New Zealand: Untouched Paradise
Photo credit – Emily and Garrison 2017
Like any responsible young couple living in a comfortable apartment in downtown Toronto, we have quit our jobs to travel the world, and New Zealand seemed like a good place to start. It’s basically on the other side of the world, but still familiar in terms of language and culture. And we like hiking. Turns out even the extended Lord of the Rings trilogy couldn’t prepare us for this amazing country. If you like hiking, skydiving, white water rafting, kayaking, or pretty much anything else outdoors, this country is for you. The views are so astonishing that you often have to pull over to really take it all in (please pull over to sight see – the roads leave little room for error). The landscapes change by the hour, from rolling meadows to deep rainforests without a noticeable transition. We often joke about the perfect, movie-like settings we find ourselves in, as they seem almost fabricated in their beauty.
Photo credit – Emily and Garrison 2017
Our trip started in Auckland on the north island where we rented a self-contained camper van. In New Zealand, the self-contained certification allows you to park in any of the ‘freedom camping’ sites scattered throughout the country. This freedom allows us to wake up in a new place every morning, sometimes seeing it in daylight for the first time. These sites aren’t obligated to provide toilets or garbage cans, so sometimes campers have to bring their waste with them when they leave. Yes, even that waste. You can find public dump stations and clean water in every town, regardless of its size. Most people in New Zealand seem to play by the rules when it comes to the environment, which gives you the impression that they truly care about preserving what they have. Coming from one of the biggest cities in Canada, we never would have considered drinking water straight from a stream, or parking a van in the middle of nowhere to sleep overnight, but that becomes the norm in New Zealand. Its beauty extends beyond superficial – there’s something pure and clean about this country that’s hard to really describe.
Photo credit – Emily and Garrison 2017
However, this beauty is often complimented by some form of danger. New Zealand may feel like a movie set sometimes, but it’s important to remember that you’re tramping and travelling at your own risk. While the trails are often well maintained and marked, we have run into some washed out routes, or trails that seem to, well, just kind of trail off. Avalanches, river swells, rock slides, and high winds are just a few of the very real dangers hikers face in this country. In fact, we were lucky enough to witness an avalanche from a safe distance near Mt. Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain range. What we thought was thunder turned out to be two relatively small avalanches, high up in the mountain.
Photo credit – Emily and Garrison 2017
Before European settlers arrived, 90% of this country’s flora and fauna was found nowhere else in the world. Its isolation allowed for unique ground dwelling birds (such as the kiwi and kakapo) to prosper without predation. The introduction of invasive mammals throughout the 19th and 20th century has driven some of these native bird species to extinction. Because of this, the New Zealand government is making a concerted effort to protect the environment and its unique species. Many of the trails are dotted with rodent and wasp traps, and the Department of Conservation spends millions of dollars a year just keeping these populations in control. With no natural predators, possums and rabbit breed uncontrollably and decimate local vegetation. Just about every tourist shop will have possum fur clothing available, and the roads are sometimes littered with unlucky rabbits.
We’re learning a lot from living in a small van. One surprising challenge is resource management. Every day there is something we are searching for, be it water, food, reliable WiFi, or electricity. Luckily New Zealand is well equipped for road trippers and these resources are readily available. Campers are generally quiet and respectful, and it’s uncommon to see someone out and about past 10pm. Campervan culture seems to breed an early to bed, early to rise mentality, which usually suits us fine after a 5 hour hike up a mountain.
Photo credit – Emily and Garrison 2017
Unfortunately there isn’t much to write home about when it comes to the food. There is a strong British influence in the country, and a lot of the fare reflects that. You can expect meat pies, potato skins, fish and chips, and caramel slices. One interesting food option however was raw milk! It’s not easy to find as they don’t advertise it, but some small farms offering raw milk were frequented by locals buying up to 6 liters at a time. The milk comes from a vending machine and is probably the most affordable food in New Zealand at NZ $2.50 per liter. This is a testament to the country’s commitment to clean farming and environmental protection. All of the cows are grass fed because there’s so much room for grazing.
New Zealand is a great place to visit for anyone looking to be humbled. Although the country itself is relatively small, it somehow packs in elements of every kind of landscape. While driving along a windy road overlooking thousands of acres of dense forest, it’s hard to believe that parts of this country are completely untouched by humans. Tourism has spiked in recent years, due in part to a huge campaign in China, and the high concentration of tourist (even in the off season) reflects this. Don’t let this deter you though. It’s easy to find solitude just a short distance off the beaten track. If you don’t mind getting some mud on your shoes or climbing a few steps, New Zealand can be a life changing place.
Emily and Garrison 2017
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