Seven nights, eight days, more than 1700 kilometres, thousands of sandflies, and the best weather are how I would sum up my summer road trip.
For the first time in my working life, I had time off over Christmas and New Year and I didn’t want to waste any of it, so I made sure my time off was full of family, friends and travel.
My long-distance boyfriend Matt spent Christmas with my family in Hawke’s Bay, then on Boxing Day, we flew to Christchurch, where we saw my grandparents and Matt’s mum.
By 3pm on Boxing Day, we had packed up Matt’s 1989 Hilux Surf and headed off to explore the West Coast of the South Island.
The first stop on the roadie was Arthur’s Pass, where we stayed the night at the Christchurch Tramping Club hut.
In the morning, we climbed the 240 zigzagging steps up to Devil’s Punchbowl, where we felt the full force of the 131-metre-high waterfall and, on the way down, I stopped and dipped my feet in the crisp, clear Bealey River.
From Arthur’s Pass, we headed to Hokitika, where we walked along the beach, took a photo with the iconic driftwood sign, and brought a much-needed sun hat.
We spent the night at the Hokitika Kiwi Holiday Park, where we could sleep in the back of the truck and use the campsite facilities to charge up our phones and have a nice hot shower.
Day three of the road trip was our busiest day, full of new heights, beautiful trails, and amazing views.
West Coast Tree Top Walk, in Hokitika. Photo / Supplied
We started off the day at the Westcoast Tree Top Walk, 20m high in the ancient rimu and kamahi tree canopy. After walking around the treetops, we ascended the 45m-high tower that looked out over the whole forest and Lake Mahinupua.
From the treetops, we headed to the Hokitika Gorge, and the crisp light blue water was absolutely breathtaking; crossing the swingbridge, you could not help but stop and get lost in the tranquillity.
The sun was beating down and the trail was rather busy; however, we found a perfect spot to sit and dip our feet in the icy blue gorge.
Hokitika Gorge, West Coast. Photo / Maddisyn Jeffares
As beautiful as it was, we couldn’t go for a swim as the water’s ice-cold temperatures and strong currents make swimming dangerous, and there were signs all around warning visitors not to swim.
From the gorge, we had a quick stop in Shantytown, a recreation of a 1900s pioneer town showing visitors what it was like in the great West Coast gold rushes of the 1860s.
Punakaiki Pancake rocks, West Coast. Photo / Maddisyn Jeffares
The last stop of the day before setting up camp was at the Punakaiki pancake rocks and blowholes, which were stunning; I could have stood there for hours and watched the waves crash against the stacked rock cliffs.
Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes Walk, West Coast. Photo / Supplied
As we drove from one exciting spot to the next, I could feel my left leg and arm slowly warming in the heat of the sun coming through the passenger window.
By the time we finally made it to our camping spot along the Waitakere/Nile River under the limestone cliffs in Charleston, my legs and arms were looking a bit more tan than they were when we left Hokitika.
Officially into our third night of the road trip, the bug repellant finally had to come out.
Getting eaten alive, we realised we had made a big rookie mistake by failing to bring bug nets for the windows of the truck.
Charleston limestone cliffs, West Coast. Photo / Maddisyn Jeffares
By 8pm, it was still 19C, and we decided there was no way we could sleep with all the windows closed, so we threw a spare tarpaulin over the back of the truck, and Matt put the spare tire on top of the vehicle to keep the tarp down.
That worked for five seconds before the itchy buggers made their way in, and we ended up having to do up all the truck windows, which essentially turned the truck into a sauna.
Even while I was stuck in a hotbox of sandflies and Matt’s smelly feet, I remember thinking how jealous I was of those who travelled fulltime.
I love my job, but I don’t think I realised how hard it would be to return to work after my summer adventure.
