Because Life is Beautiful

From Mount Cook to Wanaka ~New Zealand~

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 08:41:00 +0530

We drove away from Mount Cook with happy hearts. The South Island was proving to be more legendary than we expected. Bingo, our beloved campervan was pointed south towards Wanaka, and what a drive it was.
As we drove the Clay Cliffs came into view, a beautiful sight from afar. They reminded Gareth of what he imagined Nevada to be like.

We drove the couple of kilometers to the cliffs, and walked up to be right in the midst of them.

I’m going to take a moment here and explain about this photo. Looking at the photos above (of our awesomeness) it’s hard to believe we’re in front of the same cliffs you see below, right? A lot of people ask why our images look enhanced. Yes, Gareth edits our photos. As he always says he tries to make the colours look like they do in real life. In doing this, many times he blends 2, 3 or sometimes 4 images together to get the best colour from every area in a photo. You know how the sky can be a beautiful colour in real life but it looks white in photos? That’s because your camera can’t capture the proper light for both the sky and the scene in front of you, so it usually chooses the scene. Gareth takes a photo to make the sky look its best, and another for the scene in front of him. Sometimes he needs a few, depending on the light.

Make sense? Ok, enough with the photography babble, let’s move on.

We were told to take the route through Lindis Pass, a road surrounded by thick tufts of deep yellow grass dotting the hills and pointing to the sky. The road wound its way between two large hills. We used Bingo as an excuse and drove slowly, letting all the other traffic (and there really wasn’t much) zoom past us as we mosied along.

We also started spotting many signs that looked like this one. Icebreaker has become one of Gareth’s favourite brands, so he was excited to see where the magic began (and it’s in sheep fields, in case any of you aren’t aware).

Finally, we had reached Central Otago, famous for its Pinot Noir. Gorgeous country. But then, when it comes to New Zealand, what else is new?

In one day we had once again landed in a whole new world: Wanaka. More on that soon.

Shauna & Gareth

p.s. If you’re reading, please leave us a comment! We would love to know you’ve stopped by.

The ABCs of Travel, Roughley Style

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:34:00 +0530

The ABCs of travel has hit the Travel Blog world! We are first and foremost a photography site, but this blog has certainly morphed into a travel story as we relay our adventures around the globe. The lovely and talented Leah from Leah Travels tagged us in her ABCs post, so it’s our turn to pass on some information about our travels. Read Leah’s here, I loved it!

Gareth and I are answering seperately, as we have travelled different places and have differnet opinions about some trips. Please sit back and join us as we venture through the ABCs travel style with a Rough twist.

A. Age you went on your first international trip:

Gareth: Off the the top of my head I can’t remember. I was younger than sixteen when I went with my family on a day trip to France. We took the ferry early in the morning to Cherbourg, returning later that afternoon. When I was 16 I went on another family trip to Malta for a week.

Shauna: When I was 17 I took a school bus trip to Spokane to run in the Bloomsday race. It felt just like Canada (with cheaper shopping), so I never count that trip. When I was 18 I set out on my first overseas trip with my backpack on my back, alone, to Singapore for a day, New Zealand for 6 weeks, then Australia for a year. I was such a naive girl.

B. Best (foreign) beer you’ve had and where:

Gareth: hmmm it’s a tough one. I loved Beer Lao when I was in Laos, most memorably floating down the river in Vang Vieng. In London I would choose a pint of Fullers London Pride, as an Englishman I love a good real ale.

Shauna: I got really turned off beer when I was about 20. Going back to New Zealand I fell in love with it again. There is nothing like a Monteiths Raddler on a hot day.

Gareth enjoying a tasty pint (or maybe two!) in Fox Glacier after hiking back from Welcome Flat Hut on the Copland track

C. Cuisine (favorite):

Gareth: The one meal that always comes to mind as the best for many many reasons was at a guest house on the edge of Phnom Penh in Cambodia. The restaurant there had red and green Thai curry on the menu. I love green curry but sadly for some reason they couldn’t make it at the time. Instead they offered a red curry but only as spicy as the green. For several days in a row each evening I would lay in a hammock with a fresh banana milkshake and a big bowl of Thai red curry and rice. The sitting/hammock laying area was on a covered deck overlooking a lake. Delicious and wonderful!

Shauna: My favourite type of food is Italian, so I yearn for the day I get to sit in a square in Italy, or a small town and eat true, authentic fare.

D. Destinations, favorite, least favorite and why:

Gareth: Favourite - it’s always hard to pick a favourite because everywhere is so different. The Isles of Scilly in England will always be a special place for me because I have been there many times on holiday, I even worked there in a hotel for a summer season. By English standards the weather is lovely, the sea unbearably cold yet overwhelmingly inviting because of its azure, turquoise colour. There are a multitude of islands small enough to walk around and many more that are uninhabited with secluded beaches to while away the hours.

Least Favourite - there have been several places that in one way or another have disappointed or failed to live up to hype, but none that I would unwilling to return to at some point. In Mui Ne in southern Vietnam it rained steadily and smelled of fish sauce. Out of season the beach was unkept and even the nearby sand dunes only kept us entertained for an hour of sand boarding.

Shauna: Favourite - Oh my goodness how do you choose a favourite? I’m going to have to say New Zealand, for a whole host of reasons. It was an amazing year, we were welcomed with such open arms by the people, the sights are absolutely incredible, and I changed a lot in that year. The hiking is incredible, the beaches are perfect, the coffee oh so tasty. It feels like a second home.

Least - I don’t know that I have one. The place that didn’t blow me away like I was expecitng was Stewart Island in New Zealand. It had been built up to be this absolutely incredible place, with blood red sunsets and gorgeous beaches, and that just wasn’t what we saw. It was expensive to get there, so I felt let down by it. If we did ever go back, which I don’t think I would, I would plan it very differently so we saw a different side of the island.

The Isles of Scilly - Pilot Gig World Championships (Film photo from 1998)

Us being our silly selves the day we arrived on the South Island in New Zealand. This country has shaped us irreversibly.

E. Event you experienced abroad that made you say “wow”:

Gareth: Thai boxing in Bangkok. At the intermission between fights there was an exhibition fight in an older style of boxing. It remains one of the coolest things I have seen, a beautiful, flowing craft and yet brutal even if it were choreographed.

Shauna: Hogmany (New Year’s Eve) in Edinburgh! The streets were packed, everyone was happy, bands were playing, the fireworks spectacular. Gareth and I partied in the streets with his family, then carried on after they left. We sat on a step eating a kebab at 3 am, and finally found the right bus back to his sister’s at 5 am. It was my first New Year’s eve outside of Canada, and one I’ll never forget.

Hogmany in Edinburgh

Thai Boxing, Thailand

F. Favouite Mode of Transportation:

Shauna: After a year in a Campervan, I’m going to say Bingo is my favourite. It would be rude not to.

Gareth: I’m going to be rude and not say bingo! I love travelling by train. Bingo was pretty cool though.

Bingo, our beloved campervan from New Zealand - in the Coromandel

Train journey Delhi to Agra, India

G. Greatest feeling while traveling:

Gareth: It took a lot of work and planning so that we could spend a year in New Zealand so I carried around a feeling of accomplishment, a feeling of we can do anything with our life if we are willing to make the effort. It was enhanced further when we stood atop the mountain passes, finished multi day hikes, lay on secluded beaches. I still have that feeling today even if it is a bit road weary.

Shauna: The “I can’t believe I’m standing here” feeling. The surreal, unbelievable, please someone pinch me feeling. Standing on the top of a mountain after climbing it in New Zealand, standing in a castle ruin in the UK, gazing at the Taj Mahal, scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef, skiing in Banff feeling like I’m on top of the world. All of these moments I remember stopping, looking around, and thinking, oh my goodness this is too good to be true. It makes me feel incredibly blessed.

Skiing at Sunshine Village, Banff, Canada. Even though we visit every year (that we’re in Canada) it never fails to take our breath away.

H. Hottest place you’ve traveled to:

Gareth: With the humidity I would have to say Thailand, I never loved a cold shower more than there.

Shauna: That has to go to Australia. Nothing has topped the heat in Manly Beach in February 2004.

Frangipani from NSW, Australia

Longboats, Ko Phi Phi, Thailand

I. Incredible service you’ve experienced and where:

Gareth: Il Portico. This used to be a restaurant in Edmonton until it was closed to make way for a car park. Shauna and I went for dinner here several times, no matter the occasion we were treated wonderfully with food and wine to match. Another place that also springs to mind is Tzin wine and tapas bar, also in Edmonton. Again the food and wine is magical, the service, thoughtfulness and attention to detail from the owners perfect. Thankfully it is also still open!

Shauna: Gareth and I stayed at Predator Ridge golf course in Vernon, Canada for our honeymoon. We went to the club house for dinner our first night, all dressed up just for the fun of it. All of the waitress found out it was honeymoon and they treated us like gold the whole time we were there. Complimentary desserts all decorated with hearts and flowers, big smiles and warm welcomes. It really made our honeymoon feel perfect.

Under the Boardwalk, Vernon Beach, Canada (taken on our honeymoon)

J. Journey that took the longest:

Gareth: Technically plane journeys win that race - London to Singapore with a stopover in Dubai, Sidney to Vancouver with a stop in Honolulu, Hong Kong to Hobart via Perth and Melbourne were all incredibly long trips. In general though they were all relatively comfortable with movies to watch. Vientiane to Savannakhet by bus took about ten hours. At first leaving at three was fine, it was light out and I could read. The onset of night soon ended the reading followed shortly after by the batteries dying in my discman. At this point a trip sitting on the back step of a bus as the only westerner, the only english speaker can feel very long indeed.

(Shauna: hahaha a DISCMAN! Remember those?! Even better, remember WALKMANS?!)

Shauna: The journey that felt the longest was my very first overseas trip. I was meant to fly from Edmonton to Seattle, but a snowstorm shut down their airport. A day later, I set out. I flew from Edmonton to LA, LA to Seoul, Seoul to SIngapore where I spent 20 hours on a layover (I was able to go into the city and tour which was really cool). Finally, I arrived in New Zealand. I thought I would NEVER get there!

K. Keepsake from your travels:

Shauna: I have an international earring collection. I always buy earrings from every country I visited, and people buy me earrings when they go away away as well. They’re small, easy to carry, and I adore earrings and wear them all the time at home, so it’s perfect.

Gareth: Shauna. I found her on my travels, I think I’ll keep her!

Shauna: Umm…ya…that too.

Us over the years

L. Let-down sight, why and where:

Gareth: I did a DMZ tour in central Vietnam on which we were taken to a village supposedly on the Ho Chi Minh trail. The village was literally a seething mass of kids clamouring for money, not the interesting historical experience I had hoped for.

Shauna: Let down sight…I really don’t know, because everything we’ve done has been pretty cool. I’d say I was let down by the weather on the Great Ocean Road in Austraila. It was the first road trip Gareth and I did together after meeting in Adelaide. It rained the whole time, it was chilly, and we really didn’t get to it at its best. Would I go back? Absolutely. I saw so much potential there if the sun came out.

M. Moment where you fell in love with travel:

Gareth: I fell in love with travel long before ever going anywhere exotic or wildly different from watching programmes such as Around the World in 80 Days with Michael Palin.

Shauna: I remember standing on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, the sun shining down, a slight breeze blowing. It was another one of those “I can’t believe I’m standing here” moments. I felt so incredible happy. As I was standing there, my aunt called me on my cell phone. As we talked it struck me how far away from home I was, and how amazing it was to be standing there, on the other side of the world, seeing this iconic building. I always felt like I wanted to travel, but it was in this moment I remember knowing I loved it.

N. Nicest hotel you’ve stayed in:

Gareth: I have stayed in lovely hotels with my family in York and Guernsey but the place I always think of is a Guest House in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Just down an alley from the main road I shared an impeccable twin room with my good friend Eric. We had an en-suite with air conditioning, fans, cable television, breakfast in the mornings if we wanted, fresh towels daily and all for only nine dollars a day.

Shauna: Gareth and I are still in our backpacking, budget accommodation phase, so nice hotels are a rarity for us. I went away for the weekend with my mom and Nanny to Moosejaw, the town my a nanny grew up in. We stayed in the 5 star spa hotel there, Temple Gardens, with massive beds, fluffy robes and the mineral water pool. That probably tops the list.

O. Obsession – what are you obsessed with taking pictures of while traveling?:

Gareth: Everything. In New Zealand it was the landscapes, India, the people, they have the most interesting faces as well as the bright colourful clothes. Everywhere we go I love photographing the markets and bazaars, the food too.

Shauna: What aren’t I obsessed with taking photos of?! Number one would have to be capturing people in their day to day. Real, honest, photojournalistic type shots.

Lady in the Bazaar, Jaipur, India

P. Passport stamps, how many and from where?:

Shauna: I’ve gone through a few passports, as I had one stolen in Australia, and had to get a new one when I married Gareth. But in total:

Singapore, New Zealand (2), Australia (2), England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Hong Kong, India.

Gareth: Between all the passports I have had 17

Malta, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand twice, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia twice, Canada four times, USA (I spent an hour and a half in an airport so I’m not sure if this really counts), Hong Kong, India.

Q. Quirkiest attraction you’ve visited and where:

Gareth: A giant rocking horse whilst on a wine tour in the Barossa Valley in South Australia.

Shauna: All of the “Giant” things I visited through Australia - the big pineapple, the big banana, etc etc. What’s up with that Aus?! The rocking horse is a good one, we could climb it and everything.

R. Recommended sight, event or experience:

Gareth: Sunrise at Angkor Wat is unmissable. Walking the cool quiet aisles and passageways, seeing the orange cloth draped around statues is an amazing experience. Then in the afternoon once the tour buses have left there is a beautiful peace found walking through the temples of Angkor.

Shauna: There are way too many to count. But scuba diving on the the Great Barrier Reef was absolutely incredible, so I’ll go with that one. I went for a sunrise dive while staying on an overnight boat out there, and watching the sun come up, under the water, as a turtle and a shark swam by was bliss. It’s amazing as well when you think about what you’re looking at, knowing that it can be seen from space.

Sunrise at Angkor Wat

S. Splurge; something you have no problem forking over money for while traveling:

Gareth: Experiences! They can be the cheapest in the world such as having dinner at Tim Ho Wan, one of Hong Kong’s Michelin starred restaurants and travelling by train in India to the much more expensive dog sledding in the Rocky Mountains.

Shauna: I’m happy to budget my money to do amazing things. Clothes fade, I have a horrible habit of losing things, but amazing experiences I’ll never forget. But…in saying that…if I see an amazing momento for the house, I’ll grab it.

T. Touristy thing you’ve done:

Gareth: For sheer numbers of people the Taj Mahal in India, for outstanding natural beauty visiting Milford Sound in New Zealand, for pure tourist delight taking an open top bus around London.

Shauna: Visited the Taj Mahal. Its touristy for a reason, that wonder of the world is absolutely breath taking, and worth the effort to see it. It was incredible.

The Incredible Taj Mahal

U. Unforgettable travel memory:

Gareth: Spending a few days seeing Angkor in Cambodia, learning to dive in Thailand, Billy Bob’s BBQ Jam nite, Monday nights at the Grace mily in Adelaide, Australia.

Shauna: Visiting Normandy was the most emotional trip I have ever taken. Walking around the Commonwealth War Graves our first day there, I came across a grouping of graves with maple leaves on them. As I read them I realized most of the boys were younger than I was at the time (22). The whole trip was educational and sombering. I’ll never forget it.

Shauna walking through a Commonwealth Cemetery, Normandy, France

V. Visas, how many and for where?:

Gareth: Tourist visas - Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia, India
Working Holiday visas - Australia, Canada, New Zealand
Working visas - Canada
Residency visas- Canada

Shauna: Work visas for Australia and New Zealand, and a tourist visa for India.

W. Wine, best glass of wine while traveling and where?

Shauna: Every glass we had in New Zealand. If I had to choose one, it would be on the West coast of the south island. It was our last week in Bingo, Gareth and I built a driftwood fire, watched the sun go down and drank a bottle of Moana Park Merlot Malbec. Our year in New Zealand was coming to and end, and we had carried that bottle around for months waiting for the perfect evening to drink it. It’s one of my favourite memories from NZ.

Gareth: I’m with Shauna on this one. For the quintessential traveling around a country in a van experience it has to be having a driftwood fire on a West coast New Zealand beach with a bottle of Moana Park Merlot Malbec.

One of our last nights sleeping in Bingo Bongo, sipping Moana Park Merlot Malbec

X. eXcellent view and from where?

Gareth: From the top of a mountain! We go skiing at sunshine village in Canada every year we are there and yet to this day we have had only one perfect day. The view from the top of the divide was breathtaking. The fact that it is sometimes hard to see makes it even more special. Another I will never forget is from Angelus Hut in Nelson Lakes National Park surrounded by mountain ridges.

Shauna: We hiked up to Angelus Hut in Nelson Lakes, NZ. On day 2 we walked the ridge line of a mountain. We were so high up we could see the mountain ranges of most of the south island, and we could see down the mountain either way we looked. It truly felt like we were on top of the world.

Stars Trails over Lake Angelus

Hiking back from Angelus hut along the Robert Ridge

Y. Years spent traveling?:

Gareth: This is a tough one to quantify. I was first taken on holiday when I was five months old, I think to the Isles of Scilly off the south west coast of England. I am now 32 so in that sense all of my life. The first time I went travelling with just myself and a backpack was 8 years ago in 2004 when I left home South East Asia bound. It took me twenty one months and eight countries before I landed back on English soil.

Shauna: When I was 2 weeks old my parents loaded me up in the truck and took me camping with the family. I slept in the bathtub of my grandparents trailer. We explored our province extensively growing up, so really it’s their fault I have this travel bug!

Z. Zealous sports fans and where?:

Gareth: Seeing the rugby world cup in New Zealand was a special experience. I had better hopes of England which sadly didn’t come to fruition.

Shauna: I don’t follow sports at all, but I do love the atmosphere of a live game. Rugby World Cup in NZ was so much fun to be a part of, going to the fan zone on the waterfront in Wellington, and especially winning tickets to the 1/4 finals game, Ireland versus Wales. It was a great coincidence that the tournament landed in the middle of our trip, and we had a blast being a part of it.

Rugby World Cup

Phew! I really hoped you all enjoyed reading! This has been a fun trip down memory lane for us both. Now, the fun part of the game.We get to tag a few other travel writers to keep this going! So…drumroll please…

The fun Sarah Bond, Travel Writer - we met in Dunedin, New Zealand

Erik Smith, from On My Feet or In My Mind - a new Twitter friend

Stacey Wittig from Vegabonding Lulu - whom we met on the Routeburn track in New Zealand

Much love!
Shauna & Gareth

Sealy Tarns, Mount Cook ~New Zealand~

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:19:00 +0530

We finished up our boat ride on Lake Tasman, speeding around icebergs and gazing at glaciers, and the sun was shining. It was early afternoon, so we grabbed some lunch then set off for some hiking. Destination: Sealy Tarns. I wasn’t exactly sure what that meant, but I was up for trying!

Gareth ready for the walk.

The higher we walked, the better the views became. The hike was steadily uphill, our legs worked hard with every step…mine more than Gareth’s, sometimes their shortness needed a helpig hand from him. We were told that Mount Cook’s peek only comes out of the clouds about once every three days. Looks like we lucked out! (especially considering we were told a storm was rolling in).

Then we reached some snow!

The walk was fantastic, the views awesome. As we descended the clouds began closing in - looks like we lucked out with our timing. Mount Cook (or Aoraki as the Maoris call it) is a stunning area - from our first day there (read about it here), our boat ride on Lake Tasman, and this walk.

Onto the next adventure!

Shauna & Gareth

Tasman Glacier, Mount Cook ~New Zealand~

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:06:00 +0530

We awoke at 5 am to rain. We were planning on doing a tour at 8 am, but when we heard the pitter patter coming down on Bingo, we turned off our alarm, rolled over and went back to sleep. We got up at 7 and the sun was shining. Oops.

Luckily there was another tour at 11 am, so we headed to the hotel and booked ourselves into the Tasman Glacier tour. We had a look around the hotel while we waited, which featured a museum about Sir Edmund Hillary. He is a Kiwi who, along with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, was the first person to climb Everest. Sir Edmund Hillary trained on Mount Cook and has had a huge influence on outdoor activities in New Zealand for his whole life.

After we finished looking around the hotel it was time to head to Lake Tasman for our adventure of the day. It’s only a short drive and a twenty minute walk to some stunning views.

Walking towards the lake, you can see our tour boats at the edge of the water.

Gareth with Lake Tasman behind. Please take a moment and admire his lovely hair.

Loading!

On the water

Oh my goodness. As you can see the rain disappeared, the clouds parted and the sun shone down. We were on the opposite side of Mount Cook that most people see, staring at Tasman Glacier at the end of the lake, with icebergs (YES! Icebergs! Too cool, right?! hahaha…I amuse myself) floating around the lake.

Our lovely guide Amelia told us about the Tasman glacier at the far end of the lake, and how the many icebergs have broken off. She took us between the icebergs, and even up close enough to touch one. A chunk broke off while I felt it, so I passed it around the boat.
Gareth is eating an iceberg. I don’t think he ever thought that would happen.

Still absolutely loving his hair. I’m so lucky.

New Zealand, you amaze me. This is a sight beyond my imagination.

The lake sits in what is called a Moraine shelf. The iceberg has broken and shifted the land a huge amount as it receded, advanced, and receded again. Looking at it in relation to the other boat in the water gave it a lot of perspective.

Us!

Our lovely guide Amelia, with us!

After the tour I gave it our stamp of approval - the Roughley JUMP!

There is more to come from our time at Mount Cook. Stay tuned.

Shauna & Gareth

Dear New Zealand

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:52:00 +0530

In 2004 fate, plans and a yearning for travel led Gareth and I to Australia. 3/4 of the way through my trip and about halfway through Gareth’s we met, travelled together for as long as we could, then parted ways. Through many more years of fate, plans and hard work, we were married, bought our house and set up our life in Edmonton, Canada.

But that yearning never left us.

With us both coming from participating countries in a global scheme we were able to apply for one year working holiday visas in New Zealand. After three years in the making, we packed up our house, put our photography business on hold, and said good-bye to our loved ones. On January 27, 2011, we landed in Auckland. Armed with the knowledge we had gained from travelling in Australia, we vowed to make the most of our time in New Zealand.

We bought a camper van, laced up our hiking boots, and set off to see this stunning country. This past year has exceeded our expectations by spades. We have learned so much about ourselves and about each other. We have achieved things we only ever dreamed of. We met some gorgeous, kind people and have seen more than we ever hoped. Our time in New Zealand has set the stage for how we want to live the rest of our lives.

Spending time on experiences.

Spending money on necessities.

Spending energy on what matters.

They say life is short, but I believe that if you try you can pack a ton of amazing adventures in there.

To the wine makers who made lovely hand crafted wines and blends, the DOC workers who kept the trails groomed and camp sites ready, to the Kiwis who welcomed us into their homes without question, to the other travellers we met and have become lifelong friends with, we are raising a glass of perfectly handcrafted NZ wine to you. Thank you, from the very depths of our hearts right down to our little toes. You have helped shaped us into the people we are becoming, and we couldn’t be more grateful. 2011 was a year neither of us will ever, ever forget.

You will be in our hearts forever,

Shauna & Gareth

p.s. We may be leaving, but we have so much more to share with you. Our hikes on the Milford and Routeburn tracks, cruising in Doubtful Sound, and so much more. Stay tuned!

We bought some of our favourite NZ wine the day we sold our beloved Bingo. Our trip really felt like it was finished.

One of our last days in NZ was spent in Christchurch. There are tons of community projects going on in the city right now to bring people together. This one is part of the Fill the Gap project, where they are adding art installations and having activities in the lots that buildings have fallen due to the earthquake. We made clay sculptures - Gareth’s was of Bingo and I made a camera to symbolize our time here.

Mount Cook, Day 1 ~New Zealand~

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:37:00 +0530

Gareth and I left Lake Tekapo after watching an absolutely gorgeous sunrise at The Church of the Good Sherperd (missed seeing it?! Shame on you. We forgive you though, just this once - check it out here).

Onward we drove, our hearts happy, our minds madly attempting to process the unbelievable sights. We were heading to Mount Cook even though we had been warned of some serious bad weather heading that way. Hey, we’re brave like that…travel warriors you might say. (No, you wouldn’t say that? Okay, just me then).

Bingo came around a corner, and we were so in awe that we had to stop. Gareth couldn’t quite contain his excitement.

We stopped at Twizel for a break and a grocery shop and saw this sign, which baffled us beyond belief. How was CHRISTMAS coming?! Summer was just starting to awaken here in beautiful New Zealand.

This also shows you that we’re a bit behind on the blog.

Onward we drove, until we had to stop again. This drive is incredible, unreal, absolutely beautiful.

One man, his trusty van, and his tripod. In the middle of the road. This made me slightly nervous so I walked up the road to play lookout for other vehicles.

My turn to play Ruin the Picture.

Keeping the romance alive!

Mount Cook stood vigil in the distance, its peak piercing the swirling clouds. At this point we didn’t care that bad weather was heading our way, this experience was worth the risk.

We arrived in the tiny village of Mount Cook. It has only the essentials - a hotel, a YHA, a DOC campground and a pub. We were sad to hear that the pub’s walls had been blown down due to a recent storm, so we headed straight for the DOC campsite. Not a bad place to park up for a day or two.

We set off for the short walk to Mueler glacier lookout. The clouds were thick and a bit of rain fell on us as we rock-hopped our way to see the glacier.

We got to chatting with a few lovely people, as we do, and Gareth convinced them to do a jumping picture with him. As they were lining up for the shot we discovered it was the lady’s birthday! Fitting to celebrate with a good old-fashioned jump.

Once we finished the walk we went for a quick drive to check out the scenery. In a short time we landed in this gem of a spot.

The rain was really starting to come down, so we headed back to the DOC site for the evening. There is an awesome cooking shelter there, so we hauled our gear in to cook our dinner. We were running out of fuel for our cook stove, so it took an hour to heat soup. My stomach was not impressed! In the meantime, we worked on our journals. Here’s Gareth (Dear Journal, today we came to Mount Cook. It is nice. It is fun. I like mountains). ;)

We ran back to the van, dodging the rain drops. We cuddled up in Bingo for the night as the wind howled, the rain poured down and the storm we had been warned about raged around us.

We laid there wondering what tomorrow would bring.

Shauna & Gareth

Living in a Van ~New Zealand~

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 02:43:00 +0530

When people hear that we have been living in our camper van as we travel New Zealand, most people think it’s fantastic. Some people think it’s romantic. Some give us a strange look and think we are nuts. We have been asked many questions, the common being: “So…where do you shower?”

I tried writing this by explaining a typical day of ours, but trust me, there is no such thing so I’ll just explain some of the basics.

Showering
Let me tell you, wet wipes have become my best friend. We have found that we can stay clean and stink-free for three or four days if we have a sponge bath in the van or use wet wipes. They work wonders. When we feel the need (usually every 3 or 4 days), we stay at a proper campground and clean up. Most times we stayed in DOC campsites, and a lot of those have cold showers, which work great in the summertime after a hot day in the sun and on the beach.

Space
If it sounds like living in a van isn’t a lot of space for two people, you guessed right. It’s not. We each have a plastic container that fits under the bed for our clothes (a very fancy closet) and our packs are stored under the bed, along with camp chairs, dishes, tripods, and food. Everything has to go back in its place or the van immediately becomes a mess. So on a good day everything is where it’s supposed to be and everything is neat and tidy. On a rough day, nothing is where it’s supposed to be. We try to minimise those days.

The bigger issue with space is personal space. Space to dress, groom, or just be alone for a few minutes. We have learned to ask each other for what we need. If I need five minutes in the van alone, Gareth will happily go for a little walk. We go for runs alone to have some time to ourselves. We often say that if our marriage can survive living in a van for a year, it will survive anything.

Food
We don’t have a fridge, so figuring out food has been fun. We try to eat healthy since it makes us feel best, so we have learned to shop for fresh food every few days. Eggs and baked beans for protein are constants, along with fruit, veggies and cheese. We eat simply and repetitively, and we enjoy what we eat. Veggie and cheese sandwiches, hard boiled eggs, omelettes, baked beans. Simple, healthy, easy.

Parking
Most nights we stay in DOC (Department of Conservation) campsites. They are basic, cheap and in beautiful locations. They all have toilets, some have water, and a few have showers (mostly cold). We have also experienced incredible generosity from people and have been invited to stay in people’s homes. When we need to charge batteries we head to full-serviced campgrounds to shower and recharge.

Power is by far our biggest obstacle. That, and me trying to have a hairstyle while we’re living in the van. We have been much more successful at sorting out the power than the hair.

Living in the van for most of the past year has been the best possible way to travel New Zealand, we wouldn’t have it any other way. It hasn’t always been easy - rain and freezing cold temperatures have made it tough some days. But it has allowed us to see more than we could have hoped, experience places that most travellers never get to, and learn how little we really need to survive, thrive and be happy.

We were recently asked to share our experiences on My Desintation New Zealand’s website. It was fun to recall everything we have learned and pass along the information. I would have loved to have the information at our fingertips before we came away. Have a look if you like, you can read it here.

**ADD ON**

Money

When we posted this, someone asked how we were able to fund this trip for a year. It was with the wonders of the Working Holiday Visa. Both Gareth and I have used this multiple times. I shall write a blog post about it soon!

I hope this has given you a view into our life on the road!

Shauna & Gareth

Lake Tekapo ~New Zealand~

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 01:54:00 +0530

From the east coast of the South Island we turned west and headed inland. New Zealand may be known for its stunning coastline and surf beaches, but nestled in between the calm east coast and the roaring, wild, west coast lies some of the most gorgeous lakes I have ever laid eyes on.

Lake Tekapo is famous for its stunning blue waters as well as the tiny little church perched right on the lake’s banks. It is known as the most photographed building in New Zealand, and its no wonder why - the views are incredible with the hills framing the lake in a most outstanding scene.

We arrived in Lake Tekapo and immediately headed for the church. I wanted to capture the view from the inside, to show you all how it must have felt to sit in that tiny little church for Sunday service. You just can’t help but feel calm and at peace with something like this, can you?

He’s a keeper my friends.

The grounds around the church were teeming with people eager to catch a shot of this iconic building so we made a plan to come back for sunset. In the meantime, we headed up the hill to revel in the view overlooking the area.

These tufts of grass are in many places around the South Island. Gareth developed a fasination with them, and they became a wonderful foreground in many of his photos.

We found a lovely little campsite to hang out at for the night overlooking Lake McGregor, another beautiful lake right beside Lake Tekapo. We chose our spot, cooked our dinner and sat beside the lake taking it all in.

Just before sunset we set out back to the Church of the Good Sherpherd to watch the sky dance as the sun made another round. We never quite made it - Gareth got sidetracked and captured this instead.

Since sunset at the church hadn’t happened, we vowed to get up for sunrise. Now here’s the beauty of living in a van - when morning came Gareth quietly got up and drove to the church, leaving me in bed for just a few more stolen moments of sleep (don’t tell the cops!)

When we arrived, there were a few people around who kept getting in Gareth’s shot. Bingo saved the day and Gareth jumped up on him to get his shot.

So, so worth it.

For fun, we tried one more spot.

We walked around once the sun was coming up and spotted this little guy. After spending time on Grant’s farm, watching the sheep dogs work and being told that farming would be impossible without them, we weren’t surprised at all to see this tribute standing tall honouring all of the sheep dogs that have worked in New Zealand.

Lake Tekapo, you amazed us.

Shauna & Gareth

Christchurch, Akaroa & Banks Peninsula ~New Zealand~

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:42:00 +0530

We left Grant’s sheep farm grinning from ear to ear from our lovely experiece with them. It was so nice to welcomed into a family home and play with the adorable sheep!

We drove on down the highway, destination Christchurch. Along the way we picked up some new hiking boots that had been shipped to Gareth as he had worn out his first pair (thanks mom!), then we headed to meet my cousin, who spent a semester going to school here.

We headed into the city center, and we were immediately shocked, humbled, and saddened by the state this beautiful city is in.

The city center looked like a construction site. It was so incredibly sad to see. We spoke to one woman at the museum (which is awesome by the way!) who broke down and started crying as we talked about the extensive damage. These people have been so deeply affected by the destruction, Gareth and I struggled to even comprehend the depths of their anguish.

And yet, Christchurch is a beautiful city - beautiful statues and sculptures still exist.

After a day in the city, we cooked up the lamb roast Grant had given us, and had a feast with my cousin and his flatmates. It was a fitting end to a quick visit.

We fly out of Christchurch so we knew we would be back to see more of the citys recovery. For now though Akaroa was throwing their annual French Fest, so we headed out to the Banks Peninsula to check it out.

Just arriving, Gareth is pumped!

The lighthouse in Akaroa

Gareth and I sporting our new shoes!

We went for a drive around the Banks Peninsula - wow! The landscape was absolutely gorgeous, the drive windy, up and down the hills. We kept pulling over to take in the different views.

And as the sun went down it just kept getting better…

Even the moon came out to play.

The next morning there was just enough time to climb one last hill, just enough time to soak up the panoramic Banks Peninsula.

Next stop Tekapo, Mount Cook and Beyond….

Shauna & Gareth

JUMP! Best of 2011 ~New Zealand~

Sun, 25 Dec 2011 05:41:00 +0530

We called Santa and asked if we could tag along on his sleigh so we could hand deliver each and every one of you a Christmas gift. We had them picked out and wrapped just for you. Then Rudolf said he coudn’t carry the extra weight, so we are unable to deliver your presents! Don’t despair my friends, we came up with something even more entertaining. Here are our favourite New Zealand jumping photos from the past year. Wooooo!

Gareth on Urupukapuka Island in the Bay of Islands

Shauna jumping off the Ipipiri, Bay of Islands

It’s not often we get a jumping picture together! One Tree Hill, Auckland (Thanks to Lauren from The Lauren and Delwyn Project for taking it!)

Gareth lovin it at Cathedral Coves, Coromandel

Gareth on top of the world at Mount Maunganui

Shauna playing on the beach on a chilly night, Bay of Plenty

Up early for the East Cape sunrise! Definitely worth the early morning.

“Everybody was Kung Fu fighting!” Cape Palliser

Gareth looooves his chocolate. At the Dunedin Cadbury factory

Shauna at the very cool Moeraki Boulders, Otago

Gareth defying gravity coming down from Cardrona Pass, Queenstown

Shauna with enough energy during the Routeburn track to show off her jumping skills

Now wasn’t that better than some measley material possessions? Don’t worry, I’ll keep your gifts safe for you!

Gareth and I would like to wish you all a very, very merry Christmas filled with time spent with the ones you love, and lots of laughter. May you look back on 2011 with smiles and happy memories.

Shauna & Gareth

p.s. These are the best jumping pictures that have been edited yet. Trust me, there are so many more comin!