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New Zealand

March - April 2017
A 31-day adventure by Kay Read more

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  • Kay CreasyNew Zealand
    Day 1

    ARRIVING IN NEW ZEALAND

    March 3, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    After a delayed start from Geraldton with Qantas due to stormy weather around Perth, we arrived at 7.30pm. Annie and Charlotte delivered us to the International airport in plenty of time for our flight to Melbourne leaving at 10.35pm. It was a very large plane and full due to an earlier plane having to return to Perth because of the bad weather, another change of planes and we arrived in Christchurch around 12 noon.
    During the afternoon we took a walk to the main centre of town and viewed much of the results of the 2011 earthquake. There have been many new buildings completed and lots more under construction and many signs of where the buildings have been demolished and many still to be demolished.
    We visited the Re Start City Mall where they have turned shipping containers into shops and stalls. Tomorrow morning we will meet all of the other 38 fellow travellers and start tour and travel to Mt Cook.

    Photos
    Rydges Hotel Christchurch
    Cardboard Cathedral
    Inside Cardboard Cathedral
    Christchurch Cathedral
    Shipping Container stalls
    Shipping Containers    Read more

  • Kay CreasyNew Zealand
    Day 3

    MT COOK

    March 5, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 4 °C

    On Saturday morning as we were leaving Christchuch we were taken on a tour of parts of the city, where we stayed was one of areas which had been severely devestated. The bus driver wasn't sure which streets he would be able to travel as road closures and signs changed overnight.
    Many business have set up out of Christchurch and also new suburbs have been created.
    We travelled south through dairy country towards the Southern Alps until we got to the hilly country which looked very desolate. We stopped to have a look at the little Church of the Good Shepherd on the edge of Lake Tepako and were to have gone inside but were unable to as there was a Japanese marriage ceremony about to take place followed by another later in the afternoon, apparently quite popular for weddings because of the view. We travelled on to Mt Cook where we had a welcome dinner.
    Photos
    Countryside
    Lake Tepako
    Church of the Good Shepard
    Lake Pukaki - Storage lake for hydro power stations
    Near Mt Cook
    Mt Cook from our room    Read more

  • Kay CreasyNew Zealand
    Day 3

    TO DUNEDIN AND TE ANAU

    March 5, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    An early start on Monday had us heading to Dunedin, we passed through the centre of the island. The land is not very fertile and is irrigated to feed the sheep and cattle. We stopped at Koekohe beach to see the spherical shaped Moeraki Boulders along the way then on to Dunedin where we were taken for a quick view of the city from one of the high points.
    We then went to the railway station for a 4hr return train journey on the Taieri Gorge Railway. The train ride was brought forward as 2 passenger ships were due in today and the train was needed to transfer passengers from port to town.
    It was a very long day as it was after 6.30pm before we got to the hotel which was worth waiting for. It is only just over a year old, we had a washing machine and dryer in the bathroom but had trouble trying to work the shower as it had a button to push to turn on the water, had to get the girl from the desk to show us what to do.
    We had a free morning to wander around Dunedin this morning, leaving after lunch for TeAnau. We apparently travelled through some of the best country on the island to get here. Very small farms but lots of sheep and cattle. The countryside was quite green and only a small amount of irrigation.
    Another early start tomorrow as we leave at 7.30 for an approx 6 hr wilderness cruise on Doubtful sound.
    Photos
    At Moeraki Boulders
    Moeraki Boulders
    View of Dunedin Harbour
    Taieri Gorge
    Taieri Gorge
    Railway Station    Read more

  • Kay CreasyNew Zealand
    Day 3

    TASMAN GLACIER

    March 5, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    This morning we were taken by bus to the Tasman Valley to see the glacier. We had a 1.5km alpine walk to get to the lake and then boarded a jet boat and taken to see the pieces of icebergs that had broken off the glacier. We were able to get up close to one piece that had toppled over overnight so was safe to do so. We were able to touch the ice. We then went to see the glacier but weren't able to get too close in case some broke away. This glacier wasn't anything like the ones I had seen in Canada. In Canada they were white and blue and clean looking but this looks dirty due to being covered in rock mantle (rocks, debris and soil) but it does insulate the ice and slow the melting process. We have been lucky with the weather as on all APT trips this season the tour director said they haven't been able to see MT Cook. Although the weather has been good it was not good enough to take a helicopter flight over the mountain and glacier as it was too windy up where we were to have gone.
    We have an early 7.30am start in the morning so as to get to Dunedin in time to do a train journey tomorrow afternoon which was scheduled for Tuesday but had to be brought forward to Monday afternoon.
    Photos
    Broken off pieces of iceberg
    Pieces of iceberg
    Tasman Glacier
    Jet Boat
    Jan and Kay
    MT Cook Resort    Read more

  • Kay CreasyNew Zealand
    Day 6

    DOUBTFUL SOUND

    March 8, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We left at 7.30 this morning and were taken to Lake Manapouri to board a catamaran to take us on a Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise.
    We cruised across Lake Manapouri to where they built the largest Hydro power station in New Zealand, 176m below the lake level and with 2km of tunnel 9m wide. The Wilmot Pass was built in 1965 to transport machinery for the power station from Doubtful Sound and is the only road not connected to the network. It took 2 years to build over the 670 m high pass and is now used mainly for visitors. We transferred to buses and travelled 22kms to Doubtful Sound where boarded another catamaran cruised and out to theTasman Sea and around the sound and fiords before returning to Te Anau this afternoon, having a quiet night tonight as we get our own dinner. Tomorrow we go to Milford Sound before going to Queenstown for 3 nights.
    Photos
    5 x Doubtful Sound
    Rabbit ears in Tasman Sea    Read more

  • Kay CreasyNew Zealand
    Day 7

    MILFORD SOUND

    March 9, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 12 °C

    It was very chilly this morning when we left Te Anua for Milford Sound, on the way we stopped to take photos at Mirror lake then boarded the catamaran at Milford Sound to travel down the Sound to the Tasman Sea. Milford Sound is narrower than Doubtful Sound and doesn't have the arms. The Rock walls appeared to be taller but that may have been because of the width.
    We have been very lucky with the weather as the days have been very pleasant.
    From Milford Sound we had to return to Te Anau then back to Mossburn before heading north to Queenstown arriving here around 6pm. Queenstown is built around Lake Wakatipu and getting through the traffic was very slow. The town is very popular with film stars and celebrities who own expensive homes around the shores of the lake. It also has 5 golf courses. We have 3 nights here and a free day on Saturday.
    Photos
    Mirror Lake
    Mirror Lake
    Milford Sound
    Milford Sound
    Jan and Kay on Catermaran
    Waterfall    Read more

  • Kay CreasyNew Zealand
    Day 8

    QUEENSTOWN

    March 10, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Friday morning we went on a 4WD Safari through Skippers Canyon carved out by the Shotover river to Skipper which was an old gold mining town in the late 1880s to 1930s. We must have travelled at least 50km and the road was not much more than a track and very windy as we came over the mountain and down to the Shotover river. The school building and cottage are still there and have been restored to good condition. On the way back we stopped and panned for gold in the river, Jan found a few specks but lost them when the water leaked from her jar and I have one speck if you can find it in the water. The driver gave us a few thrills as we sped around some of the bends on the way back.
    We spent the afternoon looking around Queenstown before having our 'freedom of choice' dinner at Walter Peak High Country farm. To get there we travelled on the TSS Earnslaw Vintage Steamship up Lake Wakatipu to the farm. After the meal there was a demonstration by the two sheepdogs bringing in a few sheep and a demo of a sheep being shorn before reboarding the steamship. They had a pianist on board who lead a singsong of all the old 60 and 70 songs so helped pass the 45 minute return trip, we didn't get back until 10.30.
    This morning (Saturday) we walked around the edge of the lake to the gardens to see the rose garden but the roses weren't any thing very special. We then took the Gondola to the top of the mountain and had lunch up there and had very good views of Queenstown and surrounding area. Could have gone Bungy jumping or taken a luge ride while up there but Jan wasn't interested, she wasn't too sure about the gondola but did enjoy it. Having a quiet afternoon catching up on washing etc. The town is very much up and down and a very steep walk back up to the hotel, even the passages in the hotel are on slopes.
    Photos
    Walter Peak Homestead
    TSS Earnslaw steamship
    Shotover river and Skippers Gorge
    Bridge at Skipper over Shotover River
    Gondola
    View of Queenstown from top    Read more

  • Kay CreasyNew Zealand
    Day 10

    FRANZ JOSEF

    March 12, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Today we left Queenstown to travel through the Kawarua Gorge and along the shores of lakes Wanaka and Hawea and crossed over Hasst Pass and into the Westland National Park then past Fox Glacier on to Franz Josef. The great weather we have been having changed to being overcast and light drizzle and some clouds cover on the mountains. We travelled up and down the mountains and along winding roads with hair pin bends and over many single lane bridges but all very interesting with much of it being rain forest. If the weather is suitable in the morning we can take a helicopter ride over Fox and Franz Josef glaciers but doesn't seem very likely at present.
    Photos
    View along the way
    Lake Hawea
    Landslide
    Rocks washed down from glaciers
    Gravel river beds
    Rain forest at Waiatoto    Read more

  • Kay CreasyNew Zealand
    Day 11

    BACK TO CHRISTCHURCH

    March 13, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    It was another day mainly travelling by bus and short stops along the way.
    The weather was still drizzly and low cloud cover this morning and no chance of any helicopter flights so we didn't see anything of the two glaciers. It was a lot of windy roads climbing along the alps until we got close to the west coast at Ross then to Hokitika. We then travelled a little further north before turning east crossing the Southern Alps again to Christchurch. We were to have taken the TranzAlpine train to travel through Arthur Pass and Porters Pass and the Canterbury Plains but due to the recent fire the train won't be running again until next month so we had to do the road trip instead.
    Four couples leave the tour here and the rest of us continue on to Blenheim tomorrow and I think we pick up some more passengers in Wellington for the rest of the tour.
    Photos
    Driftwood on the beach from the rivers
    Arthur Pass Village
    Views through Arthur Pass
    Railway Bridge Arthur Pass
    Rock Slide
    Rocky hillside    Read more

  • Kay CreasyNew Zealand
    Day 13

    AT BLENHIEM

    March 15, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Due to earthquake damage and landslides last November to the coastal highway between Christchurch and Blenhiem some of the road through the Kaikoura region which we were to have travelled were closed so we had to go via the inland route via Spring Junction and Murchison. This was a longer journey and the countryside much the same as the last few days and the weather was still drizzly.There was also a lot of roadworks along that road as it is now the main road south. It was also affected by the quake and is also being repaired and widened. As we got closer to Blenheim the country flattened out and was replaced with many vineyards and a number of wineries, this is the major wine growing area on the island. There is approx 2600 hectares planted to vines. The weather also fined up and Blenhiem is supposed to be the sunniest town on the island although they haven't had as much sunshine as expected this summer.
    Today was a nice sunny day and we had a free morning so had a walk around the town before going on a Greenshell mussel cruise in the afternoon at Marlborough Sound.
    We were taken by bus to Havelock where we boarded the catamaran and were taken out into the sound where they farm the mussels. It takes between 18 months and 2 years for the mussels to grow to the approx size of 10 cm ready to be harvested. We were given a sample of freshly steamed muscles and it is a the first time Jan and I had tasted them, we thought they were okay but nothing to rave about.
    Tomorrow afternoon we catch the ferry to Wellington, not sure what we do in the morning after we leave the hotel at 10.00am apart from travelling to Picton where the ferry leaves from.
    Photos
    Sheep dog in his cage under truck tray looking out
    Catamaran for mussel trip
    Lines of mussel
    Lines of mussel
    Boat carrying bags of harvested mussels
    Cooked mussels    Read more

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