Road Trip – Big Girl Big City

Brisbane, The Australian City I Hold Close to My Heart

24th Jan 2021Posted in The PacificTagged Australia, Australia Zoo, Australia's East Coast, Australian Adventure, Brisbane, Brisbane River, Koalas, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Mount Coot-Tha, Nostalgia, Queensland, Road Trip, Steve Irwin, TravellingLeave a comment

Brisbane is the capital city of the Australian state of Queensland, it’s also the most populated. I’m writing this today as it’s snowing in London… Strange feeling to think I was there at the same period of the year in 2020! January is one of their hottest months. I’ll tell you why I love this place so much and share my experience below.

It all started in June 2006

It takes me back to when I was still a student, in my 2nd year of university. As part of the program, we all had to choose between a regular internship or work experience in an English-speaking environment. There’s nothing like an immersive escapade to practise a language! So I picked the second option and I didn’t do it the easy way… I could have just gone to England but I always loved Australia and it was a great occasion to finally go. That’s how I spent 6 months of my life there, from June to December 2006. Among all the cities, Brisbane was the best choice:

It’s on the Gold Coast with easy access to plenty of other cool cities around (Surfers Paradise for example)
They have more than 280 days of sunshine a year
It’s a vibrant city, known for its youthful vibes
There is a nice river to cruise along with an iconic bridge (even more stunning at night)
It’s a pretty safe city
There are a lot of green spaces, a super cool artificial beach and many places to eat, drink and socialise

There are so many reasons to visit Brisbane, it was by far my coolest experience in my 20s. Immersing myself among locals and working there as a charity fundraiser (ideal job to talk to people!) definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone. Needless to say my level of English skyrocketed, I just got lucky I didn’t pick up the Aussie accent… But I kept the Aussie spirit in my head, dreaming to go back one day.

13 years later

Happy moments, good vibes, freedom feeling… It all came back to me. Time flies and it’s easy to be vacuumed into this big adventure called life. It was only in January 2020 that I had the occasion to go back and relive all these fond memories… with my fiancé this time. It was one of the stops during our road trip from Sydney to Cairns. We decided to stay 5 full days there, giving us enough time to suck in all the vibes of the city.

Memories vs New reality

It’s amazing how much Brisbane changed since 2006. South Bank was still under development back then, now looking amazing. They built more skyscrapers, new walkways, a big wheel… There was also a free ferry service to take you in and out the city (called the CityHopper), which we found amazing. It runs everyday from 6am until midnight and you don’t have to pay anything to enjoy great views. We definitely made the most of it. Below a picture of the stunning icons at night: the Story bridge and the Brisbane river:

The 2010-2011 Floods

Unfortunately, there are some risks associated with a long river flowing through the city… Brisbane experienced floods in the past but the last time it happened was between my 1st and 2nd visit. Unprecedented and prolonged rainfall started in November 2010 in Queensland and continued into January 2011, causing river levels to peak at 4.46 metres. Approximately 200,000 people were affected by the floods state wide. In 2020, we saw many restaurants still displaying a high water line from this natural disaster on their facade. Back in 2006, I worked a few weeks in a restaurant that didn’t seem to exist anymore – Not sure if the flooding has anything to do with it but I remember it was located right in the middle of the most affected areas.

Mount Coot-Tha offers a great view of the city

This place is ideal to have a panoramic view of Brisbane city. Mount Coot-Tha is 287 metres above sea level and just 20 minutes drive away. Luckily, we had a clear view that day. There is a lot more to do over there than just admiring the views… You will find a lot of hiking trails to explore the area, so don’t forget to wear comfy shoes! Some are easier than others, but the time needed to complete them is indicated beforehand to avoid nasty surprises. You can also chill out in the café afterwards.

view of brisbane city from mount coot-tha

Australia Zoo, home of the crocodile hunter

When you visit Australia Zoo, you’re making a contribution to conservation. Their mission has been to protect wildlife and wild places for 50 years now. This type of place is vital to educate people at a young age and learn more about animals we’re responsible for. For the wildlife, we are their greatest enemy and their only hope! Located roughly an hour drive away from Brisbane, I’d say this place is worth a visit.

If you used to watch Steve Irwin on television, this is his legacy. His wife Terri and their 2 kids Bindi and Robert suffered a huge loss when he died, after being attacked by a stingray on the Great Barrier Reef in September 2006. I was actually in Australia when it happened…

Another thing I would mention about this zoo is how impressed I was with the African section! If I was a giraffe, a rhinoceros or even a meerkat for example (see below), I would love to live there. The space they have is huge, they can play, hide, run away… and stay protected without predators around. I would even say that being there made me feel like I was in The Lion King movie. The associated song stayed in my head all day.

Holding a koala is not allowed everywhere

Everyone has a soft spot for koalas… They’re so sweet, calm and soft, and you can only find them in Australia. But be aware that holding a koala is only allowed in 3 states (out of 8): Queensland – also known as the Australia’s koala-cuddling capital, South Australia and Western Australia.

It is possible at the Australia Zoo, I’ve done it myself. They have big claws but they’re such harmless creatures. They smell like eucalyptus (they eat so much of it!) and feel a bit like an old thick carpet to touch. You can’t really cuddle them for long, carers only let you hold them in a certain position. If you want to see koalas especially, the best place would probably be Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary though. It is the world’s first and largest koala sanctuary and is located just outside of Brisbane!

Do I see myself living there? Yes, if it wasn’t that far away from Europe… Among other Australian cities worth visiting: Perth & Melbourne.

Big Girl x

How Our Big Adventure Changed My Mindset Forever: Memories, Regrets and Tips

21st Nov 202028th Dec 2021Posted in Travel StoriesTagged Australia, Bali, Big Adventure, Life Choices, Looking back, Malaysia, Memories, Mindset, New Zealand, Road Trip, Save the Planet, Self Improvement, Singapore, Throwback, Travelling, Wrap-up2 Comments

This is the end of 2 weeks of daily travel throwbacks I promised to write about. Our big adventure happened between November 2019 and April 2020, but now I can finally say I have some closure. This experience ended like an unexpected breakup in a relationship, like I was forced to turn the page despite some unfinished business. We planned 6 months of travel but only managed to do 5 before the pandemic interrupted us. Some would say we didn’t have much luck. I would say we actually got very lucky because at least we completed the biggest part of it.

We travelled to Singapore (1 week), Kuala Lumpur (1 week), Bali (2 weeks), Perth (10 days), Melbourne (2 weeks), Sydney (10 days), then drove from Sydney to Cairns (4 weeks) and finally visited New Zealand (6 weeks). But we got stranded in Fiji, where we planned a 5-day holiday and ended up staying 3 weeks as we couldn’t fly anywhere because of the pandemic. Finally, anyone with a passport from Europe got their access denied to Japan, where we were supposed to visit many cities from Tokyo to Fukuoka during our last 6 weeks of travelling.

What my best memories are

This travelling experience by itself was the best project I’ve ever put together. Among the 6 countries we went to, the only 2 places I’ve been before were Brisbane and Surfers Paradise (Australia) so 99% of it was a complete discovery. I’ve been impressed by Singapore and enjoyed New Zealand way more than I thought I would do. My best memories overall would include:

Singapore – Admiring the illuminated super trees in Gardens by the Bay and listening to the evening Rhapsody show
Malaysia – Being spoilt for choice in various food markets
Bali – Enjoying a private romantic diner for two when I got engaged
Australia – Driving along the Great Ocean Road, arriving just on time to watch the sun set over the 12 Apostles
New Zealand – Witnessing the natural beauty of the turquoise glacial water of Lake Tekapo

Apart from specific places, I would say my best memory is how I felt when we were travelling: free, happy and very lucky.

What I would do differently

In hindsight, there are always some things you would do differently when you put a plan in motion for the first time. I have no regrets in general, but if I knew better, I would have…

…picked a better time to travel. We left when it was convenient in our calendar but sometimes overlooked the season in the country we were going to. In Southeast Asia & the Pacific, their winter is our summer. So their summer is something we’re definitely not used to and it was a bit difficult for us to cope with so much heat and humidity at times.
…planned ahead for events to celebrate. Our Christmas plan was a bit last minute and my birthday was overlooked. You don’t think of it when you’re planning an entire trip but on the day you can regret it. I would have planned better for these special occasions!
…worked harder to be in a better shape. Fair to say we were not in our best shape when we left travelling and I think we missed out on some physical activities that required a good fitness level, which was a bit of a shame. No need to be able to run a marathon but improving our cardio beforehand would have been a good idea.
…allocated some rest time in the planning. When you’re travelling you also need some time to properly rest. We neglected that part and as a result we felt like it stopped us from enjoying our experience fully. Also, I wouldn’t book accommodation for only 1 or 2 days anymore – or only if it’s just a stop to break down the journey.
…travelled lighter. As much as we tried to take only the minimum in our backpacks, we realised there were some things we never used during our trip. We took too many clothes for example, travelling is not a fashion show and we wouldn’t have minded wearing the same thing regularly if it meant carrying less heavy bags with us.

What you need to know before doing it

If you’re thinking of going on a similar adventure, I thought I would give you some tips (on top of what I would do differently from our own experience) as some things can be easy to forget:

Do your research properly: watch videos on YouTube, read travel books but also blogs because they will give you more personal advice, ask people around you who have already done such a thing.
Check the vaccination(s) you’ll need early on: sometimes there are several injections needed per vaccine and a deadline for when you need to be vaccinated by, depending on the country you’re going to.
Book popular excursions or activities in advance: don’t wait until you’re there as it can get fully booked easily and read reviews carefully before you book, to avoid nasty surprises.
Work out how much cash you need with you: some countries are not very familiar with card payments and the airport doesn’t offer the best exchange rate, also keep your cash in various places (in case you get robbed).
Pick carefully what bank cards you want to bring: when travelling, traditional banks are not necessarily the best option – Monzo worked great for us as it matches the live market rate with no extra fees when you pay abroad. Take several cards if possible (preferably a VISA and a MasterCard) just in case.
Talk to the locals when you’re on the road: they would know some cool places to go to that are not in any travel books, they would also know about the local events happening during your stay.

Finally, you have to accept some level of uncertainty, some things will remain out of your control and you’ll have to adapt. We haven’t always been lucky with the weather or natural disasters ourselves for example… We drove through burning trees in Perth, breathed smoky and unhealthy air in Sydney due to bushfires, drove through torrential rain and got stopped by flooded areas. As a result, there are some places we wanted to go but couldn’t: The Pinnacles near Perth (bushfires), The Blue Mountains near Sydney (bushfires), Cedar Creek Falls near Airlie Beach (flooding), Whitsunday Islands (storms) and Milford Sound in New Zealand (flooding) to name a few. I’m not even mentioning the 6 weeks in Japan we couldn’t do because of the pandemic.

How it changed my mindset forever

This season in Australia has been a very dark summer for the country who’s suffering first from the global warming and climate change. It’s been a real eye opener for us, it’s always easier to face the truth when you witness it yourself… It was not only in the news, it happened just in front of us. We were not really worried about our holidays, we just felt sorry for the locals who lost their homes and all the defenceless animals we couldn’t save. It made me want to care more for our planet, because if we don’t, there will be nothing left to visit for the next generations.

It also taught me how important it was to be grateful in life and how to prioritise things better. Having a healthy body and a healthy mind offers you the best chances to make the most of everything, not only when you’re travelling but in life in general. That’s what triggered my drive to become the best version of myself.

Travelling is key in self-improvement and this is why it’s one of the main categories in this blog. Travelling makes you a better person, it’s the only real way to unlock your mind from preconceived ideas and be more open to the world. Would I do it again if I had the chance? Yes, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second. Have you done it yourself or is it in your plans too?

Big Girl x

New Zealand, On the Road From Rotorua to Auckland (Part 4/4)

20th Nov 2020Posted in The PacificTagged Auchland, Bay of Islands, Glow Worm Caves, Hell's Gate, Hobbiton Movie Set, Maori Carving, New Zealand, On the Road, Paihia, Road Trip, Rotorua, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, WhakarewarewaLeave a comment

This is the final part of our road trip in New Zealand! Don’t forget to read the first 3 parts before, so you can get the full story:

1/4 – South Island: From Christchurch to Te Anau
2/4 – South Island: From Te Anau to Picton
3/4 – North Island: From Wellington to Rotorua
4/4 – North Island: From Rotorua to Auckland

Whakarewarewa

On the outskirts of Rotorua, we went to a living Maori village called…
Te Whakarewarewatangaoteopatauawahiao (no, I swear I haven’t just made that up). It means “The uprising of the war parties of Wahiao“. It’s been shortened to Whakarewarewa to make it easier to pronounce.

During our tour, one of us in the group asked the guide (one of the locals) what it was like to live in a village constantly full of tourists. He replied they got used to it during business hours. But they become a lot more territorial after 5pm when outsiders are not welcome anymore. They see the positive side of tourism though, as it helps them preserve their culture. It smells very strongly of sulphur in the air, like rotten eggs. They use the heat of the earth to cook their meals, which they also sell to tourists.

It was a real immersive experience! We also saw a Haka, traditional Maori dance performed by a local group living in the village. Close by, there is the largest geyser in New Zealand which naturally erupts at least once every hour: the Pohutu Geyser.

Hell’s Gate

Our last geothermal activity in Rotorua was the Hell’s Gate Geothermal Park where we saw mud pools at a temperature over 100°C, hot pools even hotter than that, a sulphur lake and Kakahi falls among other things. The hottest pool in Hell’s Gate is at 122°C at the surface and 144°C at 1 metre deep:

We even tried Maori carving and pushed the experience even further by getting a private mud bath, followed by a sulphur spa. Yes, we basically bathed in a stinky substance but it’s known to be good for you (or at least that’s what they say). We only found out later we should have kept our sunglasses on when bathing though. Our eyes were crying a lot and at some point we had to get out, it was hurting too much. We obviously couldn’t touch our eyes with our hands full of sulphur… Our swimsuits still smell like rotten eggs but I don’t want to throw them away because it reminds me of Rotorua. I’m not sure we’ll ever use them again though.

Hobbiton Movie Set

Rotorua is also the closest big city to Hobbiton Movie Set. It was just amazing to see a place where great actors filmed world famous movies! Hobbiton was set up in 1999 to film The Lord of the Rings trilogy but was then taken down. It’s only in 2009 that they rebuilt it for The Hobbit trilogy, this time with permanent material. There are 39 hobbit holes with different dimensions based on the needs for the camera angle. This is one of the top things to do in New Zealand’s North Island so it gets very busy. The experience gets fully immersive when they offer you handcrafted drinks at the Green Dragon Inn!

Waitomo Glowworm Caves

We also visited the Waitomo Glowworm Caves but it’s worth knowing you will not be allowed to take any pictures there. I was a bit disappointed at first but then realised I wouldn’t have been able to get any decent pictures anyway as you need professional equipment to capture the beauty of it in the dark. I remember feeling a bit claustrophobic down in the cave as it gets quite deep – 45 metres underground! – and there is no way to escape easily. But I would say it was worth the ride, even if you don’t get to see the worms glowing for very long (only at the end of the tour).

Bay of Islands

For the last part of our trip in North Island, we decided to go to Paihia so we could take a cruise from there and visit the Bay of Islands (which is a collection of more than 140 subtropical islands in total!). We navigated to Motukokako (also known as “The Hole in the Rock“) but we couldn’t pass through due to rough seas. The Captain said it was only possible for 30-40% of cruises.

It was not a big deal for us as what happened soon after was amazing: we first spotted a dolphin and already felt lucky… Until we saw more and more tagging along and playing with the waves created by our boat, hundreds of them! There were wild dolphins (not fed by humans) so they were here because they chose to say “Hi”. Magical… No picture would capture the moment better than our memories.

Auckland

Finally, we spent our last day of our road trip in Auckland so we went on top of the Sky Tower to look at the city from above. It’s the tallest free standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere but it’s actually not that tall… just a little bit taller than the Eiffel Tower. Up there at 220 metres high above street level, the floor is transparent so you better not have vertigo. There are various options to eat and drink too, we chilled for a bit at the Sky Café with a Lemon & Paeroa drink (aka L&P).

That ends our road trip in New Zealand! We stayed in no less than 17 places across both islands and drove more than 5,000 kilometres via the most scenic routes we’ve ever seen. Now it’s fair to say it was exhausting to be on the road and sometimes we would have needed some days just to rest. There is so much to see in a limited period of time that it’s easy to forget about the importance of “doing nothing”, we felt like we had to make the most of it no matter what.

When we arrived in New Zealand in February 2020, there were no cases of coronavirus. But then a lot can happen in a few weeks… When we left 6 weeks later, people were asked to self-isolate and some couldn’t even enter the country. I think it shows how important it is to always prioritise projects that make you happy, don’t postpone for too long as you never know!

So… What country will you go to first when all travel restrictions are lifted? New Zealand?

Big Girl x

New Zealand, On the Road From Wellington to Rotorua (Part 3/4)

19th Nov 2020Posted in The PacificTagged Geothermal Activity, Hot Pools, Lake Taupo, Maori Culture, National Park, New Zealand, On the Road, Road Trip, Rotorua, Taupo, Tongariro National Park, Volcanic Eruptions, Wellington, Wellywood, Weta Workshop3 Comments

The first thing you need to know about New Zealand is that North and South Islands feel like two completely different countries! When you’ll enjoy the most beautiful scenery you’ve ever seen in your life in South Island, the upper part of New Zealand is a lot busier in terms of population and richer in natural geothermal activities. This is part 3 of our road trip, make sure you don’t miss the other parts:

1/4 – South Island: From Christchurch to Te Anau
2/4 – South Island: From Te Anau to Picton
3/4 – North Island: From Wellington to Rotorua
4/4 – North Island: From Rotorua to Auckland

Wellington

Once we arrived in Wellington, it felt like we were back in civilisation after spending 3 weeks in vast landscapes. Despite Auckland being the most populated city in New Zealand, Wellington is the capital of the country.

Widely recognised as a symbol of Wellington, the cable car (which is actually a funicular) gives a good overview of the city. It takes 5 minutes to reach the top and it’s only 120 metres high. It’s also an easy way to visit the Botanic Garden, otherwise the footpath could be a bit hilly. I didn’t suspect Wellington to be such an arty city, taking street art to another level. We decided to follow a self-guided sculpture tour created by Lonely Planet. We got to see the weirdest installations, a bit like we were on a treasure hunt!

Whether or not you’re into museums, Te Papa Tongarewa (meaning “container of treasures” in Maori) is mind-blowing. New Zealand’s history is illustrated via Maori and Pacific cultures over 6 floors of interactive displays. I particularly loved the exhibition about Wold War I called “Gallipoli: The Scale of War“. It was powerful and realistic, with these big character models made by Weta Workshop. Also, it’s free to visit.

Thanks to New Zealand’s booming film industry, Wellington has earned the nickname of “Wellywood“. Weta Workshop is an award-winning special effects and props company. They’re responsible for great movies such as The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, King Kong, District 9, Avatar…etc.

We did a Weta Cave Workshop Tour but only managed to take pictures in the shop (for copyright reasons). It was very informative and super interesting, especially for film lovers. We also did the miniature effects tour, where they showed us how they fit the entire island of Thunderbirds Are Go under one roof. Again, no pictures allowed, but if you’ve watched this show when you were a kid, this is a must do.

Tongariro National Park

Our next stop was Tongariro National Park where there are a lot of walking and cycling tracks. In summer the scenery is very volcanic, this is where several parts of The Lord of the Rings were filmed. We took the Sky Waka Gondola and reached an altitude of 2,013 metres. It seemed quite high, considering it was up an active volcano! But by the time we arrived at the top, big and thick clouds started to appear, visibility became close to none. We were asked not to wander too far away just in case they had to evacuate people quickly. Not an ideal day for a long hike, which was fine for us as we needed some rest anyway.

There are several reasons why people come specifically to Tongariro National Park. One of the main ones is to see the youngest of the 3 active volcanoes there, called Mount Ngauruhoe. Peter Jackson chose it to star in The Lord of the Rings, as Mount Doom, because of its perfectly symmetrical slopes.

Another one would be the famous 1-day hiking track Tongariro Alpine Crossing, which also features many filming locations in the popular trilogy. It’s also among the top 10 single-day treks in the world. If I have a regret, it’s that we didn’t do it… We felt knackered at that point of the trip, changing places every 2 to 3 days. It was more exhausting than we thought over the weeks and unfortunately we didn’t think we were able to walk that much in a day. This track is about 20 km long and can be quite steep at times. It’s still in my bucket list though!

Taupo

We then drove to Taupo, which lake has been created by a super volcanic eruption from approximately 26,500 years ago. It’s the biggest lake in New Zealand with 616 square kilometres of water – roughly the size of Singapore!

We sailed on it on a sunny afternoon as it’s also the only way to access the Mine Bay Maori Rock Carvings. In the late 1970s, Master carver Matahi Whakataka-Brightwell wanted to mark the end of his 10-year training by carving the tattooed face of Ngatoroirangi, a visionary Maori navigator. The 10 metres high rock carving took him nearly 4 years to complete. He meant it as a gift to Taupo but simply didn’t ask permission to do it, which caused some disputes. That’s the reason why the eyes are not finished, so his ancestors don’t see the issues he has caused.

This was never meant to become a tourist attraction but now it’s a top rated experience. It was very peaceful and the perfect way to spend our first day in Taupo.

Otherwise there is a small but fascinating museum in Taupo which features a carved Maori meeting house, historical displays of volcanic activity, a 15 metres long waka (boat crafted from a single totara log) and a quirky Maori gallery. There is also the Ora Garden of Wellbeing in the courtyard, a recreation of New Zealand’s gold-metal-winning entry into the 2004 Chelsea Flower Show. It’s a good backup plan in case it’s raining outside.

Don’t miss the waterfalls on the Waikato River that drains Lake Taupo, the Huka Falls are a natural hydro power: 220,000 litres of water per second barrelling over an 11 metres high waterfall. It’s quite impressive!

Rotorua

Our next stop was the stinkiest city I’ve ever smelt… I didn’t think you could smell a city but believe me, it’s possible. Rotorua – also called “Sulphur City” or affectionately “Rotten-Rua” – is a stop you can’t avoid in North Island. Not only because you need to experience the smell of rotten eggs constantly in the air, but also because there are a lot of places to visit, in and around it.

Orakei Korako

Orakei Korako Geothermal Park is a spectacular and very active geothermal area where you can see geysers, volcanic hot springs, mud pools… Probably the most impressive place I’ve ever seen. It takes roughly 1.5 hours to complete the loop but it was so stunning to watch we didn’t even feel all the steps we had to climb along the pathway. Due to the nature of this place, everything is unpredictable and we had to stay on the safety of the path at all times.

Wairakei Terraces

After these spectacular views, we went to the Wairakei Terraces to relax: 3 hot thermal pools (at 31, 35 and 39°C) coming directly from the hot springs nearby (if you get too close, the temperature can go up to 50°C though). The water is full of silica, sodium, potassium, magnesium and plenty other natural minerals who contribute to healing and soothing your mind, body and soul. It’s recommended not to shower 4 to 8 hours afterwards so your skin gets the full benefit from it.

Wai-O-Tapu

The most famous geothermal park is probably Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland. Personally, I found that Orakei Korako was better and I would recommend that one if you have to prioritise. Wai-O-Tapu is so popular that it was full of tourist groups and apart from 3 major sites to see, the rest is pretty dull.

The reason you would go to Wai-O-Tapu is to see Champagne Pool which is the largest hot spring in New Zealand, measuring 65 metres diameter and 62 metres deep. Water enters the pool from a deep spring at an initial temperature of 230°C before cooling to its upper layer temperature of 74°C… Hot! It has been formed by a hydrothermal eruption an estimated 700 years ago. The bubbles caused by carbon dioxide provide the Champagne like effect in the water. The orange rim around the edge contains arsenic and sulphur, as well as gold and silver.

You’ll also see a crater filled with excess water from the Champagne Pool, a deposit of minerals being suspended in the water refracting the sunlight to create a very bright fluorescent colour. And if you take the longest walk, the furthest viewpoint from the visitor centre is Lake Ngakoro, it takes roughly 45 minutes to get there. This lake has a beautiful olive green colour that turns into an acid green when the sunlight breaks through the clouds.

There are so many cool things to see around Rotorua that I will finish talking about it in the next (and final) part of our road trip tomorrow. Hope you’re enjoying reading this as much as I enjoy writing about it!

Big Girl x

New Zealand, On the Road From Te Anau to Picton (Part 2/4)

18th Nov 2020Posted in The PacificTagged Franz Josef Glacier, Great Coast Road, Hokitika, Kaikoura, New Zealand, On the Road, Pancakes Rocks, Paua Shells, Picton, Road Trip, South Island, Te Anau, That Wanaka Tree, Wanaka, Westport3 Comments

Before you read this post, make sure you’ve read part 1 first (on the road from Christchurch to Te Anau). Our road trip in New Zealand is split between 4 posts and this is the second part:

1/4 – South Island: From Christchurch to Te Anau
2/4 – South Island: From Te Anau to Picton
3/4 – North Island: From Wellington to Rotorua
4/4 – North Island: From Rotorua to Auckland

Cardrona

We left our new sheep friends with regret to drive to our next stop. It was the opportunity to take the pretty scenic highway along the Lake Wakatipu. We did a small detour to have lunch at the famous Cardrona Hotel, the most photographed pub in New Zealand. People stop there just to take a picture of the façade… It’s one of the oldest and most iconic hotels in the country. Built in 1863 during the gold rush era, Cardrona Hotel represents an important part of New Zealand’s history.

Not far away, the Bra Fence in Cardrona is a quirky tourist attraction. The story begins at the end of 1998. Some anonymous women hung 4 bras on a fence for an unknown reason. It intrigued locals, then more women decided to add their bras on it. Every time though, they mysteriously disappeared (stolen by a bra thief maybe?). And every time they were removed, even more bras were added. The media spread the news worldwide and from 4 initially, you can now see thousands of them on the fence. This is how they now effectively raise money for Breast Cancer Foundation. Pretty cool and funny story, used efficiently for a good cause!

Wanaka

Once arrived at Wanaka, we went straight to see the Rockstar: a tree made famous via social media with the hashtag #ThatWanakaTree. It really is a photogenic tree, but it’s just a lonely tree in a lake. In all honesty, we were a bit underwhelmed by it. It was all about taking our own picture of it and then leave, as there was nothing else to do around. You probably saw this landscape before as a screensaver, if you use Windows (see header picture).

Wanaka also offers attractions like Puzzling World where we spent some time in all 5 illusion rooms. The tilted house was probably our favourite, although it seriously affected our balance! There was also a 3D maze attraction outside. We gave up on that one when we found out we would get stuck for about an hour…

Franz Josef Glacier

Our next stop was Franz Josef Glacier. It’s a small village far away from everything but close to the glacier of the same name. We decided to add a bit of action and discover the area on a quad bike. In hindsight, it was a bit risky as hospitals are minimum 2 hours away in case of an incident! We had pretty bad weather that day, but we would have ended up with dirty clothes anyway. Clouds were too low and we couldn’t see the glacier properly but we had a lot of fun.

As our next day in the village was still rainy and grey, we went to the Hot Pools to relax. They’re so much better when it’s cold outside. Hot Pools are very affordable in New Zealand so it would be rude not to. First, we had our own private pool for 45 minutes. Then, we got access to the 3 public pools. They were warmed at 36, 38 and 40°C, all in the middle of a rainforest. I would strongly recommended the experience. It was good enough to make us forget the village is on a fault line, which makes the risk of earthquakes a lot higher…

Driving along the West coast from Franz Josef to Westport on the SH6 Highway is like a Kiwi version of the Great Ocean Road in Oz. We got the ocean on the left, cliffs and mountains on the right, and a long zigzag road with various speed limits. Just make sure you have a full tank of fuel, as you can be alone on this road for hours without petrol stations!

Hokitika

We stopped by a sweet seaside town called Hokitika on the way. Something is quite unusual there, from the art created with sticks on the beach to leftover pieces from centuries ago. There is The National Kiwi Centre where we saw some kiwis (the animal), but we were not allowed to take any pictures of them. This is a very protected species which live in the dark as it’s an nocturnal animal. They can be quite difficult to spot in the wild so it was an easy way for us to see some.

Pancakes Rocks

Along the Great Coast Road (one of the top 10 coastal drives in the world), we also stopped at the Pancakes Rocks. They are still a mystery for geologists as to how they got their unique limestone layers. Seeing how strong the waves sculpt there rocks, they will probably change their shape over the years. It was simply stunning and is definitely worth a visit. And if their name make you fancy pancakes to eat, you’ll find a pancake house just over the road.

Westport

Westport was just a stop for the night as there is no other reason to stop there but to break up the journey. The next day, we crossed the island from West to East via the Lewis Pass, a very scenic high road through the mountains. We stayed in Hapuku where we found plenty of paua shells (also called abalone shells) on the beach when the waters were shallow. These shells have a range of colours from striking blues through to aquamarines to greens, with tints of purple and gold. They’re often used in maori jewellery.

Kaikoura

Our next stop was Kaikoura, famous for its seal colonies and whale watching. We didn’t see any whales but we did see seals in the wild, which was fascinating. They can live their lives close to humans in their natural habitat, we were lucky enough to approach two of them but they were sleeping deeply and we didn’t want to disturb them. They trusted us to leave them in peace, which reassured us people do respect their privacy.

Picton

That marked the end of our road trip in South Island where we spent 3 amazing weeks visiting stunning places. This island is very vast and felt very empty at times. I’ve never seen such beautiful landscapes and it made me feel free, like humans haven’t tarnished that part of the planet yet (and hopefully will not anytime soon). It’s the perfect location to switch off and forget about any issues you may have. Unfortunately for us we had a time schedule to stick to and it was time to take the ferry and cross the Ocean to the North Island. The interisland ferry from Picton (our last stop in South Island) to Wellington (our first stop in North Island) took approximately 3.5 hours.

If you want to read about New Zealand’s North Island, stay tuned for the next post – part 3 of our road trip!

Big Girl x

New Zealand, On the Road From Christchurch to Te Anau (Part 1/4)

17th Nov 2020Posted in The PacificTagged Christchurch, Church of the Good Shepherd, Hooker Valley Track, Kia Ora, Lake Tekapo, Mount Cook, New Zealand, On the Road, Queenstown, Road Trip, Te Anau, The Remarkables5 Comments

New Zealand has been in my travel wish list for so long… But it’s so far away from Europe! When we put together our entire 6-month trip, it was the country we had the most fun planning. There are so many possibilities on where to go! We started by establishing a priority list of things not to miss, helped by some Kiwi colleagues. Then we created an itinerary, before booking accommodation in every place we wanted to visit. We contemplated the idea of renting a van for such an adventure… But finally decided to sleep in a proper bed along the way. We completed our road trip in New Zealand within 6 weeks. There is so much to say that I’m splitting our experience in 4 posts:

1/4 – South Island: From Christchurch to Te Anau
2/4 – South Island: From Te Anau to Picton
3/4 – North Island: From Wellington to Rotorua
4/4 – North Island: From Rotorua to Auckland

Christchurch

We started off with Christchurch, biggest city in the South Island (despite being very small). It’s a peaceful place where we relaxed for a few days, after spending 4 weeks on the road in Australia. The climate in New Zealand was perfect for us, sometimes a bit chilly but pretty much always sunny. We needed a jumper as well as a good pair of sunglasses!

The earthquake that devastated Christchurch in February 2011 destroyed their cathedral. While the entire city is still going through a 20-year rebuild process, the Transitional Cathedral serves as a temporary cathedral. It’s also known as the “Cardboard Cathedral” because cardboard tubes have been used in its construction. The street art is also very present, locals have been adding many colours on empty walls with creativity! We had an awesome view of the city from the top of Mount Cavendish by taking the Christchurch Gondola. This cable car is a must do, Lyttelton Harbour is stunning with all its various colours.

Lake Tekapo

What followed next was probably the most beautiful place that exists on Earth: Lake Tekapo. This is why it’s so important to book your accommodation early enough, the campsite we stayed at was in an amazing location so it was fully booked very quickly. We rented a mini chalet there, but the site offered various sorts of options: from delimited space for tents, parking area for campervans, to chalets like ours, from the smallest to the poshest version (usually for bigger groups or older people).

Lake Tekapo has that beautiful turquoise colour thanks to the surrounding glaciers. I wish this place was just around the corner so I could go there when I need to meditate. The Church of the Good Shepherd is the most photographed church in New Zealand. There is also a dog statue to pay tribute to the value of the Collie dog, without the help of which the grazing of the mountainous area would have been impossible.

church good shepherd lake tekapo new zealand

We drove up to Mount John (1,031 metres above sea level) and walked the final part to get another amazing view of Lake Tekapo, next to Lake Alexandrina (left on the picture below). It showed us even more how this turquoise colour is unusual compared to a non-glacial lake!

lake alexandrina and lake tekapo from mount john summit

Mount Cook Village

On our way to Mount Cook Village where we were going to stay, we decided to do a quick detour and drove along Lake Pukaki for about 40 km. It’s as stunning as Lake Tekapo with the same turquoise colour but twice bigger! Then we did the Hooker Valley Glacier Walk (3-hour hiking track) which was a bit more challenging than anticipated. Mount Cook is the highest mountain in New Zealand and the Southern Alps offered amazing scenery, enough to keep us going while we were suffering (it was quite hot that day). There were 3 wooden suspension bridges in the track which were very wobbly… I can imagine how icy and slippery it could be during winter so I’m glad we did it in summer.

Queenstown

On our way to Queenstown, the access road to The Remarkables was very scenic! It’s one of the highest public road in New Zealand with about 1,500 metres above sea level. Our little car was struggling and we were worried the small engine would overheat. A 4X4 with a powerful engine would have been more appropriate. The Remarkables is the name given to the magnificent range of mountains we can see from the city, very popular during ski season but also very “remarkable” in summer!

Queenstown is definitely the place to go if you like extreme sports. There is a great cable car, the Skyline Gondola, which is the steepest I’ve ever been on. It looks like they cut an alley of pine trees on the mountain to build many crazy activities like bungee jumping, luge, paragliding, mountain bike trails… And the views on top are simply unreal: we can see Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables, all at the same time:

If you’re more into chilling out, there is a really cool place to go to: the Onsen Hot Pools. This spa is a kiwi twist to the Japanese bath tradition called “onsen”, it offers relaxation with stunning alpine scenery. The pure water straight from the surrounding mountains is naturally rich in magnesium, detoxifies the body and mind. Add it in your bucket list if you’ve never been there!

Queenstown could be a very romantic place too! We were there during Valentine’s Day… So we indulged ourselves with a modern Japanese restaurant called Tatsumi Dining who designed a special menu for the occasion. Apparently Kiwis love celebrating this day as it was fully booked!

Arrowtown

Then we drove 20 minutes to visit Arrowtown, which is a historic gold mining village where the architecture keeps the heritage of the area intact. This is also where you can find a very unique cinema: the Dorothy Browns. There are only 2 rooms which can only fit a small group of people each, plus a bar and a bookshop so you can read books while you’re waiting for your movie session. There was an intermission in the middle of the movie, which we didn’t expect at all! Enough time for a nice break to go outside or order more drinks for example. We loved the concept. Finally, the sky was so clear that we could see the Milky Way when it got dark… I’ve never seen so many stars, words can’t describe how beautiful it was.

Te Anau

Our next stop was properly in the middle of nowhere, roughly 15 km away from Te Anau in a very isolated independent small house. We had 250 hectares of land to play with (the equivalent of 500 football pitches if it helps), only sharing it with 2,000 sheep and 100 cows. It was probably one of our best memories! We initially chose to stay there to visit Milford Sound but unfortunately the (only) road to access it was completely flooded and closed for the entire month. We also had the remains of a tropical cyclone coming our way, these sort of things you can’t control. So we just decided to use this time away from civilisation to unplug properly, taking advantage of our isolation for a few days!

That’s it for today! Stay tuned for the second part of our road trip in New Zealand featuring many other cool places!

Big Girl x

Our Road Trip in Australia, From Sydney to Cairns

16th Nov 2020Posted in The PacificTagged Airlie Beach, Australia, Australia's East Coast, Brisbane, Byron Bay, Cairns, Kuranda, Magnetic Island, Noosa Heads, Port Macquarie, Road Trip, Seventeen Seventy, Surfers Paradise, Sydney, TownsvilleLeave a comment

Rather than taking the plane again to the next big city, we decided to drive all along the East coast of Australia, from Sydney to Cairns. You need 3 things for the perfect road trip: time, a good car and a good partner. Australia is a vast country and sometimes you drive for long hours on very lonely roads with nothing around, you need to stay focused as wildlife doesn’t warn you before they cross your path. From Sydney, we stopped at 8 places before we made it to Cairns. For us, everything was planned ahead just to make sure we stuck to our budget and time frame but also to get the best accommodation in advance.

Stop 1: Port Macquarie (4 1/2 hour drive)

Our first stop was a city known for its lighthouse, you’ll get a stunning view from it. There is also the only hospital for koalas in the world in Port Macquarie. Only 4 paid employees and more than 150 volunteers are doing a great job to preserve this threatened species. They were particularly busy as it was in a middle of the bushfire crisis. Otherwise, you will find the Breakwall along the Hastings River, displaying painted rocks that people originally created for an art competition in 1995. Nowadays, anyone can contribute their own way with diverse messages on it. I spotted one that I liked, saying: “Maybe you’re the lighthouse in someone else’s storm”.

Stop 2: Byron Bay (4 hour drive)

A lot of travellers stop in Byron Bay for the beaches and the atmosphere that I would qualify as hipster. The Cape Byron Lighthouse offers a really nice walk with great views of Tallow Beach and a pathway to the most Easterly point of mainland Australia. If you’re not really into surf, you wouldn’t necessarily love this place as much, but there are some pretty cool trendy restaurants too.

Stop 3: Surfers Paradise (1 1/4 hour drive)

Surfers Paradise was not new to me, I’ve been there before and I loved the vibes of this busy city… It literally is a paradise for surfers, as its name indicates, quite dangerous for swimmers if I’m honest, but the beach itself is stunning. Go on the 77th floor of the Q1 Tower Observation Deck and you’ll be able to see the Gold Coast all the way from Byron Bay to Brisbane. It’s simply amazing and probably the best viewpoint I’ve ever been to. It’s not really a place you go to relax though, the city is busy and there is always something going on.

Stop 4: Brisbane (1 hour drive)

Brisbane is where I lived, back in 2006… I was only 21 at the time, I was using a working holiday visa and didn’t care about how difficult my paid-by-commission job was (I was doing door-to-door for charities), I was just so happy to be in Australia. This is pretty much where I learnt English, there is nothing like full immersion. I’ve had so many good memories in this city, so we stayed there almost a week to add even more memories, together this time. Brisbane definitely deserves a full post so I’ll write about it in more detail another time!

Stop 5: Noosa Heads (2 hour drive)

After we left Brisbane and on the way to Noosa Heads, we stopped at Australia Zoo for its famous Crocoseum and because my partner used to watch Steve Irwin on TV when he was a kid. When you visit Australia Zoo, you’re making a contribution to conservation. Their mission has been to protect wildlife and wild places for 50 years now. You can also hold a koala – it’s allowed in Queensland but forbidden in some other states – if you fancy your picture taken with the most adorable Australian animal. Also, the safari part of the zoo is incredible, you feel like you’re witnessing a scene of the Lion King in real life. It’s one of the best zoos in Australia and really sets the bar high!

We originally planned to stay in Noosa Heads to access Fraser Island, the world’s largest sand island. We heard about this place so much that it was very frustrating when we realised we didn’t book ahead properly enough and that we had no choice but to give it a miss. It’s very tedious to organise a full trip and sometimes you miss some parts of it. This is what happened to us at that time, lesson learnt for next time! Instead we went for a wander along Hastings S treet which seems to be full of beach-style clothing shops and restaurants. Noosa Botanic Gardens were empty at that time of the year.

Stop 6: Seventeen Seventy, or 1770 (4 1/2 hour drive)

Once arrived at 1770, we stayed in a secluded place surrounded by kangaroos. This area was home to the Aboriginal group before the arrival of Europeans. On 24th May 1770, James Cook had set foot on Australian soil, landing at the south point of the bay. This is a very quiet and peaceful small town where there isn’t much to do, but it was a nice place to rest before the longest part of the trip the next day.

Stop 7: Airlie Beach (8 hour drive)

This was the riskiest part of our plan… So much driving in one day! I imagine most people use a campervan and sleep in the middle of nowhere to break it down in smaller parts. We experienced 700 km of nothingness, just plenty of wildlife coming up from nowhere: frogs, lizards, turtles, kangaroos, emus… And just to entertain us, we had various road signs reminding us how “fatigue kills” (probably also boredom as you just follow a straight road for hours). The weather was very changeable too, from clear sky to heavy downpours. When it started to get dark, that’s when it became really dangerous. We arrived at Airlie Beach safe and sound but mentally exhausted.

We were not really lucky with this stop as our 2 day stay had bad weather pretty much all the time. Australians never complain about the rain though, because they need it so much! We had a full day plan to go to the beautiful Whitsunday Islands but it got cancelled due to the weather. Some roads were closed due to flooding so we couldn’t even visit the area by car (and don’t even think about crossing on foot, it’s full of crocodiles!). So we decided to do a Scenic Flight instead and luckily we managed to find an hour window where the weather allowed us to fly. We had an awesome view of the Great Barrier Reef from above (the famous Heart Reef is only visible from the air), as well as the Whitehaven Beach which has the reputation of being the most beautiful beach in Australia.

Stop 8: Townsville (3 1/2 hour drive)

the pier restaurant in townsville australia

The only reason you would stop at Townsville is to access Magnetic Island, a ferry will bring you there within 25 minutes from the harbour. Once arrived, we hired a 4X4 to drive around the island but we didn’t realise how badly the roads have been affected by various flooding. Some parts of the road even collapsed so sometimes we had no choice but to leave the car behind and keep going by foot to access some remote areas. All the efforts we had to make to access those places all paid off with plenty of incredible views. The island is really full of scenic spots!

Stop 9: Cairns (4 1/2 hour drive)

Finally, we made it to Cairns! “In the middle of nowhere” would be a good way to describe where we spent our last few days in Australia. We had access to a huge green space, beautiful mountains in the background and a nice creek full of fish and turtles. This part of Australia is very humid and tropical, fresh water is not lacking and they don’t suffer from bushfires. We found the weather there similar to Southeast Asia, a good aircon makes a big difference. Fun fact: I’ve never seen so many bats than in Cairns, at day or at night. In the high street we just had to look up to see them everywhere!

Don’t forget to visit Kuranda if you’re in Cairns. The 35 minutes drive to get there is a visual feast: tropical coastline on one side and the rainforest on the other. Kuranda village offers many things, from local market to wildlife experience. The Aboriginal influence is strong via street art and various shops. It’s a perfect way to immerse yourself in the history and heritage of Australia.

All in all, it’s a bit risky to have a tight schedule when you’re road tripping, you never know when something unexpected could compromise your entire plan… We got lucky! I would still recommend doing it that way to people who already have a return ticket back home, it removes the stress of running out of time. People say: It’s the journey that counts, not the destination… So it’s important to plan it well! For us this road trip took 4 weeks, 9 stops and 3,700 km all in all. Have you ever been on the road for so long yourself? Or are you planning to do it soon?

Big Girl x