Don’t Be Afraid! Solo Road Tripping New Zealand’s South Island is Awes

Originally, I considered joining a tour group, but most didn’t include glacier hikes, or they visited places I wasn’t interested in—felt like a waste of time (hello, Type J minimalist vibes!). So… SOLO IT IS! ✔️ Day 1️⃣: SYD ✈️ CHC Chose Christchurch because Emirates Airlines was great, plus it’s the perfect spot to ease into right-hand driving. Landed at 2 PM → customs → luggage → picked up rental car → arrived at Airbnb by 4 PM. Airbnb gem: Stunning views . Planned to catch the sunset, but sunshine turned to clouds ☁️—would’ve been epic on a clear day . 📍 Clifton, Christchurch 8081 Explored the city instead and dined at Amazonia 📍 126 Oxford Terrace Food was tasty but a bit salty for me. Parking tip: Street parking at 79 Cambridge Terrace. Day 2️⃣: Christchurch 🚗 Lake Tekapo Pro tip: Add Rakaia Scenic Lookout as a waypoint! Adds ~15 mins but worth the views. Left at 9:30 AM, arrived at Astro Café by 1:30 PM (stopped for photos en route). $8 entry fee (card accepted). Café closes at 3 PM! Windy AF—almost lost my coffee 🌬️—but the views? Speechless. Leisurely drove to the lake: Chairs on the embankment for pics (or climb down to the shore). Parked near Little Fool Bakery (easy parking). Church of the Good Shepherd: Honestly… underwhelming. Tiny, crowded, and lacked the "magic" in broad daylight. Better at night or on moody days. Stargazing tour: Booked Chameleon Stargazing (Chinese guide a MUST—astronomy terms are confusing otherwise!). Guide was hilarious, used laser pointers, and provided blankets, hot chocolate, and roasted marshmallows. Got to peer through professional telescopes + group star photos (my tripod was useless lol). $400 well spent! Check weather—my group missed the aurora the night before (FOMO!). Next stop: Pukaki Airbnb! Stay tuned… 🌌 #NewZealand #NZTravel #SoloTravel #SouthIslandNZ #Christchurch #Tekapo #Stargazing #RoadTripGoals