Reflecting on New Zealand

New Zealand is my favorite place I’ve ever traveled.

There. I said it.

It’s the perfect combination of magical and unreal AND sublimely grounded and gorgeous. The effect leaves you feeling both in awe and completely at home.

NZ Travel Hack

New Zealand checked every travel box for me. It’s only a 6 HOUR FLIGHT from Hawaii where I was living just beforehand. The time difference is exactly 24 hours ahead of Hawaii which means no jetlag. When I figured all this out, I felt like I’d cracked some secret code. Which of course I share with anyone who’ll stand still long enough to listen.

More travel boxes checked:

Easily accessible variety of landscapes. On North Island, you can find city, suburbs, rural farmland, and beaches, all just a couple hours’ drive from each other.

Movie filming sites! My movie nerd heart was so happy with the film sites literally all over this country. Peter Jackson created the perfect love letter to his homeland through Lord of the Rings. Everywhere you go feels like a hobbit or elf might walk around the corner.

Vibrant culture and history. The Maori people, the original caretakers of the Land of the Long White Cloud, are ever-present in the fabric of New Zealand culture. You see it in the architecture, art, museums, street and transportation signs (which are in Maori and English), and sacred sites like Rotorua (one of my favorite spots on my trip).

Opportunities to slow down and be present. This was clear as I drove my rented car at no more than 55 miles per hour through the New Zealand countryside. I literally had to slow down, which helped me breathe in and absorb the breathtaking views of this country.

To island hop or not to island hop?

I originally had no plans to visit South Island in New Zealand. I had friends to visit in Auckland and Wellington (both on North Island) and told them those were my only stops in the country during this trip. I was swiftly corrected. Everyone I talked to said I simply HAD to see South Island too. They said as stunning as North Island is, South Island possesses its own special magic.

I’m so glad I listened.

I rerouted my plans to include South Island on my way home, stopping in Queenstown. This idyllic ski town feels like a dream. I didn’t do any actual skiing since it was the middle of summer, but I wouldn’t have traded the clear, endless skies and perfect hiking temperatures for anything.

From Queenstown, I took a day trip to Milford Sound, which was one of the highlights of my entire trip. I was blown away by the views of waterfalls and soaring cliffs on all sides that can be seen from the ferry.

Happiest Cows, Happiest Tourists

It’s said in New Zealand that their cows are the happiest in the world. They have more access to sunshine and lovely outside temperatures than any other cows on earth. 

I’m convinced that this is exactly what makes New Zealand tourists some of the happiest on earth too. I loved how peaceful and confident I felt exploring this country. The people are so kind and there are NO large predators or poisonous spiders in their forests. (Which is a refreshing change from their close neighbor, Australia, where just about every animal you see can and would kill you.)

I said from the first days in New Zealand that it looks like a fuzzy Ireland – the same vibrant greens and rolling hills but with a more unkempt, mysterious vibe that leaves you yearning to explore every corner of it.