What a beautiful country! We take the ferry from Wellington over the Cook Straight to Picton, on the South Island. Our cute bright green Jucy van is parked with the other cars, trucks, semis, and boats. The ferry runs eight times a day and probably has between 2500-3000 people. Our first destination is the wine country and Marlborough, the largest grape producing area in the country.
Click "READ MORE" below to find out more about this trip!
Click "READ MORE" below to find out more about this trip!
We stay at the Straw Lodge on the vineyards. Having rental bikes we plan to bike to wineries and do some tasting. Unfortunately, it is Good Friday and the tasting rooms are closed. We find this out probably after an hour into our ride. We make up for this disappointment by having a seven-course dinner in a local restaurant with different wines with each course.
Abel Tasman National Park is our next destination, the number one destination in the country. We stop in Nelson, an artsy village and do a little shopping. We take the sea shuttle to the park as no cars are permitted on the island. That evening we stay in Mapua at another B&B.
The next day we drive to Greymouth, about 4 hours. On the drive down the west coast we have seen many of the 30 million sheep and 10 million cattle. On this drive we stop at Cape Foulwinds, which is right on the Tasman Sea for some seal watching. The onto Paparoa National park where we stop at Punakaski to see the famous “Pancake Rocks” and blowholes.
Franz Joseph Glacier is next. A favorite tourist stop in the ‘Southern Alps”. We hike up 2 miles on the Glacier and see 40 to 50 waterfalls several hundred feet high, truly spectacular. We spend the night in a lodge that overlooks the glacier.
We leave the glaciers and stop at Lake Matheson. After that we head inland through the mountains, visit the Blue Pools that are bright blue! After driving 5 hours we get to our destination in Makaroa. Wild Earth Lodge, run by "Crazy” Pete and his wife Janine. We stay in the middle of a farm with sheep, cattle and deer. The evening is so clear, we see the Southern Cross!
Abel Tasman National Park is our next destination, the number one destination in the country. We stop in Nelson, an artsy village and do a little shopping. We take the sea shuttle to the park as no cars are permitted on the island. That evening we stay in Mapua at another B&B.
The next day we drive to Greymouth, about 4 hours. On the drive down the west coast we have seen many of the 30 million sheep and 10 million cattle. On this drive we stop at Cape Foulwinds, which is right on the Tasman Sea for some seal watching. The onto Paparoa National park where we stop at Punakaski to see the famous “Pancake Rocks” and blowholes.
Franz Joseph Glacier is next. A favorite tourist stop in the ‘Southern Alps”. We hike up 2 miles on the Glacier and see 40 to 50 waterfalls several hundred feet high, truly spectacular. We spend the night in a lodge that overlooks the glacier.
We leave the glaciers and stop at Lake Matheson. After that we head inland through the mountains, visit the Blue Pools that are bright blue! After driving 5 hours we get to our destination in Makaroa. Wild Earth Lodge, run by "Crazy” Pete and his wife Janine. We stay in the middle of a farm with sheep, cattle and deer. The evening is so clear, we see the Southern Cross!
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