I should finish the Howling Fjord today and think I'll swing over and go through the Borean Tundra. Being 72, it might be a tad easy for me, but to me, the object of the beta is to see, and try, as much as possible.
That being said, I'm finding that there's very little gear that's better than what I'm using for offspec at the moment. I can solo just about anything if I'm careful not to pull the whole place at once. Those picking up gear as they enter the world will find it more challenging, but ultimately more rewarding.
The world is beautiful and I'm impressed with the lore. The reasons make sense to me, and a lot of the quests in the Howling Fjord fit into my idea of Tauren lore. I don't know why, maybe because it's so new and different, but I have enjoyed the look of the villages and fortress of the Vykrul. The Norse influence appeals to me.
As to the shaman trees, I like seeing haste and spellpower on the gear.
We should try to schedule a time when we can get 5 of us together and begin by trying Utgarde. I did talk to someone who's T6 geared that tanked it without wipes with only 3 people.