[JW] New Zealand - the Kiwi Adventure

[heejennwei]

New Zealand remains one of the greatest and most spectacular countries in the world. With beautiful landscape, amazing food, strong indigenous community and adventurous activities, it is a traveller's dream destination. Always pretty pumped up about setting off on a roadtrip through New Zealand, tramping from the North to the South Island, and i can now officially cross that off my bucket list!

1. Lake Pukaki, South Island New Zealand, route from Queenstown to Lake Tekapo.


Average Cost

Accommodations below are based on Twin/Queen Beds. Hostel Dorm will cost around NZD20-30 a night and private room from NZD70 onwards. You can also choose to stay in a campervan/caravan depending on your mode of travel. Another good alternative will be Airbnb

Auckland - The Attic Backpacker NZD84
Rotorua - Airbnb "Fabulous View" by Judy NZD85
Tongariro National Park - Skotel Alpine Resort NZD70
Wellington - Airbnb "Sunny, cozy room" by Huanoa NZD70
Nelson - Tasman Bay Backpackers NZD74
Greymouth - Greymouth Seaside Top 10 Holiday Park NZD90
Queenstown - Airbnb "Room for..." by Jonathas NZD115
Lake Tekapo - Lake Tekapo Motels & Holiday Park NZD119
Christchurch - YMCA Christchurch NZD70

Foods, eating out in New Zealand is relatively expensive; a restaurant with table service can cost about NZD28-40, Chinese take-away cost about NZD12, fast food cost about NZD7-15 and sandwiches for about NZD8. For a sensible way to save money, you can choose to cook your own meal. Costing approximately NZD75 per week, you can get it from Countdown or New World.

Notes of Wisdom: If you plan to get a Traveler's SIM (500MB Internet Data), there is Spark (NZD19) or Vodafone (NZD23) with the similar perks. I would strongly recommend Spark for better coverage.

“Travel doesn’t always grant you the privilege of great light and perfect weather; you just have to make-shift. Be patience.”

ONE NIGHT IN AUCKLAND

The big tourist city, i'm not overly fond of Auckland, maybe it's too fast to judge as i barely scraped the surface of Auckland with just one night. It reminded me a lot of Melbourne with the streets alike, but only that Auckland is much smaller without the City Tram. There are probably fun nightlife in Auckland, so i wouldn't strike off the city but wouldn't spend much time here either because there are many more exciting and beautiful places in New Zealand to explore! From Auckland to Rotorua, we detoured to Tauranga, and did a trail around the sacred mountain Mauao (Mt. Maunganui). The trail will bring you from north to the west side of Mauao, where it offers great view of open ocean and Matakana Island.

Places of interest: Auckland Street, Sky Tower, Otara Flea Market, Auckland Domain, Auckland Harbour, Tauranga Mauao Trail.

2. Lookout Point at Mount Eden, Auckland.


3. Rays over Mount Eden.


4. Campers at Tauranga.


5. Roadtrip on a convertible

[heejennwei]

ENTERING THE "ROTTEN EGG" OF ROTORUA*

As we infiltrated the city of Rotorua, a rather pungent odour erupts quickly.*Truth be told, it smells like rotten eggs! It grows on you, of course not in an uncomfortable fungal way. It is the smell of the sulphur geothermal activities in the region, the intense presence of beneficial minerals and the readily available natural remedies that the mother nature offers.

Places of interest:*Lake Rotorua,*Redwood Forest (Whakarewarewa), Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Park, Moari Culture.*

6. Photographing Lake Rotorua.*


7.*Night alley of Rotorua.*


8.*Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Park.


9. The mystical Wai-O-Tapu


10.*Coming up next - Crossing Tongariro National Park! *

[heejennwei]

CROSSING TONGARIRO NATIONAL PARK

From Rotorua to Tongariro National Park, you'll pass by Lake Taupo - a quiet version of Queenstown. If you have enough time, it's definitely worth a 2-night stay. We only manage to catch lunch here before heading to Tongariro National Park - the first World Heritage Site in New Zealand, home to rugged diverse landscape, volcanic peaks and lush native bush.

Places of interest: Lake Taupo, Alpine Crossing (all day), Mt. Ruapehu Crater Lake (all day), Taranaki Lookout, Tupapakurua Falls track, Whakapapa Nature Walk, Tawhai Falls.

11. Lookout Point at Tongariro National Park, GND filter used to create the dramatic colour from the dull sky.


12. The end of Rainbow at the Lake Rotoaira.


13. Chilling at Mt. Ruapehu Ski and Snowboard, Tongariro National Park. Snow Nice!


14. Coming up next! Crossing from the North to South Island!