Not very far from Hobbiton Movie Set (1h30), it is Hot Water Beach that we visit this afternoon. It’s a dangerous beach (if we swim) but fun if we just make a hole in the sand and sit in it to enjoy the hot thermal water Part 1: Travel Diaries Hot Water Beach Nobody tells us concretely how it works until we read the sign near the parking lot. There are 2 springs (2 holes of 10cm that we can only notice, from which a burning water spouts out). It is necessary to dig a hole in the sand certainly, but also a system of viaduct to make enter a…

From Waitomo, we drive to Hobbiton Movie Set and sleep in a campsite next door. If we first visit Waitomo and Hobbiton before going to Coromandel, it’s because the weather forecast indicates that there is more chance of good weather if we go to Hobbiton right away (the shortest way would be, from Rotorua, to go first to Coromandel and then Waitomo) Visiting Hobbiton in the rain? Never of the life! If you’re not a fan of The Lord of the Rings, forget about this article, as it will focus “oh” and “ah” on the beauty of the location, the attention to detail and anecdotes that only those who have…

From Rotorua, we make a big detour to Waitomo Caves which is only 1h30 away. This route isn’t at all optimal, but I will explain it later in the article about Hobbiton Part 1: Travel Diary The information offices of private companies appear before the i-center information office. The prices are the same, but the interest of going to the real i-center is to choose among all the activities offered in the area. Visiting a cellar, two caves, caving or boating etc We choose the most popular activity: Waitomo Glowworm Cave with boat tour at the end. With 2000 visitors per day in the summer, reservation is necessary, but this…

Following the earthquake, we are moving away from the coast, even though the tsunami warning has been withdrawn for the North Island, except for Wellington. In the 24 hours following the midnight earthquake, about 50 aftershocks were felt throughout the country. It shakes so often that even when it doesn’t move, it feels like it’s moving. Either I am hyper sensitive or the tremor has traumatized me Tongarino National Park The road to Tongarino National Park is very long (4h to 4h30). We make a stop at Palmerston North to take a good hot shower at the i-center (we think to sleep in a rotten camp without shower in the…

The ferry trip is going really well even if I got seasick at one point because of strong waves. It seems to be common, there are bags for sick travelers available everywhere. We went to the terminal at 9am and are still among the last to board for a departure at 10:45am As we were way ahead of schedule (I had misjudged the time spent on Moeraki Boulders, Dunedin and Punakaiki) we decided to go a little slower. Mine of nothing, in 15 days, we have already done 3500km Wellington The capital of New Zealand deserves 1 day and a half of our time. It is the second place in…

It was a difficult night, with a siren calling the city fire department, sounding several times. The alarm clock has another surprise in store for us: torrential rain is falling on central New Zealand for several days. All the other vans seem to have the same problem as us, so that instead of leaving at 10 am (the standard time of the check-out), everyone leaves around 10h30 at the earliest The road we took the day before (between Haast and Fox Glacier) is closed due to earth flows until further notice. We can at least console ourselves by saying that at least, we will not be blocked and will be…

We leave Haast not without difficulty because it rains, it rains, and the campsite in Haast is so cosy that we want to stay there for an eternity. The road to the glaciers is rather difficult with 180 degree turns and some work, forcing drivers to wait up to 10 minutes Part 1: Travel Diaries Having seen disappointing pictures of the Fox Glacier (covered with dust from the mountains), we decide to see it only from far away. For that, we take the road to Lake Matheson, pass it by 2-3km, on the left, we will have the view on the whole glacier That is, if the weather is good.…

It’s nice to get some sun back in Queenstown after a day of torrential rain in Milford Sound. The road to Queenstown isn’t as nice as the roads we have been able to take so far. However, towards the end, when we drive along the lake (I forgot the name) bordering Queenstown, reflecting perfectly the half-snow-covered mountains on its motionless surface, we say “wow”. I love it! Queenstown Queenstown has everything to please: small houses, clean Disneyland-style streets, a nice lake with swimming spots (pebble beaches), a path along the lake for joggers and cyclists… and one of the best burgers in New Zealand: Fergburger We are fortunate enough to…

Part 1: Travel Diary No visit to New Zealand without a visit to Milford Sound, all guides tell us about the country. Hence our 3h drive from Les Catlins to Te Anau, the last town before the Milford Sound Arrived at 4pm and totally exhausted after so many turns under an overwhelming heat, and being afraid of sand flies (which I will talk about at the end of the article), we decide to offer ourselves the ultimate luxury: to sleep in a youth hostel and not in a campite The next day, we leave early (8am) for Milford Sound with the idea of taking the cruise at 10:30am (one of…

To go from Dunedin to Milford Sound (nicknamed the most beautiful fjord in the world), you have to stop somewhere in the middle, otherwise you die of fatigue. It is in the Cathlins that we chose to stop, because the corner isn’t very touristic On the way, we notice trees so badly treated by the wind that they are completely frozen, even when there is no wind Waipapa Point We arrive near Slope Point around 5:00 pm and take the opportunity to visit Waipapa Point. What is for us a banal view point has turned into an unforgettable experience. While JB watches the beach closely, a sea lion (which he…