New Zealand

I just got back from an incredible week in New Zealand! The scenery there was spectacular. Everywhere we went there were beautiful mountains, lakes, forests, and beaches. There were also a lot of fun activities to do along the way. We packed a lot into our 7 day tour of the South Island!

Our trip started last Saturday when Becky and I flew from Sydney to Christchurch. We wandered around the city that afternoon, visiting Cathedral Square and the Christchurch Botanical Gardens.

Sunday morning was when our tour started. Our tour group was about 35 people, coming from all over the world including England, Korea, Scotland, Denmark, Australia, and the U.S. It was great to meet people from so many different nationalities.

The first stop of our tour was the beautiful Lake Tekapo and the Church of the Good Shepherd. This was our first taste of the fantastic scenery of New Zealand. The snow-capped peaks of the Southern Alps provided a stunning backdrop to the lake. Next we traveled to Lake Pukaki. There we could see Mt. Cook, New Zealand's tallest mountain, in the distance. We then continued on to Mt. Cook village where we did a hike to Kea Point. That night, we stayed at a ski resort by Lake Ohau. That night was one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen. We ended the night by spending some time hot tubing under the stars.




The next day we left Lake Ohau to continue towards Milford Sound. Along the way, we stopped at Mirror Lake and The Chasm. We then arrived at Milford Sound (which is actually a fjord) where we boarded the Milford Mariner, the boat for our overnight cruise. That night we journeyed out to the Tasman Sea and then back into Milford where we anchored for the night. It rained overnight, which meant when we woke up there were waterfalls everywhere! Although the weather was not very pleasant, it was awesome to see. We also did a tour around the sound on a smaller boat that morning. Towards the beginning of our ride, we got caught in a hail storm! Luckily the hail stopped and we continued. We got to see some wild seals which was really cool!

After leaving Milford, we drove down to Queenstown where we spent two days. The first night we went out for dinner with our tour group to Lonestar (not the same as the one in the U.S.) and then to Minus 5 Ice bar. The next morning Becky and I planned on sky diving, but it was too cloudy. Instead, we rode the gondola (not the boat, more like a ski lift) up the mountain. There were some incredible views of Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu. We even saw a rainbow! We also did the skyline loop hike further up the mountain which had some beautiful views as well. Later that night we walked around Queenstown Botanical Gardens and saw the sunset.

Thursday we left Queenstown to head for Fox Glacier. Our first stop of the day was at the Kawarau River and the site of the world's first bungy. Also on the way, we stopped at Thunder Creek Falls and a couple places along the Tasman Sea.

Friday morning we woke up bright and early to hike Fox Glacier. We walked up 700 stairs and along the side of a mountain in order to reach the glacier, but it was definitely worth the hike to see it! It's not everyday you get to hike on a glacier. That afternoon we traveled on to Hokitka where we visited a jade factory and the beach. That night we arrived at Flock Hill Sheep station, where we spent the night.

Saturday morning we got to see some of what goes on at a sheep station. Some of the workers showed us how the dogs round up the sheep and then how to catch sheep to sheer. After having morning tea, we drove back to Christchurch where our tour was ending. That afternoon we took a nice relaxing boat ride down the Avon River and visited a museum. Finally, Saturday night we had one last dinner with the group and said our goodbyes.

Our last day in New Zealand, we visited the Kiwi House and Aquarium. The kiwi we saw was adorable! After some souvenir shopping, we were on our way to the airport and then back to Sydney.

Here are the links to some of the pictures I took:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2064494&id=15508380&l=99e96b7a0d

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2064496&id=15508380&l=6871bf44ea

After such a nice break, I'm back to class tomorrow. I have a few days to cram in my homework and then Mike is coming to Sydney on Thursday! It should be lots of fun!

Cheers!