Goodbye NZ - I Will See You Again

That was it, that was New Zealand. I did have a mix of emotions. Especially at the start, I was a bit shocked and disappointed about how expensive everything has become. Yes, everything has become more expensive everywhere, but I feel in New Zealand it was unnecessarily expensive and the value-for-money aspect was heavily skewed to the negative side.

In addition, while the Kiwi Experience tour was a great way to see the country, I did not really connect with the people on it - with a few exceptions. So when I had arrived in Queenstown on the South Island after 2.5 weeks, I had done the key activities that I had on my list, ie blackwater rafting in the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, Hobbiton, Tongariro Crossing and Heli Hiking at Franz Josef. However, I was a bit disappointed in New Zealand - not by the activities itself (they were amazing), but the price-value.

Luckily, that had changed over the last 3 weeks and being in the mountains and in places that I had held in good memories, New Zealand's stunning landscape and scenery reminded me why I fell in love with the country in the first place.

Especially the time spent hiking in the mountains really was a massage for my soul and mind plus the breathtaking views certainly added to it.

By the end - even before I had spent time with Laura and Nick in Christchurch, I felt very happy to have explored the country and its countless natural wonders. I like to think of New Zealand as a big national park that you can never get tired of exploring.

There are still quite a few things that are on my list for next time (i.e. Getrud Saddle, Kepler Track, Tasman Glacier, Fox Glacier, Taranaki, etc.), which means I will evidently have to come back to New Zealand in the future.

The end of my New Zealand leg was simply perfect as I got to spend time with two true New Zealanders, Laura and Nick, and they showed me the Kiwi way of life.

With that, I say GOODBYE to New Zealand and what will stay in my mind is the great time I had in the mountains, the amazing activities (even if pricy), Hobbiton and my time with Laura and Nick.

Next stop: FijiRead more