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New Zealand

February 2018 - May 2024
An open-ended adventure by Amanda Read more
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  • TravelerNew Zealand
    Day 15

    Lake Pukaki

    February 19, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    After dropping Alex we back tracked to the Church on the Lake. This Church was right on the edge of Lake Tekapo. It was a quirky little Church with a great view towards the front of the church. We got a few snaps however it made with hard with a hundred asians running around the place. After a quick look at the Church we walked over to the bridge the view here was also amazing. After that Alex had told us a place called Mt John Observatory and highly recommended it so we headed there next as it was close to the Church. The Observation was a steep drive but before we knew it we where on top of the mountain, it was Amazing. You could see all the surrounding mountains and Lake Tekapo. After some awesome pics we headed back down. We continued on to Lake Pukaki where we drove down Mount Cook for about half an hour. We had planned to drive down this road to see the highest mountain in the Southern Hemestpher however due to the fog we couldn't see anything. This Lake was also Amazing!!! The views where incredible. We had driven past 2 lookout points and still couldnt see the Mountian so we decided to turn around.

    By this stage it was getting late and we really wanted a hot shower because it was so cold. We had a look and the only one we could see was in a place called Hot Tubs Omarama. After some uming and arrhing we decided to do it for $50. We had an hour and a half in a circle tub with was heated by logs and fire under the tub. After about an hour we hopped out and showered. We then headed back Highway 83 then onto 82. On the way Amanda nearlly hit 2 very big cows that appeared as if they had escaped from their fence. Further down the road we stopped opposite Waihao Forks Hotel in a free carpark for the night. As we were finding an area to sleep Amanda bogged the van briefly which was a tad funny. We had some chicken salad for dinner and went to sleep.    Read more

  • TravelerNew Zealand
    Day 16

    Dunedin

    February 20, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 9 °C

    Woke up in the carpark, we had survived the night lol! Today was the day Chris was finally getting to see the chicilate factory. We decided because the weather was still terrible we would just drive straight down to Dunedin. We stopped a few times as Chris was still unwell the last stop before Dunedin was down a street. We couldnt turn around so kept going until we could which was basically the end of the street. There was a restaurant and Moeraki Rocks here. Chris really needed to go so we decided to buy some sweet so we could use the restaurant. After a quick feed we decided to walk down the stairs and see what was all the fuss was about, we knew it had to be alright as there where again 100s of asains here. After a short walk we reached the beach and there where about 50 round boulders scattered over the beach. They where so cool, it would be interesting to find out how they came about they didn't seem to be man made. After some silly photos we continued on to Dundein and straught to the chocolate place.Read more

  • TravelerNew Zealand
    Day 16

    Dunedin Chocolate Factory

    February 20, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    We purchased our tickets for the tour and in the the mean time we got to walk through the musuem. It was a good insight into how Cadbury came to be. Chris thought this place was a place of hopes and dreams! He was loving it. We then started our tour which was to go for an hour, Chris's day really couldnt get any better. We first where taken into a room for a safety briefing and then told no photos or bags could be taken unfortunatley on the tour. We first where taken into a room in the factory where we got to sample liquid chocolate before tempering had been completed, there where also some yummy toppings. The room had loads of information about how chocloate was made and how every ingredient was purchased from around the world. A lady showed everyone how to temper chocloate on a demonstration in this room as well. We then moved onto a large purple silo, here we got to climb about 100 stairs inside. Inside we got to watch 1 tone of cholate being dropped from the top of the silo. This was insane!! So much chocolate. We then headed into one last room where we watched a video of how the jaffers where made in the factory. The factory here in Dunedin only mass produces Jaffers, pinapple lumps and banana bars. They are unfortunatly closing down in 3 weeks as they are moving to production to Melboune as they purchase 70% of the produce at the moment. After the tour we purchased a few blocks of cholate and headed to the cafe where Amanda had an ice-cholate and Chris has an Earl tea as he was still a little unwell.Read more

  • TravelerNew Zealand
    Day 16

    Exploring Dunedin

    February 20, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    We had a quick look at some of the things to do on the map and then headed to the Dunedin Railway Station which was a heritage building. This building was beauitful and really well preserved. We walked around here for a little and then headed on to Dunedin Chinese Garden. We got to walk around the garden and listen to audio. It was a very oriental experience in a scottish influenced town. The gardens where just beauitful. In one of the rooms we were able to play dress ups and try on the tradition clothing worn by the Chinese. We then headed to the world's largest street called Baldwin Street. We parked the car and walk over as it seemed almost impossible to drive up it. We walked to the top even though it was a struggle. The street from the top looked even steeper then the bottom. Once we got back down we where freezing as it was still raining. We looked for a good half an hour for a good place to stay but literally everything was booked so we found Mosgiel Motor Park which was $30 for the night and included hot showers. The showers where amazing!! They also had laundry facilities so we washed all our dirty/wet clothes. We watched half of Miami Vice then fell asleep.Read more

  • TravelerNew Zealand
    Day 17

    Southern Scenic Road

    February 21, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 11 °C

    We slept in a little today and got up around 9am. As we had paid for the showers we decided to take advantage and shower again this morning. We both quickly showered and cooked some hot cross buns in the oven. We left about 10:30 and headed straight down to Dunedin and through. We drove a while all the way down Highway 1 until we reached Balclutha where we turned down Owaka on the scenic route. Our first stop was at a Historic Railway Tunnel. This was an old railway from the 1880s. We walked down and about half way into the tunnel then turned around bcause it was really dark and eerie plus our torch wasnt that thay great. We then continued onto Purakaunui Bay where we did completed the loop to have a look at Purakaunui Water Falls. We walk about 20 minutes to these falls. They where the widest falls we had seen so far, they also had about 4 layers. These falls where well worth the walk. The forest walk was also really pretty. We then continued onto Matai Falls. Chris was still unwell so be decided to stay in the car for these Falls. There where 2 falls on this walk, both where pretty good being about 5 meters high.Read more

  • TravelerNew Zealand
    Day 17

    Exploring the Southern Coast

    February 21, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    We then continued on and saw a sign for Caves so we decided to take a look. About 10kms down a windy dirt road we reached the carpark and then another half an hour way along a beach track we reached the caves. There were several caves on the beach which where quite large. We walked through most of the caves some got so small we didnt want to risk it going through and other caves ended in a large darkness with ponds. Our torch wasnt the greatest so we didnt go in. After exploring for about an hour we had to head back up as the tide was coming in. The walk back was long, we were cold and so wet. We then continued on past Chaslands and down to Waikawa where we stopped at Slope Point. This was the most Southernest point on the South Island and the cloest point to Antarctica. We walked through a paddock with hundreds of sheeps to get to the point. It was so cold here absolutely freezing!! The temperature was about 0° literally. We both had 2-3 jackets on and where still cold. It was getting late by now so we started looking for free camp sites. We continued onto Invercargill where we stopped briefly at the Warehouse. We bought another planket because the one we had was not enough as the South Island was so much colder. We then continued on to Highway 99 where we stopped at Thornbury. We got here about 9pm and we both where starving. We decided to cook potatoes and chicken which ended up taking about an hour lol but so worth it.Read more

  • TravelerNew Zealand
    Day 18

    Doubtful sound

    February 22, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Woke up about 8am this morning quickly packed up and rurried on our way. We both needed to go to the toilet and there were so many vans around we couldnt really just go in the bush. We found a toilet not to far away from the free site thankfully. We then continued on along the Highway 99 and had a quick stop at Monkey Bay for breakfast. There was a small hill out on the shore with some stairs, it was far to cold to walk out there so we ate breakfast and where on our way. We then stopped at Clifden where there was an old suspension bridge. We got for a quick look and some photos it really wasnt anything special. We continued on saw a sign for glow worms just down Ohai-Clifden Hwy. There were some free caves we could climb into where several glow worms lived. This caves were quite small and we had to crawl into them. At first we couldnt see the glow worms however after a nice couple showed us they were easy to find. Chris was so fascinated with them haha.Read more

  • TravelerNew Zealand
    Day 18

    Journey to Milford Sound

    February 22, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    We then continued on to Lake Monowai. We took a dirt road down to the lake and then walk about half an hour on a native walk to one of the most amazing lakes. We both loved this lake, you could see into the crystal clear water with the mountains in the far background. We stayed here for a little admiring the view!! We then made our way to Milford sound. Ee decided that we would stay near Milford Sound and try our luck with a cruise tomorrow. The drive along Highway 94 took us several hours as we stopped quite a few times to take some photos. This drive was amazing!!! So many huge mountains and some even had snow still on them. We ended up stopping just before Lake Gunn in a camp site. The view was amazing here as well, we were in a vale with a river running through it. We cooked some potatoes again and ate the remaining chicken. We then watched the end of Miami Vice and then started watching the wedding crushers and went to sleep.Read more

  • TravelerNew Zealand
    Day 19

    Milford Sound

    February 23, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Woke up really early this morning about 7am so we could make it to Milford Sound by 9 on the off chance they would have available spots on the boats. The drive there was cold and very foggy. It was so pretty seeing the fog around the mountains, it just kept getting prettier as we drove along the route. We made it in pretty good timing. We went straight the the kiosk and they had still spots on the 9:00am or several on a smaller more in depth cruise at 9:40 so we decided to do that cruise. We had a quick tea and hot chocloate and were on our way to the dock. After a short wait we boarded our small explorer boat. It was a double story boat with most of up stairs being outside, we where lucky enough to grab a spot outside at the end of the boat. The cruise was absolutely amazing!!! The view was spectacular so many mountains exceeding 100 meters with fog along the top of them. We drove up the left side all the way until the Tasman Sea and then journeyed back on the other side. We explored close to several waterfalls where the water drenched the front of the boat, we also saw several seals and penguins along the journey. There was also some very yummy soup we both had on the cruise, this help warm us as it was freezing on the boat. We both enjoyed the cruise!Read more

  • TravelerNew Zealand
    Day 19

    Journey to queenstown

    February 23, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ -4 °C

    Afterwards we made our way to Queenstown. We didnt stop along the way as there wasnt to much to see. We arrived in queenstown fairly late with just enough time for a quick swim at the local Alphine Health and Fitness Center. Afterwards we bought some local Chinese and headed to a free camp site with was a little dirt area just off the Highway next to Lake Wakatipu. Our Chinese was so yummy!! We then started watching 13 hours and feel asleep half way through.Read more

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