What's on my South Island bucket list?
Hiii! Welcome to the May newsletter.
It's started snowing in Wanaka - I'm excited for skiing soon but also freaking out that I still have so much to tick off my South Island bucket list before Winter.
Keep reading to find out where I travelled in April, my travel plans for May, my monthly goals, what I've been reading/watching/learning, and what's on my dress wishlist.
(And if you like this dress - make sure you read to the bottom).
Where I've Travelled This Month
I had covid this month so I was mostly sat on my couch watching Netflix. But I ticked a couple of things off my South Island bucket list:
1. I walked up Isthmus Peak in Lake Hawea. It's now my favourite walk in Wanaka (and maybe even New Zealand). You should definitely add it to your New Zealand bucket list.
2. I went to Lake Alta in Queenstown. I found it on Instagram so I wasn't really sure what to expect, but it was beautiful - a clear blue lake high up in the mountains surrounded by snow. The drive there also has the best viewpoint of Queenstown.
3. I also visited lots of local places in Wanaka (like the Wanaka Tree, Mt Iron, Eely Point etc...), but it doesn't seem that exciting when it's just local places I visit all the time (even though lots of people would love to go there on vacation). Does anyone else feel like that about where they live?
Now that I write this down, it doesn't seem like much. I really need to make more of an effort to travel more next month. (But also, I blame covid).
Travel Plans for Next Month
This will probably be my last Summer in New Zealand before I move abroad again, so I have a lot of things on my South Island bucket list that I want to do before Winter.
I'm not sure if I'll have time to do everything, so I'm trying to prioritse the "best" things:
1. Mt Cook/Lake Tekapo: I've been to Mt Cook and Lake Tekapo a few times before and it's my favourite place in New Zealand. There's a few things I haven't done before that I want to - mainly the Sealy Tarns viewpoint. I also want to go back to some of my favourite spots - like the Hooker Valley Track and the Mt John Observatory (not to see the stars - it has the best views of Lake Tekapo).
2. Routeburn Track in Fiordland: I've been to Fiordland before, but haven't done the Routeburn. I'm still on the fence whether I should do it - I'm not a fan of overnight hikes, but lots of people say it's one of the best walks in New Zealand. If you've done it, please reply to this email or send me a DM on Instagram and let me know if you think it's worth it?
3. Local places around Wanaka and Queenstown: I still have lots of places I want to see around Wanaka and Queenstown - Roys Peak (I know, I've lived in Wanaka for a year and still haven't done it), Ben Lomond, Moke Lake, Bob's Cove, the Lake Dunstan Trail, Central Otago Rail Trail, wineries and a lot more...
I'm kind of freaking out that I won't be able to fit all this in. You're not supposed to do most of these walks after April (because of avalanche risk), so I'm really hoping I can fit them in before it gets too snowy...
Monthly Goals
We all know I love a goal. I've got May off work, so I really want to use this time wisely.
These are my goals for May:
- Write as many blog posts as possible. If you follow me on Instagram, you would have seen I recently evaluated how my blog was going after 6 months of blogging. Basically I realised I was spending far too much time doing things that didn't actually help my blog (like social media), and not enough time actually blogging.
- Tick as many things off my South Island bucket list as possible. As I mentioned above, I have lots of places I want to visit before it gets too avalachey.
I'll let you know next month how I went with my goals.
What I've Been...
READING: To Italy, With Love by Nicky Pellegrino (loved it and all her books - I've read every single one).
WATCHING: Anatomy of a Scandal on Netflix (I don't normally like court room drama but loved it - definitely add it to your list. I also loved the main female character's fashion - very posh English mum vibes).
LEARNING: I've been slowly working my way through the Nomadic Matt blogging course. Last month I was working on affiliate links (very boring) and then newsletters (hence this newsletter - which I'm actually really enjoying).
In Case You Missed It
ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SKIING IN WANAKA
Planning a ski trip to Wanaka? My ultimate guide tells you everything you need to know + helps you choose the best ski field for you.
FRANZ JOSEF TO WANAKA ROAD TRIP: 21 BEST PLACES TO STOP
Doing a road trip around the South Island? Don't miss these beautiful spots.
ULTIMATE GUIDE TO DIAMOND LAKE WANAKA
Want Roys Peak views without walking 6 hours up a big hill? Add Diamond Lake to your Wanaka bucket list.
ULTIMATE GUIDE TO MT IRON WANAKA
Is Wanaka's most popular walk overrated? Read my honest review of Mt Iron and whether it's worth doing.
The Dress Edit
Click on the dresses below to shop my wardrobe and wishlist...
You may recognise the first dress from my Lake Haewa Lookout photos. It's one of my favourite dresses and it's currently 55% off.
It's the best Zimmermann dupe I've ever found. The Zimmermann version is worth $1000 and this is only US$50.
The quality was very good considering the price - I just shortened the hem because I'm super short.
The last two dresses have very limited sizes left, so get in quick before they sell out.
P.S. If you want to find out more about any of the places I've been this month - click on any of the photos above for the full blog post where I share my top tips, honest review and more dreamy photos.
Ashleigh x
Disclaimer: Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links. This means that – at no extra cost to you – I earn a small commission if you make a purchase. I only recommend things I love. It helps support my dreams of becoming a fulltime travel blogger. Thanks for the support!