Love Christchurch -had awesome digs -a short walk into cathedral square - and we saw our first kiwi (bird, not new zealander).
Caught the gondola fromHeathcote Valley for a spectacular view across Christchurch & surrounds.
Christchurch has tourist trams so we felt quite at home. Did a lap on the tram to get our bearings and then headed for the arts precinct. It is housed in the former university buildings - the uni outgrew the space and moved out and the area has been turned into a brilliant arts precinct. There are many arts and crafts shops, galleries, exhibition spaces, theatres, and the fudge cottage (not a cottage made out of fudge but rather a shop that makes, and sells, fudge. They also do tours of the kitchen - the day we were there we saw them making choc orange fudge (always one of my favourites).
The arts precinct is across the road from the botanic gardens, and the museum.
The museum had an excellent display of maori artefacts and the gardens provided a place of shade while we ate our sandwiches and pondered the rest of the day.
Whilst TappingBetty climes to the top of the Cathedral, I headed to the central library where my collection of library related brochures increased dramatically (and now includes a brochure on what to do if a tsunami strikes.)
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Glacier to Greymouth
Well the rain had eased the next morning when we dragged ourselves from our comfy (warm) beds ready to catch the bus to Greymouth to connect with the first of our scenic train trips.
We were catching the TransAlpine train from Greymouth to Christchurch. The trip is 223 kilometres and takes four and a half hours. There are 16 tunnels, and 5 viaducts, the highest being the Staircase standing at 73 metres.
It was overcast and drizzly when the train eventually left Greymouth (almost an hour late for some reason) but the scenery more than made up for that. We spent most of the trip on the open air viewing platform (getting very windswept in the process) which provided us with great views.
There were a lot of track works being carried out which meant that from time to time the train was forced to slow down (good for photo oportunities, not so good for punctuality).
The scenery was spectacular - viaducts, picture perfect river views, a lot of postcard moments. (Soon to be posted to flickr)
The closer we got to Christchurch the better the weather became. When we finally rolled into Christchurch it was sunny and bright and we were very happy campers as we headed for yet some more outstanding accommodation.
We were catching the TransAlpine train from Greymouth to Christchurch. The trip is 223 kilometres and takes four and a half hours. There are 16 tunnels, and 5 viaducts, the highest being the Staircase standing at 73 metres.
It was overcast and drizzly when the train eventually left Greymouth (almost an hour late for some reason) but the scenery more than made up for that. We spent most of the trip on the open air viewing platform (getting very windswept in the process) which provided us with great views.
There were a lot of track works being carried out which meant that from time to time the train was forced to slow down (good for photo oportunities, not so good for punctuality).
The scenery was spectacular - viaducts, picture perfect river views, a lot of postcard moments. (Soon to be posted to flickr)
The closer we got to Christchurch the better the weather became. When we finally rolled into Christchurch it was sunny and bright and we were very happy campers as we headed for yet some more outstanding accommodation.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
A glacier called fox
The weather had cooled and the sky was a tad cloudy as we left Queenstown before breakfast and headed for Fox Glacier and points beyond.
Today's bus was a 12 seater and it was a pretty good dozen also. Apart from us there were 2 cops from Christchurch, 2 french backpackers, an elderly Queenstown lady visiting friends at Fox, a young american missionary, an irish backpacker, a mother and son heading for a craft market.
We had a lot of fun on the 6 hour drive - the weather grew steadily worse the further we got from Queenstown. We stopped for lunch at a salmon farm (salmon, salmon, and more salmon) - where we bonded even more as the rain beat heavily on the roof of the cafe.
By the time we were dropped off at our motel at Fox Glacier the rain had obviously set in for the day. The clouds were low and dark and the mountains were barely visible through the mist.
Our motel totally rocked. I can highly recommend it. It's a 2 minute walk from the main drag (1 minute from the pub).
We got a local guy (Murray) to drive us out to the glacier. He picked us up at the motel and then waited in the carpark while we dragged our sodden selves to the base of the glacier. (He also supplied us with yellow plastic ponchos to try and keep us a tad drier than our waterproof jackets were doing).
There were quite a few tourists, apart from ourselves, trudging grimly towards the glacier. No one wanted to miss the opportunity so yellow plastic ponchos and purloined Bunnings umbrellas seemed the order of the day.
Heads down we trudged past the sign warning us not to stop for the next 200 metres (or someone might hit us on the head with a rock - avalanche warning perhaps - can heavy rain cause avalanches? - yep); exchanging wry, waterlogged grins with the hardy souls making their way back to the car park.
We exhanged bows with the Japanese gentlemen (in suits and ties -see note re: Bunnings umbrellas), wondered at the 3 young guys in boardies, t shirts, and thongs - they were wet, couldn't get any wetter I guess - and finally reached the glacier.
Everything was grey - sky, glacier, horizon, hills, but no matter we were there. I'm sure it would be even more spectacular without rain but it lost none of it's scenicicity in the rain (we just didn't stand there as long as might otherwise have been the case).
Murray had shown us photos he'd taken over the past 30 years which clearly showed how much the glacier had moved during that time - it was truly awesome to gaze upon and we would have really liked to have helicoptered over it, but the weather had grounded all glacier flights - ah well, it was still an inspiring sight.
It was a couple of soaking wet tappers who made their way back to the motel and curled up in front of the heater with books and hot chocolates (instant I'm afraid...Jarrah chocolatte fudge) as darkness came a few hours early due to that danged rain.
Today's bus was a 12 seater and it was a pretty good dozen also. Apart from us there were 2 cops from Christchurch, 2 french backpackers, an elderly Queenstown lady visiting friends at Fox, a young american missionary, an irish backpacker, a mother and son heading for a craft market.
We had a lot of fun on the 6 hour drive - the weather grew steadily worse the further we got from Queenstown. We stopped for lunch at a salmon farm (salmon, salmon, and more salmon) - where we bonded even more as the rain beat heavily on the roof of the cafe.
By the time we were dropped off at our motel at Fox Glacier the rain had obviously set in for the day. The clouds were low and dark and the mountains were barely visible through the mist.
Our motel totally rocked. I can highly recommend it. It's a 2 minute walk from the main drag (1 minute from the pub).
We got a local guy (Murray) to drive us out to the glacier. He picked us up at the motel and then waited in the carpark while we dragged our sodden selves to the base of the glacier. (He also supplied us with yellow plastic ponchos to try and keep us a tad drier than our waterproof jackets were doing).
There were quite a few tourists, apart from ourselves, trudging grimly towards the glacier. No one wanted to miss the opportunity so yellow plastic ponchos and purloined Bunnings umbrellas seemed the order of the day.
Heads down we trudged past the sign warning us not to stop for the next 200 metres (or someone might hit us on the head with a rock - avalanche warning perhaps - can heavy rain cause avalanches? - yep); exchanging wry, waterlogged grins with the hardy souls making their way back to the car park.
We exhanged bows with the Japanese gentlemen (in suits and ties -see note re: Bunnings umbrellas), wondered at the 3 young guys in boardies, t shirts, and thongs - they were wet, couldn't get any wetter I guess - and finally reached the glacier.
Everything was grey - sky, glacier, horizon, hills, but no matter we were there. I'm sure it would be even more spectacular without rain but it lost none of it's scenicicity in the rain (we just didn't stand there as long as might otherwise have been the case).
Murray had shown us photos he'd taken over the past 30 years which clearly showed how much the glacier had moved during that time - it was truly awesome to gaze upon and we would have really liked to have helicoptered over it, but the weather had grounded all glacier flights - ah well, it was still an inspiring sight.
It was a couple of soaking wet tappers who made their way back to the motel and curled up in front of the heater with books and hot chocolates (instant I'm afraid...Jarrah chocolatte fudge) as darkness came a few hours early due to that danged rain.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Arrowtown
Arrowtown had been recommended to us by so many people that we thought we'd better make the effort and have a look!
We caught a local bus out there and found a delightful (but heavily tourist focused) little town. They had a library which was open in the morning. It was a small library on the corner of the main street (and it featured on a postcard of the achitecture of the town.)
They had a trolley of ex-library books for sale on the front verandah (I picked up a Robert Crais pb for 50c). The trolley was being well and truly picked over by tourists, such as myself, looking for bargain holiday reads.
We then strolled along the main street and treated ourselves to a superb hot chocolate from Patagonia cafe (Arrowtown branch). The hot chocolate is in a huge soup tureen (those big black ones) and when you order a hot choc they ladle it into the mug, add a home made shortbread to the saucer (or the lid of the takeaway container), and voila. It's nice to see the takeawayers getting the same saucer treats as the drink-ins.
Anyhoo as well as a Patagonia cafe, and a Remarkable Sweets shop and a very nice jewellery store, and several galleries (art, photography, craft) and many tourist shops, there is also a chinese museum as Arrowtown was home to many Chinese during the gold rush.
After lunch in one of the many cafe's it was back to Queenstown where we'd planned a relaxing afternoon cruise on the lake.
Dinner was fish n chips (fush n chups) from the kiosk near the Novotel which we ate looking out at the sunset over the lake.
A great day.
We caught a local bus out there and found a delightful (but heavily tourist focused) little town. They had a library which was open in the morning. It was a small library on the corner of the main street (and it featured on a postcard of the achitecture of the town.)
They had a trolley of ex-library books for sale on the front verandah (I picked up a Robert Crais pb for 50c). The trolley was being well and truly picked over by tourists, such as myself, looking for bargain holiday reads.
We then strolled along the main street and treated ourselves to a superb hot chocolate from Patagonia cafe (Arrowtown branch). The hot chocolate is in a huge soup tureen (those big black ones) and when you order a hot choc they ladle it into the mug, add a home made shortbread to the saucer (or the lid of the takeaway container), and voila. It's nice to see the takeawayers getting the same saucer treats as the drink-ins.
Anyhoo as well as a Patagonia cafe, and a Remarkable Sweets shop and a very nice jewellery store, and several galleries (art, photography, craft) and many tourist shops, there is also a chinese museum as Arrowtown was home to many Chinese during the gold rush.
After lunch in one of the many cafe's it was back to Queenstown where we'd planned a relaxing afternoon cruise on the lake.
Dinner was fish n chips (fush n chups) from the kiosk near the Novotel which we ate looking out at the sunset over the lake.
A great day.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Downhill all the way
The boat cruise went for about an hour and three quarters then it was back on the bus for our trip back to Queenstown.
The trip back from Milford Sound to Queenstown took about 3.5 hours, largely in part to young Adam who put his foot down and kept it down the whole way.
Narrow winding roads did not faze him, nor did the thought of speed limits. As a result we were back in plenty of time for a bedtime cuppa with Clyde & Judy who are on a gardens of NZ tour that is being led by their landscape gardener (and ABC gardening expert) son Andy.
The trip back from Milford Sound to Queenstown took about 3.5 hours, largely in part to young Adam who put his foot down and kept it down the whole way.
Narrow winding roads did not faze him, nor did the thought of speed limits. As a result we were back in plenty of time for a bedtime cuppa with Clyde & Judy who are on a gardens of NZ tour that is being led by their landscape gardener (and ABC gardening expert) son Andy.
It's a fiord not a sound
I forget the difference (they did tell us and I did write it down) but my notebook is over there in my suitcase and I can't be bothered fetching it.
(Research my dears, research)
Anyway we arrived at the cruise centre in plenty of time for our 2 o'clock sailing, our embarkation was slightly delayed while the official cruise photographer took (what turned out to be) a really bad picture of us... (bad hair day on so many levels)
The cruise however was awesome. It included a 'free' lunch of chicken & salad roll & unlimited tea and coffee so that was disposed of quickly and it was off up to the viewing deck to make the most of the glorious day - blue sky, calm water, lovely sunshine (and no library borrowers.... :>)
We saw fur seals basking on rocks in the sun,( the previous day there'd been several dolphin sightings but not our day). There was abundant birdlife and I have to admit that the lake-like feel of the fiord reminded me of Interlaken & lake Thun (including several beach like spots where Miss Ferrars could have stopped a runaway motorboat).
We got wet when the boat (deliberately) sailed in close to several of the many natural waterfalls that occur around the place.
The water was like glass - it was such a superb day to be out on a boat - and the scenery - I wish/hope my photos do it justice (I bought quite a few postcards that capture the scenery way better than I can.
Unfortunately I don't have the words to truly describe the beauty of the scenery, but trust me, it was superb.
(Research my dears, research)
Anyway we arrived at the cruise centre in plenty of time for our 2 o'clock sailing, our embarkation was slightly delayed while the official cruise photographer took (what turned out to be) a really bad picture of us... (bad hair day on so many levels)
The cruise however was awesome. It included a 'free' lunch of chicken & salad roll & unlimited tea and coffee so that was disposed of quickly and it was off up to the viewing deck to make the most of the glorious day - blue sky, calm water, lovely sunshine (and no library borrowers.... :>)
We saw fur seals basking on rocks in the sun,( the previous day there'd been several dolphin sightings but not our day). There was abundant birdlife and I have to admit that the lake-like feel of the fiord reminded me of Interlaken & lake Thun (including several beach like spots where Miss Ferrars could have stopped a runaway motorboat).
We got wet when the boat (deliberately) sailed in close to several of the many natural waterfalls that occur around the place.
The water was like glass - it was such a superb day to be out on a boat - and the scenery - I wish/hope my photos do it justice (I bought quite a few postcards that capture the scenery way better than I can.
Unfortunately I don't have the words to truly describe the beauty of the scenery, but trust me, it was superb.
Milford Sound
We were collected from our hotel at some ungodly hour for the bus trip to Milford Sound. To my jaded (not fully awake) eye our bus driver (Adam) didn't seem old enough to drive, let alone drive a bus!
Still no matter we headed off on the almost 6 hour drive to Milford.
First stop (some 2.5 hours from Queenstown) was Te Anau for morning tea.
Whilst most of the bus enjoyed a sit down coffee in the cafe, TappingBetty & I grabbed takeaway and did a quick explore of the town (and lake) in the half hour we had to spend there. It was turning into a pleasant day and we had high hopes that the weather would remain calm for our boat ride@ Milford.
One of the good things about this tour was the number of photo stops we got (obviously why it took almost 6 hours to get to Milford).
We were sitting with an English couple who had come to Queenstown to visit their daughter who is working there. This trip to Milford Sound was the only other part of NZ they were seeing (apart from Q'town) during their entire 3 week visit.
The weather was looking most promising - it was cold but the sky was blue and there's lots and lots of sun - perfect.
Still no matter we headed off on the almost 6 hour drive to Milford.
First stop (some 2.5 hours from Queenstown) was Te Anau for morning tea.
Whilst most of the bus enjoyed a sit down coffee in the cafe, TappingBetty & I grabbed takeaway and did a quick explore of the town (and lake) in the half hour we had to spend there. It was turning into a pleasant day and we had high hopes that the weather would remain calm for our boat ride@ Milford.
One of the good things about this tour was the number of photo stops we got (obviously why it took almost 6 hours to get to Milford).
We were sitting with an English couple who had come to Queenstown to visit their daughter who is working there. This trip to Milford Sound was the only other part of NZ they were seeing (apart from Q'town) during their entire 3 week visit.
The weather was looking most promising - it was cold but the sky was blue and there's lots and lots of sun - perfect.
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