Originally from the USA and now travelling the world on an extended 20-month honeymoon (the dream, right?!), Sarah and Tim found some spare time to fill us in on their Stray adventure.
Why did you choose to travel Stray?
We originally planned to rent a camper van and self-drive around the islands, but after some research, we realized that the Stray tour was not only less expensive but included visits to places we hadn’t even heard of before! We chose the tour and it gave us the benefits of our own road trip, for less money and less stress!
What things about Kiwi culture make you giggle?
- The rivalry with Australia (which the Kiwis clearly win!)
- The phrase “sweet as.” Sweet as what? It always sounds like an incomplete thought to me! We also thought people were saying “sweet a**” at first. I’m glad we got that clarified early on!
- Luging. Luging definitely made us giggle.
What will you miss the most when you return home?
We aren’t returning home for a while since we’re on a big round-the-world trip for the next year and a half. That said, now that we’ve left New Zealand, we already miss the amazing views and hikes we experienced every day, the friendships we made with others on the Stray bus and the excitement of not knowing everything the drivers had in store for us. Oh, and the meat pies.
What are the 5 things you can’t leave home without to travel in NZ?
- Hiking boots
- Ear plugs
- A good neck pillow for long bus days
- Camera
- Sunscreen
What is a handy tip for other travellers thinking about Straying NZ?
Even though Stray tours include accommodation, transport and loads of activities, think about booking any optional extra activities, especially when you have free days in some of the amazing stops on the trip.
When you look back on your trip, what is the first thing that pops into your mind?
We were so pleased to learn so much about Maori culture on our Stray tour- from the very start until the very end. Having not been exposed to it previously, we were grateful and inspired by how much respect and pride New Zealand has for its Maori history. This will always be the first thing we think about when we reflect on our trip.
Take a look at our current NZ Stray tours covering North Island, South Island or both in a whole of New Zealand tour.
Do you want to share stories from your Stray Days with us?
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