Kia Ora, cherished readers of this little blog! Me and my jetlag woke up this morning at 5am and thought to send you a little update on our current location, as it just so happens to be a particularly spectecular one. 48 little hours ago I arrived on an Air New Zealand flight from San Francisco which turned out to be an amazing start into my trip, thanks to some of the best plane food i’ve ever had (braised beef in red wine sauce anyone?) and a miraculous full 8 hours of sleep. So despite my short(ish) last two nights I can write this blogpost from a place of realitve sanity. Besides, the adrenaline of the mere prospect of spending the next 8 days traveling both the North and the South Island of this awesome country is enough to keep my spirits high at all times. Sleep looks pale in comparison.
My first time in New Zealand was back in December 2005 when I came here during my one year trip around the world. All I remember is buying a serious load of amazing(ly priced) vintage dresses in Auckland, drinking lots of fancy Kiwi wine and rafting down the highest waterfall in the world in nearby Rotorua. Twice. In heels.
Ok, I might have added the heels bit for dramatic effect (is it working?) but this time around I really mustn’t need to add any drama, my upcoming trip is so over the top, I will have to ask you to sit down while reading.
Care for a little sneak peak in my itinerary?
I will stop at 4 destinations – Auckland, Bay of Islands, Queenstown and Wellington. There will be dolphin-watching, sea-kayaking, stand-up paddling and rafting. When I’m not on the water I will go on a twighlight encounter in the Waipoua Forest (no clue what that’s all about but I expect werewolves and vampires), be a guest at the internationally acclaimed World of Wearable Art Festival and go on not one but 2 Lord of the Rings Tours (don’t judge, this will definitely be awesome). Already behind me lies a pretty amazing 2-hour tour of Auckland’s best viewpoints (and highway) on the back of a Harley Davidson as well as a seriously mind and taste-bud blowing gourmet tour of the city.
While I will be busy making the most of my days here, I will also do my best to keep you updated with what the things I experience on our various social media channels, most notably Instagram, where I upload about 10 photos every day of where I go, what I eat and who I meet, so be sure to follow @travelettes! Also keep an eye on the blog in the coming days for posts on outdoor adventures and city guides – the one on Auckland is already in the works!
If you’ve been to New Zealand and want to give me some tips about great bars, restaurants, activities or people in the places I am visiting, I would LOVE to hear about them in the comments or drop me an email at Katja@travelettes.net. Until then, see y’all on Instagram!
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