Aotearoa Adventures: The New Zealand Travel Podcast

Heather Marston had a mantra that she would never visit the same place twice...but that was before she had been to Aoraki Mount Cook. From ski trips as a child, to a study abroad program during uni and later moving to New Zealand, Heather says the curiosity for adventure was sparked early on in life. She shares about a particular trip to Mount Cook National Park in winter, where the weather looked miserable, but it turned into a magical experience in the snow. Heather shares all the different trails in and around Mount Cook village - Hooker Valley is a must-do; Mueller Hut is for a longer trip; Kea Point is best at sunset; Tasman lake is great for sunrise; Governers and Bowen bush walks are good for a rainy day; Sealy Tarns is steep but rewarding. Heather also talks about accommodation options to stay in the National Park - from the Hermitage Hotel to the DOC campsite, there are choices for everyone. Her best advice for travelling in New Zealand is to allow for flexibility and have an open mind - because you never know what you'll experience.

For quick and easy meals for all your outdoor adventures, use the code ABIGAIL for free shipping on your next Back Country Cuisine order: bit.ly/44uFDAB

>> Come to Nepal with us on a group trip in October 2024: https://bit.ly/49AvnIz <<

Thank you so much for tuning in and coming along for the ride. If you love the show and enjoyed listening, please take the time to leave a review on Apple or Spotify. I would also love to connect with you, so send me a DM on Instagram, leave me a voice message and I can’t wait to see you next time. Until then, keep adventuring :)

Follow Heather on Instagram: instagram.com/beanwandering/

newzealandwanderer.com

Read the Blog: www.abigailhannah.nz

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Host Abigail Hannah set out to do the longest hike she'd ever done - solo! Abigail breaks down the how she decided to set out on the Old Ghost Road on her own and all she did to prepare for this. Knowing and preparing her gear was a significant part of the journey to independence and Abigail breaks down her gear list (below). While Abigail absolutely thrived in the first three days of her journey, soaking in and enjoying the beautiful views, the challenges came on day 4 and 5. Abigail's strength and resilience was tested as she struggled physically and mentally, being pushed far out of her comfort zone. She shares the glimmers - moments which brought her joy on the trail, and moments of despair, where tears were the only option. Feeling a huge sense of accomplishment when she finished 85km over 5 days on the Old Ghost Road has inspired Abigail to do some more solo hikes - but perhaps after she's forgotten the pain. Her advice to anyone else wanting to start out solo is to do something smaller and build up to a big trip.

For quick and easy meals for all your outdoor adventures, use the code ABIGAIL for free shipping on your next Back Country Cuisine order: bit.ly/44uFDAB

>>> Come to Nepal with us on a group trip in October 2024: ⁠bit.ly/49AvnIz⁠ <<<

Thank you so much for tuning in and coming along for the ride. If you love the show and enjoyed listening, please take the time to leave a review on Apple or Spotify. I would also love to connect with you, so send me a DM on Instagram, leave me a voice message and I can’t wait to see you next time. Until then, keep adventuring :)

Watch:

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Stories

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Read the Blog: www.abigailhannah.nz

Old Ghost Road Packing List

Food: Breakfast (x5 instant oats packets), lunch (x6 OSM all-terrain apricot bars), dinner (x5 Back Country Cuisine meals (Spicy Beef Nachos, Thai Chicken Curry, Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Fettuccine) and Apple Pie) (ad), snacks (dried mango, jerky sticks, nut mix - in separate zip-lock bags for each day).

Clothes: Merino singlet baselayer, x2 merino long-sleeve top, merino leggings, polyester leggings, lightweight easy-dry shorts, x3 merino socks, beanie, thin polyester gloves, x6 undies, x2 bras, baseball cap, puffer jacket, micro puffer vest.

Gear: Osprey Eja 48 womens hiking pack, LOWA Lady Light goretex hiking boots (ad), warfighter athletic raincoat, rain pants, macpac hiking poles, Black Diamond head torch, rented PLB.

Other: Toiletries (sunscreen, moisturiser, toothbrush, toothpaste, lipbalm), first aid kit (x3 bandaids, crepe bandage, x5 panadol, x5 brufen, x6 antihistamine tablet, antiseptic cream, antihistamine cream, x4 blister bandaids, hikers wool, tape), tech (kindle, phone, powerbank, charger, airpods).

Olly Dow is 17 years old, based in Tauranga with a huge love for the outdoors. When he's not at school or on a weekend adventure, he's working at macpac or training with youth search and rescue (YSAR). He shares about the first time he went tramping without his parents - and how it was a pivotal moment that has enabled him to have many more trips with his mates. Olly shares about a recent 11 day tramp in the Kaweka ranges with a mate. One of the lessons learnt is that you can't be prepared for everything - as increased rainfall meant their river crossing was too risky and the duo had to replan the second half of their journey. We chat about the importance of good raincoat and what Olly's essentials are for a tramp. He talks about how he's convinced his friends to join him on his adventures and advice for other young people that want to get outdoors more. Olly now has his sights on an 850km multi-sport expedition crossing the width of New Zealand from the East Cape to Taranaki.

For quick and easy meals for all your outdoor adventures, use the code ABIGAIL for free shipping on your next Back Country Cuisine order: bit.ly/44uFDAB

>>> Come to Nepal with us on a group trip in October 2024: bit.ly/49AvnIz <<<

Thank you so much for tuning in and coming along for the ride. If you love the show and enjoyed listening, please take the time to leave a review on Apple or Spotify. I would also love to connect with you, so send me a DM on Instagram, leave me a voice message and I can’t wait to see you next time. Until then, keep adventuring :)

Follow Olly on Instagram: instagram.com/olly.dow/

www.ollydow.com

Read the Blog: www.abigailhannah.nz

Follow Abigail on Instagram: instagram.com/abigailhannnah/

Follow Abigail on TikTok: tiktok.com/@abigailhannnah/

Based in Wanaka, Nick Pascoe is surrounded by opportunities for adventure. Combining his passions, Nick had the idea to ski, packraft and tramp from Mt Aspiring to the Tasman Sea, down the Waiatoto River. After convincing two mates to come along, they got started on planning their route, based off trip reports, satellite imagery and topomaps. The 7 day mission took them skiing over glaciers, packrafting across glacial lakes and bush-bashing before navigating technical white water down the Waiatoto. Their gear was easily 30+kg, due to the ski equipment, packrafts and camping gear. Nick shares his advice for planning your next multi-day expedition and says that their is so much knowledge within the community, that it's all about doing your research and finding a good mentor.

For quick and easy meals for all your outdoor adventures, use the code ABIGAIL for free shipping on your next Back Country Cuisine order: bit.ly/44uFDAB

>> Come to Nepal with us on a group trip in October 2024: https://bit.ly/49AvnIz <<

Thank you so much for tuning in and coming along for the ride. If you love the show and enjoyed listening, please take the time to leave a review on Apple or Spotify. I would also love to connect with you, so send me a DM on Instagram, leave me a voice message and I can’t wait to see you next time. Until then, keep adventuring :)

Follow Nick on Instagram: instagram.com/njpascoe/

Follow Jasper on Instagram: instagram.com/jasper.gibson/

Follow Charlie on Instagram: instagram.com/murraycharles/

Read the Blog: www.abigailhannah.nz

Follow Abigail on Instagram: instagram.com/abigailhannnah/

Follow Abigail on TikTok: tiktok.com/@abigailhannnah/

Meghan Maloney is an award-winning professional landscape photographer in New Zealand. Her work has let her travel all across New Zealand and she describes herself as an obsessive compulsive checker of weather apps, as weather is absolutely everything when it comes to landscape photography. We talk about the stories behind every photo, including driving silly distances to get sunrise shots on the East Coast and sunset shots on the West Coast from Moeraki Boulders to Lake Matheson to Roy's Peak in 24 hours. Meghan was chasing the Aurora for 7 years, before finally capturing it in 2023. Next on her photo bucketlist is to capture the hoarfrost. Although she has been in the industry for years, Meghan still makes mistakes and has many frustrating "failed attempts." She says that you learn more from making mistakes, than for things going right and that although you may only capture a beautiful photo 10% of the time, the elation you experience makes its absolutely worth it. Her advice to anyone who want to pursure photography is just to, "get out there and practice!"

For quick and easy meals for all your outdoor adventures, use the code ABIGAIL for free shipping on your next Back Country Cuisine order: bit.ly/44uFDAB

Thank you so much for tuning in and coming along for the ride. If you love the show and enjoyed listening, please take the time to leave a review on Apple or Spotify. I would also love to connect with you, so send me a DM on Instagram, leave me a voice message and I can’t wait to see you next time. Until then, keep adventuring :)

Follow Meghan on Instagram: instagram.com/meghanmaloneyphotography/

Learn more about Meghan's photography workshops

Follow Abigail on Instagram: instagram.com/abigailhannnah/

Follow Abigail on TikTok: tiktok.com/@abigailhannnah/

Read the Blog: www.abigailhannah.nz

Without being able to run a 5 km race, Simon Patton set the goal of walking five NZ Great Walks in just five days. Born and bred in Southland, Simon lived overseas and worked around New Zealand before moving back to Invercargill. He realised that five of New Zealand's Great Walks were located nearby in Southland and set out to run them all in just five days. It was a logistical challenge, but Simon was backed by friends and family that supported his adventure. He built up his fitness in the months leading up to the challenge and lucked out with a good weather window. Simon also raised money for bowel cancer New Zealand, and was overwhelmed with the support of friends and strangers as he smashed his fundraising goal. His best piece of advice is to stop comparing yourself to others, he says, "set your own goals and be absolutely stoked when you achieve them!"

For quick and easy meals for all your outdoor adventures, use the code ABIGAIL for free shipping on your next Back Country Cuisine order: bit.ly/44uFDAB

Thank you so much for tuning in and coming along for the ride. If you love the show and enjoyed listening, please take the time to leave a review on Apple or Spotify. I would also love to connect with you, so send me a DM on Instagram, leave me a voice message and I can’t wait to see you next time. Until then, keep adventuring :)

Follow Simon on Instagram: instagram.com/simon.patton/

Read the Blog: www.abigailhannah.nz

Follow Abigail on Instagram: instagram.com/abigailhannnah/

Follow Abigail on TikTok: tiktok.com/@abigailhannnah/

As part of their travels around the globe, Charlotte and James opted to spend a year in New Zealand on a working holiday visa, taking advantage of flexible working arrangements and travelling as much as possible in their van. Based out of Auckland, they share their favourite spots for weekend escapes and adventures, including Rangitoto, Waiheke and the beaches and maunga in Tāmaki Makaurau. For a further escape, they loved Waihi, Raglan and Matamata. As lovers of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies, Charlotte and James have enjoyed visiting different filming sites around the country. They are currently exploring the South Island in their self-contained van from Kaikoura and Fiordland to Aoraki and Abel Tasman. The couple share some of the challenges of buying and owning their van, as well as some of their surprises and differences between New Zealand and the UK.

For quick and easy meals for all your outdoor adventures, use the code ABIGAIL for free shipping on your next Back Country Cuisine order: ⁠bit.ly/44uFDAB⁠

Thank you so much for tuning in and coming along for the ride. If you love the show and enjoyed listening, please take the time to leave a review on Apple or Spotify. I would also love to connect with you, so send me a DM on Instagram, leave me a voice message and I can’t wait to see you next time. Until then, keep adventuring :)

Follow Charlotte and James on Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/charlotte_n_james/⁠

Read the Blog: ⁠www.abigailhannah.nz⁠

Follow Abigail on Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/abigailhannnah/⁠

Follow Abigail on TikTok: ⁠tiktok.com/@abigailhannnah/⁠

Amber Holyoake discovered her love for surfing in Portugal and found herself hooked to the sport from then onwards. Based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, she loves the east coast and west coast beaches that are so easily accessible. Amber breaks down the sport for beginners, sharing some of the surfing lingo, the best way to get started, while sharing her own journey and her passion. She has noticed a growing community of women surfers and loves to help new girls get into surfing. Despite injuries and setbacks, she is eager to get back on the waves and fuel her addiction to the ocean. Amber shares some of the challenges she's faced, as well as the highs and favourite moments on the water.

For quick and easy meals for all your outdoor adventures, use the code ABIGAIL for free shipping on your next Back Country Cuisine order: bit.ly/44uFDAB

Thank you so much for tuning in and coming along for the ride. If you love the show and enjoyed listening, please take the time to leave a review on Apple or Spotify. I would also love to connect with you, so send me a DM on Instagram, leave me a voice message and I can’t wait to see you next time. Until then, keep adventuring :)

Follow Amber on Instagram: instagram.com/thelostgirlsnz/

Follow Amber on Tiktok: tiktok.com/@thelostgirlsnz

Read the Blog: www.abigailhannah.nz

Follow Abigail on Instagram: instagram.com/abigailhannnah/

Follow Abigail on TikTok: tiktok.com/@abigailhannnah/