New Zealand: The Fiordlands, ski fields and the most liveable city

A skiers Mecca, a youths haven and a runners dream. Welcome to Queenstown. There is so much right about this awesome little city. The lake has boat taxis, cafes serve up perfect coffees and street food is cheap. Ten minutes drive out and your in the mountains in some of NZs best skiing and in the summer - the lake becomes your beach. What’s more, if you need to make a way to anywhere else in the work - the airport is 5 minutes from downtown. There is a reason this is one of New Zealand’s most liveable cities and had me itching to find an address to call home.

With the pod parked up and in much need of some exercise - we headed for a run. Having ran in many places in the world - this felt the easiest. Running along the lake side, with water lapping in the sunlight and the fresh mountain air to breath in - the miles seemed to pass by super fast. Whatever your fitness, if you are in town - take for the path and get a shift on - if you hate running - enjoy the views.

Queenstown is also the adrenaline heartland of the nation. Skydives, bungies, jet boats and underwater experiences are all on offer here. Prices are steep but the experiences are said to be on a different level. Let’s just say the bungee looked dangerously high...

The short hop to Milford:

From Queenstown - day trips head for Milford Sound, the main attraction of the Fjordlands. We headed out via Te Anau. The drive is hefty but the views, as we have become accustomed too match the breadth of the journey. Lakes, falls and rivers have you captivated whilst rolling hills and pristine farmland are pollinated by wild flowers.

Before long you reach Fiordland, an area carved by glaciers long ago. The ice migrated from upland areas into the sea, gorging 380metre deep sea floors and black water channels with steep valley sides. The rain was persistent whilst we were here - which brought the atmosphere to life. Channels of surface flow gushed over sheer rock faces and sunk beneath the roadside, whilst thick clouds snooped beneath the high valley road.

As we swirled our way down, we descended into the Centre of Milford Sound. A visitor centre and three houses, the main attraction here is the nature which is all around. Pick up a cruise from the dock - we opted for the smaller Mitre Cruises - and we headed out for a few hours. Captain Kiwi was at the helm - I have to say the man imparted every ounce of knowledge he possessed on the area. His Geograohical understanding of glacial erosion was second to none, putting my knowledge into suspect territory!

As we floated through the fiord - the rain relentlessly soaking our existence - we were constantly reminded of how fortunate we were to see it on a day like today. According to all 7 of the locals - it is on stormy days like these that Milford looks its dramatic best. Rainfall provides the sole source of water for the hundreds of cascading falls and the wind rustles up plenty of swell, creating aggressive spray.

With an average rainfall doubling that of the Amazon - and measured in metres - Milford is home to rainforest like environments. Vegetation clings to steep gorge cliffs, anchored in some of the most complex waters on earth. The upper layer consisting of freshwater, with the saline composition only kicking in at a metres depth. Although we didn’t take advantage of it, legend has it this is one of the coolest places to scuba dive on earth. Too bad I was to afraid to do it in a pool! Nonetheless, from the drive to the boat - this place has you pulsating with enthusiasm for geography, nature and the power of our planet!

Heading for Wanaka:

Having dried off, we climbed back into the pod. One of the things which does pose a little bit of an issue is wet clothing. With two seats big enough for 1/2 a person - there is little room for hanging wet clothing in the front. In the back, the duvet is still drying from the condensation from the night before and even the curtains struggle for hanging space. As such, the rear view mirror had to make do as the perfect drying rack for the next 100 k!

With the mobile laundrette all set up and ready to go, we headed back to queenstown and on to Wanaka. A slight detour, over the scenic pass takes you to one of New Zealand’s most photographed pubs. Don’t rush to the icon though, on the climb there are ample points to pull over and take in the awesome view of Queenstown in the valley.

In a small alpine town called Cordrona, a Scottish highland pub stands at the entrance to the ski area. Whilst the photo is a must - the frontage will soon have you wanting to explore the interior. With the appeal of soggy peanut butter sandwiches wearing thin, we opted for a little supper inside. Great food and craft ales made the experience pretty memorable. We would highly recommend a little pit stop here - the memory of the meal in front of the fire will long out live the photo!

From here it is a short slide down in to Wanaka. An outdoor adventure haven and with a lake front full of cafes, bars and restaurants - it feels like Queenstown’s little brother. Having spent the last night parked up in what can only be described as a car park - we were excited to dig out a free camp site on the banks of the lake in Albert Town. The Pod and completed another leg of the trip - the least we could do was give him a little treat!

Wanaka was calling in the morning and after a short jog to Dublin’s Bay we headed in. Urban Grind caught my coffee loving mind straight away - it didn’t disappoint. If you are here, start the day in this joint before grabbing an ice cream on the lake front. Whilst willow trees sway on the beach, kayakers evade swimming ducks in their pursuit for hidden coves. If you aren’t slightly touched by the beauty of this place - maybe you never will be by anywhere.

Leaving here is hard - but that shows you it is a good place to have been.