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Trip Around the World 2025
  • Chelsea and Chris Travel
  • Chris W

Trip Around the World 2025

A 285-day adventure by Chelsea and Chris Travel & Chris Read more
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  • Trip start
    February 2, 2025
    Trip Around the World 2025
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    And we’re off!

    February 2 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    Momma and Papa Pugh dropped us off at the Sacramento airport and we’re on our way! Enjoyed a celebratory beer at the lounge before boarding our flight to LAX. Not pictured: Chelsea on the floor of the airport at checkin trying to move 7.5lbs out of her checked bag to get it under the 50lb limit. We all knew this was gonna happen.Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    2

    Arrived in New Zealand!

    February 4 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    Leg two of three complete! We have landed in Auckland! We had a busy layover getting through customs and a very thorough biosecurity check. Got our steps in with a long walk from the international terminal to the domestic terminal and were able to get on an earlier flight to Christchurch. Almost at the end of our travel day!Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    3Arrived at Christchurch airport! Grabbing our bags and then catching and Uber to our hotel.
    2Very pleased with our first accommodations. Plenty of space, comfy bed, and a great view of the citySo fun seeing all the street art on our walk around town. Momma Pugh this one made us think of you!Walking into River Market. It looked to be decorated for the lunar new year.Inside River Market - we must have done 5 laps looking at all the options. They all looked amazing!Dosa Kitchen Indian food for dinnerNew Regent Street. Was a little quieter than we were expecting but very cuteHere comes the tram! This particular tram was actually a dining experience!Drinks at Mr Brightside rooftop. Chris got a local beer and Chels opted for a local Pinot NoirCocktails at Pink Lady. If we had to pick this was our fav rooftop. Great music and views1And they had a fun sign!

    We made it! Christchurch, New Zealand

    February 4 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    Leg three of three done and our travel day is complete! We arrived in Christchurch, New Zealand to start our roadtrip through the south and north island. After checking into our hotel we spent the afternoon exploring the city. The architecture here is clean and modern and reminds us of Scandinavia with some classic English stone and brick buildings mixed in. Lots of street art as well. We had dinner at River Market which is a beautiful food hall with all different types of food. We opted for Dosa Indian - delicious! We then walked to New Regent Street and arrived just in time to see the tram drive through. We grabbed a local beer and wine at Mr Brightside rooftop bar and a cocktail at Pink Lady, another rooftop bar (I’m sure this will be a theme for us) before calling it an early night for some much needed rest.Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    Christchurch Gondola
    View from the top of Christchurch Gondola overlooking Lyttelton1More of Lyttelton and Banks Peninsula in the backgroundCouldn't get over this view!Heading out on the Godley Head Loop Track. Behind us is Taylor's Mistake Beach2The views on this hike just kept getting betterLooking back at Taylor's Mistake Beach and the beach bungalos covering the serounding hills.World War II coastal defense siteMost of the walls had murals painted inside - so much art in this area!Made it around the point and now looking across at Banks PeninsulaThe difference in water color along the shore vs in the center is so prettyMy pack muleMade it back around to Taylor's Mistake BeachHad to walk across the beach. You can see one of the beach bungalows in the backgroundChels even put her toes in. Water felt a little warmer than CAOur unintended second hike on the Taylors Mistake to Sumner Beach Track2Taylor's Mistake Beach and the start of the Godley Head Loop Track1Beautiful homes on the cliff side as we hiked back to town

    Christchurch Gondola + Godley Head

    February 5 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    The day started with an awesome breakfast at the cafe next to our hotel and then an Uber ride to the Christchurch Gondola. Quick ride up and incredible 360 views of Christchurch on one side and Lyttelton and Banks Peninsula on the other. We rode the gondola back down and caught another Uber to Taylor’s Mistake Beach to start the Godley Head Loop. The views just kept getting better! We couldn’t catch an Uber once we finished the loop so we continued on the Taylors Mistake to Sumner walk (although it was much more of a hike) following the cliffs back to Sumner. Was fun to see all the beach bungalows turn into large new cliff side homes as we got closer to town. All in we hiked 8.7 miles and 1,600 feet elevation gain. We had a snack at one of the beach cafe’s and were finally able to catch an Uber to the airport to pick up our rental car before heading to Akaroa.Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    2First timing driving on the left side of the road in New Zealand!
    Once we got out of the city we drove through New Zealand ag landAll smiles once we got the hang of itLooking out towards where we hiked earlier in the dayViews of Akaroa HarbourCute colorful garages along the water in AkaroaDinner at Billy Hayes in Akaroa. Chels has a salad and Chris had lamb1Golden hour on the drive backBanks Peninsula and Akaroa HarbourPart time navigator, part time photographerSunset from the top of the peakAkaroa waterfrontAkaroa waterfront

    Akaroa and Banks Peninsula

    February 5 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    Stay left. Stay left. Stay left. We survived our first drive! Chris took the wheel today and Chels was navigator. Picked up our rental car and drove through the Banks Peninsula to Akaroa, a small town with French heritage. The views the entire way were incredible and even better on the way back with the sunset. We had a quick dinner at a waterfront resturant in Akaroa before driving back to Christchurch. What a day!Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    Chris was very happy with his meal from Bobby's Brunch!Rainy drive to Makenzie DistrictBut when the clouds broke - wow!!! Chris and our ride for the monthWe made it! Lake TekapoLake TekapoTekapo food bridgeChurch of the Good Shepard. There were so many tour groups here! Cleared them all out with edittingCalifornia poppies in Nee Zealand!Walking across the Tekapo foot bridgeThe water is so blue from the glacier dust!1Statue of the sheep dog - made us miss Buster 💕1Lake PukakiOur home for the next two nights! Such a cute little cabin in TwizelLogan's at High Country SalmonThis was 1 of 3 courses... we definitely over ordered! Good thing we have lots of hiking tomorrow

    Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki

    February 6 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 61 °F

    To the mountains we go! We loved River Market in Christchurch so much we went back for a full breakfast at Bobby’s Brunch before hitting the road. The drive was through ag land and it rained most of the day until we got to Makenzie District. Our first stop was Lake Tekapo and the Church of the Good Shepard. The clouds cleared for just a bit and we got to experience the intense blue of the glacier lake. We walked over the foot bridge to get a peak at the hydroelectric damn and also said hi to the sheep dog statue. Next stop was Lake Pukaki, the second of the three glacier lakes in the area. Pretty cloudy so hoping for clear skies on our hikes tomorrow! We checked into our next accommodations is the super cute town of Twizel and had a delicious dinner at High Country Salmon’s resturant, Logan’s. We learned that all the salmon in New Zealand were brought over between 1901 and 1907 from Sacramento!Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    1View from the peak above Mueller Hut when the clouds finally broke
    12300 steps!Made it to the top of Sealy Tarns but no view today1Continuing on the Mueller Hut track. Bit of a rock scramble1Kea mountain parrotsKea pair in the background1Finally broke through the clouds!Our first glimpse at Hooker Valley below as the clouds are rolling through1Snack break at Mueller HutMueller Hut and Mueller Glacier in the background3Looking out over Hooker Lake11Clouds had pretty much cleared up by our walk down.Peter's Lookout over Lake Pukaki3Hot Tubs Omarama - our own private tub and really peaceful setting

    Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park

    February 7 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    Today was a BIG hiking day! We stopped at a Mint Folk & Co, a cafe in downtown Twizel, to grab some breakfast and snacks before driving about an hour to the Mt Cook visitors center. We picked out the Sealy Tarns Track, also known as “The Stairway to Heaven,” as our route. The name held up as we walked up 2,200 steps to the top with views of Hooker Valley along the way. Unfortunately, as we got to the top we were in the clouds and didn’t have any sort of view. At the recommendation of hikers on their way down, we continued on to the Muller Hut with the hope of breaking through the clouds for a view of the peaks. The route turned from steps to rock scramble pretty quickly. The trail was somewhat marked by orange posts so we’d look up to find the next one, rock scramble to get there, and repeat. We saw two Kea (mountain parrots) on our way which was really special! Finally at the top we broke through the clouds for an epic view of the glacier. We stopped for a snack at Mueller Hut and continued up the rocky peak behind for 360 views of the valley when the clouds finally broke. It was epic! We spent quite a bit of time at the top enjoying the view before making our way back down. All in we did 3,800 feet of elevation gain and just over 9 miles. Wow! On the way back to Twizel we stopped at Peter’s Lookout for a view of Lake Pukaki with the sun shining on the blue water. We had Indian food in town for dinner on our way to Hot Tubs Omarama for a much needed soak.Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    Kawarau Gorge - One of our scenic stops along the drive.
    Hard to leave this little cabin in the mountains - really enjoyed our stay in Twizel!Salmon quiche and roasted veggie salad for brunch at Mint Folk & Co before leaving TwizelClay Cliffs in OmaramaClay CliffsChris driving like a pro on the left side of the road now!Lindis Pass overlookCromwell - reminded us of the Central Valley but greener. Lots of fruit orchardsKawarau GorgeHome for the next two nights! Our new accommodations in Queenstown.Queenstown waterfront. Just a quick 10 minute walk from our accommodationsQueenstown GondolaViewing deck from the top of Queenstown Gondola1Luge track at the top of Queenstown GondolaChris preparing for his lugeFergburger with a view! Chels opted for the Ferg-lafel and Chris got the Bug Al and Sweet Bambi

    Twizel to Queenstown

    February 8 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    Today we packed up and left Twizel for Queenstown! The adventure capital of the world. We really enjoyed our stay in Twizel and couldn’t leave without one last salmon quiche for breakfast. On the drive we stopped at the Clay Cliffs in Omarama which really stood out from the other surrounding mountains. Once we arrived in Queenstown we dropped our bags and car at our accommodations and walked to the Queenstown Gondola to enjoy the view. Chris also tried out the luge at the top! We had dinner in town at the famous Fergburger. Chris learned the trick is to call in your take away order so you don’t have to wait in the line! We ate at the waterfront and called it an early night in preparation for tomorrow’s activities.Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    Bungy jumping at Karawau Bridge near Queenstown
    Chris cool as a cucumber before his jumpChelsea's Bungy!Boarding our jet boat from the Queenstown main marinaEnjoying the ride!360 spins!Shallow water and obstacles everywhere, just another day in the office for our driverDowntown Queenstown was very cute!Surrounding mountains and downtown QueenstownFun mix of modern and artsyQueenstown waterfront on Lake WakatipuLooking back at the Queenstown waterfront from our after dinner walk

    Kawarau Bridge Bungy + Jet Boat

    February 9 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    We really embraced the “adventure capital of the world” slogan today with Bungy jumping and jet boating! We jumped off the Kawarau Bridge which was the first commercial bungy operation in the world, started in 1988. Neither of us backed out but Chels did keep her eyes closed for the entire jump. We stopped in Arrowtown on our way back to walk the streets of this old mining town and grab lunch. Once back in Queenstown we jumped on a jet boat tour down the Kawarau and Shotover rivers. These jet boats are designed to run in as little as 4 inches of water and at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. The driving was very impressive! Chris’ favorite activity we’ve done so far. We had dinner at Saigon Kingdom Vietnamese and walked around down town and on the Queenstown Garden Loop to wrap up our day.Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    1Nugget Point Lighthouse walk
    Chris always eyeing my food for leftovers. This was our brunch in Queenstown before hitting the roadDrive out of Queenstown along the lakeOne of our small town stops at Gore “NZ’s Capital of Country Music” and “World Capital of Brown TrouThe drive out to the coast. Lots of farmlandThe only birds we saw near the lighthouse. Pretty sure they were the New Zealand version of seagullsReally pretty rock islands off the point of tbe lighthouseLooking back at the beach where you can sometimes see the penguinsNugget Point Lighthouse. The oldest lighthouse in New ZealandSt Paul’s Cathedral in Dunedin1New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in DunedinA nod back to their Scottish roots1First Church of Otago in DunedinFirst Church of Otago - Chels really liked the door2Our accommodations for the night!

    Nugget Point Lighthouse + Dunedin

    February 10 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

    Today we left Queenstown and went back to the coast! It was a long drive (almost 5 hours total) so we made a few stops at small towns along the way. Once back on the coast we visited Nugget Point Lighthouse. This is usually a great area to see albatross and yellow-eyed penguins but we weren’t lucky enough to see any today. The rocky cliffs and sandy beaches were beautiful though! We checked into our accommodations - Fabel Hotel Dunedin - and wandered the city before dinner. Dunedin has Scottish heritage and is known for its Victorian and Edwardian architecture. We opted for Indian food at Fusion of Flavours for dinner.Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    The steepest street in the world! Baldwin Street, Dunedin
    2Chels opted to enjoy the view from the bottom of Baldwin Street1Chris getting all the shots of Dunedin from the top of Signal Hill LookoutGore "NZ's Capital of Country Music" and "World Capital of Brown Trout Fishing"Lunch at Ambiance Cafe in Gore. Chels had pumpkin soup and Chris opted for a toasted bagel sandwichViews from the driveViews as we started back into the mountainsLake Te Anau1Not sure what boat this is used for but it looked huge!The only birds we saw at the sanctuary. They were all hiding from the intense midday sun1Chris also hiding from the intense midday sunDelicious salad and sushi bowls for dinner in Te Anau1Can't beat the view from our accommodations!

    Dunedin to Te Anau

    February 11 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F

    Before heading out this morning we stopped at Signal Hill Lookout for a view of Dunedin from above, and Baldwin Street which is the world’s steepest street. We then hit the road for the drive back inland to Te Anau - our gateway point to Milford Sound. We stopped in Gore for lunch at a cute cafe and got pumpkin soup and a bagel sandwich. We got a kick out of the town welcome signs on the drive with our favorite being Waihola “No doctors. No hospital. One cemetery.” Once in Te Anau we stopped at the Fiordland Visitors Center and Bird Sanctuary before getting an early dinner at Ditto, which was Asian fusion. We spent the evening relaxing and enjoying the incredible view from our accommodations.Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    Milford Sound
    The drive in was mostly foggy until the sun broke through and lit up the mountain topsChris taking in the fjords. The cliffs were incredibly steepJuvenile male fur sealsMilford Sound!These fjords were formed by 5 seperate glaciers and you can see the shelves of each looking backBowen Falls. One of the permanent water falls. You can see how small the kayakers are in comparison2Bowen FallsBowen Falls, Milford SoundHarris Cove looking back at Mt Pembroke, permanently ice covered year roundOur vessel for the two hour cruise around Milford SoundMitre Peak and Sinbad Gulley in the backgroundQuinoa salad from the cafe - so yummy!1Milford Sound road, including this suspension bridge was a relief project during the depressionTutoko River1View from the top of Kea Summitt - 5.2 miles and 1,400 feet elevation gainPretty pond at the top of Kea Summit1Views from Kea SummitMirror Lake... the wind made it a fun house mirror today though2Yummy pizza to close out the day

    Milford Sound

    February 12 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    It was an early morning drive from our Te Anau accommodations to Milford Sound for our cruise. While Chelsea had hoped for a rainy day to see the fjord waterfalls, the sunshine and calm waters made for an incredible cruise. We went from the start of Milford sound (which we learned isn’t actually a sound at all) all the way to the Tasman Sea. These deep waterways are fjords since they were made by glaciers (five different glaciers actually) and not rivers. We saw a few of the permanent and semi-permanent water falls as well as a few New Zealand fur seals. After the cruise we had an awesome lunch at the cafe - we haven’t had a bad meal yet, even in these small remote cafes - and then started the drive back to Te Anau making lots of stops along the way to enjoy the scenery. We decided to hike the Kea Summit Track for incredible views of the surrounding mountains and glacial lakes. We had pizza at Ristorante Pizzeria Paradiso in Te Anau before heading back to our cottage to enjoy a final sunset.Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    Top of Roy's Peak
    The drive from Queenstown to Wanaka was a beautiful one lane winding roadFueling up for lunch at The Big Fig before our hikeStopped for a few shots on the way up. We started at lake level!Roy's Peak hikeRoy's Peak HikeWe made it to the top! Took us about 3 hours to get up and another 2.5 to get downEnjoying the viewWe arrived at the top at the same time as a runner... who ran up the 4,200 feet and 5 miles. Crazy!First big hike after Chels retired from the role of Plague PrincessFor perspective on the size of these peaks, that's us at the end of the path!There were hiking poles at the top of this peak. Not sure how people got all the way out there!Looking back at the town of Wakana on the walk down.The sunset just kept getting better!1The way down was almost as hard as the way up. Our knees were feeling it!

    Wanaka + Roy’s Peak Hike

    February 13 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    Today we packed up in Te Anau and made our way to Wanaka! A very cute lake town with an epic hike we were dying to checkout. We made a few stops along the way to enjoy the views and had a late lunch at The Big Fig once we got into town. We dropped our stuff at our Airbnb, changed, and made our way to the base of Roy’s Peak for another epic hike. This one was a doozy! 10 miles and 4,200 feet elevation gain… straight up and straight down! From the top you could see the town of Wanaka, Lake Wanaka, Mt Aspiring, and the surrounding peaks. We even caught a beautiful sunset on the walk down!Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    Lake views as we left Wanaka and drive along Lake Wanaka and Lake HaweaEntering Mount Aspiring National Park and getting our first glimpse of the Makarora RiverOur first waterfall stop - Fan Tail FallsSo many rock stacks on this fallen tree!Thunder Creek FallsThe river was so clear and blueLots of very interesting rocksMassive tree in the jungle in the way to the waterfallWe thought this part of the island looked a lot like Hawaii without the humidityCrossed over lots of one lane bridges today. Driver Chris wasn't a fanBack to the oceanWe made it to the west coast!Delicious dinner at Alice May's. Chris got fish and chips and Chels got a falafel salad1Little sneak preview of where we're headed tomorrow!

    Mount Aspiring National Park

    February 14 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    It was a quick visit in Wanaka! After brunch at Federal Diner we hit the road for New Zealand’s west coast for the first time, driving from Wanaka through Mount Aspiring National Park and ending in Franz Josef. The road through Mt Aspiring National Park follows the Makarora River. It was a very warm and sunny day and we were pretty tired from Roy’s Peak the evening prior so we opted to skip the hikes and just stop at the roadside waterfalls, which there were quite a few of! Once through the park we drove north along the coast to the small town of Franz Josef which sits at the base of the Franz Josef Glacier. We checked into our hostel, had dinner at Alice May, and stopped into the local grocery store to stop up on snacks for tomorrow’s adventure.Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    Standing on Franz Josef Glacier with the Pacific Ocean in the background
    Landing on Franz Josef glacierSuch a small flat of ice they land on!Chris getting ready to climbA few obstacles to warm up and get to our first climb of the daySo excited!!1Chris up on the ice wall1View from the wall2Chelsea's turn!Belaying back downObstacles on the way to our second climbing wall1Looking out to the Pacific Ocean. You can see another tour group for perspective on sizeIce wall #2Ready to climb some more!1Massive hole into the ice - don't worry it was marked and no one fell in!1Wrapping up our ice walk and waiting for our helicopter. What a day!Helicopter ride back down to the townViews from the heli ride1This is what they call a "pint" in New ZealandAnother delicious dinner. New Zealand really knows how to do food right

    Franz Josef Glacier

    February 15 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 54 °F

    Today we tried ice climbing for the first time! It was a very small group of four of us and two guides that spent the day on the mountain together. The day started with a safety briefing and gear fitting and then a helicopter ride up to the glacier. Chels’ first time in a helicopter and she got a front row seat! Once on the ice we put on our crampons and helmets and did a short hike over to our first ice wall. We had a lesson on how to climb and belay before getting after it. We tried two different routes on this wall before graduating to a more challenging wall farther up the glacier for another two routes. We had a little extra time at the end of the day so we went on an ice walk through some other parts of the glacier to enjoy the views before our second helicopter ride back down to sea level. We had dinner and a celebratory drink at Snake Bite in town before retiring to our hostel.Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    Road side photo stop along Arthur's Pass
    Lake MapourikaHokitika Gorge and suspension bridge1Hokitika Gorge Suspension Bridge1Hokitika Gorge. Chels didn't like how much the bridge was swinging1Hokitika GorgeHokitika for lunch at Thatcher & Small - Chris is looking sleepy!3Hokitika beach walk entrance1Hokitika beach walkOtira Viaducta on Arthur's PassAnother Kea mountain parrot siting at the Otira Viaduct view point!Otira ViaductDevil’s Punchbowl FallsDevil’s Punchbowl FallsViews along Arthur's PassCastle HillCastle Hill2Castle HillCastle HillDinner at Pocket Full of Spice. Chris was very pleased and all of this was only $37 USD!

    Arthur’s Pass

    February 16 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 61 °F

    Today we left Franz Josef and the west coast of the South Island and made our way back to the east coast through Arthur’s Pass with quite a few stops along the way. Our first stop was Lake Mapourika, a mirror lake just north of Franz Josef with the cutest dock and kayak rentals. We then made our way to Hokitika Gorge, where we walked a short ways to a suspension bridge. This particular gorge is known for its deep blue color. Our third stop was to the beach town of Hokitika for lunch at Thatcher & Small - Chris had salmon salad and Chels had a tofu sushi bowl. We took a quick walk along the beach on our way back to the car - lots of drift wood! We filled up on gas and got some snacks for the road before heading on our way - Chelsea is loving the local chocolate brand Whittaker. We took a gravel road over to Arthur’s pass highway and started our journey over the mountains. The views were stunning! We made two stops at the Otira Viaduct lookout and Devil’s Punchbowl Falls before starting our descent, and making our final stop at Castle Hill. We made it to Rangiora around 7pm and had dinner at Pocket Full of Spice Indian cuisine before making ourselves at home at our Airbnb.Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    Daily dose of caffeine.
    Our adorable rest day Airbnb in Rangiora. Many of our Airbnb's have been converted primary bedroomsWe had our own patio and yard which is where Chels worked for the morning before the sun got too hotPretty square in down town RangioraDelicious Thai food for dinner in RangioraDate scone. This one was orange and date. They have them at every cafe.Blueberries are so inexpensive! I think this was $1.50 USD2First chocolate tasting!Chocolate tasting #2. Tried milk chocolate but dark chocolate was betterChocolate tasting #3. Back to dark chocolate and a new favorite!

    Day of Rest - Rangiora

    February 17 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    Bet you didn’t think you’d see the day we actually stayed in one place! We had a buffer day built into our schedule in case of bad weather at the glacier and since we had perfect weather there, we chose to spend it at a super cozy Airbnb we booked last minute in the adorable small town of Rangiora. We spent the day getting caught up on our to do lists and resting - which was much needed! Since photos of us working on our laptop aren’t very fun, we thought we’d share our favorite local things from the trip so far. Chelsea is loving the date scones, local produce, kombucha, and chocolate. Blueberries and apricots are her go to breakfast and hiking snack - both grown in New Zealand. There’s also a local fruit called feijoa, also known as a pineapple guava, that is delicious in kombucha. As for chocolate she’s tried many of the Whittaker flavors with dark chocolate ginger mandarin being the favorite so far. Food is really affordable here which is keeping Chris very happy. Most meals we spend between $30-$40 USD for the both of us and the quality is top notch. Even in the remote areas we’ve been able to get great food. Chris’s favorite lunch has been toasties which are sandwiches, served hot and open faced. Most cafe’s have a case of them to choose from. The cafe’s also make great flat whites and latte’s which Chris enjoys daily.Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    Chris' toastie and Chels' granola for breakfastAnd two lattes of courseOn the road again! Chris is still our driverFirst part of the drive was through ag landThen we hit the coast!Drove through a few tunnelsAnd then under this massive barricade from falling rocksKaikōura Peninsula WalkThe coastline. There is a deep channel jusy off the coast that brings a lot of sea life to this areaAg land going all the way to the coastal walk. And they roll their hay hereAll the hikes have steps to get over the fence instead of a gate. I guess sheep can't climb stairsHappy we finally found some shadeNot sure what this little yellow building was but it sure was cuteCrayfish aka rock lobster. We noticed they had no pincher clawsChris excited to give it a try but not excited about the price tagSecond half of the drive up the coast and the views were just as incredibleBlenheim street art. This sheep had googly eyesWe made it! View from our Picton Airbnb

    Rangiora to Picton

    February 18 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Today we drove the very scenic coastal drive from Rangiora, just outside of Christchurch, to Picton, the port town where we’ll be catching the ferry to north island. Caffeine is an essential ingredient for a successful drive day so after we packed up from our Airbnb we stopped in the small town of Amberley for breakfast and coffee. We continued on to the coastal town of Kaikōura. The drive was beautiful running right along the Pacific Ocean. We noticed there is a train that takes this same route - might be a better option for enjoying the view. Once we arrived in Kaikōura we set off on the Peninsula Walk which runs along the top of the cliffs looking down into the rocks and beaches below. It was hot and sunny so this hike is better suited for the morning but we made the most of our afternoon adventure. About 4.5 miles total out and back. On our drive in we saw many signs for crayfish and decided to stop to see what it was all about. We learned that crayfish is the local name for rock lobster and decided to give it a try. Half a crayfish cost us about $27 USD (yikes!) and it was steamed and grilled in garlic butter. Tasty but not worth the price tag in our opinion. We continued on to the town of Blenheim which is the most populated town in the Marlborough district. Marlborough is an ag region (lots of vineyards and orchards along the drive) and Blenheim felt a lot like Fresno to us and wasn’t very lively. We had a quick dinner of dinner kebabs - nothing like what we were both used to with German Donner sadly - and continued north to our final stop of Picton. We checked into our Airbnb and enjoyed the view before calling it a night.Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    Chels and Edwin Fox
    Chris is a happy boy when he gets his morning coffeePicton waterfrontVideo of Picton harbour and the Edwin FoxEdwin Fox in its dry dock in Picton. The oldest merchant ship in the world built 18501Copper plating to protect against ocean worms that would eat the woodHiking the Victoria Domaine and looking back at Picton Harbour and the ferry we'll take tomorrowOur ferry will be the smaller one in the right, BluebridgeVideo of Queen Charlotte Sound from our hikeCicadas. They are everywhere! And so loud!One of the ferry boats on its way out to the Cook StraightThe beginning of the hike was jungly. Lots of trees and vegetationThis is a mix use area with hiking and mountain bike trails. Well maintained with crew leaf blowingMade it to the end of the peninsula!The end of the hike was much dryer with a lot less plantsThe thorns on this plant were intense! We've also seen a lot of these spider nests.These stoat traps are all along the trails in New Zealand to get rid of the pests and support birdsFinally made it to Waikawa harbor for our beer!2Pretty view of the harbour from Jolly Roger barSaw rowers and a few rays on our walk back across the foot bridge to PictonAnother delicious dinner! This was our roasted cauliflower appetizerChris chose fish and chips for dinner and Chels had roasted eggplant and hummus. Both very good!

    Picton

    February 19 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 73 °F

    We loved our day in Picton. This small harbour town has so much charm! No good morning starts without Chris having his coffee so we walked into town and enjoyed one at the Seabreeze cafe. From there we walked along the waterfront to the Edwin Fox Museum to learn about the oldest merchant ship in the world that is dry docked in Picton. This boat had quite a history being built in Calcutta, India in 1853, it was then used to move people and goods all over the world. After spending the morning at the museum we embarked on what we intended to be a short hike to a viewpoint of the harbour, but somehow turned into a 10+ mile adventure. We don’t even know how far we walked because Chelsea’s Apple watch died before we made it home. We hiked from our Airbnb in Picton out onto the Victoria Domain which is a peninsula of protected land that is attached to Picton by a footbridge. We made it all the way to the end and then returned a slightly different route to explore the neighboring harbour town of Waikawa. We found their only bar, The Jolly Roger, and enjoyed a beer before making our way back to Picton for dinner at the Oxley Bar and Kitchen. The Oxley is part of a hotel that has been operating in the same location since 1870 and the food was delicious!Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    We took the 7:45am ferry so we got to see the sun coming up over the mountains
    Driving onto the ferry from Picton to WellingtonRiding through Queen Charlotte's Sound1Time lapse of us leaving PictonFront of the boat arriving in WellingtonCaptain spun the boat around to dock so we could drive the cars right off the same side we drove inArriving in WellingtonWellington skylineChelsea trying her first pie. Went with vegetarian curryIn front of the national museum3Chels thought this motorcycle was awesome. Designed/built in New Zealand to break the speed recordMauri community houseThey use a version of abalone for the eyes1Massive footprint of flightless bird that used to live in New ZealandChris really loved the earthquake exhibitSaw some of these in our hike in Picton and learned they're to kill the rodents1Chris also loved the pinball wallEven the cross walk signs were unique. I think they are to symbolize the Hakka but not sureA group was salsa dancing when we arrived on Cuba StreetMiddle Eastern dinner. Delicious!More middle eastern dinner1Beautiful sunset from our Airbnb

    Cook Strait Ferry Crossing + Wellington

    February 20 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 73 °F

    It’s time to say good bye to South Island and hello to North Island! We had an absolutely beautiful day for our ferry ride. We got up early and drove just a few minutes from our Airbnb to the ferry terminal where we drove our car onto the ferry for the journey across Cook Straight. We picked up a coffee at the cafe and made our way to the top floor viewing deck to enjoy the views of Queen Charlotte’s Sound. It took about 4 hours to cross and we could see land the entire way. It was calm most of the trip but the wind definitely picked up once we got closer to Wellington. Seems to be the norm for this city. Once we docked in Wellington we drove off the ferry and made our way to our accommodations in the city center. A bit of a stressful drive in the busy city and a very tight parking structure - thankful we don’t have to move the car until we leave in a few days! We did some much needed laundry, had our first pie as an afternoon snack, and then spent quite a bit of time at The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa which is the national museum and art gallery. We spent about 4 hours here and could have spent longer if they weren’t closing. They had a variety of exhibits about the people, plants and animals that make up this island. We were chocked to find out that New Zealand was covered in forests until European settlers cut down the trees for timber and cleared the land for farming. Chris really enjoyed the war exhibit and Chelsea really enjoyed the exhibits on Māori culture and the many nationalities that have immigrated here from all over the world. The last exhibit we went through was all about nature and was very interactive. We wished we had more time here to learn about the plants and animals native to the area! After the museum we walked Cuba Street, a lively area with lots of bars and restaurants. We settled on Kisa for dinner which was delicious middle eastern cuisine.Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    Caught in the rain but making the most of our Zealandia visit
    Chris always impressed with our food. Breakfast was flat whites, falafel wrap, and vegan curry rollStopped into a Lego store and saw this awesome Lord of the Rings set. Check out the price!Heading up the hill on the cable car. Fin lights in the tunnelCable car museum. The seats used to face outwards. Liked that they were on an angle for the slopeWellington Botanical GardensAlways happy to find a fiejoia drink!Morro Bay or Wellington Botnical Gardens? We could hardly tell!Over water walkway at ZealandiaChris checking for creepy crawlies in Zealandia.Zealandia walk... before the rain hitKaka! Large brown parrot. So smart knowing how to open the food containerKakaGetting dumped on so found a shelter to hide out inViewing tower in Zealandia... still raining but at least the thunder stopped!Trying not to get shoes wet... was unsuccessfulView from the top of the dam in Zealandia. Built in 1907Drinks on Cuba Street after we got dry shoes and clothesDinner on Cuba StreetWaterfront walk - sea urchin sculpture and Wellington city skylineSome locally made chocolate as a reward for walking in the rain all day

    Wellington

    February 21 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    Today we explored Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand! We had coffee and a quick bite at The Lab cafe near our Airbnb and walked to the cable car to catch a ride up the hill. The cable car was originally built in 1902 and was redone with Swish technology in the late 90’s. Before the renovations, the grip-man had to use their strength to hold the car onto the cables that pulled it up hill - crazy! It wasn’t as steep as the cable car in Hong Kong but they did have fun light shows in the tunnels. In addition to this public cable car, there are also over 150 private cable cars in the city to access homes that are built onto the hills. We explored the botanical gardens a bit and then caught the shuttle over to Zealandia. Zealandia is the world’s first fully fenced urban Ecosanctuary with over 500 acres enclosed by a preditor free fence. The goal is to restore this valley to its pre-human state with as many native plants and birds as possible. New Zealand didn’t have mammals until humans arrived and brought them which really hurt the bird population, especially the flightless birds. We enjoyed walking the paths and looking for birds and saw quite a few different species including the Kaka which is a large brown parrot that Chels has been hoping to see. When we were about as far out as we’d planned to walk we got caught in a un-forecast rain storm and had to find cover under the trees and eventually in a small shelter. It dumped! We we eventually decided to walk through the storm to see the viewing tower and dam before making our way back to the entrance and shuttle. Just before leaving we saw a nest in the trees along the lake with a mom and two baby Little Shags or Kawau paka, which are aquatic birds similar to cormorants. Mamma was feeding her two babies. We caught the shuttle back to the cable car, took the cable car back down the hill, and walked back to our Airbnb for some dry socks and jackets before heading to Cuba Street for dinner at Scopa Italian. It seemed like the rain had stopped so we walked the waterfront after dinner and down Courtenay Place which seems to be a very vibrant area with bars and clubs. The rain started again so we made our way home and called it a night.Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    Paraparaumu Beach walk
    Flat white at The Hangar in WellingtonBreakfast at Two Fat Chef's in Paraparaumu BeachParaparaumu Beach walkBlueberries from the Paraparaumu farmers market for a roadtrip snackPretty building along the drive. Looked German1First peak of Mount TaranakiBeach walk from our Airbnb to downtown New Plymouth for dinnerNew Plymouth beach walkThe beach walk has lots of sculptures along itDinner at India Today in down town New PlymouthDelicious! Dinner at India Today2Possum meat dog food at Sak N SaveChels' hiking snacks - coconut yogurt and granola, crackers and hummus, apricots, date scone

    Wellington to New Plymouth

    February 22 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 70 °F

    Big drive day as we made our way north west from Wellington to New Plymouth. We couldn’t leave Wellington un-caffeinated, so we had flat whites at The Bunker and then hit the road. We stopped in the coastal town of Paraparaumu Beach for breakfast at Two Fat Chefs and wandered their local farmers market and beach walk before hitting the road again. A few things that we’ve noticed are unique about driving in New Zealand: 1) They love their roundabouts. We’ve seen very few stop signs, really only in small neighborhoods. Mainly there are roundabouts in town. And some of them are large! 2) It is very easy to find a public toilet. Almost every town has one and it will be well marked with a sign from the main road. This has made road tripping very easy. 3) Horse racing seems to be big here. We must have driven by 5+ tracks so far.

    We could tell we were getting close to New Plymouth when we could see glimpses of Mount Taranaki peaking in and out of the clouds. We also felt right at home driving through the Americano Car Show in one of the neighboring towns that was showcasing vintage American cars! Once we arrived in New Plymouth we dropped our bags at our Airbnb and walked the river walk and ocean walk down town for dinner. We ate at Indian Today off of our host’s recommendation and it did not disappoint. Chris says it’s the best Indian food he’s had in New Zealand, which is saying something since we’ve had Indian every few nights. We stopped at Pak’n Save (seemed to be their version of Food For Less) to pick up snacks for our big hike tomorrow before an early bedtime.    Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    Mount Taranaki from the Pouakai Tarns
    Heading off on the Pouakai Crossing after being dropped off my the shuttleFirst part of the hike was lots of stairs up through a mossy forestBroke above the forest and went along the side of Mt Taranaki. Some rock scramblesGot our first view of the Mt Taranaki peak as the clouds brokeDetour to Bells Falls for a lunch break2Stop at Holly Hut on the way back from Bells Falls and another view of the peakGot caught in the rain crossing the Ahukawakawa Swamp1Ahukawakawa Swamp. Almost this entire hike was boardwalk or stairs. Very impressive.1Back into the forest to climb up Mt PouakaiView back at the Ahukawakawa Swamp from PouakaiBeautiful boardwalk through the mossy forest on Pouakai1Chris so happy for a view of Mt Taranaki after waiting almost two hours for the clouds to clearView from Pouakai Tarns.View of the Pacific Ocean as we walk down the boardwalk to Pouakai mirror pondMirror pond. Too windy for a reflection though1Making the long 4 mile descent back to the car. Stairs and boardwalk the entire way1Another glimps of Mt Taranaki as we drive back to town3Chris completed the rock scramble to the peak near the coast1View from the top of the rock scramble. Reminded us a lot of Morro Bay or Cannon Beach!Fiejoa Sour at the local brewery post hike. Made with locally grown fiejoas1Post hike meal at Shining Peak Brewery

    Pouakai Crossing, Egmont National Park

    February 23 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    Our biggest hike day yet! This was a one way crossing (rather than a loop or out and back), so we were up before the sun to catch a shuttle from the parking lot at the end of the hike back to the visitors center at the beginning. The Pouakai Crossing runs up and across Mount Taranaki, through a wetland area, and up over the Pouakai peak before descending to the car park. The entire hike was very well maintained and almost entirely steps or boardwalk. Very impressive park ranger work! The hike started ascending through a moss covered forest. The forest cleared and we walked under lava columns and went over a few rock scrambles before taking our first detour to Holly Hut and Wells Falls. Quick lunch break at the falls and then back on the trail to cross the Ahukawakawa Swamp where we got caught in the rain… again… but it wasn’t as bad this time! We hiked back up through another forest. We learned that possums killed many of these old growth cedar trees before control efforts were started. Once at the top we had views of Mt Taranaki as we walked to our second detour, the Pouakai Tarns, which is a small lake created by a glacier. From there we walked back up to the peak and started our long descent to the car. All in we think we hiked about 16 miles and 4,000 feet elevation gain with a lot more descent. The hike took us from 7:30am to 5pm but we stopped a lot waiting for the clouds to pass so we could get a view of Mt Taranaki. We made a quick stop at a rock near the coast in New Plymouth so Chris could rock climb up (literally, it was a chain and rock scramble) and get a shot of the view before heading to dinner at Shining Brewery, a local spot that had a feijoa sour Chels really wanted to try.Read more

  • Trip Around the World 2025
    Inside the Ruakuri Cave in Waitomo
    Some of the coastal pillars along our driveView from the drive as we started inlandCool rock formations along the driveThe spiral walkway leading into the Ruakuri Cave. Very dramatic entranceStone at the base of the spiral entry with drippign water to keep humidity and ward off evil spiritsCollumn formed when stalactite and stalagmite connect1Ribbon stalactite formed from water running along the edgeLots of needle stalactites in this areaFirst peak at glowworms! There's mucous strings hanging from the glowworms that catch bugs to eatMore glow worms along the path1Turned the lights off for full glowworm effectFossilized shell found inside the cave. Reminder that this all used to be ocean floorMore needle stalactitesThese looked like styrofoam and were formed from water evaporatingPart of the original walkway from early 1900's when tours startedLagoon outside the Waitomo Glowworm Cave. Our boat ride from inside the cave dropped us off hereLook the other way into the forest. The glow worms feed on bugs that come in and hatch off the riverMonsoon Indian Cuisine feast for dinnerSunset on the drive to Turangi

    Waitomo Glowworm Caves

    February 24 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    We left New Plymouth this morning and drove north up the coast and inland to the small town of Waitomo to see glowworms! The drive up the coast was very pretty with lots of rock pillars just off the shore. As we went inland we drove through rolling hills and farmland. Most of the roads in New Zealand are two lane (one lane each direction). The only roads we’ve seen larger than this were in Wellington. They also drive a lot slower here. 100 kilometers per hour is the max we’ve seen which is only 62 miles per hour.

    We booked two cave tours in Waitomo. The first was of the Ruakuri Cave which is privately owned by a family. They spent $5M building a massive spiral walkway down into the cave and walkways throughout. Since it’s privately owned, we were able to take photos throughout, including some of the glowworms. Our guide was really funny and explained that the glowworms are actually maggots but they decided to call them worms for marketing purposes. We also learned that it takes thousands of years for the stalagmites and stalactites to form from the water dripping through the limestone. Our second tour was the Waitomo Glowworm Cave which is owned by the Maori tribes. Because these caves have spiritual and cultural significance to the local tribes we weren’t able to take photos but we heard the incredible acoustics in the cave when our guide sang us a Maori song and got to ride on a boat through the cave to see the glow worms. It was pretty magical! The river flows out of the cave so we rode the boat out the opening to end the tour and saw a fresh water eel.

    We stopped for dinner in the small town of Taumarunui on our way to our next Airbnb and had, you guessed it, Indian food! Monsoon Indian Cuisine was the resturant and it was very good. We ended up driving in the dark for a bit and man are there bugs here! The front of the car was covered by the time we arrived at our Airbnb in Tūrangi! We arrived late but had to take a quick dip in the hot tub before bed to soak our tired legs before another big hike tomorrow.    Read more

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