5 January 2026 Steps: 3,620 We made it to 100 days! What better way to celebrate our 100th day travelling, than spending some time relaxing by the pool before heading to a vineyard for some drinks, tapas, an afternoon swimming in the sea ! We definitely have mixed feelings about reaching this milestone. We feel incredibly proud to have made it this far, and it feels even more special being surrounded by family. At the same time, there’s a hint of sadness knowing we only have

5 January 2026 Steps: 3,620 We set off this morning for a two-hour drive to Half Moon Bay, where our ferry to Waiheke Island departed . The crossing took about an hour, and we spent the entire time on the sun deck soaking in the stunning views. After picking up some groceries, we headed to our Airbnb close to Palm Beach - and wow, what a place ! It’s an absolutely gorgeous house. This was a surprise from Uncle Michael, so we had no idea what to expect. To say we were pleasan

4 January 2026 Steps: 4,728 We arrived at the Shire's Rest early in the morning, which is  where you check in for your guided tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set (a tour is the only way you can visit Hobbiton) and grabbed a quick coffee from the café while we waited. From there, we hopped on the bus to the movie set , which is around a ten minute ride. Our tour guide introduced himself and we were shown a few short videos on the bus to set the scene and give us some background o

3 January 2026 Steps: 4,976 We got up quite early this morning as we had an early start at the Waitomo Caves. Before heading out, we went in for breakfast at our B&B and were immediately greeted by so many cats! There were adult cats wandering around the kitchen, and in the next room was a group of kittens that were only a few weeks old. Breakfast itself was quite basic - bacon and eggs and cereal, but the hosts were lovely. The girls absolutely loved playing with the cats,

2 January 2026 Steps: 9,479 This morning we left Napier and made the two hour drive to Lake Taupō . There aren’t too many stops along the route, but we did briefly pull over at the Waipunga Falls lookout to see the falls thundering down below. We stopped in Taupō for lunch and I have to say that while the lake itself is beautiful, the town didn’t really impress me that much . The restaurants were mostly “burger, chips and a pint” type places along with lots of fast food, an

1 January 2026 Steps: 9,594 Happy New Year! 🎉 Watching 2026 arrive was definitely a very different experience this year , as we stood under the stars in shorts and T shirts... a far cry from welcoming the New Year back home in Canada surrounded by snow and ice! It’s been a wonderful way to end 2025 and our world travels, and we’re excited to see what 2026 brings when we get back to Canada. Te Mata Peak After our fairly slow morning (we got to bed quite late with it being New

31 December 2025 Steps: 5,528 Today we left Wellington and headed to Napier for a two night stay at a farmhouse located on the Mission Estate Winery. We didn’t make too many stops along the way, but we did pass through the Rumariku crossing and we stopped in a town called Greytown for lunch. The Mission Estate Winery In the early afternoon we arrived at the farmhouse we were staying at, set within the grounds of the Mission Estate Vineyard. It was a beautiful house right be

30 December 2025 Steps: 11,023 Today we finally got the rainy day in Wellington that the forecast had been promising us . Luckily, we had a plan! The Wellington Climbing Wall at Fergs Jessica had spotted a climbing wall on the waterfront the day before, so we headed decided that if it was raining, we would go back so she could give it a go. Fergs isn't the only climbing wall in Wellington, but it's a great location on the waterfront, plus if it wasn't possible for her to cli

29 December 2025 Steps: 11,398 Today was the day we had all been looking forward to – a guided tour of the Te Papa Museum in Wellington , where Michael works. We were incredibly lucky. Michael not only arranged free entry for us, but also organised a one hour guided tour, which made the visit even more special. The Te Papa Museum Guided Tour Our tour guide Angela was Māori herself and she shared so much insight into Māori life , their deep connection to the land, and how that

28 December 2025 Steps: 18,715 The Wellington Cable Car The sun was out this morning and the wind had eased, so we took advantage and hopped on the Wellington Cable Car up to the lookout above the city. As you’d expect, the views were fantastic. The Botanical Gardens At the top, we spent some time walking around the botanical gardens , which is one of the best free things to do in Wellington. There’s a fun kids’ play area, some lovely wild walking trails , and a rose garden

27 December 2025 Steps: 9,767 Mount Victoria For our first full day in Wellington , we started by driving up to the top of Mount Victoria . You can walk up, but with an afternoon planned at Wellington Zoo, we wanted to save the kids’ legs. The v iews from the top are fantastic, with panoramas in every direction . Looking down over the harbour is especially iconic, and you can clearly spot the huge Te Papa museum . We’ll be visiting later in the week for a tour led by a Māori

26 December 2025 Steps: 7,436 This morning we said goodbye to Paradise Bay in the Pelorus Sound and caught the ferry from Picton over to Wellington, where Susie’s brother lives. We’ll be staying here for the next five nights, so it will be nice to have a home base for a while. Leaving the Pelorus Sound and the Drive to Picton Boxing Day looked a little different for us this year, as we caught a water taxi directly the off grid house we were staying in (which can only be acces

25 December 2025 Steps: 2,103 (hey, it’s Christmas)! Christmas in the Pelorus Sound Christmas morning felt very different this year. Instead of waking up to sub zero temperatures and snow, we opened our eyes to bright sunshine, and beautiful blue ocean in the Pelorus Sounds! The girls spent the morning opening a few presents we had picked up along the trip, including a stuffed toy magnet from our visit to the Hero Rats in Cambodia and a build your own telescope from Lake Tek

24 December 2025 Steps: 7,734 Today we set off on our way to Paradise Bay in the Pelorus Sounds, where we are staying at an off grid house for two nights over Christmas. As we arrived at the port in Havelock to catch our water taxi , the sun was out and the water was calm, which instantly lifted everyone’s mood as there had been a mixed forecast. It felt like the perfect start to our stay, and we were all excited to reach our off grid accommodation. We used Kenepuru water tax

23 December 2025 Steps: 30,147 This morning we woke up to wonderful sunshine , which was a little unexpected after several days of rain showing on the weather apps. Of all the days in New Zealand, this was the one we were really hoping for good weather , so we felt very lucky. Abel Tasman National Park We jumped onto the boat at the pickup point, which was attached to a tractor . The tractor drove us down to the jetty, and before long we were out on the water heading toward o

22 December 2025 Steps: 8,471 The Pancake Rocks This morning we started the day with a visit to the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki, which is one of the West Coast’s most famous natural attractions. There’s a 20-minute loop walk that takes you right along the cliffs, giving stunning views of the layered limestone formations that look just like stacks of giant pancakes. The Pancake Rocks were formed over millions of years as layers of limestone and mudstone were compressed, uplif

21 December 2025 Steps: 16,532 Driving Arthur’s Pass Arthur’s Pass is one of the main alpine routes crossing New Zealand’s South Island , linking the Canterbury Plains on the east coast with the wild West Coast. The drive winds through mountain valleys, river gorges, and native forest, with plenty of short walks and scenic stops along the way. The stretch through Arthur’s Pass National Park is only around 45 kilometres long , but it is slow going in the best way, with so many

20 December 2025 Steps: 8,327 Today we spent the morning in Lake Tekapo , learning about the astrology, before driving to our accommodation in Arthur’s Pass , via lunch at a lovely town called Geraldine. The Lake Tekapo Dark Sky Experience The Lake Tekapo Dark Sky Experience is an indoor astronomy experience set right by the banks of the lake. The girls were especially excited to do the tour after our disappointment the previous day when our stargazing tour was cancelled due

19 December 2025 Steps: 12,705 We woke up to torrential rain this morning, which meant that we didn’t take many stops along the way to Lake Tekapo . Despite the weather, the drive itself was still stunning, with a varied and ever-changing landscape along the way. We passed through the Otago Region and over Lindis Pass, which is a picturesque mountain pass known for its tussock-covered hills and scattered gold rush ruins. Like much of the South Island we have seen so far, lon

18 December 2025 Steps: 12,233 Today was Granny’s first day with us in New Zealand, and we visited Lake Wanaka , although Susie stayed home as she still isn’t feeling great. She’s trying desperately to get better before we leave Queenstown for the rest of our NZ road trip. The route passes over a stunning mountain range, along a windy switch back road. There are some great viewpoints over the valley and Queenstown in the distance. The Cardrona Hotel As we dropped down into t