The journey in South Island (18 to 27 March 2012) continues ...
Do click here to view photos (2nd album) taken by yours truly (KC).
In photo album, click Slideshow (at top left corner); hit F11 key to adjust the optimal displays.
Day-7 (24 March, Saturday) QUEENSTOWN - WANAKA - FOX GLACIER
Depart to Wanaka via Cromwell, visit Mrs Jones fruit shop and flowers garden; visit Puzzling World at Wanaka; continue to Fox Glacier, sightseeing en route Haast.
Accommodation: Heartland Glacier Country Hotel
Depart to Wanaka via Cromwell, visit Mrs Jones fruit shop and flowers garden; visit Puzzling World at Wanaka; continue to Fox Glacier, sightseeing en route Haast.
Accommodation: Heartland Glacier Country Hotel
At Mrs Jones Fruit Shop – the fruits here are fresh and cheap.
Next to the fruit shop is a garden with flowers (about 800 plants) planted by Mrs Jones herself
Puzzling word in Wanaka ... Visual and mental treats and challenges with incredible illusion
Looks like those in the superman movies ......minus the S shape hair in front of face ... :-)
Famous faces follow our every move ...
A distorted room where we seemingly shrink or grow ...
Toilet for public poo-poo ... :-)
Fox Glacier - In front is the end of the glacier. Due to unstable ground, visitors are prohibited to advance further.
It have been bad weather for the past two days; while standing here, it is still drizzling.
Various trails for trekking:
Trail D – FOX GLACIER VALLEY WALK: Walk to view point of glacier terminal face; up to 1 hour return.Trail E – CHALET LOOKOUT WALK: 1 hour 30 min return. Stream crossing, lead to a viewpoint of Fox Glacier.
Trail F – MOUNT FOX TRACK: 8 hours return. Steep climb to alpine grasslands for views of alps, glacier and coastline. Marked route.
Trail F – MOUNT FOX TRACK: 8 hours return. Steep climb to alpine grasslands for views of alps, glacier and coastline. Marked route.
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The photo above this map is taken at the car park marked with “P” (the left P).
Separate taps for cold water (mark with blue, left) and hot water (mark with red, right) – when washing hands, the water is either too cold or too hot.
So far, I have encountered four hotels (that we stay) having this type of wash basin.
Day-8 (25 March, Sunday) FOX GLACIER - GREYMOUTH - CHRISTCHURCH
Coach transfer to Greymouth via Hokitika; coach transfer to Greymouth train station; TranzAlpine trains departs Greymouth to Christchurch.
Accommodation: The Elms Hotel
TranzAlpine railroad journey from Greymouth to Christchurch passing by the famous Arthur Pass; the train is in the tunnel for almost 10 minutes.
Scenic and spectacular view during the train journey
Day-9 (26 March, Monday) CHRISTCHURCH - Ashburton
City tour of Christchurch include visits Avon River, Botanic Garden; coach transfer to Farmers Corner, Ashburton; transfer to farmstay.
Accommodation: Farmstay
Day-10 (27 March, Tuesday) CHRISTCHURCH - Kuala Lumpur
Depart for Christchurch from Ashburton; visit International Antarctic Centre; transfer to Christchurch International Airport.
Destination: Kuala Lumpur.
The ruins of a large earthquakes of 5.8 magnitude hit Christchurch on 23 Dec 2011.
Work in progress to demolish this Crowne Plaza Hotel (so is the only casino on the left of this photo; refer to another photo in album).
Work in progress to demolish this Crowne Plaza Hotel (so is the only casino on the left of this photo; refer to another photo in album).
Botanic Gardens of Christchurch - happy moment of seeing so many beautiful flowers
Farmstay at Ashburton (half hour drive from Christchurch) ... the host, Ms Trish (left), is a friendly, capable and knowledgeable person. Together with her husband, they own this 60 acres of land for deer farming.
Background - Silage (grass for cattle) is wrapped in huge plastic for storage. When placed in the open, these huge and shinny stuff can be viewed from a distance when travelling in vehicles.
Another group of members stay in a different farm as each home can only take about six persons.
Male deer ... prized animal. Each male deer can be sold for NZD 30,000
Deer antler (or horn) is about NZD 300 a kilogram; the antler may easily weight around 30kg for each deer !! A deer’s lifetime can harvest two rounds of antler.
The tough or lucky job (okay, that depend on different perspective) – each male deer will be mixed with 30 female deer for mating.
As informed by Ms Trish, this is the mating season; so the entire farm, we could hear loud calling sound from male deer (trying to communicate with the female deer).
Tastefully decorated interior of Ms Trish’s home (do refer to the photo album for main hall, dinning, kitchen, bedrooms, bathroom, etc).
Kitchen area
Cheers! Cheers! to a memorable holiday in New Zealand. Organizer of this tour is Yvonne Lin (right); Coach Captain, Kevin is 2nd from right.
Do click here to view Part 1
Posted by KC Leong
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