If you think you’ve already found the world’s best beaches (probably not Southend), New Zealand has them beat according to our guest blogger Sam the Brit. Here’s his best advice for enjoying the surf and sand of the Kiwi coastline.
I know what you’re thinking, you’ve been to Southend, thrown up on one of the many beaches in the Costa del Sol, partied on beaches all over Southeast Asia, how can things get better? Well I think NZ might just have the edge.
New Zealand has them in abundance in different sizes, shapes, sands and sea. East Coast golden sandy beaches for a swim, West Coast black sand ruggedness for a battle and a bit of a surf.
The first rule you should try to follow is that swimwear is for the beach. If you’re not on the beach, then you’re in your underwear. New Zealanders have a saying: “Tog, togs, togs…undies!” and someone might scream “Undies!” at you if you’ve wandered off and can no longer see the ocean.
The second rule, WEAR SUNSCREEN!!!!!!!!!!
As Brits we get burnt wherever we go in the world and no holiday would be complete without getting back home with vest marks that make it look like you’re still wearing one. However, getting burnt in New Zealand is a little different. In 15 minutes you can go from pasty and pale to red and sore. Here you don’t burn – you cook, sizzle and fry as if you’d been burnt by the fires of Mordor.
Now Kiwis use this as a way of telling where you are from and can spot a Brit, or POME (Prisoner of Mother England), a mile off by their glowing red face and burn lines which are just waiting to be slapped! So before you venture out and about slap some on sunscreen…factor 50 should do at first.
Next week – I warn you about attempting to drive in New Zealand.
Guest blogger Sam Berwick recently arrived in New Zealand from London. As a Brit in the ‘land of the long white cloud’ for the first time, he now describes Kiwi culture as “funny, strange and down right crazy” and that’s after only a few months! In this blog series, Sam’s shares his unedited thoughts, observations and advice as a Kiwi culture survival guide for all visitors.
