What started as an impairment to our view, became a key element in creating a wonderfully atmospheric and enchanting silent drama. Having gotten up early to see Lake Matheson, with the hope of still waters and a mirror image, the land was filled with low land fog. As we walked around the lake edge to …
The final leg of our journey took my dad and I up the east coast. First stop was Akaroa, a peninsula to the south east of Christchurch, visiting my friend Cece who I originally met during my first wwoofing experience last April. A town with a strong French influence, Akaroa is reached by a long …
Our first view of Mount Cook National Park came as we rounded a corner in the road. A large turquoise blue lake emerged on our right, mirroring the small mountain range beside it. Up ahead, a brilliantly white jagged outline marked our destination. What we had first assumed to be Mount Cook, actually turned out …
Milford Sound was something of an epic adventure. After a four hour drive, our first stop was in the town of Te Anau. We quickly found no short walks in the area appealed to us and instead went to a film showing in the local cinema. The film, Ata Whenua (Maori for Shadowland), was the …
Our first stop inland was Wanaka, the small town where I had originally planned to spend my winter. Dad was looking forward to seeing this place, one of the more prominent features of my travels to date. I had mixed feelings, knowing it would not be the same without the people that had helped make …
From Abel Tasman National Park our journey led west to the Great Coastal Road. We stopped for lunch in Murchison, a small town with wide streets and hilly backdrops, making dad reminisce over time spent in Canada. A unique vintage shop housed within a barn had rusted trucks out front, setting the scene for the …
Seven weeks after buying his plane ticket my dad arrived in Wellington airport, thirty odd hours of plane time initiating him to the world of travel. I felt a rush of emotion hugging him after over a year, though only minutes passed before it felt like we had never been apart. We spent that Tuesday …
Aside from walks in the area, my immediate objectives were to find a job and a home here in Wanaka for the winter. Both were easier said than done with a whole crowd of hopefuls here on the same mission! It took around four weeks of searching, checking the weekly Messenger, a local magazine full …
After the Queen Charlotte Track we took a day off to plan our trip down to Wanaka, the town I plan to stay and work throughout the winter. Our first stop was to be Christchurch, the most populated city on the South Island, still currently recovering from the 2011 earthquake. Our accommodation was in the …
The day after setting foot on the South Island, CeCe and I began our first trek. This was to be a three day journey over 71km (45 miles) within Queen Charlotte Sound, carrying everything we would need on with us including tent, sleeping bags and food. We were up early, needing to be at the …
