New Zealand Experience

We had a fantastic 2 months 3 weeks in NZ. We covered quite a bit of the entire country. Rented Cars and Stayed at Motels and Friends Places.

North Island:

Auckland- a short stop to getover Jetlag, stayed at Quest Apartments, really lovely
Rotorua-Whakarewarewa Thermal Village, with clear hot pools and geysers

Napier-small town near the beach

Wellington-visited Friends, some shopping

Taupo-stayed by the lake the size of Singapore

Hamilton-visited Friends for Christmas

South Island:

Christchurch-simple uncrowded city centre with a good balance of Asians

Timaru-Fireworks over Caroline Bay for the New Year

Lake Tekapo-camped near the glacial blue lake and hiked up Mt John

Mt Cook-Hermitage Hotel with a glorious view of the mountain, Hooker valley walk and learning all about Sir Edmund Hillary

Oamaru-Sweetest Penguins that come up close and personal, where cars stop for penguins to cross the roads, made friends!

Dunedin-stopped at Moreki boulders along the way, university town with plenty of hills and steep slopes, Albatross colony

Catlins-stayed at a fabulous beach house by the sea, Penguin encounter, Fossilised Forest, Seals

Invercargill and Bluff- end of SH1, too early for oysters

Te Anau-Stopping point for Milford sound

Milford Sound-Bring sandfly repellent! Mirror lakes, interesting one way traffic lights from 9am -6pm only through the tunnel.

Queenstown-Adventure capital of the world, touristy, stayed at Breakfree Alpine Village which had the best view of the lake and mountains, Cable car up the hill, watched ppl bungee, Mediterranian Market

Wanaka-smallish town, hiked up Roys Peak, 1.5km high, we took 5hrs up and down

Franz Joseph-Walk up close to the terminal face of the glacier, cool!

Greymouth-short stop

Westport-well......

Nelson-sunny town with a huge beach front, horrible stay at Beachside (Roadside) Apartments, bought tennis racquets, good flea markets

Golden Bay- Sunflower Motel right on the beach! Golden sands and tennis on the bay!

Blenheim-well.....

Kaikoura-Fantastic drive down, lovely coastal views, swim with the dolphins(we will do it when we go back there again)

Christchurch- another stopover

Oamaru- I know how to make pretty beds! Made friends, organic fruits, snuggled up with Pringles (the dog!), had a taiwanese steamboat

Christchurch-Another stopover before a flight to Wellington

North Island

Wellington- Stayed with friends, Penray Farm, BBQ, Ice Cream by the Park

Palmerston North(Awahuri)-Real life gunshooting, farmstay, Merino Wool factory outlet

New Plymouth-Americarna

Hamilton-Overweight with all the whitakers chocolate and honey!

Bangkok

Chang Massage!

View From the rooftop of Rotorua Museum

Whakarewarewa Thermal Village, Clear hot springs

Maori Showing us how to make skirts using flaxseed leaves

Maori Dance using the poi

Rainbow in Rotorua