No Need for Slamma, Slamma . . . Just Slide, Slide

It was our anthem (The Squidd's, my sister's, and mine) for 7 days as we drove around to see some of the South Island's iconic sights in a little red minivan instead of our trusty Subaru Forester. Like the back doors of the van (they slide instead of slam--get it?), we slid into one town after the next, getting a small taste of what each town had to offer and making lots of mental notes of places I'd like to revisit and spend more time.

Mt. Cook, Queenstown, Wanaka, Lake Tekapo, Moeraki were jaw-droppingly beautiful, but like any roadtrip, getting there was part of the adventure. Stopping at roadside fruit stands in Central Otago to buy tree-ripened stone fruits. Feeding the salmon at the world's highest altitude salmon farm. Watching daredevils young and old bungee jump from a bridge over the Karawai River.

And what a trip we had. Stargazing in a protected Dark Sky Reserve (near Twizel), playing in and around the startling turquoise lakes Pukaki and Tekapo, hiking around Mt. Cook, jetboating on the Shotover River, kayaking and SUPing on Lake Hawea, trying our hand at goldpanning in Arrowtown, watching for fur seals and yellow-eyed penguins near Moeraki, and sharing a new favorite place (Kakanui) with my sister.