camping in Milford Sound

Milford Sound is one of those places in New Zealand that many add to their bucket list itinerary, but few actually make it to. it is - in a word - remote. one road in, one road out. frequent closures due to weather. and absolutely ZERO cell service.

but we knew we had to go.

I was responsible for finding and booking our sites for the camping portions of our trip. a quick search revealed that there was only one choice for camping in the sound: the Milford Lodge. it sounded perfect. we could camp right in the sound, a 15 minute walk from the docks where our morning cruise would depart from. the website description said "pitch your tent in secluded sites hidden away in the temperate rainforest." that sounds pretty amazing, right?

since Milford Sound is so remote, they have to run off satellite internet. tent sites were only available for reservation by email and not their online booking system, and my emails kept getting bounced back with a notice they were having technical issues. after about a week of panicking that they would be fully booked and we would have no place to stay [or have to drive in from one of the camp options closer to Te Anau] it was finally resolved.

thinking about trying to make the booking now, it doesn't seem like such a big deal. but at the time I was just stressed out enough over all the planing we had been doing to make this trip happen that I had an EPIC MELTDOWN. once I was able to hear the voice of reason [aka, Husband] he reminded me that even if this campsite didn't work out there were still other options. and that we were going to New Zealand, for goodness sake. New Zealand! and of course things would not all go according to plan, but I should get over it and enjoy myself anyway because... we were going to New Zealand.

whenever I look at these pictures, I have to laugh.

"secluded sites hidden in the forest" is apparently code for "your tent site will have an 8 foot radius of space filled with trees between you and the tent sites on your left and right, the camper van hookups behind you, and the parking lot in front." but we laughed, and we got over it.

the sites were also barely big enough for our 2 person tent - one little hill of sand with a flat top surrounded by rocks and logs. but Husband pulled some ninja tent moves and gave us a secure [if unconventional] setup, and we got over that too.

it really wasn't that bad. honestly - the mound of sand kept our tent from being in a puddle the night it downpoured. and the cover from the nearby trees [and camper vans] kept the wind from breaking any more of our tent poles.

side note about camping in New Zealand: there are every level of facilities available. certain members of our group requested flushing toilets and hot showers, so we opted for the less rugged "holiday park" type locations. usually these offered tent sites and camper van hookups, but also small cabins and/or a backpacker lodge. Milford Lodge is one such place. we had access to restrooms and showers, a communal kitchen and coin laundry, a cafe that served a mean breakfast, and a lounge area with internet. we were in NO WAY "roughing it." especially considering the 2 minute walk across the parking lot to all the facilities.

was it annoying that I could hear the guy two tents over snoring? yes, but we got over it.

because when a short walk down the road leads you to this view - when you are in New Zealand and staying in Milford Freaking Sound? you get the heck over it and enjoy yourself.

until, of course, your Husband snaps this photo and takes your camera away. because he's afraid it might meld with your face and he wants to spend time grabbing a beer/cider with you. so you get over that too and go have a drink. because, obviously, New Zealand.

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a new design for ink + adventure

I've been itching for a new blog design for months now - the previous version having been around since last July when I taught myself some CSS basics. every time I go to redesign my blog I have the "hire someone or learn to do it myself" struggle. obviously, I want it to look professional. and I know at least ten blogger friends who do beautiful design work. but I love the idea that this space is something I've created - my words, my art, my voice.

this new design is probably the most labor intensive I've ever attempted. from hand painting the elements to coding research and all the photoshop... I've been busy.

I am not exaggerating when I say that I spent HOURS practicing my brush lettering. I tried seven different brushes/pens before settling on the Pentel Aquash brush. [and started 4 designs with script I ended up NOT using.] I probably could have kept writing until I found something a little more perfect. but at some point you have to call it good and dive into the actual designing.

given the number of branding boards I scoured through on pinterest, I felt the need to make one of my own. you can tell I'm not a pro since I forgot to label the pantone colors and the font [Lato 300.]

my initial color scheme was green and black and gold. I started playing with foil on the lettering. then I swapped out the green for a coral color. and then I went crazy and added little dots that looked like confetti. but the brush lettering plus gold plus confetti was just too much. so I swapped the confetti for some paint splats and nixed the gold foil.

I've also added some brush lettering elements to my travel page, Taiwan page, and about page. [though the about page is still in need of a content update!] I haven't come up will a full set of badges and buttons just yet, but at the moment I'm rethinking my sponsorship strategies so not in a rush.

I feel like there's still something not quite there but I can't put my finger on it. maybe that this design doesn't really say "travel"? though it's tough to get that across without the obvious airplanes, suitcases, globes or maps. maybe next time around? but it's time for this labor of love to be implemented [if only so I will stop making changes!] there will probably be a few tweaks left to make, so let me know if you have any issues with links or with elements displaying funny.

what so you think of the new design? do you design your own blog or hire a professional?

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packing list: 3 weeks in New Zealand

one of the most stressful things about planning our trip to New Zealand was figuring out what to pack. our three week itinerary covered both north and south islands, we planned to both camp and stay in nice hotels, and would visit everything from mountains to the beach. oh, and we had a day-long layover in Seoul where it was freezing winter weather.

we visited during february - which is summer in New Zealand - and the expected range of temperatures was from lows of 50F at night to highs of 85F in the day [10C to 30C.] the actual range of temperatures we experienced was closer to 35F to 80F [or 0C to 25C.] it was chilly in the shade and hot in the sun, warm while hiking and cold when the breeze blew down from the snowy mountains. the wind also flattened our tent and was at one point accompanied by a torrential downpour. I think it's safe to say: you will need to be prepared for all kinds of climate in New Zealand.

even with unforeseen weather issues and some changes in travel plans, my packing got me through. I think I did a pretty decent job in my planning. the key was picking things that could mix and match and layer, and be worn for a variety of activities. thankfully we were able to do laundry twice during our trip: on days 6-8 and days 17-19. [that really helped as well!] below is a list of what I brought, followed by a few notes and suggestions.

tops + dresses

1 grey zip-up sweatshirt

1 cream/coral light crewneck sweater

1 tan long cardigan

4 short sleeve tshirts

2 tank tops

2 long sleeve tshirts

1 sleeveless button down

1 striped 3/4 sleeve shirt

1 grey long sleeve tshirt

1 short sleeve striped dress

1 printed tube dress [doubles as skirt]

1 pajama shirt

bottoms

1 pair jeans

1 pair jean shorts

2 pairs light pattern pants

1 pair pink running shorts

1 pair capri leggings

1 pair long yoga leggings

1 pair running tights

1 pair printed pajama shorts

undies + others

1 striped scarf

3 pairs athletic socks

1 pair fuzzy socks

4 bras + 1 sports bra

10 pairs undies

1 swimsuit

shoes

1 pair flip flops*

1 pair TOMS

1 pair running shoes

outerwear

waterproof shell

lightweight jacket

fleece*

knit hat

a note on shoes: I only wanted to bring one pair of sandals, so I opted for a pair which can be dressed up but are still super comfortable. the only problem they don't slip on and have fabric straps. I ended up wearing my TOMS for midnight camping restroom runs and into the showers. if I went back [and was still camping] I'd bring another pair of easy on/off flops that were shower safe.

a note on outerwear: despite everyone's advice that I bring my raincoat, I somehow left it behind. my waterproof shell is decently warm, through it was necessary for me to purchase a fleece for layering in Queenstown due to the weather going down below freezing. I think a light rain jacket and a heavier coat to layer under would have worked just as well. the hat and running tights were KEY in staying warm while camping.

a note in general: I probably could have made it work with one less pair of pants but decided to err on the side of more since we went up to 10 days between laundry availability. I also adjusted the shirts on this list to reflect what I should have brought. I actually packed 3 tanks, and 1 long sleeve when I really needed more warmth and could have gotten by with fewer light layers. I DID wear everything that came with me though.

one last thing: don't forget your sunglasses and sunscreen. the sun is powerful down there, and sunscreen is pricey. [and so was mascara for some reason?] obviously bring your camera and other things you consider travel essentials, but sun protection is a MUST.

hopefully this list will help if you're planning a summer trip to New Zealand - I know I was pretty lost when I started searching for packing advice. [shout out to Amanda and Shane for their help!] it seemed like most people stick to one island or area, and do either all active outdoor activities or none at all. so this list reflects a balance of everything. definitely bring warmer gear for winter, or adjust this list according to your planned activities, but this should be a good starting place. if you have any questions feel free to ask below.

happy travels!

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Christchurch // Cave Rock

sometimes, the best adventures are unplanned.

the four of us piled into the car after a long day of exploring Christchurch on foot. we wanted to go somewhere. anywhere. as long as we didn't have to walk anymore.

we used the GPS to search for nearby points of interest, expanding the search from 5 to 10 to 15 kilometers. "Cave Rock... that sounds interesting." we checked the map - it was on the coast. who's going to say no to the beach? we decided to go.

I don't really have much to say about Cave Rock other than it's aptly named: a giant rock, on the beach, with a cave in it. it's not really a big tourist spot. the beach was covered in locals enjoying a late sunday summer afternoon. our feet had recovered enough to climb under, over, around, and through - it might have had something to do with salty air and crashing waves - but mostly it's a great place to just relax.

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