It's a long time ago and it was on the south island but it was tremendous fun. New Zealanders are an absolutely ace bunch of people who deserve their beautiful country. If the climate weren't so British I'd move there like a shot. In fact I still might and spend the winters up north in the South Pacific.
Back from the digression though, this is what I did. We went to a flying school at Queenstown and hired a Cessna 182 and an instructor for a dual cross country day out. I had a Commercial Licence in those days but that didn't matter. The dual was just to get things moving fast and avoid paperwork. We flew out across the alps, flew around fjordland and landed at Milford Sound for lunch. It's a cool place, only one way in and the other way out. You needed a special rating to go in there which the instructor had. I think we sort of did a deal in that I took the aircraft in and out and he flew the rest of he day while I took photographs. Anyway, we had a ball and I still bang on about it twenty seven years later. So you could do the same trick up around Bay of Islands or down to Taupo.
As for the fishing up north at Taupo, that's another story. Get yourself a decent guide and don't fall in the river wearing chest waders.
Here's something about The Lord of the Rings and Peter Jackson who fimed the three movies in New Zealand.
Jackson and his team scoured New Zealand for the most beautiful and diverse areas. The rolling hills of Matamata became Hobbiton, while the volcanic region of Mt Ruapehu transformed into the fiery Mt. Doom where Sauron forged The Ring, and Queenstown, New Zealand's adventure capital, was the setting for numerous scenes including the Eregion Hills, and the Pillars of Argonath.
There used to be an operator in Auckland Harbour with a Grumman Goose and a Widgeon. They used to do tours round the bays as well. If you were alone on board you might even have been given the landing. Flying boats are not the same as float planes.
Sea Bee Air....
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