Day 342: Camping Gear Scramble

New Zealand offers many opportunities to camp for free in its national parks and little towns. We did not pre-send our own camping gear so this morning was dedicated to checking second hand stores for a tent, 2 sleeping bags, 2 sleeping pads, and hiking poles. We also need a cooler, new water bottle, and more layers for the changing weather patterns.

The first two stores….were not that successful. First store had nothing but the cooler and water bottle. Second store only had children’s sleeping bags and we tested them for Mary (didn’t fit). We were discouraged and tried one more store; luckily this store had a super old tent for $20 USD, Mary sized sleeping bag, and ski poles!

After second hand shopping, we visited a downtown camping store hoping they had second hand or rentals. This wasn’t the case but the store clerk recommended checking out the Salvation Army out of town and Kmart.

The out of town recommendation was the spot and we wished we went here first. The Salvation Army had tents, bags, 1 sleeping pad, pillows, and pillow cases. We found a Kieran sized sleeping bag and Mary sized sleeping pad; finished off at Kmart for Kieran’s pad.

By 12pm, we bought everything we needed and stopped at the Buzz Stop Cafe which was a bee and honey farm that also offered mead and gin tours. Grabbed pre-road trip sandwhiches and started our journey south.

The landscape was incredible; green mountains, blue lakes, and awesome climbs. We stopped along the road for some viewpoint pics and to visit Lord of the Rings filming locations to include the Dead Marshes Mire Bog (Kepler Mire) and the Andulin River (Waiau River).

We arrive to our adorable camping hut that will be our home for the next 4 days. Grilled kebabs for dinner and finished up the Fellowship of the Ring in preparation for travel.

Spots:
Manapouri Holiday Park

Spots:
Queenstown
Manapouri
Mire Bog
Waiau RiverRead more