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RTW Trip Day #86: Exploring Abel Tasman National Park
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


RTW Trip Day #85: Pancake Rocks, and Driving the West Coast of New Zealand to Abel Tasman
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


RTW Trip Day #84: Driving Arthur’s Pass in New Zealand's South Island
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


RTW Trip Day #83: Lake Tekapo, the Dark Sky Experience and the Drive to Arthur’s Pass
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


RTW Trip Day #82: The Drive to Lake Tekapo, via Mount Cook National Park
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


RTW Trip Day #81: Lake Wanaka and the Mount Iron Track
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


RTW Trip Day #80: An Unforgettable Milford Sound Cruise
17 December 2025 Steps: 11,523 This morning we got up nice and early to drive from Te Anau to Milford sound, for our boat cruise through the fjord. Fun fact : Milford Sound is actually a fjord, not a sound, as it was created by erosion by a glacier, not a river We drove straight to Milford Sound without stopping, and managed to get one of the last free parking spots, but that meant a 20 minute walk to the terminal, which added a bit of unnecessary stress! We probably should h


RTW Trip Day #79: The Drive to Te Anau and the Bird Sanctuary
16 December 2025 Steps: 5,450 This morning we drove to Te Anau as we have a boat excursion booked for the next day at Milford Sound , and we wanted to split up the four hour drive. As we were heading out of town, we passed the Kawarau bungy site , and we watched a few people bungy jump off the bridge. Not a chance that I would voluntarily do that! Evelyn did seem keen to do the zipline though, so we’ll see if we get time to do that when we are back in Queenstown. Driving to T


RTW Trip Day #78: A Morning at Arrowtown and a Special Birthday Treat at the Queenstown Onsen Hot Pools
15 December 2025 Steps: 10,739 Today we took a short drive from Queenstown to Arrowtown and started with a nice walk along the Arrow River Gorge . The trail followed the river and passed through an old gold mining area , with stone huts and the remains of early settlements tucked into the hillside. Lupins were everywhere and the views over the river were beautiful the whole way along. Arrowtown After the walk we headed into Arrowtown itself. It is a lovely little town with a


RTW Trip Day #77: Jessica’s Birthday Fun at the Skyline Luge in Queenstown
14 December 2025 Steps: 13,765 Today was Jessica’s 11th birthday , and her uncle Michael had arranged a special surprise for her as a present. All he mentioned was that it involved taking the gondola to the top of the mountain - but nothing else! Cue the jokes about him getting her a bungee jump for her birthday… The Skyline Luge, Queenstown The views over the lake were incredible , although it soon became obvious what the surprise was as we passed over the tracks where peop
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