Blogs from Arthur's Pass National Park, South Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 6

The next few blogs are going to be written on the run as we are driving from Christchurch to Auckland in only six days and trying to fit a lot in. We picked up a rental car and got a really good relocation deal for only $15 a day! Bargain. After getting the hang of driving an automatic, we ambitiously set off across to the west coast over the stunning Arthurs Pass. The road heads west from Christchurch where the plains of Canterbury give way to the dramatic, snow topped peaks of the Southern Alps. We stopped off for lunch at a place called Castle Hill which has boulders strewn about rolling green hills. Unfortunately we were (I was) bothered by a load of wasps so we moved on pretty sharpish. The thing I cannot get ... read more

I know it has been a while since my last update, but somehow it has been difficult to sit down and devote time to be on the computer. My last few weeks in New Zealand have consisted of visiting the wineries on the South Island, kayaking and flying in a helicopter around Milford Sound, meeting up with friends in Christchurch, caving, bouldering, and learning to roll a white water Kayak. After heading out from Wanaka, I headed down to Queenstown. This is the capital of extreme sports in New Zealand and there are plenty of tour operations ready get your adrenaline pumping. The city is very nice but way too touristy for my likes. I spent a day just checking out the city and headed west to the wine country on a rainy day. I visited ... read more

1/3/09 = A v.rainy day at Arthurs Pass Woke up early in our little shed so that we could catch bus to Arthurs Pass. Didn’t want to get out of our layers of blankets and face the cold, dark morning, but after 10mins of snoozing, had to give it up. Rushed off to toilet, which was in another outdoor shed, then got changed, packed up and set off at 7:50. Only had to go across road and wait outside ‘The Catering Company’, so not a long journey. Pleased to see that sun was now shining and no rain; hope it stays this way. Said goodbye to the shed with the leaky roof (floor at bottom of bed wet through this morning), then rode out, passed rainbow and onto other side of road. Couldn’t find the famous ... read more

Collected from the hotel at 7.45am for an hours drive across the Canterbury Plains to Springfield Station where we boarded the Tranzalpine Train. The train travels across the southern alps - ultimate destination is Greymouth on the West Coast. However - we disembarked at Arthurs Pass (after approximately 1.5hrs of travelling) - which is the highest station on the route. The views are breathtaking - mountains, rivers and gorges. From Arthurs Pass we travelled half an hour further west by road to Otira (a very small huddle of houses - which was historically a settlement of those who built the railway back in the 1800's). Again - breathtaking views - and able to see far more from the coach than the train. Waterfalls and impressive engineering as the road wound around the Alps, across viaducts and ... read more

Hi everybody, today we did some shopping for booze, odd fealing that we did it in Woolworths, not the same as at home...................enjoy the pictures.... read more