My Best Moments in New Zealand

1️⃣ Mount Eden

because it was the first situation where I felt like I could shape this journey on my own and it would be a good and special time, but unfortunately it would be accompanied by many goodbyes. 

I had to say goodbye to my sister Chiara, with whom I spent a wonderful month in Thailand and Indonesia.

2️⃣ Ninety Mile Beach 

because the place is indescribable and it was there that I realized that I unexpectedly found a very good friend in Steffi. 

Steffi sold me my car, and my best friend Laura, who was in New Zealand a year before me, met Monika through Steffi. When Laura returned to Germany, she raved about Steffi's car, so I ultimately decided to buy it. Since Steffi's and my time in New Zealand overlapped, I ended up traveling with her for 10 days. This was an experiment because we knew almost nothing about each other beforehand, but it worked out very well. 

3️⃣ Mount Maunganui 

On my first visit to Tauranga, I wasn't feeling particularly well because I had traveled very quickly before, experienced a lot in a short amount of time, and the solitude and long drives had taken a toll on me. 

But when I stood on Mount Maunganui, I was simply happy. I realized how lucky I was to be in such an impressive place. I remembered why I set off on this journey and why I decided to travel alone. 

4️⃣ Mount Taranaki 

Because I was simply speechless, and when I look at these pictures, I still am. 

5️⃣ Lake Rotorua

Rotorua was already one of my favorite places on the North Island during my first visit, but it was even more reinforced during my second visit. 

I slept at a campground in Rotorua, right by Lake Rotorua, so on my second day I had the idea to get up for sunrise. However, until the evening, I wasn't sure if it was a good idea. It turned out to be one of the best ideas on my trip.

Because it was the most impressive sunrise I have ever experienced. Among other things, because I sat alone on the jetty watching the sun rise.

6️⃣ Castlepoint

My friend was visiting at the time, which was already very special. But he also experienced his first night camping in New Zealand at Castlepoint. Our camp was right by the ocean and it was beautiful. The special thing was that my friend got an insight into my life in New Zealand and he could better imagine what a day in New Zealand is like for me.

7️⃣ Christmas with Monika, Bernard, Andrew, and Johanna

We celebrated "German" Christmas at Monika's on December 24th. We all decorated the Christmas tree together, although it still didn't resemble a beautiful German Christmas tree. The evening was accompanied by beautiful music, and many of Monika and Bernard's friends came to visit. 

On December 25th, we went to Andrew and Johanna's. 

This year, I was very skeptical about Christmas because I would have loved to be with my family and Christmas at the other end of the world is very different. But I was pleasantly surprised and happy to see how naturally Andrew and Johanna's entire family welcomed us and included us in their traditions. 

This was one of the moments when I realized that I have found a family at the other end of the world, who has warmly welcomed me and made me a part of their family. 

8️⃣ Working on the vineyard

I wouldn't necessarily call the work itself the best moment, but the things that developed as a result were. I worked on the vineyard with Eva and Marion, whom I met about a month earlier along with two other girls. We got along very well from the beginning, but as we worked together five days a week for eight hours a day and spent our free time together, we went from being acquaintances to really good friends. No topic of conversation was off-limits anymore, which is why we soon knew almost everything about each other. But we still had a lot to talk about, which may be because after eight hours in the blazing sun our brains were on pause. 

9️⃣ Roy’s Peak 

Roy's Peak is one of the places that I know from Chiara, and I set my mind on wanting to see it and take impressive pictures. However, I didn't expect it to be so impressive, and it became one of my favorite places in New Zealand alongside Wellington. 

1️⃣0️⃣ Mount Cook and Lake Pukaki

These two places are, in my opinion, among the most impressive places on the South Island. Moreover, my time on the South Island was coming to an end, and I realized that I was happy with how the past 1 1/2 months had gone. Even though many things were different than planned or expected, it reaffirmed to me that I should often trust that everything will be fine and that if you approach things with a calm mindset, you will find the right path. 

1️⃣1️⃣ Akaroa

Because the Onuku Farm Hostel is one of the most special and unique places I have ever been. And it was there that I wwoofed for the first time. One of the most special events in Akaroa was the visit from my uncles Stefan and Ludwig. 

1️⃣2️⃣ Dolphin watching in Kaikoura 

I was very undecided whether I should book a dolphin tour for the second time or not. But that was one of the best decisions of my trip. And it was an indescribable experience.

1️⃣3️⃣ The Reidy Black Family

There isn't just one special moment with this lovable family, but incredibly many moments that will always be connected to this family for me. 

I am very grateful to them because they have made a lot possible for me, and I was able to gather many new experiences. But one of the most special things this family has given me was a home. It sounds simple, but a home was exactly what I needed. Throughout my journey, I constantly struggled with the feeling of not having a home and always feeling like a stranger in a new place. But when I was with Andrew and Johanna, I had a home, a place I could always come back to, where I was warmly welcomed and where I knew I belonged. 

During my first three weeks with Andrew and Johanna, I noticed how much I missed this feeling and how much I needed it. The second time with Andrew and Johanna, I realized that even though I had been away for two months, it only took about an hour and I felt completely at home again, and the children treated me as if I had never been gone. 

Johanna and Andrew talked to me about a variety of topics, and when I had a problem that was on my mind, they listened to me and had ideas on how to solve it. The children are priceless, of course, they all had their bad days, and I sometimes had more to "struggle" with them and sometimes less, but all in all, they were just adorable. From the beginning, they treated me as if I had always been there and as if I were part of their family.

I am very grateful to the Reidy Black family for everything. 

Ariane and Edward

Rosa

All in all, my time in New Zealand was wonderful. Of course, there were also bad days, moments when I wondered why I was doing all this, and when I would have preferred to be at home. But let's not focus on those because I have grown during those difficult times and gained my experiences, and they have shown me how wonderful the good moments were. 

I wouldn't change anything about my time in New Zealand, and I would choose to shape it exactly the same way at any time. Just as it was, it was perfect, and through all the ups and downs, I have learned a lot and have become the person I am now.

Thank you to all the people who made this trip so special and supported me on-site or from home.