<aside> 💡 Originally, I just wanted to compile some tips for non-drivers, but the more I wrote, the more I realized the value of authentic local experiences. So, I decided to document my observations and experiences as a short-term visitor to New Zealand. Of course, this isn't the full picture.
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All in all, this has been my longest and most expensive solo international trip. It's also my first time traveling in an entirely English-speaking environment, as well as my first visit to New Zealand and the Southern Hemisphere.
It has boosted my confidence and the gear of fate is starting to spin faster.
Much like Third Voyage to the Rising Sun, this was also supposed to happen in 2020 but was postponed due to COVID-19.
The initial inspiration came in 2019 when I returned from Singapore and realized my English skills were lacking (a Chinese Airbnb host encouraged me to improve my English before leaving). I decided to take this as an opportunity to learn and reward myself with a trip to an English-speaking country. North America and the UK were too far and expensive, so that left Australia and New Zealand. Compared to Australia, I was more captivated by New Zealand's legendary natural landscapes, making it my first choice.
Over the past three years, I've had several encounters with New Zealand: I subscribed to a local Chinese-produced podcast called《九号酒馆》, learned about local life, encountered IELTS reading topics about New Zealand tourism—a place to visit at least once in a lifetime, discovered one of my classmate in New Zealand, followed some friends who work or study there on Twitter, and started keeping tabs on New Zealand's immigration policies.
This trip to New Zealand serves both as a reward and a different form of test for myself. When explaining my travel goals to my Airbnb host, I wrote: "My primary aim for this trip is to immerse myself in the pristine nature and engage with the locals, even though I'm working on improving my English speaking skills."
Before diving into detailed planning, I established a few prerequisites for this trip: solo travel, no car rental, reliance on public transportation, participation in local tours, staying in Airbnb whenever possible, avoiding extreme sports, and hoping to see the night sky.
With the help of the New Zealand Official Tourism Website, Xiaohongshu, Tripadvisor, local friends, and Airbnb hosts (ChatGPT wasn't very helpful), I finalized the itinerary:
I'm quite satisfied with the above itinerary. Everything happened according to plan, except I arrived in Queenstown a day early.
Here are some tips: