Text Version: Next stop – New Zealand. Known as the capital of adventure tourism, there is no shortage of activities to fill the days. And with 30% of the country designated as national parks or reserves, it is renowned for its walking trails.

Similar in size to the UK, it was more manageable to explore the country by car. We decided to focus on the north part of the South Island during our two weeks. Flying into Christchurch, we quickly made our way north to the coastal town of Kaikoura. A great spot for whale watching, Kaikoura also offers some spectacular sea and mountain views on foot.

We continued north to the small town of Renwick, which sits in the heart of the Marlborough wine region. Here we traded in the car for bikes and sampled some of their finest wines.

Back in the car we followed the windy roads through the Marlborough Sounds to the Queen Charlotte Track. Located at the very top of the island, we hiked a portion of the 44-mile trail. We decided to combine more hiking with kayaking, and the Abel Tasman National Park was a great place to do so. Known for its golden beaches, granite cliffs, and mild climate, the coastal track is world-famous.

We completed our exploration of New Zealand by car and foot. Heading west through Buller Gorge to Cape Fowlwind, we made our down to Punakaiki, famous for its blowholes and pancake rocks. And our drive back to Christchurch took us over Arthur’s Pass and the Southern Alps – a beautiful way to close this chapter of our trip.

You can read more about our experience in individual New Zealand posts.

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We were excited to see New Zealand before we even landed. From the sky we could see the crystal blue waters, the glistening white mountaintops, and the vast green pastures of the beautiful South Island. We were ready to get going.

New Zealand is much smaller and easier to travel around than Australia, so we decided to higher a car so we could take our time exploring the South Island. New Zealand is so small in populace (4 million people) that even their cities have a small town feel to them. We arrived in Christchurch late afternoon, so after finding a place to stay, our next task was to find some food and wander the quiet streets.

Our one planned activity in Christchurch was the next morning. Throughout New Zealand it is common to find fish hook bone carvings as necklaces – a Maori tradition dating back thousands of years with the purpose of actually fishing with them. Instead of buying one, we were to make our own.

We arrived at The Bone Dude’s studio at 9am and by noon, we had our very own bone carving (see slideshow).

Right after finishing, we hit the road for our next stop – the coastal town of Kaikoura. The drive up offered some brilliant scenery – green, rolling hills that seemed to be almost ocean-like, appearing as large swells across the land with thousands of sheep dotting the land like whitecaps. We’d turn a corner and come across forests of yellow-flowered trees bursting brightly like the sun appearing from behind the sun. And as we started to approach Kaikoura, the brilliant blue waters flowed into site.

As beautiful of a site New Zealand was from the air, it was even better to be on land.

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New Zealand is a mecca of outdoor activities and Kaikoura would be our first experience with it.  We arrived on a cloudy afternoon into this small coastal town, known for their whale watching tours and opportunities to swim with the dolphins.  But we opted to explore the peninsula by foot.  And the site of clear blue skies the following morning offering pristine views of the rising foothills was a great start.

We headed to the beginning of the peninsula to have a look at the local seal colony before heading up and around the top.  For miles all you could see were views of the water and pasturelands, which we were walking through.  At points we had to wait for the local “cow-wow” to end their meeting at one of the steps that take you up and over to the next field before proceeding.

The views all around were gorgeous and there was no better way to end our morning hike than with a hearty lunch of crayfish at the roadside bbq.  This “outside restaurant” is four roadside tables and a tow-able trailer kitchen grilling up fresh seafood.  And as Kaikoura in Maori means “food” (Kai) – “crayfish” (koura) we had to try the local delicacy.

And before you knew it we were on the road again to our next destination – Renwick, in the heart of the Marlborough wine country.

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The beautiful blue skies followed us up the coast as we made our way to the small town of Renwick. Many people who travel to the Marlborough wine country will base their wine tours out of the much larger town of Blenheim. But as Renwick literally sits in the center of the wineries, we thought it was much better suited for our needs.

There aren’t as many options for accommodation in Renwick but by far the most popular choice is Watson’s Way Backpackers. They offer a variety of sleeping options – from campsites and campervan parking to dormitory style rooms and private en suites. They also have a large kitchen and grill as well as picnic areas and a wraparound porch.

We spent our afternoon doing chores such as laundry and food shopping. After relying on restaurants for most of our meals we were ready for some home cooked burgers. And we had to load up on cheese and crackers for our wine tasting the next day.

Watson’s Way also rents bicycles for touring the wineries, and that was how we were going to get around. Unfortunately the blue skies that were to follow from the day before failed to keep their promise, and so we had a cloudy day ahead of us. But luckily the few sprinkles we did have did not turn into heavier rain. And so we set off on our self-guided tour.

The Marlborough region is known for their whites – particularly their sauvignon blancs – but the cool climate has also been beneficial for producing some very fine pinot noir. We were ready to sample them all.

That day we biked approximately 15km. (9.3 miles) and visited five wineries – mostly family owned. Forrest Estates – Framingham – Nautilus Estate – Wairau River – and Huia. And of course we picked up a few bottles along the way and enjoyed one over a delicious steak dinner back at Watson’s Way.

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We had a few days before we needed to make our way to the Nelson area for our Abel Tasman experience, so we decided to explore the Queen Charlotte Sound located in the Marlborough Sounds. This area offers access to the North Island via ferries from Picton to Wellington. And it also offers some beautiful hikes and kayaking.

The Queen Charlotte Track stretches 71km (44 miles) and passes through coastal forest and pastures. Along the way are various campsites and lodges, many only accessible by ferry or foot. If you are doing the entire track, or even multi-day hikes, you can even send your gear ahead to your next lodging via water taxi.

We drove the windy roads towards the top of the sound to stay at Punga Cove Resort. Nestled in Punga Cove with views of Mt. Stokes and Mt. Furneaux, the property offered everything from backpacker cabins to private A-Frame chalets. We stayed in the lodge, which hosted several bedrooms with a shared living space and kitchen. A nice way to have a private room and to meet some fellow hikers.

The next day for our hike we couldn’t have asked for a better day. We had clear skies all along as we made our way from Punga Cover to Resolution Bay. The 15km hike winded around the water through forest and pastures – breathtaking views all around. Four hours later the site of Furneaux Lodge at our final destination was a welcome one as we were ready for a hearty meal.

We then relaxed by the waterside as we awaited our water taxi back to Punga Cove and a much deserved beer on the docks.

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Nelson, 1995 – the sunniest place in all of New Zealand. It failed to live up to that title the last time I was here as it down poured for three days straight. On the fourth day, the seas were deemed too rough to kayak the Abel Tasman, as we stood on the shoreline with paddles in our hands and frowns on our faces.

Nelson, 2007 – as we pulled into town the day before to overcast skies and light drizzle, I was apprehensive that Nelson would ever live up to its moniker in my presence. And I was nervous about our three-day kayaking/hiking experience we were to set out for today. As I awoke in our hotel in Motueka (which lives close to Abel Tasman National Park) blue skies did greet us on my birthday morning. I could only hope it would last.

There are a variety of ways to explore Abel Tasman – the most popular being by kayak or foot. And you can do it in different spans of time – from a one-day hike of just a portion to a combination of day hikes and kayaking. Likewise, you can do it on your own, staying at campsites or DOC huts, or go with a tour operator.

We decided to splurge and went with Abel Tasman Wilson’s Experience – the only tour operator that has actual lodging in the park. There are still a few privately owned homes that were located in the park before it became a National Park in 1942. And the Wilson family has had land dating back to the 1850’s. What were once vacation homes turned slowly into a business as people were constantly asking to visit, and once there, needing something to do! Plus, access to most of the park is only available by foot or boat, so a shuttle business was also born.

Twelve of us started on this excursion – nine of us would be kayaking this first day and three would be hiking. As we stood on the shores of Marahau Bay, a large tidal estuary and the launching point for most kayak trips, our guides Kether and Joel informed us that our clear day came with some pretty strong winds. This made the sea a bit rough, so we had to paddle pretty hard to stay stable through the swells and white caps.

A few rogue waves crashed directly on top of the kayak and all I could think was how this was a great way to test the new dry bags we purchased for the camera gear – all of which sat strapped right onto the bungy, exposed to all the elements.

Luckily the winds were at least to our backs, so we arrived at our lunch spot much earlier than planned. We spent the next couple of hours enjoying lunch on the golden sands of Te Pukatea Bay and hiking around Pitt Head. Then we were off for a short paddle around to Anchorage Bay and then onto our lodging in Torrent Bay. All totaled we kayaked 12 km. that day.

Shortly after our arrival the three hikers showed up with their guide, Richard, and we all enjoyed some appetizers and drinks over good conversation before a delicious dinner. Later we all discovered our love for the HBO show, “Flight of the Conchords,” about two New Zealand folk singers trying to make it in NYC. It’s funny to think how in this small group of travelers from all different countries and backgrounds we all appreciate this quirky little comedy. And a couple from the UK spotted Jemaine and Brett walking the streets of Wellington just two days before! They were the envy of the group.

The next morning we gained two kayakers from the hiking group for the first portion of the day. We paddled out under mostly cloudy skies and some pretty big swells. We had to paddle pretty hard through Bark Bay before circling the Tonga Island Seal Colony. Most of the seals seemed to be in sleep mode – perhaps they were resting up for the mating season, which is just ahead.

As we turned into Onetahuti Bay we faced some pretty strong head winds in addition to the swells, just a reminder that we were truly in a sea. And even though we kayaked just half as far as our first day, it was much more of an effort. This would be our lunch spot, as well as the place we would say farewell to five of our party plus the kayaks. From here on out we would be on foot until the next day.

When doing the coastal track, you need to time the hikes with the tides. And even during low tide you may be required to wade through some water. And that was what we found at the top of the beach. We waited for a bit for the tide to go out a bit further but decided to give it a go once the level at its deepest came about mid-thigh. Then Kether guided the seven of us remaining up and through some beautiful vegetation, explaining along the way the different flora, most of it introduced to New Zealand by early settlers.

That night we spent at the Meadowbank Homestead and had the pleasure of meeting John Wilson, patriarch of the clan. He was working on some new construction preparing for the busy season ahead and he shared with us some great history of the land and its development. The property is actually from his wife’s side, and the business is truly a family one, with all the children, their partners, and even grandchildren working at some point.

Our third and final day had us hiking a few kilometers through forest and onto Waiharakeke Beach where we followed the coast to our final stop, Totaranui Bay. From here our water taxi took us on a two-hour journey back down so we could have a different view from the water. This time the seals were much more active and even feeling frisky.

We disembarked in Kaiteri, just a few kilometers down from where we started. And here we would say goodbye to our Abel Tasman experience. We faced some challenging seas that gave us a great workout, enjoyed the company of our fellow kayakers and hikers, and loved every minute of this beautiful park.

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Michael and I traveled to New Zealand as part of our 2007 career break. The following is an excerpt from our travel blog.

It’s the beginning of summer in New Zealand, but the weather has been more spring-like. For every clear day we’ve had a day of cloudy skies. But I think it is still the best time to travel here, as it’s not quite the busy season. So you feel like you almost have places to yourself, including the Abel Tasman, which can be quite the highway, but we had quiet trails.

In the summer months, when all of New Zealand is on break, you need to book accommodation and tours well in advance. That would not have worked well for the way we’ve been traveling – playing it by ear and never booking anything in advance.

This was one of those perfectly sunny days and we decided to take it a bit easy after the Abel Tasman. We returned to Marahau (where we launched our kayaks) for breakfast and a morning hike. Then down to Kaiteri for some rest on the beach – a perfect spot to relax and read. We even caught some boat races. Then onto Nelson, to wander the art galleries and craft shops. And we ended the day with dinner at a waterside restaurant. A nice way to spend a summer day.

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For our last two full days in New Zealand we decided to take our time driving back to Christchurch, taking in our last views of the gorgeous landscape.  From Nelson we drove inland to reach the West Coast, stopping in Buller Gorge to traverse New Zealand’s longest swing bridge.

Our first stop on the coast was Westport and Cape Fowlwind, where we watched the local seals frolick about.  From here it was short drive to our stopping point – Punakaiki, famous for their Pancake Rocks and blowholes.  We had one of those sunny days for the first part of our drive, so it was no wonder we woke up to grey.  But it’s amazing how the weather and lighting can really change the mood of the place.  And even though it was way past high tide, the blowholes were really kicking it up at Punakaiki.

As we made our way down before turning inland to cross over Arthur’s Pass back to Christchurch, I hoped what I read in my guidebook was true, that if it’s cloudy on one side of the pass chances were it would be sunny on the other.  I didn’t want us to miss out on the spectacular views of the Southern Alps.  And as soon as we began our ascent from the pastures and plains, the clouds did give way to clear skies and snow-capped peaks.

Every turn brought an even more beautiful view and as I turned back for one last glimpse of the mountains before descending back into the clouds, I thought how this was a perfect way to end out tine in New Zealand.

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