Queenstown (17th - 19th Feb )
After the amazing scenery of Milford Sounds and tranquility of the surrounding areas, Emma and I were happy to head to Queenstown and get back to some civilisation. We were looking forward for some food that wasn't one of the 3 meals in our campervan rotation (pasta, avo toast, oats). The drive there was yet another scenic one and I was absolutely delighted when Emma looked out the window and said "Oh Nik, look at how nice their parks are". I intentionally prolonged the conversation so Emma would talk more about how beautiful it was before smugly revealing it was a golf course. (Emma is of the mindset that courses would be better off as natural green spaces). After some acceptance of it's beauty, she graciously has said she'll join me for a round once these travels.
With many Queenstown recommendations our first stop was Fergburger. An unusual amount of fuss has been made for what is seemingly just a burger place. Putting it up on google maps was futile as we quickly discovered the orderly pathways forming of tourists holding their brown sandwich bags, like ants carrying their leaves. The pathways went from the long queues at the shop to the lake where Fergburgers were being feasted on by humans and seagulls alike. After so much hype and expecting disappointment, we were both pleasantly surprised. Everything was made fresh by 'Ferg' from the buns to the sauces and the crispy fried tofu making the difference. Digging deeper I learnt they make around 5000 day and are busy servicing from 8am until 2am! With Queenstown's many bars and restaurants, some of our favourite ones included:
Soki Sushi Train, a sushi train restaurant where you could grab items on a conveyor belt and the speciality orders would arrive at your table on a toy train.
Little Mez, a speakeasy mescalaria with friendly staff and an interior so nice you instantly forgot it was next door to a questionable massage parlour.
Ramen Ramen, just a place with good Ramen.
Queenstown felt like a ski resort / outdoor activity town with on the edge of an amazing lake and a buzz in the atmosphere. We spent most of our non-eating time taking nice strolls around the lake, getting back on track with leg rehab and yoga and Emma did some pretty impressive watercolour painting, capturing the surroundings. Travelling with Emma, I'm learning how fashion can be great lens through which to experience culture. So we also decided to go shopping and get some Leisure Club clothing (that we'd seen the youth wear in Rotorua) in an attempt to be part of this. Some unusual picks for both of us but time will tell how that's received as 2 thirty somethings.
One evening, Emma's worst nightmare came true where my confidence was given an unnecessary boost. A couple recognised me as the guy who was close to a hole in one at Lake Taupo. This provided some vindication given my outrageously positively 'post match analysis' after missing many times. We had a nice chat with them about their travels and began to realise how spoilt we both are in how much of the world we've seen and definitely should appreciate that fact more.
The last day in Queenstown we'd booked in haircuts at salons right next to each other, although in the time Emma got her hair done I managed to get my haircut, go food shopping, walk 5km and queue for another Fergburger (where I recognised my fresher's hall next door neighbour, having not seen her in 14 years. Random Encounter count: 3).
This is the first time I've experienced the length of a ladies haircut and I'm feeling more optimistic for future Saturdays as I encourage Emma to get her hair done giving me enough time to golf with the boys.
All in all we both loved Queenstown but after finding out it's often referred to as pommie-land and full of people from the UK we were a little disappointed in the self realisation of us just being one of the many typical forms of 'Brits abroad'.
Lake Tekapo & Surroundings (19th - 22nd Feb)
We headed to Lake Pukaki ready to set up in a free camping spot right by the lake. As we drove up to it, the stunning colour looked an impressive 'Powerade' blue. The campsite however was a bit overcrowded and quite dusty so with Emma's asthma in mind and our desire for isolation we found a spot by Lake Alexandrina near Tekapo. Yet more mountainous lake views and amazing stars but something different this time with a moon so bright it was almost like daylight at without the sun. Given this unique experience, Emma wanted to sleep with the curtains open, which I reluctantly agreed to, feeling scared after listening listening to yet another well voiced murder mystery on audible
The next day we headed to Tekapo and pulled up to a lake facing spot at another holiday park. More mountainous views, and another Powerade blue lake which we fully appreciated as we hiked the Mt John Summit Circuit, leading to a cafe at the top. Unfortunately the cafe was shut leaving some very irate English hikers in disbelief making some comments about losing business etc. Later on our journey to the supermarket we stumbled across a squash club. It was magnificent. I popped my head in and after shortly after friendly chat and an invitation to the club night, we'd shopped and were munching on Emma's delicious off-piste Mexican feast. This set us up nicely for our midnight stargazing tour, where we used an industrial sized telescope to take a peek above and learn how to navigate using the stars.
Another huge fitness day followed as we did our respective yoga and running in the morning, followed by some canoeing on the lake. Whilst rowing we made up games like imaginary Monopoly deal (actually worked quite well as a memory game) and how quickly can you do a canoe 360. We both love a challenge. We then played some real monopoly deal in a cafe as I mentally prepped myself, nervous for the squash night ahead. Wanting to save face I played on the super dusty, dangerously slippery court and despite a few falls it was so fun. The court itself needed some love but the viewing lounge and views from outside ranks this as my favourite squash club I've ever played at. The players were friendly and we stayed for drinks after with Emma and I chatting the night away to the various interesting players, one of whom was a pilot doing small plane tours in New Zealand and giving us insider tips. They talked about how Tekapo is the busiest it's been lately.. we saw only 2 other canoes on the entire lake whilst out there. Kiwis do not understand the meaning of the word busy. One of the younger players referred to Leisure Club clothing as "Oh that's the cheap brand from Hallenstein Brothers".. so naturally we're a little more hesitant to wear it now. They all agreed on Rotorua being a bit of a rough area and to be honest after all the disordered running from teenagers we saw there, relative to other areas it probably is. No surprise New Zealand is ranked as one of the safest countries in the world. Travelling through this Utopia I was shocked to hear a siren once, which of course ended up being an ambulance, probably on it's way to help an injured sheep. Staying on too long (9pm) our attempt to find food after the squash was unsuccessful as the entire town had shutdown and nowhere would serve us dinner. Spicy tomato pasta in the van it was.
Akaroa & Christchurch (22nd - 24th Feb)
After some deliberation and a suggestion from squash guy Greg, Emma and I decided a night in the more scenic Akaroa instead of Christchurch was the best way to spend our last night sleeping mobile. Akaroa was a chilled town founded by French settlers and we settled in by having some French food at Ma Maison. However another early town as we experienced doors shutting in our faces as we approached places for a drink come 9pm. Final NZ showdown of Monopoly deal it was, where an ever-improving Emma took it in a nerve-racking 3-2.
We drove to Christchurch fairly and said goodbye to our faithful campervan friend, no issues on the return and found out we'd clocked up 3500km of driving! It's been a good run which we've loved and learnt so much from. Things like:
I am irrationally naggy when there is clutter. Emma has an amazing capacity for creating clutter. She is non receptive of being nagged and will declutter if not nagged. I nag too quickly. It is a vicious cycle.
I am an attention seeker and tend to act out when Emma is busy swiping away on Instagram.
We both have an inclination to getting addicted to murder mysteries, after getting through 4 in fortnight we had to go cold turkey.
We are not in a couple, we are in fact in a throuple all equally loved. Emma, myself and cherry tomatoes.
After checking into an airport hotel we went out and explored Christchurch. Emma and I walked into an art gallery and she put me on the spot. The staff had explained how the gallery was a reimagining of all the pieces of art and furniture that was in a couples stately home which was now sat on a dangerous fault line. I felt too embarrassed to say no and instead made a mental note of complaining in the future about how we just spent $50 to fund a rich pair of (clearly, financially savvy) accountants' art indulgence who's house definitely would have had insurance.
We also went to a cool exhibition on Ernest Rutherford, did some shopping where Emma bought the T-shirt to complete her look as a minion and we had nice evening spent with our friend Domi's brother Christian who has adopted the work-travel life here as a chef.
New Zealand has been full of such friendly people and built so well for tourism. For me it has taken the top spot in countries I have ever visited as the breathtaking views of scenery, the observable night sky and immense nature constantly keep one-upping each other to a point where it's a joke. Our expectations have now adjusted to unhealthy levels where we barely spend any time looking at a mountain range if the colour of glacier lake underlining it is one of the more boring shades of blue. And, god forbid it doesn't have a lake.. now it's just an inconvenient obstacle you might have to drive around. I find myself now appreciating some of the gritty aspects of London, which in retrospect can effectively serve as palette cleansers to rebase our expectations and allow us to see more beauty where it exists.
With the most Powerade-y of holiday blues I really didn't want to leave however the experience was slightly tainted as we left for the Philippines and I was stopped at border control, sectioned off, visible to all travellers and questioned by armed police. Apparently I had flagged up for having the same name and birthday (yeah right..) as 2 suspects that had 3 warrants out for their arrest. While there was likely some racial profiling I am probably partly to blame for having the worst passport photo ever which makes me look like a terrorist. To be honest I'm surprised it's taken this long. Thankfully convinced it was a false flag the nicer police guard showed me the pictures to 'win my side', laughing at just how different they looked, which after the humiliating situation, did slightly work.
Get me on that sushi train ASAP rocky