(written on February 11th from notes taken previously). Undisturbed. 🙏 No additional campers, no DOC workers, and no dead deer carcasses coming back to life to haunt me in the middle of the night. 🎉 After crossing the creek, I tried to follow what Google Maps told me were functional roads back toward civilization, thinking … Continue reading 2026-01-01 (Thursday) — Kaikoura

(written on February 10th from notes taken previously) I continued my experience at Lake Eltwater about how I began it--veging out. 😅 I did take some time to dispose of my trash as well as clean up some trash. 🗑️ Once I finally got my... van in gear 🙃, I started making my down the … Continue reading 2025-12-31 (Wednesday) — Seal Infiltration 🦭😎

(written on February 10th from notes taken previously) Not a very eventful day today, so not much to report. I was late getting going this morning, finally leaving somewhere around 11:30, I think 😅? before heading to the Pak 'N Save in Blenheim to stock up. I think that might be the last Pak 'N … Continue reading 2025-12-30 (Tuesday) — Rain’s Hidden Beauties

(written on the 30th from notes taken yesterday!). I'm grateful for cell phone alarms and countdown timers. 🙏 With check-in at the ferry starting at 6:15 a.m. and running I think until 7:45, I wanted to get there as early as possible, and I certainly didn't want to accidentally sleep in, so I set my … Continue reading 2025-12-29 (Monday) — A Bit South

(written on February 6th from notes taken previously) Nice to have been able to have this place to stay last night. 🙏 Grateful to have the bathroom to use and to empty my onboard containers. With the destinations that I have in mind from here, I've been looking to fill up on fuel each opportunity … Continue reading 2025-12-28 (Sunday) — The Way Is Shut

(written on the 28th!) I don't know if I've gotten a full night's sleep more than just one or two times since I've been in New Zealand. 🙃 Probably most of that is just that I haven't been disciplined enough to go to bed at a decent hour 😅, and the sun comes up so … Continue reading 2025-12-27 (Saturday) — Nature’s Cathedral

(written on February 6th from notes taken previously). Definitely a much less physically active day today. 🙃 I got up at the Kiwi Camp place and headed back over to the Tupapakurua Falls car park. The hike turned out to be a super long one, and after everything yesterday, wasn't quite sure if I was … Continue reading 2025-12-26 (Friday) — Ithilien

(written on January 6th from notes taken previously) I was a bit nervous having parked where I did last night. Not sure if I would or could get in trouble for it, so it was pretty easy to get up this morning. 😅 Gratefully, I wasn't disturbed, so either I was in an acceptable place, … Continue reading 2025-12-25 (Thursday) — A Doomed Christmas

(written on February 9th from notes taken previously). Well, according to my maps, I got to the Freedom camping place just a little bit after midnight last night. 🙃 And I wasn't quick getting going this morning. 😅 I veged out for a little bit, availed myself of the nearby long drop, found that someone … Continue reading 2025-12-24 (Wednesday) — Of Caps and Cliffs and Caves

(written on February 9th from notes taken previously). It was a rainy morning. 🌧️ Having spent so much time yesterday with good weather, my face planted in my cell phone screen trying to get everything figured out for my trip, I thought about the irony of it being a rainy day today instead of yesterday. … Continue reading 2025-12-23 (Tuesday) — Taranaki Slide