After flying Bali ➜ Melbourne ➜ Christchurch, we arrived absolutely wrecked. Thankfully, our accommodation in Christchurch was perfectly located right by the park, so instead of powering on like maniacs… we actually let ourselves rest. Shocking, I know.

We slept in the next morning…

Okay fine, we didn’t “wake up” – we resurfaced just in time for lunch.

And honestly? It set the tone for a perfectly chill first day.

Step Outside, Straight Into Nature

We walked out the front door and straight into the park – no traffic, no drama, just greenery.

The kids spotted swings, so obviously we stopped.

While they played, we grabbed a coffee and actually enjoyed being still for a minute.

Instant win: Christchurch parks are elite.

Wandering the City (Slowly… very slowly)

We strolled into town with zero agenda – the best way to explore.

Bought a few gifts

Georgia had an eye test (super easy and friendly service)

Picked up snacks

Stopped to admire the cathedral and surrounding rebuild area

Loved the calm vibe of the city – clean, open, relaxed

Back Through the Park (Again, because it’s amazing)

We wandered back the scenic way through the park, letting the kids run while we soaked up the fresh air. No rush. No stress. Just peace.

The Perfect Reset

We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing, recharging after travel days, and feeling instantly at home in Christchurch.

First impression?

Christchurch is beautiful, calm, family-friendly, walkable and feels a bit like the best bits of Europe and New Zealand mixed together.

Not a “big adventure” day… but exactly what we needed.

Sometimes the best travel days are the simple ones.

Flew in tired

Slept in guilt-free

Coffee + swings

Gifts + snacks + cathedral

Park walks

Relaxed

10/10 soft landing. Christchurch already has us hooked.

The post 🦘 Christchurch Day 1 NZ, The Soft Landing We Didn’t Know We Needed appeared first on Tantrumming Trailblazers.

We left our Christchurch accommodation and went to collect our camper van, and it wasn’t just a campervan.

It was a giant Mercedes beast, fully kitted out like a little apartment. I just stood there stunned. Ali shrugged with full horse girl energy and said, “I’ve driven bigger.” Georgia shot up the ladder and claimed the top bunk in under five seconds, while Dotty immediately began pressing every button like a tiny health and safety inspector. Within minutes, it felt like home.

We hit the road full of excitement… and then it happened.

BUNNINGS.

It appeared like a vision. I nearly wept. The van may have swerved with joy. And as if the travel gods were blessing our journey, right after Bunnings… Woolworths. Ali went inside for “a few things.” Dotty and I stayed in the van with snacks. Dotty was already eating Doritos. At that moment, we knew New Zealand understands us.

Back in the van, everyone settled into their roles.

Dotty inspected every cupboard with full chaos energy. Georgia lounged in the loft like a celebrity. Ali organised the interior with NASA precision. While I just stood there staring at the glorious counter space whispering, “We made it.”

We started driving north and instantly fell in love. Rolling green hills. Wide rivers. Sheep everywhere. Snowy mountains in the distance. It honestly felt like driving through a movie. i even dropped a Gandalf quote or two “Fly, you fools!” Was one The Lord of the Rings energy was strong. ( I need to play lord of the rings sound track now )

Then we found our first overnight stop.

A sign appeared:

DONEGAL HOUSE – Irish Hotel | Campervans Welcome | Bar | Showers | History

We parked up, plugged in power and took a deep breath. Georgia had her first travel meltdown of the road trip (required by parenting law), but once everyone calmed down, the place actually felt perfect. Quiet, beautiful, slightly odd… our kind of spot.

I went inside the bar “just to get $2 coins for the shower.” Fourteen seconds later a perfect pint of Guinness.

And then, as if someone was directing our day for entertainment value, a helicopter landed on the lawn. No warning. No explanation. Locals didn’t even blink. I just stood there laughing. Where else in the world do you drink Guinness outside an Irish pub, next to a nativity scene, in front of mountains, while a random helicopter touches down for fun? Only New Zealand.

Eventually I headed to the showers, fully expecting cold, grim, backpacker-horror style bathrooms. Instead… they were spotless. Private. Modern. And the water? Piping hot with hotel pressure.

As the sun started setting, I walked outside and everything went still.

The mountains glowed orange.

The garden was silent.

The kids were in bed.

Dinner was finished.

The van was plugged in.

No traffic. No noise. No rushing.

Just peace.

I looked around and quietly though,

“This… is what we’ve been chasing.”

And in that moment, it hit me.

This was living the dream.

And this is only Day One of the road trip!

New Zealand… we’re ready for you to give us more!

The post Our first day road tripping New Zealand… and it was pure magic. appeared first on Tantrumming Trailblazers.

Some days feel like postcards. Others feel like movies.

Today in Kaikōura? It felt like both directed by David Attenborough, narrated by chaos, starring us.

 Morning: Seals, Sunshine, and a Jellyfish Mystery

We woke up to blue skies and the promise of whales. But first a coastal walk around Kaikōura Peninsula.

The track winds above rugged limestone cliffs, where the ocean crashes below and fur seals bask like sleepy locals. Within minutes, we’d found them whole families sprawled across the rocks, yawning in the sunshine.

Further along, something caught my eye: a strange circular shape pressed into the rock. Fossil? Ancient imprint? Nope according to Ali, it was a crispy jellyfish, perfectly sun-dried like nature’s own glass sculpture. The kids were fascinated. I was mildly traumatised.

By 10 a.m., we’d already seen more wildlife than most documentaries.

 Midday Madness: Llamas on the Lawn

Back in the car park , we stopped for lunch before our whale-watching trip. While we were tucking into sandwiches, a llama appeared.

Then another.

Two fully grown llamas on leads, just strolling through the car park like it was the most normal thing in the world. People gathered, laughed, took photos. Georgia and Dotty stared like they’d just seen unicorns.

Apparently, it’s “a local thing.”

Because of course it is.

 Afternoon Glory: Whales, Dolphins, and Sky Kings

Then came the main event: whale watching.

Kaikōura is world-famous for it the deep ocean trench offshore brings nutrient-rich waters that attract giants. But nothing prepares you for seeing it up close.

A humpback whale surfaced beside our boat that sheer size, that slow grace it’s humbling. Every exhale echoed across the sea like a foghorn. Then came another… and dolphins, hundreds of them, leaping in the wake.

We even spotted Hector’s dolphins, the smallest and rarest in the world native only to New Zealand, with their cute rounded fins and playful sprints alongside the boat.

And then as if the ocean hadn’t done enough albatross swooped overhead, wings outstretched wider than a doorframe, while rare seabirds (Hutton’s shearwaters) followed the boat like our personal escort.

Nature wasn’t just showing off today it was performing.

 Evening: Fish, Chips, and a Silent Bay

We rolled north afterward, stopping in Blenheim for dinner. Classic Kiwi combo: fish and chips for me, veggie burger for Ali, chips for the kids (because… obviously).

Then came the drive through twisting hills and the Marlborough Sounds the kind of route that makes you say “wow” every ten minutes and “how is this real?” every fifteen.

By nightfall, we reached Momorangi Bay, tucked into Grove Arm. The air was cool, the stars starting to appear. A line of campervans rested by the still water, reflections rippling under the soft glow of a single lamppost.

We parked up, and collapsed into bed exhausted, sunburned, and absolutely alive.

 Reflections from the Road

In one day, we saw:

Seals

Humpback whales

Dusky dolphins

Hector’s dolphins (rare!)

Albatross

Endangered seabirds

A jellyfish fossil thing

And two llamas, because New Zealand loves a plot twist

Kaikōura didn’t just meet expectations it rewrote them.

It was one of those days that reminds you why you travel. Not for the checklist, not for the perfect photo but for moments so wild, they leave you grinning into the night.

Route: Kaikōura → Blenheim → Picton Region

Best time to visit: Anytime the whales say yes

 “Some days are just magic and today, nature wrote the script.”

The post The Day Nature Showed Off Our Ultimate Kaikōura Wildlife Adventure appeared first on Tantrumming Trailblazers.

After two huge travel days, Day 3 slowed the pace right down. No long drives, no tours, no alarms just the sound of the Sounds, a cool breeze through the van, and the kids waking up to birds.

 Morning at the Bay

Breakfast was simple toast, coffee, and the kind of stillness you can feel in your chest the views are mind blowing.

The girls burned off energy with a bit of basketball on the grass. Dotty chased the ball, Georgia out-dribbled everyone, and Ali refereed between laughs. Behind them, mist rolled down the green hills that cradle Momorangi Bay like a secret.

A cheeky weka wandered through camp, fearless and curious, pecking at anything shiny. It’s the local welcome committee here

.

 Into the Trees

After brekky, we wandered up the short Momorangi Forest Walk a hidden DOC track right behind the campsite.

Ali and Georgia led the way through ferns and thick beech trees, their shoes crunching on gravel and fallen leaves.

Halfway along, we found a little wooden display showing some of the insects that live here wētā and other bush critters sealed behind glass, like a tiny natural museum in the middle of nowhere.

It was peaceful. No traffic. Just us and the sounds of the forest that gave this region its name.

 Beach Time and Rock Hunting

Lunch was leftovers by the bay, then Dotty went down for her nap which meant one thing for Georgia and me: rock hunting.

We started turning over pebbles and shells near the edge of the water, and then I spotted it a chunk of what looked like wood turned to stone. It even had “grain lines,” but when I picked it up, it was heavy as lead.

That’s when it hit me: we weren’t holding wood. We were holding history.

 The Rock That Looked Like Wood

This whole bay sits on what was once an ancient sea floor.

Over millions of years, layers of mud and sand built up quietly under the water.

When the mountains rose, those old seabed layers were lifted, folded, and baked into stone. The stripes that look like wood grain are really compressed mudstone and sandstone, stained with iron and streaked with quartz.

Now the ocean’s slowly carving those same layers back open so when you find a “wooden rock” here, you’re holding a page out of Earth’s old diary.

Not driftwood after all just the planet showing off its layers.

We packed up a few small finds reds, creams, and golds ready for Georgia’s “rock lab” in the van.

 Dinner at Camp

Dinner was leftover chips from Blenheim, crisped up with bacon for me, egg for Georgia, and a veggie twist for Ali.

Not fancy, but proper camper food warm, easy, and eaten under the fading light as boats bobbed quietly offshore.

Dotty was asleep by seven. The whole campsite seemed to exhale with her.

 Glow-Worm Hunt

Once the stars came out, Ali and Georgia grabbed torches and disappeared into the bush path behind camp.

They’d found them tiny glow-worms lighting up the forest wall like a galaxy tucked in the ferns.

Georgia came back whispering, “It looked like the night sky on the ground.”

 Camp Notes

Where: Momorangi Bay, Queen Charlotte Drive, Marlborough Sounds

Type: DOC Campground (powered sites, hot showers, bush walks, beach access)

Highlights: Wildlife trail, glow-worms, beach rock formations, calm waters

Perfect For: Slowing down, letting the day find you

 After the whales, dolphins, and wild drives of the last few days, today felt like the universe tapping the brakes.

No crowds, no noise just family, rock stories, and glow-worms reminding us that the small things still shine brightest.

The post The Slow Magic of Momorangi Bay appeared first on Tantrumming Trailblazers.

Every day here feels like New Zealand’s saying, “You thought that was good? Hold my coffee.”

We woke early to sunlight sneaking through the camper curtains, the soft glow bouncing off the dash. Breakfast was quick cereal, toast, and the last of the peanut butter before the familiar morning rhythm of wash, pack-up, and coffee. The air was cool, clean, and humming with that quiet promise of another beauty.

The drive north rolled by easy coastal roads, soft music, mountains on the horizon. We stopped at a lookout on route and it was breathtaking.

Onwards we entered Nelson, staring out at snow tipped ranges fading into blue. Looked out he window and took it in. Even the in-between moments here feel like postcards.

Ice Creams, Playgrounds & Whale Slides

We stopped at Nelson’s Bay a playground paradise where pirate ships, ropes, and a giant smiling whale waited under a flawless sky.

Georgia was off like lightning, Dotty following in her wake, laughing the whole way. Ali grabbed a drink from the café make some snacks then I fetched ice creams and we ate them at on a bench in the sun, it was perfect.

A sandy path wound through the trees to the beach. The smell of salt hit before the view did then suddenly there it was: open sea, sunlit and endless.

We stayed longer than planned, of course. When the kids are happy and the world looks like that, why hurry?

Arrival in Paradise

The drive to Kaiteriteri was all winding roads and cinematic scenery cliffs, forest, and water glittering between the trees.

Then, just like that, we arrived.

Kaiteriteri Beach.

Golden sand that squeaked underfoot. Water so clear you could see the ripples of sunlight on the seabed. Tiny islands rising from the bay like something out of a dream.

We parked the van at a spot right across from the shore and just stared. Speechless. It was like camping on the edge of a painting.

Georgia was off shell-hunting, Dotty found her orange basketball and immediately chased it, and Ali and I just stood there, shaking our heads at how ridiculous it all looked.

Birds, Boats & Basketball

The afternoon slipped by in that golden, unhurried way travel days do.

A pied shag strutted across the shallows, spreading its wings to dry in the breeze. Seagulls wheeled overhead. A yellow coffee boat drifted near the rocks.

Ali and Georgia sat side by side, feet buried in the sand, swapping jokes and secrets while Dotty paraded her basketball like a tiny champion.

Nothing planned, nothing rushed just the sound of waves, the smell of sea air, and the feeling that this was exactly where we were meant to be.

Dinner with a View

As the light softened, Ali fired up the gas and made proper comfort food sausage and mash, the kind that warms the soul. After yesterday’s fish and chips, it was perfect.

We ate outside, the sea turning liquid gold in front of us. Ali leaned back in her chair, that satisfied grin creeping across her face.

Dotty climbed into the driver’s seat and like she was the “designated driver.” The van didn’t move an inch, but she was steering our imaginary route to everywhere.

The Perfect End

By nightfall, Dotty was asleep, Georgia reading and then, just when we thought the day was done… Georgia had maths class.

9 p.m. for us, 9 a.m. back in the UK a full lesson in the canteen, still in her pyjamas, grinning. I just laughed. Because honestly, who else gets to say they did maths lessons from a camper park on a New Zealand beach?

When her lesson finished, we stepped outside one last time. The sky was dark now, stars sharp and endless, the air now cool from the warm day. The beach was quiet, the sea whispering against the sand.

Georgia and I stood there in silence tired and happy.

Every time we think New Zealand has shown us everything, it finds another way to knock us flat. We worried before coming that maybe the hype was too much, that nothing could really live up to it.

Oh boy, were we wrong.

New Zealand keeps doubling down.

And somehow, it keeps winning.

Tomorrow? Who knows.

But if today’s anything to go by it’s going to be unforgettable.

The post Day 4, Kaiteriteri: When New Zealand Doubled Down appeared first on Tantrumming Trailblazers.

The morning started slow and easy — brekky outside the van with that unbeatable beach view, Ali flicking through the map while The day had that feel something special was coming.

Before our half-day coastal cruise, the girls had a quick play in the swings across from the beach. Then it was time to board calm as a pond, sun glinting off the turquoise water, everyone rugged up and ready for adventure.

The Magic of the Abel Tasman Coast

The boat slipped along the Abel Tasman coastline lush green forest, gold sand, and that surreal green-blue water that looks painted on. We passed the famous Split Apple Rock, perfectly perched like some ancient sculpture of balance. According to Māori legend, the rock was split by the god of thunder when two warring deities fought over it a reminder that even beauty here comes with a story.

A bit further along, we spotted movement on the rocks fur seals, basking in the morning sun, flippers outstretched like they owned the place. The girls were glued to the railings, pointing and giggling. It’s something different when you see them in the wild peaceful, natural, and just part of the rhythm of the coast.

On Board with the Crew

The skipper gave us a running commentary We cruised past quiet coves and untouched bays, the kind of places you can only reach by boat or a seriously long hike. The air was cool but the sun strong classic New Zealand spring weather.

On the way back we sat on the roof deck, faces in the wind, the ocean glittering behind us. Dots was more interested in her new bucket from the shop, but that’s travel life with kids sometimes the highlight isn’t the seals, it’s the sand toys.

Lunch, Ducks, and Dulux Jellybeans

Back on dry land, lunch hit the spot fish and chips for me, halloumi tacos for Ali, a cheese sandwich for Georgia, and mini fish and chips for Dottie. We sat outside the café, watching the bay sparkle.

Then, we went to the beach and like clockwork, two ducks strutted over the sand like they owned the joint. Totally unbothered by people, they waddled right up looking for crumbs. Between them and the seals earlier, the day had officially turned into a wildlife parade.

Later, while the girls played in the sandpit, Dottie uncovered something a bright tin labelled Dulux Jellybeans. At first glance it looked like a paint tin, but no it was an actual confectionery tub made by Dulux, complete with jellybeans inside. Who knew New Zealand’s sweetest treats came with a DIY twist?

“Worth doing, worth Dulux,” the label read. Turns out even the candy here has personality.

Evening Calm

The late afternoon drifted by in perfect rhythm the girls back at the playground, Ali checking the next few days’ route, me sorting photos looking after kids and soaking it all in.

Dinner was sausage and bacon, We cleaned up, showered, and had a chat with the Aussies parked next to us a friendly couple road-tripping who flew down from north of Newcastle.

Then, as the light faded, I wandered down to the sand for one last photo. Boats gently rocking in the bay, water still as glass, the sky fading from gold to blue.

This country doesn’t show off it reveals itself, one perfect moment at a time.

Tomorrow, we’re back on the road but tonight, Kaiteriteri Bay feels like the centre of the world.

The post 🌊 Day 5 – Seals, Jellybeans, Boats and a Sunset at Kaiteriteri Bay appeared first on Tantrumming Trailblazers.

We packed up early this morning emptied the waste, filled the fresh water, topped up the diesel, and hit the road again. The sky was calm and clear, the kind of start that makes you think the day will be smooth sailing.

Our first stop was a quick shop in a small-town supermarket. Dotty found herself a mini trolley which she promptly rammed into the back of my leg while Georgia helped fill hers with snacks and essentials.

Then the open road called again. The scenery was all deep valleys and twisting rivers swollen from the rain, and we quickly found out just how much rain had fallen. Ahead of us, the road disappeared beneath a brown, glassy flood that stretched from forest to forest. A local ute went through first, its wheels sending up muddy waves, and then it was our turn. The Mighty Camper rolled slowly through, a white van turned boat for a few nerve-racking moments.

Once through, the skies opened wide again sunshine, blue sky, and that familiar South Island freshness in the air. We stopped at Maruia Falls, which was thunderous after all the rain. The river didn’t so much flow as charge, roaring down in a spray of mist and raw power. It wasn’t the calm postcard kind of waterfall it was nature showing off, and we loved it.

From there, the road wound higher into the hills until the sign appeared: Reefton The Town of Light.

Rolling into Reefton felt like arriving in a living museum. Weatherboard buildings, wide verandas, gold-rush charm. It’s small but brimming with character, a town that feels proud of its past but still full of life.

We wandered into the visitor centre, where the girls were handed maps for the Gold Fairy Trail a fun little walk linking old mining landmarks around the town.

We wandered back down the main street. We passed Steptoe’s Café, but it was the Dawson Hotel that called our name. Inside, it was all warmth and wood, a couple of locals wondering about and rugby on the TV Canterbury 15, Hawke’s Bay 14 at halftime. Ali grabbed a hot chocolate, the girls made off with marshmallows, and I just sat back taking it all in sipping my coffee, it was an old 80s style place and it felt easy!

After we parked the camper and followed the fairy trail through quiet lanes and past heritage sites, including the Original Reefton Power House the site of the first public electricity supply in the entire Southern Hemisphere. Hard to believe this tiny riverside town was lighting its streets in 1888, decades before most of New Zealand.

The old Power House still stands in part, a simple red shed against the green hills. Standing there, you could almost feel the hum of history the spark that put Reefton on the map.

Reefton’s got that kind of magic you don’t find often not flashy, not touristy, just quietly confident in what it is. A bit rugged, a bit nostalgic, and completely genuine.

By late afternoon, the sun was dropping low behind the hills, what we saw that is brhind thick clouds. Back at the camper, we finished the day with pasta and garlic bread, the girls in their bunks as the last light faded from the valley.

From flooded roads to golden trails, it’s been one of those days that reminds you how much adventure can fit between sunrise and dinner.

The post 🚐 Day 6, Flooded Roads & Golden Towns appeared first on Tantrumming Trailblazers.

We set off early this morning, the Mighty Camper rumbling out of Reefton before the town had fully woken up. The forecast wasn’t exactly on our side grey skies, low cloud, drizzle turning to full-blown rain but we weren’t about to skip Arthur’s Pass.

The drive started slow and winding, mist curling through the valleys, the road narrowing as we climbed higher. The bridges felt endless long, slick ribbons of tarmac suspended over wild rivers. Every few minutes, we’d get another dramatic glimpse through the fog: cliffs rising out of nowhere, waterfalls tumbling down from invisible peaks.

Ali handled the drive like a pro, steering the big van through the twists while I watched the scenery unfold. The mountains were moody and magnificent all shadow and mist and somehow that made it even better.

When we finally reached the top, the clouds broke just enough to reveal Devils Punchbowl Waterfall. We layered up and set off on the track, Dotty on Ali’s back in the carrier and Georgia powering ahead in her colourful jacket. The path crossed swing bridges and wound through thick beech forest before opening out to the roar of the waterfall.

Up close, it was unreal. The water thundered down in white fury, sending spray through the air like fine rain. We stood on the viewing platform, soaked but grinning the kind of moment that makes every step worth it.

After the walk, we headed back into the little village for a well-earned warm-up. The tiny petrol station café served up hot chocolates, coffee, and vegetarian sausage rolls absolute gold in the cold. As we sat there steaming up the windows, a cheeky kea (New Zealand’s alpine parrot) wandered by outside, eyeing up anything shiny.

There’s something almost human about them intelligent, curious, and full of mischief. We saw another one later at the car park, pacing around the camper like it was inspecting the new arrival.

From there, it was back on the road, descending through mist and rain until the skies started to clear. The first patch of blue appeared just as we rolled into Hokitika, our stop for the night.

The Hokitika Holiday Park turned out to be a gem family-friendly, clean, and with a playground that Georgia and Dotty made a beeline for the moment we parked. We let them play out the last of their energy before bed while the rain finally gave way to a golden evening light.

Dinner was simple pasta for dotty again, and jackets for us eaten to the sound of rain dripping off the camper roof and the girls laughing about the “birds” we’d met that day.

Another long day on the road, another big tick on the map. Tomorrow, we chase the coast.

The post 🚐 Day 7 – Into the Mist: Arthur’s Pass Adventure appeared first on Tantrumming Trailblazers.

We checked the forecast last night, and it didn’t look good strong winds from the northwest, gusting up to 60 mph. The kind that makes you question whether you’re steering a campervan or a kite on wheels.

So, we made the call to wait it out. The morning was wild gusts hammering the sides of the van, trees bending, and the rain flicking sideways. The smart move was clear: stay put and let nature have her say.

Thankfully, the holiday park had a big lounge, a lifesaver for a family on weather watch. The girls played with building blocks, we caught a bit of The Chase and Pointless (Kiwi TV loves a bit of British telly), and Ali checked over tomorrow’s itinerary while I brewed what was probably my third coffee of the day.

By four o’clock, the wind started to ease. The van stopped rocking, the clouds broke apart, and for the first time all day, the air felt calm. We packed up, filled the tanks, and decided to make a move for the next stop.

On the way, we stopped in town for an early dinner, just to be safe before driving. As luck would have it, the weather kept improving the roads were quiet, the sky was clearing, and the mountains ahead looked dramatic against the evening light.

By the time we pulled into our campsite near Franz Josef, the wind had finally given up. It felt like we’d won a small battle with the elements. We parked up, stretched out, and called it a day ready for tomorrow’s adventures on the West Coast.

Sometimes on the road, you don’t just chase the weather you learn to move with it.

The post 🌬️ Day 8 – Riding Out the Wind and Rolling On appeared first on Tantrumming Trailblazers.

The morning kicked off early with blue skies and a crisp chill in the air perfect for tackling the Franz Josef Glacier walk before the crowds rolled in. The trail wound through lush rainforest, thick with moss and ferns, until it opened up to that jaw-dropping sight: a wall of ice wedged between two towering mountain ridges. Even from a distance, you could hear the meltwater roaring down the valley, the views were just other worldly!

Georgia was fascinated by the waterfalls and and stopped every few metres to show us another “sparkly rock.” It’s one of those walks that makes you feel tiny standing there staring at a glacier that’s been carving its way through stone for centuries.

Afterwards, we headed into town for a late breakfast at SnakeBite Cafe for coffee, hot chocolate, breakfast baps, kids breakfast meals, and the perfect mountain town feeling.

Then came the big one: the buggy adventure.

Georgia and I jumped into a bright yellow quad buggy and spent the next couple of hours tearing through glacial rivers, skimming over stones, splashing through water, and laughing our heads off. It was insane good fun one of those experiences that hits every sense at once: wind in your face, mud in your teeth, and that wild West Coast backdrop of snow-capped peaks and roaring rivers, yes we got very cold and very wet, but what great fun winding through rainforest too!

Meanwhile, Ali and Dotty had their own magic exploring the forest trails, discovering a tiny hobbit door tucked into the ferns, and spotting a cheeky green bird in the treetops.

We regrouped later for a much needed coffee break and spent the afternoon winding down at the campsite. The whole day felt like the West Coast in a nutshell raw, wild, and a little bit otherworldly.

Tomorrow, we’re heading south to Wānaka, weather and road conditions permitting. SH6 is still closed for now, so it might be another day of waiting and watching. Either way, today was one for the books a mix of glacier air, muddy adventures, and pure New Zealand magic.

The post ❄️ Day 9 – Franz Josef: Glaciers, Rivers and Hobbit Doors appeared first on Tantrumming Trailblazers.