It’s New Years Eve and I’m on the road, leaving hectic Queenstown and its hordes of tourists behind in search of a nice quiet campsite close to Arthur’s Pass. We’ve just embarked on our road trip – destination: Auckland! But the road is long and we have 5 days to explore the roadside wonders in the beautiful countryside.

This particular day was overcast and rainy but there was lots to see… sheep, mountains, glacial rivers, and my favorite–pockets of lavender fields!

Here are some photos from our first day on the road.