There and Back Again…
3rd March 2016
It’s not often one of your best friends gets married, what a brilliant excuse for a trip of a lifetime on the other side of the world!! Truth be told New Zealand was never really on my bucket list but me and Lucy have been friends since we were kids and she is one of the most lovely caring people I know. Her wedding day had always been a big thing for her, so for me it was a no brainer, especially when she asked me to be a bridesmaid! I’d never been a bridesmaid before, I’d never really been to many weddings, so I was really excited to be part of her big day and at the same time slightly terrified of stumbling down the isle.
I’d known for more than a year, but it crept up on me so quickly and before I knew it I was en route – first stop Beijing! I had a really long stopover so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to get out and explore the city.
China has always fascinated me, it’s just so different. My friend had told me about a cool place where he’d lived called Gulou, so I went to check it out. I read that it’s basically Beijing’s answer to Shoreditch, the cool hangout for Chinese hipsters, or Chipsters as they’re fondly called. It wasn’t that busy as it was a Wednesday afternoon but I did see some funky all in one snow suits! I also loved how everyone rode around with their coats over the handlebars of their scooters…ingenious!
I spent my afternoon getting lost in the winding streets and trying a whole host of weird street food. The weirdest possibly being back alley steamed chestnut cake which I wouldn’t really recommend but the soup which you sucked out of a dumpling with a straw and and the extremely popular whole fried squid were a definite must try!!
After another VERY long flight with very little sleep I finally arrived in Auckland ready(ish) to start hen party celebrations. Sarah, Lucy’s maid of honour, had planned a weekend of fun from a very classy trip to the stunning Stoneyride winery on Waheke island to the ‘Men of Steel’ show….let’s just say what happens on a hen’s party stays on the hen’s party, although anyone who’s seen Magic Mike might get the gist.
I decided to stay a couple of days longer in Auckland to fulfil a childhood fantasy by visiting The Shire, the home of the Hobbits!! There was no hiding my LOTR geekiness, I was over brimming with excitement as the coach rolled down the hill into Hobbiton. Some of my oldest memories are of my Dad reading me and my sister bedtime stories from The Hobbit, round doors and rolling hills, garden parties and a pint at the Green Dragon. To experience it all was just incredible, I just wished my Dad could’ve been there too. It was amazing how much detail Peter Jackson’s production company had gone into for something that was on screen for about 30 seconds, but I suppose that’s why it’s so magical.
Next stop Christchurch! We were on serious wedding duty so I didn’t see much of the city itself but it was pretty interesting even just to drive through. Devastated by the major earthquake five years ago which destroyed about 80% of the city, I was shocked and amazed by peoples stories from that day but it was so cool to see how the city has started to rebuild itself. I love how it embraced this tragedy as part of its history with creative quirky hangouts like the Re:Start Container Mall, a shopping area made up of shipping containers. Although huge progress was apparent the scaffolding and empty spaces were a painful reminder of how much the city suffered.
It turns out organising a wedding is pretty stressful, especially when you’re doing the majority of it yourselves, and when I say the majority I really do mean it. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the image of us all stood around looking at a mass of poles and material whilst Lucy’s husband-to-be was looking up “how to put up a marquee” on Youtube. It was tough but it was definitely worth it. The whole day was simply stunning, from the flowers to the dress to the glorious weather, everything was perfect!
My final stop was Queenstown, as the plane literally dipped into the valley (believe me it’s not for the faint hearted) you’re greeted by the most stunning view of lakes and mountains and blue skies, the picture perfect poster of New Zealand, this was what I really wanted to see.
Probably the most picturesque place I visited was Milford Sound. It was a very long bus ride away but it was definitely worth it. This stunning national park has been the set of many-a-film including x-men origins, Narnia and of course The Lord of the Rings. Blow-your-mind-beauty mixed with waterfalls, dolphins and a fish and chip lunch – it really couldn’t get any better!
To combat the copious amount of Sauvignon Blanc I had to sample (when in Rome) I did do quite a few hikes including a mammoth 6 hour trek up Roy’s Peak in Wanaka. Yep it was pretty long, but just look at that view! Being in New Zealand, the home of adventure sports, I wanted to do a skydive but alas the wind wouldn’t let me! Oh well, I guess it just means I have to go back!
