Kaikoura, 10/01/18-12/01/18
Our time in Kaikoura, including the drive there, was absolutely spectacular and definitely better told about in photos but I’m going to give you a brief summary here: The drive on SH1 from Picton to Kaikoura was just as scary as it was stunning. The road has only been open since Christmas and the earthquake scars from 2016 are still clearly visible in the landscape. Construction sites and unstable cliffs and hills are never far. Arriving in our lovely Bed & Breakfast we were very kindly welcomed by our host, Julie.
Seriously, the only negative thing I have to say about that day is the rain
that didn’t stop the next day, either. But luckily, neither seals, nor dolphins
or whales hide from a bit of rain and so we were able to see all three. The
seals by foot on Wednesday evening, the dolphins and whales by boat on Thursday
– the day we literally went on stormy seas, not once but twice. Well, to be
honest, stormy is an exaggeration but if you’re not used to shaky boats (which
we’re not) it certainly feels stormy :) 
Our time in Kaikoura, including the drive there, was absolutely spectacular and definitely better told about in photos but I’m going to give you a brief summary here: The drive on SH1 from Picton to Kaikoura was just as scary as it was stunning. The road has only been open since Christmas and the earthquake scars from 2016 are still clearly visible in the landscape. Construction sites and unstable cliffs and hills are never far. Arriving in our lovely Bed & Breakfast we were very kindly welcomed by our host, Julie.
Seriously, the only negative thing I have to say about that day is the rain
that didn’t stop the next day, either. But luckily, neither seals, nor dolphins
or whales hide from a bit of rain and so we were able to see all three. The
seals by foot on Wednesday evening, the dolphins and whales by boat on Thursday
– the day we literally went on stormy seas, not once but twice. Well, to be
honest, stormy is an exaggeration but if you’re not used to shaky boats (which
we’re not) it certainly feels stormy :) 
After swimming with the colony of dolphins and
watching them (about 200) from the boat (AMAZING!!!) and then seeing the sea
again for the whale(s) we were impressed to actually have been IN that
green-blue-greyish soup. It really didn’t look very comfortable (it wasn’t,
either).
Wellington, 12/01/18-13/01/18
Our journey to Wellington was an adventure all on its own!
The road I previously talked about
(SH1) is open but not very predictable and due to the rainfall, it was closed
again (because of landslides) just in time for us to get to our booked ferry and
Wellington. So the 7-hour detour was researched, the night ferry organised and
the smiles wiped of our faces when, just as we were driving out of town, my
parents decided to turn around and check SH1 for a last time. And the miracle
happened: All of a sudden, it was open again, we could reach our original ferry
and be in Wellington in the afternoon.
As it turns out, the road basically closed right after we went out of the critical zone – praise the Lord!
Wellington itself was good to show us that, yes, we are still no city people and we’d always rather spend a quiet night in the countryside. Nevertheless, it was nice to have seen it and we all learned more about Maori history and culture in New Zealand’s national museum.
Our journey to Wellington was an adventure all on its own!
The road I previously talked about
(SH1) is open but not very predictable and due to the rainfall, it was closed
again (because of landslides) just in time for us to get to our booked ferry and
Wellington. So the 7-hour detour was researched, the night ferry organised and
the smiles wiped of our faces when, just as we were driving out of town, my
parents decided to turn around and check SH1 for a last time. And the miracle
happened: All of a sudden, it was open again, we could reach our original ferry
and be in Wellington in the afternoon. As it turns out, the road basically closed right after we went out of the critical zone – praise the Lord!
Wellington itself was good to show us that, yes, we are still no city people and we’d always rather spend a quiet night in the countryside. Nevertheless, it was nice to have seen it and we all learned more about Maori history and culture in New Zealand’s national museum.
Ohakune, 13/01/18-15/01/18
This village was not originally on our list, it was added because someone screwed up their bookings and we were moved to Ohakune in the Tongariro National Park. A change that was definitely for the better! Our lodge’s host was (hopefully still is) Swiss, extremely nice, has two adorable cats (that made us miss ours even more), and keeps his lodge up to Swiss standards. Those two days felt a little like coming home and we enjoyed every minute. Another advantage of being there instead of the original lodge was that we could have a look at volcanoes for the first time in our lives. The landscape in the Tongariro National Park is entirely shaped by volcanic activity, so it was fascinating to see not only Mount Doom (unfortunately that’s not the actual name) but the vegetation and scenery it has created.
When we left Ohakune for Otorohanga on Tuesday, we took a small detour to drive by Rotorua and the geothermal parks in the region which was pretty cool and also pretty disgusting. The smell of sulphur in the air and the sight of boiling mud on the ground: Not something I necessarily need again but still worth having experienced ;)
This village was not originally on our list, it was added because someone screwed up their bookings and we were moved to Ohakune in the Tongariro National Park. A change that was definitely for the better! Our lodge’s host was (hopefully still is) Swiss, extremely nice, has two adorable cats (that made us miss ours even more), and keeps his lodge up to Swiss standards. Those two days felt a little like coming home and we enjoyed every minute. Another advantage of being there instead of the original lodge was that we could have a look at volcanoes for the first time in our lives. The landscape in the Tongariro National Park is entirely shaped by volcanic activity, so it was fascinating to see not only Mount Doom (unfortunately that’s not the actual name) but the vegetation and scenery it has created.
When we left Ohakune for Otorohanga on Tuesday, we took a small detour to drive by Rotorua and the geothermal parks in the region which was pretty cool and also pretty disgusting. The smell of sulphur in the air and the sight of boiling mud on the ground: Not something I necessarily need again but still worth having experienced ;)
Tauranga, 16/01/18-09/04/18
After having spent a night in our slightly stuffy and dusty accommodation in Otorohanga (we all missed the Swiss chalet very much) we set course for YWAM’s Marine Reach in Tauranga where my parents dropped me off. Although I was kindly welcomed and, so far, everyone here has been really nice, I can’t help but feel homesick. Everything here is so different from what I’m used to, there are 65 people who are never quiet and my personal space is limited to the roughly two square meters that my bed measures up to. So, yes, I’m kind of an emotional wreck at the moment and I guess those are my own (figurative) stormy seas to navigate through. They waves come and go and I’m just incredibly grateful for all the people out there that write to me, lift me up, go with me spiritually, the people that have been with me every step of the way – most of all my parents.
I love you guys to the moon and back! 💓
After having spent a night in our slightly stuffy and dusty accommodation in Otorohanga (we all missed the Swiss chalet very much) we set course for YWAM’s Marine Reach in Tauranga where my parents dropped me off. Although I was kindly welcomed and, so far, everyone here has been really nice, I can’t help but feel homesick. Everything here is so different from what I’m used to, there are 65 people who are never quiet and my personal space is limited to the roughly two square meters that my bed measures up to. So, yes, I’m kind of an emotional wreck at the moment and I guess those are my own (figurative) stormy seas to navigate through. They waves come and go and I’m just incredibly grateful for all the people out there that write to me, lift me up, go with me spiritually, the people that have been with me every step of the way – most of all my parents.
I love you guys to the moon and back! 💓
Updates about my
life here will come as frequently as possible :D
Lots of love and hugs (given and needed),
Annika
Lots of love and hugs (given and needed),
Annika
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