Whanganui

The first proper stop after Wellington was Whanganui.

We visited the Durie Hill Elevator, one of the few earth-bound public elevators in the world, and the only one of its kind in New Zealand. Built in 1919, it still operates using the original electric winch system.

To reach the elevator, you walk through a 213-meter-long tunnel, lined with moving, color-shifting LED lights that create a hypnotic, almost psychedelic effect. It’s definitely a cool experience—though I admit, it gave me a touch of motion sickness. 😄

Once the elevator takes you to the top of Durie Hill, you're free to climb the 176 spiral steps of the Durie Hill War Memorial Tower. From the top, you get sweeping views over Whanganui, the Whanganui River, and even as far as Mount Ruapehu on a clear day.

I was genuinely surprised by how much I liked the town! We were lucky to arrive on a Saturday, which meant we could check out the River Traders Market—a lively market that only runs on Saturdays.

There, I tried strawberry matcha (interesting, but nothing beats pure matcha, and by pure I mean with vanilla ice-cream), Dutchies (deep-fried balls of joy—highly recommend), and a Japanese pancake (I had one in Bali once that was slightly better, but this one was still fantastic).

I keep telling myself “tomorrow is the day I stick to my diet.” And then the other voice kicks in: “Seize the day!” 😄Read more