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Australia and New Zealand
  • Daniel Hoenig
  • Anna Hoenig
  • Daniel Hoenig
  • Anna Hoenig

Australia and New Zealand

A 40-day adventure by Daniel & Anna Read more
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  • Australia and New Zealand
    Benjamin found a bunny at our campsiteMidnight with full moonBreakfast spotMasterfully builtThe kids each carried an armsful of bark for at least half a km.... just to dump it into the lake.

    Lake Tekapo

    December 17, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    We flew from Tasmania to Christchurch and picked up the campervan there but our first real stop in New Zealand is Lake Tekapo. This alpine lake is known for its turquoise waters and lupin flowers which we got to see plenty of.Read more

  • Australia and New Zealand
    It's Mount Cook - the tallest mountain in NZ!Campervan life - Relaxing after the long hike

    Into the Mountains

    December 19, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    After Lake Tekapo we were off to Aoraki (Mount Cook) NP. We stayed at the White Horse Hill Campground, which has views of Mount Sefton. The first night was clear and we were able to see the stars and the Milky Way! The next day, we hiked 6 km of the 10 km Hooker Valley Track - the longest Ben has yet walked! The views of Mount Sefton were spectacular and we crossed two swinging bridges that were suspended hundreds of feet over the river. We even got a peak at Mount Cook’s peak! The kids discovered the joy of breaking shale rocks. 😜Read more

  • Australia and New Zealand
    Lindis Pass
    2Taking responsibility for her actionsThe Instagram famous Wanaka Tree - with a cormorantSending postcards

    Wanaka

    December 20, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Aoraki NP to Wānaka. We stopped at a salmon farm for a snack - sashimi for us and fish pellets for the salmon. Of course we had to see the Instagram famous Wanaka Tree that still lives despite being year round in water.Read more

  • Australia and New Zealand
    River we rafted on
    Bridge at the base camp that was solely built for bungee jumpingKeaMoreporkA much deserved dinner of mussels after a long day.

    Rafting and kiwis

    December 23, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    On our 2nd day in Queenstown we went rafting in the Skippers Canyon. Now a fairly remote place only accessible by the supposedly 2nd most dangerous road in the world it used to be a major mining location during the gold rush in the 1800s. We didn’t bring our phones on the raft but the views were stunning, the rapids pretty gentle and the wet suits did their job after jumping in so we all had a great time.
    We also went to a kiwi park to see kiwis feeding kiwis to kiwis. No kiwi photos allowed unfortunately as the exhibit was a fully nocturnal setting. It was a unique sight to see them walking around with their long beaks and they were bigger than we expected (like size of a rugby ball)    Read more

  • Australia and New Zealand
    Alina doesn't like sitting in real grass
    Can't make it through the day without a 3 yr old tantrumRouteburn Nature WalkRed beech/tawhairaunui2Fairy garden

    Glenorchy

    December 24, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    We headed around the bend of Lake Wakapitu up to Glenorchy - the scenery in this area was made famous by LoTR. We took a lovely walk on the Routeburn Nature Walk through an endemic beech tree forest of New Zealand (all other evergreen forests in the region are invasive pines and firs)!Read more

  • Australia and New Zealand
    Mirror lakeView from the passGlow worms (little preview for tomorrow)Kea - known for chewing on cars...Weka - flightless bird. Stole our guide's lunch 😜

    Milford Sound

    December 26, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Milford Sound in Fjordland national park is arguably the South Island’s most prominent attraction. It’s 90 min scenic drive over a mountain pass from Te Anau to the sound which we then explored on a small cruise boat. Lots of beautiful mountain ranges and waterfalls. It’s often rainy and foggy here so we got really lucky with the weather.Read more

  • Australia and New Zealand
    Linstening to Moana music nonstop. 😬
    2Moana got relegated to the headphones. But even Benjamin is tiring of it...So many warning lights...Endangered Otago gulls pooping on the campervan.

    Campervan Life

    December 27, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Well…it was an experience! Convenient to not have to check in and out of hotels, but it was noisy and uncomfortable to drive. I wasn’t a huge fan of the holiday parks, and we didn’t want explore freedom camping with the kids during the holiday season. The kids thought it was great! But they didn’t have to empty the toilet cassette…
    If it didn’t end with transmission and engine overheating problems (and serious issues with their roadside “help” service), we might have had fonder memories.    Read more

  • Australia and New Zealand
    1Benjamin found sticks

    Dunedin

    December 30, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    We stopped by downtown Dunedin before heading North, pretty run down and boring but some fun street art. Next stop were the Moeraki boulders.

  • Australia and New Zealand
    1
    SteampunksGetting ready for that corporate work life in the hamster wheel2Hundreds of Otago shags1At the Holiday Park. Alina requested this photo. 😆

    Steampunks and more penguins

    December 30, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    Oamaru was our last camping stop. It’s a small coastal town that has retained its Victorian center and houses a bunch of weird yet interesting museums and shops. There is also a blue penguin colony at the harbor and we watched these little guys return from the sea to their nests at dusk. There were also a few nesting boxes in the holiday park just about 10 feet from our campervan… and we were serenaded with their calls all night long 🤣Read more

  • Australia and New Zealand
    Kids were very excited to buy a carry-on luggage...It was 20 C outside...

    Christchurch

    December 31, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Goodbye campervan and good riddance! Hello comfy hotel bed!
    We’ve arrived at the final destination of our trip - Christchurch. And just in time for New Years! We decided to skip the outdoor early kid celebrations since it was raining and windy… game night and in bed 10pm instead!

    The city was devastated by an earthquake in 2011, and is still rebuilding. But they’ve added some fun things like a pump track and lots of shopping.    Read more

  • Australia and New Zealand
    Everyone laughing at Bluey
    Lucky kiddosThey've been sharing a bed or room for the last 6 weeks, so cuddled in Alina's bed when we got home.

    El Fin

    January 3 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 6 °C

    After 24 hrs of travel, we’re back in Seattle! The kids were lucky to have the sky couch again…parents not so! It’s good to be home!

    Benjamin’s top 5:
    -Streams and rocks and sand and sticks
    -Zip lines
    -Koalas and turtles
    -Gondola and funicular in the Blue Mountains

    Alina’s top 5 (or 6):
    -feeding kangaroos and petting koalas
    -pool and beach in Port Douglas
    -JoJo the cockatoo
    -snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef
    -fireworks in Sydney
    -jet boat

    Anna’s top 5:
    -hike to Hooker Lake
    -Milford Sound tour
    -Sydney
    -the different rainforests in Australia
    -Tasmanian devils

    Daniel’s top 5:
    -Sydney
    -Snorkeling the GBR
    -MONA
    -jet boat
    -Hooker Lake hike    Read more

    Trip end
    January 2, 2025
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