Join the jet set
Careen down a canyon in a jet boat, narrowly missing the jagged rocks jutting out from either side. It's like a fairground ride, only real, and takes a great deal of skill from the driver. Particularly exhilarating are the 180° turns where, trust me, you will get wet. Best hangover cure ever. £25 for 30 minutes. reservations@shotoverjet.co.nz.
Walk with a dinosaur
Meet Henry the tuatara, described by Longman's encyclopaedia as 'the last survivor of the Rhynchocephalia from the early Mezozoic era', or a living dinosaur, as he is called in NZ. Green, scaly and around 2ft long, Henry was born around 1880 (yes, really) and could live until the latter part of this century. Tuataras exist only in a tiny part of New Zealand but you can encounter some at Southland Museum, Invercargill - and chat with Lindsay Hazley, who breeds them. office@southlandmuseum.co.nz
Love in
Spend a romantic night at Larnach Castle - not a castle at all but a Gothic Revival mansion built by a rich, eccentric banker in 1867. It has been tastefully restored with glorious gardens and offers good food in a fabulous setting. Ask for the Goldrush Room where the bed has been converted from an old cart, complete with massive wheels, and the walls are a mural of the night sky. Then pretend you are 'making out' under the stars. Larnach Castle, Camp Road, Dunedin, NZ. www.larnachcastle.co.nz
Take a running jump
Fling yourself off a tiny platform with nothing but latex rubber cord around your ankles. Yes, Queenstown is the bungee capital of the world and you can choose jumps from a mere 43 metres to the bowel-loosening 134m at Nevis, the world's highest. Nevis jump £47, including certificate and T-shirt. bungyjump@ajhackett.co.uk
Row, row, row...
South Islanders love sea kayaking and it is offered at various spots on the Otago Peninsula and Stewart Island. Once you get used to the rubber 'skirt' that connects you to the kayak it's easier than you'd think, can be surprisingly relaxing and is a good way to admire the scenery. If you don't fancy going solo, double kayaks are fun and allow you to natter as you paddle. Details from any South Island tourist office.
P-p-p-eek at a penguin
Get up before dawn to spot rare yellow-eyed penguins on the beaches around Dunedin. From a concrete hide you'll be able to watch them shuffling from their nests with their mates, and splashing into the sea. As the sun comes up, you can also admire lazy, sleepy fur seals and wary sealions waking up. Then go and eat a big, hot breakfast. ericshelton@clear.net.nz
Just wing it
See the magnificent albatross in the wild at the world's only mainland colony, at Taiaroa Head. As they measure up to 12ft wingtip to wingtip, watching these seabirds gliding on the thermals over your head is an awesome experience. From April to September you can also watch them feed their fat, ungainly chicks. Otago Peninsular Trust, Dunedin, NZ. albatross@es.co.nz
The cod father
Have lunch at The Beach in Riverton, NZ's first recorded settlement. This small, unpretentious restaurant specialises in blue cod, a thicker and more succulent variety of our own favourite fish. Order the medley and you can sample it plainly grilled and smoked over manuka wood, with some of the South Island's famous green-lipped mussels and Stewart Island's smoked salmon on the side. Even better, chat to the chef who cooked for Bill Clinton on his visit to NZ and has some revealing anecdotes, such as how the waitresses were given time off to avoid embarrassing photo ops of The Prez with pretty young ladies. beachhouse@xtra.co.nz
March 4: Australia and New Zealand special
My mother and father of a journey Kathryn Flett samples the wild, open roads of her parents' nation, driving 1,400 kilometres through bush, peaks and plains where floods cover land the size of England.
Miles of style It's smart, chic - and home to Neighbours. Mike Bradley guides you around elegant Melbourne.
Sydney sensations Mike Bradley tastes five alternatives to city life.
Secrets of a sunshine city It's not just the breadth of a continent that separates Perth from the East coast. Mike Bradley tours the cosmopolitan capital of a state with blissful beaches, unique wildlife and Aboriginal culture.
Jump and jet ski - then sleep in a wagon Jacqui MacDermott gets a taste for adventure on South Island.
Boiling point as ancient collides with modern Miranda Sawyer enjoys New Zealand's North Island, where trendy bars sit alongside natural 'hot bath' beaches.
The lowdown on down under A practical guide to New Zealand and Australia.
