New Zealand, the big adventure

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New Zealand, the big adventure Yvonne Reinartz
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Day 22
Monday, March 21, 2016 at 3:00 PM
☀️ 26 °C
Altitude: 283 m
New Zealand Peggys Hill -45.861622, 170.62721945°51’42” S 170°37’38” E
Larnach Castle
March 21, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Larnach Castle (also referred to as "Larnach's Castle"), is a castle on the ridge of the Otago Peninsula close to the small settlement of Pukehiki. It is one of a few houses of this scale in New Zealand. The house was built by prominent entrepreneur and politician, William Larnach who - unfortunately - committed suicide in Parliament. The Castle is now privately owned by the Barker Family, and operated as a tourism destination.

The Castle and Grounds are open daily to members of the public. The Larnach Castle gardens are one of only five gardens nationwide to have been given the rating of "Garden of International Significance" by the New Zealand Gardens Trust. These were the first gardens in the South Island to receive the title.Read more
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New Zealand, the big adventure Yvonne Reinartz
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Day 22
Monday, March 21, 2016 at 6:00 PM
☀️ 24 °C
Altitude: 31 m
New Zealand Te Akatapu -45.796333, 170.73091145°47’47” S 170°43’51” E
Penguin Place
March 21, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Penguin Place is a private conservation reserve dedicated to helping the endangered Yellow Eyed Penguin survive.

This conservation project is entirely funded by guided tours of the reserve. This funding provides habitat restoration, predator control, a research programme and on-site rehabilitation care for penguins that are sick, starving or wounded.

I saw some penguins in the hospital who are being cared for until they can be released into the wild again. We then went to see penguin couple Jim (22 years, so really old) and his partner Maggie (10 years and his 4th partner) in the little swamp they live in.

At the beach we were waiting for the penguins to come back in from feeding and just when we were about to leave we saw two waddle out of the water and onto the beach. Unfortunately they were too far away to get a good picture but they are so cute. We also saw fur seals again. Wahoo!Read more
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New Zealand, the big adventure Yvonne Reinartz
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Day 22
Monday, March 21, 2016 at 8:00 PM
🌙 20 °C
Altitude: 183 m
New Zealand Taiaroa Head -45.78284, 170.73328745°46’58” S 170°43’60” E
Taiaroa Head
March 21, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 20 °C
Taiaroa Head is a headland at the end of the Otago Peninsula, overlooking the mouth of the Otago Harbour. It lies within the city limits of Dunedin. The nearest settlement, Otakou, lies three kilometres to the south.

The cape is home to a lighthouse, built in 1864, and a colony of over 100 northern royal albatrosses, which established itself in 1919 - the only such colony on an inhabited mainland. There is also the Royal Albatross Centre.

I came to see the sunset and the lighthouse (of which you can just about see the top). Was lucky to see 2 albatrosses, who were showing off with their flying skills. A lovely end to the day. 😊Read more
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New Zealand, the big adventure Yvonne Reinartz
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Day 23
Tuesday, March 22, 2016 at 4:00 PM
⛅ 28 °C
Altitude: 181 m
New Zealand Surprise Bay -45.549049, 167.57274645°32’57” S 167°34’22” E
Manapouri
March 22, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
A 4 hour drive brought me to small but perfect Manapouri, which is my home for the next 2 days. They have 2 cafes and a restaurant here, otherwise it's just outstanding natural beauty all around.

I'm staying at a lovely Airbnb (https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5239304) with views over the river. It is so quiet here and just the right place to relax. It's also the ideal base for the Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise I'm doing tomorrow. ⛴😊Read more
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New Zealand, the big adventure Yvonne Reinartz
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Day 24
Wednesday, March 23, 2016 at 1:00 PM
☀️ 18 °C
Altitude: Sea level
New Zealand Malaspina Reach -45.326023, 166.99106745°19’34” S 166°59’28” E
Doubtful Sound
March 23, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
Today it was time for the Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise.
The boat left at 8am and it took us around 40 mins to cross Lake Manapouri. Once we got to the wharf on the other side a bus brought us to Deep Cove via Wilmot Pass (that took about 30 mins). Once there, we went onto the boat for the tour of the Sound.

It is a vast and unspoilt Wilderness and I was feeling grateful for having chosen to see this - more remote - Sound instead of the more touristy Milford Sound.

At some point during the cruise the skipper shut down the motor and generators and asked everyone to be still for about 10 mins so that everyone can enjoy the absolute silence. It was quite something to experience! ⛴💖Read more
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New Zealand, the big adventure Yvonne Reinartz
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Day 25
Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 12:00 PM
🌧 14 °C
Altitude: 190 m
New Zealand Waiau River -45.489137, 167.60842645°29’21” S 167°36’30” E
Shallow Bay & Moturau Hut (Kepler Track)
March 24, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 14 °C
It rained this morning, but that didn't keep me from going out on a 4 hour hike to Shallow Bay and Moturau Hut which are at the start of the Kepler Track (one of the Great Walks).

Most of the track leads through mountain beech forest and I felt like I had been transported into an enchanted fairytale forest. It is so beautiful and calming and I was very lucky that the sun came out just after I started my walk.

I tried to be aware of all the smells and sounds of the forest and all the little things that grow and live there. It was absolutely wonderful! 🐦🌳🏞😊Read more
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New Zealand, the big adventure Yvonne Reinartz
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Day 26
Friday, March 25, 2016 at 3:00 PM
⛅ 15 °C
Altitude: 330 m
New Zealand Beach Bay -45.112224, 168.54208245°6’44” S 168°32’31” E
Walter Peak (Queenstown)
March 25, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Sheep time on the Walter Peak High Country Farm! An old steamship, the TSS Earnslaw, brought us over Lake Wakatipu. The weather was gloriously sunny and I enjoyed not having to drive for a change.

They didn't let me shear a sheep 🙁 but I helped feed the animals, saw the sheep dogs in action and watched a sheep shearing display. I also got yummy afternoon tea with scones and home-baked cakes.

My hostel in Queenstown is small but lovely Butterfli Lodge. The view from my room is amazing and I can't wait for the sunrise tomorrow morning. 😊

Here is a link to the hostel: http://www.butterfli.co.nz/

Now off to nurse my sandfly bites. These little buggers are everywhere and their bites itch worse than mosquito bites. No joking!Read more
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New Zealand, the big adventure Yvonne Reinartz
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Day 27
Saturday, March 26, 2016 at 12:00 PM
☀️ 16 °C
Altitude: 393 m
New Zealand Cockburns Bush -44.736479, 168.45277344°44’11” S 168°27’10” E
Paradise
March 26, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
Before I drove to Wanaka, I decided to take the scenic route from Queenstown to Glenorchy. Once I arrived in Glenorchy I drove further to find a little place called Paradise. They say you need a 4x4 to drive there but I wanted to have a look myself and see how far I could get.

Paradise is just that. There is no cafe, no shop, just an amazing settinf on Diamond Lake below Mount Earnslaw and Mount Alfred.

No-one can say with certainty how Paradise got its name, though within the area of Paradise you have the ‘Rock of Eden’, Heavens Gate and you have to cross the River Jordan to get there. Some also say Paradise gets its name from the Paradise duck.

Paradise is 20 kilometres from Glenorchy. 8 km is sealed road and the last 12 km is unsealed. Rolling farmland changes to beech forest as you enter the Mt Aspiring National Park and drive past Diamond Lake. See Arcadia House from the road. Arcadia is Greek for Paradise and this property was originally built by Patrick Fenn in 18 to attract his Fiancee to New Zealand. Further along the road you reach the Paradise Trust from a driveway to the left. Privately owned by the Paradise Trust, guests are welcome to walk the grounds and picnic and enjoy the area for a small fee. Paradise has a rich history and was one of the key excursions for early travelers to New Zealand.

If you pass Paradise, the road continues on to the Chinamans Bluff and the start of the Dart track which is where I went.

It certainly looks a lot like Paradise 😊.Read more
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New Zealand, the big adventure Yvonne Reinartz
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Day 28
Sunday, March 27, 2016 at 1:00 PM
☀️ 17 °C
Altitude: 290 m
New Zealand Bremner Bay -44.668962, 169.12536944°40’8” S 169°7’31” E
Wanaka (That Wanaka Tree & Warbirds)
March 27, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
This morning I got up early to photograph 'That Wanaka Tree'. It actually comes up like that on all maps and is probably the most photographed tree in New Zealand (apart from Tane Mahuta).

Afterwards my Airbnb host Dan took me took the Warbirds Over Wanaka Airshow. I had a VIP pass (wahoo) and the best view of all the things happening.

It was incredible to see the old war planes in action (Spitfires, Catalina, P40s, Yaks, Messerschmidts, Avengers etc) and to experience the skills of the pilots. These guys are seriously amazing. 🛫🚁😊Read more
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New Zealand, the big adventure Yvonne Reinartz
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Day 29
Monday, March 28, 2016 at 11:00 AM
☀️ 21 °C
Altitude: 534 m
New Zealand Mount Iron -44.693136, 169.16481344°41’35” S 169°9’53” E
Mount Iron
March 28, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
Mount Iron is an impressive, glacier-carved, 240-metre rocky knoll. From its summit a great panorama unfolds: Lakes Wanaka and Hawea, the Cardrona and Upper Clutha Valleys and all the surrounding peaks; many of them in Mount Aspiring National Park in the west.

I huffed and puffed my way up for the lovely 360 views and then nearly did another full ascent after getting slightly lost on the way down. Oops, definitely earned lunch today. 😆🗻

Afterwards I relaxed by the Lake and read for a few hours which I haven't done at all since I'm in NZ. Was lovely to do nothing for a change.Read more
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New Zealand, the big adventure Yvonne Reinartz
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Day 30
Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at 11:00 AM
🌙 13 °C
Altitude: 379 m
New Zealand Muddy Creek -44.161667, 169.28097344°9’42” S 169°16’52” E
Blue Pools
March 29, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 13 °C
On my way from Wanaka to Fox Glacier I drove on the scenic road over Haast Pass, the southern gateway to the West Coast, which is probably one of the most stunning that I have seen so far.

The journey offers a variable landscape of rainforest, wetlands, lakes, glacier-fed rivers and white water rapids.

I did the Blue Pools Walk, which has become world-renowned as a must-see highlight in this wilderness region. It features a carefully maintained gravel path and boardwalks that wind through a native silver beech forest and lead to a swing bridge strung high above the Makarora River. The views back to the mountains of the Main Divide are absolutely breathtaking.

The track continues deep into the forest, with bellbird and tui calls echoing through the trees, to a series of crystal clear pools that have been carved out of the rocks by centuries of erosion.

The glacier-fed water in these deep pools is the colour of deep azure blue, and so clear that you can see right to the bottom, making the resident brown trout look like they are suspended in the air.

There are also lots of little rock/stone sculptures so I thought I add mine 😀🗿Read more
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New Zealand, the big adventure Yvonne Reinartz
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Day 30
Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at 5:00 PM
🌙 13 °C
Altitude: 123 m
New Zealand Lake Matheson -43.439086, 169.96478243°26’21” S 169°57’53” E
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Lake Matheson
March 29, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 13 °C
Famous for mirror views of Aoraki/Mount Cook and Mount Tasman, Lake Matheson is nestled in ancient forest just 5 km from Fox Glacier Weheka.

Lake Matheson was formed when Fox Glacier Te Moeka o Tuawe retreated from its last significant advance about 14 000 years ago.

During the last major ice age, the glacier spread across the coastal plains towards the sea, dumping huge piles of rock. The glacier ground a depression which later filled with water, forming the lake.

Lake Matheson’s excellent mirror-like reflecting properties are due to the dark brown colour of the water, the result of organic matter leached from the humus of the forest floor.

"I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery - air, mountains, trees, people. I thought: This is what it is to be happy." Sylvia Plath (The Bell Jar)Read more
Traveler Tolles Bild
3/2/20Reply
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New Zealand, the big adventure Yvonne Reinartz
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Day 31
Wednesday, March 30, 2016 at 10:00 AM
⛅ 23 °C
Altitude: 149 m
New Zealand Fox Glacier -43.463704, 170.01394343°27’49” S 170°0’50” E
Fox Glacier (views of Mount Cook)
March 30, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
This morning offered me an amazing view of Mount Cook.
Can't believe I have to come to Fox Glacier to see it. I can even see the top of it from my Homestay 😀🗻.
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New Zealand, the big adventure Yvonne Reinartz
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Day 31
Wednesday, March 30, 2016 at 12:00 PM
⛅ 23 °C
Altitude: 11 m
New Zealand Quinlin Creek -43.411138, 169.82555643°24’40” S 169°49’32” E
Gillespies Beach
March 30, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
Absolutely wild and untamed pebble beach 20 kms from Fox Glacier Village. A bit of adventurous driving to get there but so worth it. You can already hear and smell the ocean from the little car park. I haven't seen waves this big or powerful in quite some time. You can also see Mount Cook and the mountain range. Absolutely loved it! Just the right place to spend my 2nd last day in this wonderful country. 💖🌞🌊Read more
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New Zealand, the big adventure Yvonne Reinartz
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Day 31
Wednesday, March 30, 2016 at 2:00 PM
⛅ 23 °C
Altitude: 183 m
New Zealand Fox Glacier -43.472222, 170.01777843°28’20” S 170°1’4” E
Fox Glacier
March 30, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
Fox Glacier / Te Moeka o Tuawe is a 13-kilometre-long (8.1 mi) glacier located in Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It was named in 1872 after a visit by the then Prime Minister of New Zealand, Sir William Fox. Following the passage of the Ngai Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998, the name of the glacier was officially altered to Fox Glacier / Te Moeka o Tuawe.

It was a bit of a steep climb to where you can see the glacier valley (I should be used to it by now) but so worth it. Very sad to think that due to global warming these majestic glaciers will one day not be there anymore. 😯🗻Read more
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New Zealand, the big adventure Yvonne Reinartz
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Day 32
Thursday, March 31, 2016 at 2:00 PM
☀️ 6 °C
Altitude: 4 m
New Zealand Grandjeans Creek -42.450393, 171.21076242°27’1” S 171°12’39” E
Greymouth
March 31, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C
This is where I leave my trusty rental car and end my journey with a ride on the Tranz Alpine train to Christchurch. 🚃🗻

My little car and I have driven 5,044 kilometers (some of them really adventurous) together. So happy it didn't break down 😆Bye bye car! 🚗Read more
Over 5,000km! Does it still feel like a holiday?! xxxx
4/1/16Reply
Yvonne ReinartzYes it does! 😀 xxxx
4/2/16Reply
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New Zealand, the big adventure Yvonne Reinartz
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Day 32
Thursday, March 31, 2016 at 8:21 PM
⛅ 14 °C
Altitude: 20 m
New Zealand Burnside -43.49889, 172.56141343°29’56” S 172°33’41” E
Christchurch
March 31, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Tomorrow is my flight back to London and I can't believe that this is the end of my 4 week holiday in this absolutely stunning and wonderful country. I fell head over heels in love with it: the scenery, the people, the legends and stories of the Maori. Words can't describe how beautiful it is.

I am so deeply grateful for all I've experienced, for all I've seen and all the people I've met and who made me feel so welcome. I'm never going to forget it and hopefully will be able to come back one day. Tena koutou! 💖Read more
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Trip end
March 31, 2016