• Sheryl Burgess
  • Sheryl Burgess

New Zealand Oct 2016

A 22-day adventure by Sheryl Read more
  • Trip start
    October 16, 2016
  • Christchurch

    October 17, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Flew into Christchurch in the afternoon afeter a tubulent flight. We had a 70km tail wind. We flew with Air New Zealand. Picked up the vans and went to the supermarket (Countdown) to pick up some supplies then headed off to the North South Van park. Nice park, lots of birds around.Read more

  • Akaroa

    October 18, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Traveled to Akaroa today from Christchurch. Only took about 1.5hrs of winding road but beautiful senerery. Got into Akaroa just before lunch and wandered around for a bit. We got some local made fudge from the local gift shop to which was delicious. Headed of down along the roadway along the waterfront and found a fish and chip shop. Because it was my birthday today I decided to splurge and have the blue cod meal. It was just as I remembered it to taste. Bloody beautiful. We headed off back to the campers and left town traveling what seemed like the backroads. The Tom Tom must be set on scenic route. We came across a farmer hearding his sheep along the road and we had to pull over until they past. The babies were in amongst the flock and it was really good to experiance this.
    We stayed in Ashburton for the night at the Coronation Holiday Park. $37 per night. We walked about a 1.5km up the road to get a few supplies from Countdown (which is the Kiwi version of Woolworths).
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  • Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukika, Lake Wallam

    October 19, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Fueled up the car in Ashburton (34lts/$43). Traveled inland to Lake Tekapo today and then stopped on the way to Twizel at a campground near Lake Pukaki. Cool start to the morning this morning but the sun was out and no wind. On route we stopped at a a little place called Farm Barm Cafe. It was near a lookout that looked over to the snow mountains of Mt Cook.
    We continued onto Lake Tekapo to have a look at the lake. We stopped at the old church on the lake but didn't stay long as the wind was blowing really stong here and it was not very pleasant. Headed off again to lake Pukaki at a campground nearby the canal. We would have stayed by the lake but it was too windy. The campground we stayed at was more protected by pine trees and we were able to have a fire going. The canal apparently has fish in it and you are allowed to fish with a permit. A fella travelling from Blenhem said you need a fishing permit to fish. You can get a day pass for fishing.
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  • Dunedin

    October 21, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 8 °C

    Headed to Dunedin. Raining today. Stopped on route to a fish and chip shop called Lockeys at the top of the hill in Hampden. Really good Blue Cod and the man was really lovely. He showed us a couple of spots he recommended (Maori Bowlders and the Katiki point lighthouse at Moeraki . Here we saw the penguins and seals. Worth looking at it was.
    Arrived in Dunedin in the afternoon and caught a bus to Speights Brewery.
    Next morning we headed off to the Cadbury Chochlate factory. This is a great tour and you come out wih free samples.
    For lunch we went to he Pig and Wig Resturant at the Court House Hotel near the old supreme court building. Great lunch and reasonably priced to. Off to Glenlloch gardens and Lanarch Castle in the morning.
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  • Lanarch Castle - Dunedin

    October 22, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Stopped of at Lanarch Castle on our way to Invercargill. What a place and lovely location. We struck a lovely day. This is worth the money to see it. ($30 / person). Stopped and had lunch after we went through the Castle and grounds. Great lunch to.Read more

  • Bluff

    October 23, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Took a run down to the Bluff to have a look at the most southern part of NZ. Was interesting and we enjoyed seeing the place. It was Sunday on the long weekend and nothing was open but that was ok unless you are wanting to buy oysters.Read more

  • Queenstown

    October 23, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Arrived in Queenstown this afternoon around 2.30pm. Van park is located near the gondela and is within walking distance of the town. Lots of vans parked here. Clint and Ron went off to do the Shotover Jet and really enjoyed it.
    Day 2 - Earnslaw - Great trip and fantastic lunch. Pitty about the weather. Drizzeling rain all day and the afternoon was raining.
    Day 3 - Gondala and Luge. Always great fun on the luge. 5 goes for $55.
    Lunch at the Irish pub Pog Mahone - Irish Stew. Raining again this arvy.
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  • Wanaka

    October 26, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Headed off to Wanaka and arrived just before lunch. Had lunch at a place called Trout. Not bad. Went to a shooting place near the toy and automobile place. Had a go at shooting and did really well. Had a go at archer to and did alright at that to.
    Next morning we headed off to Puzzle Wold. This was great. We got lost in the maze for a while and I'll give you a hot tip, make sure you pee before you go into the maze.
    From here we headed off to Haast. We had lunch here at a cafe. We had a gorse burger which was a lamb pattie with colslaw, mango chutney on a bun. delicious. We then traveled up the road and picked up some whitebait were they were catching it and went onto Franz Josef were we stayed the night. It was raining when we arrived and it is expected to continue to rain for the next few days. We were going to stay for a helicopter ride to the glacier but we have decided to move onto Hokatika instead.
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  • Franz Josef

    October 28, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 30 °C

    Rolled into Franz Josef this afternoon and it was raining. Pulled up at the van park and ran around to reception to book in. Asked for a map to where we need to park for the night and they advised we are in the parks. Toilets looked doggie but they actually aren't too bad. Plenty of hot water to. We won't be staying here long though as it is raining and we are expecting rain all day tomorrow to. We wanted to do a helicopter flight up to the glacier but it seems pointless with the rain around so I think we will move on to Hokatika. Hoppy backed his van into a rock trying to give Clint some room to back our van it. Barb was in histerics and couldn't help Gary back their van. Lol..Read more

  • Hokatika

    October 28, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    So we showed up here smoko time on Friday and we pulled into the New World carpark and parked up. We headed across the road to the Regent picture theatre and had a pie and coffee. Clint and I had a lamb and kumera pie fresh out of the oven. these piese were amazing. One of the best pies we ever ate. That might have had something to do with the weather outside to. It was raining heavy and it was windy as well. Miserable day really. The locals said it was a beautiful day yesterday of course. Apparently it is snowing today on the eastern pass from Wanaka. It is suposed to clear up tomorrow. Lets hope so as this weather is terrible to do anything but read or watch movies.
    Next morning was much better. We headed up to the Hokatika Gorge. This is worth the 30 minute trip out. The gorge is well signed how to get there and there is plenty of parking. Great to visit even if you are not the most fit person. The day we went the water was green but on a day that it hasn't been raining the water is a beautiful turquios blue.
    We came back into town to head north to Shantytown/Greymouth but we stopped for another pie at th regent theatre. Just as good as the day before to it was.
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  • Greymouth

    October 29, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    On route to Greymouth we pulled into Shantytown. This was a place that took you back to gold rush days and the timber boom. Interesting place that they have set up to show you the old shops and steam train etc. There is eve an old China town. We also panned for gold here which was nice to see how they pan gold. All in all, I think it was a little pricey but the visit was interesting and informative.
    We pulled into Greymouth and stayed at a Council run van park of sorts. Rather perculier but not bad. The showers were hot and went for a while. It cost us $2 for the hot water. The toilets and showers were clean though. They even had a public laundry. We did a walk around the town centre and looked at the dirty water in the river. This was probably the most dirty river we have seen in New Zealand. Not much here in Greymouth really to look at.
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  • Murcheson

    October 30, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Stayed overnight at the Riverview Camp gound. Wondered around Murchison around lunch time. Not much open on a Sunday. Filled up with fuel and parked up to have lunhc at the Commercial Hotel in town. Had a great steak sandwhich and chips. Went onto the van park and got a spot for the night. The van park was located near the town cemetery and by a river. The river was lovely but too cold to swim in.
    Next day Clint and I left the others as they went onto Nelson. We took a jet boat ride on the Buller river. We also had a go at the cable harness ride across the gorge. We had to walk across a long suspention bridge to get to both the cable ride and the jet boat. All great things to do.
    Once we finished at the canyon we went back into town and had a pie from the blue tea shop. These were homemade and bloody beautiful.
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  • Kaiteriteri

    October 31, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    After leaving Murchison at 2pm we drove to Kaiteriteri. Took us around 2hrs . The road was windie in some places but amazing scenery along the way. We arrived at Kaiteriteri and was suprised by the bay in which it is situated in. Lovely wee place to stay the night.Read more

  • Nelson

    November 1, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 11 °C

    Kiwi and Kellie's place. Landed in Nelson and went for a run up to the shops at Richmond. Met up with Kellie and had lunch at the Stable resturant near the shopping centre. Got some groceries at the pack and save for tea. Kiwi cooked up a lamb roast for dinner. It was beautiful.
    Next day we were suposed to go fishing but the weather was too windy so Kiwi took us around the place and showed us a few things. We went to a hippi self supporing comunity and had a date scone and tea. Bloody beautful. We also got some fresh unhomoginised milk out of the dispenser. Cost us $2.50 for the litre and we had to bring out own bottle. It was delicious. We moved on from here and went the Muture were Kiwi grew up. This place was first settled by Germans many moons ago. The distict grows grapes for wines and hops as well as sheep of course. We had a real fruit icecream and Kiwi cooked us up a really nice dinner of scolops. blue code and we had venisin and gourmet sausages to. Kellie was headng out to an Abba tribute show which she managed to get a couple of tickets for Gail and I and the trhee of us went into the Theatre Royal for the show. It was great.
    Next day we stayed until lunch and then headed off to Hanmer Springs. Gail and Ron left early as they were meeting Barb and Gary at the Kahuna caravan park to head down the coast through Blenheim and onto Kikora to see the seals. From there they headed into Hanmer.
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  • Hanmer Springs

    November 3, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 11 °C

    Arrived at Hanmer Springs this afternoon around 4pm after leaving Nelson at lunch time. We stopped on route for a pie at Wakefield and this was delicious. It had started raining at smoko and continued to rain all the way to the outskirts of Hanmer Springs. The wather was lovelin in Hanmer on arrival but a littlle windy. We met up with Ron and Gail and Barb and
    Gary. It is a balmy 10degrees here this afternoon.
    Next day we headed off to the thermal pools. These were amazing. Only spent a few hours there and then went for a quick walk up town to have a look at a couple of shops. Hanmer is a lovely little town.
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  • Christchurch

    November 4, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Back in Christchurch this afternoon after a lovely drive from Hanmer. The weather is lovely but windy in Christchurch and the wind is cold coming off the alps. Staying at the Amber Park cararvan park and it is a lovely little park.
    Day 2, headed off to the city this morning to see whats happening in there. We caught a bus into the city centre and walked to Cathedral Square to catch the tram which was a hop on hop off tram. We walked past the city Cathedral and it was an in your face reminder of the earthquake that struck Christchurch back in 2011. The biggest earthquake to hit New Zealand in 80yrears. It was interesting to see the amount of work going on to rebuild the city and to realise the magnetude of the devestation. Entire roads were being ripped up not just because they were damaged but because the infrastructue underground was badly damaged. Entire buildings have had to be demolished from site deemed too dangerous. The city in their wisdom decided to get shop holders up and running again by having them sell out of shipping containers. This has proven a novil idea and is working well. The tram is an excellant way to see the city.
    Day 3, went to the Riccardon Market for a look. It was ok but we expected to see some homemade things like jams and cakes etc. Thre were none of these. Popped into a pub for lunch and had a fish and chips. The fish was Gurder fish and it was delicious. The food was good but the women where cranky. Next off to the Antartic Centre. This is a great attraction and we all thouroghly enjoyed it.
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  • Journey pictures

    November 7, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 11 °C

    The countryside in New Zealand is differnt from coast to coast. The West side is harsh and weathered whilst the eastside is picturesc with its rolling green hills. All of the country is amazing and green and there is water a plenty. Gods country really.Read more

    Trip end
    November 6, 2016