ANZ 11 (6B) - Queenstown Proper

Queenstown apparently is the capital for adventures afterall it was here that bungee jumping was concocted.

The irony however, is that our vacation was accompanied by old folks and young kids making outdoor adventure almost impermissible. It also did not help where my dad did not feel too well.

Nevertheless, we focused on the activities that are suitable for family fun. Hence, here was the list of activities

Skyline Gondola - Apparently this is a must see in Queenstown. At the peak, one can have a complete view of Queenstown and its surrounding area - a 220 degree panaroma as I understand

No doubt however that Jeremy was upset he could not go on to the go karting track on top of the skyline. I promised he would be allowed when he hits 10, much to his disappointment.

Distance of Queenstown from various parts of the world.

Arrowtown - Went to see the gold mining town off Queenstown. Apparently, there was a Chinese village that was preserved to show how the Chinese miners lived their lives in the 19th Century. Other than that, the one horse town is pretty clean and preserved as if the clock froze in the 19th century.




Jeremy somehow did not find NZ that pleasant. he felt sick after TeAnau and as you can see here where the picture was taken at a cafe in Queenstown, he certainly did look fatigue and tired. Lesson learnt is the vacation cannot be too long if you have young children. 10 days is max. And also, it would not help the cause if its a scenic vacation tour in which they will find it hard to appreciate at their age.

ANZ 11 (6A) - TeAnau to Queenstown 17 to 19 December 2011

After TeAnau, I believe the scenic route improves tremendously. This is especially so after we reach Kingston which is located at the most Southern tip of Lake Wakatipu
The crystal clear water of the Lake epitomes the unspoilt landscape of the South Island.

Jeremy here has to settle for a 'rock structure' instead of a sand castle. Geography teacher grandma has to explain to Lil Jeremy why there is no sand as this is a lake not a beach along the sea/ocean!

After Kingston, the road leading to Queenstown 'played' along the shorelines of Lake Wakatipu which translates into excellent scenic picture facing the windscreen of the Hyundai Styrax.

Once hit Queenstown, the immediate feel is that as if its like a homecoming experience ie back to civilisation ! Apparently, the town is built around an inlet called Queenstown Bay on Lake Wakatipu, a long thin Z-shaped lake formed by glacial processes, and has spectacular views of nearby mountains.
The excellent view can be seen best via Skyline Queenstown

An excerpt of a conversation between father and daughter

Daddy : Alicia, your hair smells and hence need a bath quick

Alicia: I am not a pig, I am a girl!

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