New Zealand a beautiful country to visit with the two islands offering different views.
Auckland : This was our first stop and it was great meeting up with family especially the nephews and nieces. My brother-in-law met a cousin after almost 50 years. I met two of my former colleagues after a decade. Burger fuel came highly recommended by one of the nephews whereas the other nephew suggested that fine dining meant going thru a McDonald’s drive thru and perhaps enjoying Denny’s Lava Cake. Not for him the finely laid dishes at an upmarket restaurant as he needed to go to McDonald’s to eat again. Some highlights:
- One Tree Hill provides a unique view of the city
- North and South Island ( Like North and South Mumbai) with a bridge in between
Queenstown was the next stop and it’s a postcard perfect town very much like the lake towns such as Interlaken in Switzerland. Much smaller and compact, we took a road trip to Milford Sound. Was expecting to see the Glacier but ended up with a humongous number of waterfalls (3,000+ as per guide) in the mountains as well as a short water cruise to the mouth of the Tasman Sea. For those who have been to Malshej, Amboli and Lonavla… will say waterfalls? especially since we get so close to them and even enjoy their presence during the rains in Maharashtra. Trip is long and tiring and frankly I thought we would see a glacier but I miscalculated.. Mumbaikars may not fancy the return trip of 10 hours at $250 NSD a head too much.
The Drive : Queenstown to Wanaka: 68.5-kilometres 1 hour via Crown Range Rd (steep road with sharp turns) As you ascend, you’ll enjoy some spectacular viewpoints of Lake Wakatipu (the one at Queenstown). Wanaka to Lake Pukaki and then onwards to Lake Tekapo for an overnight stay . The drive in between Wanaka and Tekapo includes the Lindis Mountain Pass . The vast landscape and scenery here are unlike anywhere else in New Zealand. As you drive towards Lake Pukaki, Mt. Cook comes into your view and flirts with you along the drive till you reach the Lake and get a great view of the Mountain which is listed as 3,724 metres (12,218 feet) Everest is 8,848 metres in comparison. From Lake Tekapo to Christchurch we took the slightly longer route via the stunning Rakaia Gorge. South Island is blessed by nature and this drive showcases it best for a short visit. We stopped for a meal at a Golf cafe and the freshly cooked food was outstanding.
Christchurch: The steady and sometimes intermittent drizzle may leave you wondering whether to step out…and when you do, you will find a beautiful city, nice downtown, great eating places, chairlift with a panoramic view of the city and much more. We did the Antarctic tour, and it was an experience by itself.
If you have family and friends you will end up in Auckland but do make it to the South Island for a great experience. The weather is also excellent in December.
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