We drove 5 1/2 hours north to Christchurch (the biggest city on the south island) to buy our wedding outfits. The route went through the heart of the south island, past massive lakes, lush farmland, wide open arid plains with arrow straight roads, and wiggly mountain passes.

The next morning, we went shopping…it was an extreme shock to us both to be back in a large hectic city for the first time in a year but we finally got our outfits, and then escaped for the night to Banks Peninsula, an hour away but a completely different place with huge rolling hills and small fishing ports.