Prelude

During 1998- 2000, I actually attended high schools in Christchurch where back then, (prior to the earthquake in 2011), my friends and I always hung out around the Cathedral, AKA the Square after school. That image still lives in me whenever I think of Christchurch. It was really unbelievable how time has passed since the last time I visited New Zealand in 2001. After a long interval, my wife and I finally planned for a road trip to explore both North & South Island of Aotearoa..

December 2019: Tokyo- Sydney- Christchurch- Lake Tekapo - Mt. Cook- Queenstown- Milford Sound- Paradise - Auckland- Rotoroa .

I won’t deep dive into details about each place and touch on ‘how-to-get-around’ sort of topics since there are many resources on the internet. Feel free to drop me a line if you like to know any particular details or need any info to plan your trip 👍

Instead, I will take you along the journey based on a travel, journalistic approach thru my lenses.

I’d recommend taking a punting tour along the Avon River during summer to get some fresh air and appreciate flora and fauna. Punting on the Avon won’t let you down! They have awesome crews and provide the best experience!

We were fortunate to visit Lake Tekapo where Lupins hit the full bloom. Late November- December is said to be the best time to visit!

It was a long drive to get to Mt. Cook but the road trip was surely worth it. Stunning scenery along the way will keep you entertained. We could not resist parking on the road side and taking a stroll on the winding road leading to Mt. Cook.

It all began some time during 1998- 1999 where four mysterious bras appeared on the fence along Cardrona Valley Road. The story gained media attention and more bras started to appear..

According to the locals, there is less than 30% of 365 days a year where it does not rain in Milford Sound. Luckily enough our trip took place on that day! Taking a helicopter tour was truly amazing, especially our pilot took us on a glacier landing experience!

If you visit Rotorua, do not miss Tamaki Maori Village. It is a great opportunity to learn about Maori history, heritage and its rich culture. More info: check out their official website.

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