Week 10 - Lake Tekapo, Kaikoura + Christchurch

On the way to Christchurch we passed Lake Tekapo, which is best known for the lupine fields on the shore (the purple flowers). But they only bloom for a short time from mid-November to early December (exactly my time!!), which is why it was a perfect fit. There was also a cool grandpa on site who used a chainsaw to create statues out of tree stumps. I thought it was great because I don't think I'd ever seen a statue made of wood before, so I asked him a little question. And he was really excited and didn't stop explaining🥹

Then a day in Christchurch in a hostel that was converted from an old prison. Slightly creepy but also interesting. For once, the rainy day was very tempting to shop. Add to that the upcoming flight and a surprise sale, which is why I happily bought warm-weather clothes. At the same time, the now unnecessary (camping) items were frantically sold on Facebook Marketplace.

One last trip uses up the last hours of my Bus Flexipass. We went to Kaikoura. A small town on the east coast of NZ known for whale watching, dolphin swimming and surfing. Accordingly, there is a good atmosphere that I like straight away. My hostel has hot tub, pool and sauna which is the best surprise in any hostel. So my dilemma between an expensive tour and a relaxing day was easily solved. Especially when I googled the prices in Asia in comparison, for example to swim with dolphins, the matter was clear (14€ vs 130€🫣)

Two very last days in Christchurch in the Lylo Hostel (where I conveniently started my trip in Auckland) right next to the airport. Next to it is the International Anarctic Center ❄️🧊On the penultimate day I dragged myself on one last trip to NZ and got stuck on 'Taylors Mistake Beach'. A super cute little bay where surfing lessons were taking place. It was great to jump in the waves and watch the paragliders up in the sky. A dream. The way there was also beautiful:

The 2.5 months of constant travel are slowly becoming noticeable, which is why a few weeks of rest are needed. As stupid as that sounds. But at a certain point you simply can't fully enjoy all the new impressions; you basically get used to them. But that can be easily corrected with a change of scene and a short break.

That's why... we're spontaneously going to Bali tomorrow morning!! 🌞 I'm so excited. The whole operation takes around 18 hours, as an 8-hour transit in Sydney was unavoidable. Well see you next week from Indonesia!!