16 days all over New Zealand
 

Just got back from a memorable 16 day tour of New Zealand, our first to this beautiful country. Hard to concentrate on work, with images of “snow-clad peaks alongside the ocean and lakes” flitting through the mind constantly. Now that the jetlag is over, and we are slowly limping back to normalcy, I am venturing starting this Trip Report. Hope I manage to finish it before my upcoming business travel in 3-4 days time.

OK, we are a couple from India, in early fifties. Avid travelers, but first time to NZ. And we were accompanied in this trip by my brother-in-law (BIL) and his wife (SIL, I guess). Both about the same age as us. And everyone a vegetarian, although that was not much of a problem in NZ. We had researched our trip relying on Lonely Planet guidebook, the Fodors guidebook, and of course various inputs received from this site. Our special thanks to Melnq8, mlgb, kiwi rob and many others who really helped us plan this trip with their sound advice.

We were flying into Auckland, and flying out of Christchurch. We had decided to rent a car for the entire duration of the trip, and drive through both islands. Our broad itinerary was:
Auckland – 1 night
Rotorua – 2 nights
Wellington – 1 night
Nelson – 2 nights
Punakaiki – 1 night
Fox Glacier – 2 nights
Queenstown – 2 nights
Te Anau – 2 nights
Twizel – 1 night
Christchurch – 2 nights
Everyone on this site had advised us against covering both islands in 16 days, but we ventured nonetheless; although it was a bit hectic on 2 or 3 days, I think we managed well, and covered a lot without feeling too rushed. Anyway, here goes the first installment.

Day 1: Monday, Oct 19th : AUCKLAND
Our Singapore Airlines flight left Mumbai on 18th at 11:45am as per schedule. Reached Singapore at 7:30pm local time. Comfortable 90 minutes changeover time, during which we helped ourselves to some complimentary foot massage on offer everywhere at the terminal ! Then on to our connecting flight at 9:05pm, reaching Auckland the following morning at 11:40am. Swift baggage retrieval, and we hopped on to the Airport shuttle bus, which offers door to door service for the reasonable cost of NZ $ 50 for 4 people put together.

We reached our hotel, the Auckland City Hotel on Hobson St by 1:45 pm.Turned out to be a good choice. Very centrally located (2 min walk to Sky City). Nice spacious rooms, at very reasonable costs. Showered and refreshed, we were off by 3:15pm. First we walked over to the Sky City, and changed currency. Noticed that the rates in the city were the same as the airport.

Went for a late lunch at the “Raw Power” restaurant on Vulcan Lane (just off Queen Street).Awesome place. Had lasagne, filos, feta avacado & hummus on bread, with wonderful juices, smoothies etc. Excellent food, very colorful décor, and highly recommended.

We strolled around a bit on Queens St, which appeared to be the most lively street. Then wandered into Albert Park. Relaxed on the hilly terrain and the neat landscaped gardens of the park. Saw the university Clock Tower, and exited near the Civic Theater. Then strolled back on Queens Street all the way to the Viaduct Harbour. Went into the lovely Ferry building, and bought return ferry tickets for Devonport.

The ferry to Devonport was a pleasant 15 min cruise. On reaching there, we just aimlessly strolled around Devonport. Most shops and eateries had already closed down, as it was getting to 6 pm (it took a few days for us to adjust to the reality of everything in this country virtually closing down after 5 pm !!). Strolled into a supermarket, which was about the only thing still open. Ambled back to the harbour, had superb icecreams, and took the return ferry at about 7:30 pm.

My SIL had started feeling unwell; guess the fatigue of the journey was getting to her. We dropped her back at the hotel, grabbed some pizza slices for dinner, and went back to the hotel for rest. It had been a great day weather-wise, but a slight drizzle had started. Hit the bed and crashed out by 10 pm.

Everyone had warned us that Auckland was not a great place to visit, but I guess it was not bad for half-a-day. Anything more would have been painful.

Day 2: Tuesday, Oct 20th : ROTORUA

Got up at 6 am. Could not sleep well during the night, because of the jet lag. At about 7:30am, we walked over a few blocks to Denny’s for breakfast. Had a hearty breakfast of eggs, muffins, corn patties etc. When we left, it had started raining heavily. With some difficulty we managed to get a taxi for the short journey to our hotel, and checked out.

We had booked our rental car with Apex Rentals, who had volunteered to pick us up. They sent a pick-up car at 8:45am, which we rode to the Apex office to complete the paperwork. We had booked a 1.8L Toyota Corolla automatic, but noted that the model available in NZ is somewhat smaller that the one in India. Anyway, we just managed to fit all our luggage in the boot (another inch on any suitcase, and it would have been a no-go). Then came the disappointing news. Apex informed us that they could not supply us the GPS which had been promised, as they were out of stock. So we had to drive over to the i-SITE office at the harbour to rent a GPS. The lady did rent it out, but had no clue on how to operate it ! So we had to come back to the Apex office to seek some start-up assistance. They also agreed to refund us the extra $42 we were paying for the GPS rental over what Apex had promised.

All this mix-up about the GPS had thrown us about 2 hours behind schedule. Anyway, we left Auckland at about 10:45 am, and drove straight to Waitomo Caves, reaching there at about 2 pm. Had an excellent lunch at the “HUHU Café” of Veg Wraps, Pumpkin koftas, salads etc. Everything was tastefully prepared, and we enjoyed our meal.

We took the 3 pm tour of the Glow-worm caves. First the caves with the typical stalactites and stalagmites, the acoustic chamber, and then the boat ride with the glow worms above. Nice humorous guide. Had seen various such caves before, though not the glow worms. I would rate the visit as interesting, but somewhat underwhelming.

We left Waitomo at 3:45pm, and reached Rotorua at 6:15pm, stopping enroute for a round of coffee and petrol fill. Found our B&B at Sandi’s without difficulty. We had booked her independent cottage, called the “White House”, a huge sprawling place with 3 bedrooms. Excellent place. We were surprised to find only one toilet amidst 3 bedrooms, but realized as we went along in NZ that this is the norm in this country. Also noted that there was no latch to bolt the toilet from inside, and realized a few days into NZ that this too is the norm here ! Almost as if they have a law in NZ banning toilets from having latches ! Otherwise, the place was absolutely fantastic, and Sandi was a wonderful hostess. At NZ $ 150 per night for the cottage, it was a steal.

We quickly left the “White House” for the Kuirau Park, which turned out to be great fun. Steam hissing out from every nook and cranny ! We had a lovely and enjoyable stroll through the park, which we had practically all to ourselves. Then we drove to Ohinemutu village on the edge of Lake Rotorua. We saw the St Faith Church from outside (it was closed ), and the Marae just opposite it. We wandered over to the Marae, which some Maori people were using at that time. We knew that outsiders were not allowed inside, but we asked for permission to enter. They consulted their elders, and strangely allowed us in ! This was a real honour, and we thoroughly enjoyed our brief visit inside an actual marae. Clicked a lot of photos outside the marae, of various artistic Maori architecture.

Next we went for dinner at the “Fat Dog Café” which our hostess had recommended. It was a real funky and fun place. Very quirky and interesting things written all over their walls, even in the toilets ! Had the most unusual and delicious nachos, fettucini pasta, and paninis. One of our memorable meals in NZ, and I would highly recommend the place.

Next we drove to the Polynesian Spas, which are open till 11 pm. Inspected their private pools and the public pools, and found the public pools much more appealing. 7 pools in all, with varying water temperatures (from 36 degrees to 42 degrees). Fabulous place, open to the sky, on the edge of Lake Rotorua. Not at all crowded. Superb views, and very very comfortable once you slink in. An experience that we will never forget.

Finally, at about 11 pm we went into a “Countdown” supermarket to buy some breakfast provisions. Returned to the “White House” at midnight and went to bed.

great report. i am especially enjoying the details you supply. Can't wait for next installment

Excellent report indiancouple! I'm looking forward to the next installment...love the details

Nice report. I'm a big fan of the outdoor pools at the Polynesian spa, although I do recall being dogged by some big hungry mozzies just waiting for me to emerge.

Thanks carolynne, Melnq8 and mlgb for the compliments. Will post more installments soon.

Day 3: Wednesday, Oct 21st : ROTORUA

We had really enjoyed our previous evening at Rotorua, and were looking forward to an action packed day in the same town. I slept well this night, and woke up refreshed at 8 am, to a wonderful sunny day. The ladies had made full use of the 3 bedrooms (almost 4 bedrooms really) and sprawled the luggage all over the cottage. As they were doing the laundry, Sandi popped in to help and give advice on how to plan the day. A delightful lady.

We cooked breakfast (eggs, muffins, toast, coffee), filled our tummies, and left by 9:30 am. First stop was Wai-O-Tapu, which is about a 25 min drive out of town. We were aware that the Lady Knox geyser erupts at 10:15 am each day, and wanted to witness the start of the eruption. As we scrambled in, the man was just explaining the details about the geyser eruption, and was just about to add the soap solution, which would make the geyser erupt. So we were just in time, and enjoyed the “manufactured” eruption. Great photo ops.

Then went for a full walk around the Wai-O-Tapu park, which is well worth it. It is very well laid out, and the different coloured pools are very interesting. Loved the Artist’s Palette, the Champagne Pool, the Oyster Pool and the Devil’s Bath. We dragged our weary legs out by 12:30 pm. In my opinion, a must-see at Rotorua.

We then drove to the Redwood forests of the Whaka, and took the 30 minute walking trail, which was excellent and highly refreshing. Longer walks are available, but our group was not up to the challenge, after the longish walk around Wai O Tapu. So after our short walk, we drove into town for lunch, selecting the Caper’s Epicurean restaurant. Had an excellent lunch of Spicy Indian salad, Breads & dips, and a Mediterranean pasta, followed by mixed berry cheesecake. Good juices to go with the food. Very good food, but we preferred the funky atmosphere of Fat Dog Café !

After strolling about aimlessly in the town centre for a while, at 3:30pm we left for Te Puia. Took the 4 pm tour inside. The entrance area itself is quite beautiful, and makes you feel you are entering on hallowed turf. We went first to the Pohutu geyser, which was blowing away in full glory. The great part was that whenever this geyser blows, it heats up the rocks nearby, which become an excellent place to lie down on and warm your body ! This is what everyone was doing, and we did likewise. Then we continued on to the Maori village and the Arts Centre. Also went inside a dark enclosure where we saw the kiwi bird. Bought some souvenirs from their gift shop. All in all, it was a decent visit, but I would not call it a must-do in Rotorua.

We returned to Sandi’s B&B, as she had booked us for an evening performance and hangi at the Mitai Maori Village, which was just a 2 min drive from her place. Their pick-up vehicle came at 6 pm. The tour started with a good humorous introduction to the village. Then we walked through bushes to a stream, where their war canoe arrived in full regalia, with chest thumping warriors ! This was followed by their cultural show – dances, war cries, Haka etc. Very nice and interesting. Finally, the buffet dinner. Simple but enjoyable food, cooked in a hangi. Thoroughly enjoyed the evening. As we waited for our pick-up vehicle to drop us back, we were enjoined in a lively conversation with a young Maori man, who was the Chief’s son, and one of the star performers of the evening.

We were back at the “White House” by 9:30pm. Packed up for an early departure the next morning, and crashed out early by 10:30 pm.

A very interesting report. I, too, am looking forward to the remaining instalments, but with some trepidation about the type of weather that you may have encountered down here in the South Island. It has been really rotten this spring.

Rob.

kiwi rob, I don't know what good deed we had done in life to merit this, but we had the most fabulous of weather wherever we went. We were prepared for a few rainy days, and on several days the forecast sounded ominous, but as our luck would have it, we only encountered bright clear blue skies. Going by our experience, one could almost assume that it never rains in NZ !!

Day 4 : Thursday, Oct 22nd: WELLINGTON :

This was a long driving day for us, as we had to drive all the way to Wellington. We got up early at 6 am, had breakfast, said goodbye to Sandi, and hit the road by 8:15 am. First stop was Huka Falls, just outside of Lake Taupo, which we reached by 9:30 am. It exceeded our expectations, and we spent a good 30 mins there, soaking in the views and clicking pics. Then drove to the lakefront of Lake Taupo, parking right next to the Fire Station. Strolled for some time on the waterfront, and then sat down for coffee at a café overlooking the lake. Lovely views.

Unfortunately, a brief stopover was all that we had time for, and we were on the road again by about 11 am. The drive from here on was very uneventful, and the scenery was nothing worth writing home about. Scenic in brief patches, but basically flat countryside. At about 2 pm, when we started feeling pangs of hunger, we stopped for lunch at a very small town called Bulls. Went into an Indian restaurant called “Himalaya”. The lone man at the counter, a Mr Upendra Singh from Punjab, was thrilled to see Indian guests at this remote location, and went out of his way to roll out the red carpet for us. We feasted on Matar Paneer, Chhole, Rice, Naan and Papads. He insisted on charging only for the vegetables, and making the accompaniments and soft drinks free ! Also gave us two Indian CD’s from his collection to play in our car stereo ! The food was par excellence, not the usual restaurant variety, but tasted like home-cooked food. Loved it.

After lunch, we drove on. Stopped briefly at Otaki town, where someone had told us we could find a Swanndri store. I was looking to buy a Swanndri jacket, of which I had heard so much about, which is exactly what I did. Then again for some insipid driving, till we reached Wellington at about 5 pm.

We had booked a 2-bedroom apartment at the Southern Cross Hotel, which was beautifully situated, on the corner of Cuba Street and Abel Smith Rd. The rooms were tiny, and the furnishings basic, but the location was hard to beat. We relaxed a bit, and left by 6pm. The weather was foggy and there was a hint of a drizzle, so we carried our umbrellas. We walked down Cuba Street, popping in and out of stores. It was past 6 pm, so most shops were closed.

We walked on Manners St, to Lambdon Quay, and over to the Cable car terminal. Rode the lovely quaint cable car all the way up. Roamed around the Botanical gardens at the top for a while, but it was cold and very very windy. A mild drizzle had also set in, so we immediately rode the cable car down. A pity, because Wellington seemed like a pretty city from the top. It has a hilly terrain, and the land rises up very steeply from the harbour (unlike Auckland, which is much flatter). When we came down, we walked over to the harbour waterfront, and continued walking in the icy cold breeze towards the Te Papa museum. The drizzle had stopped, but the winds had not abated (I understand it is always very windy here).

Today was a Thursday, when the Te Papa had extended hours till 9 pm. We managed to get in by around 8pm, and just enough time to view one level. We selected Level 2, which sounded the most interesting. Went to the Earthquake simulator room, saw the giant squid, and took both the paid rides (the “High Ride” and the “Deep Sea Ride”). The High Ride was a blast, but the Deep Sea ride was a bit of a let-down.

We exited the museum when they threatened to lock us in, and ambled over to Courteney Pl, where we rested in an Irish pub with a round of drinks. Then walked to Cuba St for dinner. Tried going to the Flying Burrito Brothers, which looked like a great place, but they had just closed their kitchen. So we walked back a little to Aunty Mena’s Veg restaurant. They also had posted their “Closed” sign, but agreed to let us in. Had the most wonderful dinner of Tum Yum and Szechuan Chilly Soups, with Laska and Nasi Goreng. Excellent cooking, and very reasonably priced.

Walked back to our hotel, packed up, and went to bed just after 11 pm. We had an early morning ferry crossing to make. This was the one bit in our itinerary that was a bit rushed. We knew this in advance. To make the South Island portion a bit more relaxed, we had knocked off a full day from Wellington. So the last few hours that we had spent in Wellington was all that we had. I am sure the city deserved a little more, but one had to compromise somewhere, to avoid the trip getting longer.

Day 5: Friday, Oct 23rd : NELSON :

We were booked on the 8:30 am Interislander ferry crossing. Apex Rentals had given us a complimentary ticket for the car crossing, and concessional tickets for the 4 of us. We were told to report there by 7 am. So once again it was an early morning wake-up, this time by 5 am, a skimpy breakfast, and off by 6:45 am. Made it to the ferry terminal before 7 am, and the loading of vehicles was already in progress. Loaded our car, selected a comfortable lounge to park ourselves, and we all had a great nap. Snacked on some tid-bits and coffee in their cafeteria. Finally got up from our snooze at 10:45 am, when we were nearing the Marlborough Sounds. Went up on the Sundeck, and watched the beautiful vistas unfold before us. It was alternating between sunny and cloudy, but no hint of any rain.

The ferry docked at Picton at 11:30 am, and we were on the road 15 minutes later. We took the scenic Queen Charlotte Drive, which is a wiggly drive from Picton to Havelock, running all along the Tasman Sea. It is longer, but well worth the investment in time. It was indeed a very pretty drive, with lookout points at frequent intervals. Remember stopping at Governor’s Bay, Ngakuta Bay, Momorangi Bay and Cullen Point, besides a few un-named ones. At Cullen Point there was a short walk to the lookout point and back. It was a fabulous drive all through, and would highly recommend it to anyone.

Somewhere towards the end of the drive, we saw a sign pointing us to some ceramic and jewellery studios off the road. We ventured, and came across two wonderful studios set in very scenic environs. Did buy some ceramic candlestands at one of the studios.

We reached Havelock by about 2 pm (with so many stops in between !), and went to the Marina, selecting the “Slip Inn” restaurant. This is a fabulous place with the most amazing views. Excellent meal of Mushroom Soup, thin-crust pizza slices, potato wedges with sour cream, washed down with lovely spicy white wine from the region. Delicious meal with superb views.

After lunch we hit the road again, and reached Nelson by around 3 pm. We were booked at the “Sunshine Cottage” on Harris Hill properties, which is a little out of town (before Nelson, as we were coming in), on top of a very high hill. It has a huge 450 acre farm attached, with horses and sheep everywhere. The views from the top are simply amazing, and the cottage was wonderful. Upscale furnishings, very comfortable living area with an outside deck, comfortable bedrooms, fireplace, laundry, everything. But of course only one bathroom between the two bedrooms, and once again, latches on the bathroom door are illegal !

After taking some well deserved rest for an hour, we ventured out by 4 pm, and drove to Nelson City Centre. Went to the Rutherford Art Studio, and poked around. Then strolled on Trafalgar St, ambling inside various shops. Ended up at a cute café called “Café Affair”, where we had coffee. Then walked up the steps of the Cathedral (church was closed), and walked down another side towards West Nile Street. Walked over one block to the famed South Street, which is a beautiful street with quaint old buildings preserved in their original architectural style. A delight to stroll around on. Then visited an internet café on Bridge St to check our mails.

Finally, it was time for dinner. Had pre-selected a restaurant called “Dellah”, which was reputed to have great Arabian food. Learnt that the establishment had folded up. So went for our second choice – Harry’s Bar on Hardy Street. Very popular upmarket place, with excellent food. We had deep fried Tofu with noodles, Pad Thai, Thai Yellow Curry, with Jasmine Rice and great red wine. Culminated with a dessert of Apple cake with ice-cream. Then drove back home up the steep hill to Sunshine Cottage and went to bed at 11 pm.

Nelson was a very cute town. Very up-market and chic, compared to the other towns that we had seen so far. And we had been blessed with good weather throughout the day.

Great trip report so far! I too have fond memories of the Fat Dog in Rotorua. :-)

Lee Ann

Thanks ElendilPickle. Hope I am not boring everyone with the intricate details. But I want this to be permanent record of our tour, for our own benefit too. Hence the details...more for ourselves, although others may well find it a bit tiresome.

You are absolutely NOT boring us with the details. I personally enjoy your details and I can certainly apprecaite the work involved in providing them.

Carry on please...

I love the details!

Lee Ann

DAY 6 : Saturday, Oct 24th : NELSON :

Today was our day at the Abel Tasman Park. But today was also a Saturday, the day of the famed weekly market at Nelson. We were torn between the prospect of spending the entire day at Abel Tasman, or spending some time at the Saturday market and then spending the balance at Abel. Opted for the latter schedule, as the ladies could not resist the Saturday market.

So we got up early once again, and were out of our cottage by 7:45am. Reached the Saturday market at Montgomery Square just as it opened at 8 am, and made the most of the limited time available. I had somehow expected it to be an arts & craft market, but it was much larger than I had imagined, and had stalls for everything: woolens, jackets, scarves, jewellery, fresh produce, ceramics, food stalls, everything. We had not bothered with cooking breakfast that day, as we knew lots of food stalls would be there at the market. As we wandered around, we kept feasting on small items that we picked up here and there : roasted almonds, cheese on crackers, cakes, cookies etc. DW bought a lot of good knitted woolen stuff: jackets, sweaters, scarves, and some earrings. Burnt a nice hole in my wallet. But the stuff on sale was good quality, and sensibly priced. We tried our hand at haggling a little for the prices. Some sellers were game for it, and yielded a bit on prices, whereas others politely informed us that this was not the NZ culture !

By 9:15 am we were off, driving straight to the Abel Tasman Centre at Marahau beach, reaching there in an hour. We had called ahead the previous day about making bookings, and had learnt that we simply had to be there before 10:30 am to execute a reasonable itinerary. DW and myself opted for the “Abel Tasman Platter” package, which involved a ride on the water taxi, followed by a short unguided walk, followed by a few hours of guided kayaking. Our travel mates, i.e. my BIL and SIL, were not game for kayaking. Instead they opted for the water-taxi followed by a longer walk through the park.

We all left together by the 10:30 am water taxi. First stop was near the Split Apple Rock, of which I had seen so many pictures on internet sites. Great photo clicking. It was a crystal clear day, with very little clouds and lots of sunshine. Could not have asked for a better weather day for Abel Tasman. The water taxi then sped away towards Anchorage, giving a lot of fun-bumps on waves as it went along. At about 11:15 am, DW and I were discharged at Anchorage. My BIL & SIL continued on the water taxi to Bark Bay, from where they would walk the scenic stretch to Torrent Bay, where another water taxi would pick them up for their return. From Anchorage, we embarked on a shorter walk of 45 minutes to the Watering Cove. It was an excellent walk through forests, which occasional vantage lookout points to the sea. We were practically all alone on the walking trail, and it felt wonderful to be in such wilderness. We passed various streams and small waterfalls, and when we climbed the peak of the little hillock at the half-way mark, the views of the sea were extremely rewarding.

We were at the Watering Cove by around noon, and we spent the next hour or so almost “marooned” alone on that small beach. The kayaking guide was supposed to meet us here with the rest of the kayakers, and I guess they were running a bit behind schedule. No complaints. We enjoyed our time alone at the beach, exploring every nook and cranny, and the great rock formations. Birds flitted by in close proximity, showing no anxiety about our presence. Finally the kayak guide arrived, with the kayaks and other tourists in tow. We had a great catered lunch on the beach, of sandwiches, muffins and coffee.

Post-lunch, our guide John started the briefing on kayaking technique (he was all of 24 years of age !). By 2pm we were in the water on our kayaks, paddling away. The coastline was beautiful, and the water was a transparent sheet of glass. The sea was a little choppy, so we were advised not to stray too far from the coast. There were 4 couples in all, including us, each in a double-seater kayak. One couple was from Cascais in Portugal, a small town that we had visited just 2 years ago, and it was a delight to meet someone from there. As we paddled along the coast, we came across various coves and interesting rock formations. John divided his time equally amongst all his clients, and spent adequate time paddling next to each of us. The first hour was really exhilarating. After that, the shoulder muscles started giving way. And the last 20-30 minutes was an ordeal. We kayaked a total of 9 km, and reached Marahau beach past 4:15 pm. A once in a lifetime experience that we will cherish for a very long time.

Our travel mates arrived by water taxi very shortly after we reached, and we exchanged notes. They had an excellent walk from Bark Bay to Torrent Bay, had struck friendship with a Kiwi lady on the way, managed to get themselves invited to her house at Torrent Bay, and had a cup of coffee with her ! We all had a round of coffee at the Marahau beach, bought some breakfast provisions, and drove off to Kaiteriteri beach. There was a general consensus that since we were staying at such a beautiful cottage in Nelson, which offered such panoramic views, we should get home a little early and enjoy that cottage for a few hours. So we did not dwindle long at Kaiteriteri, but headed back to Nelson, picking up some Indian takeaway food at Motueka from a restaurant called “Simply India”: some Dal Makhani, Alu-Gobi-Simla Mirch, Veg Korma and Naan. We reached our Sunshine Cottage by 7 pm, and had dinner on the outside deck. Our host helped us light the fire in the fireplace, we did some laundry, and generally relaxed in the lovely cottage with horses wandering around. Nice end to a great day.

Day 7: Sunday, Oct 25th : PUNAKAIKI :

I had promised everyone that the slightly rushed part of our itinerary was behind us, and the pace would be more leisurely from here on. We all treated ourselves to a late arousal from bed at around 7:30 am. Another bright clear day. Not even a speck of cloud anywhere. The views from the cottage were fabulous this morning, with the snow-clad peaks in the distance coming in full view. Had a leisurely breakfast, and left by 9:15 am.

As we stopped by at the main cottage to say goodbye to our hostess Sue, we noticed baby lambs crying for attention from their enclosure nearby. Sue’s daughter enquired if we would like to hand-feed milk to the lambs. The ladies were thrilled at the idea. So several milk bottles were conjured up, and DW, my SIL, together with Sue’s grandchildren, all lined up to feed a long line of hungry baby lambs from milk bottles. It was truly a sight to behold. Their fat pig, Daisy, slumbered nearby, totally uninterested in the proceedings. The horses came to the edge of their enclosure and stood around silently, also clamoring for attention. It would be hard to find such idyllic accommodation anywhere.

Reluctantly, we took leave. First stop on the way out was Boulder Banks, a 5 min drive from our cottage. Nothing of much interest here. So we drove again to the city centre of Nelson, and poked around a few art studios that we had missed out on earlier. There was a nice ceramic gallery on the edge of South Street, where we spent considerable time. DW bought a nice ceramic tile which reads “Never Eat on an Empty Stomach”!! Walked over to the Flamedaisy Glass Studio on Trafalgar St. When we pushed the door, it opened, but there was no one inside. I think they had left the door unlocked by mistake. Wanted to look around, but it didn’t seem right to wander around a deserted store, so we left quickly.

Our last stop in Nelson was the World of Wearable Arts Museum (WOW). This is a whacky over-the-top must-see place. The entire collection is funky and hilarious, but the best of all are the bizarre bras. Too bad they did not allow photography inside. Their AV show was also great, and so was the section on antique cars. What do antique cars have in common with bizarre bras, to be bracketed in the same museum ? Can’t figure that one out, but enjoyed both sections immensely. Never seen a museum like this. Had a round of coffee in their cafeteria, and departed from Nelson.

We drove non-stop to Murchison, making it there by about 2 pm. Went for lunch at the “Rock Snot Café”, which we learnt had changed its name to a more respectable “River View Café”. Lovely setting by the Buller River. After placing our orders, we walked over to the riverfront, where teenaged girls were diving off rocks into the cold river waters. Nice rocks and very very beautiful scenery. We took an outside table by the river, and really enjoyed our lunch in such a pretty setting. Enchiladas, nachos, pizzas, pizza puffs and tomato juice. The food was good, but I guess we ordered too much. By the time we finished, we were up to the brim and waddled back to the car.

Drove off after lunch, and made a stop soon thereafter at 3:30 pm at the Buller Gorge Swingbridge. Took tickets for the Flying Fox Comet ride. They gave the Swingbridge tickets free along with it. The walk on the swingbridge was great fun. We were being followed by an Aussie couple, who were intent on really “shaking things up” on the swingbridge. I loved it, but DW was petrified ! Then we did a circular scenic walk for about 15 mins, and finally the Tandem Comet Ride, strapped in chairs, whizzing on top of forest and river while suspended from the top. Great fun.

We left at 4:15 pm, and drove to Punakaiki. The drive was very pretty, alongside the Buller river, mostly in a gorge. As we hit the West Coast, the vistas changed, and the Tasman Sea came into frequent view. Excellent lookout points everywhere, and we just had to stop ever so often to take in the views. Finally reached Punakaiki at about 6:30 pm. When we called in to our hosts for the upcoming night’s stay, we discovered that they were not located exactly in Punakaiki, but about 20 km further down in a small town called Barrytown. Our host Dennis advised us to dispense with our Punakaiki sightseeing, and our dinner, before coming to Barrytown.

We first went to the Pancake Rocks. Unfortunately, the high-tide had gone two hours earlier, so we were told that the rocks would not be “blowing away”. Nevertheless, the walk around the rocks was very pretty. We thoroughly enjoyed it, although there was a tinge of disappointment at missing out on the Blowholes. Unfortunately, the next high tide was at 4 am in the morning. Had it been a little later, we were all game for returning in the early morning.

We then did the short “Truman Track” walk, which was about 30 mins return. A very pretty forest, followed by a view of the ocean and a lovely beach. Then we went to the Punakaiki Tavern for dinner at around 8 pm. Had Veg Quiche and Veg Pastas, with the famed Montieth black beer and ice-creams. Then proceeded to our B & B for the night: Bluewaves Homestay at Barrytown. It turned out to be a marvelous place. We had two separate bedrooms in the main house. Hosts Dennis & Raelyn were the most fabulous people. Dennis had a fire going to greet us, and helped us out in our tour planning for the next day. Their property was lovely and very spacious and comfortable. Snuggled into bed by 11 pm.

Day 8 : Monday, Oct 26th : FOX GLACIER :

Once again, a leisurely wake-up. Miracle of miracles – toilet here even had a latch from inside !! By 8:15 am we were ready for breakfast. This was the only place in our entire trip where the hosts were supposed to feed us breakfast. Raelyn served a wonderful breakfast of cereals, milk, OJ, toast and scrambled eggs. Meanwhile, Dennis slowly emerged from his shell, and regaled us with hilarious episodes connected with their various guests from different countries, all with full action and mimicry ! We could have sat up all day and listened to him, and were tempted to join him for a fishing trip later in the day. But all good things have to send sometime. We toured their lovely gardens and clicked lots of pictures. Living in a town which had a total population of 35 was a strange experience for us, coming from India. We concluded that this had been the best stay of the trip so far (we had felt the same way about Rotorua and Nelson too !!).

We drove back the 20 km to Punakaiki, and embarked on the Pororari River Track. This was the best walk so far. Lovely forest, vertical limestone cliffs on both sides, and a river running alongside. Did not have time to do the entire stretch, so we walked for about 30 mins, and then walked back.

The weather forecast for the day was not the greatest. It was supposed to be good in the morning, with some rain developing in the afternoon. We started our drive south towards Hokitika, and reached there by about 12:30 pm. First some sight-seeing at the Gibson Quay waterfront. Then the exploration of art shops and studios on Tancred St and Sewell St. Bought paua shells, which was on sale everywhere. Strolled through some expensive jade shops, and finally landed up at the lovely Hokitika Glass Blowing Studio. Picked up some beautiful souvenir pieces. As we strolled out for lunch, we realized that most establishments were closed due to it being Labor Day. Settled down at “Hokitika Cheese & Deli”, one of the few places that were open. Had survival food of sandwiches, fries and coffee. Average meal. Noticed that the rain had started to come down as predicted.

We departed Hokitika at 3 pm. Our stay for the next two nights was at the Fox Glacier village, but Franz Josef was on the way, and we planned to look into Franz Josef that evening. On reaching there at about 5 pm, we went straight to the Visitor’s Centre, and got details of the various walks available. Also made a booking for a guided walk on Fox Glacier for the next afternoon.

We parked our car at the Glacier carpark, and got into our rain coats for the first time in this trip. It had almost stopped raining, but we wanted to be well prepared. At 5:30 pm we started our walk (unguided) to the Glacier Terminal face. This was a lovely walk on the river bed, taking about 40 mins to the terminal face. Not at all strenuous. Stopped there and took pictures. Many waterfalls all around. The glacier itself looked awesome. It was misty and cloudy, which added to the scenic appeal. Slowly walked back to the car park, by which time the rain had stopped completely.

We selected an Indian restaurant called “Priya” for dinner. A certain Mr Reddy hailing from Hyderabad was there to serve us. Had a Veg Platter (which was very average), followed by very spicy Malai Kofta, Yellow Dal, Rice, Kulcha and Naan, washed down with black beer. Decent food, but perhaps not the best. Lots of Indian tour groups visiting this restaurant.

At about 8:45 pm we drove the 30 min stretch to Fox Glacier, reaching at our Mt Cook View Motel at 9:15 pm. Nice spacious 2-bedroom apartment. Unloaded our luggage, relaxed a bit, and hit the sack past 11 pm. It had been a nice relaxing day.

What great weather..you are indeed very lucky with the weather genies.

Yes mlgb, we were indeed very lucky, and we know it. I know how notorious and fickle the West Coast weather can be, especially in October. But we wanted this holiday very badly. And if you want something very strongly, the Heavens conspire to make it possible !

Well, you've inspired me to give kayaking a try on my next visit to Abel Tasman. I'm glad you enjoyed the WOW museum and the Pororari River Track too, beautiful walk that one.

Regarding the The Rock Snot Cafe....rock snot is a reference to Didymo, an invasive freshwater alga that has infected several lakes and rivers on the South Island. Can't say I'd have chosen that particular name for a cafe though...

Thanks Melnq8, now I know the meaning of Rock Snot, and also the meaning of Didymo. We saw signs pertaining to Didymo everywhere, but could not figure out what it was. Now I am better informed.

Day 9 : Tuesday, Oct 27th : FOX GLACIER :

There was no pressure to get up early, but by force of habit, we were all up and about by 7 am. We had booked the previous evening for a half-day guided walk on the Fox Glacier at 1:30 pm, because the weather forecast then was “clearing in the morning, and fine by afternoon”. Well, the weather man had goofed up again. For it was the clearest day yet in our NZ trip so far. Not a trace of any cloud anywhere, and bright bright sunshine.

We called up the Fox guided walk office at 7:30 am, to check if we could pre-pone our walk. Fortunately, 4 seats were available for the 9:30 am walk, and we grabbed them. We had breakfast, and left the hotel by 9 am, reaching the Guided Walk office soon thereafter. Bought some warm gloves and caps at their souvenir office, not realizing that we would have no use for them on this wonderful day.

The briefing started at 9:45 am, and after booting up, we left by bus for a short ride to the glacier carpark. From there, our walk started at 10:30 am. First a short walk through a riverbed, and then a steady uphill climb, followed by a series of 700 steps ! It was extremely tiring, but somehow we kept plodding along, and did well. Nice waterfalls and streams everywhere. The walk was essentially through a rainforest, alongside the glacier. Great views everywhere.

By noon, we were at the edge of the ice, and put on our crampons. Our guide was a young 25 year old from Iceland (Atli), and was very good. We gingerly took our first few steps on the ice, and felt a rush of exhilaration – walking on an actual glacier !! I found the Fox Glacier much prettier than Franz Josef. The experience of walking on the glacier was fabulous, and we loved the views. Most of the walking was on a path or steps cut out in the ice. Met a lady running around all over the glacier with a 3-month baby in her backpack, and the baby was having a ball !

We had to finally leave the ice by 1:15 pm, and we started the return walk, reaching our bus by 2:30 pm. Very tiring. Boots felt very heavy now. I did loose my footing once and fell down, but fortunately no injury. We drove back to the Boot camp, and it was a great relief to get back into our shoes. We slowly limped outside to the Plateau Café nearby, where I immediately downed a bottle of Montieth Black. Then a nice meal of Pumpkin soup, excellent garlic bread, pasta and mini spring-rolls.

After lunch we returned to our hotel to relax a bit. Filled the bathtub/jacuzzi in the toilet with hot water. We all sat around it on chairs, dipping our feet in the nice circulating hot water, and felt very relieved. We rested for some time, and finally at 5:30 pm we were itching to go again. We knew that a great clear day like this was a rarity, and we wanted to make the most of it. We headed off to Lake Matheson, and did the circular walk around the lake. Beautiful views of Mt Cook and Mt Tasman on such a clear day. Loved the “Reflection Island”, where we could just sit on a bench for a long time and gaze at the near-perfect reflection of the peaks in the lake. It was close to being a mirror reflection, but for a trace of a ripple. Waited for over 30 minutes, but the faint ripples would not go away. Tough luck. Can’t have everything I guess.

Drove to town. Ordered some takeaway at Café Neve, and returned to our motel. Had a nice meal with the takeaways, plus some packaged soups. Did some laundry, and went to bed by 10:30 pm. What a memorable day it had been.

indiancouple,
I just returned on Sat from a 2 week trip through the SI w/ a week in Melbourne so you're taking me back! I so wish I were still there!

Indiancouple, your report is making me jealous and leaning toward a return for a 7th visit. My last trip I must have had all the bad weather that you managed to avoid.

Especially feeling pangs from the description of Montieth Black and some pumpkin soup!

mglb, if you want guaranteed good weather in NZ, you just have to take us along. Small price to pay for getting good weather !!

I am enjoying your report immensely. It sounds like you really got into the kiwi experience.

Good on ya, mate.

Thanks kiwi rob. Trying to finish this report tonight, as I have a long business trip starting tomorrow.

Day 10 : Wednesday, Oct 28th : QUEENSTOWN :

Again a lazy start. Breakfast, checking out of hotel, and on the road by 9:45 am. Today was a long drive to Queenstown, and it was supposed to be a gorgeous drive. The weather was cloudy, which we did not mind one bit, as it did not interfere with anything we had to do today. Thank God we had completed our Fox glacier hike and the Lake Matheson walk the previous day.

Made several short lookout stops before Haast, at Bush Bay, and then at Knight’s Point. Lovely views everywhere. Stopped again at Ship’s Creek (just before Haast). Wanted to go on the Dune Lake Track, but it had started raining a bit by then, so we gave it a miss. At one place (don’t remember its location), there was a gorgeous river flowing in a gorge, and as we crossed the bridge, I was forced to make a stop and walk back to the bridge to admire the views.

Pit stop at Haast for coffee, and re-started by 12:30 pm. Stopped briefly at the Fantail waterfalls. Before we knew it, we had crossed the Haast Pass, and the views just kept getting better. As we made our approach to Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea, the views were indescribably good, and we were stopping ever so often to click pictures.

The weather had cleared up magically, as we made our way into Wanaka and stopped at Puzzle World. Real funky place. Great photo ops, especially of the “Leaning Tower” outside and the “Roman Toilets” inside ! Then drove into town, and had a late lunch at 3:30 pm at the “Relishes Café” by the lakefront. Had garden salad, carrot + cumin + coriander soup, risotto, grilled foccacia and fries. Decent and filling meal.

Strolled on the lakefront for a while, which was extremely beautiful. A touch windy that day. Then roamed all over the various shops near the lakefront. Bought some souvenirs, and left at 5:15 pm. Wanaka surely deserved more time, but time is one thing we were short on. So many lovely places to see and so little time !

We had wanted to take the scenic route to Queenstown via the Kuwarau Gorge, but the GPS navigated us through a shorter route on a mountainous road. As we approached Queenstown, the weather kept getting very very windy, and rain was coming down a fair bit. We reached our motel, the Alexis Motor Lodge by 6:30pm and took some rest after a long day of driving.

We had not planned on much activity at Queenstown that evening, so the windy weather didn’t bother us much. At about 8 pm we left for dinner at a Mexican restaurant “Sombrero’s” on Beach Street. Turned out to be one of our most enjoyable meals of the trip. Started with berry-margheritas, and feasted on Burritos, Tacos, Fajitas, Quesadillas and of course the Jalapenos. Excellent food and great ambience.

Left the restaurant by 10 pm. Strolled around a few souvenir shops that were still open (finally a town that does not shut down at 5 pm !). Then did not grocery shopping for breakfast and hit the bed at midnight.

Day 11 : Thursday Oct 29th : QUEENSTOWN :

Same morning routine. Hearty omelette breakfast, and out by 9:45 am. The weather outlook for the day was partial clouds, but no rain. Decided to defer the gondola ride up Queenstown for the next day, when the weather promised to be even clearer.

First stop for the day was the A J Hackett Bungy jumping bridge at Kuwarau Gorge. Saw two separate people do the bungy jump. They pay up, get all wired up, and then the petrified look on their face when they are about to jump…the crowd eggs them on, the bungy staff step in to reassure…and suddenly they leap !! Great views on both sides of the bridge, but wild horses would not get any of us to leap away. Saw their nice movie on the history of bungy jumping, and bought shot-glass souvenirs of the historic bungy site.

Then we drove to Arrowtown. I will rate this place as the best on the entire NZ trip. I was completely enchanted by the place, and could understand why many Fodorites prefer staying in Arrowtown instead of Queenstown. One day, one day, I will buy me a cute little mansion in Arrowtown, and live happily ever after !! Well preserved like an old mining town. And the Chinese settlement area was extremely picturesque and scenic. So many quaint shops everywhere. Lovely antique candy store, with hundreds of old-styled coloured candies. Exquisite galleries devoted to art and photography. Loved the cute post office. Everything was magical in this place, and I am so glad we did not miss out on Arrowtown.

Sat down at a garden table of the prettiest café on Earth, called “Stables” (although the cozy inside room looked equally tempting). Had coffee, and kept arguing about whether the inside seating was better or the outside. Bought all kinds of candy from the store, and forced ourselves to leave by 1:30 pm.

For lunch, we stopped at Amisfield Bistro, halfway between Arrowtown and Queenstown. I believe it is rated amongst the 10 best restaurants in NZ. We started with the wine-tasting session, which was great fun. Tasted two kinds of White wine, one Rose and a Red. Loved the Rose, and bought a bottle, which also served to make our wine-tasting event free ! Then had a marvellous lunch of Zuchini Trifolati, Bruschetta, Grilled Asparagus and Roast Potatoes. Everything was extremely well cooked, and very delicately flavoured. And the grand finale was the dessert of Pistachio Cake. Yummy !

At 3 pm we left the restaurant, and drove to the Shotover Jet point.A trip was starting at 3:30 pm, and we were just in time. Had an amazing 45 min ride on the Shotover River, in a never-to-be-missed experience. Lovely river, with rocky banks, very narrow for most of the part, and very little water at places. And a wicked driver, who takes you at jet speed so close to the rocky banks, that you miss the sharp edges by inches ! Not to forget the many 360 degree spins. A must do experience in Queenstown.

Drove into downtown Queenstown, and parked our car with some difficulty. At about 5 pm, we were walking towards the lakefront, and who can help but fall in love with the views ? Walked over to Williams Cottage, but it had just closed. Walked all around the Queenstown gardens, which was a nice walk by the lakefront. At the end of the walk, we reached a “Bowling Green Club”, where a lot of elderly people were playing a strange bowling game in the gardens. A very pretty sight. Then walked across the gardens back to Williams Cottage. Sat down at a café/pub on the waterfront and had coffee, with Asian springrolls and samosas, which were delectably prepared.

At 7 pm we located an internet café and checked our mails, and generally strolled around downtown area. Inspected everything on Shotover St and Beach St, before resting at “Little India” restaurant on Shotover St. Had heard a lot about this restaurant, and it did not disappoint. Had Paneer Shimla mirch, Alu matar gobi, and Onion kulchas. Good food.

Then drove home by 9:30 pm. Chatted for a while and went to bed at 11 pm. It had been a beautiful day, but can it ever be otherwise in Queenstown ?

Now you're making me hungry - so glad you liked Little India, my favorite NZ restaurant! I've always thought NZ was perfect for vegetarians.

"So many lovely places to see and so little time !"

Yep, the age old problem of planning trips to NZ. Never enough time.

So true Melnq8. The good part is that there are plenty of excuses to go back to NZ for a repeat visit. We have missed out on Kaikoura, Dunedin....and of course that cottage I must buy in Arrowtown !

Day 12: Friday, Oct 30th : TE ANAU :

Woke up to another splendid day, with bright sunshine and clear skies. Finished breakfast and checked out of our motel by 9:30 am. Although I have mentioned “Te Anau” against today’s itinerary above, we planned to be in Queenstown the whole day, and go to Te Anau only late in the evening. Started the day by driving off to Glenorchy.

I was totally unprepared for the beauty that unfolded before me. I was driving, and my eyes kept straying to the vistas beyond, and with each “Wow” that I uttered, my co-passengers were getting very nervous, and begged me to keep my eyes on the road. I would rate this drive as the best in the entire trip, and the best that I have ever undertaken, even better that the famed drive to Milford Sound that we would encounter the next day. The drive is not as “hyped” as the Milford Sound drive, so expectations were modest, and the rewards were plentiful. The drive was all along Lake Wakatipu, and you just have to stop frequently to click pictures. Finally, at about 20 km before Glenorchy, there was a vista which merited a triple “Wow”…. so majestic in its beauty. There was no signage anywhere to give its name, but we later found that it was the famed Bennett’s Bluff. We just HAD to stop there, and gape, and gape, and could not get enough. Probably the most beautiful single sight anywhere on this trip. A string of snow-capped mountains all around the lake – simply stunning.

Continued driving to Glenorchy, and on reaching there went into the small Information Centre. Based on their advice, we went first to the beautiful wharf and loafed around. Then came to the “Town Centre” (if you can call it that, in this tiny hamlet) and stopped at a very cute looking café. Lovely outdoor seating in the warm sun, where we had some coffee. Then drove to the Lagoon, and took the 30 min circular walk on the boardwalk around the lagoon. Very pretty sights, and benches at very frequent intervals. Thoroughly enjoyed the walk. Exited through the Golf Course, and passed a group of tourists on horsebacks. Then reached our car, and drove back to Queenstown, stopping once again at Bennett’s Bluff of course.

At Queenstown, we parked in a Pay Park garage on Church St, and went to Dux de Lux for a round of beer. It is a micro-brewery which brews its own beer. Had some wonderful Sow’ester Black Beer. Then we hopped over to “@thai” restaurant next door, which turned out to be an excellent choice. Had Pad Thai, very spicy Papaya Salad, and Chilli Vegetables with Jasmine Rice. Excellent food and highly recommended.

Bought some insect repellent at a pharmacy (we had managed fine without it so far, but people had warned us about the sandflies in Milford). Then proceeded to ride the Gondola to the top of the mountain. The gondola ride was as expected, but the views from the top were simply spectacular. The Lake Wakatipu looks very pretty with its two “arms” jutting in between, one arm of the golf course, and one of the Queenstown gardens. The Remarkables, on a clear day like today, were really remarkable. And paragliders whizzing past, people doing bungy jumps or Sky swings. The images from here will remain etched in my mind forever.

Went for a series of 3 Luge rides; first on the amateur track, then the next two on the advanced track. Great great fun.

Came back to the viewing deck and gaped some more. Reluctantly, at 5 pm we had to pull ourselves away, and we rode the gondola down. Walked to the lakefront, and had yummy ice-creams at Patagonias. Then retrieved our car from the parking lot, and started off at 6 pm on the road to Te Anau, reaching there at 8:15 pm. We were booked at another B & B cottage there : the Birchwood Cottages. The drive was very pretty, with lovely rolling meadows and sheep and baby lambs. But we had seen much better stuff the last 2 days, so everything paled in comparison.

Settled in at our cottage, and went for dinner to town. Very few places were open at that hour (9 pm). Sat down at the Fiordland café, where we had Pizzas, Lasagne, Nachos and Garlic bread. Pretty good food. Retired to sleep late at 11:30 pm.

Just wanted to chime in how much I enjoyed your TR. I now have some more ideas for our own trip in Jan/Feb.

Thanks rickandpat, we aim to please !!

Day 13: Saturday, Oct 31st : TE ANAU :

This day was supposed to be the high point of our trip, when we were scheduled to do the Milford Sound cruise. Our hosts had checked the weather forecast the previous night. It was slated to be a fine clear day. When we woke up, we did see some low clouds, but our hosts assured us that they would be soon gone. By the time we completed our breakfast, and left for Milford, the clouds had started disappearing. As the day progressed, the weather just got better and better.

The first stop was at McKay Creek, which offered pleasant views, with a nice creek running along. Then came the Mirror Lakes, which were reputed to offer perfect reflections of the mountains in the water. This time (unlike Lake Matheson), there was not even the hint of a ripple, and our cameras captured absolute mirror reflections. Another lookout stop at Falls Creek, and yet another at the northern end of Lake Gunn. Then, just after the Divide, the fabulous vistas unfolded, and we stopped at Pop’s View for the panoramic view of the valley. Also encountered the first of many Kea birds.

After the Divide, we took the detour road to Gunn’s Camp. Found it to be a very cute camping spot, with a nice souvenir shop thrown in. Then drove along almost to the road’s terminal point, and took the walking trail to Humboldt Falls. Nice walk, and rewarding views of the falls from a distance. Then drove all the way back to the Divide, and resumed the drive on the Milford road.

At this point, we were stopping every 2-3 minutes, as the views were just getting better. Very different landscape from anything we had seen so far in NZ. The ice was reaching the roadside. Kea birds everywhere. Romped around a little on the ice at the roadside. Kept making slow progress till we reached the Homer Tunnel. After that, we did not stop anywhere, promising to cover whatever was left out on the return journey. By 1:15 pm we were at the Milford Sound car park.

Went into the Blue Duck Café to have lunch. When we told the café people that we were booked on the 1:50 pm cruise, they advised us to pack our lunch and head straight down to the dock. We packed sandwiches, fries, samosas, cakes and quiche, and hurried down to the cruise dock. Made it in comfortable time, and ate our lunch there, while we waited for the boat to get ready.

We had opted for the 1:50 pm Mitre Peak cruise, based on suggestions of many Fodorites. Their boats are the smallest, and therefore go nearest to the shores and coves. The 1:50 pm timing was also recommended by Fodorites, as this timing escapes the tour group bus-loads. The advice was bang on target. There were only 12 of us on board, including our own party of 4 people. Well, what can I write about a Milford Sound cruise on a bright clear day, that has not been written already a thousand times ? I will not attempt to describe the beauty in words; it simply has to be experienced. Some posters here have mentioned being under-whelmed by the cruise. Not so for us. It exceeded our wildest expectations, and we loved the sights. Did see a lot of seals, and also a penguin or two. And when the skipper guided the boat under a waterfall, and the spray hit us on the deck, we were in heaven ! Never seen anything so beautiful in life.

The cruise got over at 3:45 pm. We silently walked back to the car park, and started our return drive. First stop was at the Chasm, where we took the Chasm walk. This is a must-see in my opinion. The views are most wonderful, and should not be missed. Then crossed the Homer Tunnel and stopped at many places that had been omitted in the onward journey, like Gertrude Valley, and Cascade Creek. At Cascade Creek, we undertook the 45 min walk to Lake Gunn and back, and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a gorgeous walk through a beech forest, with lots of spongy moss growing everywhere. A very easy and refreshing walk. Last stoppage was at Te Anau Downs, and we finally returned to Te Anau by 7:30 pm.

I wish to thank Fodorites for suggesting to us to spend 2 nights at Te Anau, rather than do the Milford Sound as a day trip from Queenstown. There is so much to see and do on the Milford road, that it would be impossible to do justice to it, if one were to day-trip from Queenstown.

At Te Anau, we went for dinner to the Olive Tree Café, which had been highly recommended by our hosts, and it did not disappoint. Very nice trendy place, with amazing food. We had the Pumpkin + Chilli soup, Tortilla wraps, a Thai Green Curry on rice, and some wonderful dessert. One of the best meals of the trip. Cooking was excellent.

Did some grocery shopping, filled up on petrol, and settled our cottage bill with the hosts during the night itself. We were in bed with fond memories by 10:30 pm.

Day 14 : Sunday Nov 1st : TWIZEL / MT COOK :

We had a long drive ahead of us today, and we took an early start from Te Anau at 7:45 am. It was a long and insipid drive, with not much to rave about. By 10 am we were at the AJ Hackett Bungy bridge at Kuwarau Gorge, where we had a coffee break. Then the drive to Mt Cook resumed.

We were scheduled to spend the night at Twizel, and spend the afternoon at Mt Cook. We called up to the activity desk of the Hermitage on the way, and enquired about the Glacier Explorer Tour. We learnt that the extended schedules of summer had not yet kicked in, and the last trip today was at 2 pm, weather permitting (forecast was not good). So there was no time to stop at Twizel and unload our luggage, but we drove on straight to Mt Cook, stopping once at the Kuwarau Gorge and once at Lake Pukaki for the views.

We reached the Hermitage at 1:10 pm. Had a quick lunch in the cafeteria of some pasta, veggies and lemon meringue. Then off to join the Glacier Explorer tour. We were lucky to get slots, as we learnt that this tour gets sold off in advance even during this time of the year.

First, a 10 min bus ride, followed by a 25 min easy walk, and then on to the boat on Tasman Glacier Lake. What followed was an exhilarating 75 min boat-ride on the lake, with icebergs all around you, and the milky white glacier waters of the lake. The icebergs all had names, including one called Sir Edmund Hillary ! Sometimes the boat went very close to the icebergs, and we could scoop out the ice and eat them. It was a unique experience, in lovely clear weather (what happened to the gloomy weather forecast ??). Finally, we returned to shore at 5 pm. The only regret was that despite the excellent weather, the peak of Mt Cook remained shrouded in clouds all through.

We had coffee at the Hermitage café, and then drove to the campsite nearby. Here we parked the car, and went for a short walk towards Hooker Valley, in the direction of Mueller Glacial Lake. The walk was 15 min each way, till the first swingbridge on the lake. Nice views, but winds so fierce that I felt I would be blown away from the swingbridge.

Started our return drive from Mt Cook at about 6:45 pm towards Twizel, reaching our destination farm cottage at Omahau Downs by 7:30 pm. It was a lovely original farm cottage set in a huge property, with 3 bedrooms. Very quaint and rustic in character, and we fell in love with it immediately.

Left for dinner at 8 pm to the Poppies Café. The décor was exceptional. We had another wonderful meal of Potato Gnochi, Pizza and Risotto, followed by dessert of Chocolate + Mint mousse with berries and sorbet. Seems like the cooking standards everywhere in NZ is just excellent.

Returned to our wonderful cottage, lit a fire in the fireplace, sipped our Rose wine purchased near Arrowtown, and went to bed late.

I cannot believe how lucky you were with the weather!

Very detailed and interesting report.thanks for all the info. i will be doing the same route from 27thDec- 10th jan for 2 weeks. What would u say are the must do's and the ones that we can overlook.
Anything u would have done differently?
How is mt cook view motel at Fox?

Love your travel journal, we are making almost the same trip end of March and beginning of April! we are taking your journal with us, who needs lonely planet etc!!!
And with the advice of mlgb, some of our hiking will be on the Arrowtown golf course. And we have noted melnq8's ideas...now you have confirmed them.
We are cheating a little, with 14 days we are flying from Rotorua to Queenstown, and Nelson to Christchurch...it is so hard to decide! Our big adventure is going to be the overnight cruise on Doubtful Sound and just the drive to Milford. Think we should do a tour or drive ourselves?

Thanks for the great report!

indiancouple-
Having a great time reading your TR and plan to print it out as I'm leaving for NZ in a month and will likely take some of your suggestions for restaurants and touring. Keep it coming. Thanks.