A 30 HOUR journey to reach your destination may not be the ideal start for some peoples’ dream holiday.

But during our three week trip exploring New Zealand in a campervan my boyfriend and I think we may have discovered the ideal wake up call in Auckland.

Donning jumpsuits and harnesses, we were transported to the top of the Sky Tower ready to chuck ourselves off the tallest building in the country at 85 km an hour...also known as Sky Jump.

With a camera strapped on our wrist to capture every squeal and expletive we were ready to go and, after the initial shock of stepping off the platform, could actually enjoy a couple of seconds taking in the view before hurtling to the crash mat 192m below.

Amazing fun for daredevils and it’s not often you can become part of a city’s most famous tourist attraction as screens around the viewing deck count down to the next jumper for holidaymakers who prefer to keep their feet on the ground.

After a blast of adrenaline to blow away the jet lag cobwebs, we headed to Rotorua for some relaxation time at Hells Gate.

Given its name by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, the geothermal park is filled with erupting hot water lakes and bubbling mud pools formerly used by Maori chiefs for everything from treating rheumatism to cooking a whole pig in under two hours.

After an hour’s stroll it was time for us to get dirty in our own mud bath before chilling out in one of the park’s spa pools.

Forget the name, it was bliss.

Some argue New Zealand’s South Island is particularly beautiful of the two and with that in mind there can’t be many more picturesque spots than east coast town Kaikoura.

With snow-capped mountains and the deep blue Pacific Ocean providing the perfect backdrop for photographs, Kaikoura is a mecca for animal-lovers with trips to swim with seals, dolphins and see the world’s largest seabird the albatross.

But it was a much bigger marine mammal which caught our attention as we set off with Whale Watch Kaikoura in the hunt for a sperm whale.

And with a 95 per cent success rate our chances were very good as the crew on our well-equipped boat soon used their vast experience to track down our first whale.

It’s hard to appreciate just how big the world’s largest toothed predator is on first sighting as the majority is hidden under the waves.

It’s only as staff warned us to have cameras at the ready for the breath-taking moment his vast tail appeared you really understand why thousands flock to see Kaikoura’s year-round resident.

A fantastic trip was rounded off by our knowledgeable guides also pointing out New Zealand fur seals, albatross and dusky dolphins along the way.

We ended our holiday with something we were both dying to try.

A heli hike on the Franz Josef glacier with the Helicopter Line may be the most expensive excursion during our trip but what a way to spend your New Zealand dollars.

Kitted out with waterproof gear and crampons we headed to our helicopter before descending on a winter wonderland that would put Bents to shame.

With our pickaxe-wielding guide shaping steps for us, we clambered our way through glittering ice caves and tunnels feeling like explorers discovering new lands.

The frozen landscape, spread over 12km, changes almost daily but despite heading into unchartered territory our guide ensured there was never a flicker of doubt in our minds our trip would end up like Touching the Void.

An unforgettable and thrilling experience.

Overall a holiday to Middle Earth may involve one of the longest flights in the world but it’s worth every minute of the journey.