Long Trip Report - NZ in 16 days
May 4th, 2007, 07:07 AM
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Long Trip Report - NZ in 16 days
This trip had been planned with lots of help from folks on this web site over a period of about 10 months. We had friends who now live in Auckland; we spent the first and last weekends of the trip with them. In the middle 12 days we flew to Queenstown and drove back to Auckland. We had pre-booked accommodations only in Queenstown and Fox Glacier. The rest of the time, we phoned a day or two ahead based on recommendations from the Fodor’s Guide or other recommendations. Note about a phone – we went to a dairy (NZ term for a convenience store) and bought a $NZ10 phone card which we used to phone ahead as well as to call back to the US for messages. Worked without a hitch – but there is a slight surcharge to use it from a pay phone.
After a wonderful flight on Air New Zealand in business class (we were saving miles for 7 years to get these tickets) We arrived in Auckland at 5:30am without some of our luggage because of snow in Chicago. We had a joyful reunion with our luggage which the airline delivered at 9:30 in the evening.
Day 1 - in Auckland. Wandered the harbor and downtown area for several hours, trying bravely to stave off the effects of jet lag. Had a wonderful lunch at Neptune Café in the harbor area. Crashed early evening.
Day 2 - in Auckland. Drove with our hosts to the Gannet bird colony at Muriwai beach. There weren’t a lot of birds there because in windy conditions the birds are out foraging for food. Spent the next several hours visiting wineries on the way back to Auckland. The wineries in the Auckland areas are not as well known as those farther south, but these were quite good, and we began our collection of NZ wines to take home. Dinner was at a restaurant called Rice (recommended by our hosts), and it was very good. [Note on dining: most of the local taverns require you to go to the counter to order your food. Servers then bring it to you. Also, frequently they will not bring the check to your table unless you ask for it (one waiter said that they consider it rude to present the check). It is not uncommon to go to the front where you placed your order and pay at the end of the meal.]
Day 3 – in Auckland. Spent the day driving up to Tawharanui Beach. Stopped along the way at a park where we saw the big Kauri trees. These trees are now protected and cannot be cut down. But once, they were used by the Maori for their canoes because these trees grow to be very tall.
Day 4 – fly to Queenstown. Took the 10am flight to Queenstown and picked up a car from Apex ($NZ69 a day for 12 days – a Camry). Stayed for 4 nights at the Birchall House, 118 Panorama Terrace ($NZ 170/night). This was a wonderful B&B. They have 2 rooms; we had the larger room with a small kitchenette. The views of the Remarkables and the lake from the room were breathtaking. The hosts (Joan and John Blomfield) claim that the walk into town is about 20 minutes. Maybe so, but I wouldn’t want to walk back – all uphill. Driving into town took about 5 minutes at most.
After checking in and visiting for a few minutes with our hosts, we went into town and took the gondola (cable car) to the top of the hill overlooking Queenstown. More stunning views (I’m going to run out of adjectives very shortly). The luge ride at the top of the hill is quite fun. You probably want to pay for 2 rides because they require that the first ride be on the slow “scenic” route. The more advanced route is faster and looks more fun, but we didn’t take the 2nd ride. We then went back into town and spent some time shopping and finding the first of several Merino wool/Possum purchases. [Note on Possum: this is considered a “green’ fur because the possum population is a major pest in New Zealand. The animals were introduced from Australia last century and are now considered a danger to the vegetation and wildlife. There are several programs to reduce the possum population, including aerial poisoning; so the trapping and sale of possum fur products is considered an environmentally friendly act in New Zealand. We did our part for the environment and economy by making several purchase of both possum as well as merino wool/possum blend products. In fact, we saw a t-shirt with the slogan “Save the environment – kill a possum”]
Dinner that night was at Chico’s (mentioned in Fodor’s guide as a night life spot with entertainment). The meal was good, and reasonably priced – but not as good as others to come.
Day 5 – in Queenstown. Took a day trip and drove to Arrowtown (20 minutes)and then on to Wanaka. Arrowtown is a small former mining town. Now, of course, it is primarily a shopping destination as well as a charming and picturesque location. I visited the remains of a segregated small village for the Chinese gold workers while my wife the first of many retail therapy sessions.
The drive to Wanaka (1 ½ hours) on the “Gorge” road (the longer drive – but flatter) was picturesque – along with some picture stops along the way. Unfortunately, time didn’t permit much exploration of the town of Wanaka. But it is a beautiful, small town along the lake. We took a 1.5 hour (round trip) hike up Mount Iron just on the outside of town. The views from the top were very good.
We drove back to Queenstown by the Crown Ridge Road. This is through the mountains, and the drive down the mountain back into Queenstown is steep and twisting, but the scenery is worth the trip. This route is about 50km shorter than the “gorge” road, and takes about ½ hour less time. But the better views are southbound (from Wanaka to Queenstown).
Dinner that night was at a wonderful restaurant recommended by our hosts - Solera Vino. We recommend it highly. The tab for two of us (including wine and dessert) was about $NZ 150. When you consider that this includes tax and tip, we determined that this was a bargain compared to a spot of comparable quality in Chicago.
Day 6 – Queenstown. Took a day trip drive to Glenorchy. (45 minutes plus photo stops) Again, the scenery was exquisite. When we got to Glenorchy we stopped at the fur store in the center of “town” (“town is only 2 blocks long) and made a significant dent in the possum population.
We then drove to the head of the Routeburn trail and hiked a couple of hours. This trail takes 3 days through the mountains and ends up at Milford Sound! I was amazed to discover that we were only about 35km from the Milford Road at that point, but there was no way to get there except by air, foot or the long way around by car (see tomorrow). Returned to Glenorchy and walked the Nature Trail around the lagoon.
Dinner was at the pizza joint in Cow Lane – recommended by our hosts. This was a real trip. When the place is busy you are seated with other people. But it was fun talking with our table-mates. The pizza was good – not great. But we would still recommend the experience.
Day 7 – Milford Sound bus trip. We were picked up at 7:45 for the all-day trip to Milford Sound. It takes 5 1/2 hours to get out to the Sound with several photo stops along the way. We also stop in Te Anau to both pick up some passengers and allow ½ hour for “R&R” (and more retail therapy, of course). The design of the bus is quite interesting in itself. Of course the windows are huge, and there are windows in the ceiling. The seats are angled towards the window, so the person on the aisle has a clear view. I won’t try to describe the scenery – it is as spectacular as all the descriptions of it that I’ve read.
We took the 2 ½ hour Nature Cruise that left at 1:30. (the bus got to the harbor about 1:15.) I think that the difference between this and the shorter Scenic Cruise is that the Nature Cruise goes farther out into the Tasman Sea, cruises at a slower speed in the Sound, and perhaps gets closer to the rocks.
The drive back was at breakneck speed - not uncomfortable – but he driver is certainly “driven” (no pun intended) to make good time. The drive back was 3 ½ hours and we were back in Queenstown at about 8pm.
Day 8 – Drive to Fox Glacier (about 6 hours). The drive up (of course with lots of photo stops) takes you through the mountains and then along the coast. It is a long but not difficult drive. Note about driving in the South Island – probably because we were traveling in their Autumn, the traffic was not all that bad. There are plenty of opportunities to pass. It wasn’t the trucks that slowed you down, but rather the campers and people towing trailers/boats.
Arrived at Fox Glacier and stayed at the Fox Glacier Lodge (NZ$150/night). We had made these arrangements from the States and probably could have gotten a better price/room elsewhere if we had just walked in. The place is clean and comfortable. No complaints. Dinner was at the Neve Café (mentioned in Fodor’s guide). We were disappointed with this meal. It was overpriced, and the Guide led us to expect far better. But, then, there wasn’t much competition in town.
Day 9 – Fox Glacier Heli-hike and drive to Punakaiki. We had pre-booked the 9am helicopter flight up the glacier and 2 hour hike on the glacier. It was a fantastic experience. This was one of the highlights of our trip. The weather was beautiful: sunny with blue skies - the night before it was cloudy and rainy on our arrival. Indeed, the operator told us that only 1/3 of the heli-hikes ever get off the ground because of poor weather conditions. My only recommendation is that you should have a reasonably good sense of balance. There was one person on our trip who was very nervous and she never really got her “ice legs.”
The drive to Punakaiki (4 hours or less) was similarly beautiful. We stayed at the Rocks Homestay (mentioned in Fodors) - $NZ145 I think
We had a pleasant visit with our hostess before going to dinner. She offered us coffee and some wonderful freshly baked scones. We also discovered the difference between a “B&B” (where you interact with the host basically only at breakfast unless you seek them out) vs. “homestay” (where the host will visit with you over afternoon coffee as well as on your return from dinner).
Dinner was at a tavern in Punakaiki recommended by our hosts. There are not a lot of dining options, and this was good with lots of local color.
Day 10 – Visit the “Pancake Rocks” and drive to Nelson. The Pancake Rocks are certainly worth a visit – we spent about ½ hour or so on the well-marked trail. Then of course there was some more retail therapy at the gift shop across the street from the entrance.
The drive to Nelson (about 4 hours) takes you through beautiful ocean views, and then cuts inland through the mountains. We stayed in Nelson at the Cambria House $NZ 155(?) for 2 nights. This also was a Fodor’s recommendation. The hostess spent some time with us recommending restaurants and places to visit.
Nelson has lots of shops and artist boutiques. One walking tour that we did was based on a brochure listing the artist boutiques. We found some beautiful jewelry and pottery that we ended up buying and in some cases sending back.
Dinner was at the Boat Shed (mentioned in Fodors). A real disappointment. We will e-mail the Fodors editors. Overpriced; food quality was not good; service was not good. Our hostess indicated that she has heard similar complaints. This once was THE place to eat in Nelson. Now it is probably resting on its laurels.
Day 11 – in Nelson and Abel Tasman National Park. Spent the morning in more retail therapy. Then drove to the entrance of Abel Tasman park (1 hour) and walked the park paths for a couple of hours. Could/should have done more in the park, but time did not allow (the shops in Nelson won out). The walk along the coast was beautiful.
Dinner was at Hopgoods. Highly recommend this restaurant. Food quality and service were excellent. Price about $NZ 150 (again, I think that this was worth it).
Day 12 – Drive to Blenheim. After yet another couple of hours of retail therapy in Nelson, we set out on the leisurely 2 hour drive to Blenheim. We stayed at the Una Piu. Wonderful B&B $NZ 320. This was one of the highlights of our trip. The host (Gino and wife Heather Rocco) is of Italian descent (as is my wife), and he is charming. He used to own Rocco’s restaurant (mentioned in Fodor’s guide) but sold the business about 7 years ago. Both he home and the rooms are beautifully appointed – very Italianate. The main house has 2 guest rooms; there is a separate cottage just next to the house with additional rooms (we didn’t look at these). Gino was a most gracious host, offering us coffee in the afternoon before making our winery visits, as well an after-dinner aperitif in the evening upon our return from dinner.
We then visited 5 wineries in the Blenheim area in the next 2 hours. Bought some more wine from Hunter’s and managed to drive “home” safely.
Dinner was at Rocco’s (in Fodor’s guide – and of course recommended by Gino). This was also an excellent meal. One of us had Crayfish, which indeed (as mentioned in the Guide) was cheaper than anywhere else.
Day 13 – Ferry to North Island and drive to Rotorua. Breakfast was a 1 hour affair with Gino. It was a wonderful 3 course feast. We were nervous about the time, but the drive to the Picton ferry was only 20-25 minutes. Dropping the car off in Picton and picking up another car in Wellington went very smoothly. One thing that I didn’t know in advance was that we were able to check our baggage on the ferry so that we didn’t have to schlep the baggage while we were on the boat. [Note – when we made the car reservations from the States we had previously pre-booked the ferry for the previous day, but some days earlier we decided to stay an additional day on the South island. Changing the car/ferry reservations were a breeze with Apex].
The ferry ride was smooth and the scenery was beautiful. By this time, we were a bit jaded by all the beauty that we had seen on the south island, so I spent much of my time reading the newspaper and Fodor’s guide about Rotorua.
Because we had changed our plans, we had a long 5 ½ hour drive from Wellington to Rotorua (this was without stopping except for gas, and the speeding ticket). Driving on the North island is much more congested than the South island. While there are lots of passing lanes on the route, the line of cars made it difficult to maintain the speed limit for the 1st hour or so out of Wellington. The speeding ticket was interesting in that I’m not sure where I got nailed. I was trying to maintain the 100 kph limit, but without cruise control I know that the speed got away from me on the many downhill stretches. Also, because the passing lanes are not all that long, it was necessary to speed up to more than 100kph when passing more than one car. So I was clocked at 120 kph in a 100kph zone and fined $NZ 170(payable by internet).
In Rotorua we stayed at the Park Heritage Hotel $NZ 145. After the wonderful B&B in Blenheim, anything would pale by comparison. This was OK, but the Fodor’s guide led me to expect better. We arrived on Anzak day (sort of like their “Memorial Day”) so many restaurants were closed. Dinner was at the “Pig and Whistle” (in Fodor’s guide), and it was certainly atmospheric, good, and reasonably priced.
Day 14 – in Rotorua. Went to the 10:15 geyser eruption at Wai-o-tapu (mentioned in Fodor’s Guide), then spent a few hours in the park. Certainly worth the trip. [NOTE about Rotorua. I remember reading in this web site that some people were turned off by the sulpher smell in Roturua so much so that they stayed in Taupo instead. We had no problem with the smell.]
We then returned to Rotorua in the late afternoon and took the tour at the New Zealand Arts and Crafts Institute (they now call it simply “Te Puia”) and stayed for the evening Concert and Hangi. ($NZ 108 each). This interactive ceremony was impressive and certainly worth the visit. Don’t expect much from the dinner. It was not bad, but disappointing. (I was expecting something more like the wonderful luau that we had in Hawaii several years ago.)
Day 15 – Drive to Auckland. Did the Zorb on the way out of town. Difficult to describe. Imagine a big 6 foot diameter beach ball. You climb inside and they roll you down a 200 foot hill, or a long zig-zag hill – your choice. There are various alternatives: “dry” – where they strap you inside the ball so you don’t roll around; or “wet” where they put a bit of water in the ball so you can slide around inside. It was a gas. ($NZ 35 each – for two in one ball).
Drive to Auckland was 3 hours – it is usually described as 2 ½ hours, but there was lots of construction and lots of traffic; and we got to Auckland at 4:30 during their rush hour. Got to Apex at 5pm – with 2 minutes to spare before they closed. Actually, we called them up while in traffic around Auckland, and they said that they agreed to wait for us to arrive.
Day 16 – in Auckland. Went to the Auckland Museum. The Maori exhibit was most interesting – specifically interesting was the comparison between the Maori artifacts and those of other local South Pacific islands. Also fascinating was the exhibit on volcanos. There is a chilling exhibit where you sit in a living room with a simulated view of the Auckland harbor; the TV come on and you hear a newscast about the fears of an imminent volcano eruption, and an interview with a local expert about what to expect if there were an eruption. At the same time you look out the window and you see the eruption beginning out in the harbor – and a huge wave of ash and water coming right at you and eventually engulfing your room. The entire exhibit was most interesting.
Dinner at a casual seafood restaurant “Squid Row.” Don’t know where in Auckland it was but the food was yummy.
Day 17 – Home.
After a wonderful flight on Air New Zealand in business class (we were saving miles for 7 years to get these tickets) We arrived in Auckland at 5:30am without some of our luggage because of snow in Chicago. We had a joyful reunion with our luggage which the airline delivered at 9:30 in the evening.
Day 1 - in Auckland. Wandered the harbor and downtown area for several hours, trying bravely to stave off the effects of jet lag. Had a wonderful lunch at Neptune Café in the harbor area. Crashed early evening.
Day 2 - in Auckland. Drove with our hosts to the Gannet bird colony at Muriwai beach. There weren’t a lot of birds there because in windy conditions the birds are out foraging for food. Spent the next several hours visiting wineries on the way back to Auckland. The wineries in the Auckland areas are not as well known as those farther south, but these were quite good, and we began our collection of NZ wines to take home. Dinner was at a restaurant called Rice (recommended by our hosts), and it was very good. [Note on dining: most of the local taverns require you to go to the counter to order your food. Servers then bring it to you. Also, frequently they will not bring the check to your table unless you ask for it (one waiter said that they consider it rude to present the check). It is not uncommon to go to the front where you placed your order and pay at the end of the meal.]
Day 3 – in Auckland. Spent the day driving up to Tawharanui Beach. Stopped along the way at a park where we saw the big Kauri trees. These trees are now protected and cannot be cut down. But once, they were used by the Maori for their canoes because these trees grow to be very tall.
Day 4 – fly to Queenstown. Took the 10am flight to Queenstown and picked up a car from Apex ($NZ69 a day for 12 days – a Camry). Stayed for 4 nights at the Birchall House, 118 Panorama Terrace ($NZ 170/night). This was a wonderful B&B. They have 2 rooms; we had the larger room with a small kitchenette. The views of the Remarkables and the lake from the room were breathtaking. The hosts (Joan and John Blomfield) claim that the walk into town is about 20 minutes. Maybe so, but I wouldn’t want to walk back – all uphill. Driving into town took about 5 minutes at most.
After checking in and visiting for a few minutes with our hosts, we went into town and took the gondola (cable car) to the top of the hill overlooking Queenstown. More stunning views (I’m going to run out of adjectives very shortly). The luge ride at the top of the hill is quite fun. You probably want to pay for 2 rides because they require that the first ride be on the slow “scenic” route. The more advanced route is faster and looks more fun, but we didn’t take the 2nd ride. We then went back into town and spent some time shopping and finding the first of several Merino wool/Possum purchases. [Note on Possum: this is considered a “green’ fur because the possum population is a major pest in New Zealand. The animals were introduced from Australia last century and are now considered a danger to the vegetation and wildlife. There are several programs to reduce the possum population, including aerial poisoning; so the trapping and sale of possum fur products is considered an environmentally friendly act in New Zealand. We did our part for the environment and economy by making several purchase of both possum as well as merino wool/possum blend products. In fact, we saw a t-shirt with the slogan “Save the environment – kill a possum”]
Dinner that night was at Chico’s (mentioned in Fodor’s guide as a night life spot with entertainment). The meal was good, and reasonably priced – but not as good as others to come.
Day 5 – in Queenstown. Took a day trip and drove to Arrowtown (20 minutes)and then on to Wanaka. Arrowtown is a small former mining town. Now, of course, it is primarily a shopping destination as well as a charming and picturesque location. I visited the remains of a segregated small village for the Chinese gold workers while my wife the first of many retail therapy sessions.
The drive to Wanaka (1 ½ hours) on the “Gorge” road (the longer drive – but flatter) was picturesque – along with some picture stops along the way. Unfortunately, time didn’t permit much exploration of the town of Wanaka. But it is a beautiful, small town along the lake. We took a 1.5 hour (round trip) hike up Mount Iron just on the outside of town. The views from the top were very good.
We drove back to Queenstown by the Crown Ridge Road. This is through the mountains, and the drive down the mountain back into Queenstown is steep and twisting, but the scenery is worth the trip. This route is about 50km shorter than the “gorge” road, and takes about ½ hour less time. But the better views are southbound (from Wanaka to Queenstown).
Dinner that night was at a wonderful restaurant recommended by our hosts - Solera Vino. We recommend it highly. The tab for two of us (including wine and dessert) was about $NZ 150. When you consider that this includes tax and tip, we determined that this was a bargain compared to a spot of comparable quality in Chicago.
Day 6 – Queenstown. Took a day trip drive to Glenorchy. (45 minutes plus photo stops) Again, the scenery was exquisite. When we got to Glenorchy we stopped at the fur store in the center of “town” (“town is only 2 blocks long) and made a significant dent in the possum population.
We then drove to the head of the Routeburn trail and hiked a couple of hours. This trail takes 3 days through the mountains and ends up at Milford Sound! I was amazed to discover that we were only about 35km from the Milford Road at that point, but there was no way to get there except by air, foot or the long way around by car (see tomorrow). Returned to Glenorchy and walked the Nature Trail around the lagoon.
Dinner was at the pizza joint in Cow Lane – recommended by our hosts. This was a real trip. When the place is busy you are seated with other people. But it was fun talking with our table-mates. The pizza was good – not great. But we would still recommend the experience.
Day 7 – Milford Sound bus trip. We were picked up at 7:45 for the all-day trip to Milford Sound. It takes 5 1/2 hours to get out to the Sound with several photo stops along the way. We also stop in Te Anau to both pick up some passengers and allow ½ hour for “R&R” (and more retail therapy, of course). The design of the bus is quite interesting in itself. Of course the windows are huge, and there are windows in the ceiling. The seats are angled towards the window, so the person on the aisle has a clear view. I won’t try to describe the scenery – it is as spectacular as all the descriptions of it that I’ve read.
We took the 2 ½ hour Nature Cruise that left at 1:30. (the bus got to the harbor about 1:15.) I think that the difference between this and the shorter Scenic Cruise is that the Nature Cruise goes farther out into the Tasman Sea, cruises at a slower speed in the Sound, and perhaps gets closer to the rocks.
The drive back was at breakneck speed - not uncomfortable – but he driver is certainly “driven” (no pun intended) to make good time. The drive back was 3 ½ hours and we were back in Queenstown at about 8pm.
Day 8 – Drive to Fox Glacier (about 6 hours). The drive up (of course with lots of photo stops) takes you through the mountains and then along the coast. It is a long but not difficult drive. Note about driving in the South Island – probably because we were traveling in their Autumn, the traffic was not all that bad. There are plenty of opportunities to pass. It wasn’t the trucks that slowed you down, but rather the campers and people towing trailers/boats.
Arrived at Fox Glacier and stayed at the Fox Glacier Lodge (NZ$150/night). We had made these arrangements from the States and probably could have gotten a better price/room elsewhere if we had just walked in. The place is clean and comfortable. No complaints. Dinner was at the Neve Café (mentioned in Fodor’s guide). We were disappointed with this meal. It was overpriced, and the Guide led us to expect far better. But, then, there wasn’t much competition in town.
Day 9 – Fox Glacier Heli-hike and drive to Punakaiki. We had pre-booked the 9am helicopter flight up the glacier and 2 hour hike on the glacier. It was a fantastic experience. This was one of the highlights of our trip. The weather was beautiful: sunny with blue skies - the night before it was cloudy and rainy on our arrival. Indeed, the operator told us that only 1/3 of the heli-hikes ever get off the ground because of poor weather conditions. My only recommendation is that you should have a reasonably good sense of balance. There was one person on our trip who was very nervous and she never really got her “ice legs.”
The drive to Punakaiki (4 hours or less) was similarly beautiful. We stayed at the Rocks Homestay (mentioned in Fodors) - $NZ145 I think
We had a pleasant visit with our hostess before going to dinner. She offered us coffee and some wonderful freshly baked scones. We also discovered the difference between a “B&B” (where you interact with the host basically only at breakfast unless you seek them out) vs. “homestay” (where the host will visit with you over afternoon coffee as well as on your return from dinner).
Dinner was at a tavern in Punakaiki recommended by our hosts. There are not a lot of dining options, and this was good with lots of local color.
Day 10 – Visit the “Pancake Rocks” and drive to Nelson. The Pancake Rocks are certainly worth a visit – we spent about ½ hour or so on the well-marked trail. Then of course there was some more retail therapy at the gift shop across the street from the entrance.
The drive to Nelson (about 4 hours) takes you through beautiful ocean views, and then cuts inland through the mountains. We stayed in Nelson at the Cambria House $NZ 155(?) for 2 nights. This also was a Fodor’s recommendation. The hostess spent some time with us recommending restaurants and places to visit.
Nelson has lots of shops and artist boutiques. One walking tour that we did was based on a brochure listing the artist boutiques. We found some beautiful jewelry and pottery that we ended up buying and in some cases sending back.
Dinner was at the Boat Shed (mentioned in Fodors). A real disappointment. We will e-mail the Fodors editors. Overpriced; food quality was not good; service was not good. Our hostess indicated that she has heard similar complaints. This once was THE place to eat in Nelson. Now it is probably resting on its laurels.
Day 11 – in Nelson and Abel Tasman National Park. Spent the morning in more retail therapy. Then drove to the entrance of Abel Tasman park (1 hour) and walked the park paths for a couple of hours. Could/should have done more in the park, but time did not allow (the shops in Nelson won out). The walk along the coast was beautiful.
Dinner was at Hopgoods. Highly recommend this restaurant. Food quality and service were excellent. Price about $NZ 150 (again, I think that this was worth it).
Day 12 – Drive to Blenheim. After yet another couple of hours of retail therapy in Nelson, we set out on the leisurely 2 hour drive to Blenheim. We stayed at the Una Piu. Wonderful B&B $NZ 320. This was one of the highlights of our trip. The host (Gino and wife Heather Rocco) is of Italian descent (as is my wife), and he is charming. He used to own Rocco’s restaurant (mentioned in Fodor’s guide) but sold the business about 7 years ago. Both he home and the rooms are beautifully appointed – very Italianate. The main house has 2 guest rooms; there is a separate cottage just next to the house with additional rooms (we didn’t look at these). Gino was a most gracious host, offering us coffee in the afternoon before making our winery visits, as well an after-dinner aperitif in the evening upon our return from dinner.
We then visited 5 wineries in the Blenheim area in the next 2 hours. Bought some more wine from Hunter’s and managed to drive “home” safely.
Dinner was at Rocco’s (in Fodor’s guide – and of course recommended by Gino). This was also an excellent meal. One of us had Crayfish, which indeed (as mentioned in the Guide) was cheaper than anywhere else.
Day 13 – Ferry to North Island and drive to Rotorua. Breakfast was a 1 hour affair with Gino. It was a wonderful 3 course feast. We were nervous about the time, but the drive to the Picton ferry was only 20-25 minutes. Dropping the car off in Picton and picking up another car in Wellington went very smoothly. One thing that I didn’t know in advance was that we were able to check our baggage on the ferry so that we didn’t have to schlep the baggage while we were on the boat. [Note – when we made the car reservations from the States we had previously pre-booked the ferry for the previous day, but some days earlier we decided to stay an additional day on the South island. Changing the car/ferry reservations were a breeze with Apex].
The ferry ride was smooth and the scenery was beautiful. By this time, we were a bit jaded by all the beauty that we had seen on the south island, so I spent much of my time reading the newspaper and Fodor’s guide about Rotorua.
Because we had changed our plans, we had a long 5 ½ hour drive from Wellington to Rotorua (this was without stopping except for gas, and the speeding ticket). Driving on the North island is much more congested than the South island. While there are lots of passing lanes on the route, the line of cars made it difficult to maintain the speed limit for the 1st hour or so out of Wellington. The speeding ticket was interesting in that I’m not sure where I got nailed. I was trying to maintain the 100 kph limit, but without cruise control I know that the speed got away from me on the many downhill stretches. Also, because the passing lanes are not all that long, it was necessary to speed up to more than 100kph when passing more than one car. So I was clocked at 120 kph in a 100kph zone and fined $NZ 170(payable by internet).
In Rotorua we stayed at the Park Heritage Hotel $NZ 145. After the wonderful B&B in Blenheim, anything would pale by comparison. This was OK, but the Fodor’s guide led me to expect better. We arrived on Anzak day (sort of like their “Memorial Day”) so many restaurants were closed. Dinner was at the “Pig and Whistle” (in Fodor’s guide), and it was certainly atmospheric, good, and reasonably priced.
Day 14 – in Rotorua. Went to the 10:15 geyser eruption at Wai-o-tapu (mentioned in Fodor’s Guide), then spent a few hours in the park. Certainly worth the trip. [NOTE about Rotorua. I remember reading in this web site that some people were turned off by the sulpher smell in Roturua so much so that they stayed in Taupo instead. We had no problem with the smell.]
We then returned to Rotorua in the late afternoon and took the tour at the New Zealand Arts and Crafts Institute (they now call it simply “Te Puia”) and stayed for the evening Concert and Hangi. ($NZ 108 each). This interactive ceremony was impressive and certainly worth the visit. Don’t expect much from the dinner. It was not bad, but disappointing. (I was expecting something more like the wonderful luau that we had in Hawaii several years ago.)
Day 15 – Drive to Auckland. Did the Zorb on the way out of town. Difficult to describe. Imagine a big 6 foot diameter beach ball. You climb inside and they roll you down a 200 foot hill, or a long zig-zag hill – your choice. There are various alternatives: “dry” – where they strap you inside the ball so you don’t roll around; or “wet” where they put a bit of water in the ball so you can slide around inside. It was a gas. ($NZ 35 each – for two in one ball).
Drive to Auckland was 3 hours – it is usually described as 2 ½ hours, but there was lots of construction and lots of traffic; and we got to Auckland at 4:30 during their rush hour. Got to Apex at 5pm – with 2 minutes to spare before they closed. Actually, we called them up while in traffic around Auckland, and they said that they agreed to wait for us to arrive.
Day 16 – in Auckland. Went to the Auckland Museum. The Maori exhibit was most interesting – specifically interesting was the comparison between the Maori artifacts and those of other local South Pacific islands. Also fascinating was the exhibit on volcanos. There is a chilling exhibit where you sit in a living room with a simulated view of the Auckland harbor; the TV come on and you hear a newscast about the fears of an imminent volcano eruption, and an interview with a local expert about what to expect if there were an eruption. At the same time you look out the window and you see the eruption beginning out in the harbor – and a huge wave of ash and water coming right at you and eventually engulfing your room. The entire exhibit was most interesting.
Dinner at a casual seafood restaurant “Squid Row.” Don’t know where in Auckland it was but the food was yummy.
Day 17 – Home.
May 4th, 2007, 07:37 AM
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Small add-on that I tried to include in the long post. Highly recommend the "WOW" (World of Wearable Art) museum in Nelson. It is very unique and worth the 1 1/2 hour visit.
doug
doug
May 4th, 2007, 04:52 PM
#3
Excellent trip report Doug!
We also enjoyed the WOW complex in Nelson - we've been in the area a couple of times during the yearly show and saw it on local TV. Would love to see it live. Really entertaining.
Thanks for the tip on Hopgoods in Nelson - have added it to my list for our visit in August.
We also enjoyed the WOW complex in Nelson - we've been in the area a couple of times during the yearly show and saw it on local TV. Would love to see it live. Really entertaining.
Thanks for the tip on Hopgoods in Nelson - have added it to my list for our visit in August.
May 11th, 2007, 05:37 PM
#5
As a local Nelson resident I hadn't heard of Hopgood's restaurant until the other night when my brother-in-law from Sydney arrived here for a visit and said he had booked a meal there. He had read about it in the Cuisine magazine. He went there just two nights ago with his mother (early Mother's day gift) and really enjoyed it, great food and good value for money. We will make a point of going there very soon.
The World of Wearable Arts Musuem is a great place to visit. It's a shame that the actual awards themselves are now held in Wellington instead of Nelson. Wellington has a much bigger population base, and a much nicer venue to hold the show.
The World of Wearable Arts Musuem is a great place to visit. It's a shame that the actual awards themselves are now held in Wellington instead of Nelson. Wellington has a much bigger population base, and a much nicer venue to hold the show.
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