I am going to risk sounding cliche by saying that becoming SWISSGEAR’s 2018 Travel Ambassadors has been life-changing. Yes, quitting our jobs to travel the world in January 2017 was our first leap of faith. When we returned home for the holidays 27 countries later, filled with unparalleled memories, new friends across the globe, and a greater understanding of the world around us – I knew our journey wasn’t over. But my nearly depleted savings account begged to differ.
I was begrudgingly in the middle of my job search (with the motivation to save up for future travels) when I got an email from SWISSGEAR stating that Matt and I had been chosen (out of 19,000 entrants!!) to be their Travel Ambassadors! To me, this was the green light to continue to chase after my dreams and the validation I needed to let me know I had chosen the right path.
When it was time to plan our first big adventure as SWISSGEAR Travel Ambassadors, the destination was entirely up to us. We knew we wanted to go somewhere we had never been but always wanted to go! In all our travels, our favorite way to get around has been with our own set of wheels, whether it was our own motorbike in Asia or a rental car in Europe, but we had never experienced the phenomenon of “van life.”
With some of the most scenic drives in the world, from majestic mountains to beautiful beaches, along brilliant blue lakes, through rolling green hills and lush forests, New Zealand made for the perfect destination, especially with a camper van.
New Zealand’s North Island would be our first destination, boasting the largest Polynesian city in the world, famous coastal coves, geothermal wonders, waterfalls, glowworm caves and more.
Read about our adventures on New Zealand’s North Island on SWISSGEAR.com
North Island highlights: (5 days)
- Auckland
- Cathedral Cove
- Mount Manaugi
- Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Park
- Marokopa Falls
- Waitomo Glowworm Cave
Read about our adventures on New Zealand’s South Island on SWISSGEAR.com
South Island highlights: (10 days)
- Tunnel Beach
- Nugget Point Lighthouse
- Eglington Valley
- Milford Sound
- Queenstown
- Wanaka Lake
- Roy’s Peak
- Lake Pukaki
- Hooker Valley Track (Mount Cook)
- Lake Tekapo
- Waipara Wine Region
Planning a trip to New Zealand? Find out 5 reasons why you should go in the fall! Stay tuned for our guide to Auckland on a budget, as well as more New Zealand posts filled with travel tips.
Our next adventure with SWISSGEAR will kick off at the end of July – so follow @go4theglobe on Instagram to find out where we are headed next and get daily travel updates!
*In full transparency to our readers, as SWISSGEAR’s Travel Ambassadors we received free SWISSGEAR travel gear, airfare, campervans, and travel insurance for our trip to New Zealand. We will continue to have gear, airfare, and other travel expenses paid for by SWISSGEAR in 2018.
