Anyone with a serious lust for travel has New Zealand on their bucket list. With stunning scenery, a legendary rugby team in the All Blacks and some of the world’s finest wines, what’s not to like? Well, there is a downside to New Zealand. One of the things that makes it so incredible is also the catch. It is so very far away from anywhere. Even its closest neighbour Australia is a lengthy flight away.
Travelling around New Zealand also requires planning and patience as the country comprises six hundred islands. Even the logistics of getting between the two main ones, North Island and South Island, involves organization. You will need some distractions to keep yourself entertained when travelling to and around this part of the world. Here are some ideas to help you kill time while travelling.
Curl up with a book
It might be considered a bit old-fashioned to curl up with a book these days, but there is something so comforting about losing yourself in a great novel or travel story. A book is such a small thing that delivers such mind-expanding ideas; however, they can still be pretty bulky if you are travelling light. However, there are several ways to get around being impeded by mighty tomes. You could invest in a Kindle before heading off and download a selection of novels based in New Zealand, like Eleanor Catton’s The Luminaries. If you don’t want to carry an extra accessory, there are good e-reader apps for your phone, or you could invest in an Audible account and have the stories read to you through your EarPods.
If music be the food of love ……
While you are falling in love with the country, remember to collect some earworms to keep the memories of your travels alive whenever you hear a particular song in the future. There is no excuse for not having a soundtrack to your experience anymore. With SoundCloud, Apple Music or Sound Cloud you can choose from millions of tracks and curate location-specific playlists. If you are unsure what you want to listen to, you could try tuning into a local radio station to get a feeling for what’s happening around you. Or try out an app like RadioGarden to tune in to stations all over New Zealand and beyond.
Have a flutter
The mobile phone in your pocket is much more than a communications device nowadays. Not only can it hold all your travel documentation (except your passport and visa), but it also gives you access to some of the best gaming opportunities in the world. No matter where in the country you are, you can find your way to a mobile casino. Want to place a wager on the rugby or pass some time on the online slots? No problem, you have a mobile casino on hand. While there are no pay by phone casinos in New Zealand, there are still easy ways to deposit and play using your phone. Options include PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, and there are even some casinos that accept BitCoin.
Expand your mind
One of the reasons to travel is to expand your mind and your horizons. Therefore, it is a good idea to have pastimes that build on your experience. There are lots of fun apps with good gamification that help build neural pathways in your brain. Perhaps you have always fancied learning a new language or perfecting one that has gone a bit rusty. Duo Lingo offers over one hundred courses covering forty languages. Or you might want to try your tongue at a native Maori language – think about downloading a Maori dictionary to your phone.
Keep a travel blog
So many of us promise ourselves that we will keep a record of our travels, but few of us manage to do so. One of the reasons is that we are often so caught up in the moment that we forget to record our experiences. Then we get home with pocketfuls of trinkets and a headful of memories but never manage to curate the experience into something to share. It is the same with the thousands of photos we store on our devices.
However, keeping a record is something we can do while we are on the go – or waiting to get to our next place. You can use blogging or vlogging software if you want to reach a wider audience. For personal consumption, the notes app on your phone is a helpful tool, and you can scan in tickets and souvenirs as you go.
