@travellingwiththeateam

Back on the early starts, with a 5.45am alarm call and a 90min drive to Milford Sound for our morning cruise along the fiord.

It rains over 200 days a year in this part of NZ, so it was no surprise when we arrived to find it wet and a little windy. Fortunately this didn’t last too long and by the time we set off at 8.45am the skies were starting to clear and visibility improved.

We had booked our boutique cruise and were pleasantly surprised when we boarded to find just 20 other people on the boat, providing us loads of space, along with plenty of coffee/tea and biscuits.

The good thing about rain in Milford Sound is that it then guarantees a greater number of waterfalls.

As the boat made its way along the fiord and we headed out towards the Tasman Sea, we went in search of the local sea life, notably penguins and seals and weren’t disappointed.

We had the most enjoyable time looking out for the wildlife as well as taking in the stunning scenery and the scale of the natural environment.

There are only two permanent waterfalls within the Milford Sound, with all the others being fuelled by regular rainfall, but can disappear within a hour of two when the rain dries up.

Along the infamous Seal rocks, we spotted you’ll never guess, but a seal basking in the sunshine.

As we slowly motored back to the Milford Sound terminal, we went to one of the two permanent waterfalls for a ‘shower’ and laughter!

The fog did start to descend as we ebbed back into the terminal but this didn’t stop our enjoyment of the morning cruise and we managed to grab a few more photos of the magnificent scenery as we returned into port.

As we walked back to the car, we came across more bird-life and found them to be incredibly beautiful.

After a great few hours in Milford Sound, we then made a monumental drive back to Kingston, past Queenstown and another brief stop at Arrowtown.

Our last drive took us from Arrowtown to Cardrona, a 25min journey, close to Mount Cardrona and the alpine ski resort.

Arriving into Cardrona, we headed to our night’s stay at the Cardrona Hotel, a traditional Victorian styled accommodation & restaurant.

After relaxing at the hotel, we walked down for dinner via the charming gardens and then enjoyed a great meal with drinks.

Tomorrow we have a short drive to Wanaka, another summer and winter resort where we plan to spend most of the day, before making our way late afternoon to the West Coast and on to Fox Glacier.

Today was our last morning in Queenstown, so Andy was up early for his customary 10k run into the centre for the final time.

After grabbing breakfast and enjoying the views from the outside patio, we jumped in the car and drove 25mins up the road to Arrowtown, the former goldmine centre.

Arriving into Arrowtown it was clear that some of the money that had been made in the past, through gold finds in the nearby river, had been retained as the place was awash with high end stores and fancy restaurants and bars.

A lot of the original buildings from the Victorian period have been retained and restored and put to alternative uses. In our opinion this helped to make the place, as did the numerous funky coffee shops with trendy baristas (mostly English) working their magic!

We have to admit we liked the buzz of Queenstown, but controversially I think we may have been even more impressed by the laidback feel of Arrowtown. Definitely going to try and return on our way back from a visit to Milford Sound.

The town is blessed with a tree lined strip that gives the Main Street an even more elevated feel and quite European/English in appearance.

We then went in search of gold in the stream and bush…despite a 20min walk our search proved uneventful and we returned to our car without any gold nuggets!!

The walk along the river was beautiful, helped by the wonderful scenery and colourful lupins on each side of the stream.

After a pleasant couple of hours in Arrowtown it was time to start our journey south and then west to Te Anau, our bolt hole for tonight before our early morning cruise at Milford Sound on Wednesday.

As we drove down Lake Wakatipu to Kingston, we stopped a couple of times to take in the views of the snow topped mountains and clear blue lake.

Even for someone who is not a ‘nature’ nut, this is incredible scenery and worthy of a stop or two to celebrate its beauty.

We decided to take an early lunch stop at Kingston and treated ourselves to another NZ pie, this time a bacon, cheese and beef Dad’s pie. As a dad Andy can confirm it fitted the bill and proved to be a great filler.

After another hour or so’s drive we arrived in Te Anau around 1.30pm and went straight out for a walk around a very blustery Lake Te Anau. It’s the gateway to the fiords and we came across lots of other people who are heading to Milford Sound tomorrow like us.

Despite the winds, the sun came out for most of the afternoon and having walked around for a good hour or two, we picked up some food for dinner and headed back to our motel for a glass of rose in the sunshine.

Tomorrow we have another early start for the 90min drive through the winding roads to the Sound and our 2hr cruise through the fiords in search of seals, dolphins and penguins along with waterfalls and stunning scenery.

A morning on the water today, with a cruise around Lake Wakatipu.

Before departing we went for a wander around the Queenstown Gardens.

The botanical gardens contained a variety of exotic and native trees and plants, along with a large pond. Added to this there were lawn bowls, skate boarding, BMX biking, skating, frisbee golf and ice skating/ice hockey. Basically anything you can think of, and more besides.

Then on to Lake Wakatipu, a long, thin, Z-shaped lake formed by glacial processes, that has views of nearby mountains including The Remarkables, Cecil Peak, Walter Peak and just above the town, Ben Lomond and Queenstown Hill.

Before boarding our boat we had a look next door at a heritage steamship, the twin screw coal fired steamer TSS Earnslaw that also operates on the lake, but at twice the price to our transport!

Although today wasn’t as warm and sunny as yesterday, it proved to be a perfect calm day on the lake and the captain encouraged us to take full advantage and capture the sights on film, as its rarely this clear and serene.

As today was a Monday and we are still to hit the Xmas holidays, our cruise boat was close to empty and we had nigh on a private tour with just a handful of other passengers.

This meant we got the personal treatment with time to talk to the crew and hear all about the history of Queenstown and the surrounding areas.

After the 2hr cruise had finished, Michelle decided to take a break and have a wander around the town centre whilst Andy went on the Queenstown Hill walk, just outside the town.

It took Andy only 45mins to walk up to the top. Once through the trees the views were brilliant. When you reach the top you can see right over the lake and down to the airport.

Within 75 mins or so, Andy had got up and more or less down, when he bumped into an Oxfordshire couple Dave & Lynne who we first met in Auckland on a walking tour a couple of weeks back.

Since then we have ‘bumped’ into them on 3 prior occasions. You really couldn’t plan it.

Once back in town we then met up with Earl, a friend from Invercargill who was on our SE Asia tour, and had kindly driven up to Queenstown for a meet up.

It was so good to see him and a great effort on his part given his 3hr drive from Invercargill.

We spent a couple of hours with Earl before we said our goodbyes and he drove on to a nearby holiday home.

It was then time to treat ourselves with one of Queenstown’s must visits.

A trip to Ferg burger. What started as a “hole in the wall” burger joint (their words, not ours) has now become a worldwide gastro-phenomenon. CNN has named it “the best burger joint on the planet” and Lonely Planet has even included it among the world’s “best and bizarre” burger experiences. The key to Fergburger’s success lies not only in thousands of instagram tags, but in a simple principle – offer the very best produce and hand-make everything fresh daily.

After an early dinner it was time to return to a bit of culture and a visit to one of the art works in Queenstown. Being a wealthy town there are numerous galleries and art works scattered around the centre, in all shapes and sizes.

With another busy day under our belts, we returned to our B&B to prepare for tomorrows drive to Te Anau, before our eventual visit to Milford Sounds and the Fiordland National Park on Wednesday.

After the excesses of the night before, Andy was still up for a 6.45am run along the coast road to get some fresh air in his lungs and to clear his head.

Once back we had a cooked breakfast kindly prepared by Paul and chatted to Michelle and Jenny about the local area and the wonderful scenery all around Kaka Point.

It was then time for a walk and a short drive out to the lighthouse at Nugget Point. With another day of wonderful clear skies the scenery and wildlife made the place feel even more magical and beautiful.

After saying our goodbyes to Michelle, Jenny & Paul, we got back in the motor and started our inland 175 mile journey to Queenstown. On the way we stopped for a Jimmy’s Pie, a must in this part of the world, which proved a helpful filler.

From there we drove on stopping a couple of times to take in the various lakes along the route through Central Otago, passing Roxburgh, Alexandra before stopping at Cromwell.

During our stop in Cromwell we visited the historic heritage precinct. Although not the original street, this being lost in the lake due to the creation of a dam and a rising water level, it offered some interesting and unique buildings selling gifts and coffee.

Once back on the road we stopped briefly at Roaring Meg Power Station to check out the roaring river.

On arrival into Queenstown it was still only 4pm and the sun was still bright and we did what you should always do when first arriving, we headed to a bar and ordered a couple of glasses of rose and took up position looking out over the lake.

After a short interlude, we went for a wander around the centre of Queenstown and came upon the crazy queues for Fergburger. This is a legendary eatery where they sell uber sized burgers that are the talk of the town and the rest of the South Island. We counted over 150 people waiting to be served.

Given the queues Andy went for the next best thing, the Mrs Ferg ice creams being sold in their store next door. We can confirm that their successes in the burger world will soon be followed by ice-cream domination too.

After a lovely day in the sunshine we retired back to our 2 night stay at Ora Retreat, a lovely boutique B&B with the most amazing views out over Lake Wakatipu.

Tomorrow we are heading out onto the lake for a boat tour before deciding which of the many outdoor pursuits to do next.

Back on the road again today and heading south to Dunedin and a meet up with our Kiwi friends Michelle and Jenny.

As we motored along the coast road, we passed through a few small towns Oamaru and Palmerston and increasing the names and places were ever more Scottish in origin.

We tried to stop at a cafe on the main road, aptly called St Andrew’s, only to find that being Sunday it was sadly closed.

With the day shaping up to be gloriously sunny, we stopped at a wonderfully sandy beach just outside Katiki.

Apart from a couple walking their dog, we had the place to ourselves so it was only fitting that Andy then performed his beach star jump!

We then drove down to a beautiful small coast road town called Karitane, which friends in Christchurch had recommended as a great place to take a walk out to the peninsula and look out to Waikouaiti Bay.

With the sun bearing down on us and not a cloud in the sky, it was getting hot and the water looked increasingly inviting.

We found a track named Huriawa Pa Walk that took us along the headland and into a Maori conservation area that was filled with palm trees and lush bushes.

The walk proved to a real find and along with the amazing views we came upon a small seal colony and loads of birds nesting in the deep grassland.

Our walk took us right round the peninsula and brought fresh views down the coast and proved a real voyage of discovery. So good that the Maori people have had the land returned to their right full ownership given its historical significance.

Once back in the car we made one final stop at Blue Skin Brewery for some liquid refreshment and to enjoy the early afternoon sunshine.

After arriving in Dunedin we discovered that this very Scottish city was in the midst of celebrations for St Andrew’s Day and as a result it was kilts and bagpipes all round.

After wandering the very pretty and scenic centre of Dunedin, where Xmas has definitely arrived, we headed out to Saint Kilda beach and then on to Blackhead beach. The latter offered up the wonderful surprise of sea lions & seals perched on the rocks doing a spot of sun bathing.

Up close and personal with one of the more advanced seals, who had clambered up the beach and the bushes of the hill to find a cool and sheltered spot to relax and snooze. Sadly for the seal this was right next to the beach path where we and another group of tourists stopped to take photos and encourage the seal to pop its head up!

After our spot of nature, we headed to meet up with our friend Michelle and her husband Paul who live nearby in Green Island. Michelle was on our tour of Japan back in October and had kindly invited us to stay with them for a night.

On arriving we were greeted with the offer of a ‘trike’ ride down to nearby Brighton Beach. Wow, what an experience and so kind of Paul to take us out on such short notice. We got plenty of stares as well as waves from fellow bikers!

After our trike ride, we jumped in the car and drove an hour south to Kaka Point, where Michelle & Paul have a holiday home, and live next door to our other Kiwi friend Jenny.

After drinks in the pub, it was then time to retire back to the house for a proper Kiwi dinner of lamb and all the trimmings. Thanks to Michelle for a wonderful meal and to Paul for the multitude of bourbon and cokes we then drunk into late into the evening.

It was so lovely to catch up with Michelle and Jenny, and meet Paul and to spend the night in great company having fun and laughing about our time in Japan.

Tomorrow we plan to spend the morning in Kaka Point with a walk out to the nearby lighthouse before driving in land to Queenstown.

Back on the road today to visit Lakes Tekapo & Pukaki before heading back to the coast and a nights stay in Timaru.

Before leaving Christchurch this morning, we enjoyed another lovely breakfast with views down over Mount Pleasant to South New Brighton Bay.

Once on the road we quickly found our way out of Christchurch and made our way to the outskirts of Timaru, before turning in land past the famous pie shop and fish in Fairlie and on to Lake Tekapo.

Arriving at the lake we now appreciated why people had told us to make the 2hr drive from the coast. Lake Tekapo is known for its turquoise waters, and is also a great spot for stargazing as part of the Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve (clear skies with limited manmade light).

To see the snow capped mountains glistening in the sunshine over the lake was a magnificent sight.

Added to the glorious views, there were wild purple lupins growing all around the lake.

We decided to hike around a section of the lake and having left a mild Christchurch at 18 degrees, we were pleasantly surprised as the day heated up and soon reached over 25 degrees. T-shirts and shorts were on display, in fact we walked past a number of sunbathers next to the lake who were in their swimmers making the most of the heat and bright blue skies.

We then spent a couple of hours enjoying the lakes beauty, skimming stones across the shallow water and going for a paddle.

After spending time at Lake Tekapo we drove a further 30mins on to Lake Pukaki where further turquoise waters emanated from the minerals from the mountain waters.

With the heat rising it was hard not to see the merit of a swim in the lake, however after Andy went for a paddle he was quick to say it was still chilly and only 10c degrees.

Back at Lake Tekapo and a visit to the Church of the Good Shepherd on the lakes edge is a great spot for a photo or two.

Lupins were everywhere as we went for a further walk and got a few more photos of the amazing lake views.

After a wonderful day in the Lake District of the South Island we drove back to Timaru where we spent the night.

Tomorrow we head down the coast on our way to Dunedin and a night with our Kiwi friends Michelle and Jenny. Looking forward to catching up with them after first meeting on our Japan tour back in October.

The morning started early for Andy who was up at 7am for his 10k fix running along the hillside of Mount Pleasant. The views down over Lyttelton and South New Brighton Bay were spectacular, helped by the early morning sunshine and cloudless skies.

After a lovely breakfast at the B&B looking out over the New Brighton Bay, we made an early departure to drive across Christchurch to meet Brent, who kindly agreed to drive to the cricket and find a nearby parking spot.

Fortunately we found a space close to Hagley Park and we were soon walking across the nearby fields close to the cricket ground meeting up with Brent’s brother in law, Rodney.

As we entered the ground, we were greeted by the sight of one of the infamous Barmy Army. They are a breed apart and are fully committed to the cause of 5 days of cricket (and the occasional beer and burger!)

After finding a suitable spot on the grass banks, we got out our folding chairs and made ourselves comfortable.

With about 30mins to take in the surroundings before the start & buy the first beer – it was almost 11am after all, we waited for the captains to appear and the outcome of the toss as to who will bat, and who will then bowl.

England won the toss and put NZ into bat and we were on our way.

After an early wicket for England, the Kiwis soon got themselves into the swing and the runs started to mount.

Within our group was Brent’s son-in-law Todd Astle, a former New Zealand cricket international who retired a couple of years back. Given his cricketing status there was a need to grab a photo to honour our time with Kiwi cricketing royalty!

At lunch NZ were already 100 with the loss of just 2 wickets, so to compensate their growing strength in the game, we went for lunch of a bacon sandwich and fries and sat with the bevy of English fans to take in the atmosphere.

It felt a little weird being around so many English voices despite being so far from home. Many had only arrived in the country in the last 24hrs and had more or less come straight to the game. Despite their inevitable tiredness, many seemed happy to take on the medicinal powers of beer and burgers to help them out.

After a fantastic day at the cricket enjoying the sunshine, the chat and the occasional beer, the score in the cricket seemed to take a backseat. When we left around 6pm, NZ were just passing 300 runs and had lost 8 wickets. I suspect both sides will be relatively happy with the current situation, with lots to play for over the remaining 4 days of the test.

Sadly we had to say goodbye to our Kiwi friends Lana and Brent, who we hope to see again either in England/Europe or when next in NZ.

Tomorrow we are moving on down the coast to visit Timaru, and on to Lake Tekapo and possibly Lake Pukaki time permitting.

The morning started with a walking tour of Christchurch aided by our local guide Steve.

He explained more about the impact of the quakes that hit Christchurch in 2010 & 2011, pointing us to an exhibition centre called Quake City, that gives the full story of the horrific events and how the city has changed since.

What is clear is that Christchurch is a city enriched in culture, with a street art scene that left us in awe.

A stroll through the inner city revealed colourful artworks from a range of inspiring artists. Added to this there are ever-evolving murals appearing in the city that reinvigorate areas still affected by the earthquake.

With its arrays of quirky, unique boutique stores, wonderful bars and restaurants New Regent Street was a great place to visit and we made a note to return, notably to Twenty Seven Steps, a modern European restaurant that does some great dining options.

Our guide let us know that Christchurch city is now ranked alongside New York, Barcelona, Berlin and London as one of the street art capitals of the world in the Lonely Planet book.

Christchurch unquestionably has a rich street art scene, in part due to the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes.

The contemporary street art scene was born out of tragedy and street art has become a vital part of the energy of the rejuvenated city.

Around many corners and down newly created laneways, vibrant street art greets you in Ōtautahi Christchurch, injecting colour and adorning the sides of grey concrete and brick buildings that make up the central city.

There is more going on here than just paint and walls colliding into colourful explosions – deeper than that is both a reclaiming of identity and a telling of new stories.

After the walking tour, we headed to The Columbo centre to meet up with our friend Lana, a Christchurch local who we first met back in May on our 30 day SE tour of Asia.

After lunch with Lana, we jumped in our car and headed to our 2 night stay in Mount Pleasant, a stunning B&B perched on the top of the hills looking down on South New Brighton and Sumner Beach.

Later on in the afternoon we drove over to Prebbleton, a suburb on the outskirts of Christchurch where friends Brent and Anne live. We first met this lovely couple on an Intrepid tour in Borneo back in April.

We had a wonderful afternoon and enjoyed dinner in the garden with an incredible platter of seafood, bbq and wonderful salads.

We had a great time catching up and chatting about the Borneo experience as well as our respective travel experiences.

Alfresco dinning in sunny Prebbleton. Truly amazing. Thank you to Brent and Anne for their hospitality.

The lovely evening together sets us up for tomorrow when we get together again with Brent to watch Day 1 of the First Test at the Hagley Oval.

Tomorrow will all be about the cricket. Come on England let’s get a decent session in and show the Kiwis who the bosses are!!

An early departure from Hamner Springs enabled us to arrive into Christchurch, our home for the next 3 nights, just before 11am.

Our first stop was to refuel with a coffee and cake in a lovely cafe.

After this short interlude it was time to go and explore the charming centre of Christchurch, which instantly felt welcoming and friendly.

Post the quakes of 2010 & 2011, the city has been in recovery for a number of years, which is evident from the number of new buildings and numerous street art murals highlighting its vitality as a city that’s been reborn.

There are still reminisces of the ‘older’ Christchurch, possibly the most English city outside England. Road signs and building names all hark back to the original settlers who emanated from the South Coast of England, hence the city’s name and the region’s name of Canterbury.

Ōtautahi to give Christchurch its Maori name, sits in the heart of Aotearoa’s South Island.

This is a city seeking a perfect balance; a diverse natural playground, wide open spaces, modern architecture and heritage buildings.

After exploring the city centre streets we made our way to Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, home to one of Aotearoa/New Zealand’s most important public art collections.

Even before we entered the gallery it was full of humour, surprise and heart. Starting with the Bull on the Piano, an unusual play on the finance cities around the world.

Once inside we saw an exhibition revealing how borrowed or re-imagined bodies can help us explore what it means to be human.

Dummies & Doppelgängers combined sculpture, video, photography and more from the Gallery’s own collection and around Aotearoa.

After a walking tour of the gallery and an explanation of the numerous themed exhibits, which proved a helpful insight into the trials and tribulations that NZ is currently facing.

Once back outside we came across Captain Scott’s statue, as Christchurch was his last stop before he sailed off down to the Antarctic, to reach the South Pole only to beaten to by the Norwegians and sadly not make it back after losing their battle to the artic elements.

We then made our way to the Riverside Market for lunch. We got lucky and found a great place for fish & chips, a cellar door for wine and a craft beer bar as well as a cheese bar. It’s fair to say we were in heaven and indulged in all four places!!

Next we went for a wander to walk off the excesses of lunch and passed numerous trams which circuit the city as a tourist attraction.

As you turn a corner in the city, odds on you’ll see some form of street art which has increased since the quake with numerous properties elevations becoming exposed as adjoining buildings were demolished. It turns out that over 70% of the city centre was affected by the quake either completely destroyed or damaged beyond repair.

We moved to the botanical gardens that sit close to the river in a central area, enclosed by the larger Hagley Park, close to where England play New Zealand at the cricket starting on Thursday.

The gardens were great to walk around and reminded us of England with the occasional tree or plant that looked too tropical to exist in a UK climate.

Despite the earthquake having happened almost 14yrs ago, some parts of the city remain in a state of flux, notably the Gothic cathedral which was badly damaged and remains a work in progress. The costs of repair and restoration have increased and budgets have come and gone.

After taking in the sights and sounds of the city, we found ourselves back in the retail centre where we saw a few signs that Xmas is now only a few weeks off.

With a busy day of walking and exploring concluded, we retired to our hotel for a rest and a spot of tv relaxation watching the new reboot of the Day of the Jackal.

Tomorrow we have a walking tour of the city, followed by a meet up with Lana a Christchurch friend from our tour of SE Asia, before we move down to Mount Pleasant, close to the coast and dinner with Brent and Anne, more travel friends from our tour of Borneo back in April.

Off into the countryside today with a wonderful drive along the coast and then through wonderful rolling hills to Hamner Springs.

Our first stop was Goose Bay, a few miles out of Kaikoura where we were able to spy a few more seals bathing on the rocks next to the water.

The coast line was so stunning, we couldn’t help stopping to take in the views along with the wonderful sunshine.

As we meandered to our destination we passed through some open countryside and place names that reminded us of home, notably Rotherham, where we stopped again to take a landscape photograph of the valley below.

We have a brief lunch stop in Waiau, a small town in north Canterbury. It sits just 30 km east of Hanmer Springs on the northern bank of the Waiau Uwha River. That wasn’t much to it, just a small supermarket – see below, a DIY store and a petrol station.

We then made our way to our Hamner Springs passing through even more stunning scenery shaped by blue skies and clear views.

Hanmer Springs is a resort town known for its Thermal Pools and Spa, with its mineral waters.

The surrounding mountains are home to trails and seasonal ski slopes. The nearby Conical Hill and Heritage Forest offered an array of trails winding to a lookout point. We decided to do a circular hike taking in Conical Hill and the forest trails around the town.

The Te Tihi o Rauhea/Conical Hill Loop Trail was around 10k long, taking us roughly 2hrs to walk. 

As we climbed up the views just got better and better and had a real Alpine feel to them.

Once at the viewing point on the Conical Gill summit we stopped for lunch and our homemade sandwiches and snacks – like walking hols of our youth!

With the hike completed it was then time for a refreshment break and what better way of doing it than a drink in the local hostelry.

And then it was time for a local delicacy, well a Swiss themed one.

With the sun shining strongly and our bones feeling a little achy we decided an afternoon of relaxation in the thermal pools was just what we needed.

Each of the 22 pools had its own unique offering, from tranquil adult-only pools to child friendly freshwater pools and play areas.

The incredible selection of geothermally heated pools range from a comfortable 32°C , right up to a rejuvenating 42°C.

We found a few pools to chill in, a lap pool and lazy river being our preferred options, rather than the epic water slides, one that included the largest aquatic thrill ride in NZ.

Hanmer Springs gets around 520,000 visitors each year. Theres bungy jumping, jet boating, white water rafting, mountain biking, but we found the hiking to be our favoured pursuit and offering the amazing views of the alpine surroundings.

After our time in the hot pools we enjoyed an alfresco dinner in the nearby park and met the founder/surveyor that gave the town its name, Mr Hamner a Welsh man who helped to set out the centre plan.

With the sunshine remaining strong into the early evening we sat out in the hotel gardens and enjoyed our time with a glass of vino for Michelle and an IPA for Andy. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it…

Tomorrow we say goodbye to the country air and head back to the coast and the city of Christchurch where we are staying for 3 nights. We have arranged to meet with Kiwi friends who we have met on prior tours of Malaysia and SE Asia, as well as a day at the cricket on the 28th to watch England v NZ. Can’t wait.