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Click for more information about South Island
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MTP Member Photos - South Island
MTP Member Posts - South Island
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2013 Feb by Roger Johansson |
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Very Interesting to visit and drive around in. It was possible to drive coast to coast to see both Sunrise and Sunset in the ocean the same day... | |
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2007 Dec by Michael Novins |
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December 2007 -- I flew from Auckland to Blenheim, where I rented a car and drove to Havelock (where I had lunch at The Mussel Pot (http://www.themusselpot.co.nz/)), Kaikoura, where I saw a few sperm whales (http://www.whalewatch.co.nz/), Christchurch, Arthur's Pass, Hokitika, Franz Josef Glacier (where I went with Okarito Kiwi Tours (http://www.okaritokiwitours.co.nz/) into Tai Poutini National Park and saw one brown kiwi in the wild and climbed the glacier with Franz Josef Glacier Guides (http://www.franzjosefglacier.com/)) and Queenstown. | |
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2007 Jan by Chris Lewis |
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We had overnighted in Te Anau so that we could spend today in Milford Sound. Lets get the geology lesson out of the way first. Milford Sound isn't actually a Sound at all. A sound is created by a river that then floods back from the sea. This is a fjord. A glacier cut gorge that runs out to sea. But who cares it's bloody gorgeous whatever it is. The drive from Te Anau took about 3 hours with quite few stops for photos and the drive was amazing in itself. Driving through a valley with steep hills and mountains either side of us. Rivers, waterfalls and snow capped peaks. We were still on the East side of the mountains and the weather was perfect, not a cloud to be seen, but we still had our fears as we know how different the weather can be on the west side. To get across the mountains we go through the Homer Tunnel. About 1270m long and runs at an angle of 1:10 downwards. We soon hit the other side and the weather was still gorgeous. Weather Gods I forgive you for what you did to us in Franz Josef. | |
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1992 Dec by Veikko Huhtala* |
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We have only one visit to South Island on the contrary of North Island, where we have been several times. From Wellington we travelled over Cook Strait by ferry. It takes three hours and ten minutes to cross the strait from Wellington to Picton. From Picton we drove by bus to Christchurch and there we rented car for one week period. Our first destination was Timaru (population of 27,000) On our trip we slept inside of our car and we had not any hotel night during this one week. So we saved much money, because NZ is not cheap country to stay. From Timaru we drove 200 km south to Dunedin and from there to Invercargill. It is the southernmost and also the westernmost city in NZ with around 50,000 inhabitants. We were also going to Stewart Island, but as normally, we did not find time for that. You can fly to Stewart Island from Invercargill and ferry and helicopter operates from Bluff, some kilometres south of Invercargill. From Invercargill we drove to north and reached Mount Cook on Christmas Eve. We stayed our Christmas there in the silence, watching its 3750 m high snow covered peak. It is the highest mount in NZ. It was special and different Christmas what we ever have been. After South Island our next destination was Norfolk Island. First we flew from Christchurch to Auckland and from there to Norfolk. | |
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1983 Aug by Jorge Sanchez |
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New Zealand is unique in geography. As the new Zealanders themselves say, their country is a little Europe: there are fiords, like in Norway, beautiful beaches, like in Spain, volcanoes, like in Italy, nice small islands, like in Greece, high mountains, like in Switzerland, green meadows, like in France, geysers, like in Iceland
etc.Indeed New Zealand is a very lovely country. I hope to go back in 2009, during my fifth around the world journey. I have not yet been in Chatham Islands. I also want to make the famous trekking Milford Trail.I hitch hiked in the northern island. Hitch hiking is so easy
! Usually the first car passing by will give you a ride.In the southern island it is more difficult because there is lesss traffic, and sometimes I had to take a bus.There are several accommodations in breathtaking Mount Cook (3754 metres), the hotel Hermitage (very expensive for backpackers but where you can go in just for the views), and a Youth Hostel with budget beds in the communal dormitory. Here is where I slept.From Mount Cook you can continue your journey by road to Queenstown or Dunedin, or flying to Franz Josef Glacier by helicopter, with extraordinary views over the Mount Cook!
I returnbed to New Zealand, to Christchurch, in the year 2012, and this is what I wrote about my visit: Sometimes you like a country for its nature, for the beaches, for the monuments
And sometimes you like a country for its people.
That is what it happened to me in New Zealand. I loved that pretty country especially because I made friendship with an extraordinary person, the Wizard of Christchurch.
In the year 1983, the first time that I visited Christchurch, I did not dare to talk to him, although I liked his message in the middle of the street, criticizing the bad things that are happening in our world and the misconception we have about the purpose of life. I found he was a very intelligent man, and he was right in what he said, and admired him
Then, in the year 2012 I returned to Christchurch to take my airplane to Chatham Island. I waited three days in that city and every day I met him and had conversation with him
In those times Christchurch had suffered a terrible earthquake and part of the city was still destroyed.
I found the Wizard to be a tender, affectionate, sensitive and wise man. He had been in the most beautiful places of Spain, such as Madrid, Sevilla, Granada, Toledo, Santiago de Compostela, and also in my city, Barcelona. He loved Spain very much.
He did not like the way present architects are constructing the unfinished temple of the Sagrada Familia, since Antonio Gaudi death. The second façade, according to him, was horrible. And he requested me:
- When you go back to Spain, please tell the Spaniards to follow the original Antonio Gaudi plan, like in the first façade, the impressing Nativity, and not to distort it by introducing new styles, erecting the ugly second façade representing the death of Jesus Christ.
I agreed with him. In fact I find beauty in the simplicity, like simple Vatican Basilica,
When visiting the Vatican Basilica you feel peace, happiness, and your soul relax, while in the Sagrada Family you feel nervous for so much unnecesary detail in the stones, that is why I do not completely like over decorated constructions.
The Wizard was right; the first façade is infinitely more beautiful and impacting than the second one.
Let us wait how it will look like the third one
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