10 x the best campsites on New Zealand’s South Island

One of the reasons I love camping in New Zealand as much as I do, is because of the beautiful campsites spread across the country. Mountains, forests and incredible lakes are just some of the things you’ll see daily. It seems you almost can’t go wrong! That said, there are a few campsites that the […]

3 weeks on the South Island of New Zealand: the ultimate road trip itinerary

There’s nothing I love more than hopping in a car and just driving around a country. Seeing nature flash by through the car window, driving from one amazing sight to the next… it’s the best! One place that is particularly great for this kind of adventure, is the South Island of New Zealand. So, if […]

15 x the best free things to do in the South Island

Wharariki Beach baby seal swim

As much as I love New Zealand, I’m not gonna lie – it’s pretty expensive to travel: the transport, the most of the accommodation, even the food. Luckily, seeing all of the country’s highlights doesn’t have to be expensive at all! Here are my top 15 free things to do and see in the beautiful […]

South Island highlights: my 5 favorite experiences

Helicopter flight glacier New Zealand

If you ask me, the South Island of New Zealand is one of the most beautiful places in the world. It’s absolutely stunning and I have yet to come across another area or country that can match its vast, diverse, natural beauty. I consider myself so lucky for having seen most of this beautiful place […]

Swimming with wild dolphins in Kaikoura

Dolphins Kaikoura

After having seen most of New Zealand’s South Island, Frank and I still really wanted to do one thing: swimming with wild dolphins in the open ocean in Kaikoura. Kaikoura is located on the east coast of the island. The town is well-known as a great place to spot both dolphins and whales. We had […]

A day in my life: working on a New Zealand vineyard

Grape picking New Zealand

Recently, I shared my story on finding a job in New Zealand, including my first day working at a vineyard. At this point, it’s been two weeks (read: 14 straight days of working) since the work started. We’ve definitely settled in a bit and I’ve become used to the new “routine”. So, I thought it’d […]

Finding a job in New Zealand

Drone shot New Zealand vineyard

When I started my travels back in November, I knew it was likely I’d have to work at some point. I’d saved up quite a bit of money beforehand, but unfortunately, no-one can travel forever without finding some way to top up those travel funds every now and then. I would’ve loved to work in […]

Scenic views on the Hooker Valley Track

Hooker Valley track bridge

Besides the Ben Lomond track and the hike to Roys Peak, we really wanted to do one other hike in the South Island: the Hooker Valley Track, with supposedly incredible views. (OK, we wanted to do a few more, but we needed to make some hard choices.) The track leads you past the Hooker River […]

Stunning views at Roys Peak

Roys peak view

After our hellish-yet-amazing experience at the Ben Lomond track, it took about three full days for our legs to fully recover from what we’d put them through. We waited patiently until they’d be up for another challenge. There was another hike in the area that had been on our list for a while: the track […]