Unless you live in Australia or a smattering of Pacific Islands, New Zealand is not an easy place to get to.
It took me three very long flights and well over thirty hours of travel to arrive on the south island from New York City.
But once my boots were on the ground, I quickly discovered one of the country’s best attributes: for a place so far away from everything… it’s remarkably accessible!
Knowing that New Zealand is most famous for it’s natural beauty, I was a little bummed to be visiting for the first time in winter. I knew the weather would keep me from getting out into the wilds on foot. What I didn’t consider initially was just how much of New Zealand you can see from the car.
I explored the south island via road trip. Lucky for me I had a travel buddy well versed in piloting from the left side of the road. This freed me up to gawk out the window – hand glued to camera – without issue. What follows are all photos taken either directly from our car, or from very, very close.
If what you can see from the road is any indicator, I can’t wait to get back and see what this country has in store off the pavement!
marianaonthemove.com 
Spectacular! What kind of bird is on the car?
It’s a kea! They’re kind of like the ravens of New Zealand (in that they’re super smart and fairly common) except they are a type of parrot (much prettier than a raven or crow!). VERY cool! For more info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kea