Travel Changes You: 10 Things Gap 360's New Zealand Adventure Taught Me

This article was written by a Gap 360 competition winner, Jodie! Jodie won our New Zealand Adventure giveaway in 2022 and had the journey of a lifetime. Keep on reading to hear more about her experiences in New Zealand's North and South Islands. 

I was fortunate enough to spend 17 days in New Zealand on a Gap 360 trip. The country’s incredible beauty truly took my breath away, and that is no exaggeration. It’s known as ‘The Land of the Long White Cloud’ – a translation of the Māori-language name for New Zealand, Aotearoa. Factually speaking, it was given this name due to the cloud formations that helped Polynesian navigators to first find the country. Now, personally, I associate clouds with Heaven, and that’s quite fitting. This country really was a heavenly land. I mean… just look at the incredible views in this guidebook!

Travel changes you. You’ve heard it before, plenty of times. But, maybe, you’re still wondering how exactly travel changed John from down the road. Sit back, and let me explain. Gap 360’s 17-day New Zealand Adventure taught me so much and, with that, I am forever changed. Here are 10 things I took away from this life-changing experience:

1. Seeing new places is cool. Meeting new people is cooler.

I get it. Taking a 24-hour flight to the other side of the world to spend 17 days with a bunch of strangers is daunting. You’re bound to feel nervous. Trust me, though, your worries will disappear when you meet your soon-to-be travel besties at the welcome meal in Auckland. Before you know it, you’ll be strolling along the gorgeous beaches of Waiheke Island, opening up to somebody you only met yesterday. It’s natural to be a little scared, but please don’t let your fears and “what ifs” hold you back. It’s exciting to meet new people, especially while exploring a pretty cool place!

2. You don’t have to fully understand something to respect it.

Right, okay. I apologise in advance to all Hobbit-lovers, but I had no clue why there were so many cute little homes built into hills. I’m useless at movies. What I do know, however, is that this Hobbiton movie set was beautiful. There are two things I’d like you to take away from my experience, I guess. Firstly, don’t panic – there are no compulsory quizzes, regarding The Hobbit or The Lord Of The Rings, when you first land! You don’t have to be the biggest fan — or a fan at all in my case — to enjoy the trip to Hobbiton on Day 3. Secondly, you can still appreciate and respect the beauty of the Shire without knowing the plots of the films. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be like me and decide that you’d quite like to live in a Hobbit-hole yourself one day!

3. The world has so much to offer. Go out there. Explore. Learn new things.

Visiting the Mitai Maori Village was a truly special experience. It opened my eyes to a magnificently interesting culture that I barely knew anything about before. Honestly, I was fascinated by the cultural performance and I know you would be, too. Plus, you’ll get to try a Hāngī dinner – this food alone makes the long flight worth it! 

4. It’s not always bad if something doesn’t turn out how you expect it to.

Our not-so-sunny sunset sail taught me a lot. We may have been a tad soggy, but wow, we laughed. This is the thing about travelling… sometimes, your experience doesn’t quite match up to what you’ve seen on TikTok. But, believe me, it doesn’t mean you’ll have less fun! There we were, envisioning ourselves sipping cider while enjoying the views of Lake Taupo at golden hour. Instead, we found ourselves howling with laughter at how the reality was rather different. We were wet to the skin. Let’s just say, some of our jackets and ponchos failed the waterproof test. Nevertheless, we still got to sip cider, make memories, and marvel at the Māori Rock Carvings! It definitely taught me that it’s not always a bad thing if something doesn’t turn out how you expect it to. 

5. You can so do amazing things.

I know the itinerary is packed with fun, but, rest assured, there is room for even more if you make the most of your free time with optional activities! Here in Taupo, I completed my very first skydive. A bucket-list moment, some would say. However, I’m not quite sure jumping from a 15,000-foot high plane was ever on my must-do list. I was in awe of the adrenaline junkies, but I always said I could never do such crazy things. Guess what? I can… I did… and so can you! Your future self will thank you. Seriously though, this skydive was one of the most incredible things I’ve ever done, yet I could have very easily missed out if I had let my fears take over. 

6. Push yourself. Test your limits. 

Skydive complete. Three days later, after arriving in Queenstown (my favourite place on Earth by the way!), I found myself contemplating whether to do the Nevis Bungy Jump. Now, before I left for this trip, a bungy was an absolute NO for me! Never ever, I said. So, what changed? I guess the skydive gave me some serious self-belief, either that or there’s something in the air on the South Island! In all honesty, it was my lovely friend, Maddy, that changed things. It turns out travel friends are seriously good at cheering you on! I’m still so grateful for Maddy’s encouragement, otherwise I wouldn’t have experienced that insane Bungy feeling! It’s impossible to even put into words just how unstoppable you feel when you’re falling from a 134-metre platform.

I have to be honest, though, I struggled. This really tested my limits. Thank goodness for the wonderfully kind and patient team at AJ Hackett! It took two attempts, lots of tears, and some serious pep talks for me to jump, but I did it, and I’m so glad. Travelling taught me that I should test my limits more often – it is only by doing so that you discover your real potential.

7. You will cross paths with who you’re meant to cross paths with.

I truly believe you meet who you’re meant to meet on group tours. There’s a reason you both selected that exact date. You were meant to cross paths. I’m so grateful to have found one of my closest friends, Maddy, on this trip, and I treasure the memories we made here in New Zealand. From cruising through the breathtaking Milford Sound to climbing Roys Peak in Wānaka, we really did experience the beauty of this country together. After all, you know you’ve found yourself an angel of a friend when she’s sharing her water with you as you hike up a 1578-metre mountain – I stupidly left my bottle behind at the hostel! It may be hard to believe that you meet life-long friends when you travel, but you really do. Maddy and I still speak pretty much every day and have since travelled Australia, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos together! How special is that?

8. Pick your head up from your phone. Look around you. Take it all in.

We spend so much time just scrolling on our phones. It is, however, a little different when you’re travelling. You’re much more present and conscious of being in the moment. It makes sense. When you’ve travelled to the other side of the world to be in your dream destination, you’re not going to waste time scrolling on your phone. Of course you’re not. You’ll want to capture it all with your very own eyes. Look at the photo above! How could you not want to stare at Lake Tekapo’s gorgeous shade of blue all day long?  Your trip is most likely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so you’ll want to take it all in, for sure! This mindset is something I believe we should hold onto post-travelling though. Your daily life is just as special, and you really will begin to see the magic in it if you just pick your head up from your phone. There is so much beauty around us. 

9. Goodbyes don’t have to be sad.

Goodbyes are hard. They suck. We all wonder what exactly is good about a good-bye. This trip to New Zealand taught me, though, to see goodbyes differently.  A goodbye isn’t all sad. It’s a “I hope our paths cross again”, a “I know we have to part but I’m really grateful for the time we’ve had together”, and a “I wish you well” summed up in one word. Goodbyes are an appreciation of what’s gone before and the now, as well as a hope that the future will bring another “Hello”. Saying goodbye to my group on the final day in New Zealand was obviously sad. However, I’d say that the sadness was overpowered by so much gratefulness for the time we’d shared in such a beautiful country.

10. Believe in the good.

I can’t end this blog without saying a huge thank you to Gap 360 for giving me this amazing opportunity. I actually won this tour of New Zealand through an Instagram competition – I’m saying this because if you’re that person who doesn’t enter giveaways because you don’t think anybody wins them, please enter! Good things happen. Believe it.

Travel changes you. Trust me. It may sound cliché, but it’s true. You really will grow as a person. Your realisations will, most probably, be different to mine and that’s why travel is so special. Your experience is yours. It’s unique. So, go out there. Explore. Experience the change yourself. You certainly won’t regret it. 

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