New Zealand: Then & Now

Nearly five years ago, in the Spring of 2014, I spent the best semester of my college career in New Zealand. Since then, I had gone through several failed (and unrealistic) attempts of going back, as well as countless (actual) dreams about once again living in Wellington. Fortunately, my year teaching in Korea left me with three important things: 1) A hefty contract completion bonus, 2) A, just as hefty, pension refund, and 3) A convenient location on the right side of the world. These three things gave me the opportunity to finally take the leap back down to the bottom of the world to visit my home away from home. While I’ve shared much of the journey via video blogs already, I haven’t gone into detail about how my 2014 stay compared to my 2018 stay in New Zealand.

HOBBITON

Since Hobbiton is a movie set, it has remained largely unchanged. I was fortunate to have beautiful days and blue skies during both my 2014 and 2018 visit. The only noticeable difference was the absence of a barn that once stood in the background of the movie set, which therefore had to be camouflaged as a tree. It has since been torn down. (They’ve also done some beautiful restoration and painting, according to the above photos!)

WELLINGTON

Home sweet home, Wellington is where I lived and studied during my 2014 semester. The biggest difference that I noticed was, seemingly, the season in which I was there. Though it is known as “Windy Wellington,” I had always been quick to say “It’s windy, but it’s not that windy,” following my Fall semester. After my Spring visit, however, I’ll be the first person to tell you “It’s that windy. And cold. And rainy.”

Since leaving Wellington in 2014, I had also heard about the closings of countless bars and restaurants that I once frequented. Namely, BRU, Boogie Wonderland, Electric Avenue, and Molly Malone’s, all of which were staples in weekend nightlife for my group of fellow Massey international students. Fortunately for me, Fidel’s Cafe, which is by far my favorite place in Wellington for… everything, is still kickin’ and cookin’!

KAIKOURA

Due to the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Kaikoura in November 2016, this is the only location that physically changed. Driving through nearly an hour of major road construction on the way into town, the damage was evident. Despite this, it seems that life in the town itself has gone back to normal. There were no major changes to be seen, until we drove out around the peninsula, where the quake raised the seabed several feet above water level. (All exposed white stone in the photo above was formerly the seabed.) Attractions like the Õahu Point Seal Colony, which, at one time, weren’t accessible during high tide, can now be reached at most points of the day, no matter the tide, due to new land that the quake created. That being said, Kaikoura is no less beautiful than before. The snowcapped mountains, round-stone beaches, turquoise blue waters, and diverse sea life remain prominent as ever in this picture perfect seaside town.

While in Kaikoura, I thought it important that Michael try Cooper’s Catch, the voted #2 best Fish ‘n’ Chips in New Zealand. I realized upon arrival that, in 2014, I had mistakenly gone to the wrong Fish ‘n’ Chips shop (which has since closed down). As you can probably imagine, the actual Cooper’s Catch was much better than last time.

MARLBOROUGH WINE REGION

I officially fell in love with wine during my 2014 semester in New Zealand. This was all thanks to the Marlborough wine region, which is one of the world’s largest producers of Sauvignon Blanc (second only to France). As any college student can attest, college is all about discovering how to get the drunkest you possibly can with the least amount of money. (That was the point of college, right? Oh, education, too.) With countless options of high quality USD$5 Sauvignon Blanc at your fingertips, how could you not fall in love with wine in New Zealand as a broke college student?

In 2014, the only experience I had in the Marlborough wine region was a quick stop (like literally 20 minutes) on a bus tour. We were allowed two or three wine samples, then promptly shuttled back onto the bus. Our 2018 visit (in our own rented vehicle) allowed us unlimited time to do free tastings at four wineries. BONUS: It was a beautiful early-summer day. Once we finished the tastings, we had a tipsy 40-minute walk back to our accommodation through vineyards. It was perfect.

ABEL TASMAN

Known for their golden beaches and turquoise-blue waters, Abel Tasman is a destination for all sorts of outdoor adventures, be it hiking, kayaking, or searching for mussels. During my 2014 visit, we couldn’t have had worse weather. We were, I believe, getting the backlash of a typhoon, so it was cold, foggy, raining, and windy. (As you can see, this didn't stop us from kayaking, anyway.) My 2018 visit, on the other hand, had perfect weather, which allowed us to experience Abel Tasman the way that it should be experienced.

PUNAKAIKI

Punakaiki’s main attraction is the Pancake Rocks, which I, for some reason, hardly remember seeing in 2014. What I remembered most was a short bush hike that I took down to a secluded beach. The beach was quaint and quiet, with a tiny waterfall trickling into the sand from the rocks above. I remembered taking this hike directly from my accommodation and thinking that it was a private path. During our 2018 visit, I really wished that I would be able to take Michael to this tiny beach, but couldn’t begin to figure out how to get there. We decided to take a hike called the Truman Track, which, as it turned out, was the same hike to the beach that I thought I’d never find. I had no idea!

AORAKI MOUNT COOK

In both 2014 and 2018, I did the Hooker Valley Track to the glacier at the base of Mount Cook. In 2014, it was chilly, all spring water was murky and brown, and it was so foggy that you couldn't tell you were near a mountain, let alone in a mountain valley. My 2018 experience was yet another instance of seeing it the way it is should be seen. The spring water was ice blue, the sky was clear, and I could see the magnificence of New Zealand’s tallest mountain in its entirety. (FUN FACT: I am wearing the same jacket and boots in both of the above photos.)

QUEENSTOWN

Queenstown is, now, the only place in New Zealand that I have visited three times. While I decided to stay grounded in the birthplace of bungee this time around, I did still enjoy most of the Queenstown’s other attractions: Fergburger, wine, hiking, and views. It is no question as to why Queenstown has the most expensive housing market in the country.

OVERVIEW

Overall, the most drastic change from my 2014 and 2018 visits to New Zealand is my writing ability. (Go back and read those blog posts, if you want to have a terrible time.) Aside from that, there is no change that could alter the fact that New Zealand is my favorite country. Despite this being my second visit, I was still in a constant state of awe by the ever-changing landscapes that are all stunning. It should be no surprise that my third trip to Middle Earth is already mapped out. Until then, back to reality.

To see way more of New Zealand than I could have possibly included in this post, check please check out my video blogs!