Our June highlights

In the month of June, it got really cold. Winter brought a lot of precipitation and the outdoor temperature rarely rose above 10°C. The winter clothing we brought proved to be necessary - without it, it would have been quite uncomfortable. Wrapped up warm, we traveled to the last destinations on the South Island. With beautiful regions and lasting memories, the southern part of New Zealand bid farewell. With mixed emotions, we returned to the North Island in mid-June. We spent nearly two weeks in the capital of New Zealand. During this time, we experienced many highlights. But towards the end of the month, we had to take our Sam to the workshop multiple times, which impacted our travel budget.

Like every month, some experiences turned out to be real highlights. With the following eleven questions, we will review June. To make it clear which answers belong to whom, Tobi's answers will be marked in bold and my answers will be in italics - because, of course, the two of us don't always have the same opinion. ;)

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- Was the winter clothing necessary? Which of your clothing items did you appreciate the most? -
Tobi: When the temperatures dropped at night in the car, any body part that was outside the blankets was at risk. My long-sleeved top was indispensable.
Nadine: My windproof rain jacket has stood up to every arctic storm so far. Quality definitely pays off.

- Where was it coldest in June? -
The late snowstorm at Lake Rotoiti shocked us. Snowfall, strong gusts of wind, and icy car windows (both outside and inside) were clear indications of the coldest day of our entire trip.

- What limitations did you notice during winter? -
The snowfall caused isolated road closures, which fortunately never affected us. Furthermore, some food items did not tolerate being exposed to the cold season very well. (Olive oil solidified, vegetables visibly suffered)

- Enough of the icy atmosphere. From where did you have the most beautiful view? -
From the lakeside of Lake Rotoiti, we had a great view of the lake, the surrounding forests, and the distant mountains.
Leaving a heated room and stepping into a cold car is not always easy. But being able to observe the sea of lights from the rear window in Wellington made the aforementioned step a little more bearable.

- This month, you attended several public events. How was it? -
Our stadium visits in New Zealand cannot be compared to German ones. There was a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere without any crowds or strict entry controls.
The Kapa Haka Festival turned out to be a highlight of the entire trip. Whether young or old, performer or spectator - seeing people full of passion singing, dancing, and celebrating was amazing!

- What was disappointing in return? -
Even though our ticket price was fully refunded, the feeling persisted for a long time. We would have loved to watch the open-air ice hockey game between the USA and Canada.

- Eight months have passed. How is faithful Sam doing? -
Even in winter, the brave Sam transported us to many, sometimes difficult, places. He never let us down. But after almost 15,000km, we needed two new tires and the wheel bearings had to be replaced.

- You give the car a longer break and set yourself in motion. Which hike would you do again? -
The many steps of the unpronounceable Paekakariki Escarpment Walkway might deter some, but in the end, there was a beautiful view of the coastline and the vast ocean.
We had to wait a long time to tackle the hike at Mount Robert. But it was worth it! A steep ascent through various vegetation took us to the top of the mountain. Surrounded by snow, we enjoyed a fantastic panoramic view.

- Did you have any memorable encounters with animals? -
During the crossing back to the North Island, I had several sightings of animals. The encounter with an albatross was particularly spectacular.
When it comes to this question, I don't have to think long. It's the confident duck from Lake Rotoiti that suddenly took a seat on our roof. Even today, we laugh about the resulting pictures and memories. :)

- What is your very personal highlight from the month of June? -
At the beginning of the month, our hand-collected Paua Shells were refined. I'm already looking forward to unpacking and admiring them in Germany.
Many travelers to New Zealand have visiting a rugby match on their bucket lists. The experience of seeing the All Blacks and their Haka live in the stadium was worth every cent.

- And last but not least: Your favorite pictures from the month of June! -

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As always, we hope you enjoyed the look back at the past month. You can find more details about the places, experiences, and adventures in the previous blog posts.

In July, we will head north - to regions we have not yet visited. We will continue to document our experiences in this blog to let you be a part of the "New Zealand Adventure". :)