Our final week in New Zealand we relaxed enjoying nice warm early summer weather. We also took our last opportunity to catch up with our good friends in the Auckland area as well as flew in one of our travel mates Vanessa from Australia for the final BBQ. It’s kind of strange for us having warm weather, long days and BBQ when Christmas is around the corner and the shops start putting up their decorations. I took me some time to figure out that my itching eyes was hay-fever, it felt like the wrong season even if it was spring in NZ.
Sad enough our journey then came to a end and we had to pack our belongings, saying the last farewells, enjoying the last bit of sun and head to the airport. We have surely really enjoyed New Zealand. The north island is beautiful and the south island is just stunning with its ever changing landscapes. Our favorite spots were Milford Sound, the west coast of the south island with its rain forests, the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers, for Hanna Kaikoura with all its whales, Coromandel and the beaches up north. Emma liked all the play grounds which New Zealand seems to put great money into, to our joy. Even if we you never can see everything in a country we sure experienced most of New Zealand in our almost three months of travelling, covering a distance over 7000 km in a country just 1500 km long. A small map is enclosed with all our spots where we have spent at least one night. Just have to find it between the rest of the some 3000 photos from the trip.
Yes it’s tough travelling with children but it’s also rewarding seeing things with their eyes travelling at a somewhat slower pace. Our sleep has been deprived but we have survived. We are just grateful for all the time the four of us has been able to spend together and we have experienced so many things as a whole family. This will be a common memory for the rest of our lives. We can ensure it’s possible to travel to the other side of the globe, travel for a few months and live squeezed in a camper van for a month.
After almost 60 h of travelling back home to Sweden with not too many hours of sleeps and with a time difference of 12 h we are quite knackered. Leaving 20-25 C arriving at a stable 22 C at home sweet home was not bad at all. Ok the 22 is inside our house, outside it’s 7 C, rainy, windy and dark most of the day. But it’s also very nice arriving in a dark, cozy advent setting waiting for the Christmas in it’s proper environment even if we don’t have any snow, fingers crossed for Christmas. We are so grateful for our home sweet home, we enjoy our own shower and bed, not living in a backpack anymore. We are looking forward till it’s getting cold enough to light a fire in our fire place. Now it’s time to meet up with our dear family and friends back home and to get into the Christmas spirit.
That’s all from us and this journey to the land of the two halves. Thank you New Zealand and great thanks to all our generous hosts and friends down under. We hope you enjoyed our updates and pictures. Have a great Christmas celebrations and happy new years.
Over and out!
Kiwi spotting 