Road trip New Zealand

An uncertain future for travel

As with most things in the wake of covid-19, travel has an uncertain future. However, while the world to varying degrees is in a coronavirus-induced lockdown, New Zealand has set the precedent and is leading the way out of this terrifying time. For many of us, looking to the future and the possibilities it holds, or revelling in the past, is a great way to pass the time. New Zealand has long been a popular tourist destination for its stunning landscape, but as it has been heralded as an example, it might also become one of the first countries to open its arms to travellers. With this in mind, I look back at my time exploring New Zealand’s South Island for a little escapism and in anticipation of when I can next jet off across the world. 

Exploring New Zealand’s South Island

Spending the night in jail

We therefore decided to spend the first night of our trip in Christchurch which also gave us a breather after the flight before travelling on further. It was interesting to stay in a place with this history and the hostel paid homage to its past with information bulletins dotted around the place. 

Lake Tekapo

After a two or three-hour drive from Christchurch, we arrived at our next stop, an Airbnb not far from Lake Tekapo. Hostels near Lake Tekapo itself are very limited so we stayed in an Airbnb cottage, attached to a farm. The cottage was very remote, to say the least. Our accommodation was situated in something of a mountain, several miles away from any amenities or other homes. Quaint though the cottage was, this isolated setting inspired unwelcome memories of pretty much every horror movie. However, the cottage was everything we needed for a couple of nights and our host was as friendly as we had imagined Kiwis to be.  

Rising at 4am in almost pitch black and with very bleary eyes, we bundled into the car and set off for Lake Tekapo in time for sunrise. This early wake-up call was entirely worth it for the drive through New Zealand’s countryside alone but the view at Lake Tekapo was better than any of could have imagined or hoped for. As we arrived at Lake Tekapo, the sun was just rising above the mountain peaks. Both the mountains and lake basked in the morning light and seemed to emit something almost other-worldly. The view was something you expect only to see in a heavily edited travel brochure photo, but this was real and ours alone to enjoy (being the only ones to have made it to the lake at the early hour). 

Lake Pukaki and Mount Cook

After a further 40 minutes on from Lake Tekapo, we reached Lake Pukaki and Aoaki Mount Cook National Park, home to New Zealand’s highest mountains. The park is very accessible despite its grandeur and offers a wealth of walking trails for every ability, as well as other activities such as helicopter rides, canoeing and stargazing. While others took their walking sticks and their backpacks into the horizon, we opted for a short walk which nevertheless boasted impressive views of the Tasman glacier and surreal, silver lakes. This was without doubt one of my favourite days of the trip and exceeded what I had expected of New Zealand’s unique landscape, images I had before only seen depicted in the likes of The Lord of the Rings films. 

Queenstown

While very different from Lake Tekapo, Pukaki and Mount Cook, Queenstown shares the pedestal. We spent a total of five nights at Southern Laughter Backpackers, a great little hostel which I assume in winter months, serves as a ski lodge. This was probably my favourite hostel of the trip, we had a private room which opened out onto a communal and cooking area which we only had to share with one couple, making mealtimes less hassle. 

Queenstown is situated on the shores of Lake Wakutipu with the backdrop of the Southern Alps. 

Five nights might sound like a long time to spend in one place on a trip like this, but we were certainly not short of things to do. There’s something for everyone in Queenstown, but it is an undisputed hub for thrill seekers. Those looking for an adrenaline rush can test their nerves in any number of ways, from the Nevis swing to white water rafting. 

Taking the Southern hemisphere’s steepest (and most rickety!) cable car journey 450 metres up to Queenstown’s skyline viewing platform was about as nerve-wracking as it got for us. The view from up high looking down upon Queenstown, Lake Wakutipu and the surrounding alps was stunning and likely unbeatable from anywhere else in the town. Better yet, this cable car journey didn’t break the bank; you can even afford to enjoy a hot chocolate from the café while taking in the view. 

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From Queenstown we also booked ourselves a day trip to Milford Sound, one of New Zealand’s most popular natural attractions. Milford Sound is a fiord in the Southwest of the South Island and aside from the spectacular views offered by the landscape ,it is also host to penguins, seals and dolphins. The latter of these we were lucky enough to spot close-up as they seemed eager to lead the way for our boat. After a freezing encounter with one of the several waterfalls, we returned to our coach soaking but exhilarated.

Invercargill.  

If we weren’t in the car stuffing worrying numbers of crème eggs, we were lounging about in our Airbnb watching back to back wedding programmes. This wasn’t exactly what we had hoped from Invercargill but there didn’t appear much else to do in the small, industrial town.

Dunedin

Fortunately, Dunedin was everything Invercargill wasn’t. The only similarity between the two being that they are both small towns, Dunedin, by contrast, kept us busy. Dunedin’s architecture makes it pleasing to the eye and this is highlighted in the now disused, but nevertheless still picturesque railway station. 

Just outside the town itself, Dunedin is situated in beautiful natural surrounds. We took the the tunnel beach track which offered the grand (but no less special for their frequency) views we had come to expect of New Zealand. 

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Christchurch

Finally, for our last five nights we returned to Christchurch. Knowing that Christchurch is the capital of New Zealand’s South Island and with the knowledge that my best friend used to call the city home, I was definitely keen to explore. 

What struck me most about the Christchurch was how surprisingly empty it felt for a city. In many ways Christchurch seemed to be existing in two different eras; the city was divided between the old and the new. In some parts of the city, the buildings were still rubble that appeared abandoned (perhaps intentionally so?) after the 2011 earthquake. Meanwhile, other parts of the city were evidently new-build and recovering, creating a stark contrast and the sense of a city frozen in time yet trying to move forward. We hadn’t expected this but it definitely provoked reflection and discussion between us, as to the magnitude and effects of both natural and manmade disasters. 

Despite the devastation Christchurch has experienced, it is nevertheless a charming city. My personal highlights of the city include the botanical gardens, the Chinese gardens, the tramways and the quaint old streets with their pastel colours that looked as though they belonged to a different age. We were also lucky enough to be in town in time for the Christchurch noodle festival, which made for a cheap but tasty dinner. 

While the world gets back to (a new) normal, New Zealand will likely be one of first countries to which travel is possible, a perfect excuse to tick it off your bucket list!