1 Year of New Zealand Selfies: November & December
New Zealand gets busier and I get crazier! You could be forgiven for thinking that “planning” now means “throwing a dart at a board and seeing what sticks.” In reality, the inefficient order of these two months are for two reasons. First and foremost, I wanted to visit my friends Jacky and Bruce when they came to the South Island and also during the holidays. Second, a busy New Zealand means that I often ran into hostels being booked up so I had to skip places and circle back later. All in all, I don’t regret a moment of the business!
*Note: For full stories about many of the regions, hikes, and activities featured in these selfies, you can click this link to view the complete list of Oceania Travel Entries.
**Final note: I decided it was too much scrolling to post 365 selfies on a single page, so you can access other months at the links below:
July & August
September & October
November 1
Copland Track: hiked the Copland Track to Welcome Flat Hut to stay the night
November 2
Copland Track: enjoyed soaking in the natural hot pools beside Welcome Flat Hut
November 3
Franz Josef Glacier: hiked several short tracks to viewpoints of Franz Josef Glacier
November 4
Franz Josef Glacier: spent a rainy day writing, reading in the hot tub, and taking a short walk along the beach
November 5
Franz Josef Glacier: carved my own pounamu (jade) necklace
November 6
Franz Josef Glacier: hiked to Robert’s Point for views of the glacier
November 7
Punakaiki: explored Paparoa National Park and the Pancake Rocks Blowholes
November 8
West Coast: walked along Motukiekie Beach to see sea stacks
November 9
Greymouth: hiked to Coal Creek Falls
November 10
Hokitika: backtracked to visit Hokitika Gorge and two waterfalls
November 11
Arthur’s Pass: hiked to Temple Basin ski field for waterfalls and views
November 12
Arthur’s Pass: hiked to Bealey Spur for views of mountain peaks and glacial valleys
November 13
Blenheim: drove to Blenheim to meet Jacky & Bruce and Jacky’s family – and had so much fun I only just remembered to squeeze in a selfie before bed
November 14
Blenheim: spent a beautiful day in Blenheim with my friends
November 15
Springfield: drove many hours down the coast to Springfield and got a free upgrade to a private room
November 16
Castle Hill: climbed giant boulders, crawled through holes, and squeezed between rocks at Castle Hill
November 17
Wanaka: hiked Mount Iron and walked along the lake to the famous #ThatWanakaTree
November 18
Wanaka: hiked Isthmus Peak (3,000+ ft elevation gain) for views over Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea
November 19
Wanaka: climbed waterfalls with via ferrata, guided by Wildwire Wanaka
November 20
Wanaka: hiked Roy’s Peak (4,000+ ft elevation gain) for stunning views over Lake Wanaka
November 21
Mount Aspiring National Park: hiked the West Matukituki Valley Track for waterfalls, rivers, and mountain views
November 22
Te Anau: drove to Te Anau and prepped for my first Great Walk (three days and two nights)
November 23
Fiordland National Park: day one, hiked the Routeburn Track and the Key Summit detour
November 24
Fiordland & Mount Aspiring National Parks: day two, hiked the Routeburn Track and Conical Hill detour
November 25
Mount Aspiring National Park: day three, hiked the last leg of the Routeburn Track
November 26
Te Anau: visited the Te Anau Bird Sanctuary and explored Te Anau town
November 27
Milford Sound: drove to Milford Sound and did several short walks in the area
November 28
Te Anau: chilled in Te Anau and planned the next three months of my adventures (it took all day)
November 29
Fiordland National Park: hiked to Lake Marion and explored off trail beyond the lake
November 30
Doubtful Sound: embarked upon an overnight cruise on Fiordland National Park’s Doubtful Sound
December 1
Doubtful Sound: enjoyed the mirror-like reflections at sunrise on Doubtful Sound
December 2
Bluff: found paua (abalone) shells on the rocky beach by my WWOOF host’s house
December 3
Curio Bay: walked along the beach at low tide to see petrified tree trunks preserved in the rock
December 4
Bluff: took care of the chickens, ponies, sheep, and dog while my WWOOF host was away for two days
December 5
Stewart Island: took a ferry to Stewart Island and looked for kiwi at dusk (and saw one!)
December 6
Stewart Island: hiked part of the Rakiura Track to Maori Beach
December 7
Ulva Island: explored the neighboring pest-free island and walked among ancient forest and native birds
December 8
Catlins + Coast: visited five Catlins waterfalls and Nugget Point Lighthouse
December 9
Katiki Point: looked for the rarest penguin in the world; had to hang around for 2 hours but I finally saw one!
December 10
Waitaki Valley: drove the Vanished World Route to see Maori rock art, ancient fossils, and weird rocks formations, plus this moa statue
December 11
Glenorchy: hiked the Invincible Gold Mine Track for views up the Rees Valley toward Mount Earnslaw
December 12
Isengard/Glenorchy: enjoyed the Dart River Valley, which is also the filming location for Isengard
December 13
Queenstown: hiked Ben Lomond Summit for awesome views (and treated myself to a seafood dinner as a reward)
December 14
Queenstown: tried a beginner canyoning excursion and had a blast
December 15
Queenstown: hiked Lake Alta Track in the Remarkables
December 16
Lake Tekapo: Drove from Queenstown to Waipara with scenic stops
December 17
Picton: Drove from Waipara to Picton and only just made the ferry because I got a flat tire!
December 18
Wellington: Visited Weta Workshop to see LOTR’s film costumes
December 19
Wellington: walked downtown and visited Te Papa Museum
December 20
Castle Point: Drove from Wellington to Napier with scenic stops at Kaitoke Regional Park and Castle Point Lighthouse
December 21
Napier: Worked for my WWOOF host in the morning and explored Napier in the afternoon
December 22
Napier: picked apricots and pulled weeds
December 23
Napier: pulled more weeds in the morning and then hiked Te Mata peak
December 24
Napier: Made gingerbread cookies with my WWOOF host’s grandkids in 85 degree summer-heat and no AC
December 25
Napier: ended Christmas Day with a swim in the estuary and a stunning sunset
December 26
Napier: used my first Boxing Day to relax and head back into town for ice cream
December 27
Cook’s Cove Walkway: explored Gisborne’s coasts and waterfalls
December 28
Haurata: hiked to several private waterfalls on a high country sheep station, which included climbing ladders and scooting down steep slopes
December 29
Whiritoa: drove up to Whiritoa to stay with Jacky & Bruce for the New Year – felt a little bit like returning home 🙂
December 30
Whiritoa: went for a swim at the beach
December 31
Whiritoa: celebrated the New Year Kiwi-style: BBQ lamb dinner, pavlova, and fireworks
Here’s a link to the next part:
January & February
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