New Zealand South Island Tour 16-21 November 2008

We began our tour of the South Island by being picked up at our hotel and going to the central bus station where we caught our coach for the first day of our adventure. We then traveled through the county of Canterbury through fields of sheep and beautiful green fields dotted with yellow flowers. We were told that the beautiful yellow flowers were actually weeds that the farmers hated. I thought they were spectacular. Because it is just coming spring, the wildflowers were everywhere and it was very alive with yellow and green splashes of color and white mountain peaks.
Dairy Farm.
Tree Hedges. The paddocks are separated with tree hedges, large rows of tall trees that have been planted close together and then cut to make a hedge.
Beautiful Southern Alps.
Yellow and green everywhere.

Lake Tekapo, our first glacier lake. Note the turquoise color.
Lupin flowers, fields of them.
Monument to the sheep dog. It takes one sheep dog to know one.
We traveled towards Mt. Cook which is the highest mountain peek in New Zealand. Sir Edmund Hilary trained for Mt. Everest on this mountain. Today, however, the weather did not cooperate for us and as we got closer to Mt. Cook Village it started to rain. This picture of Mt. Cook is a postcard I scanned.
Mt. Cook, highest mountain peak in New Zealand
Mountains near Mt. Cook Village.
Mt. Cook Village.
Fileds of lupin flowers and glacier rivers.
Glacier lakes

After having lunch and spending some time at Mt. Cook Village we continued our trip to Queenstown. Later in the afternoon the weather had gotten better and by the time we reached Queenstown the sun was shining.
First bungy jump in the world took place just outside of Queenstown.

Queenstown in situated on Lake Wakatupi which is surrounded by high mountain ranges. It is a beautiful setting. The mountain that Queenstown sits at the base of has a cable car that takes you to the top. After checking in to our hotel and getting situated we walked to the cable car station and rode it up. The view from the top was spectacular.
Lake Wakatipu
Our hotel, the Blue Peaks.
Jay at the Blue Peaks Lodge.
Cable car in Queenstown.
Riding the cable car.
Queenstown from the top of the mountain.
Last Resort Hotel
Beautiful purple flowers.
Shopping street in Queenstown.
Condos and flowers in Queenstown.

New Zealand South Island Tour 16-21 November 2008

We arrived at Milford Sound and boarded our boat at 1 pm. We had a box lunch provided for us. After we ate we spent the next couple of hours enjoying the beauty of this place. I am sure you will agree it is spectacular.
Bothersome photographer took this picture as we boarded the boat. Jay was saying something to him when he snapped the picture.



Camera man Jay taking photos off the end of the boat.
Tiny penquin on a rock.
Seals sunning themselves.


Tasman Sea.

Waterfalls
Waterfalls.
More waterfalls.
Waterfalls close up and personal.
Our boat as we disembarked.

New Zealand South Island 16 -21 November 2008

We opted to fly back to Queenstown rather than spend another 3-4 hours on the bus. Milford Sound is really quite close to Queenstown but there is no direct road to it so you have drive a round about way and it takes close to 4 hours to get there. We were not up to another four hour bus ride. We are glad to flew back. It took 40 minutes and the scenery was beautiful.
Pilot and Oldroyds before flight back to Queenstown.
Milford Sound boat as we took off.
Milford Sound from the air.
Flying over Southern Alps.
Southern Alps.
Southern Alps.
Glacier Lake from the air.
Waterfalls.
Jay during the flight.
Pilot in flight.
Coming in to Queenstown.
Landing approach.
Landing.
Down, safe and sound.