Six Weeks: Australia and New Zealand

‘People don’t take trips… Trips take people.’ – John Steinbeck. 

This day four years ago, I was just entering my second week in New Zealand and was enjoying the Bay of Islands. I was learning to travel and slowly but surely falling totally head over heels in love with this gloriously beautiful country I’d arrived in. Little did I know at that point that New Zealand was going to become one of my favourite countries in the world, and that when I left eighteen months later I would carry a longing to return that I now know will never die. I’ll always want to go back. There’ll always be more of New Zealand I want to see.

It has been two and a half years since I last set foot in the Land of the Long White Cloud, but finally, in under two months, I’ll be on a plane heading for the southern hemisphere and back to New Zealand. Whilst it has been no secret that I’m off to New Zealand and Australia at the end of 2018, I am yet to share my itinerary here.

The time has come, however, to share what I’ve got planned. I have got an amazing itinerary organised, which includes celebrating the marriage of one of my oldest friends and encompasses Christmas, the new year and my 30th birthday. It’s going to be an AWESOME trip!

Week One 

5th-11th December

I fly out of Heathrow after work on the 5th December and land in Auckland on the 7th December. That timezone difference pretty much removes the 6th December for me this year… When I land, I’m picking up my rental car and heading over to the Hauraki / Devonport districts of Auckland to stay in a little self-contained studio flat for the week.

It is L’s hen party on the 8th – I’m hoping I won’t be too jet-lagged! I’ll then be spending this week in and around Auckland, no doubt assisting where I can with final wedding preparations, spending time with J, L, D and the extended family and friends coming in for the wedding and visiting a few of Auckland’s attractions, such as the beautiful beaches.

Week Two

12th-18th December

On the 12th, I will be attending the rehearsal for the wedding and on the 13th, it will be the actual wedding! I can’t tell you how excited I am to see L and D tie the knot – I’m sure it’s going to be an absolutely beautiful day. The following day, I fly to Brisbane late in the afternoon to begin the Australian portion of my trip.

I am staying with A for my week in Brisbane, and no doubt will spend that first weekend in Australia catching up with her, adjusting to the ferocious heat everyone keeps promising me and exploring Brisbane. I will then be working for the week at the Brisbane office, which I’m excited about. It sounds kind of weird to be excited about working for a week, but I’m looking forward to meeting more of my Australian colleagues and being on the same timezone as them for once!

Week Three

19th-25th December

I’ll finish off my week working in Brisbane and on the 22nd, A and I will be flying north to Cairns. I’m so excited that we’ll be spending Christmas in north Queensland – Port Douglas to be precise. We’ve booked such an awesome AirBnB for the festive season! It has a pool!

I’ve heard great things about Port Douglas from various friends and colleagues. The biggest draw for me is its proximity to the rainforest and, even more excitingly, to the GREAT BARRIER REEF.

Yup, A and I have booked a boat trip and will be spending one day over the Christmas period snorkelling the reef. My fantastic sisters have paid for me to do this, and I literally cannot wait to see one of the seven natural wonders of the world. I’m pretty sure it’s going to be incredible! Of course, the 25th is Christmas Day itself, and A and I intend to take the day to relax, eat good food, drink wine and maybe swim in that pool…

Week Four

26th December – 1st January

This week will encompass a flight back to Brisbane, one more night there with A and then a return to New Zealand. This time, I’ll be heading straight to Wellington to visit old friends that I met when I lived there. We have plans for New Year that incorporate a little road trip north and some fun outside of the capital.

We will be heading for New Plymouth and Taranaki for New Years, and we intend to stay at a great looking campsite C has found. We’ll either pitch some tents or rent a cabin and spend three nights exploring this corner of New Zealand. I’m pleased to get to see a new part of the country, as well as going back to visit old haunts and favourite spots in Wellington.

Week Five

2nd-8th January

On the 3rd I will bid farewell to my Wellington pals and fly down to Queenstown, picking up my second rental car of the trip, which I’ll keep until the 17th. I’ll drive directly south to Te Anau where I’ll spend one night before boarding my overnight cruise on Doubtful Sound.

This is a bucket list adventure for me. I will be spending the day before and the morning of my 30th birthday in Doubtful Sound. I’ve booked into a 4-berth cabin and I’m hoping against hope that we’ll see some wildlife, that I’ll be able to kayak and that the three-course dinner we get will be amazing. I literally cannot wait to spend my 30th birthday doing something that I’ve been longing to do for years. And my wonderful parents have paid for this trip – it’s a combined Christmas and 30th birthday present. One of the best presents ever?!

I’ll spend the remainder of my birthday in Te Anau and on the 6th I intend to spend the day driving into Milford Sound and exploring. I’ve been before, but never under my own steam, and I’m dying to get some amazing photos of this utterly beautiful place.

On the 7th I’ll drive to Glenorchy, where I’m staying for four nights.

Week Six

9th-15th January

I will be working some of the time in Glenorchy, although evenings so that I crossover with the UK timezone. I intend to spend my time in Glenorchy relaxing, eating, walking, writing and enjoying my own company!

After Glenorchy, I have six nights booked in Wanaka. I am spending three nights in a hostel that is right in the centre of town, with good facilities for reasonable prices. The final three nights I have a lodge booked which I think looks like the perfect place to enjoy my final days on the South Island.

Those of you who have read this blog for a while will know exactly how much I love Wanaka. It is literally one of my favourite places in the world, definitely my favourite place in New Zealand and it hurts my heart to leave it every time. It would make my life utterly perfect if I could just transport Wanaka over to the UK… That little slice of heaven on earth, my home from home.

And a couple of days…

16th-18th January

Leave Wanaka I must, and I depart on the 17th to head back to Queenstown and fly up to Auckland. I’ll spend one more night in Auckland with L and D and catch my flight back to the UK on the 18th.

I literally cannot wait!

My departure is rapidly approaching now, as we leave summer behind and move into autumn. I’ve got all of my accommodation booked and organised, the return flights to Auckland are paid for and my birthday boat trip booked. A booked our snorkel tour for Port Douglas, whilst C is going to be organising our trip for New Years. I’ve sorted out my visas already!

All that remains (all, she says) is for me to book internal flights and my hire cars for both Auckland and Queenstown. Then there’s the small matter of packing for the trip. As well as my usual travel gear, I also need to include wedding attire and make sure I’ve got great swimwear for Australia!

I’m excited to mix returning to old, favourite places with exploring new destinations. It’ll be great to add a new country to my list (I’ve never been to Australia before!). It’ll be wonderful to see old friends again and have some quality time with them. All in all, this trip is set to be one hell of a way to wave goodbye to 2018 and say hello to 2019. And wow – what a way to welcome in my thirties! Bring it on!

NB: I’m also really excited to get some new photos for future New Zealand posts, as well as Australian pictures!