02/25/23
Queenstown, New Zealand
Quick breakfast grab Addington coffee co-op. A Cheese scone (5NZD) and a Choco Apricot cookie (4.90NZD) before heading to the airport.
Off to Queenstown we went. No security check, just scanned our boarding pass and walked onto the tarmac to our tiny Air New Zealand plane. On the right hand side, you’re able to see all the mountains on the west coast of the South Island as you fly.
We were greeted by 22°C. Hopped on the Orbus bus (5NZD) to take us into the downtown area in 20-30mins. We stayed at Nomads Queenstown Hostel. Location is quite perfect but the hostel itself is located in a noisy area and if you’re on the 3rd floor, the WiFi connection is either non existent or very poor signal.
It is very close to Queenstown Beach. On Saturdays, there is an Art’s & Craft market featuring local Artist adjacent to the Pier and Queenstown beach.
We grabbed lunch at Arthur’s Gourmet Salad and Sandwiches. Grabbed a salad bowl with a mix of everything (18NZD) and took it to the Queenstown Gardens to eat and look out into the waters.
Queenstown Gardens also has disc golf and a skate park as well as a walking trail that gives you great views of Lake Wakatipu.
Bev took a nap so off I went to Queenstown Hill walkway. Half the battle was just getting up the suburban street to the start of the trail. Parking is limited up there (4 spots).
1-1.5hr hike. It’s pretty much a steady incline the entire way up. You will come to a fork in the road where you can choose to go left for a faster yet steeper hike up or go right and a slow steady incline up. This is the loop that will take you up to the Basket of Dreams sculpture.
The summit is further up if you continue (I finished at the Basket of Dreams sculpture) and well at that point, I wanted to head down (bring water friends) but now regret not making it up there for the even better view of so much more as the loop gives you views over Lake Wakatipu and the town only while the summit has views of Lake Wakatipu, Cecil Peak, the Remarkables, Frankton Arm and Queenstown Bay.
Met back up with Bev and went to Taco Medic Searle Ln. We got the Bajaman (fried fish)(9.5NZD), Koura (prawn)(9NZD) & Sunseeker (jack fruit)(8.5NZD) + chips & dip (9NZD).
02/26/23
Mt Cook National Park, New Zealand
Up bright and early to make our way with Cheeky Kiwi Travel to Aoraki (Mt Cook) National Park & the Hooker Valley Hike with our guide Mark. discount code “cheekyfamily”. When you book with Cheeky Kiwi, a portion goes to help Conservation projects.
If you are looking to work in tourism & hospitality, NZ has high demands and looking to fill hundreds to thousands of positions as the borders are open and loads of tourists are coming back in. For Cheeky Kiwi, they had 127 spots needing to be filled with competitive dayrates+tips. Guides could get 400/day (cheeky kiwi specifically highest paying) +tips could easily be 1000 a day – training Including. Can’t train for passion but can train for skills.
Quick stop for breakfast – the Wrinkly Ram. We got steak pies (17.80NZ – 8.90pp). New friends for the day – Ishrat & Malsha. Ishrat is from Scotland who was travelling NZ for 3 months and had 1 month to go. Malsha originally from Sri Lanka but living and working in Qatar was on a 2 week holiday of Australia & NZ. Also 2 girls from Germany but never got their names.
The South Island had the perfect summer while the North suffered. 22°C is cool for them as they usually average 28°C.
On our drive towards Aoraki (Mt Cook), we went to and passed by Lake Pukaki, Kawarau Gorge (gold country – home of the gold rush), Cromwell (fruitstones – peaches, nectars, Ines grapes & pears), Lindis Pass, Omarama, the Southern Alps and High Country Salmon and Roaring Meg lookout.
We drove through the Fault line where a very powerful Earthquake split the mountains open and the Kawarau River water drain direction of Lake Wakatipu changed.
Lindis, Louis & Arthur’s pass are the only 3 passes through the Southern Alps foot holds.
NZ is heavily rich in natural minerals, gold, oil and natural gases. However, NZ government has environmental protections in place not allowing commercial companies to touch it to keep the country prestige. NZ is putting in a lot of efforts to be greener and better for the environment.
NZ grows Canadian pine trees. It takes 25 years to mature in Canada but in NZ, it takes 17 years. They are highly flammable compared to NZ specific trees and were a problem as they decided to grow in an uncontrolled area and caught fire and had a huge devastating forest fire near Mt Cook. For the most part, the Canadian pines are grown on a controlled area for commercial use
Mt Cook is a mecca for climbers as it’s harder than Mt Everest and come here to train for skill level and go overseas for oxygen deprivation training.
Hooker Valley Trail is a 3hr hike on mainly flat land with 3 high suspension bridges with Mt Cook in view at all times but also views of glaciers and a river. Another option for trails is the The Tasman Valley trail as it is a shorter walk to Tasman glacier and you see ice bergs.
The land in NZ is very fertile growing an abundance of fruits and great conditions for salmon farming (using hydro dams), cows, merino sheep and all the goodies. Salmon farms – hydro dams using glacier freshwater that flushes through so there is no build up of bacteria and diseases
We ended off our day at @Thai Cuisine and had @thai house platter for 2 (30NZD), pineapple lychee duck curry with sticky rice (32NZD).
Some tidbits we learned on the tour:
-Mt Cook – hanging gully steep to flat. Flat was once a valley floor. Glaciers came through and then receded Carving out. 12000 feet high as it grows and shrinking.
-For tours in NZ, legally, seatbelts must be worn as commercial vehicles are regularly checked.
-Crown range highest road in NZ
-There is a Unesco darkness area on the way to Mt Cook so you can stargaze with absolutely no light pollution
-Aoraki – the demi God brother of earth mother and sky Father searching for new land in the south Pacific and their whaka got stuck in a storm and turned to stone (south Island) and the mighty mountains of the southern Alps turned to stone.
-NZ if you lay it over Europe covers Scandinavia to Spain. Fit into Australia 27 times.
-Cows are the deadliest animal in NZ. Standing on people’s foot. In Australia, everything can kill you.
-Cows farts are the biggest CO2 contributors in NZ
02/27/23
Milford Sound, New Zealand
Another early morning start but a must to make it to Milford Sound from Queenstown. Jumped on a coach bus with GreatSights with our guide Adrian.
13°C to start but 25°C to finish the day. We’ve had absolutely stunning weather. Our new friend Ishrat had gone to Milford Sound less than a week prior and it was pouring rain for her (still Magical as the waterfalls were fuller).
2hrs drive to Te Anau (walking capital of the world – largest fresh water in the southern hemisphere). Miles Better Pies for breakfast – lamb & mint pie (7.50NZD) and a small chai latte (4.50NZD). It was still a long drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound.
Along our way, we also went through/passed Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes Walk, Mitre Peak, Homer Tunnel, Monkey Creek and finally to Milford Sound for our cruise.
Interesting fact, Fiordland /Milford Sound is on the 45th south parallel. Temperate latitude band – no extreme weather’s that are too hot or too cold.
On the cruise they said dolphins are usually only seen twice a week but we had 4 surfing the bow wave with us the entire 1hr45min cruise. It was such a clear day and because of how Milford Sound is located, the waters are super calm. We even got up close and personal with a waterfall and got a glacier facial.
The drive in and out are long but definitely worth it.
Back in Queenstown, Blue Kanu for dinner – Fijian market fish kokoda, sago and squid ink crackers, avocado, coconut (24NZD) & sesame crusted prawn and scallop toast, nam Jim & fresh herbs (20NZD) & slow braised pork ribs w/furikake crust, sticky sauce (23NZD)
02/28/23
Queenstown, New Zealand
Last day in Queenstown and ended it on top.
Original plans were to rent a car and go explore some hiking trails near by and hope there was Aurora Australis action in the night but we opted out of that for a chill day in Queenstown.
We did the Skyline Gondola and 5 luge package (77NZD). The gondola we rode was going to get replaced with an improved version a few months after we went on them.
Luge was fun and you can even get a little bit of air on 2 parts of the track. Just remember your first ride is a tester one and it does count into the amount of rides you have so if you purchase a 3 ride, the tester ride counts as 1/3.
After our 5 rides, there are options for 2 hike trails at the top. We did a quick Skyline Loop track instead of Ben Lomond which is a 5-7hr trail.
We also watched people go for their paragliding activities. The Pilots are super calm and it just looks so effortless. You can do it yourself for 269NZD (early morning flight) or 299NZD.
The infamous Fergburger that always has a line moved rather quickly. We got the Sweet Bambi (wild fiordland deer, brie cheese, boysenberry & caramelized onion chutney, lettuce, tomato, red onion & aioli)(16.90NZD) & fries w/wasabi mayo (6.90NZD) – Southern Swine (Prime NZ beef, streaky bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato, red onion, aioli & tomato relish (16.90NZD) & salt and pepper squid (10.90NZD). Enormous and delicious. We found a spot on grass near the water to eat in the sun.
Patagonia Chocolates for ice cream – 2 scoops – Boysenberry, strawberry & apple sorbet and mascarpone cheese & fruit of the forest (10NZD). Bev highly recommends the Hokey Pokey with honeycomb.
We walked around the Gardens and just chilled the rest of the day.
Ended the day at Fergbaker for a jalapeno bagel w/cream cheese (4.90NZD)
