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Franz Josef was on the bucket list for New Zealand from the second I knew I was going to this amazing country. A land where the ocean meets the mountains and the sunsets are mind-blowing? Where do I sign up?! The west coast of New Zealand is a unique place in the world. The views are so breathtaking that legends say people were too busy looking around that they were getting too lazy. So the gods introduced sandflies. Pesky tiny flies that harass you for a good portion of the day and will make sure that you’re not lazing around on the gorgeous west coast beaches. Don’t let them stop you from visiting the coast though as it has so much going for it. The West Coast Tourism Board was kind enough to invite us (thanks to the excellent organization skills of my friend Lieselot) to their little part of the country so we could explore it to the fullest. Here is my quick guide to Franz Josef and Fox Glacier.

If there is ever a place to enjoy life in Vietnam, it most surely is in Hoi An. This cosy town in the middle of the country is full of exceptionally beautiful colonial buildings and has the best food, excellent shopping, a cosy atmosphere and one of the best spas of the entire country. Almost everybody that comes to this city stays longer than they intended to. I know I did. Since the city is most likely located halfway through your trip, whether you’re going south to north or the other way around, it’s the perfect place to relax, regroup and head back into the hustle and bustle of the rest of the country. Besides you’re going to need a couple of days anyway if you want to have some garments custom-made. Hoi An is after all thé place to do it. Sure, they will tell you that it can be ready within 24h, but when it comes down to it, you don’t want a badly finished piece of clothing nor do you want to be the person that is making the seamstresses work through the night. But most importantly, this is the city to eat, A LOT. The food here is by far the best I’ve eaten in Vietnam and you can even learn how to make it. Enjoy yourself with way too much shopping (I had to send a box home) or a trip to one of my favorite spas.