Stewart Island, New Zealand
I've been a bit slack at writing this post. We've been home for a week now, but I've been spending my time reading instead of getting some posts written! I didn't want to get out of holiday mode I guess.
We had a few days away to celebrate a milestone birthday and decided to run away to the end of the earth. Not really but pretty close. We went and had a few days at Stewart Island.
For those who don't know where that is, it's the 3rd largest island in New Zealand and is situated off the coast of the bottom of the South Island. This map below will hopefully help.
![IMG_20180906_124112.png](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQuUEx8pPzA7KYesk9gi1hArpLHmnwPDNXbondvoWNzyv/IMG_20180906_124112.png)
Stewart Island is beautiful. Its the second time we have been there (first time for my daughter) and everytime I'm there it makes me think that it is how the entire country was before it was settled. The native bush is so lush and thick and the bird life is something special. It really is lovely.
The population of Stewart Island is 400 people and you gain access via a ferry or plane. We took the plane, I am terrible with boats in the ocean and Foveaux Straight is not a piece of ocean I want to cross by boat!
Here are a few pictures of the island from our first day.
![IMG_20180902_101921.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQ8p3QCxwtfxC3TVEAzvTnLGaeXbWnUYuLyucLspZss5k/IMG_20180902_101921.jpg)
![IMG_20180902_100209.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmVWszA5bGqrMAhu9uhqijR3TUb1JseEH9555hMbr4vngH/IMG_20180902_100209.jpg)
![IMG_20180902_100835.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUKHcAvuujGxbrSu3Vgr4ppFwBvKQLrvs6oDEFNhY9kgZ/IMG_20180902_100835.jpg)
![IMG_20180902_101750.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSvPeVuLb1KxanFP2pn9g4o1PNkKgyJzVPQVSUqGJyMmm/IMG_20180902_101750.jpg)
I plan on doing other posts about what we did to fill in our time while on Stewart Island and hope to get them up in the next few days. Stewart Island is a fabulous place that I really want to do justice showing to the world.
One of my good friends from high school lived in New Zealand, and I’ve been wanting to visit ever since !! These photos are really stunning ❤️
It really is a beautiful country, I feel lucky to live here. If you ever make it over, make sure you venture past Auckland (our largest city). It's a lovely city but there's so much more to the country than just one big city.
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Thanks - I've been nearly everywhere in NZ, but Stewart Island is the exception so that was really interesting to see.
I just learned, it's the third biggest island in the Pacific. The biggest of Samoa's islands is forth
Definitely worth a visit if you ever get the opportunity.
That's an interesting fact too. I didn't know that either.
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It's been months!
If you pop back for a Steemit catch up - Merry Xmas and Happy New Year!