New Zealand - South Island | |
Pam planned a trip for us down to New Zealand for a week, and then over to Australia for two weeks. It would be one of
the most memorable weeks ever. We landed in Christchurch and drove our rental car to Arthur's Pass for our first night in the mountains.
After a few sheep-herder traffic jams, we arrived at Arthur's Pass in time to check in, walk around town, and
had a great vennison dinner. I could tell by all the beautiful scenery and friendly people that I was really
going to hate this trip. |
Flag of New Zealand
Sheep Traffic Jam on the Way to Arthur's Pass
Arthur's Pass
Arthur's Pass
Arthur's Pass
Arthur's Pass
Arthur's Pass
Arthur's Pass
Arthur's Pass
Arthur's Pass
Arthur's Pass
Arthur's Pass-to-Haast: | |
Arthur's Pass was a beautiful place to start this trip. A little on the coolish side, but considering it's
up in the mountains, not unexpected. We'd be heading almost due West to the coast and after a quick diversion
North to Greymouth, we'd head down the coast to our next stop, Haast. On the way, we'd check out the Franz Joseph Glacier, The Fox Glacier, and some of the most spectacular
scenery in the world. In one 180 ° sweep of my head, I could see waves crashing on a beach next to a farm,
next to grazing cattle, panning over to gently rising terrain that morphed into a rainforest with glaciers
framing the background. Just have to go there to truly believe it. |
Heading to the West Coast
Down the West Coast to Haast
Down the West Coast to Haast
Down the West Coast to Visit Haast Cartwright
Down the West Coast to Haast
Still Heading to Haast
Still Heading to Haast - Lots of Photo-Ops
Franz Joseph Glacier
Road to/from the Franz Joseph Glacier - Looking West
Road to/from the Franz Joseph Glacier - Looking East
Continuing Down the West Coast to Haast
Continuing Down the West Coast to Haast
Continuing Down the West Coast to Haast
Haast: | |
Because we were very far South in November, we were able to stretch our sightseeing to relatively late hours
in the evenings. The coast ride down to Haast was spectacular in it's own right, but Haast turned out to have a
treasure all it's own - a bird sanctuary. At first glance, it was just a big, marshy area that had raised paths
throughout. The secret was a bird called the Bell Bird. Imagine you're in church (or maybe just throwing wrenches across the garage) and you're hearing the ringing
sound of a bunch of bells (or the clanging of the wrenches). That's actually the sound this bird makes. Not
a sqwak, not a whistle, not a tweet. A true brassy, bell-like ring and really more on the choir bell end of
the spectrum than the wrench end. Added to that was one of the most beautiful sunsets we've ever seen. Maybe because of the proximity to the
South Pole or maybe because it was my birthday trip, I don't know. I sure didn't have to know what caused it
to enjoy it. Most Excellent! Unfortunately, the camera only faces one direction at a time because the whole sky was red and I
didn't have video capability. |
Bird Sanctuary at Haast
Walking Around the Bird Sanctuary at Haast,
we Witnessed one of the Most Spectacular Sunsets Ever
we Witnessed one of the Most Spectacular Sunsets Ever
Early Morning Wake-Up in Haast:
This Helicopter was Just Oustide our Door at 6:00 AM
to Take a Couple Fisherman to a Remote Fishing Spot
This Helicopter was Just Oustide our Door at 6:00 AM
to Take a Couple Fisherman to a Remote Fishing Spot
Haast-to-Queenstown: | |
Since we had gotten an unxpected wake-up call from the Helicopter, we got on the road early to head down
to Queenstown.
|
Heading to Queenstown
Heading to Queenstown
Heading to Queenstown
Heading to Queenstown
Queenstown: | |
Queenstown is a beautiful city named for the mother Queen of England, not a Hollywood foofer. There's a lot
of things to do in the area. There's Shotover Boats, a ride on the Earnslaw across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak
Station (a working sheep farm), a tram to the mountain top, hiking (trekking), a tour down to Milford Sound
(a Fjord, not a Chevy), and lots of good restaraunts. We stayed here a couple nights. |
View From Our B & B in Queenstown
View From Our B & B in Queenstown
The Earnslaw: | |
The Earnslaw, a twin-screw steamer named after the 3060-metre peak at the head of Lake Wakatipu, was
built in the early 1900s. It's a vintage steamship with the feel of a bygone era when many steamers and
paddle wheelers ferried sheep, cattle and passengers to lakeside stations (it's a big lake). |
The Earnslaw Steamboat on Lake Wakatipu
Reindeer at the Walter Peak Station
The Walter Peak Station
The Walter Peak Station
The Walter Peak Station
View From The Walter Peak Station
View From The Walter Peak Station
Sheep Shearing Demonstration at the Walter Peak Station
The Earnslaw Steamboat Pulling Into the Walter Peak Station
The Earnslaw Steamboat Pulling Into the Walter Peak Station
The Earnslaw Heading Back to Queenstown
The Earnslaw Engine Room
(Sorry about the raindop on the lens)
(Sorry about the raindop on the lens)
The Earnslaw Engine Room
Docking in Queenstown
Milford Sound Fjord: | |
The Milford Sound Fjord is a New Zealand National Park. It's a typical Fjord with steep cliffs and an
abundance of waterfalls. A couple of the photos have other tour ships in them, giving a bit of scale to the
size of the waterfalls. This was an all-day bus ride through some very tight switch-back roads. We stopped a couple times to
partake of some basic, touristy, sightseeing stuff. One interesting sight was the Kea Parrots (Nestor Notabilis), the worlds only Alpine parrot. It's a
cross between a seagull, a coyote, and a goat. These birds will eat ANYTHING. If this bird taw a puddy-tat,
it'd try to eat it. If you leave your car too long, they'll eat your rubber windshield molding. They'll
bend your antenna because it looks like a worm. If you set down a camera, they'll try to eat it too. Originally from Hollywood, these birds migrated to New Zealand in the 60's after working on an
Alfred Hitchcock movie starring Tippy Hedron. |
Heading to Milford Sound Fjord
Heading to Milford Sound
The Cute Little Kea Parrots (But Don't Turn Your Back)
More Keas - These Little Birds are Fearless
And More Annoying Than Seagulls & Pidgeons
And More Annoying Than Seagulls & Pidgeons
A Kea Eyeballing Pam's Camera Case (Tastes Like Chicken)
Heading to Milford Sound
Heading to Milford Sound
Heading to Milford Sound
Heading to Milford Sound
Heading to Milford Sound
Finally - Milford Sound
Milford Sound
Milford Sound
Milford Sound
Milford Sound
Milford Sound
Milford Sound - Look at That Boat (Probably 50' Long)
to Get an Idea of the Size of the Waterfall
to Get an Idea of the Size of the Waterfall
Milford Sound
Milford Sound
The Shotover Boats: | |
If you're in or near Queenstown or another place with Shotover Boats:
|
The Shotover Boats Near Queenstown
(Web-downloaded shots. You can only get most of these if you're Shotover staff.)
(Web-downloaded shots. You can only get most of these if you're Shotover staff.)
The Shotover Boats Near Queenstown
The Shotover Boats Near Queenstown
The Shotover Boats Near Queenstown
Christchurch: | |
Leaving Queenstown, we headed up the East Coast to Christchurch. We had flown into Christchurch,
but spent the first night in Arthur's Pass, so now we were going to spend a couple days there before
heading over to Australia. Christchurch is where almost every expedition to the Antarctic is staged. We walked around town, spent some time on the coast at the mouth of the harbor and went to the Antarctic
Center where we took a ride on an articulated, amphibious snow cat. Couldn't fit one in our
luggage, so I still don't have one. Very flexible toy. Everybody needs one. Then we got to the New
Zealand Aerospace museum. I have to tell you, I'd move to New Zealand in a heartbeat - it's that wonderful. |
Heading back to Christchurch
Heading back to Christchurch
A Glacial Lake on the way to Christchurch
Obviously a bad composite photo, but you get the idea.
Obviously a bad composite photo, but you get the idea.
Christchurch
Christchurch - Botanical Gardens
Christchurch - Botanical Gardens
Christchurch - Botanical Gardens
Christchurch - Botanical Gardens
Christchurch - Botanical Gardens
Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch
The Mountains Around Christchurch
Pam Walking a Trail Along the Entrance to Christchurch Harbor
WWII Bunkers at the Entrance to Christchurch Harbor
Christchurch Aerospace Museum
Christchurch Aerospace Museum
Christchurch Aerospace Museum
Christchurch Antarctica Museum & Research Center
Where to Now?
Down Under, Over Under, Under Over: | |
Well, this part of the adventure is about over, but next we'll be
in Australia |
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