New Zealand

February - March 2024

A 26-day adventure by DK Bucket List Travels & George Read more

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New Zealand
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- Feb 19, 2024, 3:48am
- 🌙 21 °C
- Altitude: 18 m
- Australia Queensland Gold Coast Bilinga Gold Coast Airport -28.166933, 153.51248228°10’1” S 153°30’45” E
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Day 1
Day 1 - GC to Queenstown NZ
February 19 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 21 °C
Early morning start - left Pottsville 4.45am for departure from GC Airport. Arrived Queenstown 12.30 NZ time and picked up hire car, a Suzi Swift and drove to the Heritage Hotel for our 2 night stay in Queenstown. Lovely city nestled in a valley on the beautiful lake Wakatitu. We then took the granola ride to Bobs peak with great views over the city. Did a bit of slight seeing around the city before having a delicious tapas dinner on the lakeside. Long day so early to bed for another early start tomorrow on our bus trip to Milford Sound.Read more
Traveler Love Queenstown. When we win some money Sam wants to buy a place there to live in during our Summer months, as if that’s ever going to happen.
2/19/24Reply
Traveler Whooppeeee
2/19/24Reply
Traveler You got a lot in whilst being tired travellers, well done.
2/19/24Reply
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New Zealand
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- Feb 20, 2024, 1:52pm
- ☀️ 12 °C
- Altitude: Sea level
- Tasman Sea -44.608938, 167.83885344°36’32” S 167°50’20” E
Day 2
Day 2 Milford Sound
February 20, Tasman Sea ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
Another early morning start for a 5 hr coach trip to Milford Sound. Arrived just in time for the ferry trip around the lake then back on the bus to Queenstown. Beautiful lake and scenery on the way but way too long on the bus. Arrived back at 8.15 so had a delicious steak dinner at the wharf pup and George tried some local brewed Monteith beer. Then a short stroll around the vibrant Queenstown before heading back to the hotel. Just loved Queenstown 👍. Tomorrow we head to the Shotover River for a “exciting” ride on a jet boat and then off to Franz Josef for a two nights stay.Read more
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New Zealand
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- Feb 21, 2024, 9:25am
- ☀️ 9 °C
- Altitude: 352 m
- New Zealand Otago Queenstown-Lakes District Arthurs Point -44.987083, 168.67018144°59’13” S 168°40’13” E
Day 3
Day 3 - Queenstown to Franz Josef
February 21 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C
First up this morning was a thrilling ride on the Shotover River on a jet boat - very exciting but freezing cold! Then on to Arrowtown - a quaint little village not far from Queenstown for coffee to warm up. Then on to Franz Josef for a two night stay - we arrived at 6pm after a picturesque drive through the Remarkable Mountains - so many amazing views that it turned into another 6 hour drive. Truly one of the best scenic drives 👍Read more
Traveler Hows your neck????? pretty rough ride, but then again youre young and can take it!
2/22/24Reply
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New Zealand
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- Feb 22, 2024, 10:51am
- ⛅ 6 °C
- Altitude: 2,107 m
- New Zealand West Coast Westland District Mackay Rocks -43.486504, 170.24636843°29’11” S 170°14’47” E
Day 4
Day 4 - Franz Josef Glazier
February 22 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C
Today we took a helicopter ride to the top of the Franz Josef glazier. We had a beautiful clear sunny morning and the views were spectacular. After lunch we drove to Fox Glazier township and went on a walk to the Matherson Lake which is famous for its reflective views of the surrounding mountains. Walk was lovely but lake was not still enough for the mirror reflection its famous for.
Tomorrow we drive to Greymouth on the west coast- drop off the hire car and catch the train across the mountains to Christchurch on the east coast.Read more
It does not get much more beautiful [Pam]
2/22/24Reply
Traveler Beautiful scenery, who needs to go o/seas!
2/22/24Reply
Great pics [Gwendolyn]
2/23/24Reply
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New Zealand
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- Feb 23, 2024, 9:38pm
- ⛅ 14 °C
- Altitude: 43 m
- New Zealand West Coast Westland District Ross Coal Creek -42.900864, 170.81564342°54’3” S 170°48’56” E
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Day 5
Day 5 - Franz Josef to Christchurch
February 23 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Early start this morning- breakfast in the little resort village of Franz Josef then off to Greymouth to check in our hire car at the railway station and hop on the TransAlpine Train to Christchurch.
Another lovely scenic drive along the west coast of NZ - on the way we stopped at the lovely little gold mining town of Ross for morning tea arriving at Greymouth at lunchtime. Train left 2pm and passed through beautiful mountainous country stopping for 10 mins at Albert Pass, arriving in Christchurch 7.15. Booked in at Ramada Suites in Tuan St with dinner at the new Little High Eatery- these are all new buildings after the earthquake! Free day in Christchurch tomorrow to check out the “new” city.Read more
Traveler Gosh you two are getting around. I think it took us 2 weeks to do what you’ve done already. Enjoy! Great pics too.
2/23/24Reply
Traveler That fellow looks like George.
2/23/24Reply
Traveler Wow, an actual bank, in a town!
2/23/24Reply
Leaving the mainland ? The north so different [Pam]
2/25/24Reply
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New Zealand
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- Feb 24, 2024, 5:48pm
- ☁️ 26 °C
- Altitude: 19 m
- New Zealand Canterbury Christchurch Cathedral Square -43.535496, 172.64331143°32’8” S 172°38’36” E
Day 6
Day 6 - Christchurch
February 24 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C
Today was our first free day - so after a sleep in we were ready to explore Christchurch. First up was a trip on the gondola for some great scenery overlooking the city. Then it was on the hop on hop off tram. This was a great way to see and hear about all the restoration that has taken place since the earthquake 13 years ago. Some beautiful buildings have been restored but there are a lot that have been demolished or are still covered with scaffolding…..but still a very beautiful city.
Tomorrow we are off on the scenic Coastal Pacific Train trip from Christchurch to Picton.Read more
Traveler A lot has been done since we were there in 2012. Enjoy the train ride(safer than the road along the coast!)
2/25/24Reply
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- Feb 25, 2024, 9:56am
- ☁️ 16 °C
- Altitude: 13 m
- New Zealand Canterbury Kaikoura District Kaikoura Suburban Lyell Creek -42.39632, 173.68075642°23’47” S 173°40’51” E
Day 7
Day 7 - Christchurch to Picton
February 25 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Early morning start with our Christchurch to Picton train leaving at 7am. Not the best day weather wise for photos but it was another great train ride along the east coast of the South Island. We arrived in the beautiful little harbour town of Picton at 12.30 and booked in the the Picton Yacht Club hotel for our one night stay. We had lovely afternoon with better weather walking around this beautiful little village.Read more
Traveler Great pictures
2/25/24Reply
Looks fab [Gwendo]
2/26/24Reply
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New Zealand
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- Feb 26, 2024, 9:48am
- ☁️ 17 °C
- Altitude: 10 m
- New Zealand Marlborough Marlborough District Picton Picton Ferry Port -41.28661, 174.005641°17’12” S 174°0’20” E
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Day 8
Day 8 - Picton
February 26 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Today we encountered our first hiccup on our NZ trip. We were scheduled to catch the ferry to Wellington at 2pm today but after several delays we are to leave now at 8.15pm. Unfortunately that means we will miss the scenery on the trip as we will arrive in Wellington about 11pm 😣 🥱
So today was spent checking out the local souvenir shops, drinking coffee, visiting local museums and sightseeing around the harbour town of Picton.Read more
Traveler Bugger! At least George had time to spend with his sailor mate.
2/27/24Reply
Traveler Cute hat George
2/27/24Reply
Traveler Ferry wharf?
2/27/24Reply
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- Feb 27, 2024, 5:49am
- 🌬 16 °C
- Altitude: 5 m
- New Zealand Wellington Wellington City Te Aro Wellington Ferry Port -41.289391, 174.78295941°17’22” S 174°46’59” E
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Day 9
Day 9 - Wellington
February 27 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 16 °C
We arrived in Wellington very late (Monday night/Tuesday morning) and got to bed about 2am - so it was a late start today for our “free” day in the capital. We were booked in at the QT hotel ( very swish!) which is situated only a short stroll from the bay / harbour - after a walk around the bay we had brunch at The Grocery cafe in downtown Wellington. After brunch we caught one of the public buses to Miramar to visit the Wetta Cave. This is where a lot of the behind the scenes magic was created for movies such as Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and Avatar. Then on to another public bus for a 45 min trip around the bay to take in some of the views of Wellington.
Dinner was at a nearby Chinese restaurant 👍 - and then back to the hotel to get organised for another early start for the 11 hour train trip to Auckland tomorrow.Read more
Traveler Hope he had a g string on
2/27/24Reply
Traveler Wow, talk about seasoned tourists. Not a waisted moment on this holiday. Plus good photos. Well done DK & George.
2/27/24Reply
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- Feb 28, 2024, 11:28am
- ☁️ 15 °C
- Altitude: 481 m
- New Zealand Manawatu-Wanganui Rangitikei District Mangaweka Tuha -39.853792, 175.78616339°51’14” S 175°47’10” E
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Day 10
Day 10 - Wellington to Auckland
February 28 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
Up early again today to catch the train at 7.55am to start our 11 hour trip to Auckland. Arrived at 7.15pm to sunny Auckland after a showery start. Not the best day for photos but the trip was again very scenic - very different from the South Island with lush green paddocks and rolling hills.
Rydges hotel in downtown Auckland is our home for the next 3 days.Read more
Not such a hard life !! LOVE all the photos! [Pam]
2/28/24Reply
Traveler The North Island is similar to here I think. The beaches are beautiful and I believe the Coromandel Coast is spectacular but we never got there!
2/29/24Reply
Traveler Great photos once again.
2/29/24Reply
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