An Epic Road Trip

Ed and I currently find ourselves sitting in Auckland airport's departure lounge. We've just had such an awesome 10 days exploring New Zealand's south island. We've covered 2000km of New Zealand's finest roads and loved every minute of it.

Having worked for three weeks picking kiwis in the North Island, we had raised enough money to hire a small (perfect sized!) campervan for our time in the south. With limited time left in New Zealand (with our flight to Argentina booked- exciting!!), we had to plan our route in the campervan, named "pickles", carefully. We wanted to use our time as effectively as possible, with the aim of seeing as much as possible without rushing too much.

We planned our route around some must-see locations: Milford Sound, Arrow Town, Wanaka, Fox Glacier, the West Coast, with plenty of Lord of the Rings filming locations packed in as well.

Snowy mountain peaks

Lake Wakatipu

Glenorchy (see above)

Hokitika Gorge

A typical New Zealand scene

A source of national pride

Pickles in Paradise

Lake Tekapo

Lake Wanaka

Abandoned gold miner's hut

Paradise village, Lord of the Rings filming location

Lake Matheson (Yes, there are a lot of lakes!)

We visited all these places and many more. It's honestly difficult to describe just how awe-inspiring the landscapes of New Zealand are. Huge, imposing, snow-capped mountains are the backdrop to every drive. They look like the clenched fists of giants, punching into the earth. Fringing the mountains are multitudes of indigenous forests, dense with high-reaching trees.

It being winter here, we were absolutely freezing most nights! But I can honestly say the stunning landscapes, as well as the uniquely welcoming and friendly Kiwis, made up for the chill. My ultimate highlight has to be our cruise of Milford Sound. The day was crystal clear, making the views across the Sound and to the sea sublime. We also saw a family of bottle nosed dolphins!

Milford Sound

It's been fab New Zealand! But now time for some sun... South America here we come!

#roadtrip #mountains #road #campervan #lake #landscape #photography