New Zealand

My cruise ship makes stops at a few working ports not usually home to passenger cruise lines, they're far more practical and industrial and not at all glammed up for visitors like the cruise terminals are. At most of the working ports you'll see shipping containers stacked high in primary colours with speckled rust across the obnoxious corperate branding. There's a constant hum of machinery and giant cranes moving overhead that feel unsettling to walk beneath. Not the most pleasant start for visiting a new place. Here in New Zealand the working ports are mostly used for timber transportation and the first view sets the scene for these ports perfectly. Without stepping off the ship you can already smell the newly chopped wood and fresh mountain air, as you walk down the ramp to the dock you start to see logs stacked high at an impressive scale and variety, but still completely dwarfed by a backdrop of mountains that stretch the horizon. Trees, mountains and an abundance of wildlife and nature, and a diverse culture that respects its environment. The reason I'm so keen on New Zealand is that it feels like here, nature is winning. 

A great example of this was a trip I took to Zealandia (the world's first urban sanctuary). Supposedly mammals have only existed in New Zealand for the last 800 years, during that time a lot of damage was done, sailors brought animals that were not native to the area and released them to encourage breeding for meat, this meant a lot of the birds’native to the area became prey to the newly introduced species who didn't have any natural predators before this, and so as they hadn't built up any defense mechanisms they were quickly wiped out to extinction or to the brink. Zealandia is an immersive venture into the local wildlife, a predator proof fence keeps out the creatures responsible for doing the damage in an attempt to turn back the clock, this 500-year plan aims to bring some of    New Zealand's most impressive creatures back from extinction and to return the forest to its former glory, walking through this impressive stretch of land felt very special. It's an impressive task to take on, erasing the damage caused by man all those years ago, but people here are very environmentally conscious, they're not fazed by the time scale of this plan and the constant vigilance required, they're happy to make small steps towards sustainability every day. this attitude is reflected throughout New Zealand. Even the shopping intended for tourists here is refreshing, I've mentioned before how much I abhor the trinkets and Knick Knacks pedaled across the world, identical plastic tat with the name of wherever you happen to be visiting etched into it in garish colours designed to evoke feelings of happiness and holiday excitement. Here it's very different, there's the usual local crafts which I tend to enjoy, sold at farmers markets and one-off stores, there’s lots of medicinal plants made into blends for various ailments and honey and jams, and in the more commercial stores it's things like reusable food wraps, fold away shopping bags and thermos flasks, I like this kind of mindfulness and regard for the planet.

The main highlight for me was the fjords, Milford, dusky and doubtful sounds, it's impossible to put into words the scale of these untamed mountainous cliffs formed by glaciers. Viewed from the open deck, we sailed through at a crawl, observing the stillness of it all, broken only by waterfalls bursting through razor edged rock and tumbling to the depths of the pristine turquoise waters below. I often came up to the open deck with a hot chocolate early in the morning as we made our way to the mouth of the valley, it was amazing to see the colours of sunrise move through the skies in such an impressive environment and feel the wonder of the scenery. Every visit felt different because the weather can transform it from a silent bushy oasis to a roaring soundscape of waterfalls, the soundscape after heavy rainfall is unlike anything else. 

I had an amazing time in New Zealand, there’s so many beautiful hikes and nature trails, trees higher than anything you’ve seen before and caves filled with glowing insects. Definitely one of the most stunning and dramatic places I’ve had a chance to visit.