Adventure! Camping, Hiking, Backpacking – All blog posts relating to my adventures here on Vancouver Island and beyond.
Sailing, Hiking, and the Unforgettable Abel Tasman
The alarm went off at 5:30 AM, and we were immediately on the move, driving toward Marahau, where we would be picked up for our Abel Tasman sailing and hiking adventure.
Zealandia, Weta Cave & The Journey to the South Island.
We woke up at a leisurely pace, enjoying a slow morning before heading off to our first stop of the day: Zealandia.
We woke up in Feilding to a beautiful morning, the sun shining and the air crisp. After the chaotic midnight escape from the abandoned nightmare campsite, it felt good to start the day in a normal, peaceful place…
Today was a long travel day as we repositioned ourselves further south on the North Island, making our way toward Wellington. Along the way, we passed through charming little towns and witnessed a stunning variety of landscapes…
We woke up feeling much better today after getting a little more sleep. The camper mattress was still terrible, but with an extra pillow for my neck, I managed to get a little more comfortable.
Up bright and early at 5:50 AM, we quickly got ready, secured the campervan for travel, grabbed a quick bite with coffee, and set off to our meeting zone for one of the biggest excursions of our trip…
We woke up to a foggy morning, but as the sun began to rise, the sky cleared, and we finally got our first proper look at the ocean. After everything we had been through to get here, it was surreal to take in the view and truly feel like we were on the other side of the world.
Day 3 – Finally in New Zealand!
After what felt like an eternity of travel setbacks, we finally landed in New Zealand at 5 AM. With no hotel to crash at due to our changed itinerary, we had a few hours to kill at the airport…
One More Gauntlet to Run
With our newly purchased (and painfully expensive) tickets secured, we headed back to the airport at 11:30 AM, determined to put the previous day’s disaster behind us. At this point, we had spent more money, endured more stress, and navigated more confusion than any trip should ever require. Surely, we thought, things had to go smoothly now.
But of course, this trip had other plans for us.
We were supposed to be on a plane to Fiji, starting our long-anticipated trip to New Zealand with a 14 hour beach layover ion Fiji. Instead, we found ourselves stuck in an infuriating loop of miscommunication…