new zealand: south island road trip
June 17, 2016
Portland, OR (PDX) —> Sydney, Australia (SYD)
Activities: Had a 10-hour layover in Sydney so we decided to catch the train into town. Worth it!
Walked across the Sydney Harbor Bridge
Checked out the Sydney Opera House
Walked around the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (always a great way to kill time on an average weather day)
Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, Australia
June 18, 2016
Sydney, Australia (SYD) —> Christchurch, New Zealand (CHC)
Accommodation: Checked in with Snu and crew at the Thirlmere Ln. house (nicknamed the porn house - it was a huge house on the hill with a staircase, skylights, and 10 people freshly graduated college students living in it).
Activities:
Walked around downtown Christchurch - Pod shops, broken down church, the Margaret Mahy Family Playground (fun!), and a church that was built out of cardboard tubes.
A lot of the area was still being re-furbished due to the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
Drove to Lyttlton for a gorgeous view of the harbor.
Food: Breakfast at Supreme Coffee (best coffee I had ever had at that point!)
Downtown, Christchurch, New Zealand
Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand
June 19, 2016
Christchurch —> Franz Josef Glacier
Drive Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
Hostel: Sir Cedrics Glowworm
$27NZD / person
4 bunks / 1 bathroom
Bathroom/shower was in the room which was convenient. Quiet, chill, small space, large kitchen.
Friendly person working the check-in desk
Fell asleep by 7:30pm. Zonked.
Sights: Drove through Arthurs Pass
Kura Tawhiti Conservation Area - great place to shake out the legs and see some interesting rocks
Dinner: Soup from the hostel
Kura Tawhiti Conservation Area
June 20, 2016
Franz Josef Glacier —> Fox Glacier
Drive Time: 30 minutes
Hostel: Ivory Lodge
$27NZD / person
4 bunks / bathroom + showers
Chill atmosphere. Sauna, wood fire.
Hike: Roberts Hike
5 hours return / 11–12.3 km (6.8–7.6 mi)
Advanced
Cold, wet, and we only say one other person on our hike who ended up being our bunk mate at the hostel that evening (shout out Jean!)
Long swing bridges, lots of bush, gorgeous views of the glacial valley on the righthand side as you make your way out to the viewpoint.
Dinner: The Last Kitchen
Beatroot risotto + camembert bread (So. Frickin. Good.)
The first of many swing bridges on the Roberts Point Track (takeaway coffee in hand…)
Franz Josef Glacier via the Roberts Point Track
The mother of all swing bridges, Roberts Point Track
June 21, 2016
Fox Glacier —> Wanaka
Drive Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Hostel: Flying Kiwi Backpackers
$27NZD / person
8 bunks / bathroom + showers
Loud atmosphere, picnic tables, clean, smaller lodging area.
Hike #1: Fox Glacier Terminal Face
1 hour return
Easy
Hike #2: Lake Matheson
1 hour 30 minutes return
Easy
Dinner: Francescas Wanaka
Pizza with pumpkin, bleu cheese, spinach, walnut, sundried tomato, balsamic. 10/10 - I think about this pizza often.
Wanaka pilsner
Notes: We ran into Jean on both hikes/walks and again at dinner! Finally decided to exchange phone numbers.
Lake Matheson, Westland Tai Poutini National Park
Westcoast Beach between Fox Glacier and Wanaka. So many sandflies!
June 22, 2016
Wanaka —> Queenstown
Drive Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Hostel: Nomads
$31 / person
Huge. Felt like a hotel; full of adventurers from all over the world.
Met a new friend: Dylan from Australia!
Wanaka, New Zealand
June 23, 2016
Queenstown
Hostel: Nomads
Hike: Ben Lomond
Hiked to the saddle and were in complete AWE. The brown tussocky grasses with the bluest of blue Lake Wakatipu in the background were stunning.
Ben Lomond saddle, Queenstown, New Zealand
Ben Lomond, Queenstown, New Zealand
June 24, 2016
Queenstown
Hostel: X Base
$50NZD / person
6 bunks / bathroom + shower in room
Shit bunkmates. Slow staff, nice balcony.
Adventure: Took the bus through Fiordland National park then hopped on a ferry that took us through the Milford Sound. Wet and gorgeous! As we came around Lake Wakatipu we saw fireworks going off in the town center in Queenstown signaling the start of Winter Fest. It was magical.
Milford Sound, New Zealand
Milford Sound, New Zealand
June 25, 2016
Queenstown
Hostel: X Base
$50NZD / person
4 bed / private bathroom + shower
Great price for what you get! TV, mini fridge, balcony.
Notes: Snu + Josh arrived from Christchurch
Hike: We were so obsessed with Ben Lomond that we had to show Snu and Josh lol. We took them up but only to the saddle. Favorite hike ever.
Dinner: Winnies Pizza
Pretty average pizza but helluva dance party!
Drinks: Snu took us to Barup to the get the famous “money shot.” It was pretty damn tasty. Also, great, cozy atmosphere in Barup.
Ben Lomond saddle
Money shot from Barup, Queenstown
June 26, 2016
Queenstown —> Mt. Cook —> Christchurch
Drive Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
Stops:
Cromwell - snacks, pies, stretch the legs
Lake Tekapo - took a quick look at the gorgeous church on the lake
Notes: We boosted it back to Christchurch because my brother and I had to fly out the next day.
June 27, 2016
Christchurch —> Portland, OR
Notes: Mixture of emotions leaving. My brother and I had ticked off many firsts together; Our first sibling only trip, first backpacking trip, first time staying in hostels, and first properly long hike. This trip was life changing. It allowed me to bond with my brother in a way I will cherish forever, solidified my friendship with Snu, introduced me to my (now) husband Josh, gave me confidence in my ability to navigate through a new country, and stoked my love of exploration.