2-deutsche-kiwis

After four days of wonderful hiking weather, nature had compassion for me and my battered body today. The sun was gone, only clouds full of rain were visible, which fell...

What I initially conceived as a brilliant move and an example of a tactical masterpiece in managing travel companions has turned out to be rather mediocre in practice. The flat...

It was clear we were heading into the mountains after I yielded to the daylong whining of my travel companion for a 'new adventure in the mountains' with a reluctant 'okay'...

Exactly 700 km was displayed on the navigation system from the place of residence to the vacation destination. And so it began on August 31, 2024, at exactly 10 a.m. The travel...

On the last day of the trip we went back to Auckland. Since there was still time before departure and as a saver you don't want to waste time, we spontaneously decided to visit...

When you go on a trip with a travel companion, you have to be on top of your game both strategically and tactically. Otherwise you will go under. Here are a few small examples:...

There is sometimes a sign with BYO on it in restaurants in New Zealand. This means "bring your own" and refers to alcoholic drinks that you can bring from home and consume for a...

After all the paid activities were removed, there was still a lot to see and it was free. For example, there is the most photographed tree in New Zealand. Pictures with trees in...

At some point we arrived in Queenstown. This is the tourist hotspot for New Zealanders and the peak period of the high season is between Christmas and New Year. A nightmare for...

Today it was time to leave and there were only 200 km ahead of us. The travel companion then pointed out very energetically that she finally wanted to go to the mountains and...

Some say that history repeats itself. That is definitely the case on this trip. Once again everything was packed and prepared for departure, once again I looked for the address...

December 26th is Boxing Day. It has nothing to do with the sport but with the box. In the 19th century It was probably customary in the Commonwealth for domestic servants to...

There are 3 factors that largely determine a New Zealand vacation. WEATHER, WEATHER, WEATHER. Today it was bad and it was raining at around 10 degrees. Weather like it is...

After the big city of Christchurch we drove further south and after about 450 km we arrived in the former gold mining town of Lawrence. Gold was found here in 1860 and it was...

So one thing was clear before the trip. The bargain hunters won't leave any bargains behind. Even on the North Island, every second-hand shop was systematically searched for...

After 450 km and a few stops we arrived in the Greta Valley. Located about 100km north of Christchurch, between the mountains and the sea. A perfect accommodation with a huge...

Actually we should have continued today and we were already ready to leave for the 450 km to the next accommodation when the tour guide checked the new address again. "Arrival...

Everything is green here and plants of all kinds thrive. This doesn't work without water - lots of water. So it has to rain sometimes. That was the case on the day when we - now...

It started like a normal vacation day. The first hike to the viewpoint over Picton at 9 a.m. Once again we went up the mountain, because somehow all the viewpoints in the world...

So today we took the ferry from Wellington to Picton. Be there an hour before departure at the latest and we just about made it. No problem with the navigation system, but the...

The capital of New Zealand is Wellington and not Auckland. Just like Canberra is the capital of Australia and not Sydney. (and also like back then in Germany, Bonn and not...

“Must have one” is written on the number plate. And when you look at the car you can easily see that it must be a car enthusiast. Apparently you can freely configure the license...

Today was actually supposed to be a hiking day, but the weather put a damper on the plan. While yesterday the volcano was clearly visible in clear to sunny weather, today it is...

Today is transfer day. So about 250 km by car was announced. From the volcanic fields we go south to Lake Taupo and then to the southern end of the Tongariro National Park. The...

To be clear, the name Hellsgate doesn't really do the spa justice. The only thing that is diabolical is the entrance fee of around 50 euros. Otherwise you don't actually get...

It's pretty far away after all. If you sit on the plane in Beijing and wait for the flight to Auckland, the map shows 10,500 km, which corresponds to a flight time of around 12...

After a 10 hour flight you are in Beijing. When you get off the plane you quickly notice that things are a little different here than at home. There are cameras everywhere and...

Today is December 1st. So the plane leaves in 5 days and almost nothing but nothing at all has been prepared. If the PC crashes, I'm screwed because all the data is stored on...