Adventure with Family New Zealand

Aaron E

When I married my wife, I found not only my life partner, but my adventure partner. We consistently escaped to the outdoors where we would hike, backpack, rock climb, and enjoy exploring. Fast forward 3 kids, a slower metabolism, a busier schedule, and 8 years later, we make an effort to still get outdoors. Now, it requires much more intentionality and effort on our part. Adventuring with 3 kids ages 5 and under is no trivial task. There seems to be a trend of young people who are avid adventures giving it up when kids enter the picture. I want to inspire others to get outdoors and explore, but especially those with children. It seems my generation of parenting relies heavily on TV and electronic devices. Our kids need physical activity, imagination, mountains, lakes, oceans, and adventure. New Zealand is a place I dreamed of visiting since I was a young boy. This past April, my amazing and adventurous wife, 3 kids, and I spent the month exploring this beautiful country. We initially planned to visit the South and North Islands, but after spending time on the South Island, there were way too many beautiful places to combine both islands in a single trip. Everywhere we went was jaw dropping, eye widening, mind blowing beauty. We got to experience the vast landscapes of the mountains, to the lakes, to the high country, to the coast and wish we had more time there. We experienced this country in a 1972 VW Camper or "Kombi" as the Kiwis call it. We had a pop top that the 5 and 3 year old slept in and the bench seat folded into a bed for my wife, 1 year old, and I. A trip of a lifetime.