Features

Yeah, that’s right. Danny and Sandy knew what they were talking about. We love summer. And it’s creeping up on us like the pair of ill-fitting stubby shorts some of you Castle Street jocks will inevitably be donning during this splendid season. The tantalising stenches of fake tan and warm Sogos are already perfuming the air. Don’t have summer plans yet? Concerned about funds once StudyLink is shut off? Are you actually considering that dirty word that is Summer School? From the summer days driftin’ away, to those summer nights… SIOBHAN DOWNES compiles your Summer Bucket List on a Student Budget.

1. Beaches
Yes, it’s an obvious choice. But no matter where you are in New Zealand this summer, you’re never going to be more than 130 kilometres away from the sea. And that means you WILL be getting your beach on. If you’re sticking round down south, surfie types should pay a visit to St Clair Beach, while Brighton Beach about half an hour out of Dunedin is charming for its sunbathing and scenery. The water is fucking freezing. The further north you go, the more tropical the sea temperatures get, so Golden Bay up near Nelson is where you want to be. Kaiteriteri Beach is the crème de la crème for re-enacting all mermaid/merman fantasies. Cross the Cook Strait, and you’re spoiled for choice, with the Hot Water Beach in the Coromandel Peninsula being cute (you dig your own little hot water bath on the beach! With a wee shovel!) Ninety Mile Beach in Cape Reinga being iconic, and Piha Beach near Auckland being badass. It even has its own TV show.
 
2. Food
Summer provides some of the best culinary opportunities of the year. Like, I always get really excited to see what new summer edition frozen drink McDonald’s has to offer. But there are other things too. You’ve got the famous Hawke’s Bay Wine and Food Festival in January, and in February around Waitangi Day look out for traditional Maori kai festivals – you can taste amazing seafood and hangi cooked morsels at Kawhaia Kai in the Hamilton/Waikato region, Te Ra O Waitangi in Wellington, and Maketu Kaimoana in the Bay of Plenty. Alternatively, pay a visit to your nearest orchard for some cherry-picking, or indulge in a real-fruit ice cream the size of your head - you can’t go wrong with anywhere in Central Otago, Hawke’s Bay, or Tauranga. Too manly for getting fruity? Well, you can spend the summer lovingly caressing your sausages on the barbecue. Apparently it’s what real Kiwi blokes do.
 
3. Road Trips
No holiday is complete without the obligatory summer road trip. What could possibly embody the freedom of summer more than getting your friends together on a whim and heading out into the unknown for an exciting adventure? It’s what Frodo and his companions in The Lord of the Rings would do, you know, if they had a car. You can travel as near or far as your little Jack-Kerouac-hearts’ desire, but there are some destinations worth knowing about. If you’re in the South Island, why not ‘trip it to Akaroa, just 75 kilometres away from Christchurch? Being the only French settlement in New Zealand (even the street names are in French), you can pretend you’re on a classy overseas holiday! For a more earthy experience, Takaka in the Golden Bay region is a hoot. It never got over the hippy movement. Clothing optional, peace compulsory. North Islanders, why not head to Waiouru? Driving through the intense Rangipo Desert will provide a bonding experience to last for a lifetime. You can pretend you’re in Iraq! Yeah! Visit the Army Museum while you’re there, and drive home feeling somewhat less hardcore.
 
4. Otago Central Rail Trail
It has the makings of a Just Jeans ad. Boy and girl cycle into the sunset, boy steers while girl is perched precariously on the bike basket. They laugh. They love life. They wear jeans. You can re-enact this image too, if you should choose to partake in the cycling bliss that is the Otago Central Rail Trail. All you need is a bike, which you can hire from most of the starting points, and a bit of planning ahead – if you want to do the whole trail, it’s going to take about four days, so you’ll need to book accommodation at the stopping points well in advance. Or you can make a single day of it, just going from one station to another, and then catching the bus home. BYO bottled water and toilet paper.
 
5. Concerts
Ok, I know we’re meant to be on a student budget. But goodbye StudyLink, hello Santa Claus. There are some tickets you’re definitely going to be wanting in your stockings this year. New Year brings out the ragers, with Rhythm and Vines in Gisborne, Highlife New Years Eve Experience in Auckland, and La De Da in Martinborough being the top contenders. Stuck in the south and too poor to travel? Start New Years early with R&V sister festival Rhythm and Alps, in Canterbury on December 28 and 29. Or maybe you’re gonna wanna head to Big Day Out in January? With Kanye West as one of the headliners, it’s bound to be good. Whatever, I’m totally saving my money for Taylor Swift.
 
6. Camping
There’s nothing quite like the communal awkwardness of a campsite at the height of summer. During the angsty throes of your teenage years, having to endure the unavoidable family camping trip was the epitome of torture. But let’s be honest - after a year of flatting in North East Valley, the humble tent is looking pretty good right now. Top 10 Holiday Parks are a fully serviced and conveniently placed camping option that can be found up and down the country, but this can be a bit shit during peak time – screaming children don’t exactly equate to awesome holiday. Also beware of these areas around New Year’s, as the underage demographic tends to flock there to engage in a spot of covert binge drinking and sexual activity. Of course, you can do these things too, but I recommend finding a less commercial site, or even freedom camping – just don’t piss DOC off, or you’ll face a $200 fine.
 
7. Lakes
Unless Camp Crystal Lake of Friday the 13th fame has put you off for life, what better way to pay tribute to summer than to visit some of New Zealand’s great lakes? Definitely more hipster than beaches, lakes generally provide a cooler, calmer alternative – and you can avoid the problem of getting sand all up in your nether-regions. In the North Island, Rotorua has all the goodies, such as Blue Lake and Lake Rotoiti, while in the South Island, Lake Wanaka forms the proud watery centrepiece. If you know someone who can hook you up with a boat, why not indulge in some biscuiting, or try your hand at waterskiing? If swimming’s not your thing, set yourself up on the shores with a fishing pole, and catch yourself something other than what you would catch at The Break.
 
8. Summer Markets
You know how you always wanted to check out the farmers’ market during the semester but could never quite manage to get up early enough/were too busy? With the endlessly long summer days ahead, now is your chance to embrace your inner senior citizen and check out the best of what local produce has to offer, all over the country. It’s not all just boring jams, chutneys and cheeses; impress your friends and family with unique Christmas prezzies from the Auckland Art & Craft Fair or the Wellington Christmas market in December. Or keep an eye out for the ever popular, oh-so-cool vintage clothing markets… and come back to uni next year wearing something slightly better than tights as pants.
 
9. Great Walks
Now, Critic is not the type to endorse the making of shitty New Year’s resolutions that are just setting oneself up for failure (examples: sobriety, abstinence, weight loss). But a little summer fitness regime never hurt anyone, right? Try the very Bear Grylls-worthy Tongariro Northern Circuit walk – you get to walk through all sorts of cool volcanic stuff! Head to Aoraki Mount Cook National Park for some more adventures, with a range of walking tracks available for all fitness levels – half-hour strolls along paved paths will suit Computer Science students, should they choose to venture outdoors this summer, while perhaps PE students might wish to tackle some of the more gruelling alpine hikes. Or even try climbing to the top of the motherfucking mountain.
 
10. Don’t Forget Your Roots
This summer, I dare you to do something from your childhood. In all the glitz and glamour of our adulthood summers, with the pretentious wining and dining and concert going, the true essence of a Kiwi summer has been lost. Remember when summer was about prowling the streets of your hometown with your mates, looking for trouble? Spending tearful hours trying to find your favourite lost jandal in the muddy depths of the local waterhole? Playing a brutally competitive game of pooh sticks in the creek? Building an epic slip ‘n’ slide in your backyard using the family picnic tarpaulin and dishwashing detergent? As the immortal summer anthem by Bryan Adams goes, those were the best days of my life. And yours. Don’t even try to deny it.