New Zealand South Island exploring



We started in Christchurch, a city devastated by earthquakes but they are getting on with rebuilding their city and lives. We visited Quake City to learn more about the disaster, worth a visit to really get a sense of how traumatic the quake was.



A quirky and ingenious shopping mall made from shipping containers set up to keep people in their jobs and to bring people to the heart of the city once again.



Our bank!


Fallen church bells a powerful symbol.



A cheeky window dresser, so good!  Make sure you see the brand of his undies.


Fabulous weather just followed us clockwise around the island.  Snow capped Mt Cook.


The old area of Omaru was a great find.


We visited a castle on the Otago Peninsular.



A Royal Albatross in flight, they have a 3m wingspan.



So much drift wood.  Where does it all come from?


Baldwin Street in Dunedin, the steepest street in the world.  Seriously!  They hold Jaffa races down it every year.



Milford Sound and Mitre Peak on a perfect day, so good.



Edith Cavell bridge over the Shotover River late one afternoon was a great place to cool the feet.


Queenstown, gorgeous scenery but way to hectic for our liking.


Jelly Belly art.


Big scenery everywhere.


The best hot chocolate at Wanaka.  Real chocolate!


We walked to both Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers and it was pretty damp, so not much photography.


I love a good swing bridge, Dear Husband wasn't so keen.  So much fun bouncing up and down on it!


Our only photo together taken by a very busty bikini wearing Argentinian backpacker, now you know why Mark was smiling big!



Valentines Day was spent boating and beaching at Abel Tasman National Park, just beautiful



The sandflies are monsters in NZ, they can make your life a misery.


A rockpool full of baby NZ Fur Seals


Dinner overlooking the Kaikora area, where the mountains meet the sea.  Great surfing area.


The bees are seriously big and furry, and they buzz so loud.  There is an iconic NZ childrens toy named Buzzy Bee, very cute but noisy too.

 

Great scenery around every corner.


A view toward Akaroa, a French settled area of NZ.


One of NZ's oldest houses and it was a French kit home!


A portrait


Loved this bronze sculpture in the award winning Dyslexia Discovery Centre garden in Christchurch.  


Old fashioned boatsheds and punting on the Avon River in Christchurch.


We began and ended our trip with dinners at the famous Cafe Valentino in Christchurch, we were even seated at the very same table!  




The carpet in the departure lounge at the airport represents the Canterbury Plains. This information came from a very reliable source.  I sat next to a wonderfully giving local on the flight over and she was a fountain of great information for us. Visit Fiona Andersen Photography to see some very special wedding photography, she flies all over the world to capture that very special day for couples. 



Bye, bye South Island until next time!  We loved you.  Our first OS holiday in 20 years and it was a great success, we can't wait until it's time to take off for our next one. I think we have caught the travel bug.

Pure Journeys for traveller not tourists organised our 19 Day South Island Tiki Tour beginning and ending in Christchurch.  Tom was fantastic helping us every step of the way.  Highly recommend Pure Journeys to any of my friends or family if you want to explore everything New Zealand has to offer. 


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Great pictures. I love what they did with the church bells. Talk about making something great out of something terrible.

Glad you had such a wonderful vacation. :-)