~ Picton ~
We woke up after having slept in the car at the top of the South Island in a place called Picton. We didn’t see much last night as it was all dark and we were super tired, we woke up right next to the water in some random car park which specifically said no camping but we literally couldn’t keep our eyes open so we decided to break the rules.. YOLO!
After waking up to the sunrise we decided to find a local bakery or somewhere we could go to the toilet etc. Sleeping in the car is all fun and games until you have to shower in the beach side showers and pee in the bush… Anyway, we had a chicken pie for breakfast (FUN FACT: we literally lived off pies and supermarket food this whole trip) and head off to Wharaiki Beach where you hike to the beach and see the baby seals! It was a fair walk to get to the beach, through the fields and bushes but we made it! It is such a vast beach we didn’t even know where to start, so we decided to walk towards what seemed like massive rocks in the ocean, they were infact big rocks in the ocean which seemed pretty magical.
Just to the right of these big rocks were the baby seals! We couldn’t believe we actually got to see them as we were told they aren’t always out and about! They were all super playful, I could have watched them for hours.
~ Lake Nelson ~
We drove through the national park to get to the famous Lake Nelson, it was super windy on the day so our photos are a big crazy but you can see just how stunning it is! I felt really free being here just staring out into the water and mountains.
~ Hanmer Springs ~
Hanmer springs was so good we went twice! It is such a tiny little village but feels so homely and welcoming. First time we went was for the natural hot springs, which are really cool, its like a massive outside spa. The second time we went was just because we loved it so much. There isn’t really a lot to do except explore the mountains and chill in the local pub. We also had a fantastic Indian meal here called coriander, I know I hate coriander too but the meal was damn delicious!
~ Lake Pearson ~
Was a super random stop over, we found a cave on our maps.me and decided to go for a walk, it ended up being quite a long track down to this cave which ended up being full of water, we got so far and decided we didn’t really want to get all wet..
We actually stayed in a free campsite right by the lake, the views are absolutely insane! I can’t remember quite where it was but if you google free campsites around lake Pearson it’ll surely come up with a few (just look for the ones by the lake).
~ Fox glacier & Mount Aspiring national park~
This was super cool, I think the walk itself was more impressive than the glacier, it was pretty small from the end of the track (you weren’t allowed to go any further and if you did it was at your own risk as people had died) so you couldn’t really see much but still awesome to say you’ve seen a glacier. The walk was awesome, it was pretty steep so prepare for your legs to burnnnn.
Whilst we were in this area we decided to go to Mount Aspiring national park, this place is famous for its blue pools and bridges that get you there. The blue pools were sooo cool, we were very tempted to go for a swim but seeing as we went here in the winter we decided otherwise, we skimmed rocks across the blue pools instead!
~ Queenstown ~
Ok first things first Queenstown is a really fun city! The vibe is pretty chilled and everyones just there to be a tourist and have a good time. The first thing we did was go up the top of Queenstown on the gondola to do the luge ride. My parents got us this as a gift and to be honest I thought it was going to be for kids… but no its soooo much fun racing down the track and everyone is an adult just having a great time! The views are phenomenal, definitely worth a trip up, it was only about $30 each for the Gondola and Luge.
Also whilst you’re here you would have been told about fergburger, it is the best burger place in the city if not New Zealand and is a must do! When we went we saw a married couple getting their photos done here… that’s how good it is!!!
We stayed in a campsite which was a little pricey for us and our budget but we thought we would treat ourselves to a hot shower and somewhere to actually wash our hair and just chill out. We did go out one night but didn’t do a great deal, it was super windy and rainy. We went out for dinner and a drink but after that we decided to get a couple of drinks and take them back to the tent.
~ Mount cook ~
Unfortunately we didn’t get the fancy helicopter ride that everyone gets around Mount Cook, it was pretty cloudy anyway so we thought we weren’t missing much. We did happen to find a little spot on the side of the main road to take some photos, even though it was really cloudy we still wanted some pictures as it is after all the famous Mount Cook. If you go in the summer please hike it, I am so sad we didn’t get to do this! If you have a clear day just go for it, do the helicopter ride and take all the pictures!
~ Christchurch ~
I will start off with the bad stuff to get it out of the way but if you haven’t seen Christchurch since the earthquake that ruined this city then you will have no idea what it’s really like. The devastation is beyond words, all the shops are now in shipping containers and loads of the roads are cracked and only one way. It is really sad seeing all the buildings knocked down with only a few still standing. Part of it feels like a ghost town. Our friend Sophie took us for dinner as we were in her home town, we ate at this delicious Mexican restaurant which felt very VIP.
On the other hand it is still a lively city despite everything tragic that has happened. The food is delicious and the people are lovely. The city is pretty much all about business, I didn’t feel there was many tourists when we went but maybe it was just the time of year.
Evangeline Topaz 