A few things I'll miss about the South Island

1. One-lane bridges and windy roads that suddenly turn one-lane as they get ever windier, although you didn't think it was possible.

2. Drinking straight from rivers and streams while hiking and not having to worry about any sort of disease.

3. Penguins

4. Lazy days reading at hostels surrounded by amazing scenery and getting to the point where you just stop noticing how gorgeous everything is.

5. Running into the same travellers every few days in a new town.

6. Eating dark chocolate after dinner because milk chocolate isn't kosher.

7. Learning Hebrew

8. Arriving at a simple hut in the middle of nowhere after hiking for eight hours and thinking it looks like the nicest building you've ever seen.

9. Addresses without numbers, for example: "Next to the Mobile Petrol Station, Main Road, Franz Josef"

10. Absence of traffic lights

11. Nights that don't really get dark until well after 10 pm

12. Lakes and rivers the color of blue Kool-Aid.

13. Tip Top ice cream shops in every town - even ones without an ATM.