Trip to the Airport

The trip to LAX was fun as always. Departing at 8:30 PM, the Lyft ride took 15 mins to get within 1/4 mile of the airport, and 25 mins for the rest of the way. Dropping off the bag was also aRead more
Flight into Queenstown

After our long haul flight, we went through an incredibly thorough customs check. The customs officials went so far as to wash the dirt off our hiking boots to prevent any contamination of theRead more
Milford in Rain & Sun

The next day, we got an early start to head towards the Fiordland area, home of Milford Sound. First off was a 2 hour drive to Te Anau, where we needed to pick up our hiking passes. The drive wasRead more
Routeburn Track Day 1

Before starting our hike, or tramp as it's called in New Zealand, we decided to pick up another layer from a local outdoor store due to the weather forecast. After a 1 hour drive through the rain, weRead more
Routeburn Track Hut

We spent the night in one of the NZ Department of Conservation's huts, along Lake Mackenzie. The DOC maintains several huts along each of the "Great Walks" (famous hikes). These feature bathrooms,Read more
Routeburn Track Day 2

The second leg of the hike consisted of 12 miles over the peak and into the Routeburn Valley in Mt. Aspiring National Park. We were greeted with clear skies that morning, despite clouds being in theRead more
Queenstown Rest Day

The day after the trek, we took it easy in Queenstown. We would have slept in but since we went to bed so early, we were up by 7. We did some laundry, walked around town and ventured to a smallRead more
Adventure Time - Queenstown Style

We unfortunately started the trip out with a head cold that probably wasn't helped by the hiking we did in the rain. So, in an attempt to speed up the healing process, we decided to choose anRead more
Marlborough Sound Kayaking

After a day of travel and realizing that most things would be closed on Christmas Day, we planned for a busy day touring what the region has to offer.
We booked a half day sea kayaking trip out of aRead more
Marlborough Wineries

We didn't have long to transition from paddling to pedaling. Our lodge was surrounded by many wineries (not an accident) and offered bikes to cruise among them. We chose this region for wine tastingRead more
Big Bird Farm Stay

In a somewhat surprising yet not uninteresting turn of events, we ended up at a farm stay in the central part of the North Island on Christmas Day. We arrived at the Big Bird B&B in the afternoon onRead more
Waitomo Caves

Waitomo, located in the center of the North Island, has several underground limestone caves. These are home to bioluminescent glow worms, subterranean rivers, and can be explored through caving. WeRead more
Poor Knights Island Diving Day 1

Diving was up next on the agenda. We drove around four hours from Waitomo to Tutukaka, gateway to the Poor Knights Islands. We boarded the Acheron liveaboard and were greeted by dive guides AshleighRead more
Poor Knights Island Diving Day 2

Day 2 started bright and early with a wake-up at 6 AM. It was a little tough getting into our damp and chilly wet suits knowing we had to jump in the cold water for 3 more dives! But we didn't regretRead more
Bay of Islands

After 2 days of cold water diving, we were ready for some rest and relaxation. We drove another hour north to the Bay of Islands. This is the area of some of the first European settlements and site ofRead more
Auckland

We left ourselves two days to explore New Zealand's largest city. While the country is much more renowned for its outdoors, Auckland is uniquely positioned on an isthmus between the Tasman Sea andRead more
Waiheke Island for NYE

We signed up for a New Year's Eve festival during the planning stages of the trip, so we found ourselves on a ferry to Waiheke Island with NZ's rowdiest 20 something crowds on Saturday afternoon. TheRead more
Final Thoughts NZ

Highlights:
Without a doubt the scenery. What stood out as really unique and special was the South Island: prominent mountain ranges, glacier blue lakes, spectacular fjords, diverse flora, and aRead more
Ashleigh Lanford
☺