There can be few better feelings in this life than leaving behind the stresses of working life and the inherent low temperatures of a British winter for the complete opposite.

When the media darken your (dark) February mornings with claims that today is 'the most depressing day of the year' etc just arrange to be somewhere else!

I remembered last year thinking that the winter seemed to take forever so I decided to take my summer holiday from last year and move it to February of this year in an attempt to rush through the dour months and in to the spring.

Having conveniently made friends with some New Zealanders in London a couple of years ago, I decided to visit them in Auckland for a much overdue catch up and to take in as much winter sun as I could handle – and I was not disappointed.

After leaving a wet and windswept Heathrow on a Tuesday evening I landed in Auckland 23 hours later via Seoul with the very hospitable Korean Air.

Landing in mid-morning gave me a great opportunity to take in the landscape from the plane window and rub my hands together in anticipation as bright sunshine illuminated the aircraft.

New Zealand is a new country so its beauty is very much of the natural variety rather than in picturesque period villages or gothic cities as can be found in Europe.

Auckland is not an amazing city aesthetically either – the main streets are a hotch-potch of buildings knocked up without much consultation with the building next door and the lack of chain stores offer up a random feel to it.

Ponsonby Road, Karangahape ('K') Road, High Street and Queens Street provide the bulk of Auckland's shopping opportunities including your regular worldwide brands as well as a wealth of independently owned boutiques selling traditional Kiwi goods.

The city is split in to suburbs that cover roughly the same surface area as London but with only a sixth of the population of London. Generally houses are on one or two levels and make for pretty suburban living but you should be careful to make sure any hostel, B & B or hotel you stay in is central otherwise it will take a while to get in to the tourist attractions.






A bi-product of this is that the car is the transport method of choice for most Aucklanders. There is a token rail and bus service but it has a very poor presence and although the roads can get busy I was assured by anyone I asked about this that driving is your best bet.

Getting behind the wheel also allows you to explore the largely untouched coastline and the roads that dissect the stunning pine forests throughout the island. The stereotypical camper van certainly comes in to its own here but if you are sticking to the City and surrounding area, a simple hatchback will do the trick.

Tourist attractions in Auckland itself are quite wide ranging; such as Auckland Museum (featuring Sue the T-Rex!), Auckland Art Gallery, and a thriving live music scene.

The newest addition is the Sky Tower, the tallest free standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere. New Zealand is one of the world's leaders in outdoor adventure sports and the Sky Tower offers those of you with a head for heights the slightly predictable opportunity to jump off the top of it.

Unfortunately, my legs turned to jelly at the prospect of this madness so I settled for walking around the outside of the top of the building on a grate a metre wide while harnessed up. The ever-fearless instructor tried to convince me to lean backwards off the walkway as he did but I was having none of it!

Auckland Airport proclaims the North Island's main city to be the 'City of Sails' – a reference to the regional obsession with sailing.

Even if you only have a fleeting interest in the sport as I do, it is impossible to avoid the immense public interest so it is easier to allow the coverage to rock your boat while you are there. Dean Barker is not a household name here but every Aucklander has heard of their country's premier yachtsman.

His name and the Team New Zealand boat dominated the front and back pages during my time there as they participated in the Louis Vuitton Cup – a new venture designed to provide a stern test in between the age old Americas Cup.

I did enjoy the rookie British team's victory over their hosts while I was there, albeit privately!

Alternatively, given the jaw dropping coastal scenery and crystal clear waters, it is easy to see why so many have fallen for the charms of the high seas and for those nautically skilled amongst us, a sail represents a great opportunity to explore the hundreds of coves and beaches that are inaccessible by road, particularly the west coast and around the northern tip of the island. There are of course tours to the various islands and beaches run from the main harbour if you don't fancy hiring out your own boat.






Bethell's lake and beach is a must-see if you go to Auckland. The beach is great for a day out and should not be missed but if you only have time for one make sure you go to the lake.

Well hidden from the main road it is a bit of a local secret but as a freshwater lake on black volcanic sand obscured by enormous black sand dunes it is a rare treat. Again, surrounded by forest it is a postcard setting.

Food and drink is a subject close to any New Zealander's heart. Really it should be land of organic produce rather than the long white cloud because everywhere is at pains to point out its organic roots. This is no bad thing for the taste buds though.

With an abundance of locally grown produce (importing things is not really a viable option unless it comes from Australia) the food is fresh and delicious.

In recent years, the influx of Asian and Polynesian ethnic groups has meant that the Kiwi palate has grown to really appreciate East Asian foods.

Thai food is a big player on the market stalls and the supermarket aisles, as is as the more traditional meat, dairy and vegetable culture brought over by the European settlers so there is food to suit every taste and usually in large amounts!

The same is true of the wine...

New Zealand wine has been in the supermarkets here for a while but is quite criminally underrated.

The country on the whole has a great climate for growing wine and produces full flavour fruity reds and crisp delicate whites up and down the islands. Waiheke Island just off Auckland is famous for its wineries – it has fifteen that operate tours during the summer months and others that will happily sell you their produce on the day and is well worth a visit. I probably took more free samples than photographs when I went!

If you want to see a bit more of the North Island then Highway 1 joins Auckland to the other main city on the North Island – Wellington.

I was on my way to New Zealand's newest annual music festival 'Camp A-Low-Hum' so I had to do the arduous drive all in one day, but it does offer a great view of the Island and links smaller cities like Hamilton and Rotarua to help you break up the journey if you have the time. Taupo is well worth stopping at and is a popular holiday resort for New Zealanders and foreign tourists alike.





Trout fishing is big in the area so if you like spending time alone with rod and bait then that region could be good for you. Tongariro National Park (home of Mount Tongariro, a volcano that last erupted in 1977) is dissected by the same road and offers more remarkable scenery – it is hard not to be taken in by the sheer scale of New Zealand's countryside, it inspires awe in the same ilk of Norway's fjords, Scotland's highlands or Canada's Rocky Mountains.

It also inspires awe from Lord of the Rings fanatics although thankfully largely consigned to the South Island to deflate the long suffering residents of Dunedin and Christchurch with their enthusiasm for Peter Jackson's epic trilogy.

The best time to visit Auckland is typically between October and March as that is when the good weather is.

Whilst snow is not a possibility in Auckland (the temperature generally does not fall below 5/6 degrees C in winter and there has only been snow recorded once – in the 1930s), the masses of lush vegetation all around after months of intense sun serves as a reminder for the volume of rain lashed down on the islands in the winter months. The climate is perhaps best described as sub-tropical.

Naturally flights are more expensive as many of New Zealand's expats return for the summer but it is a great time to experience all there is to be had in the vineyards and largely untouched countryside. It certainly pays to look out for good early deals so if you are thinking about going to New Zealand (we should all be looking at non-EU holidays this year anyway because of the weak pound – sorry France and Spain) get on the lookout.

Anything below £800 return per person should be gobbled up as fluctuating oil prices and exchange rates could scupper your plans with the whim of a wealthy sheikh or another global financial own goal – precisely what I managed to largely escape from for two action filled weeks!