it for you, then make that a priority. Don’t over-plan—you don’t want to exhaust yourself, and you must leave time for spontaneous discoveries.

Make Time for You

This is meant to be time away from work, so do what you can to make that a reality. It may not be realistic to have a complete cessation of communication but make sure that you are only contacted when you really need to be. Inform your colleagues that you are away and, preferably, establish one trusted gatekeeper who is allowed to contact you.

Keep your vacation time guilt-free. Not only should you be able to avoid worry about work, you should also not have to feel guilty about the holiday. So what if you go to Rome and don’t feel like visiting the Colosseum! It is what you want that counts, not what people will say when you get home.

Stay somewhere that is comfortable and within your budget. If you are taking a city break, you may want to be able to retreat to a base that you can rely on, away from the bright lights. The Marriott Montreal Airport hotel, for instance, makes a surprisingly convenient place to visit that city.

Make Time for Others

Vacations are the best times to nurture your closest relationships. Lying in bed late in the morning, or relaxing by the pool in the afternoon, are opportunities to share dreams and thoughts with your “significant other.”

If your kids are with you, the vacation provides new opportunities to relate to them. They will remember vacations throughout their lives if those are the times when they feel closest to their parents.

Make Memories

The best vacations are not always those where we accomplish the most bucket list ticks. They are often those where things happen spontaneously, and for that we need to allow space—space for ourselves, space for others, and space for the unexpected.

Exploring Rome with a Twist

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Rome is quite unlike most of the other big cities of Europe. Pretty much wherever you stay in Rome you are surrounded by history. From most locations, you can see the city´s iconic ancient landmarks. There are very few modern tall buildings to get in the way of the view.

At first glance, the city appears to be somewhere that only people who are interested in history would want to visit. However, in reality, this is far from the truth. As you will see, it has plenty to offer all types of visitors.

Cultural experiences with a twist

The city offers, new and modern ways to enjoy the ancient attractions. You can find a great example on this website. There you can buy yourself a ticket for an opera that takes place outside. The dramatic ruins of the Baths of Caracalla provide the backdrop. This is a stunning venue. Whether you are new to opera or a long-term fan, it really is a performance that should not be mixed.

Take a Segway tour

Riding a Segway is always fun, so why not take the chance to ride one to see the most important sights in the city. There are several to choose from, so you are bound to find one that fits in with your interests.

Take a Vesper tour

Another fun way to see the city is to do so from the back of a traditional Vesper scooter. It has the added benefit of being one of the fastest ways to get around. The foodie Vesper tour is an even better option. It is a great way to see the sights and enjoy some of the city´s hidden food haunts. These small cafes and food stalls cater mainly for the local residents of Rome, so the food genuinely reflects the tastes of the area and it is often far cheaper than what is on offer in the more touristy places.

Street art tours

If you like modern culture, why not take the street art tour. For many years, a local collective of artists and others have been using the hidden corners of the city as huge canvases. Over the years, they have created many truly unique artworks. The Museo di Urban Art di Roma (MURo) tours are a great way to experience a different side of the city and see some of the city´s spectacular murals. You can find out more about this organisation, their work and tours here.

Discover underground Rome

Surprisingly, some of the most interesting things to see and do in Rome are located underground. For many centuries, the inhabitants of the city have used the space below the buildings in a variety of ways. Oddly, amongst the most popular tours are those that take you into the catacombs where various religious groups buried their dead.

If that sounds a bit too morbid for you, do not worry because you can still enjoy touring the underground sights of Rome. There are also underground temples, churches, the remains of an ornamental canal for you to visit instead. There is even a whole wing of Nero´s spectacular villa that has been built on top of many times.

Live a warm Christmas in Puerto Vallarta

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Food, adventures and fun in the Pacific Ocean

If you dream of a warm Christmas vacation on the beach, full of delicious food, adventures, and unique parties, spending Christmas in Puerto Vallarta is the first option you should consider for your next family holidays.

December is one of the best months to visit this paradisiac destination of the Mexican Pacific, since there is little rainfall, with an average temperature that oscillates between 73-86 ºF.

Is there anything better than swimming in warm waters? I don’t think so.

In Puerto Vallarta, there are multiple options for all ages and personalities. Here is a list of places to visit and activities to do, so you spend a unique and different Christmas in this Mexican paradise.

  • Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinner

Whether you want to eat traditional Mexican Christmas food or prefer an international dinner to celebrate, Puerto Vallarta has the best dining options that offer Christmas packages for the whole family.

Some of the best places that offer Christmas dinner are Daiquiri Dick’s, Kaiser Maximilian, No way José, The River Café, La Palapa, Vista Grill, Si Señor Beach and Oscar’s.

You will have a variety of options to choose from. If you want you can taste the Mexican Christmas food, such as romeritos, turkey, and punch, or, if you prefer, there are lots of international options like onion soup, spinach salad with pecans and goat cheese, grilled ribs and pumpkin pie.

You can enjoy the Christmas dinner and New Year’s Eve as you wish!

  • Christmas with pirates

One of the biggest attractions of spending Christmas in Puerto Vallarta is visiting a pirate ship, where you and your family will live an experience that you will remember for a lifetime.

You will enjoy a delicious four-course dinner, have an open bar all night long and countless activities for your enjoyment: singing and dancing contests and lots of fun games. You’ll also be part of a show, where you’ll be transported to the best pirate movies you’ve ever seen, with their swords and cannons.

To close the celebration, you will see fireworks show that will illuminate the whole bay and will become a precious moment to remember.

  • Meet the humpback whales

If you decide to spend Christmas in Puerto Vallarta, you have to be part of the humpback whale watching. These extraordinary sea creatures come to visit the coasts of Puerto Vallarta in December, where they find the optimal conditions for their reproduction.

You will be able to see these enigmatic giants of the sea very close, as they delight you with their songs and movements. You will also have the opportunity to see other curious marine animals such as turtles and dolphins.

  • Celebrate New Year’s Eve at Olas Altas

If your ideal New Year’s Eve celebration includes a lot of people, music, food, diverse cultures, fireworks and fun, then you will enjoy going to the free street party at Olas Altas in la Zona Romantica on December 31st.

The street of Olas Altas gets closed, so thousands of people can enjoy this outdoor party with joy. Minutes before midnight tourists love to visit Playa Los Muertos to watch the dazzling fireworks show that illuminates the entire city and Banderas Bay.