I've been hoping to travel to New Zealand for years, and was beyond excited when I finally booked the trip to make it happen. I normally avoid tours, as I don't care to be bounded to a group of strangers and committed to someone else's agenda. I prefer the freedom of doing it on my own. However, I knew that this wouldn't be the most efficient way to experience New Zealand in just two weeks time. Finding Active New Zealand was just what I wanted for my holiday and am pleased to report it surpassed my expectations. We had a wonderful group of people that liked to laugh, didn't complain and went with the flow. We stayed in charming places with surprising views. The food was fantastic - Nat was an excellent cook and fed us well. We feasted on venison, lamb, steaks, salmon, and more. The activities were perfect. My favorite days were kayaking in Milford Sound and hiking in Mount Cook National Park. The views were amazing and I felt so accomplished after. Some days we needed a little nudge to get out there (like a rainy bike ride), but we were all so happy and proud when we finished. Granted, we did drive a lot, but it is impossible to visit the number of places in the amount of time we had without doing so. Our trip was perfect and it wouldn't have happened without our fantastic guides, Liz and Nat. They, without a doubt, gave us an awesome trip of a lifetime. I would return to one of their trips in a heartbeat.

| January 1970