I’d never been to New Zealand before, so I was excited about going to the Rhythm & Vines festival and visiting a new country.  Although the thought of a 26 hour flight was not very enticing, I was sure it would be an amazing experience and gritted my teeth.

We stayed for a few days in Auckland before the festival, taking in the sites and trying everything from sailing around the harbour to eating lots of fresh seafood. A memorable moment was taking in the views of the city from  the sky tower and walk on Rangitoto Island, a dormant volcano that was formed 600 years ago.  It was also our first Christmas away from home and family, which was a bit strange at first, but we made the most of it and adapted quickly.

After Auckland we flew to Gisborne in the smallest plane known to man.  Unfortunately there wasn’t room for our luggage (!), so it had to be sent on the next outgoing plane, but the views across the country as we flew were breathtaking. Our hotel was close to the beach in Gisborne and a short walk to the town centre and the owner Joan was friendly and helped us settle in.  We quickly learned that everyone in New Zealand was genuinely friendly and always happy to talk to you, which wasn’t helpful when you had a lot of work to do and are used to London (where no one smiles or talks to you in the street).

Now in its 6th year, Rhythm & Vines focuses on bringing fun loving people together in one of New Zealand's most scenic and natural locations – Waiohika Estate Vineyards!  The event kicked off on Monday 29th December, with the likes of Franz Ferdinand, The Kooks, Santogold, Jamie Liddell and the Mystery Jets entertaining a 20,000 strong crowd.  The line-up for this year’s event was also the most ambitious yet and included more than 140 national and international acts, 5 stages, chill out zones, food & market stalls, and a 25 metre waterslide!  And yes, there was a girl who went down it completely naked after drinking too much!

“Rhythm & Vines festival is like the north islands' attempt at recreating the atmosphere of what it would be like walking around the set of 'braveheart' crossed with a road-side illegal rave. Tribal flags flap noisily in the wind from the top of the ravines while demonic-sounding fidget house beckons bin the gullies bellow. Bands and the public are treated with the same kind manners by the hard working festival kids and the sentiment is echoed in the crowd responses to the bands across the stages all weekend. If Mystery jets arent on the bill this time next year, i will be forking out for a ticket from my own pocket.” - An Enthused Blaine from the Mystery Jets

Day two included the likes of Ladyhawke, Cut Copy, Fort Knox Five and Busy P with Public Enemy being the crowd highlight. Flava Flav even walked amongst the crowd, dressed in a skeleton outfit before jumping on stage and revealing himself from his disguise.  DJ Nu Mark then rocked it into the early hours of the morning, cheekily splicing the Flight of The Concordes theme tune into his set.

New Years Eve was eagerly anticipated with the locals arriving early, ready to show us how to party New Zealand style. Local heroes Shihad played into the countdown, with a breathtaking acrobatic display and a technicolour fireworks show adding to the electrifying atmosphere.

“Anticipation is high and everyone seems ready to take it to the next level. We’ve had a fantastic 48 hours of cloudless skies and day long sunshine, which certainly helps to lift the mood! The new three day format has been a great success and we even had an English lad proposing to his Kiwi girlfriend on the main stage, it was another first for Rhythm and Vines,” said Festival Founder Hamish Pinkham.

Carl Cox and Digitalism kept the party fires burning till sunrise; being one of the first in the world to see the first sunrise of 2009 was a truly magical moment, as it rose over the hills and shone over the festival site like a bright beacon of light.

“I got to see Public Enemy which was amazing after 20 years, to see them come back and play in the way they did and to see everyone jumping to all their songs was just phenomenal.  I had a really good time. A 3 hour set to the masses.  I’d love to come back and play the Rhythm & Vines Festival and it’s one of the best festivals in the world that I have played at for sure.  Anyway, rock on New Zealand and you should definitely be proud be what you have created.” commented Carl Cox when I recently asked him about his experiences.

After a few days chilling out in Gisborne and sampling the local Hokey Pokey Ice Cream (which I have to say is the best ice cream I have ever tasted), it was time for our scheduled road trip. Our first stop was the art deco town of Napier, the old houses and architecture dating back to the 1930’s.  It was a 6 hour drive through windy roads that weaved through mountains; with no decent local radio stations, the only things that got us through the gruelling journey was the new Kings of Leon album!  

After several coffees to keep us wired for the next leg of the drive, we were back behind the wheel and on our way to Lake Taupo, the biggest inland lake in New Zealand.  The next day we were ready for adventure and our first stop was Rotorua to experience all the geothermal wonders. Steam rose from cracks, gardens and pathways, mixed with the distinctive scent of sulphur in this active thermal area. There were geysers, boiling pools of mud, silica terraces, mud fumaroles. Next we took a ride on the Hukka Jet through the Waikato River, experiencing 360 degree spins and speeds of over 80km/hour!  We even went right through the base of the falls which, of course soaked everyone through!

With adrenaline pumping fast though our veins, the next thing on the agenda was to have a go at skydiving.  As we were waiting for our turn we saw the couple that had proposed during the festival making a perfect landing (and all in one piece) which made me feel slightly more relaxed!! We jumped from 15,000 to get the most out of the freefall and as we dangled our feet over the side of the plane, we knew that there was definitely no turning back.  It was strange though; the freefall didn’t feel like you were plummeting to your death, as there was a cameraman in your face holding your hand and making you do superman and other equally ridiculous poses.  As the shoot opened, I finally relaxed and took in the views over the lake which were, again, simply stunning. After landing my heart was still pumping at double time for a good couple of hours and no matter how much I drunk to calm myself down, I couldn’t seem to replace the adrenaline and get drunk.  An experience I’ll never forget, we’ve even got the video to show our friends and family to give them a good laugh at our silly faces.

After our adrenaline filled days at Taupo, it was time for something more sedated and tranquil and we visited the beautiful coastline on the Coromandel.  Matt tried his hand at game fishing and we took a glass bottomed boat trip along the coastline and took in the sights at the famous Cathederal cove.  If you’ve seen the Film the Prince of Caspian you’ll know what I am talking about.

Our final stop was the beautiful Waiheke Island to visit our friends who recently moved there. Their house has amazing views and you can even pick fresh muscles and oysters at the bottom of their garden at a low tide. The island is also renowned for its wine, so we visited some local vineyards to sample their wears – they passed the test!

Before we knew it, it was time to leave (time goes quickly when you are driving from place to place non-stop).  New Zealand was not what I expected,  but it is a beautiful country full of friendly people, natural surroundings and experiences I will never forget. I hope to have more time to go back and explore the rest of the country soon.

www.rhythmandvines.co.nz
www.tourism.net.nz