Thank you and welcome! Welcome to Little Passport Stories. An online hangout where I’ll collate stories, reviews and pictures of my travels past and present. Along the way I’ll also post some of my top tips, travel essentials and fashion ideas.
Travelling the world is by far my biggest passion in life and I truly hope you enjoy the ride as much as I will sharing my little adventures with you all!
xo
An hour from Queenstown, Wanaka is a small friendly town located on the banks of Lake Wanaka.
One of the best activities in the area is Roys Peak – but it’s not for the feint hearted! It’s a 16km return hike up the zig zag path of Mount Roy. The views are absolutely spectacular and you’ll have such a sense of achievement in getting to the top!
Many visitors to Wanaka will also have heard about #thatwanakatree: A marooned tree growing in the lake. It makes for some wonderful instagram worthy pictures!
Many skiers will also base themselves here – only 20 minutes from Cardrona makes it a great location!
Queenstown is one of the best cities I’ve been to in a long time! It’s young, fun and full of adventure. A definite must visit!
There are so many activities to do in Queenstown and the surrounding areas, however a must do is Bobs Peak. Ride the gondola to the top for views 450 meters above Queenstown! I promise you, you won’t regret it! While at the top, ride the luge down – it’s so much fun for all the family!
In the town itself, a must visit is restaurant Fergburger! Honestly, the best burger I have ever eaten! It’s so worth the queue that you’ll find yourself in to get your hands on one of these. I would quite frankly hop back on a plane from the other side of the world for another of these burgers! Another must, is visiting Cookie Time – a great cookie store with a variety of flavoured cookies, milkshakes and ice creams!
If you’re looking for a great bar in Queenstown, 1876 has some great value drinks in a lovely relaxed environment! However, my favourite bar was Cowboys. We’re talking bucking broncos, cowboy hats, and some great music!
A 45 minute drive outside of Queenstown is Glenorchy – a small frontier town at the northern end of Lake Waikatipu. It’s surrounded by mountains – which were beautifully snow capped during my visit here – as well as lakes, rivers and nearby national parks. There are some wonderful walks here including the Glenorchy Walkway – it’s flat so should be suitable for most hikers/visitors.
If it’s Skiing/Snowboarding your wanting to do in Queenstown, there are 3 ski fields close by: Cardona, The Remarkables and Coronet Peak. We visited Cardrona on our trip and it was a great place for people of all abilities.
Milford Sound is picture perfect – every twist and turn on the journey here provides the most glorious views and scenery I have quite possibly ever seen!
Located in the Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound is around 4/5 hour drive from Queenstown. The drive here is a long but beautiful adventure.
Around half way between Queenstown and Milford Sound lies the towns of Te Anau and Manapouri: perfectly quaint and picturesque! The perfect place for a rest break and to fuel up!
Both towns are located on the shores of the lakes of the same names. Lake Manapouri is stunning! We visited the lake at sunset, sitting on its shores and taking in the breathtaking views! It was beautiful!
Te Anau, a larger town is home to the largest lake in the South Island. With many amenities, this town has everything you could possibly need: coffee shops, restaurants, gift shops. It’s also got the last fuel station before Milford Sound so remember to fill up before heading out!
Milford Sound however is truly the cherry on the cake! It’s one of the most stunning locations I have been to. Take a boat tour to see the beauty in the landscape up close – you may even be able to see some fur seals and dolphins if you’re lucky!
Te Anau
Auckland surpasses my expectations massively! It’s not the bursting metropolis I naively thought it was going to be; Instead, venture both inside and outside the CBD and you’ll come across some of the most wonderful small towns, some great parks and greenery as well as the most amazing culture.
Located on the coast, Auckland is perfectly situated to visit some of the many great islands located just off its shores. Some of the best are Waiheke Island (40 minute ferry) and Rangatoto Island (20 minute ferry).
Venture further out of the city, and the town of Eden is small town living at its finest. Not only is this town lovely but it feels a million miles from the CBD only a few miles away! Local restaurants, cafes and shops are abundant. It’s an especially great place to visit if you’re headed to Eden Park to watch the All Blacks play as it’s only a 10/15 minute walk away!
Waiheke Island is the epitome of wine country. It’s rolling hills covered in vineyards as far as the eye can see are stunning, and there is truly nothing better than enjoying a glass of wine (…or two) while here!
Waiheke Island is located around 20km from Auckland and only 40 mins by ferry from Aucklands central terminal, making it perfect for those wanting to spend the day here! The journey will take you through the Hauraki Gulf, sailing past other islands including the volcanic Rangitoto Island.
For me, the standout on Waiheke Island was Batch Winery. Both the food and the wine was excellent! Their sparking wine was one of the best I’ve had! Batch winery is also the highest-altitude vineyard on Waiheke Island and as such has the most amazing 360-degree views!
Oneroa, the islands biggest town, is also a wonderful place to visit while on Waiheke. It’s got a great selection of shops, cafes and restaurants as well as the Waiheke Wine Centre where you can taste many of the wines from the island!
There are hop on hop off buses available on the island. These run hourly from 09:00 until 18:30. These are a great affordable way of getting around the island!
I would love to return in the summer months to enjoy not only the weather and wine, but also the stunning beaches that Waiheke island harbours.
This wonderful island is an absolute MUST for all visitors to Auckland!
Australia is by far my favourite destination of all time – so far that is!
Australia has it all. You’ll find lovely locals, beautiful beaches and stunning weather pretty much year round – there is no place quite like it!
Australia is famed for its laid back vibes, beach living and its abundant outdoor activities. From surfing and snorkelling to skydiving and hiking there’s nothing you can’t do here.
I visited Australia with a group of friends in October 2017 and we travelled up the east coast of Australia from Sydney to Cairns. We also jumped on a flight and spent a few days in Melbourne to end our trip in style!
I dream (almost daily) of going back to Australia and revisiting some of my favourite places as well as discovering many more places that I missed first time round.
Key Facts:
Currency: Australian Dollar (AUD) 1 AUD = 0.544255 GBP / 1 GBP = 1.83737 AUD
Official Language/s: English
Visa: A visa is required to travel to Australia. British citizens can get an eVisitor visa direct from the Department of Immigration & Border Protection. There is no visa application charge or service fee for this.
Driving: Keep Left! Drive on the left hand side of the road
Adaptors: power plugs and sockets are of type I. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.
Long thought of as one of the most beautiful and picturesque countries on earth, New Zealand – or Aotearoa, its Maori name – gives you everything you could possibly expect plus so so much more.
From it’s mountain ranges, beaches and lakes to its city skylines rolling vineyards and numerous wineries, no landscape on these wonderful islands leaves you feeling like you’re anywhere but in a dream!
I visited New Zealand in August 2019 with my two best friends where we embarked on a two week road trip across the South Island as well as a few days in Auckland.
I can not recommend enough a trip to New Zealand! It lives up to the hype and I honestly can’t wait to return one day soon!
Key Facts
Currency: New Zealand Dollar (NZD) 1 NZD = 0.506354 GBP / 1 GBP = 1.97490 NZD
Official Language/s: English and Maori
Visa: From 1 October 2019, British nationals entering New Zealand as a tourist will need to hold an ETA before travelling to New Zealand. An ETA will last up to 2 years and cost NZD 9 from mobile and NZD 12 for web applications. British passport holders can enter New Zealand as a visitor for up to 6 months upon arrival.
Driving: Keep Left! Drive on the left-hand side of the road
Adaptor: Power plugs and sockets are of type I. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz
