Sunday, May 9, 2010
Thursday, May 15, 2008
South Island trip Finale
Arthur's Pass
We have had such good luck with the weather throughout the entire trip, that on the second to last day when it poured cats and dogs as we left Franz Josef, we were not overly disappointed.
We drove up the west coast towards Hokitika and then inland from Kumara Junction. We arrived at Arthur's Pass just past lunch time. It was raining heavily. We checked out our "accommodation" for the night. We weren't expecting gold leaf wallpaper and plush carpets, but as we pulled up into the driveway of the "shack", Donna and I looked at each other and burst out laughing.
Sometimes, you CAN judge a book by its cover. The inside was cold and damp. It had the feel of a mountain hut. The toilet was outside the front door and so cramped that your knees touched the wall when you sat down. There were 2 rooms, one with a double bed and one with a single bed. The sheets looked like a million people had slept on it and had never been washed. There were questionable stains on the covers. Donna complained of "itchiness" after sitting on the couch - which also had questionable stains. I laid down a layer of plastic sheet (made out of garbage bags)before I would sit on the other couch.
Alice and I had dinner at the only open restaurant in town that night - The Wobbly Kea. We took our time before returning to our accommodation. Alice slept on one couch in the living room and Donna and Jacob shared the second couch. I ended up sleeping in the car that night. While it wasn't uncomfortable, the temperature dropped overnight and so it was incredibly cold.
The next day, we packed up just as soon as we were up, and drove into Christchurch. We had breakfast at McDonald's (well deserved hot breakfast after an uncomfortable night for all of us!) and spent some time at the Riccarton mall before we flew back.
Overall, it was a wonderful trip. We probably couldn't have planned it any better and couldn't have wished for better weather. Except, of course, for the final leg of our journey. Still, everyone enjoyed themselves, and it was a very good trip indeed!
Wet, cold dreary day at Arthur's Pass
We have had such good luck with the weather throughout the entire trip, that on the second to last day when it poured cats and dogs as we left Franz Josef, we were not overly disappointed.
We drove up the west coast towards Hokitika and then inland from Kumara Junction. We arrived at Arthur's Pass just past lunch time. It was raining heavily. We checked out our "accommodation" for the night. We weren't expecting gold leaf wallpaper and plush carpets, but as we pulled up into the driveway of the "shack", Donna and I looked at each other and burst out laughing.
Sometimes, you CAN judge a book by its cover. The inside was cold and damp. It had the feel of a mountain hut. The toilet was outside the front door and so cramped that your knees touched the wall when you sat down. There were 2 rooms, one with a double bed and one with a single bed. The sheets looked like a million people had slept on it and had never been washed. There were questionable stains on the covers. Donna complained of "itchiness" after sitting on the couch - which also had questionable stains. I laid down a layer of plastic sheet (made out of garbage bags)before I would sit on the other couch.
Alice and I had dinner at the only open restaurant in town that night - The Wobbly Kea. We took our time before returning to our accommodation. Alice slept on one couch in the living room and Donna and Jacob shared the second couch. I ended up sleeping in the car that night. While it wasn't uncomfortable, the temperature dropped overnight and so it was incredibly cold.
The next day, we packed up just as soon as we were up, and drove into Christchurch. We had breakfast at McDonald's (well deserved hot breakfast after an uncomfortable night for all of us!) and spent some time at the Riccarton mall before we flew back.
Overall, it was a wonderful trip. We probably couldn't have planned it any better and couldn't have wished for better weather. Except, of course, for the final leg of our journey. Still, everyone enjoyed themselves, and it was a very good trip indeed!
Wet, cold dreary day at Arthur's Pass
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
South Island trip Part 5: Glacier country
From Te Anau, we drove to Franz Josef. It was an all day trip, but we did stop at Arrowtown and Wanaka's Puzzling World. We also stopped to buy some more cheap delicious cherries outside of Cromwell.
This was Arrowtown, a small gold mining town just outside of Queenstown. Lovely old buildings/shops. You could buy some gold panning gear and try your luck in the Arrow River which was once rich with gold.
We had a bit of fun with the Roman Toilets at Puzzling World, Wanaka.
Here's me holding up the leaning tower of Wanaka!
Franz Josef
Standing outside our motel unit at Franz Josef. Lovely view of the Southern Alps.
Visiting Franz Josef glacier. This is the barrier - as far as you are "allowed" to go without a proper guide.
We ignored the signs, of course... Here's me and Jacob at the valley floor - still a long way away from the glacier terminal face.
Here's Alice and me back at the barrier. (Alice didn't cross the barrier, it was too rocky for her to clamber down)
View of Franz Josef glacier from Peter's Pool.
Franz Josef glacier
Fox Glacier
The next day, our second and final day at Franz Josef, we drove down the road to see Fox glacier.
It looked even more spectacular than Franz Josef.
Here's as far as we were allowed to go - the terminal face of Fox Glacier. This was much closer than we were able to get at Franz Josef.
Next: Our South Island trip finale.
This was Arrowtown, a small gold mining town just outside of Queenstown. Lovely old buildings/shops. You could buy some gold panning gear and try your luck in the Arrow River which was once rich with gold.
We had a bit of fun with the Roman Toilets at Puzzling World, Wanaka.
Here's me holding up the leaning tower of Wanaka!
Franz Josef
Standing outside our motel unit at Franz Josef. Lovely view of the Southern Alps.
Visiting Franz Josef glacier. This is the barrier - as far as you are "allowed" to go without a proper guide.
We ignored the signs, of course... Here's me and Jacob at the valley floor - still a long way away from the glacier terminal face.
Here's Alice and me back at the barrier. (Alice didn't cross the barrier, it was too rocky for her to clamber down)
View of Franz Josef glacier from Peter's Pool.
Franz Josef glacier
Fox Glacier
The next day, our second and final day at Franz Josef, we drove down the road to see Fox glacier.
It looked even more spectacular than Franz Josef.
Here's as far as we were allowed to go - the terminal face of Fox Glacier. This was much closer than we were able to get at Franz Josef.
Next: Our South Island trip finale.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
South Island trip Part 4: The Road to Milford and Milford Sound
The Road to Milford
The Milford Road offers a stunning scenic journey from Te Anau to Milford Sound, into the heart of the Fiordland National Park. There were many interesting points of interest along the way. We made several stops which included the Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes, Falls Creek and Monkey Bridge, Hollyford Valley, Homer Tunnel and The Chasm.
Eglinton Valley:
Mirror Lakes:
Falls Creek and Monkey Bridge:
Hollyford Valley:
Ice cave near Homer Tunnel
Jacob and me at Homer Tunnel
Mountains around the Homer Tunnel area
The Chasm
Milford Sound
And finally, we arrive at Milford Sound...
Me, with Mitre Peak in the background.
We arrived just in time to board our cruise boat - The Milford Adventurer (in the background)
Again, Mitre Peak in the background.
Onboard The Milford Adventurer, Milford Sound cruise boat.
The wind was chilly.
This is one of my favourite photos. Stirling Falls, coming down from the U-shaped valley.
At the mouth of the fiord, looking back in at it.
We stopped at Seal Rock to watch some NZ Fur Seals
We were lucky enough to spot some dolphins when a pod of mostly juvenile dolphins escorted our boat briefly. Pretty hard to capture them on camera though, with the digital camera time lapse. I did manage to catch just the fin of one dolphin.
Approaching Stirling Falls - the boat got close enough for those of us on deck to get wet.
Harrison's Cove - approaching the floating underwater observatory where we got off
At the underwater observatory.
Another ferry picked us up from the underwater observatory.
Bowan Falls
Driving back from Milford Sound, we ran into some sheep. As they say, a true kiwi road trip is not complete without some interaction with sheep. We had to pull over and give way, as sheep have right of way.
Next - Part 5: Glacier country (including Arrowtown and Wanaka)
The Milford Road offers a stunning scenic journey from Te Anau to Milford Sound, into the heart of the Fiordland National Park. There were many interesting points of interest along the way. We made several stops which included the Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes, Falls Creek and Monkey Bridge, Hollyford Valley, Homer Tunnel and The Chasm.
Eglinton Valley:
Mirror Lakes:
Falls Creek and Monkey Bridge:
Hollyford Valley:
Ice cave near Homer Tunnel
Jacob and me at Homer Tunnel
Mountains around the Homer Tunnel area
The Chasm
Milford Sound
And finally, we arrive at Milford Sound...
Me, with Mitre Peak in the background.
We arrived just in time to board our cruise boat - The Milford Adventurer (in the background)
Again, Mitre Peak in the background.
Onboard The Milford Adventurer, Milford Sound cruise boat.
The wind was chilly.
This is one of my favourite photos. Stirling Falls, coming down from the U-shaped valley.
At the mouth of the fiord, looking back in at it.
We stopped at Seal Rock to watch some NZ Fur Seals
We were lucky enough to spot some dolphins when a pod of mostly juvenile dolphins escorted our boat briefly. Pretty hard to capture them on camera though, with the digital camera time lapse. I did manage to catch just the fin of one dolphin.
Approaching Stirling Falls - the boat got close enough for those of us on deck to get wet.
Harrison's Cove - approaching the floating underwater observatory where we got off
At the underwater observatory.
Another ferry picked us up from the underwater observatory.
Bowan Falls
Driving back from Milford Sound, we ran into some sheep. As they say, a true kiwi road trip is not complete without some interaction with sheep. We had to pull over and give way, as sheep have right of way.
Next - Part 5: Glacier country (including Arrowtown and Wanaka)
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