ANZ 2011 (5) - TeAnau and Milford Sound : 17 December 2011

The whole reason for a stop to TeAnau is simply that it lies in the border to the Fiordland National Park and is a starting point for a trip to Milford Sound.

Here you can see the serenity of Lake TeAnau, with a couple of yacht in a distance depicting the relaxing lifestyle of the town.

We started our bus journey via State Highway 94 to Milford Sound. While Milford Sound is supposedly the star attraction, the trip itself has numerous scenic stops.
Even though it summer, the mountain range leading to Milford Sound does not indicate to be so.

Mini glaciers

OK, what is actually Milford Sound? Milford Sound is named after Milford Haven in Wales, while the Cleddau River which flows into the sound is also named for its Welsh namesake. The Māori named the sound Piopiotahi after the thrush-like piopio bird, now extinct. Piopiotahi means "a single piopio", harking back to the legend of Māui trying to win immortality for mankind - when Maui died in the attempt, a piopio was said to have flown here in mourning.

Milford Sound runs 15 kilometres inland from the Tasman Sea at Dale Point - the mouth of the fiord - and is surrounded by sheer rock faces that rise 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) or more on either side.







Personally, I thought Milford Sound is over-hypped. The scenery is beautiful but fell short of my expectations. Having said that, I must say the place is indeed tranquil save for being over inhibhited by tourists like us !

We reached back to TeAnau late afternoon at the back of sunburn that hit Jeremy. Resulting from that, he had fever over the evening. Luckily it disappeared the following day.

One thing that is memorable in TeAnau is the dinner we had in Cafe La Dolce Vita. It was the best Western meal we had during the trip. Apparently, its opened by an Italian who actually have fallen in love with New Zealand.



The grilled salmon is a must try while the Penne Ariabata was cooked with perfection; the pasta was not too hard and there was 'generous' enough gravy to cover the plate. Excellent eating place once again!

ANZ 2011 (4) - Dunedin - Invercargill - TeAnau 16 December 2011

From Dunedin, we attempted the scenic route via Kaka Point. South of Dunedin, the unparalleled beauty of the Catlins Coast supposedly is widely heralded. The Catlins boasts an untouched coastline, some great surf beaches, forest and coastal walks, penguins, seals and pelagic birds aplenty. . Instead what we found was winding road where Jeremy actually threw up, very little animals sighted and a very very harsh Antartic wind. Resulting from the scenic route, the ride to Invercargill took longer than expected reaching the town at 2pm for a late lunch.

Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff, which is the southernmost town in the South Island. My first impression of the town is that it seems to be frozen in the 50s period. The weather was harsh by summer standards, one can imagine what it would be like during the winter period. One thing I can say now is that I have been to one of the most southernest town in the world !.

After Invercargill, we manage to do a pit stop at Riverton for coffee. The small but friendly town of Riverton is known for its excellent surf conditions, its artistic residents and its giant paua shell! Popular over the summer months, Riverton is a great place for a relaxing few days of poking about in the local galleries and enjoying the coastal views. Knowing we were foreigners, the cafe owners were very hospitable providing complementary drinks for the children. . The cafe even boast they sourced their coffee beans from La Mai coffee.

The background and website on Lamai coffee can be found here. http://www.lamai.co.nz/
Again you can see the steep Christian tradition in these small towns.



On the way to Te Anau, we have get pass this place called Lake Manapouri. It is a key feature in the generation of New Zealand's power supply throughout the South Island



Finally we reach TeAnau at 6pm. TeAnau is normally the platform for tourists to go to Milford Sound

ANZ 2011 (3) - Timaru - Oamaru - Dunedin 15 December 2011

We left Christchurch at around 9am with the view of perching at Dunedin by the end of the day.

Our first stop would be Timaru for lunch. Between Timaru and Christchurch is laid with sheep farm land. The Canterbury plains indeed reminds one of the typical English countryside.

TIMARU

Timaru has been constructed on rolling hills created from the lava flows of the extinct Mt Horrible volcano, which last erupted many thousands of years ago. The result is that most of the main streets are undulating, a clear contrast with the flat landscape of the Canterbury Plains to the north. This volcanic rock is used for the construction of local "bluestone" buildings.

Caroline Bay beach is a popular recreational area located close to Timaru's town centre, just to the north of the substantial port facilities. Beyond Caroline Bay, lies the town centre; a very nice place for shopping.

After much look around, we decided to pounce on Fusion Restaurant at 64 Bay Hill simply we saw that it has been awarded with some prizes on quality food. Initially we wanted to go to Monteith next door as recommended by Lonely Planet and we were glad we did not go as its mainly pub which not necessary suitable for the kids. I must say, it was one of the best western meal we had during the trip.

OAMARU

Oamaru was kinda different from Timaru in a sense that it is more Victorian than the latter. It just gave me the impression that the town had its heyday during the Victorian Age through to the first 20 years of the last century.

We had coffee at the Steam as recommended by Lonely Planet. However, it fell below our expectations as its relativlely average as compared to other places.

Another disappointment is the Blue Penguin sanctuary. The sanctuary is very sparse and can hardly see any penguins around. I personally think it was a cutthroat.

Having said that, one think I learnt from Oamaru is the existence of Steampunk.Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s.[1] Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United States—that incorporates elements of either science fiction or fantasy. Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology, or futuristic innovations as Victorians might have envisioned them, based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, art, etc. This technology includes such fictional machines as those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or the contemporary authors Philip Pullman, Scott Westerfeld and China Mieville.

The gang walking around the historical area within Oamaru

Some Steampunk exhibits

Reminiscence of a World War I memorial

The main 'highlight' at the Penguin Sanctuary

Indication of the harsh Antartic weather

Another historical building at Oamaru

ANZ 2011 (2) - Christchurch 13 to 14 December 2011

Our NZ journey started with arrival at Christchurch via Melbourne on a Virgin Blue flight.

On arrival, we rented the Hyundai Imax, an excellent car for 7 passengers with ample room for luggage. We had a late lunch at the airport and a first taste of Chinese food in NZ; not exactly appetizing.

We had our first NZ motel experience at Sherborne Motel. Its quite cosy although a bit old. The hotel owner is very pleasant and personally brought in the breakfast for the following day. He even shared with us the food available around the area. In fact, many of the recommended Lonely Planet restaurants were close as the the city centre was closed off due to the recent earthquake that happened in early 2011.

We actually went around the area and found some shops and eateries remain open. However, the city centre really looks like a war zone though.

The beat up Crowne hotel due to the earthquake. BUT Cafe Decadence just round the corner as just declared that they are now open for business.

The 'damaged' graffiti along Peterborough Street in Christchurch

ANZ 2011 (1) - Melbourne 10 to 13 December 2011

We decided that there should be proper pitstop at Melbourne before we embark on to the Land of the LOTR so that the children and the veterans can have a proper rest. Likewise, Sydney will be the pitstop when we get back from New Zealand.

Besides, my sister in law just moved there. Hence, it make sense to spend some time in one of the world's most livable city.

On a personal note, Melbourne no longer excites me given that this is my fourth visit. On the other hand, the kids love the Royal Botanic Garden as they get to run around. Jeremy is seen here running around and enjoy the great space provided by the 38 hectares of landscaped garden. consisting of a mix of native and non-native vegetation including over 10,000 individual species. They are widely regarded as the finest botanical gardens in Australia, and among the best in the world. However, the gardens are also noted for their historical contribution to the introduction of invasive species.

Everyone pacing themselves towards the sandy beach at St Kilda. It was a very windy day, a prelude to the harsher weather in Kiwiland.

"Living" statue in the middle of Market Street.

And simply love the Christmas decoration in a Melbourne Mall. I think its the Strand.