Aotearoa.
The place of kiwis. The place of mountains. The place of bays and glaciers and unique wildlife.
The people were kind, the scenery was stunning, and the hiking was next level.
In reflecting on my time in New Zealand, it’s a struggle to vividly remember it all. Three months is a lengthy adventure.
My arrival in Auckland seems like a year ago. Either that’s because my memory is as shit as I think it is, or time has been distorted by the amount of experiences I fit into that glorious 90-day window.
I met heaps of people. Many of them fleetingly, but a few kindred spirits that I could easily contact if/when visiting their home countries (and vice versa). I also picked up a little bit of lingo if you didn’t catch that usage of “heaps.”
On that note, probably the most valuable part of this trip has been the immersion into another culture. Even though it may have only been a subtle contrast to that of the U.S., it’s still an important process. I’m not going to sit here and say I’m a changed person or anything, but seeing the way other people live everyday life can at least open your mind to a different approach.
I wrote about the “no worries” attitude before and that’s something I hope I’m able to keep with me as I go forward. Everything doesn’t have to be taken so seriously. Things work out. There’s a lot of stuff out there we can’t control, so just take it as it comes. No worries.
By the Numbers
Days in New Zealand: 91
Days at Workaways: 43
Days with a Rental Car: 28
Nights in Hostels: 39
NZD Spent: ~$7,425.84
USD Spent: ~$5,017.46 (Avg. conversion rate of roughly 1.48)
You can see my full cost breakdown here.
For those interested in visiting one day, here are my totally subjective highlights:
(click the top left button of the map to expand the list view)
| Favorite Places: 1. Queenstown 2. Wellington 3. Taupo 4. Wanaka 5. Paihia | Favorite Walks: 1. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing 2. Copland Track 3. Diamond Lake to Rocky Mtn 4. Ben Lomond 5. Abel Tasman | |
| Favorite Adventure Activities: 1. Rafting the Tongariro River 2. Kayaking in Abel Tasman 3. The Shotover Canyon Swing 4. Black Abyss in Waitomo 5. Luging in Queenstown | Favorite Attractions: 1. Milford Sound 2. Hobbiton 3. Cape Reinga 4. Te Papa Museum 5. Hamilton Gardens 6. Franz Josef Valley 7. Punakaiki Pancake Rocks 8. Christchurch Street Art Trail 9. The Hole in the Rock 10. Auckland Domain |
Also, here’s my Trip Advisor profile. I was reviewing things pretty heavily up until I wasn’t. Maybe one day I’ll finish it out but it doesn’t seem likely.
Finally, I still don’t really know what I’m doing, but I think I’ve taken some decent pictures along the way. Kind of hard to screw it up with scenery that good. Below is an album with my favorite photos from New Zealand.