Queenstown: Finishing with a Flourish

It was with mixed emotions that we arrived in Queenstown, the final destination of our trip. Of course we were excited to be in New Zealand’s tourist mecca and adventure capital. With trips to the stunning Milford Sound and legendary Fergburger among our lineup, it’s safe to say it was going to be a good week. But the prospect of our impending journey home and the conflicting thoughts it inspired constantly hung over our heads. Excited to see our families. Nervous about starting (or in my case, finding) work. Sad that the trip of a lifetime had gone by so quickly. And downright depressed at the thought of the 30+ hour journey home. Despite all this we were determined to have the best week ever, and go out with a bang. And that’s just what we did.

Things got off to a great start, with our first evening consisting of a trip to Fergburger followed by movie night at our hostel (Southpaw – worth a watch!). We had managed to bag beds at the incredibly in demand Adventure Queenstown Backpackers, and were impressed from the off-set. Flash ensuite bathrooms, free unlimited WiFi, personal USB charging points, reading lights, free towels, two (!!!) pillows. It was clear to see why they are always fully booked. You can even rent GoPro’s and iPads free of charge. Need I say more? With Fergburger ticked off the list (not that we were ruling out a return visit, it was so delicious), we turned our attention to the rest of our itinerary. Milford Sound, skiing and the gondola and luge track were our top priorities, so bright and early on our first morning we set about inquiring at various tour companies. We had little difficulty in organising a day trip to Milford Sound, but unfortunately the same cannot be said for skiing. A clear indicator of our inexperience, we had budgeted $250 for two days of lessons and gear rental. We were optimistic, to say the least. Mentally calculating the total cost as a member of hostel staff reeled off the daily prices, we were shocked. It came to $400. Perhaps that’s just one particular resort, we reasoned. But, after leaving several tour companies having been quoted a similar figure, we were forced to concede that we just had not budgeted enough. As total beginners one days worth of lessons would get us nowhere, and so seemed totally pointless. Perhaps it was time to reconsider our plans.

Commonly tipped to be the most stunning part of New Zealand, we had high hopes for Milford Sound and the Fiordland National Park. A casual 300km from Queenstown, we were praying it was worth the journey. For a mere $30 extra we upgraded to the VIP tour package, meaning we were treated to reclining seats, extra leg room and a glass roof to take in those mountain views. Comfort, we decided, was the number one priority if we were going to spend 10 hours on a bus. It was a day full of surprises. The scenery as we passed through the National Park was so utterly breathtaking that, in all honesty, Milford Sound itself didn’t quite measure up! Not that this mattered, as our friendly bus driver stopped plenty of times to allow us photo opportunities:

 

Once we had finally arrived at Milford, it was time to embark on our scenic cruise. 1 hour and 45 minutes seems like an awfully short time after making such a long journey, but it was totally worth it. We couldn’t have picked a more beautiful day to enjoy all that Milford had to offer:

It’s no surprise that this is commonly considered to be one of the most beautiful parts of New Zealand, and indeed the world. To say that we were glad we had decided to make the trip would be an understatement. Money and time well spent! By the time we arrived back in Queenstown it was 8:30pm, so cooking was clearly out of the question… instead, we decided to test out Ferburger’s rival restaurant, Devil burger. Akin in price and quality, the only thing that sets them apart is the wait time. In the 14 years that it’s been open Ferburger has achieved worldwide recognition for it’s food, becoming a bustling tourist hub. Nothing testifies this better than the queue, which almost always stretches halfway down the street. Conversely Devil Burger is much lesser known, meaning you are able to order instantly and actually sit down to eat your food! The burger was delicious, but it didn’t quite measure up to Fergburger. Perhaps it’s the atmosphere, and the heightened anticipation that comes with the half an hour wait. Whatever it is, the guys behind Fergburger must be raking it in. They’ve even set up Fergbakery and Mrs Ferg Gelataria next door (of course, we had to sample both. They’re equally delicious). As you can tell, it didn’t take us long to figure out that Queenstown is more than adequately equipped for the hoardes of hungry skiers and revellers that are constantly passing through.

On that note, I’ll return to our skiing predicament. $250 may not have bought us two days of ski lessons, but it sure paid for a lot of alternatives, and then some! After a lengthy peruse on bookme.com (New Zealand’s Groupon equivalent), we had bagged ourselves a host of bargains. Ice skating for $10, jet boating for $59, and entry and a cocktail at Queenstowns ice bar for $15, plus a trip to the cinema. More than enough to keep us entertained. Speaking of entertainment, Josh got to witness my ice skating skills for the first time, much to his amusement. Still, I was proud. I managed to skate the entire circumference of the ice rink without clinging to the sides or falling over. A personal best! With so many activities on offer it’s easy to overlook the beauty of Queenstown itself. Bordered by snowy mountains and the beautiful Lake Wakatipu, it’s certainly a beautiful place to explore. As well as strolling around the lakefront we hiked up Queenstown hill, which afforded some beautiful views of the landscape:

But that clearly wasn’t enough for the fitness fanatics among us (Josh, of course, not me) who decided that running would be an even better way to see the scenery. My jaw dropped when, after six months of no exercise, Josh returned and informed me that he had run 16km to the airport and back. In my current shape I think I’d struggle to run to the end of the road! Amidst all the fun there were a few grown up duties to attend to, such as car insurance and phone contracts. A taste of reality! With so much going on it’s no surprise that our final day was upon us before we knew it, and what a final day it was.

We had reserved (what we hoped to be) the best activities for our final day: the jet boating and the luge. As we boarded the 750 horsepower vessel we were both excited for the adventure and anxious that we wouldn’t be able to keep our breakfast down. After one hour of intense twists and several 360 degree turns, it was a close call, but it was most definitely worth it. It was without a doubt one of the most fun things we had ever done, so in a way not being able to ski turned out to be a blessing! Our awesome day continued with the luge run. Racing down an 800 metre track laid out on the sharp gradient of a mountain, what’s not to like?! The views weren’t too bad either:

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Of course, Josh disregarded the racing rules, promptly overtaking me despite my best efforts to block him, and continuing to do so on every race (we had 5). I’m not one for a cheesy catchphrase but I had to admit, theirs was pretty spot on: once just isn’t enough! Even five wasn’t enough! Our final day had been everything we wanted, and we had definitely achieved in our goal of ending on a high.

With that, we come to our final morning in New Zealand. Or mourning, I should say! One thing we were definitely not sad to say goodbye to was the assortment of dirty, holey, smelly clothes and shoes we had been lugging around with us for half a year. With our bags considerably lighter, and our hearts heavy, there was time for one final fergburger feast, before we made our way to the airport. It hasn’t sunk in yet, and probably won’t until we have been settled at home for a while, that the journey is over. But, without question, this adventure has inspired a thirst for many more in the future. See you in three flights and about thirty eight hours time, UK!

Wandering Wanaka

It’s no secret that any successful ski or snowboard getaway requires just two key components: mountains and nightlife. So with it’s bountiful supply of bars and Cardrona ski resort just half an hour away, it’s no wonder Wanaka is fast becoming a rival for Queenstowns title as New Zealand’s adventure capital. And if that’s enough, there’s the usual offering of skydiving, jetboating and rafting to keep the adrenaline flowing. If skiing and throwing yourself out of a plane aren’t on your agenda, as they weren’t ours, then the mountainous scenery certainly makes for some beautiful hikes. Now, before I continue, I feel obliged to explain something. I understand it may sound as if a pattern has been emerging of late, in terms of our shunning activities and excitement in favour of scenic walks and quiet evenings. I assure you, we aren’t boring (or at least not completely!) It just so happened that most of the big activities we wanted to do in the south island (the Franz Josef glacier hike, Milford sound, skiing) would all be occurring towards the end of our stay, which made for a quiet time leading up to this.

The winter months may see a lull in New Zealand’s usual flow of tourists, but it’s ski resorts are incessantly heaving. Which is why, for the first time in since we had arrived, we found our first choice of accommodation to be unavailable. And second. And third. In fact, every single backpackers in Wanaka was sold out, with the exception of Flying Kiwi. Now, considering it was a last resort, it could have been a lot worse. It was very basic, lacking any homely touches or helpful extras. But it was clean, well equipped and the beds were comfy, so we counted ourselves lucky. The only downside was our snoring roommates, but we couldn’t blame the hostel for that! We used Wanaka as a base to visit Franz Josef, staying two nights either side of our visit to the glacier. Or at least, that was the plan. Similarly to Tekapo, beautiful scenery is in no short supply in Wanaka. But if you aren’t skiing or skydiving, there aren’t too many more options for things to do. As always we were keen to get out and experience some of Wanaka’s beautiful scenery, so we decided to complete two of the best scenic walks in the area: the Mount Iron lookout and the lakefront loop. Standing 250 metres above the town of Wanaka Mount Iron certainly affords some impressive views of the surrounding scenery:

The scenery is equally beautiful from ground level, as we witnessed whilst walking around Lake Wanaka. In particular one section of the lake has become something of a hotspot for tourists, particularly the more snap-happy kind. The tree in the lake, a lone willow that stands some fifteen metres out in the lake. Perhaps not the most incredible sight, but certainly a beautiful and photogenic one:

As I mentioned earlier, the plan was to spend two nights in Wanaka either side of our Franz Josef stay. But when it came to our return trip, we were unsure that we would need two days. With the scenery explored, there was little left for us to do, and two nights back in the Flying Kiwi (snorer was still there!) was a less than appealing prospect. Our final destination, we had been holding back on money and activities in order to maximise our experience in Queenstown, the final week of our trip. So it was decided, and a few emails and alterations later, everything was in place. We would stay the one night in Wanaka, and then make our way directly to Queenstown. Let the final week of fun begin!

Fruitless Franz Josef

To say that the village of Franz Josef attracts tourists purely on the basis of visiting it’s namesake, the Franz Josef glacier, would be no overstatement. A scattering of restaurants and a single supermarket make up the totality of the local amenities, leaving little in the way of activities or entertainment. Still, one of New Zealand’s most famous natural phenomena, a day spent hiking the glacier is a must-do by any backpackers standards. For this reason we went to great lengths to arrange a visit, forking out an additional $80 for transport and taking a 6 and a half hour detour from our otherwise logical route.

Unfortunately, visiting New Zealand’s notoriously tempestuous West Coast in the depths of winter is the definition of a gamble. As we journeyed across country towards the rainforest region it seemed every mile accelerated the sky’s transition from blue to grey. Not a good sign. By the time we reached the village of Franz Josef any suggestion of sunshine had completely faded, and so had our hopes of hiking the glacier. Within an hour of our arrival the rain had begun and, as I’m sure you’ve gathered by now, it refused to abate for the entire duration of our stay. Due to rapid ice-melt the glacier is now only accessible by helicopter, meaning optimal visibility, wind and weather conditions are essential. So despite our best efforts, we were unable to hike the glacier, and were faced instead with the prospect of two very long and uneventful days in Franz Josef.

Our timing may have been less than ideal weather wise, but it appeared that in terms of our hostel at least, it was pretty much perfect. Not only were we informed that we would be the first to test out the brand new mattresses that had just been delivered, we also had the dorm totally to ourselves for two of our three nights stay. With fast and free unlimited wifi, at least we could catch up on Netflix and spend a few days relaxing in peace. As well as the extra time on our hands, not doing the hike left us $325 better off, so we decided to treat ourselves to a rare meal out (and we definitely did NOT order pasta!)

As you can deduce from this decidedly short summary of our time in Franz Josef, I wasn’t exaggerating when I said that there is nothing to do in the town besides visit the glacier. Of course, taking into account the extra money and time we had invested in travelling to Franz Josef, the outcome was deeply disappointing, but not totally unexpected. After all, they don’t call it a rainforest for nothing! Tails between our legs we headed back to Wanaka, hoping we would have better luck with the remaining activities we had planned.

Tekapo: Mountains and Monopoly Madness

From the moment we stepped off the bus, Tekapo took our breath away. Set against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains and pine forests, all mirrored in a sparkling turquoise lake, you couldn’t picture a more quintessentially Kiwi town if you tried. Of course, the beautiful alpine scenery attracts a regular flow of visitors, but you wouldn’t know that from looking around. The town appears relatively untouched by tourism, sporting a single strip of shops consisting of a supermarket, a fuel station, and several cafes and restaurants.

The further south we travelled, the more we began to feel the cold creeping up on us, but thankfully our hostel was the perfect winter warmer. The beds were heaped with enough blankets to supply an arctic survival mission, and the common area was continually fed by a roaring log burner. A pleasant change of pace, the guys at Tailor Made Tekapo Backpackers had chosen to shun the standard bunk bed system, instead kitting the dorm out with rows of single beds. The result was that it felt like having a giant sleepover. Only with strangers. Who snore. We were even treated to individual bedside tables, lamps and plug sockets, a rare luxury! Unfortunately, despite all it’s redeeming qualities, the hostel did have one major flaw: the wifi. We tried our best to stifle our groans as the receptionist informed us that our free allocation was 100mb a day, after which an additionall 500mb could be purchased for just $2. Now, considering most mobile phone contracts include 1gb of data per month, this sounds like a fair deal. However, we had already experienced this particular wireless provider, Zappie, so we knew what to expect (or not expect!) 100mb, as we later proved, lasted a mere 10 minutes. 20 at a push, if you avoid videos, and sending media. In short, it was totally pointless. At first we were a little lost, wandering around contemplating how to fill our technology free evenings. After all, in 2015 internet is prioritised among the most basic  of commodities like water and oxygen. Luckily we discovered the hostel’s collection of board games, which ended up entertaining us for the majority of our stay. What started as one casual game of Monopoly escalated into a ferociously competitive tournament, spanning the three evenings we were in Tekapo.

If you’re a regular follower of our blog, you’ll know that prior to our arrival in Tekapo I had been placed on antibiotics for a severely swollen ankle, and instructed to rest it for the next two days. This presented no issue for our first day, which was spent settling in, unpacking and getting groceries. However, the weather forecast for our second day was sun, sun and more sun. Ideal conditions to take the 3 hour round trip up to the summit of Mount John, which provides panoramic views of Lake Tekapo and the many mountain ranges in the distance. After being forced to forgo the peninsular walk in Kaikoura, I was determined not to miss out on any more. The swelling was already subsiding, and the pain was gone, which was enough of a green light for me! Steep but otherwise easygoing, I managed to complete the walk without avoiding further injury. The views were incredible, and we indulged in a treat at the (strategically placed) summit cafe, making it well worth the walk. Mount John was just one of many walks available in Tekapo, of which Josh decided to explore more of on our second day. Not wanting to push my luck I decided to be sensible, and spend the day resting my foot, which turned out to be a wise decision. Sat in front of the fireplace, warm and dry, I couldn’t help but feel slightly smug when I heard the first raindrops hitting the window pane. Sorry Josh!

Once the scenery had been explored there was just one more thing to tick off our list: stargazing. Having recently been awarded the status of UNESCO dark-sky reserve, Tekapo is widely considered to be one of the best stargazing spots on the planet. Gloves, hats and scarves donned and torches in hand, we made our way out into the night and down to the lakefront. It’s no secret that the best stargazing spot is atop Mount John, where an observatory has been established by Canterbury University. But, frankly, it was cold and dark, and we didn’t fancy paying $129 for an official stargazing tour, so we made do. We were too close to town to avoid the light pollution, but it was a beautiful sight nonetheless, rivalled only by the incredible sky we had witnessed on Fraser Island.

With that we had pretty much exhausted all of the things to do in Tekapo, and were looking forward to our next adventure (and unlimited wifi!) So when we awoke on the morning of our departure, we were understandably horrified by the scene that greeted us:

Normally waking up to snow is a cause for excitement, as we pray that our schools/workplaces are closed for the day. However, in the middle of New Zealand’s winter snow only spells one thing: road closures and transport cancellations. In a tiny town with little to do and no free internet, the last thing we wanted was to be stranded for an extra day and night. Our bus wasn’t scheduled to depart until 1:40pm, so we spent the morning nervously watching from the window, muttering silent prayers for the snow to subside. And it seemed that someone heard us, because by some divine miracle it did indeed stop. By the time we made our way down to the bus stop the roads were clear, and the sun was well on it’s way to reducing the snow to a mess of grey slush. Close call!

Christchurch: Catch-ups and Casualties

Our visit to Christchurch saw us break the cardinal rule we had instated at the beginning of our travels: to stay at least two nights per town, so as not to tire ourselves out. But speaking to many people who had already visited, the general consensus was that there just isn’t anything to do there. In fact, we probably would have bypassed it altogether, had there been a direct bus from Kaikoura to Tekapo. In the end, it was a good job we didn’t! 
As chance would have it, two good friends we had made back in Australia were also in Christchurch the same night as us. In true backpacker style, we arranged to meet at our hostel and catch up over takeaway pizza. We spent the evening swapping stories of our travels since we had last seen each other, comparing our favourite spots in New Zealand and discussing the impending end of our trips. 

Unfortunately, the evening was cut short thanks to my aforementioned ankle injury, which appeared to be inflating at an impressive rate. Seeing as our next destination, the tiny town of Tekapo, had no medical centre, it seemed sensible to go and get it checked out at Christchurch’s 24 hour clinic. 2 hours and $110 later I was back in bed, with a large stash of antibiotics and orders to rest my foot for the next few days. 

Still, every cloud has its silver lining, and ours appeared on the morning of our departure. As we packed up our things and gave a cursory last sweep of the dorm, our eyes fell on an unfamiliar carrier bag in the corner of the room. Upon inspection, we found the bag to contain a bottle of wine, and a bottle of cider. As all our roommates had already checked out, we deduced that, intentionally or not, it had been left behind, and the owner would not be returning for the contents. After a minor moral debate that lasted no more than a few seconds, we claimed our prize and made a swift exit! As our bus trundled along the road to Tekapo, our minds were filled with visions of cold drinks by a warm fire. Result! 

Kaikoura: Nature’s Seal Sanctuary

A quirky seaside town that’s reportedly overrun with tourists during the summer, Kaikoura was somewhere that had been recommended to us again and again by travellers. Famed primarily for its wildlife, the coast of Kaikoura is home to an impressive number of seals, whales and penguins. The best (and cheapest!) way to scout out the sea-life is is by taking a stroll around the towns peninsular, which sees you pass beaches home to great colonies of seals. Our plans for Kaikoura extended no further than the peninsular walk, which would fill the best part of a day nicely. As it turned out, however, one of us would have a lot more spare time than anticipated.  

Our arrival in Kaikoura coincided with the appearance of a painful swelling in my ankle, which gradually worsened during our first night until it was impossible to walk on. By the time we were due to embark on the peninsular walk, it was clear I wouldn’t be able to join Josh. So other than the five minute walk from the bus stop to our hostel, the most I saw of Kaikoura was the inside of our room. On the upside, it was a private room, as the hostel had generously upgraded us at no extra cost, meaning I was free to lounge in bed and abuse my free trial of Netflix to my hearts desire. 

Still, seeing the photos of Josh’s outing, which he described as one of the most beautiful walks he’d ever done, I was understandably gutted. Not only were the beaches stunning, they were positively littered with seals, playing in pairs and lolling around in the sunshine. Surprisingly territorial, Josh recounted the moment he came too close for one seals liking, and was reminded with a sharp growl to keep his distance. Being in such proximity sounded so amazing, my one year old self would have been squealing! (For those who don’t know, I had something of an obsession with seals at this age, including an army of about 30 fluffy toys). I half resented my decision to sit the walk out. But looking down at my bulging ankle, which was showing no signs of improving, I conceded a 4 hour walk was probably the last thing it needed. 

For the most part deserted during the winter months, perhaps Kaikoura can be added to the list of places we will revisit in the summer,  providing an opportunity for me to complete the walk, and for us to see the town at its thriving best.  

Nelson: The Hostel from Heaven

By most standards a small and quiet city, our itinerary for Nelson was hardly jam-packed. Other than a few pleasant walks and a selection of shops and cafes, there is little on offer within the city itself. Not that that mattered to us, for as strange as it may sound, the thing we were most excited for was our accommodation! The promise of free wifi, free breakfast, roaring log fires, board games, cats, and free homemade chocolate pudding with ice cream had us questioning whether we would even need to leave the hostel! 
Of course, we didn’t actually stay indoors for three days solid. Just an hour outside of the city centre lies Abel Tasman National Park, a stunning slice of coastline that is a patchwork of green forest, crystal blue waters and sandy beaches. As if it was meant to be, we were blessed with a day of sunshine and blue skies amidst what had otherwise been a week of rain. We were advised that the best way to explore the national park was by taking a water taxi up a considerable length of the coastline, before returning on foot. So that’s just what we did. Along the way we were lucky enough to spot seals and even some rare blue penguins! We spent five hours wandering the national park at our leisure, exploring deserted beaches and miniature waterfalls. By the time we had completed the 16km walk back, we were completely enchanted, declaring Abel Tasman the most beautiful part of New Zealand we had visited so far. 

For the rest of our time in Nelson the weather was quick to revert to its miserable ways, not that it mattered to us. We had met several people who had been left devastated  when bad weather had prevented them from visiting Abel Tasman, so we counted our blessings and kept quiet. Between ferocious monopoly battles and the daily countdown to chocolate pudding, there was more than enough to keep us entertained. 

Picton: Deathly Digs

It would be fair to say that weather wise, our time in New Zealand’s South Island got off to rather a gloomy start. We arrived in Picton to grey skies and drizzling rain, which lasted the two days we spent there. As we made our way through the ferry terminal our thoughts turnedfrom the weather to our hostel, and we couldn’t help but feel slightly apprehensive. After all, the name ‘Tombstone backpackers’ does seem an unusual choice. In keeping with the theme, we were transported to the hostel in a black minivan, and deposited in front of a large, coffin shaped front door, where we stood nervously. 

However, as soon as we stepped over the threshold our doubts were dispelled. We were greeted by a warm and bright living area, filled with snug armchairs, bookshelves and an inviting woodburner. There was even a hot tub in the garden! At 8am every morning the smell of freshly made scones began to waft through the corridors, coaxing us out of bed and towards the generous (and free) breakfast buffet. Fluffy cats roamed the lounges, and there was a well stocked DVD collection. All in all we couldn’t have hoped for a cosier hostel to spend a few days sheltering from the rain. 

We did chance a break in the weather and take a stroll around some of Picton’s scenic walks, accompanied by a friend we had made in Australia. Our trip schedules were almost perfectly aligned: we had made the jump across the Tasman Sea at the same time, bumped into each other Auckland, and found ourselves on the same ferry from Wellington to Picton. Sadly our reunion was short lived, as the rain inevitably resumed and forced us back to our hostels, but not before we had spotted some seals swimming off the coast, and been treated to a slice of very indulgent Dutch buttercake. We didn’t chance the weather again, choosing to pass the rest of our time in Picton curled up with a movie, or taking the odd dip in the hot tub instead. 

Wellington: A Considerably Compact Capital

With so much stunning countryside to get around, our itinerary for New Zealand left little time for the major cities. During our stay in Auckland we noted there wasn’t much that set it apart from any other urban centre, and we held the same expectation for Wellington. Eager to make the jump from North to South Island, we scheduled just two nights in the capital city. 

After so many months of travel, the lengthy bus journeys were really beginning to grate on us, and we passed the five hour trip to Wellington in a state of constant agitation. By the time we had arrived and checked into our hostel, it was 9:30pm, and there was just one thing on our minds: dinner. In any other capital city you would expect to find a string of late night eateries at your disposal. But not in Wellington. Scouring the city streets, we spotted a fish and chip shop. ‘Perfect!’ we thought. Until we saw the ‘closed’ sign hanging defiantly in the door. Next we came across a takeaway curry place. Same story. Indeed, as we continued wandering our search did not prove any more fruitful, and we were eventually forced to admit defeat, and head to McDonald’s.  

By day the scene was a considerably more lively one, with shoppers and commuters filling the city streets. We made a beeline for Te Papa museum, which was top of our Wellington agenda. Whilst their educational value can’t be argued, museums aren’t typically the subject of mass excitement. For this reason we were eager to see what all the fuss was about, after countless travellers had animatedly insisted that we “simply must” visit Te Papa whilst in Wellington. Well, after two hours we had barely scratched the surface, covering just one of the museums multiple floors. The displays were so impressive and detailed, the fact that entry was free really blew our minds! In particular we were both bowled over by a section on the Battle of Gallipoli, which we agreed was the best WW1 exhibition we had ever seen. You could easily spend an entire day wandering the museums many halls, but as we just one day to explore the entire city, a few hours was all our time budget would afford us. 

As the title suggests, we found Wellington to be surprisingly small for a capital city. So small, in fact, that we managed to walk it’s entire circumference in just a few hours. Hardly comparable to the monstrous mazes of London and New York! From the top of Mt Victoria (a popular view point) we surveyed the compact city, marvelling at the miniature airport and wondering how large planes could take off on such a small runway. Still, what it lacked in size it made up for in character. The streets were lined with quirky coffee shops and ornate buildings, making it (in our eyes) a preferable option over it’s rival city, Auckland. 

And so concluded our time in New Zealand’s North island. Overlooked by many in favour of its southern sister, we had found the North Island to be be bursting with beauty and culture, and well worthy of the two and a half weeks we had devoted to it, if not more.  The south would now have a lot to live up to! 

Thrillseekers in Taupo

With such stunning countryside it’s no wonder scenic walks are in no short supply in New Zealand, with the Tongariro Alpine Crossing topping many lists as the best and most beautiful one day hike. A 19.4km track sees you ascend and descend the entire length of Mount Tongariro, taking in the panoramic views of crater lakes and neighbouring volcanic peaks (including Mount Ngauruhoe, or as it’s more commonly known, Mount Doom). There are some steep climbs involved, but with a well beaten path and even some staircases to help, most find it more than manageable:

(http://www.tongarirocrossing.org.nz/tongariro-alpine-crossing-track.html)

However, in the depth of winter it’s a different story altogether. Any trace of a path is removed, obscured by fresh snow reaching depths of up to 1.5 metres. In such conditions it’s virtually impossible to undertake the trek without the help of a guide and the appropriate equipment. Not wanting to miss out, we decided to give it a go, and booked a guided tour with a well recommended company called Adrift. It was only once we were kitted out with helmets, crampons, ice axes and what felt like a dozen layers that we realised how severe the weather conditions were going to be. Indeed, arriving at the base of the track our guide informed us that it was approximately -4 degrees, with a wind-chill factor of -10 *gulp*. Still, with all the snow the scene couldn’t have been more picture perfect:

And so we began the long ascent. The 8km climb to the peak was slippery and gruelling, taking approximately 5 hours to complete. We even lost a couple of people along the way due to cramp and pulled muscles. After such a long hard stretch, we were gutted when our guides announced that we would not be continuing for safety reasons. The conditions had changed considerably, they explained, and the snow was now loading on the side we would be descending on, increasing the risk of an avalanche. Disheartened, we turned around and began to trudge back down the way we had come. By the time we had reached the bottom once more, we had covered a distance of 16km, so not too far off the length of the orignal course. Nevertheless, we were suitably frustrated at not having completed the whole track. But, as our guide pointed out, they had been cancelling the trip entirely for the last week or so due to bad weather, so we were lucky to have made it as far as we did. Back in Taupo, munching on a (well deserved!) dominoes pizza, we reflected on the experience. Put into perspective, the views alone had been worth the hike, and the physical challenges had made it all the more rewarding. We hope to visit the park again in the future, this time in the summer, to pick up where we left off and finish the crossing.

From the very start, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing had been on our list of things to do in Taupo. Something that had not crossed our minds, however, was the possibility of white water rafting. That is, until we bumped into a couple we had previously met in Paihia, who were raving about their recent rafting experience on the Tongariro river. And that is how, in a moment of spontaneity, we found ourselves sat in the office of Rafting New Zealand, listening to our safety brief and memorising the protocol for falling out of the raft. In the dead of winter, rafting a river that is fed by snow covered mountains, I was far more concerned about the prospect of pneumonia than falling out. But the experts had thought of everything, and we were layered up accordingly: swimwear, fleece, wetsuit, second fleece, waterproof jacket, socks, boots, gloves and a beanie. As luck would have it, we were the only two people to have booked for that day, meaning we were treated to a private tour! Lugging the raft down to the riverbank, our guide, Owen, explained that we would be completing a 2 hour course involving 54 rapids. We couldn’t wait to get started! It didn’t take long before we had picked up the basics, and were cruising along like professionals (or so we liked to think):

If you couldn’t tell from the photo, we had an absolute blast. Skydiving and bungee jumping seem to have become something of a rite of passage for those visiting New Zealand, but at approximately a fourth of the cost and allowing us to appreciate the beautiful scenery at the same time, rafting was definitely the better option for us. Maybe we should act on impromptu decisions more often! After two days of back to back adventuring, we were suitably wiped out after our stay in Taupo. At least the five hour journey to Wellington gave us a chance to catch up on some well needed rest!