A gap year in New Zealand
Gap years in New Zealand
Cheaper, greener and more entrepreneurial than Australia, New Zealand is a wise choice for a GAP year. It’s a magnet for life-hungry Brits: 200,000 backpackers and 27,000 migrants converge on the island every year. It’s the size of the UK with a population of only 4 million – compare that to the 60 million living over here, and you start to build a picture of wide, open spaces and peaceful living.
GAP opportunities
Many New Zealand gappers sign up for adventure packages – combining a dream job with the opportunity to take part in outdoor activity. If you choose a work package, look for one with a guaranteed placement.
Sports courses are popular in NZ too – surf in New South Wales, train as an instructor in the Bay of Islands, or learn to skipper your own yacht. If you’re looking at a short-term course or adventure, buy a RTW ticket and combine New Zealand with some of its tropical neighbours like Fiji, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Are you the spontaneous type? You could be lucky and chance on some casual employment when you reach the country: unemployment dwindles at 3.6% and there are skill shortages in many sectors. Tip: If you’re looking for casual work, check workingtravel.co.uk for listings.
Oh yes, and don’t forget your visa – you’ll need a Working Holiday Visa for NZ. This allows you to spend a luxurious two years over there, working (on your tan) and travelling. Visa applications take up to three weeks, so start planning your application before booking anything else.
Getting Around
Looking at the sky-high price of NZ flights, it’s worth considering a RTW ticket – a bit more cash for a lot more flash. Once you’re in NZ, transport is reasonable. The biggest city, Auckland was recently rated as cheaper than Nairobi and, with a beer costing $3-$5 (£1-£1.80), its prices are lower than many world capitals.
NZ is one of the best places in the world to drive. Its main roads take you across outrageously beautiful landscape, petrol is cheap, and you drive on the left. The only problem is rental: you have to be 21+ to hire a car. If you’re not, stick to trains and buses: both cover major towns and cities and the cheap shuttle buses cover all the places in between.
Just like Australia, NZ’s rail network is simple but vast. There are only a few routes but they make up for their scarcity by offering visually lavish journeys. Choose from the coastal line, alpine line, or a cruise through the middle of the country with TranzScenic, which offers a coast-to-coast ticket for less than £50.
Places of interest
“Windy” Wellington is New Zealand’s capital and, even though the important people have since relocated to more-stylish Auckland, it’s an intriguing city. You can witness the British legacy in the teetering Victorian buildings lining the slope from the harbour.
One quarter of the NZ population lives in Auckland, a glamorous city nestled between movie-set scenery and the Pacific ocean. Even though the population is 70% European, Auckland celebrates its varied cuisines and cultures: you can taste Korean and Japanese food, shop at the Otara market for Polynesian handcrafts, and see Maori art at the city’s Museum. Auckland is surrounded by dormant volcanoes and the verdant landscape so typical of NZ’s interior; perched beside the sea, it’s also a real attraction for sailors and swimmers. Combine your visit with a trip to the Great Barrier Island, a nature reserve lined with walking routes and dotted with natural hot springs.
But stick to the cities and you’d miss so much of this lively, abundantly wild country. NZ is a place of dramatic contrast, from twinkling oceans full of dolphins and whales to the green, luscious interior where you half expect to spot a hobbit. Swim, bungee, drink yourself to the middle of next week – you’ll never be short of an idea in New Zealand.