Bright and early, my boyfriend James and I boarded the ferry in Wellington, ready to embark on the final chapter of my big adventure. Some people choose to fly from island to island, as it’s quicker, more comfortable and will take you straight to a major city. But these people are seriously missing out. The ferry ride from Wellington to Picton is just as much a highlight of a trip to New Zealand as seeing Mount Cook or learning about Maori culture, specifically the very last stretch through the Marlborough Sounds. 1500km of winding waterways through sunken valleys provide a most impressive welcome to the South Island, and we got especially lucky with the weather. As with all coastal regions, the weather can turn in an instant, and we started our journey in pretty overcast conditions. With a stroke of luck, however, sunlight burst through the clouds as we neared the spectacle, and though the cold and blustery winds persisted they couldn’t take away from the views: the cool blue water hugged tightly the soft edges of the islands and inlets that surrounded us, the ripples of their outlines mirroring those trailing behind us as we came into the dock. Back on dry land, we grabbed our luggage, packed up our rental car and set off to find our first campsite for the night.
Somehow we managed to discover a tiny spot somewhere between Picton and Nelson, so obscure I can’t find it on a map. There weren’t any signs for it, bar one humble wooden post signalling free camping on the edge of the road. We parked up and trusted a footpath that was just about visible to lead us away from the road and down to our home for the night. And what a find. It was a very small inlet, with water and beaches on both sides, closed off by islands just like the ones we had sailed through only a couple of hours before. Best of all, we had it completely to ourselves. Our private slice of paradise was the perfect precursor of what we were to experience throughout our road trip; solitude, serenity, and sandflies. Soon to become my mortal enemy, it would seem these little terrors have a love for beautiful, waterside locations too. They are small, silent bloodsuckers, whose bites are insanely sharp and itchy, and stuck around far longer than any mosquito bite I’ve ever had. I still bore the marks of their attacks weeks after I touched back down in England. We resigned ourselves to the fact that, to camp in the picturesque places we wanted, they were simply going to be part of the package, and bathing in insect repellent would be our best shot against their insatiable appetite.
The South Island is a glorious geographical mish-mash. After spending a couple of days in Abel Tasman National Park, feeling like we’d landed on a tropical island as we wandered through jungle-like terrain and lounged on sun-kissed sand, we headed down the west coast to Franz Josef to see the 12km glacier of the same name, cascading like a frozen wave through a gap in the snowcapped mountains. Driving along the largely deserted roads was genuinely a highlight of the trip because around every unassuming corner lay a new epic landscape. What wonder would it be this time, we asked ourselves. A glistening lake? Rich green fields? Imposing and frosty mountains? Usually it was a combination of these delights, with perhaps a scattering of houses here and there but more often than not we were the only ones around to appreciate it. Bliss is a word that came to mind pretty frequently.
Oh, we found some beauties, and none more so than Wanaka. Now as I’ve just said, beauty lies in wait all over New Zealand, and it is possible the impeccable weather played a hand in making this town so special to us, but Wanaka really was a breathtaking stay, swiftly becoming our favourite. As the town is surrounded on all sides by the Southern Alps, it gets taken over in the winter by snow sports fans, and in the summer it’s a haven for hikers. We arrived fairly late in the afternoon, so that would have to wait for the next day, but I got to spend a few hours catching up with Jazz, an old friend who had relocated to this special corner of the world roughly a year previously. As well as filling me in with all the important life updates, she gave us some top tips on what not to miss, to make the most of our short time here. The next day was picture-perfect from start to finish. The sun was shining down on us, igniting all the colours around us and making the place feel so alive. It was easily the best weather we’d had since arriving on the South Island, so we were determined to make the most of it.
In truth, I’m not the best hiker. I can walk for miles so long as it’s flat, but scaling a mountain is a different ball game for me and my little legs, so we decided on the Diamond Lake and Rocky Mountain path, one of the more leisurely routes that still provides panoramic views at the summit. James did the right thing and ignored my complaining, practically pushing me all the way to the top as I moaned about sore limbs. The scenery was incredible as soon as we got above ground level, and one of the best parts of this hike in particular is that you get an unobscured outlook over Lake Wanaka and the town for most of the route, but that view from the summit really was something else. We saw higher peaks rising to the west of us, dusted in snow that didn’t make it as low as Rocky. These were replaced by smaller, more gentle hills to the east, out-shone by the glassy waters of Lake Wanaka, dressed in its boldest blue as it wound itself around small, scattered islands. It was simply breathtaking, a masterpiece of nature, and definitely worth those extra steps that, out of sheer laziness, I was foolishly willing to skip . We could’ve sat up there for hours, soaking in the warm sunshine and gorgeous scenes, but we had to hot foot it back down to make our booking for a free wine tasting at Rippon Winery. Yes, free. A word that’s music to any young traveller’s ears. We sampled six delicious wines, set in a beautiful traditional vineyard in a prime location right beside the lake; it was an idyllic afternoon pretending to be sophisticated, and we loved every second of it. After leaving the vineyard, we found a quiet spot down by the water to string up the hammock, where we whiled away the last of the light, and headed back to our campsite just before dark. It felt like a textbook ‘New Zealand’ day; a hike, wine tasting, stunning scenery all round, and a mellow energy running all the way through it. Like I said, picture-perfect.
After a quick morning coffee to say a sad goodbye to Jazz and our new favourite place, we left Wanaka for backpacker favourite Queenstown. I was really excited to get to this vibrant little town, after hearing so many positive things from friends who’d visited before. There are no camping sites within Queenstown, and I was particularly keen to stay close to the action, so we decided to book into a hostel; we just so happened to stay in the same hostel, at the same time, as most of my Kiwi Bus pals that I’d left back in Wellington. So, after spending the day peacefully wandering around the town centre, whilst admiring the backdrop of the Southern Alps and views across Lake Wakatipu, it was finally time to let our hair down and have a proper night out - the first since arriving on the South Island - with my old bus buddies. As much as I was loving the subdued nature of staying out in the wild, it felt great to ramp up the energy and excitement for the night, and remind myself of the other side of travelling as a 20-something.
As always with us, no sooner had we arrived and started to make ourselves comfortable than the bags were back in the car and we set off to Te Anau to explore a lesser populated part of the Fiordland National Park, before our early start at nearby Milford Sound the following day. From looking at the map of the area, we thought we’d be able to find a picturesque camping spot with ease, maybe even looking out to the fiords. Sadly, though, we couldn’t have been more wrong. We drove for what felt like hours in search of a site suitable for a tent, but to no avail. This was a bit of reoccurring issue; New Zealand is definitely better suited to campervans than traditional camping, but this particular evening was an extreme example. Eventually we came across a site that would just have to do. It was dark, wet and well past dinner time. The pair of us were getting hungrier and more miserable as the minutes ticked by, and as we pulled into a clearing and I looked out the window to see the wind whipping through the trees beside the car, the floor glistening with what little moonlight was breaking through the clouds because of how sodden it was, I turned to James and demanded we sleep in the car. There was no way, I assured him, that I am going to sleep in that. He took some convincing, but gave in once he realised he’d be in the tent on his own if he persevered. So a dinner of cold snacks and a makeshift camper-car was how we ended the day - not our finest hour, and definitely the worst night of our trip. A stark reminder that everyday is different when you’re travelling, but looking back I don’t think I would change it. It was a challenge, yes, but with hindsight I can see the ridiculousness about the whole debacle, and now it’s one hell of a memory.
I’d love to say the next morning was a breeze in comparison, but our misfortune continued for a little bit longer. Although we slept surprisingly well in our temporary abode, we had to get on the road painfully early if we were to make our sunrise kayak trip through the Milford Sound. Blurry eyed and groggy we made it to our meeting point on time, only to be told it had been cancelled due to poor visibility. What a punch to the gut after going through all of those ordeals the previous night purely to make this trip. I don’t know if we were just so exhausted, physically and emotionally, but neither of us were that disappointed. It was a shame, of course, because it would’ve been a really special experience, but I think we were both happy enough to get back in the car to sleep for a few more hours, then board a ferry to see the Sound that way. And it turned out to be a lovely day. Not weather-wise, it was still very overcast with sporadic downpours, which would have made kayaking pretty miserable. But seeing Milford Sound had been one of the reasons I came to New Zealand in the first place, and it didn’t disappoint. Sailing through soaring peaks and low hanging clouds, and getting inches away from waterfalls towering so high above us, was awesome in every sense of the word. Plus, being on a boat that I didn’t need to steer myself meant I could take photos, something I would’ve been gutted to miss out on on this once-in-a-lifetime trip. Yes, the sun making an appearance would have been the best outcome, but there was something very atmospheric about the grey, gloomy sky above the imposing mountain ridges, and even the rain couldn’t dampen our spirits as we gazed in awe at this most extraordinary place. Seeing nature’s finest work lifted our moods immensely, and we stepped back onto dry land with our old excitable energy back in full swing. With pretty much the full day still ahead of us (one perk of being up so obscenely early), we headed back to Queenstown to delve into more of its offerings. This included riding the cable car up to Bob’s Peak, giving us incredible views of the lakeside town from 450 metres up, and a chance to play around at Luge, which is like hillside go-karting with gravity doing all the work. After a rocky interlude it was great to see off our time in Queenstown in a lighthearted way, full of fun and laughter; exactly the remedy we needed.
Our next destination was Lake Pukaki. Although often overshadowed by nearby Lake Tekapo, they both share the same shocking turquoise water and serene mountainous backdrop, but to Pukaki’s advantage it has a campervan site right by the waters edge, and a camping site (for those of us roughing it in a tent) a short drive away. Somewhat bitter that we couldn’t set up camp overlooking the lake, we decided to spend the evening there anyway. Armed with our camp chairs and gas cooker, we (ok, James) cooked dinner and watched the sunset transform the sky from a soft blue to a gorgeous pink and purple medley, before disappearing behind the mountains opposite us, leaving a clear, starry blanket above our heads. We sipped away at the wine we had bought after our tasting in Wanaka, and enjoyed an evening of pure peace. Not even sandflies could ruin this one - it was one of those moments you go travelling in search of, simultaneously effortless yet impactful.
aThere was a slight sombre mood between us the next morning, because we had reached the last day of our journey together. After a slow start, packing up the tent for the very last time, we set off for Christchurch. For our last day together we treated ourselves to a bit of luxury, in the form of a private room in a hostel (still on a budget, you know). I don’t remember why exactly but we lost the whole day on the journey, maybe the morning was much slower than I recall, so by the time we arrived and unloaded our bags it was the evening again. We got dressed up and headed out for dinner at a proper restaurant, a treat I’d rarely indulged in since first landing in Australia almost two months prior, then randomly stumbled across a Christmas festival on our way back to the hostel. There was a huge crowd of people gathered in front of a stage, boldly lit and occupied by an array of performers, most of whom were dressed in Christmas-themed costumes. With absolutely zero context for this it was quite surreal, kind of like Alice finding Wonderland, but we dived in with enthusiasm. Honestly, I don’t know if you had to get a ticket. No one stopped us, and there was a distinct lack of security for a private event, so I’m going to go with… no? But either way I feel no shame about gatecrashing, seeing as to this day where we were, or what this gig was in aid of, remains a mystery. It almost feels like a dream; watching a young singer belt out pop songs while Santa danced behind her with various other festive folk and, I assume, some famous faces too. It was a weird and wonderful discovery for our final night together, and felt like an oddly fitting way to wrap up our rollercoaster of a road trip.
Before I knew it, we were saying our goodbyes and I was back on the big green bus, this time with a whole new bunch of people. It felt quite daunting, going from travelling with just one other person, pretty much isolated from others for two weeks, to being surrounded by my loud, excitable peers again without any familiar faces to lean back on. But I don’t mean this in a negative way; I loved how crazy and fast-paced my time in the North Island had been, not to mention the weeks I spent doing the same in Australia, just as much as I revelled in the tranquility of camping in the wild, just the two of us. I actually feel incredibly lucky to have had the chance to experience New Zealand both ways, as it opened me up to so many more opportunities for adventure, learning and meeting likeminded people.
The final stop on my Kiwi journey was Kaikoura, a town on the east coast of the island. There are large populations of whales, dolphins and seals that reside around the coast here, making it a hub for encounters with marine mammals in particular. A lifelong dream of mine has been to swim with dolphins and whales, an aspiration I’ve held onto since childhood. As a kid I used to look at pictures of people playing with dolphins in those ‘amusement’ parks and wish my parents would take me to one, but as I grew older I quickly understood this was not the way to treat, let alone interact with, wild animals. I knew if I was ever going to achieve my dream, it was going to be in the animals’ natural habitat, completely on their terms. So, after hearing a bit more about the tour company offering this trip to swim with wild dolphins, I signed myself up, assured that they were going about this the right way. The pre-trip talk that we were given before boarding the boat put my mind even more at ease; our guides reminded us that there was always the possibility that we wouldn’t see any dolphins, let alone have a close encounter with one, as well as informing us that they don’t encourage the animals in any way to interact with us, with food for example. They spoke of wildlife with so much respect and gave me no indication that the company saw these animals as money-making machines, which was a real weight off my mind. I knew I was in the hands of a team with the same outlook on this sensitive subject as me. Aboard the little boat, kitted up from head to toe in neoprene and flippers, myself and the rest of the group were restless with anticipation. After a short and slightly uncomfortable ride out of the bay, we got past the choppy waves and out onto calmer open waters. And it wasn’t long before the alarm started blaring to let us know a pod had been sighted. The boat came to a halt and the guides herded us into water.
Well, when I tell you I was shocked by what I saw… in my mind I was thinking, if we even get to see a pod there may be 10, give or take? To my delight there had to be at least 50 dolphins, probably more, making a beeline straight towards us. In the water they were swimming circles around us, their natural curiosity drawing them closer and closer. We were told on the boat that they would respond best to sound, so we were all trying our best to make as much noise as we could, snorkels permitting. They also loved looking into our eyes, and mimicking our movements. It was so surreal to be making these strange, fluid movements with my body and watching a dolphin, no more than a metre from me, do the very same. It honestly seemed like the dolphins were getting just as much enjoyment out of the event as we were; they were so playful and energetic, and knowing they were there, partaking in this wonderful experience, of their own free will, able to leave any time they wanted, made the whole experience infinitely more special. I found myself laughing at times, so blown away by what was happening around me, and back on the boat it seemed everyone else was experiencing the same loss for words or intelligent thought. But every single one of us was wearing a childish grin, the kind you only get when you’re feeling such a pure, exuberant happiness that you can’t quite believe. We moved onto another location, where we were treated with the same numbers, and same level of intrigue, from these incredible creatures. They wouldn’t even leave our side as we made our way back to land, chasing each other and propelling themselves out of the water, and racing the boat on its way back to shore. My final day on the South Island couldn’t have been spent in a more perfect way, but Kaikoura had one final surprise that evening: the most electric sunset I’ve ever seen, a gradient ranging from the last of the golden light touching the horizon, through intense hues of orange, pink and purple, to a deep violet at the top to signal the oncoming dusk. What a send off from this most beautiful corner of the world, and one I am certain to cherish for the rest of my life.
Over the next few days I made my way back up to Auckland for my flights home, stopping in a few towns I’d been to before, like Rotorua and Taupo. It was nice to see these places again, and I’ll never complain about getting a second chance to explore further, but the romantic in me would’ve liked my day in Kaikoura to have been the last of my trip. It just felt so poignant, with all that I saw, as well as it being the last ‘new’ destination along my journey, so it made for a pretty impeccable closing note to my adventure of a lifetime. And what an adventure it was. Writing this now, far too long after returning to the UK (sorry to keep you waiting for so long), I’m filled with nostalgia and warmth thinking back to my time in New Zealand and Australia. All the incredible places I saw, the brilliant people that I met along the way, and the stories and memories I have collected, will stay with me forever, and are definitely fuelling my wanderlust for whenever we’re allowed to venture to new parts of the world again. We can only hope that that day comes very soon. Until then, I need to come up with some more blog content… wish me luck!
Stay tuned, next stop: TBC.