Running around the world: New Zealand and Australia

I recently wrote about how I got into running and why I love it. I mentioned I’d been “running around the world.” I have! So here in this photo heavy post I’ll cover where I’ve run this year. I’ll be doing this as a series of posts as there’s too much to cover in one.

I left London in December 2022 on an open ended trip around the world. As of this writing I am still on the road, having an extended stop in Melbourne, Australia before moving on again soon. So far my travels have taken me around New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia (Bali and Lombok), Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and Japan.

So what’s it like to run around the world? Same as running at home. Except some extra planning is needed. I use Google Maps and its “measure distance” tool for this.

Ideally I plan a loop from my starting point and back again. Failing that, I’ll do a “there and back again.” I like to do fixed distances and tend to avoid meandering runs. Ending a run hot and sweaty far from accommodation in a new place isn’t ideal, especially if I then have to squeeze onto public transport.

Some cities are tricky. Fast flowing road traffic and lack of zebra crossings (unlike central London) so stopping at traffic lights every few minutes (looking at you Australia, other places too). I search for runs on Great Runs and other sites to get an idea of parks or long stretches where I can run uninterrupted. I also like to avoid the repetition of looping around a small area multiple times for longer runs, e.g. 10 km. Why I also don’t like running on a treadmill. I want to be going somewhere!

It can be exciting, arriving in a new city, checking into accommodation and then thinking about a run. A great way to explore. That first reconnoitre around a new place, taking stock, marking points of interest, acclimatising. Getting “the lay of the land.”

New Zealand

It started December 2022 in Wellington, New Zealand. A hilly city. I was staying in Island Bay, atop a hill, steep in places. Had a place for seven weeks as a base while I took trips to other parts of the country. I’d walk 15–20 minutes down to the bottom of the hill and then run down The Parade and along the coastline to Owhiro Bay and Red Rocks and back again. About 10 km. Then stop in the New World supermarket and walk back up the hill. It could be quite windy some days, it is called “Windy Wellington” for good reason.

A run on Christmas Day. Tinsel!

During a trip to Queenstown I got to run by the feet of The Remarkables mountain range. An evening run after a day of sightseeing I saw a rainbow cutting right into the mountains. Transfixing and magical. Bifröst vibes. Alas I was not transported anywhere, but then New Zealand’s South Island is quite magical already.

The bulk of my running in New Zealand was in Wellington but it was time to head off to Australia.

Australia

I got into Sydney. Did a small run in Moore Park. Chatting to some guys I’d met in a pub, one of them suggested doing the Bondi to Coogee walk as a run with a dip in Gordons Bay at the end. What he neglected to mention was all the steps!

This was February, so it was summer and hot. Temperatures in the low thirties. Challenging but managed just over 7 km. Down to Coogee and then doubling back for that dip in Gordons Bay to cool off. Refreshing!

Then off to Canberra. Did a run/explore around Lake Burley Griffin which ended up oddly Australia shaped (unintentional).

Next up Melbourne, a city which felt oddly familiar with its European architecture and London-ish vibes. I was staying in North Melbourne and Royal Park was close. Going around the outside of the park was a nice 10 km. Ideal. Although I did not know it at the time, I would end up doing this route many many times when I returned to Melbourne later in the year.

Going to Tasmania I spent a day in Hobart and then was off on a four day bus tour of the island. Got runs in at Bicheno and Strahan. Beautiful spots.

Brisbane next. Got to do a 10 km loop on two separate days. Along the river and across bridges. Great views of the city. Not just hot but humid too, which Queensland is known for. Very difficult runs!

Then back to Sydney for a bit and a run cutting across the central parks.

Then it was time to leave Australia after six weeks and head to Southeast Asia! I’ll cover the cities, sights and runs in the next post in this series.