New Zealand – A Photo story of a journey into the unadulterated Middle Earth

It is said, “a picture is worth 1000 words” – but a picture of picturesque New Zealand is of countless words. For me every corner of this world is a place to see before you die and yet if you have to make a definitive list for places to see before you die, New Zealand must be on that list.

You just have to visit and let yourself be consumed by the magic of unadulterated Middle Earth as no amount of travel blogs or poetry can come close to doing justice to the experience of being there.

Before we proceed to the photo story, some key points on planning the trip.

1. Give yourself 6 weeks to visit New Zealand. Yes You read that right – 6 weeks. Even at gunshot, I wouldn’t recommend any less. At the least once in a lifetime, it it worth looking at a travel not just as a check-list or a touch-and-go stunt but engage in a experiential journey. So transcend from the excuses of fast paced, ceaseless rut of city life and pack your bags for a lifetime experience.
2. If you do not have time to visit NZ at a stretch for 6 weeks, split the trip into a 3 weeks visit to South Island and a 3 weeks visit to North Island.

I have compiled a short guide to help with practicalities of planning a 3 weeks trip to New Zealand – South Island. This is the route and trip we as a family planned in year 2016 . Download this spreadsheet for NZ-SouthIsland-Itinerary. The spreadsheet has day wise brief itinerary, where to stay through the journey, recommendations for stay and key links for attractions/experiences.

My life changing experiences from travel to New Zealand were:

1. I saw the journey of me from being “in-front-of-the-camera” to more liking “behind-the-camera”. This place brought out the spirit of a photographer in me. Many a times we are so lost in the well of our ego, a journey like this dispels the ego and blends our “self” into the vast expanse of magnificent land of long white clouds.
2. Overcoming the unexplained fears – the skydive, paragliding, hiking and various other adventure sports aided in bidding good-bye to the long harbored fears and experience the thrill of life over the edge.
3. Most importantly this land uncovered the hiker in me. After this trip, instinctively I enjoyed travel that is filled with hiking and biking in nature trails over parading in the city walks and malls. As cliched as it seems from a travel enthusiast, it is not to undermine the significance of this metamorphosis in us for it takes us closer to existential reality over the mask and intoxication of material world.

Let us now head straight into the photo story.

Day-1, 2 :Christchurch

Day-3: Kaikoura

Day-4: Lake Tekapo

 

Day 5: Mount Cook

Day-5, 6, 7: Queenstown

Day- 8, 9 Milford Sound

Day- 10, 11 – Te Anau

 

Note: For Doubtful Sound, check out the very first picture in the blog at introduction.

Day 12, 13: Wanaka

Day 14, 15, 16: Franz Josef, Punakaiki, Motueka

Day-17: Puponga, Wharariki beach, Cape Farewell

Day 18 Abel Tasman

Day-19,20: Marlborough

Ending credits of this Photo story by the most memorable and life transforming Sky dive experience in Wanaka

Written by Archana Sundareshan, Editor and Chief of Someday Nomadic