A Spontaneous Summer Tour
When Tim, my husband, and I sat down to plan our annual tour of Aotearoa New Zealand (I started touring in 2020, visited Northland in 2021 and launched my first book in 2022!), we knew it needed to be different. My usual tour format involves tour tickets launched months in advance, evening events with over 100 people, and a night of me talking about sustainable living to inspire positive behaviour change.
Even though this structure has worked so well in the past, we knew it wasn’t right for 2024.
We asked ourselves: What does Aotearoa New Zealand need right now?
Connection. To be outdoors. To be together. Rest. Rejuvenation.
I believe sustainable living is not solely about the amount of waste we avoid and the ethical clothing we purchase. Sustainable living concerns our mental and physical health too. No one can make habit changes if they’re exhausted.
So with this in mind, Tim and I set off on the most spontaneous tour we could have ever imagined. With a list of pop-up events in mind, we let Instagram direct our journey through polls. Every few days we’d ask “Where should we go next?” and head there to host an event! We held 18 pop-up events with approximately 207 attendees!
Where did we go?
Our route: Auckland - Raglan - Hamilton - Cambridge - Mount Maunganui - Ōhope - Gisborne - Napier - Pourerere Beach - Masterton - Wellington - Kāpiti Coast - Whanganui - New Plymouth - Auckland - Whangārei - Paihia - Cable Bay - Kerikeri - Mangawhai - Tindalls Bay - Auckland.
What did we do?
We held sunrise yoga classes, sand art lessons, repair cafes, walks along beautiful lakes, community garden volunteer mornings, school garden revamping sessions, picnics, and open mic nights. Every one of the events was unique, cup-filling, and reminded me of how incredible our country and its people truly are.
How did we travel?
Volkswagen has supplied an electric vehicle for all of my tours and this year we found ourselves in their amazing ID.4 which we lovingly called Ida. Ida was a dream to travel in - my favourite vehicle yet!
Kate’s favourite attributes:
Ida the ID.4 sensed my every move: she unlocked when I got near her and turned on when I sat in the driver’s seat.
Her 19-inch tyres looked lovely but also made for more comfortable braking, corners, and general driving.
The ‘30 Colour Ambient Lighting’ illuminated the dash, mobile phone holder and the doors - they looked incredible at night time.
Tim’s favourite attributes:
Brilliant proportions - not too big, not too small.
She travels for up to 519 kilometres on a full charge (we got a bit less with the car FULL of tour props and aircon on in the heat).
Extremely clever adaptive cruise control. She read what was in front of her far better than other cars.
Where did we stay?
To keep costs down to ensure the events were free to attendees, we mainly stayed with friends and family. We did enjoy a few nights in gorgeous Tatapouri Bay (Gisborne) (this was a contra deal - we shared content in exchange for a stay) in a tiny home! It was ideal timing as the rain persisted for a few days, making the tiny home the perfect spot for a cosy rest day. I’ve visited and stayed in several tiny homes before but this was by far my favourite layout. I highly recommend staying at Tatapouri Bay if you’re in the Gisborne area. As well as the Tiny Home they have a campsite, glamping tents, cabins, and even a cafe open on the weekends.
How did we make money?
A huge thank you to our tour sponsors: HelloPeriod, ecostore, Raw Nature, GoodFor, Kind Face, Campaign for Wool, Pale Blue Batteries, Chia Sisters, Ethique.
For both Tim and I to travel for a month, we still had to have an income. The tour was financially supported by our incredible tour sponsors who received content creation (reels, Instagram stories etc.) in exchange for their monetary support. The tour sponsors were chosen carefully and included only the brands we already love and use in our life. This meant it felt extra special to be travelling with their support, our followers benefited from learning about them, and the brands received great exposure. It was a win-win for everyone!
If someone says ‘how was your holiday?’ one more time, I’ll go mad. This tour was a huge piece of work and although we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, it was a big job. Planning the tour while also being ON the tour was an interesting learning curve. My organisation skills pulled through, ensuring we always had a roof over our heads and people always showed up to our events, but the time I spent on my phone was unhealthy!
Where are we going next?
Although we are deeply sorry we didn’t make it all the way to the South Island, we are putting touring on hold for a few months as we recuperate and housesit. We’re coming to Christchurch and Nelson in May! Make sure you don’t miss out on these by following me on Instagram or signing up for my newsletter.