My daughter planned a free and easy family vacation to New Zealand. We left Singapore to New Zealand on 16 Dec 2013 to 31 Dec 2013. It was summer time in New Zealand but the temperature was very cooling. It was between 14 to 17 degree C. I need to put on extra clothing to keep myself warm. I grew up in a tropical country like Singapore and had used to the hot and humid weather in the region of 30 C. I do not think I can stand the harsh and cold winter conditions. New Zealand is indeed a very nice country for vacation. The scenery is beautiful. The country is big with plenty of space to move around but on the contrary the population is small.
Our itinerary was as follows:
- Christ Church
- Greymouth (pick up rental car at train station)
- Punakaki
- Franz Josef glacier / Fox glacier
- Lake Wanaka
- Queenstown
- Milford Sound
- Dunedin
- Otago Peninsula
- Moeraki Boulders
- Mount Cook
- Christ Church (return rental car at airport)
16 Dec 2013 (Mon) Singapore - Christ Church
We took the SIA SQ 295 direct flight to New Zealand. The flight duration was 9 hours. New Zealand time was 5 hours ahead of Singapore time.
17 Dec 2013 (Tue) Christ Church
We landed at Christ Church International Airport in the afternoon (New Zealand time). We took a taxi to the Hotel, Argyle On The Park. Since we had lunch on board of the plane before the touch down, we explored the Christ Church city centre straight away after depositing our luggage in the hotel rooms. The Christ Church Botanic Garden was our first visiting destination as it was just situated across the road opposite our hotel.
The Christ Church City Centre was near the botanic garden. Many historical buildings were damaged due to earth quake. Most buildings were shored up by steel members to prevent them from collapsing. The local Government has not decided what to do next as many buildings were in serious dilapidated stage. Any further movement to these buildings may lead to disaster. In order to let business to continue, containers were used as temporary premises. Containers became a unique feature in Christ Church after the earth quake. We had our afternoon coffee in one of the container cafe. Dinner was at the Running Bull cafe. Many of the locals met up for a drink after work before going home. Not all will stay back for dinner. This was our first bite of the local food. It was fantastic!
- The Police HQ
a popular Japanese car in NZ
destroying the buildings
buildings affected by earth quake
running man figure
18 Dec 2014 (Wed) Christ Church - Greymouth - Punakaiki
We checked out of Argyle on the park early in the morning at 7.00 am for Greymouth. We pre-booked the Tranz Alpine train tickets in Singapore. The train tickets were inclusive of train station transfer. A coach picked us up from the hotel at 7.30 am. We had breakfast on the train while we enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way.
photo taking
The train arrived at Greymouth town at 1.30pm. We collected our rental car from Hertz car rental office at the Greymouth train station. It was a metallic light blue Mazda 6. We had lunch at the Freddy's cafe after loading all our luggage in the car booth. The lunch was NZ $ 67 for 4 persons. We had pasta, fish and chips, sandwiches and local L&P lemonade soft drinks. Our next stop was Punakaiki Resort which was an hour drive from Greymouth town.
soft drink
Greymouth town
Arrived at Punakaiki Williams Hotel. The Punakaiki pancake rocks and blow hole was just 3 minutes drive from our hotel. The rocks formations were like pan cakes. They were in horizontal layers which resembled the Malay's Kuay Lapis. The blow holes rocks formation was a natural phenomenon. Sea water will shoot up like water jets when it was high tides. We were not able to have a glimpse of it as our visit did not coincide with the high tide. Dinner NZ $ 344.08 was at the Williams hotel restaurant.
19 Dec 2013 (Thurs) Punakaiki - Hokitika - Franz Josef glazier / Fox glazier
We left Punakaiki for Franz Josef glazier / Fox glacier. And stopped at Hokitika for lunch at the Stella cafe. This cafe was recommended by the trip adviser on the Internet. We had fish and chips, bacon buttie, chicken pie & mushroom and salad rice. The lunch was NZ $63.20. We arrived Franz Josef, Bella Vista motel at 4.30pm. We made a short walk as a warming up to prepare for the next day actual glacier trekking to Franz Josef glacier and Fox glacier. We had dinner at the 88 Asian Fusion. This restaurant was recommended by the motel staff. We had rice with vegetable, satay and fried noodle. It was NZ $90.
20 Dec 2013 (Fri) Franz Josef glacier / Fox glacier trekking
We bought some breads and wraps for our glaciers trekking. For the more adventurous, they can opt to join the guided tour. An experience guide will lead the group venturing nearer to the glacier. Other individual trekkers had to stop at certain point. Only guided tours were allowed to proceed nearer to the glacier. Guided tour members were required to equip with proper trekking shoes, protective helmets and weather proof jackets etc. Trekking at the glaciers was indeed a good experience and exercise. The temperature was a cooling 15degree C with winds. As we walked on, our body generated heat and we had to remove our jacket along the way. The weather was consider kind to us. It was sunny day while we were trekking. I was told that the glacier weather changing very fast within a day. We will get wet if it rains that will make the trekking even more difficult. Trekking the glaciers required some efforts as we were going up slopes most of the time. And the paths were in uneven granites. We trekked Franz Josef glacier in the morning and then the Fox glacier in the afternoon. Dinner was at the near by Alice May restaurant (NZ $ 143).
Antique telephone
21 Dec 2014 (Sat) Franz Josef - Haast - Lake Wanaka
We left Franz Josef for Lake Wanaka and stop half way at Haast town, Hard Antler cafe for lunch. We were informed that the road to Lake Wanaka was closed for 2 hours due to rain and fallen rocks. We took the opportunity exploring Haast town. Haast was a very small town. There were only a two cafes and a few shops. Most tourists will take this place as a mid stop for resting. At last the road was opened, we arrived Lake Wanaka in the late afternoon. After checking in to Bella Vista motel, we drove round Lake Wanaka before having dinner at Francesca's Italian Kitchen. This restaurant served very good Italian food. The restaurant was fully booked. Walk in customers need to wait. We were lucky to find an out door seat though we did not make reservation. The out door temperature was even colder than the in door. We need to put on our jackets while we enjoying our meals. There was a farmers' market on every Sunday by the lake at Lake Wanaka. We bought a few bottles of NZ farmer home made jams and pickles before checking out of Bella Vista motel.
22 Dec 2014 (Sun) Lake Wanaka - Queenstown
We left Lake Wanaka for Queenstown . We stayed at the Queenstown Heartland hotel for 2 nights. After checking in, we drove to the town centre to have a bite of the popular Ferg burger for lunch. This outlet was recommended by the Internet trip adviser. The queue to buy the burger was super long. I noticed that the queue was all day long. There were very little seats at the Ferg burger outlet. Most people purchased to take away. We enjoyed our Ferg burger at the near by park. We later took the gondola up the mountain to have a commanding view of the Queenstown town. My 2 younger generations also took the Luge ride while the 2 senior citizens enjoying afternoon coffee at the cafe.
23 Dec 2013 (Mon) Milford Sound
We booked a day tour to Milford Sound. The bookings were done advance in SG. The journey from Queenstown to Milford Sound was very scenic and windings. The roads from Queenstown to Milford Sound cut through the mountains and tunnel. The conducted day tour arrangement was to enable every one could enjoy the beautiful scenery for the whole trip. The day trip tour included a boat ride, lunch on board of the ferry and coach pick up at the hotel. There were several stops along the way for scenic viewing and coffee break. We arrived Milford Sound at noon and boarded the Lady Bowen ferry. The ferry made a U turn at the Tasman sea.
Closed up of the glacier
24 Dec 2013 (Tue) - Queenstown free and easy
A free and easy day in Queenstown. We drove to Gibbston Valley Cheesery and Winery and then to the Arrow town. The Arrow town was crowded with the miners in the early days for gold rush. It is now a quite town with tourists stopping over for sight seeing. We went back to Queenstown for Christmas eve dinner. We ordered a sea food platter and a soup bowl at the Japanese restaurant.
at the park
in Queenstown
25 Dec 2013 (Wed) Christmas day, Queenstown - Dunedin
We checked out of Queenstown Heartland hotel for Dunedin. After arriving at Dunedin we realised that all the shops were closed for Christmas holiday. Fast food outlets like McDonald, Subways were closed too. Even the hotel restaurant was closed for business. We drove around the town and was lucky to find a convenient store was opened. We bought fried chicken with french fries for lunch and at the same time bought some wraps for dinner. Dunedin was like a ghost town on Chrismas day. There were few people on the street. People we saw were mostly tourists. We visited the renown Otago University premises and the world steepest street at Balwin Street.
hotel was closed
Fried chicken with french fries
25 Dec 2013 Christmas day
the train station
street level
of Baldwin street
26 Dec 2013 (Thurs) Otago Peninsular
We drove to Otago Peninsular for a day trip. It was raining the whole day. Lunch was at the Hotel Bristro of Portobello town. We headed back to Dunedin after lunch. Dinner was at one of the shopping mall food court. Most shopping malls and food outlets were opened for business after closing on Christmas holiday.
27 Dec 2013 (Fri) Dunedin - Moeraki Boulder - Mount Cook
We left Dunedin for Mount Cook. We stopped at Moeraki to see the big round boulders. Lunch was at the Lady Bird Hill Cafe. After arriving at Mount Cook, Hermitage Hotel / Motel , we went for the Tasman Lake Jetty and the Tasman River walk. Dinner was at the hotel restaurant.
gesture with the
dog
motel back yard
from the mountain
28 Dec 2013 (Sat) Mount Cook
We had breakfast at the hotel cafe thereafter we packed some sand witches for our lunch. We went for the Hooker Valley trekking (1 hr 35 min) . Scenery was beautiful along the way. Once again, the weather was kind to us, it was sunny day for the whole day.
29 Dec 2013 (Sun) Mount Cook - Lake Tekapo - Christ Church
Departing Mount cook for Christ Church, on the way stopped over at Lake Tekapo for lunch. Arrived Christ Church and checked in to Quality Hotel. We had take away Thai food for dinner. The Thai food outlet was recommended by the Internet trip adviser.
before reaching Quality Hotel
by Internet trip advisor
30 Dec 2013 (Mon) Christ Church - Akaroa - Christ Church
We went shopping at the Northland shopping mall and drove to Akaroa town in the afternoon . Akaroa was a town with French settlement. It was a small and quiet town. I was lucky to spot a Morris 1100 car. This car model was popular in Singapore 1970 then. I am not sure this model can still be found in Singapore today. Dinner was back to Christ Church at the Nandos cafe.
Christ Church
31 Dec 2013 (Tue) Christ Church - Singapore
The NZ after Christmas sales was still on. The 50% discount from the usual price was too attractive. We went for the last minutes shopping before going to the airport. Our flight was in the afternoon. We returned the rented car at Christ Church International Airport and boarded the SQ 296. Arrived at Singapore Changi Airport around 8.30pm. I went straight to bed after settling down at home. I had my 2014 New Year count down in my dream. It was around 4.00 am in New Zealand.
