Snow-covered mountains, through rainforests to the glacier

We wake up. 6° and the mountains in the distance are full of snow.

Yes my loves, that's how it goes in New Zealand. The weather can change really quickly here. So cheers to our cuddly blanket that we got for 6 euros. It's really nice to have it on cold nights. Otherwise, our sleeping bag is sufficient.

So we take advantage of the short break in the rain in the morning to rush to the toilet. Morning exercise has never harmed anyone. Back in the camper and we continue towards Wanaka. The nice thing is that the weather can change for the better just as quickly. So we take off our rain jacket in Wanaka, change into shorts and enjoy the sun at beautiful Lake Wanaka. Have you ever seen a tree growing in a lake? Well, you can find that in Wanaka. There it stands in its full splendor, well, almost. Recently, someone seems to have cut off a branch. I have no idea why someone would do that.

So a beautiful tree in the lake with a magnificent backdrop. Once again, like something out of a picture book.

In the evening, based on a recommendation, we go to the cinema. Maybe it was the cozy sofas and the highly praised cookies that convinced us to go to this cinema. In any case, it was worth it. Just for that little 'living room feeling'.

A glacier in the rainforest? Yes, there are. In New Zealand, there are even two. So our journey continues to the Fox Glacier. Through national parks, rainforests, and past beaches. By chance, we saw a school of dolphins swimming past at one beach. Amazing animals, I love dolphins!

Oh, while we're on the subject of animals. Parrots. We're pretty sure we heard and saw a Kea and a Kakapo. Keas are the smartest birds in the world. And you have to like Kakapos just because of their name 😃.

A short hike through the rainforest leads us to the Fox Glacier. The glacier is 13 km long and flows into the Tasman Sea via the Fox River. However, it is retreating more and more, so it won't be visible at all in the near future. That's a bit sad, how the world is changing. Mainly due to human influence...

But we saw it, the Fox Glacier. Of course, only from a distance, but still. It is not recommended to hike from the riverbed to the glacier. At least not on our own. So we better not do that. It would certainly not be pleasant to get hit by an ice block or unintentionally swim in the Fox River. It has a strong current.

So our day ends at a very beautiful campsite, which has been designed with a lot of love. We are literally in the rainforest and even have a view of the second glacier (Franz Josef Glacier) from the campsite. We take a walk to the 'Glowworm Track' from the site. This is how the day could always end 😊.

And once again rain at night. Rain is not uncommon in the rainforest. A little rain can be quite romantic in the camper. But when you can't even understand your own words anymore because it's raining so loudly! Then the romance is over. We have to postpone our trip to the next glacier to the next day. The day is full of thunderstorms and heavy rain. Oh, I'm telling you. I've never heard thunder that loud!

So what do you do on rainy days in the camper? Quite simple, you continue with the travel planning, take short walks during breaks in the rain, continue writing your blog, or watch a film. And which film is suitable for New Zealand? Yes, exactly, Lord of the Rings! They are nice and long, and by chance, the movies were mainly filmed in New Zealand.

Furthermore, you have to say, you probably experience the national parks in New Zealand the most when it's raining. Suddenly, waterfalls come down from everywhere on the rocks. The big waterfalls have a lot more water, and small streams become 'real' rivers. So every weather has its charm.

So cheers!

(That's what New Zealanders often say to everything and everyone... I like it)