A WINTER TWIZELAND

Winter came early to the South Island this year with a generous dump of snow in May. Excitement ensued for winter sport aficionados who hurriedly booked tickets to Queenstown en masse. Unfortunately for them (and us), there hasn't been too much snow since. I was hoping to photograph mountain ranges blanketed in white over the course of this trip, but found them only very lightly dusted when we arrived. Though the scenery in New Zealand impresses regardless of season, our expectations had been shaped by the pristine beauty of a New Zealand winter which google images had presented to us. (Cue disappointment!) So imagine our delight when we came across the township of Twizel, completely blanketed in fog and not yet exposed to the warm rays that had melted the frost in towns we passed earlier that morning. Throughout the course of the 10 days we stopped the campervan to sit and admire the landscape more times than I can count, but this stop was one which transported us to an exquisite winter wonderland we were loath to leave.

Practicalities:

1. DISTANCE: Twizel lies a little past half way if you're heading from Christchurch to Queenstown (3.5 hours from Christchurch, 2.5 hours from Queenstown). If you're headed in this direction, it's likely you'll have dropped by Lake Pukaki/Lake Tekapo/Mt Cook on the way. If so, it's only 15-30 minutes into your drive down towards Queenstown. It's a very small town, but the surrounding area is so beautiful (especially if you're there early in the morning) you won't regret taking a look around. 

2. PLACES OF INTEREST: 

• Hot Tubs Omarama: Just 20 minutes down the road from Twizel, rest your tired body in these private tubs. Go cold in summer or hot in winter, all while gazing out over the Mackenzie Basin. The tubs are filled with chemical-free mountain water, with massaging jets to target the aches and pains. Massage and sauna services are also available for those looking for some extra pampering. 
•  High Country Salmon: Take a break from the drive at High Country Salmon where you can feed salmon for free (and watch the calm blanket of glacial blue break as multiple salmon race to surface to get fed) and also feed yourself. The menu is relatively limited, but there's enough variety for a bite and drink before you embark on the next leg of the drive down south. 

MY FIRST PUKAKI SUNRISE

Sublime landscapes and a plethora of activities for both the adventurous and those seeking relaxation, the South Island of New Zealand is a destination for all types of travellers. Having constantly dreamed of returning to New Zealand, we finally flew over the ditch two weeks ago, and I'm so so glad we did. With some hesitation and bucketfuls of excitement, we embarked on our first ever campervan adventure, and we couldn't be happier about choosing this option. After picking up our vehicle down the road from Christchurch Airport, we were off. We oohed and ahhh-d so much, our vocalisations could have formed the bassline of a dubstep mix.

The great thing about campervan travel in New Zealand is that it is well catered to and generally well received. On the first night we slept about 2 metres from Lake Pukaki in the hope of waking up to a beautiful sunrise, and boy did we get one. I had to restrain myself from overloading this post with more images, but suffice it to say, it was an absolutely stunning morning. With a hot cup of tea in hand, we flung open the rear doors of our campervan, and stared into these scenes.