Melissa5

Hello from south island New Zealand! Having a terrific 25th anniversary trip with my biologist husband. Weather is terrific, in the 70's, colder in morning and colder evenings. Not much rain.

Mt. Cook was totally clear! Awesome!

Rained while we drove down Milford Rd. so we saw dozens of waterfalls pouring down the cliffs...didn't even have to go out on the boats. Amazing.

Things I didn't use in my luggage: t-shirts, capri pants, long-sleeved sweaters. Things I really used a lot in my luggage: long-sleeved light-weight cotton shirts, with a zip-up polar fleece for cool mornings and cool evenings, and a waterproof outer layer jacket. Wore my Nike walking shoes for day-hikes and they were fine.

More trip report when we get home. I recommend these places:
Aoraki Mt. Cook Alpine Lodge, Mt. Cook village (NOT owned by the Hermitage...it is independently owned...don't confuse this with the Aoraki wing of the Hermitage...totally different places. The Aoraki Mt. Cook Alpine Lodge is casual, lodge-like- and homey, good price. $165 NZ for room upstairs with king bed and view of Mt. Cook and bathroom. Nice staff.

The Brothers Boutique hotel, Dunedin, yes, friendly place.

Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki...wow, great

Campbell Autolodge, Te Anau, friendly and comfortable with great lake view from upstairs

Villa del lago apartments, Queenstown, very very nice, about a 25-minute walk from town or a 5-minute drive.



Yes, you need to book rooms in advance...met a lady who couldn't find anything available on the west coast...she was panicking...this is February 2007...she had to drive quite a ways and was panicking. Many places we stayed were full.

See you when we return home from paradise...

johhj_au

so what's the best way for a biologist to see the penguins on the otago peninsula?

Melnq8

Glad to hear you're having a good time Melissa - clear weather in Mt Cook! A real bonus, as I know how much you were looking foward to that part of your trip.

Will keep my eyes peeled for a nice detailed trip report...

Jed

Go ahead - make us jealous. Right now we are enjoying :-< an ice storm in Philly.

MarsBars

Melissa,
I am so glad that all of your planning was worth it! It sounds like your trip is wonderful. I am getting excited (and I am also having some anxiety) about our trip in March 2007 to the same areas in New Zealand that you are experiencing. Thanks for your previous post. It is helping me to know what to pack! Take Care, and Happy 25th Anniversary!

BillJ

Melissa: Thanks for letting us in on how goes the trip. You put a lot of planning effort in, it's good to know it is paying off.
Suggestion: Check out merino wool clothes in Christchurch or where ever. We got some of the lightest stuff for next to skin wear. What a godsend. Love those merino sheep.
My son just arrived in Christchurch/Akaroa from Antarctica where he works. Bringing back memories. We've been staring at our photos for days.
Thanks again for the post.

nelsonian

Hi I have been following your preparations but can't remember if you are coming to the Nelson area. Kust thought I would let you know that you will probably get to wear your capri pants and T shirts here, as that's what I have been wearing for the last few weeks. Hopefully the great weather will hold for the rest of your trip. It sure makes a change from the weather in January.

wlzmatilida

Melissa! Kia Ora!

Glad to hear that you're having a fabu time and mostly having wonderful weather.

I have clients there right now, and yesterday they were on a wine tour in Queenstown for Valentines Day (and I arranged for them to receive a lovely bottle of wine, so I hope it was a romantic day for them!).

We await your trip report when you get back (no pressure....)

Regards,

Melodie
Certified Kiwi Specialist

Melissa5

johhjau, the best way for a biologist to see penguins and other wildlife on the otago peninsula is to try to book a day-tour with wildlife photographer Robert Brown and his wife Christine. However, he is involved with doing 3 films right now and would have to fit you in between. We were very fottunate to get him for one day. We didn't actually see penguins with him as we had already seen them at Penguin Place. Normally Robert Brown has access to an exclusive bit of beach where he would take you to see penguins, etc. But right now, February 2007, several beaches in Otago area are closed by DOC because some baby penguins are dying from some type of disease...I think it's not yet certain what is happening.

Anyway more on this when I return. My biologist husband loved the day-tour with Robert Brown and his wife Christine. Robert is a wildlife photographer and a tracker, and his wife also has a very keen eye. It was a fascinating day. Our private tour for my husband and I costg $110 each NZ for the day, including lunch and snacks. They normally mostly take their guests on tours, but their b&b is currently closed as they have a new one on the otago peninsula which will be opening soon as it's ready. Highly recommended to stay with them if you like wildlife and especially if you are a photographer and want to learn more about photographing wildlife.

Penguin Place is fantastic, in February 2007 the 7:15 pm tour was fabulous...more on this when I return. That is the best time of day for a tour in the summer.

Melissa5

One more comment...the reason I didn't wear my capri pants is that while it can get warm on these summer days, there are bugs...people wearing capris are getting bit by the bugs! It is not hot enough in my opinion where capris are necessary, at least not where we have been. Temps have never gone over 80 F for us...light-weight long pants, tucked into your socks, keep the bugs from biting your ankles!

Nice chatting with you all. Thanks everyone! Your advice to get the waterproof breathable unlined jacket was perfect. Wish I had 2 of those! And bring long socks, so you can tuck your pants into the socks. I don't mean knee socks...just regular socks long enough to tuck pants into. I promise you won't be any more funny looking than everyone else...I have seen people with red sun-burned noses, people wearing flip-flops on hiking trails, I have smelled people who haven't...ummm...been near a shower for days...You will blend right in! Everyone seems so friendly and I am very impressed with what great shape folks seem to be in here, everyone seems to go bicycling, hiking, kayaking, etc. Except for the folks stuck on bus tours...Bye!

Melissa5

Okay one last comment and now we are going to see fox glacier. Robert Brown, the wildlife photographer I mentioned above, is an animal behavior specialist...when I said he is a tracker, I realized that is a little vague and may be misunderstood. He uses his tracking skills to find wildlife and photograph wildlife. He is very interested in conservation. When I get home I can give you his web-site as I don't have it handy.

On another note, web-site for Penguin Place is mis-printed in all of the guidebooks. There isn't any hyphen in it, so when you look up their web-site, skip the hyphen. I think they like you to call to make your reservation and when you arrive you pay the fee...around $30 NZ each. Ask them what you will see according to the season and time of day you wish to arrive. They are good about informing you.

mlgb

Melissa, WOO-HOO!

Waiting for trip report.

Glad you liked Penguin Place.

mlgb

Website for Penguin Place:

http://www.penguinplace.co.nz/

sesjazz01

I'm jealous. I was in New Zealand and Australia one year ago at this time and can't wait to go back some day. It also rained at Milford Sound. Be sure to have sunscreen with you at all times. One day it was supposed to be rainy, the sun came out and we got sunburned-there is no protection from the ozone layer there. One of my favorite days was an excursion from Queenstown on the Dart River. We took a jet boat one way and funyaks back down the river-beautiful scenery and lots of fun. Also, if you want a good quality sheerling coat, you can get one in Queenstown. I wear mine all the time when the weather is cold.

wilees

Glad you are having a great time. Look forward to the full trip report!

surich

Your holiday sounds lovely. We are off in a couple of days. We planned 2 days in Queenstown and 3 in Te Anau. Do you think this is about right. We plan to see Milford and Doubtful sound. Did you manage to avoid the bus tours and if so what time of day did you go.

okoshi2002

We will be in Dunedin for a few days March 18-20.

Can we call Penguin Place when we arrive to join a tour or should we arrange this before we arrive ?

And same with Milford Sound- can we join a day trip (not overnight) when we actually pull into Milford ?

Thanks.

Melissa5

Arrived home today and REALLY missing that gorgeous New Zealand scenery. Had our feet in 2 continents on the same day today. Unbelievable. Very very tired.

Full trip report to follow soon!

About booking PENGUIN PLACE: okoshi2002, I highly recommend it! But you need to find out what stage the penguins are in according to the season. Perhaps they are molting in March, I'm not sure? What you can see depends on the season and the life cycle of the penguins. I phoned Penguin Place just before we left home to reserve a spot because I didn't want to miss the last tour which enables you to see the adult penguins returning from the sea at the end of the day...this happens in summer. Our trip was February, end of summer, we just returned today. I reserved us a spot in the 7:15 pm tour, and didn't have to pay until we arrived.

I think March is fall...I don't have info on that, but you need to find out if the yellow-eyed penguins are molting in March...try their web-site which mlgb gave above.

MILFORD SOUND:
Someone asked if Milford Sound day-trips need to be booked ahead. My research gave me the idea that only the overnite tours need to be booked in advance. You can drive down there and get a day-tour on your own...or have your hotel book one for you as soon as you arrive. However yes there is a certain time of day when the Milford Sound is busier with the bus tours...your hotel should be able to advise you on that. I was told that you DON'T want to arrive for a Milford Sound noon day-tour on a boat, as that would be prime tour-bus time...you want to do the boat earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon.

Sorry this is jumbled but we just got home! Tomorrow I will start an organized trip report under a separate title. THANKS SO MUCH for everyone's help!

THE WEATHER:
The weather was great in New Zealand in the southern half of the south island while we were there...left LAX beginning of February and just returned today, February 18. We were told by the Kiwis that they have been having weeks of good weather, but that December was very cold this year. Also, Malcolm at the Wilderness Lodge on the west coast of south island said he looked up the weather for the same time period last year, and about the same time in February, they had 4 weeks of good weather with less rain than usual...interesting to wonder if that is coincidence, or whether early February is a good time for New Zealand south island.

Okay I will stop babbling! I am dismayed to be home... where are all my snow-capped New Zealand mountains? My cold glacial lakes with reflections? My rainforests with birds calling? Where are my Flat Whites? (wonderful coffees with expresso...) Where are my fijords and my fuzzy baby penguins? Sigh...I am now surrounded by boring old Americans...loud, spoiled Americans...here at home...guess I am probably one of them! It was fun meeting so many people from around the world in New Zealand, all on holiday, plus the friendly Kiwis.

BLUE PENGUIN:
I made one boo-boo in a previous post above. We DID see a penguin on our tour with Robert Brown...it was a blue penguin in a natural nest on a natural beach. When I said above that we didn't see penguins with Robert Brown, I meant we didn't see Yellow-Eyed Penguins with Robert. But we saw a Blue penguin, which delighted my husband...well more on that in the organized trip report which I will start tomorrow.

mlgb

Topping

BillJ

We were there in March, and yes, penquins are molting. They are very inactive, and when you do see one, they are very forlorn looking and hardly moving. Normally numerous in Doubtful Sound, we saw none. The naturalist said they were all in the forest hiding until their molting was done. Because of this, we did not go to Penguin Place, but did manage to see a couple hiding in the bush up near Moreki.