05/07/2026
NZ is so, so much more than the tourist destinations.
We didnāt see another soul on this overnighter, which somehow made both the epic sunset and the equally epic sunrise feel even more magical āØ
But hereās the fuller story. This adventure was my idea š The kids have learned that my ideas often involve more walking, more elevation, and more effort than they would voluntarily choose. And for a while it looked like we might have to pitch the tent in a soggy mossy puddle, which was super unappealing.
So I was running around the granite boulders like a crazy lady before we lost the light, and I somehow found what I think was literally the only dry flat spot for the tent. We got it pitched in record time while the sunset atmosphere was absolutely electric š and then I got to sprint around taking photos feeling like Iād won the lottery š¤©
It was freezing in the tent, but we got to eat chocolate, which felt wildly luxurious since we now live in bear country in Canada and canāt have food anywhere near the tent š
The next morning we woke for sunrise and it was every bit as stunning, and somehow we were back at the car by 11am.
In my humble opinion, itās almost always worth doing āthe thingā ā even when it takes more effort than youād prefer š
