A small update on the first days in the South of New Zealand, which is truly impressive and much more popular with tourists than the North.
After the ferry and a few hours of driving along a beautiful coastline, we reached our first stop in the South Island — the Abel Tasman Coast Track, one of New Zealand's official "Great Walks".
Too Much of a Good Thing
At the beginning we were shocked by the sheer number of people. For the first 10 kilometres you pass dozens of people every minute — Jet Ski and boat engines in the distance, loud music from every corner, kayak and tour companies pushing their products at every turn. We were quite disappointed. A place known for its unique nature completely overwhelmed by tourism.
Further along, the track grows quieter and we found a lovely spot to sleep in the middle of the forest, near a river formation called Cleopatra Pools. The only problem was a bird — a fake Kiwi — with absolutely zero fear of humans, determined to steal anything left unattended.
Let's just say that cooking dinner was a real challenge.
For the Great Walks, you must book official campsites in advance online — and pay, of course. For some you need to book a year ahead, which is simply impossible for travellers like us. So we wanted a wilder experience. Unfortunately, the next day we ended up paying a fine for illegal camping. And feeling so fed up with the commercial atmosphere of the whole thing, after 30 kilometres of walking we called it quits. We will not do another New Zealand Great Walk. They are beautiful, but far too business-oriented and no longer truly wild.
Hitchhiking in the Dark and a Farm Rescue
Right after the trek, we tried hitchhiking back to the car. Not an easy task — it was late, and not many cars wanted to stop. After an hour it started to get dark, and we were on the verge of pitching our tent in the middle of nowhere when an amazing kiwi couple pulled over and invited us to spend the night on their sheep and cow farm.
We couldn't have imagined a better ending to such a tough, tiring and frustrating day. They even knew where Lithuania is! We had so many wonderful conversations and learned so much about the country. William even tried herding sheep with his drone the next morning. That farm stay is the part of the Abel Tasman experience we will remember most.
Beyond the Track: Nelson Lakes and the West Coast
After the farm we explored further — the calm waters of Nelson Lakes National Park with its beautiful black swans, the dramatic Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki, and the wild, famous West Coast highway.
The South Island keeps delivering — every corner of road reveals another jaw-dropping view. We can see why it draws so many travellers, even if sometimes the crowds make you wish you had the place to yourself.