That’s settled
The snowing has started, covering the skylight in my new room with a layer of soft white goodness. I’ve moved into my room for the ski season. It was a bit harder than expected to find accommodation for this winter. Every week, a town bulletin gets out with lots of…
A taste of the Routeburn
I’ve only been in New Zealand for about 4 weeks, and yet I’ve met plenty of people who claim the Routeburn Track is the prettiest of the country. This walk usually takes three days, but I set out on a two-day walk to see if all those comments were actually…
Wonderful walks in the Aoraki/Mt Cook national park
Mt. Cook village is a good base to explore the Aoraki/Mt. Cook national park. Accommodation is generally expensive, but the local YHA has normal prices and is a very relaxed place to stay. In the warmer months you can also use the excellent campsite close to the village, where some of…
From dorm room to Routeburn
There’s a new girl in the room. “I’m going to do the first part of the Routeburn track, sleep in a hut, and walk back.” “O, awesome. I’ve been looking into that.” “Do you want to come?” And so it happens that I will set off for the Routeburn track…
Hot pools and hot chocolate
Time is ticking away. I spent some awesome days in Pareora and did things I never thought I’d do. Queenstown is waiting though, and thus it’s time to hit the road! Since I don’t want to start working without having seen anything, I planned some stops along the way. First…
Pareora; family life
Travelling is all about new experiences. During one of my intense internet searches I came across Workaway. Workaway is an international platform where people can connect via volunteer work. I signed up as a volunteer and started browsing the ads. New Zealand seems like a perfect country to do this…
Driving the clouds away
Woohoo! The new car is checked, registered and ready to go after buying $140 petrol. This might become an expensive endeavor, but as soon as I hit the road, I know I have made the right decision in buying a car for my time in New Zealand. The freedom! My first…
A night in jail
I’m going to Christchurch to stay in jail. Yes, voluntarily. In the suburb Addington, about a 20 minute walk to the city center, they’ve transformed a jail into a flash backpackers. Jailhouse accommodation offers privates and dorm beds. Most of the building still looks like it used to, but with…
City of recovery
Christchurch is a city that’s recovering from the earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. We are a few years further now, but the damage is still visible throughout the city. It is strange to see empty plots where once there’d been buildings. Some buildings still stand, but have obvious damage. You…
Crossing hills
“Walking? Are you sure?” the girl at reception said in a French accent. “It’s really steep!” She stared at me with a frown on her face. Of course I went anyway. There is a gondola that takes you up the hill for $25. If you want some exercise however, you…