Hola a todo el mundo, hoy quiero enseñaros un lugar al que me gustaría ir. "Nueva Zelanda".
Desde España, el lugar de donde soy y donde vivo, este es el punto más alejado para viajar pero con las comunicaciones y medios de transportes de hoy en día, no hay nada imposible.
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NEW ZEALAND - A JOURNEY INTO THE WILD.
Info from: Speak Up magazine.
New Zealand, with a diverse and dramatic landscape, is a country of contrasts. Situated some 1,500 kilometres southeast of Australia, the North and South islands that comprise straddle two tectonic plates.
North Island features active volcanic regions with geysers and bubbling mud. South Island boasts fiords, glaciers and fresh water springs.
New Zealand has a maritime climate with warm summers in January and February, and warm winters in July and August, when inland mountainous regions have snow. No part of New Zealand is more than 128 kilometres from the sea, yet while the west coast is rugged with black-sand beaches, the east coast has golden sands and harbourds dotted with islands.
The best way to get around is by road. Themed driving routes such as the Classic Wine Trail, the Surf Highway 45 or the Southern Scenic Route include scenic highlights, local activities and accomodation options.
HISTORY
New Zealand was one of the last major landmasses to be settled by humans: Polynesians first arrived there in the 13th century. Their culture developed into that now known as Maori. The first European to "discover" New Zealand was a Dutchman, Abel Tasman, in 1642. British explorer James Cook followed over a century later, in 1769, opening up trade routes with the islands, yet European settlers brought diseases and forced religious conversion and enslavement for many Maoris.
NORTH ISLAND
A highlight of North Island is Lake Taupo. The huge lake was formed by a series of volcanic eruptions, and its geothermal water currents make it popular with swimmers. Maori rock carvings can be visited by boat or kayak.
More dramatic volcanic activity can been found around the city of Rotorua, where geysers, hot water pools and bubbling mud suggest subterranean turmoil!
North Island is home to two of New Zealand's most important cities. Auckland, known as the "City of Sails" is home to 31 per cent of the country's population.
New Zealand's capital , Wellington, is located on Cook Strait, the passage that separates North from South island.
Whangarei Falls are on this North island too.
SOUTH ISLAND
New Zealand's South island boasts the largest of its 14 national parks. "Fiordland" has spectacular ice-carved fiords, lakes and valleys, and two enormous glaciers that creep down into the rainforest.
One of the country's 25 marine reserves protects the world's largest black coral trees, deep-water corals that are over 300 years old.
In the far south between South Island and d'Urville Island lies the narrow French Pass, the only place on the planet where two levels of ocean can be seen at the same time.
For more info: www.newzealand.com
LIVING MAORI CULTURE
The Maori were New Zealand's first human inhabitants, arriving from Polynesia in the 13th century.
Art formed an important part of their culture in the carving houses, canoes and weapons.
"The haka" -war cry- is one ot he most familiar of Maori traditions, as the vigorous group dance is practised by the New Zealand rugby squad, the "All Blacks" before matches.
Today Maori culture is seen as a vital part of New Zealand culture as a whole. Its past and present can be explored at Auckland Museum on North Island.
www.aucklandmuseum.com
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VOCABULARY
-TO STRADDLE: extenderse.
-RUGGED: escarpado.
-DOTTED: salpicado.
-THEME DRIVING ROUTE: recorrido temático.
-HIGHLIGHT: lugar fascinante.
-CARVING: talla.
-TURMOIL: agitación.
-TO CREEP DOWN: bajar sigilosamente.
-SQUAD: equipo.
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HAVE A NICE DAY MY FRIENDS!!
SEE YOU !!!
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