I went to the South Island of New Zealand from 21st Sep – 28th Sep 2008, together with William.
Though it’s a short trip, it was nevertheless a wonderful trip. The Southern Alps is simply awesome with its snow capped mountains. The West Coast has magnificent glaciers, lakes and mountains, and lots of rainfall.
NZ has just turned spring when we reached, nevertheless it was still cold. The temperature could drop to as low as below 5 degree Celsius at night. It was fun experiencing the coldness though I cannot really withstand cold very well.
At Christchurch, the flowers bloom beautifully, especially at Mona Vale and Botanic Garden. They are really beautiful.
I took train for the first time when I took the TranzAlpine Train from Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass National Park. The TrainzAlpine Train route is rated as one of the great train journeys of the world and indeed it was. The train crosses Canterbury Plains and climbed through Alpine foothills and Waimakariri Gorge. 
We took a helicopter ride to Fox Glacier. It was my first time taking helicopter. It’s so fun! Due to the weather condition, we almost could not take the helicopter ride. Upon landing on Fox Glacier, I could not wait to get out of the helicopter to see the Fox Glacier! Walking on the beautiful snow covered Fox Glacier is simply breathtaking and awesome…
I saw beautiful rainbows at Thunder Creek Waterfall and Doubtful Sound. The Thunder Creek Waterfall is a 28 metres high waterfall that tumbles into the Haast River. Doubtful Sound is actually a fiond, a sea-filled valley carved by glacier ice (whereas sounds are inlets of the sea formed by rivers). It is the second largest of Fiondland National Park’s 14 sounds. The journey to Doubtful Sound started at 7.10am and we reached there at almost noon. It took us a cruise across the Lake Manapouri and a coach trip across Wilmot Pass to Deep Cove. The underground Manpouri Power Station is impressive. We boarded the Navigator to cruise the Doubtful Sound. The Doubtful Sound gives me a mysterious feeling with its mist-shrouded waterfalls and mountain chains when I first reached. Perhaps the mysterious feeling is amplified with the rainfall. I had wished to be able to catch glimpses of New Zealand Fur Seals and Bottlenose Dolphins, but they have perhaps decided to seek retreat from the heavy downpour.
I saw snow for my first time at Lindis Pass, the main inland link between Otago and the Waitaki Basin. Wow…. the feeling is great! I had fun playing with the snow after lunch at Observation Bay.
Oh I tried out the TSS Earnslaw to reach Walter Peak High Country Farm. The TSS (Twin Screw Steamer) Earnslaw is powered by its original twin 500-hp coal-fired steam engines, with wood and brass interior. It was launched in 1912, and known as ‘the lady of the lake”. At Walter Peak High Country Farm, we had lunch at the Colonel’s Homestead Restaurant and experienced country life such as sheep shearing and sheep dogs in action.
Here’s a brief literary of our NZ trip:
Day 1: Christchurch
- International Antarctic Centre. We tried out the Hagglund Ride to experience Antarctic terrain. You should give this ride a try when you’re there. Be prepared for a thrilling ride!
- Christchurch City (Mona Vale, Canterbury Museum and Botanic Garden)
- Castle (where sign of the Tahake restaurant currently resides)
- Willowbank Wildlife Reserve and experienced Ko Tane (Maori cultural performance)
Day 2: Arthur’s Pass to Fox Glacier
- TransAlpine Scenic Train ride
- Hokitika – Lunch @ Porky Takeaway with a very large and piping hot fish and chips, and visited the glass blowing and jade factory
- Franz Joseh Visitor Centre (took a 10min forest walk to get a faraway view of Franz Josef Glacier and it was drizzling)
- Dinner at Glacier Country Hotel, Fox Glacier (the kiwi dessert is yummy…. )
Day 3: Fox Glacier – Cromwell – Queenstown
- Scenic flight to Fox Glacier
- Arnott Point (was not able to see the fur seals, probably due to the heavy downpour)
- Lunch at Fantail Café, HAAST (the minestrone soup was good when it was so cold)
- Thunder Creek Falls
- Makarora West
- Lake Wanaka
- Lake Hawea
- Gold Fields Mining Centre, Kawarau Gorge, Otago
- Mrs Jones’ Fruit Shop, Cromwell
- Dinner at Lakeside Palace Restaurant, Queenstown
Day 4: Doubtful Sound
- Doubtful Sound (7.10am to 7.15pm)
- Dinner at Memories of Hongkong, Strateen House, Queenstown
- Grocery shopping at City Express (convenience store) and Asia Mart. Bought the tasty Keri Cranberry juice
Day 5: Queenstown
- Arrowtown (Chinese Settlement)
-Gibbston Winery
- Bungy Jump Site (both of us gave our salute to those who tried out the bungy jump)
- Took the TSS Earnslaw to reach Walter Peak High Country Farm
- Tried out the skyline Gondola to catch a view of Queenstown on Bob’s Peak
- Shopping at Queenstown
Day 6: Mount Cook Region – Christchurch
- Lake Dunelin, Cromwell
- Lindis Pass – Both of us saw snow for the first time!!
- Lake Pukaki, next to the tallest mountain of NZ, Mount Cook
- Church of Good Shepherd at Lake Tekapo
- Lunch at Observation Café
- Farmer’s Corner, with a hot latte at a newly renovated café
- Supermarket shopping at Springfield Mall
- Dinner at Pagoda Restaurant, Christchurch
Along the coach journey throughout the trip, I saw many many snow-capped mountains, beautiful sunrise and sunset, and lots of sheeps, cows and Alpaca . New Zealand is a wonderful place with splendid sceneries, friendly folks, and a rich Maori culture.
Day 1: Christchurch
- International Antarctic Centre. We tried out the Hagglund Ride to experience Antarctic terrain. You should give this ride a try when you’re there. Be prepared for a thrilling ride!
- Christchurch City (Mona Vale, Canterbury Museum and Botanic Garden)
- Castle (where sign of the Tahake restaurant currently resides)
- Willowbank Wildlife Reserve and experienced Ko Tane (Maori cultural performance)
Day 2: Arthur’s Pass to Fox Glacier
- TransAlpine Scenic Train ride
- Hokitika – Lunch @ Porky Takeaway with a very large and piping hot fish and chips, and visited the glass blowing and jade factory
- Franz Joseh Visitor Centre (took a 10min forest walk to get a faraway view of Franz Josef Glacier and it was drizzling)
- Dinner at Glacier Country Hotel, Fox Glacier (the kiwi dessert is yummy…. )
Day 3: Fox Glacier – Cromwell – Queenstown
- Scenic flight to Fox Glacier
- Arnott Point (was not able to see the fur seals, probably due to the heavy downpour)
- Lunch at Fantail Café, HAAST (the minestrone soup was good when it was so cold)
- Thunder Creek Falls
- Makarora West
- Lake Wanaka
- Lake Hawea
- Gold Fields Mining Centre, Kawarau Gorge, Otago
- Mrs Jones’ Fruit Shop, Cromwell
- Dinner at Lakeside Palace Restaurant, Queenstown
Day 4: Doubtful Sound
- Doubtful Sound (7.10am to 7.15pm)
- Dinner at Memories of Hongkong, Strateen House, Queenstown
- Grocery shopping at City Express (convenience store) and Asia Mart. Bought the tasty Keri Cranberry juice
Day 5: Queenstown
- Arrowtown (Chinese Settlement)
-Gibbston Winery
- Bungy Jump Site (both of us gave our salute to those who tried out the bungy jump)
- Took the TSS Earnslaw to reach Walter Peak High Country Farm
- Tried out the skyline Gondola to catch a view of Queenstown on Bob’s Peak
- Shopping at Queenstown
Day 6: Mount Cook Region – Christchurch
- Lake Dunelin, Cromwell
- Lindis Pass – Both of us saw snow for the first time!!
- Lake Pukaki, next to the tallest mountain of NZ, Mount Cook
- Church of Good Shepherd at Lake Tekapo
- Lunch at Observation Café
- Farmer’s Corner, with a hot latte at a newly renovated café
- Supermarket shopping at Springfield Mall
- Dinner at Pagoda Restaurant, Christchurch
Along the coach journey throughout the trip, I saw many many snow-capped mountains, beautiful sunrise and sunset, and lots of sheeps, cows and Alpaca . New Zealand is a wonderful place with splendid sceneries, friendly folks, and a rich Maori culture.
