Take the scenic peaks of the Andes and the adrenaline rush of zipping through the Alps, throw in some of the world’s most beautiful scenery, and what you get is Queenstown: the cultural and environmental gem of southern New Zealand. Home to the Southern Alps and the picture-perfect Lake Wakatipu, it’s a place made for postcards, with views to be taken in from every inch and angle.

Many will agree that the best way to appreciate Queenstown is from up in the air, tucked into one of its famous gondolas. The Queenstown gondola ride from the city proper to the Skyline Complex on Bob’s Peak is said to be the highest, steepest ride in the Southern Hemisphere. From that height, you can see all of Queenstown and the natural scenery that makes it so famous: the calm lake, the lush greenery, and the Remarkables, a saw-toothed mountain ridge that…

Dunedin, New Zealand is sometimes called the other Edinburgh, a reference to its Scottish roots. Its name comes from the Scottish Gaelic translation of Edinburgh, and city surveyor Charles Kettle designed it after the Scottish capital. Traces of this influence still permeate the city, and one of the telltale signs is the thriving microbrewery industry.

It’s no Cancun or Vegas, but what they lack in dazzle, Dunedin pubs make up for in culture and history. Many of Dunedin’s breweries have been around for decades, serving longtime friends and new patrons alike. The beers are a reflection of a carefree lifestyle and the locals’ penchant for turning the dullest of evenings into a good time. And quite simply, they’re as good as microbreweries go: their craft beers are known throughout the country, and the pubs are the first stop for visiting beer connoisseurs.

Easily the most popular brewery is…

Well, I have been travelling in New Zealand for 131 days now. During that time I have  snapped around 750 photos and of course I have seen pretty close to eight thousand sheep. All the things I have experienced so far, every city, town or place I’ve visited, every minute I’ve been working, and all the people I have met along the way, have all affected me in some how. Since living for almost four months on the South Island in Queenstown, it is time for me to move on and that has really made me start thinking.

The people you meet when you choose to move on from the everyday familiaraity of your home and the things you know well and start an adventure out into the world, are the kind of people that you will remember. Almost everyone you meet has a story to tell you, and…