“The journey is my home.”
– Muriel Rukeyser
February 26th 2020 I had officially been travelling for three years straight. My “Round the World Adventure” was drawing to a close and even though I was incredibly happy (and a little proud) that I managed my stated goal of travelling full time for three years, the nostalgia was setting in… I don’t like it when things are drawing to a close, I don’t like it when things end…
“New Zealand is not a small country but a large village.” – Peter Jackson In 2014 I had my first tattoo done in Queenstown. I like things going full circle, or maybe just being connected, whatever, so I decided that the tattoo I have been thinking of getting for years now would be a great memory of this time around in Qtown. Continue reading
“TSS Earnslaw was launched in the same year as the Titanic with vastly better results.” – Crew of TSS Earnslaw
I am running out of things to do for the very first time in Queenstown. I consider that an achievement. I found this old steamboat from 1912 though, that choochoos across Lake Wakatipu… Continue reading
“Whenever I get stressed I just want to hop on a plane to Queenstown”
– John Travolta
And just like that I was back in my favourite place in New Zealand: Queenstown. The extreme sports mecca of the world. The place that is just small enough to be incredibly cosy, but just busy enough to satisfy my need for human observation and interaction. Continue reading
“There’s a real purity in New Zealand… It’s actually not an easy thing to find in our world anymore.” – Elijah Wood
Ah, Wellington… When first I saw you in 2010 I thought you were boring, just another city and nothing in comparison to the beautiful scenery Andreas and I had witnessed driving down all the way from Auckland… In fairness, I was driving as we arrived and got a bit stressed by the sudden increase in traffic, lanes and general “busyness”. Continue reading
“I gotta say, God really outdid himself down here.” – Bob Harper
New Zealand. My favourite country to visit. I thought for a bright second that I would save my budget and skip New Zealand so I could spend the money on a country I hadn’t already visited… Twice. But then I came to my senses. Like I’m -ever- going to skip New Zealand, especially when I’m already in those parts of the world. What a facepalm thought.
“Make a u-turn as soon as possible.”
– my GPS
While moving from one place to another, every so often (which is to say, almost every day), I see something so stunningly beautiful I have to stop or turn and go back. Continue reading
“Returning home is the most difficult part of long-distance hiking; You have grown outside the puzzle and your piece no longer fits.”
― Cindy Ross
I found myself in Abel Tasman again after 4 years and, just like last time, the weather was absolutely awesome.
I wanted to stay at Aquapackers again, but decided to hike rather than kayak in this time. Continue reading
“Best one day walk in New Zealand”
– Lonely Planet
I’m already struggling with this post because it hasn’t hit me with full force yet. I actually did the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. 19,4 km and I can’t even remember the climb rate on the track (but the steepest climb was actually the most fun and brought the most reward). Oh, wait, found it in the brochure. Highest point is Red Crater, 1900m, woop! Continue reading
A person who mistreats his guest has a dusty Marae (Meeting house)
Not only is Rotorua bigger than I remember, but the smell of sulfur is more prominent this time. I arrived at good, old Funky Green Voyager, checked in and got a top bunk in one of the dorms. I hadn’t even time to dump my luggage before Gerard came in and planted a huge smacker on me. Then he chastised me severly because of my sunburn before we spent the next 40 minutes chatting about everything and nothing while he fixed one of the bunkbeds. A great welcome to Rotorua after four years. Continue reading
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