I enjoyed the busy city life in Melbourne for a few days, but soon the adventurer and nature seeker in me took over again. It so happens that one of the best road trips in the world is around the corner: The Great Ocean Road. It is also the world's largest war memorial, dedicated to soldiers killed during World War I. After a wonderful group trip in Rotorua, I was again looking to share the experience with other people. It didn't take long to gather a group, which coincidentally consisted only of Germans. We roughly followed the guide from Lauren. In a time of popularity-oriented LLMs and influencers sharing "must-do's" after spending one day in a foreign place, I highly appreciate the valuable knowledge of a local person. In theory, one can do the Great Ocean Road in a single day, but I can't imagine that being a good experience. Instead, we decided to stay a night in Port Campbell. It was also nice to have another driver on board, so we could split the driving time. Bell's Beach The first highlight was Bells Beach, the home of the world's longest continuously running pro-surfing competition (since 1962). Despite the rain, we spotted multiple people surfing the waves. Anglesea Golf Club "There are no kangaroos in Austria…", but there are in Australia! We spotted a couple of them along the way, but they quickly disappeared into the bush. We decided to go to the Anglesea Golf Club, known for its wild kangaroos. You can buy an overpriced tour on the golf course, but there were lots of kangaroos outside as well. As responsible tourists, we kept our distance, but they seemed to be only mildly interested in us. Aireys Inlet Our next short stop was at Aireys Inlet and the famous (among Australians) Split Point Lighthouse. Memorial Arch Half an hour after the official beginning of the Great Ocean Road in Torquay, we reached the Memorial Arch. The traffic was low, so we took the opportunity to get the iconic photo. Kennett River After a short detour to Teddy's Lookout, we headed toward the next spot. Kennett River is a tiny village, mostly known for wild koalas living nearby. We followed the path through the forest, but actually spotting those furry bears turned out to be a challenge. However, with four pairs of eyes (and some exchanges with other tourists), we were able to see four or five different individuals high in the trees. Keep your eyes open when driving, too. If you notice people standing next to the main road, there's probably some wildlife around. Loch Ard Gorge After checking into our hostel, we had enough time for a quick stop at Loch Ard Gorge. Twelve Apostles A few minutes away, right before sunset, we finally reached our main destination: the Twelve Apostles. It was by far the most crowded place, and I wouldn't like to see what it's like around noon with all the day visitors. However, there's a lot of space, so we mostly didn't have to fight for a viewpoint. While the sunset and the view were great, it wasn't the life-changing experience it's claimed to be. It's a solid 8/10 spot, but nowhere near the hype it is given. We followed the recommendation from the guide and revisited the Twelve Apostles the next morning. I'm so glad we did, as the vibe is different and it's way less crowded. Stargazing After a long and exciting day, we were all tired. Two of us had some motivation left, and we decided to once again see the Milky Way. We didn't have to drive long to reach a fully dark spot. The sky was slightly cloudy, but it was a great experience nonetheless. London Bridge The next morning, we started at the London Bridge. The formation was once connected to the mainland, but it collapsed in 1990. Gibson Steps The Gibson Steps Beach differs from the other spots, as you can climb down the steps to reach the beach, offering a different perspective. We also did a quick and fun photo shoot! Redwoods Otways I still remember being impressed by the tall redwoods in Rotorua, so I was looking forward to visiting the Redwoods Otways. The place is also great for a picnic. Waterfalls Given the time, we decided to visit two out of the three recommended waterfalls. The 45-minute walk to see the Triplet Falls is a nice way to escape the heat. While the waterfall itself is impressive, there's no good (official) spot to enjoy it unobstructed. Because of that, I found it underwhelming. Our second choice was the Beauchamp Falls, mainly because it is possible to swim near the waterfall. It takes 1.5 km one way to reach the spot, and it's slightly more demanding. For the most part, we had the spot all to ourselves. After reaching the waterfall, our expectations were literally chilled. Two of us didn't even try to get into the water, while another person tried but backed down quickly. Following my Yes Man approach, I once again took up the challenge. After my caving adventure, the water was not as freezing as I had expected. Still, at only 10–15 °C, it officially counted as my first ice bath. Without a wetsuit, I quickly noticed all kinds of body reactions, but it got better over time. Finally, I swam all the way to the waterfall to round out this unique experience. Me jumping into the water was enough to motivate my companion to follow through, and we both enjoyed the dopamine hit. After getting out of the water, I had to face my initial worry: getting warm again. My extra-light towel was enough to get me dry. I put my clothes on and rushed back to the car, using the heat from the physical activity. I'm not sure how healthy this was, but it worked pretty well 😅. Fauna Apart from kangaroos and koalas, I had two noteworthy bird encounters. A laughing kookaburra A red wattlebird

“I will not say "Do not weep", for not all tears are an evil.” ― The Lord of the Rings On my way to the last stop in New Zealand, I spent a good amount of time at the Ōhau Point Lookout, which is known for a nearby fur seal colony. At one point, another photographer pointed out dolphins in the ocean. While they were far away, it was interesting to see their acrobatic talents in action. My trip ended in Kaikōura, with a rocky beach right next to my hostel. I also visited the Kaikōura Seal Colony. There is a (rather symbolic) barrier to prevent people from coming too close to the fur seals, but the animals don't care. Some relaxed next to the main pathway. Giving up the kayak-and-hike tour was a hard yet correct decision. My body appreciated a little rest, and I've been recovering quickly. Passing on what I imagined to be the highlight of the South Island was even more difficult, and I decided to YOLO accept the potential health consequences. I felt well enough for the Dolphin Encounter, a tour where you get to snorkel with wild dolphins in the ocean. Before the tour, we were warned about high waves, low visibility and no 100% guarantee of actually spotting dolphins. However, I wasn't going to bail at this point. After putting on the gear and watching a short introduction video, it was time for a boat trip. Our experienced spotters quickly found the first dolphins. I had only snorkeled once before, and it was a struggle back then. With the high waves and being far from shore, I was slightly anxious about the upcoming adventure. It went better this time, even though I was still getting water in my mask. Now it was up to the dolphins to decide if we were interesting enough. They were somewhat curious but didn't stay in the same spot for long. I had some close encounters, which was a fascinating experience! After four or five dives, it was time to go back. However, after spotting some whales jumping out of the water, the trip turned into a small whale-watching excursion! I only wish I had brought my camera with me. This marks the end of my five-week New Zealand trip 🥲. I could have spent more time in this beautiful, diverse country, but I also wanted to see other interesting places. Stay tuned!

“Well, I’ve made up my mind, anyway. I want to see mountains again, Gandalf.” ― The Lord of the Rings Wānaka is a smaller, less commercialized resort town compared to Queenstown, with a population of around 13 000, but it's as exciting. On my way to Wānaka, I made a quick stop at the Crown Range Lookout, which offers an amazing view over the Queenstown area — especially during the golden hour. Once reaching a cozy hostel in Wānaka, I was greeted by a fitting name tag that has been selected for me. The main "hub" of the town is scattered around Lake Wānaka, where you chill or do some water-based activities. Probably the most popular spot in Wānaka is That Wānaka Tree, a willow tree surrounded by water from the lake. Yes, that's the official name coming from the #ThatWanakaTree social media hashtag. During the day, the place is too crowded to take a good photo of "New Zealand's most famous tree", but after the sun goes down, you have this place all to yourself. Put your camera on a tripod, hope for a clear sky, and you can get some magical shots. Lord of the Rungs The activity I was looking for the most was Lord of the Rungs by Wildwire, a via ferrata next to a waterfall. With 450 meters, it is the highest waterfall via ferrata in the world. You can choose from three levels, differing in length and price. It's a single track with early exits, so level 3 continues after completing the first two levels. I was concerned about the difficulty of level 3, but I went all-in. Surprisingly, hanging on the side of a cliff and looking down didn't scare me as much as I thought. On the contrary: it enforced my wish to transition from bouldering to rock climbing in the future. I've once had a fear of heights, but over the years, I seem to have mostly cured it. Now I enjoy the thrill. During the tour, we've crossed seven suspension bridges. On some, we've suspended ourselves by the rope and let go for the extra thrill. The first two levels are fun, but I didn't find them physically challenging. The third level is what makes this activity one of my highlights in New Zealand. It included steeper sections and one overhang. With my bouldering experience, the track was fun but rather cozy. Others were visibly struggling, but still managed to complete the climb. At one point, we walked behind a 60m waterfall — a truly memorable experience. Once we've reached the top, a helicopter picked us up. It wasn't my first time flying in a helicopter, but I've never been on board during landing 😄. The descent was quick but exciting. In total, it took us around five hours to complete the via ferrata (including the preparations). Roys Peak Wānaka is also a great base for hikers. One destination that has been mentioned over and over was Roys Peak, along with its less famous sibling Isthmus Peak. I wanted to see the mountains again and decided to go with the more popular option. Both hiking tracks are described as somewhat demanding, but after the Tongariro Crossing, I was up for the challenge. Many backpackers went for the sunrise, but this meant waking up around 3:30 am. Due to my planned night activity (see next section), I wasn't willing to do that. However, I did like the idea of starting a hike before the sunrise, and I also had to justify buying a head torch in Queenstown 😄. I decided to start around 6 am. What seemed like a lose-lose scenario (waking up early but not seeing the sunrise at the peak) was actually a great decision. I still experienced the sunrise during the hike, which was maybe even more beautiful. More importantly, the otherwise crowded peak was mostly empty: the early birds were hiking down, while regular hikers haven't arrived yet. I was aware of the demanding hike, but the first challenges came before even reaching the starting point. First, I was greeted with a frozen windshield. With no ice scraper in the car, I had to improvise one with a credit card, which worked pretty well. Another problem was finding a parking spot. I arrived at 6:30 am, and the official parking lot was already full, even at the end of peak season (pun intended). I found a somewhat sketchy spot and was once again glad I rented a compact SUV car. Later I discovered a paid parking lot that I could have used. The hike is straightforward yet steep. I only needed my head torch for the first half an hour. After an hour, I could enjoy the sunrise with a beautiful view. A few curious sheep completed the scenery. After 2 hours and 20 minutes, I've reached the famous lookout. I already briefly mentioned Instagram factories, and this one is no exception. You can observe one person after another walking or running to the end of a short path. I didn't intend to take the famous shot, but as mentioned, the spot was almost empty (compared to midday). We were maybe 10–15 people in total. I took my telephoto lens with me just in case, and I was glad I did. I offered a group of people an offer they couldn't reject. After taking turns, each of us got a "unique" photo (as unique as taking the same photo hundreds of times a day can be). Luckily, a cloud has formed out of nothing right behind the spot, adding a little bit of mystery. While I did make a few poses, the best part was the actual view. It's a little bit cliché, but this spot feels like standing at the top of the world. Now, when people talk about Roys Peak, they often think about the Instagram spot. In fact, from all the people I've met and talked to, only one person reached the actual top. I had to do it. After all, it's called Roys Peak and not Roys Instagram Lookout 🤷 It took me another 30 minutes to reach the top, and it was definitely worth it. I think this section offers equally great (and unique) photo opportunities. On my way down, I saw a few paragliders launching from the mountain. It took me 2 hours and 10 minutes to walk straight from the top to my car. I've met lots of hikers going in the opposite direction again, especially from France. 💡 I was curious about the missing apostrophe in names like "Roys Peak". It's probably following the U.S. Board on Geographic Names policy dating back to 1890 to discourage the use of possessive forms and apostrophes. Total lunar eclipse This year's total lunar eclipse was mainly visible in New Zealand and Australia. Even after my long hike, I was definitely not missing that, especially as the sky was almost clear. I was fortunate to experience this spectacle in real time. Once the earth shadow fully covers the moon, we get what is called the Blood Moon, due to its red color. This is not to be confused with the honey moon in June, which has only a slight yellow/red tint.

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” ― The Lord of the Rings Dunedin is a former Scottish settlement, which becomes apparent after a quick walk through the city. The name is an anglicization of the Gaelic name for Edinburgh. It is counterintuitively pronounced /dɐˈniːdɘn/ (duh-nee-din). I arrived on a Saturday during the Chinese New Year Festival, so the city was full. In fact, there was not a single accommodation available in the entire city, as a person I drove with had to find out the hard way. The first thing I noticed is how hilly the city is. Driving here was an interesting experience. I should have seen that coming, knowing about the Baldwin Street in Dunedin: the steepest street in the world. The slope is 35%, which means the ground rises 1m for every 2.86m you cover horizontally. It's famous enough to have tourist buses stop here. I also liked the botanical garden, as it was a mix of a park and a forest. Otago Peninsula Next to Dunedin, there is the Otago Peninsula, a nature and wildlife paradise. The main road mostly follows the coastline. While it is scenic, it also contains countless curves, but I got used to that by now. I like to check Google Maps for points of interest along the route I take, which helps me find less known spots like the Pineapple Rock. My main destination was OPERA: The Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance. It is a private eco-reserve dedicated to conservation, rehabilitation, restoration and education. The former working farm is being transitioned back to a native forest, offering a safe habitat to many species. I booked the Canopy to Coast Tour, which is an educational hike through the reserve. The yellow-eyed penguin (hoiho) is one of the rarest penguins in the world and is classified as endangered. In the past two decades, its population decreased by 75%. Saving those birds is one of the main goals of OPERA. The smallest penguin species, the little blue penguin (kororā), is also living in the reserve. We've spotted a few in their small shelters. The reserve is also a great place for other birds. While still sitting in my car, I've already spotted the first one, a tūī. Similar to parrots, they can replicate human speech, but also other sounds, like glass shattering. The endemic New Zealand fantail (pīwakawaka) became one of my favorite birds. They like to follow people during a hike, as our steps might reveal bugs below the earth. In Māori mythology, the fantail was responsible for the presence of death in the world. To this day, the bird is considered either a good or bad omen, depending on the region. The swamp harrier (kāhu) is one of only three birds of prey in New Zealand. Around the beach, there were many sea lions and fur seals. Fur seals are more closely related to sea lions than seals, making the distinction between those two species tricky. We've also learned much about the regional flora. The endemic tree nettle (ongaonga) is one of the most poisonous plants in New Zealand. The sting reactions can last for weeks and the reaction can be fatal. As it's a native species, OPERA doesn't remove those plants. Driving in New Zealand: Part II For the south island, I have booked the same small economy car model, as I got used to it. After talking about my plans with the lady from the rental company, she highly suggested to get a compact SUV instead for just a few more dollars. I haven't driven a car of that size before, but I've been warned about the curvy, hilly and narrow roads on the south island. I didn't have the feeling that she was trying to squeeze more money out of me (she argued against a proper SUV). But I also remembered my friend telling me a similar story, so I decided to do it. Spoiler alert: it was a great decision. Do you remember how proud I was to not have confused the windshield wipers and turn signals in New Zealand? Well, that's because my Suzuki Swift didn't have them switched as I had assumed 🤦 This time, the controls were actually inversed. It only took me until the parking exit to notice that 😆 The mistake happened three or four times after that, so it was still fine.

“I know we are going to take a very long road, into darkness; but I know I can't turn back.” ― The Lord of the Rings Black Abyss Waitomo is mostly known for their glowworm caves. Most people book a short boat ride to view the countless New Zealand glowworms (Arachnocampa luminosa). I probably wouldn't include this activity in my trip if there wasn't a much more adventurous alternative: the Black Abyss, a caving tour. After putting on a wetsuit, you start with a 35 m abseil into a pitch dark cave. While you're waiting for the others, you can already admire the first glowworms. Next, you do a short zipline inside the cave, with more glowworms above you. After a short break with hot chocolate and a cookie, you jump with a big tube into the dark, refreshing water. What follows is a short light painting photo session. For the next hour or so, you are swimming and/or floating on your tube through the big cave. Despite the wetsuit and the hot chocolate, it was freezing cold, getting worse over time. My teeth were chattering, slightly distracting from the otherwise awesome experience. Once you reach a dead end, you form a "tube train" with your group, and the guide slowly pulls you all back to the starting point. You can now once again enjoy thousands of glowworms in what feels like a star-spangled sky. You also learn a few interesting facts about those creatures. Glowworms are not related to fireflies in any way. It's mostly the larvae that exhibit the largest bioluminescence. They use this technique to attract prey, and the hungriest individuals will glow the strongest. There's also a small waterfall, which makes for another great photo opportunity. After you give back your tube, you'll continue the caving tour by foot, following more narrow passages. Finally, you are given a decision to leave the cave the easy way or climb your way out on cascading underground waterfalls. I probably don't have to mention the option I've chosen 🧗 I expected this to be the highlight of the north island, and I wasn't disappointed! While I've had many "first time" experiences in New Zealand, this tour combined a couple of those in a 4–5 hour time span. Omaru Falls On my way to Waitomo, I did a short walk to the Omaru Falls. I can imagine the waterfall looking nice during sunshine, but after rain it's just a brown soup falling down. With long exposure, it still looks interesting, though. Fauna There are no (new) birds this time, but I've made some other encounters. Another cicada A single goat chilling at a river. A captivated T-Rex in Te Kuiti