Queenstown. I stare in awe at the mountain landscape unfolding outside the window. I’m already in love with New Zealand before we even land.
The airplane wing seems to almost graze the mountainside as we descend, preparing to land in Queenstown.
Our lives are about to drastically change,
yet we don’t know it.
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If you prefer to read in Finnish continue here / Jos luet mieluummin suomeksi, jatka tänne:
Uusi-Seelanti – Uusi maa ja uudet kujeet
After two months of traveling around Australia, we decide to make a quick stop in New Zealand before heading west to the next continent on our journey.
It’s late February 2017.
More than half of our six-month trip has already passed.
We continue to New Zealand’s misty mountains.
Queenstown is a great place to start exploring New Zealand.
Milford Sound plays good sounds
“This kind of nature can’t be real,” I sigh as we cruise through Milford Sound, nestled in Fiordland National Park.
It’s no surprise this place is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
During our bus ride, we admire dense forests and glaciers. On a boat trip through the fjord, we watch seals lounging on the rocks, spot a kea parrot, and encounter a very rare bird.
(Don’t ask me what it was—I can’t remember the name! Feel free to chime in if you know what it might have been.)
I lean over the boat’s railing, trying to capture photos of dolphins swimming near the bow as if escorting us forward.
The waterfalls here are unusually dry, but we manage to visit one with a stronger flow.
While other travelers retreat to the cabin to escape the spray, I stay on deck, letting the water drench me.
I protect my camera with a plastic bag and feel completely alive.
Back on the boat’s rear deck, I join Ismo to enjoy the included packed lunch. The other passengers chuckle at the sight of the soaked photographer.
Hiking is also a popular activity here, with multi-day treks available. However, New Zealand doesn’t have the same ‘everyman’s right’ as some other countries. Which means you can not put up your camp anywhere you want.
The best trails require booking well in advance. By ‘well in advance,’ I mean at least a year ahead.
With our go-where-the-road-takes-us travel style, we have to forget these unique experiences.
Still, Milford Sound satisfies, even for those visiting on a day trip packed into a tourist bus with the masses.
Queenstown for adventure seekers (and hoarders)
Queenstown is not just a paradise for nature lovers but also for sporty travelers. The hills surrounding the town offer everything from paragliding to luging. We opt for hiking and a scenic gondola ride. I entertain myself by capturing photos of others enjoying high-adrenaline activities with grins on their faces.
The small town is undeniably touristy. Shops line the streets, selling jewelry, possum-fur slippers, and other ‘essential’ souvenirs.
However, if you like to buy souvenirs, consider something furry: Possum-hunting is for good as this predator is a threat to New Zealand’s natural environment.
At our hostel’s front desk, we meet a fellow Finn, a young woman. When she hears that we’ve been hitchhiking, she tells us it’s so common in New Zealand that her friend hitchhikes to work daily. Otherwise, we mostly talk about mountains.
We agree: A mountainous place is a place to stay, even to build a forever home.
We don’t have a home, so we settle for staring at the scattered belongings on our dorm room floor.
For some inexplicable reason, hostel dorm residents here seem to carry an absurd amount of stuff. Especially clothing, which they spread across the floor like they own the place.
Many temporary workers live in hostels for extended periods, but that still doesn’t explain the sheer volume of their belongings—or their habit of leaving them everywhere.
We keep our small backpacks on our beds, but even there, we sometimes find other people’s sweaty socks and hoodies. We’ve encountered the same phenomenon in Australia.
New Zealand like Japan
Luckily, I’m a minimalist. When I pull my bunk’s privacy curtain shut, I can tell myself: this two-square-meter space is my home, and it’s enough. Other people’s clutter is quickly banished from my tiny quarters!
I start missing Japan, where respect for fellow humans is ingrained from childhood. Even in cramped spaces, people cohabit peacefully—without suffocating their roommates with sweaty socks.
Japan comes to mind again when I step into the shower. This hostel’s special feature is scalding hot water. The first minute is bearable, but then it keeps heating up. There’s no way to adjust it.
I love hot springs, but this is just bizarre.
I quickly learn to wash my hair at lightning speed, even though my Marseille soap isn’t as easy to rinse out as liquid shampoo.
It’s also New Zealand’s landscapes that remind me of Japan.
The Wi-Fi struggle is real
Like in many places in New Zealand, the hostel’s free Wi-Fi is practically non-existent.
For a couple of dollars a day, you can get a slightly better internet connection — enough for a few social media posts, at least. Not ideal for remote work.
As I write this long after our trip to Queenstown, I have to mention that, unfortunately, COVID-19 took down this Base hostel, along with others in the chain. It’s a shame — we stayed in Base hostels across New Zealand and considered them among the best budget accommodations in the country.
A new life plan B – the moment everything changed in Queenstown
After exploring the area’s natural wonders, we stroll through the town. Queenstown is small and doesn’t feel particularly authentic, but it’s still charming.
We decide to have dinner outdoors — literally — despite the chilly air. We enjoy our meal on a restaurant terrace. It’s drizzling, but the mood is good. Why not stop for a nightcap (and some warmth) at a nearby pub before calling it a night?
Ismo had his 50th birthday two days ago. We only had time for a quick cake and coffee celebration in Fremantle, Western Australia, before flying to New Zealand.
At Ismo’s workplace, colleagues celebrate milestones with sweets from around the world. But for his big 50, he wasn’t at work.
The bar is nearly full. We scan the room, looking for a table. We find a small one near the counter and settle in with our drinks.
Ismo checks his phone and suddenly turns serious. His boss has sent a message.
His workplace is about to undergo layoffs.
The news is shocking, but I try to reassure him. “I know love, I know. You love your job, and you don’t want to lose it.”
There and back again – or only there?
Financially, losing his job would be a disaster. We embarked on this journey with a mortgage and no savings. Chasing our dreams, yes—but with a plan to return to work afterward.
We bought our Helsinki home near Ismo’s workplace so he could walk there — even after overtime shifts. Not just for that reason, of course, but because it fit our lifestyle.
I tell my life partner: no need to panic. Let’s assess the probabilities and come up with a Plan B.
First, the obvious: Ismo has worked for the same company for 17 years. His boss has repeatedly urged him to return after the sabbatical.
But in layoff decisions, other factors weigh heavier. We are among the few without young children.
And we’re already far away.
Time to create a proper Plan B. What will we do if…?
We’ll have to tighten our budget, but our unexpected journey to Mordor continues.
We are together, and our rings are still safely on our fingers.
Book recommendations for your journey to New Zealand
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I’m sure you recognized what I referred to in my few sentences…
If you haven’t yet, I recommend you read or watch these before traveling to New Zealand.