Hello, you lot! Here’s hoping the COVID-19 lockdown isn’t starting to slowly chip away at your sanity yet… 

I’m so excited to share a lovely little film photo diary of a crazy fun festival I went to about a month ago in New Zealand; Splore. I’ve been getting to grips with my new film camera over the past few months but, alas, I think I went for cost-effective over actual a quality-grade camera. Nevertheless, I’m pretty happy with how this photos turned out, even if they are a little on grainy-side (adds to the charm though, right?)

As for Splore – the Secret Garden Party of NZ weekend festivals – this boutique music and arts festival graces the shores of the Tapapakanga Regional Park every February (the height of the hot NZ summers!). It’s such a cohesive experience, complete with a melting-pot of different people, cultures, and personalities. What struck me about Splore is, unlike many British festivals who mainly centre around EPIC line-ups, it’s more of an immersive artistic experience. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVED the music (Pavrov Stellar were definitely the highlight), but I wasn’t itching to get to each stage, and sacrificing my chill to stick to a strict music line-up. 

Throughout the days, people spend time learning meditation in the wellness tent, taking part in morning beach yoga, watching insightful speakers, or just simply whiling the day away in the ocean. One memory I will probably always hold on to is just spending the days perched on top of the hill with all my friends, belly laughing, listening to some stellar artists, drinking beers from reusable cups, and just having an absolute boogie and a ball with beautiful people (and crying our eyes out over Kate Tempest, amazing!). 

The absolute best thing about Splore was how committed everybody was to being completely ZERO waste! I’ve been to a few UK festivals where, when you’re packing up you’re stuff at the end of the weekend, people have left piles and piles of rubbish and single-use plastic. This definitely was not the case at Splore. Everybody had the common interest in helping save the planet, and it was super lovely to see everybody mucking in to do their bit and make sure we left no trace! 

All in all, Splore absolutely lived up to the many expectations I had. I’m now considering going back next feburary on a holiday just so I can grace their shores again (if my bank account will allow, obviously!) and be a part of the biggest fancy dress part in New Zealand! 

Till next time, Splore! 

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