“T” is for Touring

After 27 days on the road and 6,400 kilometres of South Island tarmac travelled, designer, photographer and magazine publisher Stefan Bogner still can’t quite pick out an absolute “best” moment or memory from his time in New Zealand. “Honestly, the whole trip was the highlight!” he laughs. “Everything comes together in New Zealand – the people, the scenery, the roads. Every minute was supercool, and the landscapes of the South Island change with every hour you drive. New Zealand has always been at the top of my list of dream places to visit and, having now been there, I definitely think it’s a must for every traveller – you need to do it once in your life if you can.”

Through Curves – a publication he describes as “a car magazine without cars” – Stefan has made a name for himself as a creator of beautiful travel-themed content with as much focus on the road ahead as the destination. Based in Munich, he has travelled and documented his time on the road in places like Japan, the United States, and Europe. His most recent trip before landing at the bottom of the world was through Patagonia.

“For me, you can’t beat a 911 or a mid-engine Porsche, no question.”

Stefan Bogner

With its blend of sinewy back roads through steep alpine passes in the Central Otago province, coastal roads that trace a line between pounding surf and lush rainforest down the West Coast, and the wide-open vistas of the Southland region at the very bottom of the land mass, Stefan says New Zealand’s South Island offers up spectacular driving opportunities around every … well … curve. “New Zealand has as diverse a landscape as the United States, but it’s significantly less stressful to drive there. The South Island is incredibly beautiful and wild, and the air is fresh. It has a great energy but it’s also super relaxed. Nature is still nature, but it’s not too cultivated like in Europe.”

While he’s sure of his ultimate road trip car – “for me, you can’t beat a 911 or a mid-engine Porsche, no question” – when it comes to advice on planning the ultimate journey, Stefan believes in the yin and yang of both planning and freestyling. “A good trip needs preparation, for sure. But the other half of an amazing experience is keeping your eyes open and just going with the flow – a mix of planning and happy accidents,” he says. “Don’t rush if you don’t have to is a big thing also. Take your time and enjoy the scenery. Use maps to search out interesting places, leave your phone alone and stop being on Insta all the time. Take a good camera, eat in good local restaurants, get up early and travel with the weather.”

Unsurprisingly, Stefan is keen to return to New Zealand at some point. We can assume with certainty what the car will be for his return visit, but what about the route? “Maybe the North Island for the 911’s 65th anniversary?” he suggests. Let the road trip planning commence.