Savvy traveller Abigail Hannah is turning New Zealand tourism stories into an all-you-need-to-know guide on her podcast, Aotearoa Adventures.
The weekly podcast, which began last month, interviews domestic and international travellers about their New Zealand adventures – from cruising the country in a four-wheel drive with a rooftop tent and walking the South Island leg of Te Araroa trail.
The show features people Abigail has met during her travels and via her travel-inspired Instagram, which has more than 3280 followers.
“I want people to have something to listen to while they’re in their car exploring New Zealand, or to get a bit of inspiration for their upcoming trip,” says Abigail.
Each conversation naturally features practical travel insights, such as determining travel priorities, how pace can impact your trip and the magical moments produced from boredom.
New Zealand-born Abigail brings a unique perspective to New Zealand travel, as she was raised for 18 years in India.
Moving to Auckland for university was a culture shock, and one of the hardest times in her life. She talks openly about her depression and anxiety on the podcast.
“I don’t think you can get two places more different than India and New Zealand,” says Abigail.
“Exploring New Zealand helped with my recovery. It taught me to accept where I am now, and that beauty can be found everywhere.”
She doesn’t want to play into the misconception that everything is perfect while travelling.
“I wasn’t in the best place mentally during the first South Island trip my husband and I went on. I found it surprising that the depression and anxiety didn’t go away on holiday – I thought I could leave it at home in Auckland. I beat myself up about it, thinking I should be having fun, which made it worse.
“It taught me about managing expectations on the road and to not put pressure on myself to have a good time all the time, even if we’re just going away for the weekend.”
Abigail encourages guests to share the low points of their trips, which have included getting lost on a long hike and meltdowns on mountains.
“I hope the stories show people that travelling has its challenges but is still so worth it.
“I want to encourage Kiwis to keep exploring their backyard – there is so much to see.”
Aotearoa Adventures is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
