"En Zed" as referred to by the locals can definitely be described by their favorite slogan, "sweet as!"....they don't say anything after the "as" probably because there isn't a comparison! It is known by many as the home of extreme sports, and to others as the filming location of Lord of the Rings....both of these generating quite a bit of tourism for this small country....but I am happy to report that it is SO much more than that! New Zealanders take great pride is preserving the country's natural state and therefore take extreme measures to keep any foreign animals, plantlife, or even soil from crossing their borders. This diligence pays off, as they have the bluest waters, the cleanest air, and the greenest forests/fields I've ever seen.
My journey started in Christchurch, which is on the east coast of the South Island, and pre-earthquake. Christchurch was a quaint city with a small central square, housing daily markets, and surrounded by parks. I stayed in a hostel right on the outskirts of the city center at Around the World Hostel. I immediately found that hostels in NZ have more of a family-feel to them, and the travellers I met here referred to themselves, and were quick to include me as "la familia." We would eat meals together, go on our own whimsical "city tours" together, and of course went out together. I was only here for a few days but found that this new group of friends helped ease any homesickness that had begun creeping in after being away for so long and traveling on my own. Cheers to "la familia" wherever they all are now!
I left Christchurch on the TranzCoastal train, traveling up the east coast along the ocean up to Picton. The train's cars were set up almost as booths in a restaurant so your seat is at a table facing other travelers sitting across from you. The couple across from me was not especially interested in communicating with me or each other so I followed the others out of our car to the "viewing car." In my mind, I pictured the viewing car to be a lounge type car with windows all around to take in the ocean side view. What I found instead was an open-air car resembling a cattle car! The wind was strong and it was difficult to hold steady to get pictures, not to mention you were never sure when we would pass through a tunnel and you'd be standing in pitch black for a few moments. As shocking as this was, it was also incredible! I really admired the NZ way of relying on locals and travelers alike to use common sense in all situations. They don't bother to tack up warning signs or safety nets in fear of a lawsuit, they live with the mindset that if you choose to go somewhere or do something, you do so at your own risk...so be careful and use your common sense!:)
Picton is located at the very north end of the South Island and has one main street that goes right up to the water. Just to give you an idea of how safe it is over there, when I checked into my hostel for the night and asked about my room key, I was advised that they didn't lock the rooms but they would be shutting the front door by 10:30pm so not to worry.....and I didn't because that is just the way of life there. It was brilliant!
I caught the InterIslander Ferry from Picton to Wellington and enjoyed the view and the sunshine from the top of the ship deck. In Wellington I stayed with family friends who took especially good care of me and made sure I saw all the sights! We went up to the top of Mt. Victoria, checked out the local museum in the city, and even went camping in the Wairarapa Mountain Range and hiked up to the Pinnacles. It was a fabulous weekend with an incredible family that I will never forget!
I flew down the Queenstown, home of all the extreme sports, but between low funds and bad weather I passed and just enjoyed wandering around the town and meeting the locals. Queenstown reminded me a lot of an American ski resort town like Breckenridge, CO. I caught the Intercity bus north to Franz Josef Glacier. I would highly recommend this bus in lieu of the tour bus companies due to reasonable prices and flexible scheduling. Our bus driver did pull over to a few sightseeing spots, such as the Thundercreek Falls and a great overlook point of the Tasman Sea.
It was on this bus trip that we heard news of the earthquake in Christchurch. We were in the middle of nowhere with no cell reception and unable to notify friends and family that we were okay. We also didn't know the magnitude of the quake or the extent of damage done. That evening, after arriving to the glacier, located on the west coast of the South Island, we heard that they had also felt the shaking earlier that day. We all gathered around the television and watched as the city many of us had either just left or had planned to return to crumbled. I reached out to the "la familia" and was releived to know that they had all fared okay and just had to evacuate due to the damages and lack of water/electricity. My heart goes out to all of the victims and their familes.
On a lighter note, the glacier, despite the rainy weather, was absolutely amazing! I did the hike up right up to the base of the glacier and then a separate shorter hike to a reflection pond which was something you'd see on a postcard! It was gorgeous! It wasn't until the day I left and the weather cleared that I could see the glacier clearly from my hostel. This was definitely a trip I would recommend doing!
Due to the damage from the earthquake I wasn't able to take the TranzAlpine train back across the south island to Christcurch so I altered my plans and stuck with the InterCity bus up to Nelson. I made up my mind then and there that you just can't go wrong when traveling NZ. The west coast view from the bus was just as diverse and beautiful as every other mile of my trip around this country and one I'm glad I got to see! I flew from Nelson to Auckland and then back to Sydney.
This was the final leg of my trip and I spent the last weekend staying with my adopted extended family who will forever have a special place in my heart! We didn't waste any of our time and spent my last wekeend traveling to a few local beaches, hiking, and kayaking. It was a blast! I even saw a kangaroo--right in the city!--on my last day in Australia while walking Jaffa through a local park, we spotted him jumping down another trail...what a sendoff!
Will write one final blog to reflect on the trip as a whole and let you know how it is to be back home!
Take care!:)
xoxo
Amy
Currently on Cultural Embrace's Work & Travel Australia
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