Traveling, writing and living around the world
Dear New Zealand,
I had such a hard time writing this letter, because I did not want it to come across the wrong way.
Please do not misunderstand me – you were the most beautiful of beautiful places I have ever been to.
Six countries smashed into one. That is the best way to describe the diversity, the purity, the bliss that you are.
New Zealand. It is a country that is sweet as, ‘ey.
Here are 10 interesting (and random) facts I collected throughout my five weeks traveling the country.
I sat at my kitchen table for nearly five hours one Saturday afternoon trying to figure out my plan, budget and life.
Unfortunately I am terrible at math (which is why I became a writer) and completely overestimated the money I would have coming in from my last pay check, but I did not realise it until about a week into my New Zealand trip. This was no bueno, but there was nothing I could do.
Prior to traveling through New Zealand, I talked a lot with friends who had been there to get an idea of what it is like to be a solo traveler there.
From the sounds of it, New Zealand seemed much more a country that is traveled by road trip with friends than anything else; however, for those solo travelers, it seemed like traveling by organized backpacker buses were the golden ticket.
My friends suggested that I look into these backpacker buses, which are essentially are hop-on, hop-off bus tours throughout the islands, naming Stray Tours as the one that would be more up my alley.
ATTENTION: Before posting this article, I learned that my kayaking guide Tyler whom I write about was very recently in a terrible car accident back in New Zealand and is in hospital. Please say a prayer for Tyler and his family.
This is Part III to my three-part series on how to explore Franz Josef Glacier. You can read Part I and Part II here.
When travelers talk about Franz Josef, they have only one thing on their minds: getting up close and personal with the glacier. Naturally, travelers are all about getting high in a helicopter flight and getting their hands dirty by climbing the glaciers, which is understandable. This is one of only three glaciers in the world that runs into a temperate rainforest, and scientists predict that it will be gone by 2050.
