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New Zealand: Hitting Some High Points in 13 Days
Photos and Story By Tab Hauser (tab@tabhauser.com)
This July’s 2009 family trip was going to be special as it was an important year. We were celebrating our daughter’s graduation from college and our son’s graduation from High School. My wife Maureen and I also knew that our days as a family traveling unit were numbered as the “kids” take on the responsibility of work and form their own relationships. To keep the kids interested in visiting the world with us we asked them to pick the places to be visited. They picked our last destinations of Egypt and Jordan, Thailand and Cambodia as well as some of the Caribbean islands due to their interests. My daughter’s pick this time was New Zealand. My son being easy going, while not happy about the haul across the Pacific, had no problem with her choice. With New Zealand the final goal I spent many months reviewing and planning our 13 days there along with a 6 day stopover in Oahu.
Planning a trip to New Zealand during their winter has its pros and cons. If you are a warm weather person like me, you are limited on much of hiking and kayaking I would have liked to do. If you are winter people like Daniel and Melissa you have can take advantage of the highly rated ski fields (as ski mountains are called). The duration of our trip was 13 days and in that time my goal was to get a feel of what New Zealand’s high points were. What you see below is a photo and written essay on our adventure.
Air New Zealand Transpacific Business Class No Sleeping Pill Needed On This Flight
The Flying Arrangements
Our trip hinged on the mercy of the frequent flyer point system which took 6 hours in phone time to establish. It was originally a joke or a Catch-22 to make a reservation. I could get a flight down but not up or would find the return date but not the departure flight. I was not allowed to make a reservation for one flight at a time. It had to be roundtrip. Originally we made reservations to hold something but when a flight opened up a couple of days earlier we had to pay $320 for the change. This happened twice. On a better note, our stopover in Honolulu was free. With 400,000 miles cashed in and the hassles of finally getting our seats we were pleased that United’s “P.S.”upgraded plane to Los Angeles. Here they split the cabin into 3 sections making the business class section in the middle roomy with reclining lounge chair and personal video with movies on demand. At LAX we had a 3 hour layover and were sent to one of the best business clubs in the airline business, Air New Zealand’s Koru Lounge. There were plenty of choices of New Zealand beer, wine and food. They even passed around sandwiches and desert if you did not want to get up. The flight from LAX to Auckland on Air New Zealand was excellent. Business class on flights of nine hours or more means first class treatment. The seats were slanted 45 degrees to the aisle giving one a bit of privacy. The space given to you had a small compartment with a 10” screen and a reclining seat with separate foot rest. The foot rest also acted as small seat in case you wanted someone to join you to talk or share a meal. As this was the 12 hour night flight I was anxious to try their full bed. To operate this you had to get up, push a button and watch your seat back fold flat forward. You were then given a small mattress cover which the flight attended used in making your bed. A nice pillow and blanket was added and it was off to dream land in fairly good comfort. What was also nice about the Air New Zealand flight was the cheery staff and the concierge that sat down with me to go over my trip. (The return flight on Air New Zealand to Honolulu was on a standard business class similar to other airlines. The flight from Honolulu on United was an older uncomfortable plane not worth any first class upgrade)
Piha Beach 30 Minutes West Of Auckland
A Day In The Auckland Area
We arrived in New Zealand at 6:30 AM and were pleased to see our SUV upgraded to full size Toyota Highlander by the people at Thrifty. After loading up and setting the GPS we brought from the States it was a 25 minute drive to the Hyatt Hotel. My son looked at his watch and advised us that it took 26 hours to go from our house door to hotel door. With no rooms for early check in available at the hotel we dropped off our bags and headed to a local market called Otara only 10 minutes away. This is a place where you will see locals buying fresh and inexpensive produce as well as Chinese imported shoes, clothes and more. It is a working class weekly market and good place to see Kiwi’s interact on a normal basis. My daughter who loves the fruit Kiwi, bought the standard type and something called a golden kiwi that is a bit sweeter. The price was a ridiculous NZ $1 for a bag of 10 coming out to US$.68. From here we went to a popular surfing beach on the Tasman Sea called Piha. Again using our GPS we programmed in “Piha” and was directed to drive 45 minutes skirting the Auckland suburbs through a rainforest to a picturesque beach split in the center with a tall island or rock out crop. After walking around the beach and watching the surfers catch some sloppy waves it was back to the Hyatt for a well needed shower and nap
Auckland Water Front With Sky Tower New Zealand Green Lipped Mussels (First Course)
We left the Hyatt in a light rain at 5PM and strolled down to Queens Street making a right turn towards the water to see what the city looks like downtown. Things were pretty quiet around here considering it was a Saturday night. We continued up to the Hilton to ask the concierge where people go to hang out and eat. He said that the only place would be the Viaduct for bars and restaurants. From the Hilton we continued a few minutes to the Viaduct. The entrance had the America’s Cup Yacht from New Zealand right in the middle of the square on a special dolly for the world to see. I was impressed with the extra long and thin keel and sleek hull that I have only seen in pictures. This area has about a dozen bars and restaurants that were mostly empty. At 6:30 we picked a place called Soul because of its upscale and diverse menu. We found the fish, chicken and lamb chops all well and would recommend the place. After dinner we walked 6 blocks up Queens Street. Here we saw a good mix of tourists and locals out and about. The few shops open here were geared for the tourists. At 8PM this family after a very long travel day called it a night.
On To Waitamo Caves
Kids At Rotorua Cave Entrance Maureen in Cave
The next morning we were up early and after the hotel continental buffet breakfast loaded up the car and left the Hyatt Regency Auckland at 7:45AM. Our destination today was Waitomo where we planned on seeing the caves and glow worm caves with Spellbound Tours. We found the 2 ½ hour drive scenic and 30 minutes faster than the hotel advised due to it being a Sunday and no one on the roads.
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Inside Cave System Complete With Bones From Animals That Fall Through Cracks Above
After checking in with Spellbound earlier than expected we were advised to go up the road to the Waitomo Cave Museum and walk through a few small rooms to learn the geological, animal and human history of the cave systems. There was also a 10 minute presentation on the life cycles of the glow worms that make this cave system famous. The museum while interesting is not worth any special trip to.
Walking The Dry With High Ceilings Donning Helmets For The Lower River Glowworm Cave
I picked Spellbound Tours because they seemed more personal and interesting than the other walking cave tour operators. They limit groups to about a dozen people doing 10, 11, 1 and 3PM tour. At 11 AM our guide Norman Felder loaded up the mini bus and drove 20 minutes to the land that they contracted to use. On the way to the cave he gave us a history of the area, described the landscape and had everyone on the bus introduce themselves. The first part of the tour took us into a long cave system with different "rooms" and features. Here he pointed out the stalagmites, stalactites, the running water and some animal bones. This part of the cave tour was interesting but similar to other caves I have been to around the world. After walking through this cave system he advised us that the next cave was up the road and recommended that anyone wanting a stroll in the country air head up the dirt road 10 minutes. He took the bus ahead to prepare coffee, tea and hot chocolate to serve with cookies on our arrival.
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Taking "Bridge" to Glowworm Cave Rubber Boat In Cave Readied
After our snack we put on helmets with lights and crossed a fast moving river on a simple steel planked bridge that was perhaps 10 feet long and about 12 inches wide placed just above the heightened water line. We followed the river path into a cave where a rubber boat was tied to a dock alongside the rushing water. During this walk we had on our lights to help us see where we were going as well as study the sticky strings made by the glow worms that catch their food. We also learned that the famous glow worm is not a worm but a flying insect that glows during its larvae stage.
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Cave Entrance With Fast Moving Stream Inside Note Glow Worms Thin Sticky String It Makes To Catch Bugs
Once we were all in the boat Norman attached a safety line to it and directed us to turn all lights off and stated that no photos would come out in this section because it was dark and we were moving slowly. (He advised us that Spellbound would email pictures at anyone’s request, which they did) Norman then ever slow slowly using his hands on the rope above the boat guided us into the low ceiling cave with the fast running water underneath us. After 10 minutes of sitting in the dark and going several yards we can were able to make out what looked like thousands of glow worms. In the distance we heard a water falls of what we were told had a 3 foot drop. The boat would only go down about 60 yards in this narrow section of cave. This part of Spellbound Tours is amazing! Floating in this river cave with thousands of small glowing dots above is very hard to describe. I found it peaceful and serine. To enjoy the float Norman requested that everyone stay silent which was not hard to do because we were all in wonder by what we saw for the next 20 minutes. When we first got into the cave and turned our lights off we could not see our hands in front of our face. When our eyes were completely used to the dark there was enough ambient light from glow worms to see the people around us and the contoured ceiling in detail totally covered with the larvae glowing. It was almost like taking a raft ride and having thousands of stars above you.
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Pictures Cannot Do This Place Justice, You Just Have To Experience The Waitamo Glow Worm Caves
Norman advised us that the cave continued underground about 4 miles but it would be impossible to survive the next mile or so because of the turns, lifts and drops it took. We learned Blackwater Cave Tours uses the same underwater system but in a safer opened up area further down river. Blackwater gives people a more extreme cave tour wearing wet suits, lighted helmets and boogey boards to go through the current until the water empties out of a tunnel by the Ruakuri Bush Walk. (We met the Blackwater group leaving the cave there later on and they were all pumped up from what looked like an exciting tour)
On our return from the boat Norman requested we keep our lights off and had us line up one behind the other holding a rail on one hand and the back of person’s jacket in front of us. He did this because our eyes were very much adjusted to the dark. After 25 yards he only turned his flashlight on which was more than enough light to see our way out until we reached the entrance. Here we gave back our helmets and recommended a stroll up the hill for the view of the area and where mini bus meet us.
A Rainbow At Waitamo Tasty Venison Pie Served Adjacent To Spellbound Tours
On the ride over to the cave and back he pointed out and highly recommended we take the Ruakuri Bushwalk we passed. He said it is on the top 10 short bush walks in New Zealand. We took this walk after lunch and really enjoyed it. The walk took about 45 minutes and covered two loops. One was along a stream that connected to another loop that went into a cave and an over look of the stream going through a tunnel. The easy walk took us through some very dense natural forest and vegetation. It was the way New Zealand looked like before much of the forests were cut down to make farm land. We can highly recommend you allow the time for the Ruakuri Bushwalk. From here we programmed the GPS to take us to Rotorua passing miles of farmland where sheep, horse, cattle and deer were grazing. We arrived at Rotorua around 6:30PM and after dropping our bags off at the hotel, walked to the pedestrian street called Tutenekai that is composed of several restaurants. Here the kids decided on take-away while Maureen and opted for “Tasty India”. We picked this place as it was the most crowded of the three Indian places with in three block ratio. We liked our dinner and would recommend going there.
Rotorua: Thermal and Maori Cultural Area
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Mud "shooting up" at Waiotapu Mud Pools, The Largest Boiling Mud Pool In The Southern Hemisphere).
Our first day in Rotorua started out with breakfast from a lovely little bakery on Tutenekai Street where I bought freshly made breakfast of rolls and breakfast mini-pies filled with eggs and bacon while everyone was sleeping. At 9AM we were picked up by Lindsey Robertson of Affordable Adventures Ltd He has a deal with New Zealand River Jet to conduct a 6 hour volcanic tour that includes seeing some highlights of the area with New Zealand River Jet Tours. After picking us up he immediately took us to Maungakakaramea (Rainbow Mountain) for a view of volcanic activity from a dormant and cooling crater. From here we went on to Waiotapu Mud Pools to see the boiling mud get spit out of the largest mud pond in the southern hemisphere. We then drove to River Jet Tours headquarters for our leisurely boat ride down to the Orakei Korako Cave and Thermal Park. Along the way we were given a geologic and historical history of the river. We then docked at Orakei Korako office, handed maps and ferried across the river to check out this thermal park at our leisure.
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New Zealand River Jet Boat: We did a slow informative tour to Orakei Korako and Speedy Return Complete With Spins
This reserve in an active area with 23 bubbly geysers, hot and warm streams,
different colored walls, a silica terrace and the Ruatapu Cave. We followed the
loop recommended and marveled at how our planet can do such things. We then
hiked down 120 feet into a cave using 84 steps. Ruatapu cave known as
Waiwhakaata in Maori means pool of mirrors. This tall ceiling cave has a such
a clear pool at that bottom that we were warned that if we wanted to touch the
warm waters or clean our jewelry in it we should be done carefully as we would
not be able to tell easily where the water starts. He was correct because based
on the clarity and stillness of the water and the way the rocks were placed we
could not see where the water ended. (Our son got half his sneaker wet cleaning
his watch). The trick at the water is to stare at surface and look for a flake
or spec floating on top to know where the water starts for sure.
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Entrance to Orakei Korako Cave and Thermal Park You are Met By Steam and Geysers Coming From The Ground
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Unusual Colors Coming Up From the Earth
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Looking Up and Down The Ruatapu Cave known as Waiwhakaata
After a little more than an hour it was back on the Jet Boat where Adam our captain explained he was going to let over 250 gallons of water per minute go through the impellers and jet us back in a third of the time doing several 360 degree spins along the way. The ride back was fun as he kept the boat sometimes inches from the trees extending from the sides. We did several spins which at first we found tamer than expected but fun none the less. The ride was very smooth but very fast.
After our River Jet part of the tour we were driven to the Aratiatia Rapids for the 2PM releasing of the dam waters. These rapids were a tourist destination due to the depth, size and amount of water that came down them from the lake. The rapids were damned to allow a hydroelectric tunnel to be built generating a lot of electricity. The dam now releases water 3 times a day as a compromise between nature and man. Here we viewed the dam opening from the bridge and then from a platform which was a 5 minute stroll away. The size and amount of water is awesome. Next we drove to Huka Falls which is another highlight to see when in Taupo. Huka Falls can have a flow of over 50,000 gallons per second. The speed is incredible as the river goes from just over 100 yards wide a little over 15 yards wide. It is about 10 yards deep and cannot be passed through safely on any raft or kayak due to its force and hydraulics that would pull you under. Here at the bridge and at the end of a stroll you can clearly see the beauty of this treacherous falls.
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Jet Boat Taking a Close Look At Huka Falls
After Huka we gave a quick look at the chrome piping of one of the first all natural steam powered generators called Wairakei Steam / Bore Station. Here back in 1959 pipes were sunk up to 2000 yards in the ground. The 550F degree steam comes up through the pipes and travels gradually uphill bending over roads and into a generator providing 5% of the energy on the north island.
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To continue our day we stopped at Taupo for a quick refreshment and an
explanation of this 238 square mile crater lake. We were told that when this
area exploded 1800 years ago it was the largest explosion of its type recorded.
At that time people in China and Italy documented the red skies. When you look
out at the lake it seems more of a sea. After our snack we decided on a drive
to the volcanoes where the area skiing is done. We had hoped to view these
beautiful snow covered cones but the inclement weather that was chasing us all
day prevented it. We drove the 90 minutes each way and all we saw was a quick
look at the ski area and the nearby snow covered hills. It is the one thing we
should have passed on during our day.
That night we walked to Mac’s Steakhouse at 7:30 and had a good meal. Today I decided on New Zealand cuisine all the way starting with New Zealand green mussels for the entre (entrées are the first course in New Zealand) followed by a garlic and rosemary lamb butt for the main course while sipping a good New Zealand Syrah. Other dishes ordered were steak and Otago Salmon from the south island. The service was excellent. We put Mac’s on the recommended list when in Rotorua.
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Agrodome Sheep Show Dogs Actually climb on Sheep
A Prized Marono Sheep People Rolling Down Hill Inside a "Zorb"
On our second day in Rotorua we woke up to clearer skies but cooler temperatures. We headed to the Agrodome to see the one hour sheep show on this tourist farm. This show introduced the 18 different breeds of sheep and what they are known for. We saw a sheep being sheared in 2 minutes, a mock sheep auction as well as volunteers from the audience learning how to milk cows. The final part of the show was the sheep dogs and how they herd the animals. At first the kids were concerned about going to what they thought would be a cheesy show. What we all found was a good hour of fun, knowledge and plenty of humor to keep us laughing. We are glad that this tourist attraction did not pull the wool over us.
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Wai-o-tapu Thermal Wonderland's collapsed craters with hot "icky" stuff oozing from the ground
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Cover up From Sulfur Smell Spewing Up From Ponds and Holes One Hot Waterfall
From the Agrodome we drove 25 minutes south to the Wai-o-tapu Thermal Wonderland. It took us just under 90 minutes to cover all three sections which included craters, boiling ponds, ponds or lakes of different colors, sink holes and a some of woods in a nature section. What we liked is that different sites had numbers and each number on our map had an explanation to what we were seeing. We found the paths well maintained and easy to do for anyone in average condition. A person in wheel chair could cover almost 2 of the 3 sections. All about the place you had the smell of sulfur. In some areas it was stronger than others. Between Wai-o-tapu and the Orake Korake thermal park visited the day before we can say we covered the thermal part of this area very well.
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Smelly Green Filled Crater Hot Sulfur Cave Unusual Layered Surfaces are Abound at Wai-o-tapu
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No Swimming in These Ponds
From Wai-o-tapu we headed back to Rotorua to quench the kids and my craving for a lamb burger. We found that the Pig and Whistle Pub met our demands happily. The Pig and Whistle is an old building that used to house the police station. (Hence the name). Our lunch was 2 medium size lamb burgers on one large bun with a slice of local cheddar cheese and sweet potato fries on the side. This went well with a cold local draft beer. Jimmy Buffet would have thought this was indeed a cheeseburger in paradise with a “baaa” to it.
"Lamburger In Paradise?" Zooming Down The Track Top Of Rotorua Gondola With Luge Track
The rest of the afternoon was meant to be more fun than touring. He drove 5 minutes to Rotorua Gondola Sky Ride and luge attraction. Here we took the long gondola ride to the top and enjoyed the view. On top we watched a giant swing being hoisted and dropped at fast speeds. The idea is to give the tourists the feel and scream of being dropped over the mountain and shot into the town before the swing cord pulls you back. From here we headed to the luge ride. The luge is a 3 wheel device with a steering handle that acts as a brake. There are three luge courses. Dan took the advanced, I started with the intermediate and Melissa took the scenic slower route. Maureen watched us at first. Dan said he wanted to do it again and recommended I go to the advanced course. Melissa said she had a fun ride and enjoyed “passing the 6 year olds on the scenic course”. Maureen said she would give the scenic ride a go so I purchased three more tickets and off we went. The advanced course is pretty quick and if you do not apply brakes before certain turns you can crash and scrape yourself up. If you want to see the sights and views take the scenic course.
Moon Rising Over Rotorua
That evening we had tickets to Mitai Maori Village Cultural Experience and Nature Walk. The cultural show takes you to a Maori recreated village where you learn the Maori history. Here you see a war canoe with bare-chested men paddling down a stream with torches lit. You then here stories, see some primitive weapon demos as well watch some of their songs and dance. A buffet meal is served hangi style meaning it was prepared in the ground. Before the events of the night take place one of the Mitai clansman acts as an M.C with a sense of humor for the group under the big tent. He asks what country everyone is from so that the “many tribes” from around the world can be introduced to the Mitai chief we meet later. Also he asked for a volunteer to act as chief to represent us on stage before dinner.
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A War Canoe Makes An Appearance Every Tattooed Warrior
From the tent we were taken to the place where dinner was cooked in the ground and reminded that food would not be served until the show is over. We found the show a little light but glad we went. The actors all wore traditional Maori tattoos on the bodies and face. The woman on the stage had tattoos under their chins. A heavy set man in old traditional Maori clothes played chief and explained the different events going on stage during the show. He was the biggest guy on stage and had a chief like way about him. He explained the tattoos. He said while it took 5 minutes to paint them on the actors, in reality it could take years to get all the tattoos if they were real. After the show we lead back to tent for buffet hangi dinner which we liked. Some of the meat had a nice flavor from being cooked under blankets in ground surrounded by hot rocks and wood.
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After dinner were taken on what was called the kiwi nature walk. We were first
shown the spring that is in the center of the village and why the people of this
clan lived here. Up through the sand in a crystal clear pond we saw water
streaming up at hundreds of gallons per hour. We were told the water we drank
for dinner came from this spring. From here we were going on what we thought
was a nature walk to do a kiwi encounter. What we realized is that we were
taken through a fence to the zoo next door. We saw some birds in cages but a
highlight for me was seeing what looked like 25 pound rainbow trout from above
as well as through a window. These are trout I usually see no larger than 3
pounds in the streams in upstate New York so it was impressive. As for the kiwi
encounter, we were taken to a special kiwi walk-in pen. The keeper in the area
said she saw one of the 2 kiwis earlier in the night but we had no luck. Kiwis
are very shy and nocturnal. It is rare to see them in the wild. We went twice to
the penned in area and did not see them. Our guide said that even in a cage
they can hide in their little shelters or simply stay under a bush. Had we
known we were walking through a zoo would have passed on this extra part of the
night.
Heading To Queenstown: New Zealand's Playground
Flying To Queenstown You See Miles Of Patched Together Farmland, Some Of It Goes To The Mountain Base
On our fifth day in New Zealand we had to catch the 8:30 AM plane from Roturua with a change in Christchurch to we can get to Queenstown. We arrived in Queenstown but had a snag with Europcar rentals due to the fact they were giving us a small SUV which we could not fit in. The manager, Yvette Hazelwood, and her husband running the cars were very nice and allowed us to take the small SUV for the afternoon along with luggage on the kids lap to our apartment and exchange it later for a large SUV a couple of hours later. Our problem is we rented from a wholesaler who put us into Europcar. Next time we will go to www.europcar.co.nz or email Yvette.hazelwood@europcar.co.nz directly. From the airport we drove to 5 minutes Pounamu Apartments to drop off luggage. From here we continued another 3 minutes to Queenstown for lunch and our first activity in the area.
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Fourteen Passengers Zooming In Shallow Rapids Heading Into The Gorge
You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4PD88rbCJ4 for 90 seconds of thrills
After lunch at a café we drove up Shotover Road to the famous Shotover Jet Boat Ride in the gorge. With the temperature at 3C or about upper 30’s F we were given a water resistant outer jacket to put over our winter coats, then a life jacket and advised to put on a woolen cap and wear gloves for this action ride up and down gorge. The kids sat up front with our captain, Maureen behind them and I was behind her. All together we were 12 passengers zooming off in the shallow rapids. When we got to the narrow gorge I certainly can understand why they said to keep hands in the boat. The reason is that the boat goes so close to the rocks that if an arm is sticking out you may break it.
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Photos Do Not Do This Run Justice, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2Lg60Fo5fE for a different area
The captains zoom up or down the river then signals that he will do a 360 degree spin and zooms some more. We found our captain on this jet boat a better driver than the one in Roturua. When he took the spins he would simply continue without stopping. We learned that to be a driver for Shotover River you have to do 50 hours of training and more hours with someone in the boat watching you. Then they are inspected on their skill 4 times a year. While zooming around we did get a little wet but not enough to drench us. With temperatures at 36 degrees F being soaked would not have been fun as coming back in the summer. A nice touch on the about was the heated hand rails. The Shotover Jet Boat ride lasts 20 to 25 minutes and if you do a jet boat ride only once this is the place. If we come back to New Zealand in warmer weather I would consider doing the Dart River jet boat ride as it is longer and combines a hike in the area.
After the river ride we switched to a new Nissan Xtra SUV and headed back to the
apartment to rest up before doing a lot of shopping in town. Dinner that night
was at Fishbones in town. We would pass on the seafood pasta but recommend the
mussels, fish and fish and chips. The fish and chips or "Fush and Chups" as they
are pronounced were meaty and not greasy. The mussels were sweet and had a
nice sauce to dip bread into.
Morning View From Our Living Room At The Pounamu Apartment
On our first morning in Queenstown we had arranged in advance a trip Milford Sound via Glenorchy Air. We were pleased to get a call from them at 9AM stating the weather was good and the 35 minute scenic flight there and 90 minute cruise was on. After checking in at their airport counter we followed the pilot to a 7 passenger plane made special for this type of trip. I sat in the co-pilots seat while my family and 3 others were behind and looking out the large windows.
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On Board Glenorchy Air, Queenstown to Milford Sound Base
The flight was extremely smooth. In fact the plane did not shake or rattle from any wind or turbulence at all. The scenery was amazing. We passed over pointed snowy mountain tops looking into the ridges and valleys below. In some cases we had the mountain peaks just above our wing. During the flight our pilot gave us a narration of what we were seeing. Our final approach to the one strip airport at Milford Sound was right through the Fiord.
*Click You Tube 1 Minute Video To See Plane Fly Mountain Top High!
http://www.youtube.com/user/tubehemlock#play/all/uploads-all/0/7NELSbRqdDU *
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Birdseye View Of the New Zealand Alps Mid Morning Below is Our Final Approach Into Milford Sound
Once landed our Pilot lead us on a pretty 15 minute walk over to the tour boat center. Here boarded the “Spirit of Milford”, a 2 level, 75 foot catamaran for the 90 minute cruise down through the Fiord and out to the Tasmanian Sea. Upon boarding we were immediately taken to a buffet lunch. We thought this was strange as it was 11AM, not lunch time and not worth the $29 price. (Bring a sandwich if you go).
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Looking Down on Miford (or Piopiotahi in Maori) Before Landing
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Seen On Walk To Boat Us on The Spirit Of Milford
Our boat cruised at leisurely 9.5 knots in calm seas while the soft spoken captain narrated the journey as we cruised past about 2 dozen points of interest. We saw the two permanent waterfalls that tower between 508 to 528 feet as well viewed Mitre Peak. Mitre Peak is one of the highest mountains of its type in the world coming from the sea level to a little more than mile (5500 feet) up overlooking the Fiord. We also learned that the Milford Sound is really a fiord because it was cut away by the glaciers during the many ice ages that occurred. In fact he said there were 12 sounds in New Zealand that were really fiords. The Spirit of Milford took a southerly track out to the Tasmania Sea, made a U turn and then continued back on a northerly route keeping the scenery fresh.
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Beautiful Winter Views Of Milford Sound
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Upon getting back to the dock our flight captain met us for the walk back. Our return flight to Queenstown to me seemed more spectacular than the one going to Milford. There are two companies that leave from Queenstown. One is Milford Air and the other Glenorchy Air. Prices seemed to be similar. The Milford Air plane takes a few more passengers. The big difference I was told is that Glenorchy takes a different flight route back which to me would make it worth using them.
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A Mile High From Sea Level To Point At The Entrance Looking North On Milford Sound
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Beautiful Waterfalls Flow On The North Side.
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Taking Off Over Milford Sound Toward Tasman Sea
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Flying Level With the Mountain Tops and Above the Valleys They Say This Is "Lord Of The Ring" Country
Clouds Covering Hidden Valleys Below as Seen From Glenorchy Flight
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On Final Approach To Queenstown Airport After A Magnificent Day
After our wonder day we decided on a little down time for a few hours until dinner. My son had a desire to watch “Lord Of The Ring” because of the scenery we had seen that was part of the movie. That evening we spent back in Queenstown. We started by renting ski and snowboard gear from Alta on Camp Street. For about $60 per rental my daughter was thrilled to get this year’s Burton’s demo board and the use of new Burton boots. The store manager took out a new box of the boots when they did not have a size 9 ½. My son got the skis and boots that he liked as well. Our price included helmets which are not popular in New Zealand. Based on the level of service we received I highly recommend Alta for rentals. You can see them on line at www.alta.co.nz.
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Queenstown Pedestrian Street Name Brand Boards for Sale and Rent
We then spent the next couple of hours helping the Queenstown economy by trailing the kids from store to store as they bought gloves, hats, hoodies and a jacket. In the middle of shopping we took a well needed break at Wine Tastes on Beach Street. Wine Tastes offers for sale over 80 different wines. You can purchase wine at 1 ounce, half glass or full glass using their credit card you get with a deposit. One simply picks the wine in the nitrogen canisters, the amount, slide the card in, put the glass under the spout and push the button to get the wine poured. After you are finished with as many tastings as you want the credit card is swiped for your final tab. Cheese platters are also available with your wine if you wish. When the kids shopping was done we settled in at Speight’s Ale House for dinner. We found the food good and prices reasonable. We recommend getting here no later than 7 PM during peak season or you can expect a minimum of one hour for food delivery.
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One Room Cabins Lived In By Chinese Minors During Arrowtown's Gold Rush Days
After a week in New Zealand we were going to take a break from the usual family touring. Today was one of the highlights for the kids as they were going to ski / board the Coronet Ski Field and we were going to have a leisurely day heading to Arrowtown with lunch at the Gibbstone winery. At 9AM I drove the kids to the Station Information office at Camp and Shotover in town where they purchased for $10 a return bus tickets for the 25 minute ride up to the mountain. This seemed to be the logical thing to do verse driving them up because it was cheap and in the event of snow, the busses would be better situated. I headed back to our apartment and had a leisurely morning before taking the scenic drive to Arrowtown. To get to Arrowtown you take Shotover Road which goes over the bridge where Shotover Jet Boats are based. If you do not do the ride you can watch them zoom back and forth. From here it was just another 10 minutes to quaint Arrowtown. Upon arrival we parked in a lot marked Chinese Village. We strolled around this area viewing plaques that discussed the history of the people dating from late 1800’s to early 1900’s when gold was mined along the river. Along with the plaques were a few one room stone and mud structures that the Chinese community lived in as well as the last general store that was restored.
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Mainstreet Arrowtown Has Many Shops and Boutiques With Some Old Homes At The End Of It
From the Chinese village we headed up the steps to the main road and turned back to the village where we walked Main Street with its bakery, coffee and ice cream shops, galleries and what I call “lady stores” of knick knacks. Just past Main Street are several small historical buildings that are still used today. After seeing the town we drove towards the Gibbston Winery with a stop at the famous A J Bungee Jumping bridge. No stop to New Zealand can be made without at least seeing someone jump off a bridge if you do not do it yourself. At A J’s you can sign up for bungee jumping or a host of other adrenaline moving things to do. For the spectators there is a place to watch those that dare to take the leap. We watched 3 teenagers go off with different styles. The first one went of at the end of the count to 3 in a swan dive, the second did a belly flop after a one count and the third sort of went knees first. In each case gravity had their head quickly face down where they stopped a few feet above the cold flowing river. After each jump a tethered rubber raft with 2 men paddled to where the bungee operator lowers them down flat on their back. From here they jumper is paddled to shore for the long stair case up. Early in the week we met an Australian teen who came here to jump but opted to hit the water. In his case the bungee operator allows a few more feet to the line. The young man said it was a mistake because his whole body went into the icy river and he froze while walking back up the steps. I would allow 10 minutes at this stop if you want to watch them jump.
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From A J’s we drove on and arrived at Gibbston Winery at 12:50 in time for our 1PM lunch reservation. The restaurant was just adjacent to the tasting room and was open and airy. In the summer there are outside tables. The menu offered a selection of salads, cheeses and a combination platter for 2 having a light lunch. There was also pasta, lamb, a fish stew and deserts. For lunch you can order wine by the bottle or glass or go up to the tasting bar and pick out an assortment of small tastes. We opted for getting their tasting of four different pinot noirs, a dry Riesling, pinot Gris and a dry rose blend. We ordered the cold platter for two and their signature cheese cake with a late harvest Gewürztraminer – Riesling blend for desert. We found lunch very good but were mixed on the wines we had.
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Multiple Tastes Of Red Wines With Lunch Followed By a Desert Wine and Their Signature Cheesecake
After lunch we took the 30 minute tour of the vineyard, production area and cellar cave dug into the hill next to the building. We learned that this is the coolest wine region of New Zealand and as a result grow pinot noir, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, pinot Gris and Sauvignon blanc grapes. We also learned to keep their crop from freezing before picking last year; Gibbston had to hire helicopters a few times at a cost of $100,000. The helicopters hovered over the vines to circulate air over the vineyards so they would not lose their crops like other vineyards did. Next to the winery was a cheese shop where you can buy different New Zealand cheese to go or order a platter with wine to stay.
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Gibbston Wine Is Aged In A Cave Blasted Out Next To The Main Building
Just as we were leaving Gibbston our kids had called and requested that if we were in the area to pick them up in an hour. This was perfect timing as we were 45 minutes according to our GPS with a route taking us through the valley and up to the peak. We arrived at the Coronet Ski Field (in New Zealand ski mountains are called fields) and walked to the where the skiers/boarders come down at the back of the lodge and by chance ran into our kids who had big smiles on their face.
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Driving Up To Coronet Peak Ski Field
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Happy Kids The Drive Back To Queenstown From Coronet PeakWith Pretty View
They told us to go into the lodge to check out the view and meet them in the locker room. I have been to ski lodges before where the picture windows would open up to the mountain. Here it was different. The big windows opened up to a magnificent view of the valley below and to the mountains around Queenstown. Our kids told us the slopes were not like those back at home. While there was a trail map, it was easier to just follow people. Another words there were no trees or signs that tell you what rated trail you were about to embark on. My daughter said it was a “look before you leap deal”. For dinner that night we ate at Winnies for pizza. Not only was a nice change from seafood and lamb but us pizza loving New Yorker's gave the individual pizzas we had a thumbs up!
Off To The Glacier Coast
Eyes Level With Clouds Covering Valley Below In The Crown Range Near Queenstown
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Road From Valley Below Breaking Through The Clouds On The Crown Range, Queenstown To Wanaka
The next day we left Queenstown at 9:30AM for one of the top 10 drives we have ever done. Our route was Queenstown over the Crown Range to Wanaka for a quick food and fuel stop, then over the Haast Pass to Haast before heading up the coast to town Joseph Franz Glacier. The ride up the Crown Range was a windy one through low clouds with frost around. The advisory was to carry chains but it was not need to put them on the tires. Once we broke through the cloud layer we stopped the SUV at a scenic parking area to see the snowy peaks above us and the cloud layer covering the valley floor below. From here we drove on to Wanaka past the frost covered bushes and trees and the many sheep grazing nearby. After Wanaka we drove along two long lakes past some farmed deer herds eventually gaining altitude up Haast Pass. In this area we watched for frost on the sides of the road and in shady areas. Signs were well marked with “Ice and Grit”. Here road crews spread gritty tiny pebbles on the curves and shaded places in the road that were prone to freezing.
From Ice Covered Trees and Fields To Green Forests Going From Queenstown to Joseph Franz Glacier
Once we were over the top of Haast Pass heading down we were in a totally different eco system. We went from gray to bright blue skies and were surrounded by lush green rain forest passing several waterfalls. We did stop at the Thunder Creek Falls when we drove through Aspiring National Park. This falls is 90 feet high and is a simple two minute walk from the road. Here we saw a tall cascade of water falling into a pool that ran into the river next to it. Our drive from here followed the Haast River Bed to the town of Haast by the Tasman Sea.
Following The Haast River Bed After Going Over The Pass A Pretty View Complete With Seals Of The Tasman Sea
From Haast it was up the coast with a couple of stops to take in the views of the ocean before we winded our way up to the town of Joseph Franz Glacier. After checking in at the Alpine Glacier Hotel the kids walked to the Blue Ice Restaurant to make dinner reservations but passed on joining us for the 5 minute drive to the glacier parking lot and then the 10 minute stroll to Robert’s Pond. We decided on going to this pond because it was an easy walk and does a perfect reflection of mountains in it. Dinner at the Blue Ice was excellent and should not be missed. We found the lamb shank, salad and lamb chops all excellent. (the fish was a little overcooked). We were so stuffed that we decided to go back the next night and get desert after our forgettable dinner at the Landing.
Pretty Late Afternoon Reflections Of Joseph Franz Glacier
On our first day in Joseph Franz Glacier we were excited to see blue skies. The excitement did not last long because we learned that an unusual wind coming down from the east had the morning heli-glacier hike cancel. We were told to come back at 12:45 only to learn the wind did not let up. With this being said we continued with our afternoon plans to kayak Lake Mapourika. We also signed up for the heli-hike the next morning. This of course meant we would get a very late start tomorrow to Methven which is something we did not want to do because of the distance of the drive and the fact we would be crossing New Zealand’s highest alpine pass in the winter.
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Tab & Maureen Hauser On Lake Mapourika, Winter 2009
At 1:45PM we met up with Wayne Steedman of Glacier Country Tours and Kayaks. He gave us a briefing and loaded us into the van with the kayaks in tow. He took us to Lake Mapourika which is a glacier fed lake having its own unusual micro-climate. Wayne told us that Lake Mapourika is drier than the town only 5 miles away. This is a dark water lake that makes a perfect reflection on the mountains. It also offers very calm water kayaking. The first thing I can tell you is that Wayne is very good with his guests. He looked us over and told us to strip down from some of our winter outer coats. He then gave us a kayak skirt to wear that would slip over the opening in the kayak. He also had us slip on a tight fitting life jacket over our shirts which in itself was another layer of insulation. He had us remove our shoes and put them into the kayak because with shoes it would not be possible to use the rudder pedals turning the rudder. We scratched our heads on this one but went with his advice which did make it easier for us to turn.
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Melissa on Left and Daniel on Right. (note the tongue of Franz Glacier 6 miles behind him in the middle)
With a shove into the water we were off paddling about. Maureen, who usually sits up front with me in a tandem kayak, was convinced to take her own. Wayne told her that we go at our own pace and the idea was to relax, learn about the lake and area and enjoy the afternoon sun. We paddled across the lake at our leisure to the other side where he explained how that area is still an untouched primitive forest. In fact he showed us trees that were over 150 feet high and 900 years old. We also paddled down a section in an area that was several feet wide. Here he had me go first to take pictures of the perfect reflection of plants on its banks. On the way we also saw frost covered plants and shrubs. Around a bend in this narrow section we saw mist that came from the lake totally covering one small tree in fine ice that was reflected in a glow like matter due to the exact position of the sun. At the end of this section he had us go one at a time back to enjoy the tranquility of the area and the reflections in the water. We then crossed back to the boat ramp as the sun set behind us.
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Mist In The Distance Direct Sun On Ice Crystal Covered Bush
It was perfect timing as we were getting a bit chilly after being 3 hours on the lake and sun now being lower and not warming us like when we started. What we will say is that whether you do a glacier hike, heli-hike or simple walk to the glacier end, anyone should consider looking up Glacier Country Tours and Kayaks. You do not need any experience to do this. Dinner that night was at a pub called the Landing. We found the food only fair and the service poor. The Landing is a good place for an outdoor drink on a summer or winter evening.
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900 Year Old Trees In Virgin Bush Wayne Steedman Of Glacier Kayak's Guiding Us A Long
For our third morning in Joseph Franz Glacier we were suppose to leave early for the long haul to Methvan. We had to delay this driving adventure for our heli-glacier hike was go for an 11 AM lift off. At 10:30 we met 23 other people and walked to the landing pad behind town where we were given water proof insulated boots and socks. Those that needed additional protection were offered thin water resistant outer jackets and wool caps. We appreciated the people at the front desk lending us sun glasses as both Dan and I lost them the previous day on our glacier lake kayak.
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Helicopter View Of Glacier In The Valley
When the group was ready we went off for a safety briefing and lined up to catch the two helicopters that had to make two trips each for this large group. Our flight could not have been any smoother from landing pad to glacier. The pilot went up the south side of the glacier valley passing over our landing area to show us a higher point in the glacier where it was much more jagged and what looked to be too difficult to walk on without ladders and ropes. He swooped in at around the 2400 foot level to drop us off. We were much higher up on the glacier than the groups that hike it. Our flight from town, though very scenic was only 5 minutes saving the 90 minute uphill walk. Once the entire group had landed we were issued and instructed on how to attach 10 point ice crampons to our boots.
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Miles Of Ice Coming Down From the Mountain and Carving Up The Valley
Our stroll around the ice field would not be possible without the crampons to keep our footing. Once we ready our group split into two with guides for each group. Our guide, Anita, was a young lady from Chile working the tour for 8 months. She had an ice axe or what looked like a pick axe to crush up any of the more difficult spots to walk across for those less sure footed. I found the trick to using the crampons is to ignore any normal fear that you are going to fall on the ice. At first my tendency was to walk slowly in short steps because that is what I would normally do on the ice on a New York winter day. The ice crampons are meant to be walked on at just under your normal pace. The trick is to step a little harder going up or down an incline and let your instincts about you sliding go away. At a little after 11 AM our stroll started through a mini canyon about 8 feet high and 40 feet long and just wide enough to walk through.
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As we walked through it I ran my hand over the wall to feel a very smooth natural ice wall. From here we crept over to the north side of the slope where our guide showed us an oval shaped natural tunnel about 3 to 4 feet high and 5 to 6 feet wide going on about 25 feet to the other end. Here the group anxiously crept, kneeled, or slid on their back through the light blue tunnel. It was smiles all the way for the group. Our kids lifted up their crampons and slid on their back, got out of the tunnel walked a few steps and went back on their rumps down another natural slide for about 30 feet.
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Hauser's Crawling and Sliding Through Natural Tunnels
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We walked up and down the terrain until our guide pointed us to an even smaller natural tunnel. This one was approximately 4 feet around and 25 feet long. For those that did not want to crawl through the tunnels there was bypass. During our walk Anita told us the speed of the glacier in the area we were standing was 3 feet per day while higher up on the steeper side it was about 9 feet a day. She said that the ice we were standing on would take about 70 years before it made it to the end and that it was only about 250 feet thick where we were standing.
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Hiking Across the Upper Glacier Is Beauty Among Ice Melissa Trying The Ice Pick To Rough Out A Section
From the last tunnel we looped back to the middle of the ice field where both groups met, removed our crampons and waited for the two choppers to take us back to the Franz Glacier helipads. The flight back took us directly over the northern side of the ice field giving us a bird’s eye view of the one block rectangle Joseph Franz Glacier village before touching down.
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Almost The Entire Width Of Franz Glacier Behind Us Pick Up!
The Last Leg: Heading East
After walking back to the village we ordered sandwiches at the café to go,
changed some of our clothes and bolted out of town. For the rest of this day
was pure road trip on yet what would be another scenic drive. Because we were
leaving four hours behind schedule our leisurely drive to Methven with a stop
for one hour hike at Arthur’s Pass would be a straight run. Our GPS had us run
up the coast making a right turn towards crossing New Zealand at Arthur’s Pass.
We would then cross the pass losing altitude making a right turn towards
Methven and the Mt Hutt Ski Field. We had two concerns today. One was driving
over New Zealand’s highest alpine crossing in the winter and the other was
driving in the dark in the area if the weather was no good. Our first concern
was made easy by finding out the weather was clear over Arthur’s Pass on the
computer. The second about driving the windy roads on the downside in the dark
I knew would have to be addressed as we got closer into this journey. Like the
drive from Queenstown, this one was also excellent. The coast road provided snow
capped mountain views to our right (including seeing New Zealand’s highest
mountain standing at 12,316 feet dual named now Mt Cook from the British and
Aoraki to respect the Maori culture. To our left we were able to see the Tasman
Sea every so often.
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Making a Right Turn At Hokitika And Seeing The Wall We Have to Get Over Going West
Once we got past Hokitika we said good bye to the Tasman Sea, made a right turn only to see in the distance a wall of snow covered mountains in our way going east side. The road passed the sheep grazing curving in and out of valleys staying low in the valleys. Eventually when the valley floor ran out it was time to gain altitude until we were just below some of the tips. After crossing Arthur’s Pass we descended and were able to see the mountain tips turn bright yellow while the valleys and land below got dark fast.
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Just Below Arthur's Pass With Clear Winter Skies At Dusk And Plenty Of Snow
A half hour down from Arthur’s Pass the road got windy but we felt confident in our GPS system until it directed us to make a turn to the right at a small intersection. We passed on this turn as the sign clearly said “Fairweather Road Only”. With that said we were not going to drive on a lesser used road coming down from the mountains at night that may have snow on it. Continuing on the GPS reprogrammed the route adding 20 minutes additional to our 5 ½ hour ride. At 7:20 I was personally thrilled to find Methven and The Skitime Hotel where our two bedroom apartment was waiting for us. Being in a rush to get ski / board gear for the kids before the store closed we passed on checking in but got the name of Big AL’s in Methven for equipment. The hotel manager directed us less than a mile into town where dropped the kids off at Big Al’s to get fitted while we went back and unloaded the SUV at our apartment so there would be room for their gear. (what we do for kids!) That night we dined well at Skitime enjoying a well needed top shelf bottle of Australian Cabernet while discussing the adventure we had during our long day.
Mt Hutt In Morning Light From Our Front Door Where the Kids Boarded/Skied (Note Size As it is 15 Miles Away)
At the advice of the manager of Skitime our kids caught the 8AM bus that stopped at the hotel and went to Mt Hutt. Mt Hutt is a premier ski mountain with the longest ski season. While the kids were off doing their thing we took a ride to Geraldine and walked the main street stopping in at the chocolate shop first, then a store specializing in woolen products. This store also displayed the world’s largest knitted jersey at 7 feet from waist band to neck band according to the Guinness Book of World Records. It also housed a large mosaic strip depicting the Battle of Hastings in 1066 using over 1,500,000 tiny pieces from metal gears. The mosaic covers about 138 square feet in three narrow bands around the room and took over 20 years to painstakingly produce. We also checked out the cheese and jam shops at the end of town before heading out. From Geraldine we drove to Timaru with a drive-by of Point Pleasant. We did not stop at Point Pleasant but if you are there in season there is old working train yard with its claim to fame as one of only two converted Ford Model T locomotives left in the world.
Timaru is a big city for this section of Canterbury. It has a large port and busy main street filled with shops. After stopping at the information office we headed to lunch with a view of the bay. We then drove to the city beach for a view and then went to their small historical museum afterwards. The historical museum has displays on culture, history, geology and nature. It also has a replica of what is believed to be one the first motorized airplanes to successfully take off and land. It is said that on March 31st 1903 (Eight months before the Wright Brothers powered flight) Mr Richard Pearse flew a mono-wing plane 100 feet. It was attached to a bicycle seat and wheels
We liked going to Timaru as it was our first non-tourist town. It gave us a little taste of what life is like away from people with cameras around their necks or souvenir shops. We just saw the locals having lunch, doing their shopping, kids on skate boards getting around as well as school children taking part in a field trip to the local museum. From Timaru we headed back up the coast road to Ashburton and made a left back to Methven where we walked the 3 short blocks around town. The coast road we were on was the major way cars and freight travel up the east side of the south island. What surprised us was that this major road was only one lane in each direction with passing lanes every few miles. That night for dinner we went to the Last Outpost in Methven down the block from Big Al’s where we returned the rental gear. The Last Outpost was recommended to us by Earl, a Californian who works at Skitime in the winters (and Tahoe in the USA Winters). We would put this Canadian managed restaurant high on our list of places to have dinner for its seared tuna, lamb chops, salad and steak.
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Sumner Beach With Its Rocky Outcrop At End Of Sand Ideal For Kids To Play On And a Nice Place For Lunch
Our last day in New Zealand was our least interesting. In planning this trip I left one day open just in case any of our adventures did not work out due to weather. After checking out at 10AM we made a failed attempt to get rid of our luggage at the airport before heading to Sumner Beach for lunch and then Scarborough Beach just down the road to watch the surfers. From here we took a windy road to the beach at Taylor’s Mistake but the waters did not give up the waves needed get a good ride. From here it was 10 minutes to the Christchurch Gondola. A family decision was made to pass on the Gondola ride because we caught a nice view on the road to Taylor’s Mistake so we headed to Christchurch. Both our kids were not into walking around a town that was bustling with traffic and shops so we drove around a few of the main streets before heading to the Antarctica Experience near the airport.
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Waiting for "The Storm" at the Antarctica Experience
Here in the shadows of the U.S. Antarctica Headquarters is an attraction that teaches you about Antarctica. They have penguin feedings, displays on past and present living conditions, a film and two interactive experiences which may be the highlight for many people. Here, every 30 minutes people can put on rubber overshoes (really not needed though) and over coats to experience what they call the Antarctica weather. The room has an igloo and small ice slide along with a thermometer and a fan you can start and stand in front of so you understand what wind chill is. On the half hour a warning comes on via a voice on a radio warning of the bad storm coming in. Then the temperature dips, ceiling fans kick on to enact a strong wind and the room darkens a little. There is a monitor telling you the temperature, wind speed and wind chill temperature. Us New Yorker’s in the group did not find the event that big a deal as we have shoveled snow in our driveway under much worse conditions that we endured in the few minutes in the room. The other highlight was a ride in the Hugglund ATV.
Taking A Ride In a Huggland ATV Used In Artic and Antarctic
This is a vehicle made in Sweden that has tracks on the left and right side and is meant to go in any terrain. It is the only place in the world where a person not working in an Arctic or Antarctic environment can go hop aboard. The first section of the Huggland had the engine, driver and our family. The second section held additional passengers. After hopping on the driver explained the capabilities of this snow vehicle and then took us on a fast 10 minute ride in the dirt over sharp ridges and banked curves. He stopped over a 3 foot split in one of the ridges to show that in the event of a split in the ice, the vehicle would not fall through. He ended up by going into a small pond to show it floats as well. The Antarctica Experience took us about an hour and is a good stop if you have time to kill before your flight or if you have a big interest in Antarctica.
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Staging Area For U.S. Interests In Antarctica First Stage In Leaving New Zealand
From The Antarctica Experience here we drove a minute down the road to the airport for our 8:30 PM flight. Unfortunately Air New Zealand would not put us on an earlier flight to Auckland without a large surcharge so we had to wait 3 ½ hours. The good news is that they allowed us to use their business club because we were flying the next day on business class to Honolulu. This turned out well for us as the food and drinks at the club were good. In fact we had a three course meal there and tasted 4 different beers. That night we stayed in the Ventura Inn near the airport arriving 10:30 PM and checking out 8:30 AM. Leaving New Zealand was also done well. Our check in at the Auckland Airport took just a few moments and the business club had better food than the hotel’s continental breakfast. We boarded our 9 hour flight to Honolulu with mixed feelings. We knew that we were making our way home via sunny Hawaii but realized that New Zealand is indeed a special place and one where we must return to perhaps in some future spring or fall.
What A Great Trip, We Hope To Be Baaaaaak
IF YOU GO:
Helpful Driving Hint:
Driving here is on the left or British style. My secret I have shared over the years is to take two small pieces of paper about an inch high and write with a bright marker “THINK LEFT”. Tape one under your line of sight and the other in the middle of the windshield. This helps a lot. Also we make it a point to do a little tag team driving on the rights and left turns in traffic for the first day or two. I find after half a day of driving I have gotten the hang of it.
Food / Spirits:
We were pleasantly surprised on how good the food was. Nearly all the lunches and dinners we had were very good. We had lamb chops, lamb rump, lamb shank and even lamb burgers. We also had the famous green lipped New Zealand mussels more than few times. We liked the New Zealand salmon and local area fish. Also no trip is complete here without having “Fush and Chups” as kiwi’s call Fish and Chips. We also like the “pies”. We tried them with venison in a hearty gravy as ones for breakfast filled eggs, cheese and bacon. I also sampled the different local beers and wines. Kiwi’s love their brews and they make all styles both on a national level and regional level. Wines are the same situation. In my opinion they do well at making Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and Gerwertzaminer. You can visit wineries the northern part of the north island to as far south outside Queenstown. I found the beers all pretty good. The wines we had ranged from only “OK” to very good which is what I expected. When I return to New Zealand during I plan on visiting a few more vineyards as we really like wine.
Hotels:
Being a family unit I picked places where I was able to get two bedrooms. The reason for this is because we tend to act as a family entity after the long day out. In a normal hotel the kids disappear after dinner and we see them in the morning. Having a common living area with small fridge and microwave makes things more comfortable for everyone.
Hyatt Regency Auckland: We stayed in two rooms in the new wing here. The reason we picked this hotel was strictly on the price we received. We thought the rooms were nice, towels a little thin for this type of hotel and lunch service slow. There are several similar class hotels in the area. My recommendation whether you pick the Hyatt or another hotel is to get something that is within a 10 or 15 minute walk of the waterfront area.
Regent of Rotorua: The Regent of Rotorua from the outside looks like a basic motor inn. The inside however has been totally redone and looks very modern. I picked this place because I had the option to rent a two bedroom style suite with a small living area in the center. It appeared they took two hotel rooms and turned into a suite. We found the individual bedrooms a little small as well as the living area a bit narrow. It had one nice bathroom. Having a fridge, microwave and teapot along with TV’s in each room was nice for those that wanted to watch their own show. The Regent of Roturua is a 3 minute walk from the restaurant area on Tutenekai Street. www.regentrotorua.co.nz
Pounamu Apartments (Queenstown): This place offers nice apartments with a pretty view of the lake and mountains. We were upgraded to the executive apartments that included a computer, printer and fax machine. The place was spacious with each bedroom having a TV and full bathroom. There was a full kitchen and a living room complete with gas fireplace. Pounamu Apartments is only a 3 minute drive or 10 minute walk from downtown Queenstown. The downside to this place is that there are no elevators to bring your luggage up the two staircases. www.pounamuapartments.co.nz.
Alpine Glacier Hotel (Joseph Franz Glacier) This drive up hotel is one street behind main road. It offers one and two room bedroom units. Our two bedroom unit was spacious enough with one bathroom. Heating was done by one in wall electric heater. We had to ask for an additional heater for the kid’s room. The beds had electric blankets. The hotels we saw when driving around looked more or less like this one in class. www.alpineglaciermotel.com
Ski Time: Methven (25 minutes from Mt Hutt). This place offers both lodge rooms and nice apartments. The lodge comes with a continental breakfast while the apartments come with cereal, milk, coffee and tea. The apartment we stayed at was very spacious and upscale. It had a complete kitchen, dining room and living area with gas fireplace. It had one bathroom. We found the people here very nice and food good in the restaurant in the lodge. Having the ski bus stop at 8AM in front of the place is a bonus. www.skitime.co.nz
Ventura Inn : Auckland Airport. This is a typical airport hotel. They pick you up or take you to the airport every half hour. A basic continental breakfast is served starting from 4AM. www.venturainns.co.nz
Europcar : Queenstown Airport, Yvette Hazelwood, Branch Manager www.europcar.co.nz (very helpful people)
Attractions and Adventures:
Spellbound Tours, Waitamo: For tours of the caves and glow worm caves. They run smaller groups and go to places that the large tour buses do not. www.glowworm.co.nz
River Jet Tours: Roturua. We used them for our volcanic / river tour of the area. www.riverjet.co.nz
Affordable Adventure Ltd, Lindsay Robertson. He was the driver for River Jet Tours and can arrange tours of the area separately. www.affordableadventures.co.nz
Orakei Korako Thermal Park, Roturua. This was the first geological / thermal place we visited with River Jet. www.orakeikorako.co.nz
Agrodome: For a funny informative sheep show, farm tour, zorbs and more. www.agrodome.co.nz
Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland,Rotorua This was another interesting thermal park we drove to on our own the second day in the area. www.geyserland.co.nz
Skyline Rides for Gondola and luge rides: www.skylineskyrides.co.nz
Mitai Maori Village Cultural Experience, Roturua www.mitai.co.nz
Shotover River Jet Boat Rides in Queenstown: www.shotoverjet.com
Milford Sound Sightseeing Flight and Cruise www.glenorchy.net.nz
Coronet Peak Ski Field, Queenstown www.nzski.com/mountain.jsp?site=coronetpeak
Gibbston Valley Winery, www.gvwines.co.nz Near Queenstown for lunch, tours and tasting
Wine Tastes: Queenstown www.winetastes.co.nz
Sports Clothes and Rentals: Queenstown www.alta.co.nz Nice People and Great Service
Glacier Kayaking, Joseph Franz Glacier (who arranged the helicopter hike) www.glacierkayaks.com
Helicopter Glacier Hike and Sightseeing , If you just want to hike or flightsee. www.helicopter.co.nz
Mt. Hutt Ski Information www.mt-hutt.com or www.nzski.com/mountain.jsp?site=mthutt
International Antarctica Center, Christchurch www.iceberg.co.nz
What to Be Concerned About If You Go:
New Zealand is a friendly and safe country. We found no concerns about our safety, or about the food or drink we had during our time there. In fact we were surprised that when we took the plane from Rotorua to Queenstown there was no security check to board. That meant no X-ray or metal detectors to go through. Driving is easy with excellent marked and paved roads. You can get around with a good map but our GPS made it very easy. If feel comfortable driving on the "wrong side" of the road than go for it. Use a post it note under your line of site on the windshield with the words "Think Left" as I did to help keep you straight. Use common sense when traveling by keeping your luggage out of site. To feel safe on the road there are also a number of places one can find to rent cell phones before you enter New Zealand that are delivered to your hotel. We rented one for 12 days at a cost of $40 including the several calls we made. You can also use most cell phones from out of the country that can be used at a high rate.
I would like to give word of caution about the winter in this area and going to Milford Sound at that time. Flying to Milford was not cheap. For our trip I picked two places to splurge in New Zealand. One for Milford Sound and the other on a Heli-glacier walk at Joseph Franz Glacier a few days later. The reason for flying in to Milford Sound is that it would normally be an 12 hour scenic day if you took the one day bus tours. You can also drive which would mean doing an overnight in the area or driving 3 ½ hours each way. I would have driven and stayed two nights in the area had it been summer. This is a great place to hike and kayak during warmer months. While some people avoid small planes out of fear, what I will tell you is that our tour boat was empty due to the road to Milford Sound being closed by mid morning on the day of our travel there. On that day due bad road conditions three busses crashed in separate areas with one overturning and killing a Korean tourist. There were also numerous car accidents. While it is a tragic event to be in an accident it is also a disappointment to those people doing bus tours or driving themselves to miss their day to see the Sound. My recommendation is take the extra time when planning a trip by knowing the weather and options available for a particular adventure.
Email comments to tab@tabhauser.com www.tabhauser.com
* Photo of Cave By Spellbound Tours
“Traveling is the greatest education against prejudice because it teaches people about different cultures” Quote encountered on our journey by Lindsay Robertson
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T-Shirts seen at gift shops Maori Warrior Pose 4.5 million people / 45 million sheep
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