If you haven’t read the previous episode yet, click here first.
SUMMARY(New Zealand Episode 3)
1. Local eSIM works insanely well.
(Buy the high-data plan. If you use an Insta360, your data will disappear at terrifying speed.)
2. Don’t panic when the speed limit warning starts beeping.
(After about five warnings, it eventually gives up and stays quiet.
But also… I actually saw police cars, so maybe don’t get too comfortable.)
3. After 5 PM, almost every store closes.
(I planned the entire schedule perfectly… only to find out everything was already closed. Pain.)
1. Arriving in Christchurch, New Zealand!
After what felt like the longest journey of my life,
we finally arrived in Christchurch.
Or as the locals — and now me — casually call it:
“Chichi.”
And honestly?
That flight humbled me.
The seat barely reclined,
my spine filed a formal complaint,
and somewhere over the Pacific Ocean,
I started wondering if honeymooning domestically was actually underrated.
To make things worse,
the in-flight meal from Singapore to New Zealand was WAY saltier than the Korea → Singapore one.
At first glance?
Delicious.
After one bite?
My blood pressure started sightseeing before I did.
I was still hungry though,
so I asked for two extra bread rolls.
Massive mistake.
Those things were so dry,
I had to apply butter like I was waterproofing a wall.
At moments like this,
you truly understand one thing:
Korean food is undefeated 😂
Still…
I was hungry enough to finish almost everything anyway.
But the moment we landed?
Instant happiness. 🥹
2. Renting a Car in New Zealand 🚗🇳🇿
The weather was perfect.
The air felt fresh.
And the sky?
Unreasonably blue.
Like someone in New Zealand personally adjusted the saturation settings before we arrived.
Since this was my first long-haul flight with a layover,
actually making it to New Zealand felt weirdly emotional.
Like… “Wow. Humans can really travel this far.”
First mission after landing:
activate the eSIM.
Second mission:
successfully rent the car.
And somehow,
everything I planned actually worked.
That alone felt suspiciously impressive.
(For reference: we each bought a 10GB eSIM plan for $39.)
And somehow…
we completely annihilated all 10GB within 5 days 😂🥲
If you’re filming with an Insta360,
just accept your data is already gone.
Originally,
we booked a different rental car,
but ended up receiving a nearly brand-new Kia Seltos instead.
Only 5,000 km on it.
At that point,
I immediately entered “car review YouTuber mode”
and started filming cinematic shots before even driving off.
Then the second we started moving…
BEEP.
BEEP.
BEEP.
Turns out the car constantly displays the speed limit,
and if you go over it,
the warning alarm goes off like your life is ending.
At first,
it stressed me out.
Later?
I achieved spiritual acceptance.
Also, a local driver honked at me almost immediately after arrival.
Apparently driving too slowly is considered a personal attack in New Zealand.
3. Exploring Riverside Market in New Zealand
Our first stop was Riverside Market,
because we were absolutely starving.
But honestly,
the walk there alone already felt like a movie scene.
Everything looked peaceful.
Clean.
Calm.
And the weather on January 25th, 2026?
Absolutely unreal 🥰😍🤪
At some point during the walk,
I also developed a new hobby:
following my wife around
and filming only her back view.
Because honestly…
she looked adorable 😍
We wandered around trying to decide what to eat,
but surprisingly,
nothing really stood out.
So eventually,
we grabbed souvlaki and a Coke.
And wow…
that beef disappeared FAST.
After eating,
we headed straight toward the next destination.
Originally,
we planned to stop by Geraldine,
check out the night views,
and try the famous mince pies…
But everything was already closed,
and then it started raining.
So we skipped almost all of it.
Since the drive from Christchurch to Tekapo is longer than it looks on the map,
we decided to just get there early and rest.
4. Arriving at Tekapo, Our First Stay in New Zealand 🇳🇿
And thankfully,
the rain stopped right after we arrived.
At that moment?
I was genuinely happy.
The accommodation view was incredible,
the air felt cold and fresh,
and for the first time,
the trip actually started to feel real.
We originally wanted fish & chips for dinner,
but the restaurant was closed,
so we ended up eating at a nearby place called Mackenzie instead.
Looking back now…
That place was kinda expensive 😅
We ordered steak and black tiger shrimp,
and while it looked amazing…
everything was still salty.
At this point,
I started realizing something important about New Zealand cuisine:
Why is EVERYTHING salty 🥹🥲
Still,
eating it with beer somehow made everything feel perfect.
And just like that,
our first day in New Zealand came to an end.
The drive from Christchurch to Tekapo was honestly exhausting.
(In Korea,
I’m actually a pretty confident driver.)
But here?
Every single thing felt unfamiliar.
Every time I tried to use the turn signal,
the windshield wipers activated instead.
Repeatedly.
Aggressively.
With confidence.
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