Hitchhiking in New Zealand: Glenorchy

Hitchhiking in New Zealand: Glenorchy

9th of July, 2025.

I cross Queenstown to hitchhike to Glenorchy. It’s not terrible, offering some nice views of the mountains and the lake (even though is a dark and gray morning), but it feels so much like a fake town, only for tourists.

It takes some time until somebody picks me up. Loads of cars passing by though. Some tourist going for a walk; some jogging. A Dutch girl stop to talk with me. She is walking very slowly, which I think it’s interesting. She asks me if I’ve had hitchhiked before. I let it out a small laugh. Not mocking her, it’s not her fault, she doesn’t know, but it’s a funny question when one knows the answer.

Finally, Danielle and Josh stop. They are from Australia, on a few weeks holiday. They are both so calm and peaceful, and also so sweet. I love it! They are young but already married, and they seem made for each other. Danielle also has a Literature degree. When we get to Glenorchy, they offer me a pie and a cup of coffee. As I haven’t had anything for breakfast yet, I gladly accept. But I’m shocked by the prices. It’s 12 NZD for a pie. That’s robbery! You can get a pie for 7 NZD in a New World. But it’s too late to take it back. I really appreciate their gesture. They drop me off in front of the Community Hall, which is right by land mark of Glenorchy: the boathouse.

I have my extremely delicious vegetarian pie and my coffee before doing anything else. It rains a bit. I wait. I check the Community Hall but it’s locked. I know I shouldn’t camp outside, otherwise I will freeze, so I come up with other ideas. I get drinking water from behind the CH, and then walk towards the Fire Brigade, only some hundred metres up the road, towards Paradise. It’s closed. A lady from a house beside it gives me directions to “the church”. And she says they wouldn’t let me stay at the Fire Brigade. She doesn’t even know that! Why people are so negative?

Before reaching “the church”, I stop by the library. There’s a bag with leftovers bread on the floor. So nice! Some people take some. I don’t really know what I am waiting at first… until Jock arrives.

Jock is coming for a physiotherapy appointment but luckily for me, he’s 30 minutes earlier. We start talking. I tell him everything. He says I can come and camp in his yard. I tell him it’ll be too cold to camp in the open. He says I should come and we’ll figure something out.

It’s funny how things work, right?

Jock is living in Glenorchy for about one year. A friend of him offered the cabin where she was living, in the backyard of another house. It’s so cute and adorable! I love it! He’s working in a famous retreat center called Ahora. Apparently, even Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie already staid here. He teaches Yoga, breathing techniques and he also performs Cacao ceremonies. That’s so cool!

But now he must go to his appointment, and I will go for a walk around Glenorchy. But first, I have a warming heart green tea.

Glenorchy is super cute! But it’s just a village. Probably the village with one of the best views in the world. At the jetty (I just learned this word with Josh), you can have a great view of the mountains and the river. And then yes, also the famous postcard view with the boathouse.

I just wish tourists were more aware of the fact that everybody wants a photo, and were more considerate toward others, basically less selfish. There are quite a lot of tourists for this time of the year and for this weather. The majority of them are Asians.

I could stay hours here, just admiring this wonderful views. But I also want to do the duckboard walk. It’s a bit over 1 hour in total, and even though the rain gives a break, and even a bit of blue sky comes out, I don’t want to take any risks.

The walk is lovely! Many spots with gorgeous views. And the colors at this time of the year (Winter) are interesting. I have some insights about my travels and my future after them. It’s very surprising and very unexpected. First thing is, once in Brazil, I could get a work for just one month, and use that money for: a) making my T-Rex and broccoli tattoo; 2) pay part of the bills of my parents and sister’s house, with whom I will be staying while there. Second one is, what if, when I finish my travels and get a teaching job for a year (in a country which pays well), instead of using that money to start my permaculture, I simply start travelling again? I could visit those countries I missed this time. I could go back to Africa and to the Middle East. Asia also, like China, Mongolia and Taiwan. Interesting.

I come back to the boat house afterwards, and I am planning to walk further down the river, towards Queenstown. I can see there’s nobody there, and I would like to just sit down and have some quiet time for myself. On my way there I already see the rain in a distance. It’s coming. I still walk for a little bit but then I must turn away and head back to Jock’s house.

We have some reuteri, a natural probiotic cousin of Kefir, and a delicious natural honey, with some kiwi fruit. My first kiwi in New Zealand believe it or not.

We talk about so many things. I ask him questions about the Cacao ceremony, and he asks me questions about travels. He’s planning to start his own journey soon. When he asks me about my favourite books, I remember of Aamir asking me the same question. Why wasn’t I more prepared back then?

Jock prepares us dinner. We have pasta and some of the bread Jock took from that bag by the library. Yay! We also have some cheese slices with honey. It’s amazing!

We also agree in two things. First, Jock kindly tells me I can stay inside his house, instead of camping on the balcony of the other house, I only need to sleep on the floor because Jock injured his shoulder snowboarding a few days ago (yeah, I know what you’re thinking, second person I meet in less than two days with a shoulder injury because of snowboarding…), and that’s the reasons why he had a physiotherapy appointment. Of course that’s totally fine by me, I very often sleep on the floor. And to make things even easier, Jock let me use an air mattress he has. Comfy! Second thing is, as tomorrow morning Jock is planning on going to do some flute recordings in the forest by Paradise, he tells me I can come with him, as Paradise is my next destination. Wow! That’s so awesome!

Oh yeah, by the way, Jock has 3 Native American flutes, which he’s learning how to play but already plays beautifully. I love the sound of them.

10th of July, 2025.

Next morning, first thing we do is some breathing exercises. I like it. I just wish I could have a routine (and more time on my day) in order to do them more often. Then Jock prepares a brilliant vegetarian breakfast with reuteri, banana, berries, dates, and many seeds. It tastes great and super healthy. It’s like a bowl of health, really. And luckily for me, Jock also prepares us some Cacao. I love it!

Then off we go to Paradise.

It’s raining. Laugh.

I have to laugh. What else?

The drive is nice but not as beautiful as it could be in a clear blue sky day. Many things happen then.

The forest where Jock wants to record his video is actually inside a private place, where retreats sometimes happen. We ask the lady in the reception if I could camp anywhere around here. She says no. Why? And she also tells us that there’s not really many other “people places” where I could ask around here. Damn it! Just let me stay here then… Or not. As we check the weather it says that it will be raining like this for the next few days. Damn it 2.0! It could change? Yes. But I don’t want to be shelterless under this weather today, taking the risk of be under rain also tomorrow, as the only thing I have planned to do here is walk around and admire the views…? (what views with this weather?) Nope! On top of that, Jock tells me he must go to Queenstown today to do some stuff. That’s it. I’m sorry Paradise and Isengard viewpoint (supposedly my spot for tomorrow), but those are too many signs saying that I must leave you two alone.

I help Jock to make the videos. As the rain is still falling, and even though inside the thick forest is still strong, it’s faster and easier if I make the videos rather than him using his tripod. And it’s nice being the camera woman. The forest is magical, the sound of the flutes is awesome, and even the rain feels magic.

I take a few photos on our way back to Glenorchy. We even find one of those old Ford trucks I was hoping to see.

Jock drops me off in a very strategic, perfect place for hitchhiking, just outside Queenstown. We take a funny photo before hugging goodbye. This was such a wonderful encounter!