New Zealand Trip Report, Solar Daytime 5: Christchurch, Solar Daytime 6: Arthurs Pass

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

New Zealand Trip Report, Solar Daytime 5: Christchurch, Solar Daytime 6: Arthurs Pass

February 22, 2017, Wednesday:

From Rotorua nosotros took the Matamata route...Rotorua-T Poi—Matamata-Tahuna in addition to hence Auckland airport. This was to avoid the heavy traffic on the Hamilton route.

Had the photo-op at this information site at Matamata for a Hobbiton moment...

Our YHA kitchen opened solely at 6am, Foolishly I had kept cheese, yogurt, juice etc inward the refrigerator in addition to had to facial expression to start our breakfast. We started off on our drive solely past times seven though our invention was to accept off past times 6.30.

We were driving amongst offline map in addition to encountered a roadblock where nosotros were diverted a bit. No major hassles. Reached the rental, returned the auto in addition to went to the airport. As explained inward the intro, the conveyor belt was non working in addition to nosotros wasted roughly fourth dimension earlier approaching the officeholder to drib our pocketbook ahead of the line. Air New Zealand allows a deport on weighing seven kg in addition to a modest personal item. So nosotros checked ane pocketbook betwixt the 2 of us carrying hiking poles, knife non allowed equally deport on.

The flying was scenic from the left manus side... nearly a scenic heli ride... flying quite low. Again when nosotros landed at 1.30, fourth dimension got wasted till the luggage belt stopped in addition to our pocketbook had non appeared. After filing the complaint, nosotros took the shuttle to the auto rental solely later on 2.30.

YHA CHRISTCHURCH:

The drive to YHA took a while... streets are cordoned off amongst orangish cones amongst operate going on.

We checked in, had nutrient in addition to our pocketbook had come. My novel headlamp had been confiscated because of the lithium battery. We bought provisions for our South isle stint in addition to had solely the eve left for sight seeing.

CHRISTCHURCH BOTANIC GARDEN:

We walked to the nearby botanic garden... real beautiful amongst awesome huge trees, a kitchen garden amongst fruit laden trees in addition to pumpkins on creepers, fountains, statues, huge lavander hedges in addition to a lovely rose garden. It had been started amongst a unmarried oak planted inward 1863 inward laurels of a majestic marriage.

This is the Peacock natural springtime (1911)... traditional...

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 modernist fountain...

Lovely flowerbeds...

Awesome trees...

Kitchen garden... fruits in addition to veggie laden...

Statues...aahh... what a house to sit...

Contemporary sculpture...

Lavender hedge inward the herbaceous beds...

Maple bushes..

The occasional birds...

ROSES, ROSES AND.... MORE ROSES....

Dahlias

Peace bell amongst metallic from hundred addition countries... made such lovely music when struck...

We could receive got gladly spent a amount twenty-four hr catamenia at these gardens...but e injure upwards in addition to called it a day

February 23, 2017, Thursday:

We gear upwards off for the famed West coast... via the famous Arthurs Pass. Our finish for the black was Hokitika.

Here's a map amongst all our South Island destinations underlined inward blue...

Castle Hill Rocks

It was a lovely drive in addition to our get-go halt was the Castle Hill Rocks..ancient monolithic limestone stone formations. We.hiked upwards in addition to had lovely views...

Arthurs Pass:

Next was the famed Arthurs Pass. The route was get-go used past times Maori tribes crossing to the westward coast to honour pounamu (jade). It's a sophisticated mount pass, memorable for its scenery amongst snowfall covered mountains.

Arthur's Pass is a base of operations for climbing, hiking, hunting in addition to skiing adventures inward the side past times side national park. There's a skillful pick of curt walks.

Then nosotros were off to the Visitor Center, to start our hikes...

Millenium Falls:

First ane was Millenium Falls, simply side past times side to the visitor center...after the viewing platform, nosotros took a modest footpath downwards for improve views...

Devil's Punchbowl:

Next was the much longer, steeper Devil's Punchbowl

There was a kea inward the trees when nosotros were hiking back... awesome... nosotros got a skillful video.

We had missed the Cavestream... but immediately had to become on.

Otiro viaduct:

Otiro viaduct was the next... real lovely in addition to naughty keas were around...one shy guy at that spot in addition to several naughty ones inward the pullout simply next...

It had been an AWESOME twenty-four hr catamenia in addition to nosotros arrived at Hokitika simply earlier 9pm

Report of Hokitika gorge, Franz Josef glacier hike, Fox glacier hike in addition to the gorgeous drive to Wanaka are covered inward the following post... days seven in addition to 8:
http://www.kris-sapiutri.blogspot.com/search?q=new-zealand-trip-report-day-7-hokitika