Travel Memories

In March 2020 we travelled in New Zealand for a bit over 2 weeks, and although shorter than we would have liked to be able to see more of the country, we packed our holiday as full of experiences and adventures as possible. Little did we know going there, that we would return home to a world in turmoil, that we wouldn't be able to plan more trips or even leave the house for weeks.

Here you can explore our itinerary, experiences and photos. I've made this website as a practice exercise, trying to make the most of this weird time when everything else is in limbo. If you like what you see, have any feedback or need a website of your own, or if you just need to have a chat, you can contact me via email or message me on Instagram.

xx
Fer

Our Itinerary

Starting in Auckland, we travelled south and dipped into the South Island to end our trip in Christchurch. There is so much left to see in both islands, that we will need at least another two trips to cover all! *wink, wink*
For this trip we focused on the main highlights and a couple of bucket list items. Explore the map below to see where we went.

Favourite destinations

Although every destination was amazing in its own right, there were some that stood out either for their natural beauty or the fun we had! The biggest surprise here was Rotorua, which had the most activities to choose from and some gorgeous spots.

Tongariro Crossing

Time for adventure

Starting to plan this trip, Tongariro Crossing was at the very top of the list on things to do! Closer to the date when we would be there, the weather was looking pretty dodgy and I was worried we would not be able to do it, we did not have time to wait for better weather to come. When we got to our accomodation in the village, the staff reassured us the weather was looking good for the next morning with rain only in the afternoon, so of we went early the next morning in the shuttle.
‍
This single day (and 19.4km) walk is super popular for good reason, with unique and changing landscapes, and it is challenging, but doable for most people. If the way up felt pretty bad at the time, it was the way down that was most challenging, especially once the rain finally hit. Getting wet and the knee pain that lasted for days afterwards was worth it. Would I do it again? Maybe...

Dolphins!

So many dolphins! The highlight of the trip was seeing hundreds of dusky dolphins in Kaikoura, not once but twice! Out on a kayak tour to see the seals we were lucky to encounter them and have them hang around for ages swimming under the kayaks and jumping around us. The next day we got up well before sunrise to swim with them, the only time I haven't at all minded jumping straight into freezing water.