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: