Land of the Long White Cloud

Aotearoa, aka New Zealand, aka the land of the long white cloud. We certainly saw plenty of clouds. In fact, they followed us around - the giant dark ones carrying rain - those types of clouds. And I know everyone at home is like, "better than snow." Well, actually, no. I was desperately wishing for snow on the mountain peaks in the South Island (the only time you'll ever hear me say that). Plus, when you've spent thousands of dollars to be somewhere, the rain is real damper (literally though). Especially when every town you enter, they repeatedly tell you how hot and dry it was for weeks and weeks prior to your arrival. Well, regardless, we made the most of it! Hopefully you will find so, from my photos. There were a lot of days where we were up at dawn, going all day, and out until dark to make the most of our clear days. Or just because I had a photography agenda and I have a great husband who tags along and helps hehe.

Our trip in the south began in Nelson, sunny Nelson. Also sketchy Nelson. We've used Airbnb for our travels throughout New Zealand - and it has been the best! We absolutely love it and totally recommend. We only had one sketchy experience - and it was in Nelson. I won't get into the gory details of the dirt, unclean dishes, bugs, and overall serial killer look to the place (or did I?), but needless to say we quickly booked somewhere different! We spent our time in Nelson exploring Abel Tasman National Park - where we hiked 15km while Ian was deathly sick with a cold. I mean, I knew it was coming to get me too, only natural when you're with someone 24/7 and they hack and snot all over the steering wheel and then turn to you and go, "hey can you hold the wheel while I blow my nose?" Marriage though, right? The same day we drove out to Wharariki Beach, which has some allegedly famous sunsets. The weather was beautiful, and calling for it to be beautiful out there, and since it was a 2.5 hour drive, we had to trust the weather. It lied. The clouds were the perfectly inconvenient type of clouds where the famous photo is, but to the left, it was pretty spectacular. These places, they're so beautiful you can't really imagine them until you're there. We also went to visit the famously pictured Lake Rotoiti, again another sunset venture of mine. Didn't really pan out as there was zero clouds in the sky (opposite problem from the night before). I find it funny, because you see all these places in photos, and you go and learn stuff like - there is 10 million sandflies, and a bunch of terrifying looking eels. You also learn the photos, do not do New Zealand justice, no matter how hard you try.

Leaving Nelson, we stopped at the river from the Hobbit barrel scene... cause why not? From there we went to Marlborough, wine country! Just streets of vineyards, it is a remarkable place. World famous wines - and I had just come on with my cold that Ian gave me. I couldn't taste anything - but I tried anyway. It was 28 degrees, blue skies, warm sun on your skin, and a glass wine. The most perfect way to spend a day... especially St. Paddy's Day! Also the last time I can recall being out in the warm sun...

From Marlborough we made our way down to Christchurch. The drive was absolutely breath taking through the mountains. I've never gone that way, as I've always gone through Kaikoura. However, the road was heavily damaged (like gone type damaged) from November's earthquake, but New Zealand is incredible no matter the route you take. It didn't really feel like we were in the South Island until we arrived in Christchurch. I've always loved the South Island, although I've been much better acquainted with the north on this trip, there will always be something for me in those Middle Earth type mountains. Our first day was one of those all-dayers thanks to one nice day of weather (out of a whole week?! this place had wildfires shortly before we arrived it was so hot and dry, like what?). We saw the sunrise over Port Hills, the harbour and Christchurch. We intended to go immediately out to Edoras, aka Middle Earth, aka Mount Sunday, Canterbury, but the clouds hung around in the morning. So as it started to get nice in the afternoon, we headed out. I had remembered from previous times out there on tours that the "wind picked up in the afternoon." I had never felt wind there before so I assumed it was like ... a gentle wind. It was over 100km an hour I am sure, not even in hurricanes have I felt the I'm-leaning-over-a-cliff-and-not-falling type of wind. I was also wearing a dress, all the poor people up there having me flash them, sigh. It was still pretty magical to get to show Ian, not only somewhere from Middle Earth, but somewhere I've been every time I've come to New Zealand, and somewhere super special. From there we went to Castle Hill, some Narnia fans may recognize it as the location of the fight scene at the end of the first movie. Looking at these giant rocks coming out of the ground you can't help but be amazed by the oddity of the scenery in this country - and I mean that as the highest form of praise.

Also, please note below I was being viciously attacked by a bee, and so I did what any rational person would do...

Later in the week we attempted a hike in Arthur's Pass. There was a giant cloud literally on the mountain we wanted to climb, but the weather was rolling in from the west. We stopped at the info centre and were recommended a new path, the furthest one east, and so the weather would reach it last. So, up Bealey Spurr we went! And so began the first of our (what feels like) many mountain hikes. It was a tame start haha. But very rewarding views! Little did we know of the struggle to come. Our final day in Christchurch was Ian's birthday! It's hard to plan stuff with no friends around, no ingredients to bake cakes, and not much money to spare on gifts. From brunch to the cookie factory, to a movie (his fav activity) and McDonald's for supper (I kid you not, this was a birthday specific request), I think he enjoyed his day :)

We then moved into true South. Tekapo, an absolutely magical spot. Gorgeous glacier lakes with their turquoise colour and mountain terrain, and jump off for Mount Cook. We count ourselves very blessed to have had good weather in Tekapo, and though unplanned, to be there for clear skies and a new moon. The Mckenzie region is famous for the darkest skies in the world, and when there is no moon casting all its light, you can see billions of stars, and the core of the milky way. There also happened to be an aurora that night, that I couldn't pick up with my eyes, but my camera caught it faintly.

 So: March 28 (aka the day I was awake for 24 hours - a full day) was an amazingly, epic, incredible, and exhausting day. We woke up at 3am to hike up a couple thousands steps - and hills - to be at the Sealy Tarns for sunrise. As we drove into Mount Cook National Park, a heavy fog covered the valley. Also, incredibly dangerous to drive in the dark - we killed 4 rabbits and a possum this day (we saved the others for Queenstown). Truly, we had no idea where anything was and were very thankful for our flashlights and a bit of luck. It is the blackest kind of dark. We found the trail eventually and began the climb. We couldn't see the sky or mountains at all, no idea if it was going to be worth it or not. All of the sudden, around 6:30am we emerged out of the cloud to see billions of stars and the deep blue sky changing colour as the sun was preparing to come up. Mount Cook and neighbouring mountains, in all their snowy glory. Watching the first red sunlight hit the mountains was magical. And so very welcome when your teeth are chattering and hands feel like they may fall off. We hung around until the sun warmed us, and went back down. We had some food, then did the Hooker Valley Track. By far the best effort to reward ratio of any hike in NZ. Two hours out, two hours back, on a level wide track takes you right to the base of Mount Cook. Two 4 hour hikes in one day? Crazy right? It doesn't stop there though!! We drove back to Tekapo, had dinner, and prepared to leave again to be up at the Sealy Tarns for midnight. Except I failed to tell Ian that; I had contemplated doing the Hooker Valley Track again (a much easier track) but due to the positioning of the Milky Way, I decided to do a couple thousand steps again. The real miracle is - how am I still getting fatter? I miss the gym, that's a side rant. Anyway, the most spectacular sight I have ever seen. I have never seen the stars like that, and to be up in the mountains... it was just the most humbling, beautiful experience ever. I stood there in awe. Sometimes this world is so disappointing, full of terrible people and political correctness (can I put those two together?) and then, there's other times where I am reminded of the beautiful care and design that went into creating this world. That there is a creator that counted every one of those stars... and then I remember how beautiful this world is.

What Ian looks like when he gets up at 3am...

We did do other things in Tekapo, hiked Mount John, and visited Laketown aka Lake Pukaki (which I probably like more than Lake Tekapo tbh). Overall, my favourite stop of the trip.

Ian acting as someone who just washed ashore in Laketown after Smaug died... so yeah that's the kind of couple we are..

Next stop: Wanaka. The town that stole my heart last time I was here. You see, I was at a crossroads the last time I came to NZ. Didn't know where I belonged in the world, what I was going to do with myself (wait lol, still don't know the answer to that one), and I was heartbroken. Sounds so lame, I know, and I can't even truly remember what that feels like now, but I remember not being in the best place. And I threw myself out of a plane (attached to a tandem skydiver, no worries), but what I really remember was that I was braver, and more adventurous than I ever thought. And I moved on with my life. I came home, met Ian in a couple months, and the rest is history. So when I took Ian to skydive Wanaka... well he just did it for the adrenaline but hey. Wanaka is now a place I associate with pain... literal physical pain this time though. The night of daylight savings (poor timing, had to be up so much earlier) we got up to hike up to Roys Peak for sunrise... oh but step back a second, we had just done Rob Roy Glacier - which I thought was challenging at the time (until we did Earnslaw Burn, that's coming) - carrying on. Up at 2am, on the mountain by 3, for sunrise at 6:40ish. There are no breaks on this climb, it is a relentless vertical climb. The sunrise was sooo worth it though. The most amazing colours exploded across the sky for a good 25 minutes or so. However, this is the hike I solidified just which one of my parents I am most like. My dad, is the answer, my dad who has had 4 knee surgeries. The last hour of our climb down took so long because I was using my husband as a cane to brace my cracking-every-single-step knees that were shaking and unable to hold themselves up due to pain. So, you know how I know I am getting older? That wasn't the "oh out of shape my muscles hurt" pain, it was like.... my joint are aching how am I only 25 pain (I am now 26, can't even imagine what that extra year will do to me...).

The rest of our week was relaxing. We canceled our second hike since walking across level ground was challenging for me for several days. We went to Rippon Winery - literally the worlds most beautiful vineyard. Overlooking the lake and the mountains, and with the best Osteiner. Which I only found out after, that you can only purchase there (urgh - I would have bought more!!). We went out for hot chocolate, walks around the lake, the Blue Pools, enjoyed sunset and some good burgers and wine. Funny, remember how I told you about the terrible weather? Well the rain we got our week in Wanaka was apparently not enough to refill the lake from previous weeks of dry weather, and the famous "wanaka tree" (a lonely tree in the water that is a photographers dream).... was not in the lake at all. It had been so dry, the lake dried up, drastically. So... I guess a return visit will be in order.

Queenstown was next up. Adventure capital of the world. So I watched Ian bungy jump, and do the Nevis Swing (well I didn't watch that one - they wanted to charge $50 to go watch? no thanks, I'll pass). We also went to Milford Sound, the beautiful fiords of the south. It was certainly a highlight. Even though we killed a magpie on the way home, who exploded on the windshield (right after I cleaned it!!!). He got his revenge, he took our Toyota symbol on the front of the car with him. We went horseback riding, which is always magical. I did a real ride (lol) in the morning and then did a walking track with Ian later in the day. We got to see all kinds of Lord of the Rings locations ... and where Taylor Swift's Out of the Woods video was #fangirling. We spent lots of time in town exploring (and getting fudge ...) because Queenstown is the most epic little town. Also tried Fergburger for the first time even though it's my third time there. SO GOOD. Saw Skippers Canyon, tried to drive down there, bad idea in a corolla, another vineyard, and..... we hiked. Ugh.

We hiked. We hiked the Earnslaw Burn Track. The hike that made me never want to hike again. 12 hours of pure torture. Okay, well not entirely. But the first four hours were completely in the woods, looking at nothing. After that we stopped for a little bit of food. Then hiked out another 1.5-2 hours with a view. That bit was quite lovely. We couldn't quite get all the way to the end because there was only 11 hours of daylight that day and it's a 12 hour return hike. We also wasted the first hour of our precious daylight trying to find the start of the highly unmarked track. It's not the type of hike you do in the dark either, very tiny, dangerous, hard to find track with a lot of steep drop offs. The reason we did said hike was because we saw the glacier in The Hobbit just after the company leaves Rivendell. Only in there for a snippet but so pretty! There are other ways to get to the glacier... like a helicopter. We walked along (already in pain cause my blisters started at hour 4) angrily muttering to the people flying over in helicopters that it was unfair that they were rich enough to take a helicopter. We survived though, barely. We ran out of water at hour 8 (of 12) which was awful. The last 45 minutes was pure agony (like I'm literally crying type of agony) cause I had 18 blisters on my feet (yes, wearing proper hiking boots) and if I thought my knees were wrecked after the 6 hour hike in Wanaka, well let me tell you, after a 12 hour hike, I thought every step was my last. Dramatic, also true. We went to McDonalds immediately. I actually couldn't walk the next day without looking like childhood Forrest Gump. It took me a week to work up the courage to do another 4 hour hike, where we cheated and took a gondola half way up the mountain. I think I'm retiring.

6 hours in...

Our last stop in the South Island, officially, in our downwards trend, was Dunedin. We visited Tunnel Beach, which had the first dramatic sea spray we'd been near in a while, and all we could smell was Cape Breton. Looked like it too - well, CB, Ireland, or Scotland. We also saw Nugget Point Lighthouse for a spectacular sunset. We visited the Moreaki boulders - which was the hardest thing to get photos of, with actual tour buses showing up every two seconds. Side rant - why can't people admire nature from a distance, take their photos there? Why do they have to climb all over these magnificent rocks (which will be gone eventually from erosion) and take their stupid peace sign selfies? End side rant. I also celebrated my birthday here! Ian took me out to the market for breakfast, the Cadbury factory in the afternoon (we have a serious problem - I should revisit the "why I'm fat topic"), We skyped my mom because while it was my birthday here, it was her birthday at home. And I got to enjoy a glass of wine in the sunshine, which was all I really wanted. But Ian didn't just get me that, he took me out for a beautiful dinner, and got me a puppy!! Which I  desperately wish was real. I have serious puppy fever - like that hormone that kicks in that makes women want babies.... like I have it for a dog. We visited a Hobbit location in Middlemarch, and eventually began our journey north. We stopped in Edoras one last time on our way up (because it's awesome and we went in the morning this time). At last, we did our home stretch drive to board the ferry and say goodbye to this magnificent island once again. My heart.

Also hi Mom, you're probably the only one who read this far!! Thanks for reading.