Exceeding Expectations

My time abroad has well exceeded any expectations I had before studying in New Zealand. Over a very quick three months, I have seen so many unbelievable places on this island that I am so fortunate to call home for the time being. The pictures attached with this post are from some of my favorite trips within New Zealand, more specifically, within the south island. A lot of the pictures are from my trips to Mount Cook and Queenstown, which have undoubtedly been two of my favorites. 

When visiting Mount Cook, my friends and I hiked up towards the Mueller hut, which is where we camped for the night. After a long and very tiring hike of about four hours, we finally arrived at the hut, which instantly made it all worth it. I suppose this is how it goes with most hikes anyways, but the following morning we woke up to the sunrise, which again only pictures can give you an idea of how amazing it all looked. It is certainly one of my favorite spots in the south island.

Queenstown was also one of my top favorite spots, simply because of the excitement and positive energy that surrounds the town. It is certainly touristy, but has so many fun shops, cafes, bars, and plenty of activities to entertain yourself with while you are there! During this trip, my friend and I hiked the Ben Lomond track which ended up being around six hours roundtrip. This was another awesome hike that gave a great view of the city of Queenstown. I can only say so much about these two places because they are places words and pictures cannot do justice to; however, I hope they can at least influence others to make the visit to New Zealand one day!