Category: 2022 12 New Zealand
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North-south transit completed, a petrified forest, and yet more cathedral caves!
Yesterday, Jan 30th 2023, we drove the southern scenic route from Te Anau to Kaka Point. It was extraordinary (I know, what a SHOCK, right?). The first stop: Waipapā Lighthouse. Next stop: Slope Point. This completes our north-south transit of the entire country. For the most northern point, see our blog post entitled, “A twisted…
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Lysefjord, New Zealand.
This famous Norwegian fjord seems to have been recreated on the southwest coast of the south island of New Zealand, only they call it “Milford Sound”. It is actually a fjord (or “fiord” as they spell it here), but have never bothered to correct the error. It was in fact formed by glaciers cutting a…
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One for the Engine-gears.
While we were visiting the Gold Rush museum in Arrowtown, we saw photos, references and a scale model of a legendary boat that plied the waters of Lake Wakatipu (the lake Queenstown is on). It was called the “TSS Earnslaw”. When we arrived in Queenstown, we instantly recognized her! She is still running today, over…
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A Shotover Queenstown.
Queenstown is yet another gorgeous city on a massive lake. The jagged mountains are incredibly beautiful and imposing! We were fortunate to have a view from our hotel room. And, one does not go to Queenstown and NOT do the Shotover Gorge jetboat!
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Arrowtown.
C’mon. Just the name would make you check it out too! This town lies on the route between Wanaka and Queenstown. Turns out it is an absolutely charming town that has survived since being established at the front end of the Central Otago Gold Rush of 1861. Dozens of towns were established during one of…
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Huh? Kelowna South!
After another 65,000 turns, we successfully made it from Punakaiki to Wakana. Whoa. Talk about a change in scenery! Thick rain forests, mountains and beaches to dried up, yellow grass hills below stark mountains…and a few scattered forests. If you love the Okanagan you would adore Wakana. It even has a slight Banff feel to…
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My kinda hike!
The Truman track is only 600 metres long and gives one a view of the forest, beaches and amazing rock overhangs. It’s suitable for an older chubby dude.
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Another underground wonderland, and shallow water rafting.
On this day, Thursday January 19th, 2023, we reversed direction, driving back to Charleston from Punakaiki. This was so we could ‘enjoy’ a ride on a mining train up through a rain forest, then hike UP and UP and UP the side of a mountain whilst carrying a large rubber doughnut and wearing a thick…
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Pancakes, blowholes and surge pools.
Upon arriving in Punakaiki, we hoofed it up the highway to see the most visited natural attraction on the west coast of New Zealand: The Pancake Rocks and blowholes. It is popular for a very good reason! At this location, the layered limestone – looking very much like stacks of pancakes – has been heavily…
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65000 turns and a gorgeous gorge.
The road from Takaka to Punakaiki is rather dizzying, but yours truly did it in 5 1/2 hours, a full hour less than was predicted by Google maps. That was a whole lot of luck rather than skill, as there are few places to pass. We made a pit stop at Buller Gorge. There is…
63 and free 