Most people only have a short holiday, one to two weeks, at the end of which they return home to family and friends. But when you’re traveling for years on end, it’s family and friends who start coming out to you.

That’s one of my absolute favorite aspects of living in a new country. Not only do I get to experience a new place and culture for myself, but I also get to share everything I’ve learned with someone special from home.

It’s been a Hitchon family tradition since 2007 for my dad to come out to visit me. He’s visited me in London, where I walked him until his feet were about to fall off. He visited in Fiji, which was a new adventure for both of us. He visited me in Australia, where we drove the Great Ocean Road. Now he’s coming to New Zealand. 

Milford Sounds. Photo courtesy of BugBog.com

As usual, I’ve gone completely overboard with the planning of his trip. On my own travels, I plan very little and just go with the flow, but when I’m showing off a country to someone as special to me as my father, I make sure that person sees absolutely everything in the time he or she has, without a second of relaxation.

But this year, I’ve outdone myself. 

Oh yes, I think I’ve created one of the most INTENSE ten-day tours of the South Island. I will have my dad jumping out of planes, climbing glaciers, camping and maybe even bungy jumping. I won’t hold him to that last item mentioned, but everything else has been booked and promised.

Here are some of the activities we’ll be taking part in.

While in Wellington:

• Tour waterfront from Lyall Bay to the city.
• Chocolate Fish for coffee and sun
• Fidels Cafe for cake and more coffee
• The Botanic Gardens
• Mount Victoria Lookout
• Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
• Dinner at Duke Carvell’s Emporium

Ten Days of the South Island:

• Marlborough Sounds
• A day or so in Nelson
• Tour a Nelson brewery, such as Lighthouse Brewery or Founders
• Skydive Abel Tasman
• Kayak, camp and tramp in Abel Tasman
• Nelson Saturday Markets
• Pancake Rocks
• Hokitika Gorge
• Tour Franz Josef Glacier/hot pools
• A night in Haast
• Explore Mount Aspiring National Park
• A few days in Queenstown
• Nevis Bungy Jump
• Queenstown gondola
• Visit Fiordland National Park
• Milford Sounds 

I think I fit a lot into our tour, but I’m eager to hear about more activities. Is there anything I forgot that previous South Island travelers would recommend?

Thanks to Interislander and Jucy Cruize for sponsoring my ten day South Island adventure. As always, all opinions are my own.