Travel Month

I had a month off and used the time to travel through the South Island. In the months before, I had planned and booked with my friends to make the most out of this time. There were four of us traveling in two cars, and we alternated between camping in tents and staying in hostels – this way, we could shower in between and refill our water tanks. Luckily, we were able to borrow a lot of gear from the camp or from people there, so we didn’t need to buy tents, cookers, or mattresses.

Our Route:

12/23/24 Night ferry from Wellington (North Island) to Picton (South Island)

12/23/24 – 12/25/24 Nelson (Hostel)

• Lovely town with great beaches

• Cable Bay

• Tahunanui Beach

• Centre of New Zealand - viewpoint

12/25/24 – 12/27/24 Abel Tasman (Camping)

• Paines Ford – beautiful rivers with swimming holes and rope swings

• Te Waikoropupū Springs – natural springs with incredibly clear water

• Wharariki Beach – known from the Windows-10 screensaver

12/27/24 – 12/28/24 Westport (Hostel)

• Cape Foulwind Coastal Track

• Surfing lesson

12/28/24 – 12/31/24 Hokitika (Camping)

• Pancake Rocks

• City day (Hokitika is known for New Zealand jade/greenstone/pounamu – part of Māori culture)

• Hokitika Gorge – hike along the turquoise river

12/31/24 – 01/03/25 Franz Josef Glacier (Hostel)

• New Year’s Eve parties, New Year

• Franz Josef Lookout hike with a view of the glacier

01/03/25 – 01/06/25 Christchurch (Camping/Hostel)

• Via Arthur’s Pass

• Beautiful city full of culture and street art: Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, Botanical Garden, Riverside Market

01/06/25 – 01/09/25 Aoraki/Mt. Cook (Camping)

• Lake Tekapo

• Lake Pukaki

• Hooker Valley Track

01/09/25 – 01/10/25 Wanaka (Camping)

• Roy’s Peak, sunset hike

• Small town by the lake

01/10/25 – 01/12/25 Queenstown (Hostel)

• Favorite city!

• Club, market, lakefront

• Had booked paragliding, but unfortunately canceled :(

01/12/25 – 01/13/25 Milford Sound (Camping)

• Boat tour

01/13/25 Travel day (Camping in Lumsden)

01/14/25 – 01/16/25 Dunedin (Hostel)

• Surfing lesson

• Allan’s Beach

• Visited the royal albatross colony at Taiaroa Head

01/16/25 – 01/17/25 Oamaru, Timaru, Christchurch (Camping)

• Culture in the small towns

• Did not spot any penguins in Timaru

• Christchurch Lookout

01/17/25 – 01/18/25 Kaikōura (Camping)

• Whale-watching tour

01/18/25 – 01/19/25 Picton (Hostel)

• Picton Festival – perfect ending to the travel month

• Afternoon ferry from Picton to Wellington

My Highlights:

• Fish & chips on the Cape Foulwind coast (one of the most beautiful views I’ve ever had)
• Lake Tekapo
• Aoraki/Mt Cook
• Queenstown at the lakefront while the sun goes down behind the mountains

One night we stayed at El Rancho, and then we drove seven hours back up to Tauranga for the organization’s mid-term camp.

It was an unforgettable time. It felt much longer than just four weeks because I could see so much. Even though we got on each other’s nerves a bit in the end since we were literally together 24/7, I am so glad to have these people with whom I could start the year 2025 and share all this.

Now I’m back to my daily life in El Rancho. New volunteers are here, and the days are slowly getting shorter again – that’s why I’m enjoying every sunny day here. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the months have in store for me!

You will hear from me <3

☆Tine☆