New Zealand has a reputation as an outdoor (and cycling paradise) I found the New Zealand landscape beautiful but a bit over-sold at tourist spots it was a bit harsh. The people were overall some of the friendliest I met in the English-speaking world, being neither brash nor cynical. New Zealand may nay not boast superlatives but it is a very nice,open and varied country in a small package. Personally, it was a time to commune again with nature after the harsh environments in SEAsia and Australia and a time to visit friends.