Backing Our Backyard

 The tourism slogan here in New Zealand during the COVID lockdown has been "Back Your Backyard". It's a bid to get us travelling around our own country and injecting money into the economy that international tourists usually provide. It has been a big success with $1 billion going into the local economy from New Zealanders that they would normally spend overseas.

Our travel deal that we got was for 2 nights accommodation, a tree top walk, a visit to a wildlife centre and a helicopter ride over a glacier - all for $299 per person. The helicopter ride alone would have been a large proportion of this. 

Today we have been an visited the small mining town that I had never been to and enjoyed a tasting at the gin distillery and some sightseeing. We have then driven over and walked the high tree top walk which was stunning - we struck a day with perfect weather! Then for no cost we went to the place shown in the photo. My husband and I had never been here before despite this being in our own "backyard" and it was breathtaking. There was a walk around a track through bush alongside the river which is actually this colour due to glacial melt. There were only a handful of others on the track so most of the time we felt like we had it to ourselves. The water gorge was peaceful and felt ancient and I loved it. It had us questioning why we had never been here before and also thinking about what other places there are around our country that we have never visited. The natural beauty is usually free to see and yet it is such a valuable resource that adds so much to the richness of life and all for a fraction of overseas travel!

I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!