While living in Thailand we decided to take advantage of the fact that we were on the other side of the world by taking a vacation to Australia and New Zealand. We figured that we'd never be closer to these places and ought to check them out while we could. Our 2 weeks in Australia were awesome (click here for our Amazing Australia Trip) and we were looking forward to more amazement during our week in New Zealand.
Day 1 - Queenstown
After 2 adventure-packed weeks in Australia, we boarded a plane in Sydney and flew for 2 hours to Queenstown, New Zealand. New Zealand is known for its stunning natural beauty. As we stepped out of the plane onto the runway, we were shocked to see majestic mountains surrounding the Queenstown airport. What a grand welcome!
View from our hotel
Queenstown is a small resort town of 10,000 people located around Queenstown Bay on Lake Wakatipu which was formed by glaciers. Nestled next to "The Remarkables" mountain range, the city offers absolutely spectacular views of mountains all around.
The beautiful city of Queenstown
We spent our first day walking around the town and taking in the scenery. Having never lived in a mountainous region, the sheer size and closeness of these mountains were truly a treat that we never tired of seeing. We had a leisurely lunch in one of the local cafes then spent the afternoon strolling through the beautiful botanic garden.
Camp street, Queenstown, NZ
Queenstown is the unofficial world capital of adventure tourism. It is the birthplace of commercial bungee jumping and offers the full spectrum of adventure activities from sky diving and snow skiing to whitewater rafting and fly fishing. We made our way into one of the adventure shops to see what activities we could try out. After sifting through all the activities we found one that would meet my thrill-seeking needs while not scaring Amber away from participating. We decided to sign up for the Shotover Jet. This is a ride in a super fast jet boat in a river with dangerously close rocks and cliffs. We booked a ride for the next morning and also booked bungee jumping and zip-lining for the following day.
Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown
We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and ended up watching the "Sherlock Holmes" movie at the local cinema.
Day 2 - Queenstown Adventures
We started our day with breakfast at the hotel while enjoying the view of the lake with the mountains behind it. Next, we made our way into town, checked-in for our jet boat ride, and boarded the shuttle bus that took us to the launch point which was about 10 minutes away. We were quickly debriefed about the ride and given water proof jumpsuits to wear over our clothing. As we waited for our turn to board we got to see the sheer awesomeness of what we were about to do.
We saw the jet boats whizzing by with screaming passengers narrowly missing the cliff walls, turning on a dime, and quickly accelerating to break-neck speeds. The 15 passenger boats have 520 horsepower and are propulsed and controlled by two jet units thrusting 200 gallons of water per second allowing it to travel 50 mph in as little as 3 inches of water! It was finally our turn to board the boat. I was getting very excited while Amber was getting really worried.
Our boat pushed off the pier and we quickly felt the full force of the beast. We passed under a picturesque bridge and made our way into the canyon. Here, the river narrowed down to 10-15 feet in width. The driver made sharp zig-zag turns down the river and we all screamed thinking we were going to hit the cliff walls!
Awesome views from inside the boat
We continued down the canyon until it widened significantly. We were treated to some g-force inducing donuts and figure 8s. The driver saved his best trick for last - a body-jarring 360 degree spin at high speed without stopping! I was screaming for joy while Amber while was screaming for her life!
This picture sums up how we each felt during the jet boat ride!
On-board video of our Jet-boat ride!
We continued our thrill-ride down the river surrounded by unbelievable scenery. We never stopped screaming and were always fooled into thinking that we were going to hit the canyon walls only to narrowly and suddenly turn away from it. This was much better than any roller-coaster I had ever ridden!
Stopping at the crepes shop near the gondola
Back in Queenstown, we made our way to the skyline gondola. The skyline gondola is a cable car system that took us 1500 feet up to Bob's Peak. At the top was a restaurant, observation deck, and summer luge track.
Looking down at Queenstown from near the top of the Gondola
The views from the top of the peak were simply stunning! It was easy to see how glaciers carved out the lakes and valleys through the nearby mountains.
The view from Bob's Peak
After a delicious dinner at the hotel, we were picked up by a shuttle van and taken back near the Shotover River to the Onsen Hot Pools facility. We booked a romantic sunset private hot pool. Each room contained a large hot tub and a large retractable window that faced the river and surrounding mountains.
Time to unwind and relax in style
As the sun was setting, we sat in the tub looking out at the beautiful natural scenery, sipping our wine, and eating chocolates. The weather became cooler after the sun had set, so we closed the large window and enjoyed the view of the stars from the comfort of the tub.
The view from our private hot pool
Day 3 - Bungee Jumping & Wine Country
A trip to Queenstown wouldn't be complete without a bungee jump. And what better place to go than the Kawarau Bridge, the world's first commercial bungee jump site. We skipped breakfast (no need to jump on a full stomach and risk more adventures!), picked up our rental car, and drove to the Kawarau Bridge just outside of town.
Amber's pre-jump picture on the Kawarau Bridge
The Kawarau Bridge sits 141 feet about the pristine Kawarau River in the picturesque central Otago wine region - a perfect setting for a bungee jump. We made our way inside the facility, got registered, got weighed, and had our weight written on our hands so that the jump operator would know what length bungee cord to use. We went outside to the viewing platform and watched a few people make their jumps off the bridge. It looked so fun and my excitement was building!
Even though Amber had already done a bungee jump in Thailand, she was completely terrified to make this jump and only signed up for the jump to prove a point that she wouldn't be outdone by me. She made her way on the bridge, walked to the jump platform, got fitted with the bungee cord around her ankles, and smiled with the jump operator at the camera. After a countdown of "3-2-1-jump!", Amber leaped off the bridge feet-first and immediately began screaming. She screamed the entire way down and briefly paused during the upward rebound only to scream on the way down again. She continued to scream with each successive downward rebound until she was recovered by the waiting raft below.
Now it was my turn. I hurriedly made my way to the bridge and quickly realized how much higher it was than the viewing platform. I approached the jump platform and was allowed to be next to jump due to the people in line second-guessing their decision and allowing me to move forward. The person in front of me enthusiastically made their jump and it was my turn. The operator strapped the leg harness around my ankles containing the bungee cord and asked if I wanted to jump dry, touch the water, or submerge half my body in the river below. I opted for the water touch. The pre-jump pictures were taken and I was instructed to move to the ledge, which required awkward tiny bunny hops due to my ankles being strapped together.
I looked around and admired the beautiful natural scenery all around, but made the mistake of looking down into the river. It was at this point that I first felt fear and panic. However, it was short-lived because the operator told me to look straight ahead, and began his countdown. It's amazing how many emotions can occur in 3 seconds and how times I switched from fear to excitement, but I was proud that I didn't hesitate when he said jump. I leaped off the platform with chest out and arms out feeling like a bird. The feeling of sheer unobstructed free-falling was for me adrenalin-filled terrifying ecstasy.
I though it would have felt like peaceful floating. Instead it was faster than I'd ever imagined with the wind constantly pressed against my face rushing noisily past my ears. The free fall was so fast yet seemed to last forever. I started to feel gravity normalize as I approached the water due to the bungee cord stretching at my ankles. I reached out with my arms to try to touch the water but missed the surface by a mere couple of inches. The remaining rebounds were fun to experience, but they didn't compare to the initial plunge. For 10 minutes after the jump my body was shaking due to adrenalin overload. I was so happy and I wanted to do it again!
We decided it was time to get some food to calm our bodies down. Luckily, the winery next door had a restaurant and we were served a traditional rancher's breakfast in their very scenic outdoor patio.
We spent the afternoon visiting various wineries in the region, cheese shops, and driving through some spectacular landscapes. The central Otago wine region is located at the floor of ancient glacial valleys and is the most southerly wine region in the world. Most of the wine produced in the area is Pinot Noir - one of our favorite varietals.
After a leisurely day in wine country we returned back to Queenstown, took the gondola back up Bob's Peak, and signed in for our tree-top zip-line eco-tour.
The tour was located in a dense forest on the mountainside filled with large, tall beech trees. We were equipped with our harnesses at the first station and made our first traverse on the zip-line to another platform a few hundred feet away. At each platform we learned about the local environment, how to stay 'green', and sustainably.
However, each traverse became longer and longer to the point that we couldn't see the next platform. We would zip-line blindly into the forest hoping we wouldn't get stuck in the middle and end up at another platform. The views were great, we were near the tops of 100 ft trees and at times could see Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown a thousand feet below at the base of the mountain. We ended the tour by making a short hike back up the mountain. This was a great activity and I looked forward to returning in the future because they were nearing completion of their last zip-line platforms which allows people to zip-line down the entire way down the mountain!
We had a private tour to catch in the town of Te Anau, thus, we started the day by packing our bags, loading the car, checking out of the hotel, and making the 2 hour drive west. The drive was quite spectacular. We rode for miles along the twisty and winding mountainside road that hugged the shores of Lake Wakatipu (2nd largest lake in New Zealand). The landscape became very mountainous and all we could see were stunning peaks and rolling farmland hills as we drove between them in the valleys. The scenery was so mesmerizing that I lost track of my speed and got pulled over with a speeding ticket!
Te Anau is a small town on the southwest corner of the southern island of New Zealand. It is home to about 2,000 people and serves as the gateway to the 5,000 square mile Fjordland National Park which is full of fjords, hiking trails, and mountain ranges. We arrived in Te Anau in the late morning, parked at the visitor center, put on our hiking boots, and met with our guide. We walked along Lake Te Anau until we reached the helicopter pad. We had signed up for the "Heli-hike" adventure - a guided tour that involved taking a helicopter to the top of a mountain, then hiking along the famous Kepler track for 8 kilometers down the 3,000 ft. mountain, through the forest, and taking a boat back to the starting point.
This was our 2nd helicopter ride in as many weeks, and this ride was just as awesome as the first one in Australia. We lifted off the floating pad from the lake and made our ascent towards the mountains. We could see grand mountain ranges stretching for miles into the horizon and the rivers and valleys accompanying them. After a brief tour of some of the mountains and land formations, we landed on Mount Luxmore.
It was beginning to rain, so we put on our provided rain jackets and made our way along the mountain. At this, point we were above the tree line and could see the Te Anau basin, the nearby lakes and the surrounding Fjordland Mountains.
After 30 minutes or so of walking we abruptly entered a silver beech forest. The wet atmosphere, the shade of green of the trees and plants, the moss, and the unique foliage made it seem like we were inside a magical enchanted forest. I wouldn't have been surprised had we stumbled upon a unicorn or hobbit. In fact, our guide informed us that parts of "Lord of the Rings" were shot in the adjacent forest.
We took a break in the forest and had lunch. The guide told us that New Zealand has no snakes or dangerous animals. Animals that were introduced to New Zealand via humans such as ferrets, rabbits, mice, and weasels were destroying the native species of reptiles and birds. Thus, there continues to be extensive efforts to trap and eradicate these invasive animals, evident by the mice and ferret traps we saw along the track.
The last portion of the hike had us walking by towering limestone cliffs, and we finally ended up on the sandy beaches of Brod Bay on Lake Te Anau. Our waiting boat picked us up and ferried us back to the visitor center. We checked-in to our beautiful countryside cottage, changed into dry clothes, and took a well deserved nap. The rest of the day was spent admiring the fantastic scenery and enjoying a dinner at a local restaurant.
The next morning we hit the road and took the Milford Highway from Te Anau to Milford - dubbed the most scenic drive in New Zealand. This was a tall order considering the amount and quality of scenic driving we had experienced so far in New Zealand, however, I had to agree that this was the most spectacular drive I'd ever done. The first part of the 119 km road was through rolling flatlands, hills, and meadows.
Amber's bungee jump off the Kawarau Bridge
Even though Amber had already done a bungee jump in Thailand, she was completely terrified to make this jump and only signed up for the jump to prove a point that she wouldn't be outdone by me. She made her way on the bridge, walked to the jump platform, got fitted with the bungee cord around her ankles, and smiled with the jump operator at the camera. After a countdown of "3-2-1-jump!", Amber leaped off the bridge feet-first and immediately began screaming. She screamed the entire way down and briefly paused during the upward rebound only to scream on the way down again. She continued to scream with each successive downward rebound until she was recovered by the waiting raft below.
Amber being collected at the end of her bungee jump
Now it was my turn. I hurriedly made my way to the bridge and quickly realized how much higher it was than the viewing platform. I approached the jump platform and was allowed to be next to jump due to the people in line second-guessing their decision and allowing me to move forward. The person in front of me enthusiastically made their jump and it was my turn. The operator strapped the leg harness around my ankles containing the bungee cord and asked if I wanted to jump dry, touch the water, or submerge half my body in the river below. I opted for the water touch. The pre-jump pictures were taken and I was instructed to move to the ledge, which required awkward tiny bunny hops due to my ankles being strapped together.
My first ever bungee jump!
I looked around and admired the beautiful natural scenery all around, but made the mistake of looking down into the river. It was at this point that I first felt fear and panic. However, it was short-lived because the operator told me to look straight ahead, and began his countdown. It's amazing how many emotions can occur in 3 seconds and how times I switched from fear to excitement, but I was proud that I didn't hesitate when he said jump. I leaped off the platform with chest out and arms out feeling like a bird. The feeling of sheer unobstructed free-falling was for me adrenalin-filled terrifying ecstasy.
What a rush!!!
I though it would have felt like peaceful floating. Instead it was faster than I'd ever imagined with the wind constantly pressed against my face rushing noisily past my ears. The free fall was so fast yet seemed to last forever. I started to feel gravity normalize as I approached the water due to the bungee cord stretching at my ankles. I reached out with my arms to try to touch the water but missed the surface by a mere couple of inches. The remaining rebounds were fun to experience, but they didn't compare to the initial plunge. For 10 minutes after the jump my body was shaking due to adrenalin overload. I was so happy and I wanted to do it again!
Brunch at the vineyard
We decided it was time to get some food to calm our bodies down. Luckily, the winery next door had a restaurant and we were served a traditional rancher's breakfast in their very scenic outdoor patio.
The Central Otago Wine Region
We spent the afternoon visiting various wineries in the region, cheese shops, and driving through some spectacular landscapes. The central Otago wine region is located at the floor of ancient glacial valleys and is the most southerly wine region in the world. Most of the wine produced in the area is Pinot Noir - one of our favorite varietals.
Exploring the amazing New Zealand landscape
After a leisurely day in wine country we returned back to Queenstown, took the gondola back up Bob's Peak, and signed in for our tree-top zip-line eco-tour.
Ready to do some zip-lining
The tour was located in a dense forest on the mountainside filled with large, tall beech trees. We were equipped with our harnesses at the first station and made our first traverse on the zip-line to another platform a few hundred feet away. At each platform we learned about the local environment, how to stay 'green', and sustainably.
Amber's zip-lining descent into the forest
However, each traverse became longer and longer to the point that we couldn't see the next platform. We would zip-line blindly into the forest hoping we wouldn't get stuck in the middle and end up at another platform. The views were great, we were near the tops of 100 ft trees and at times could see Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown a thousand feet below at the base of the mountain. We ended the tour by making a short hike back up the mountain. This was a great activity and I looked forward to returning in the future because they were nearing completion of their last zip-line platforms which allows people to zip-line down the entire way down the mountain!
Upside-down and no hands!
A quick video of my zip-lining experience!
Day 4 - Te Anau
We had a private tour to catch in the town of Te Anau, thus, we started the day by packing our bags, loading the car, checking out of the hotel, and making the 2 hour drive west. The drive was quite spectacular. We rode for miles along the twisty and winding mountainside road that hugged the shores of Lake Wakatipu (2nd largest lake in New Zealand). The landscape became very mountainous and all we could see were stunning peaks and rolling farmland hills as we drove between them in the valleys. The scenery was so mesmerizing that I lost track of my speed and got pulled over with a speeding ticket!
Awesome scenic drive
Te Anau is a small town on the southwest corner of the southern island of New Zealand. It is home to about 2,000 people and serves as the gateway to the 5,000 square mile Fjordland National Park which is full of fjords, hiking trails, and mountain ranges. We arrived in Te Anau in the late morning, parked at the visitor center, put on our hiking boots, and met with our guide. We walked along Lake Te Anau until we reached the helicopter pad. We had signed up for the "Heli-hike" adventure - a guided tour that involved taking a helicopter to the top of a mountain, then hiking along the famous Kepler track for 8 kilometers down the 3,000 ft. mountain, through the forest, and taking a boat back to the starting point.
Our helicopter coming to pick us up
This was our 2nd helicopter ride in as many weeks, and this ride was just as awesome as the first one in Australia. We lifted off the floating pad from the lake and made our ascent towards the mountains. We could see grand mountain ranges stretching for miles into the horizon and the rivers and valleys accompanying them. After a brief tour of some of the mountains and land formations, we landed on Mount Luxmore.
Flying over the mountains
It was beginning to rain, so we put on our provided rain jackets and made our way along the mountain. At this, point we were above the tree line and could see the Te Anau basin, the nearby lakes and the surrounding Fjordland Mountains.
The view from Mount Luxmore
After 30 minutes or so of walking we abruptly entered a silver beech forest. The wet atmosphere, the shade of green of the trees and plants, the moss, and the unique foliage made it seem like we were inside a magical enchanted forest. I wouldn't have been surprised had we stumbled upon a unicorn or hobbit. In fact, our guide informed us that parts of "Lord of the Rings" were shot in the adjacent forest.
It felt like we were in "Lord of the Rings"
We took a break in the forest and had lunch. The guide told us that New Zealand has no snakes or dangerous animals. Animals that were introduced to New Zealand via humans such as ferrets, rabbits, mice, and weasels were destroying the native species of reptiles and birds. Thus, there continues to be extensive efforts to trap and eradicate these invasive animals, evident by the mice and ferret traps we saw along the track.
Taking a break in the forest
The last portion of the hike had us walking by towering limestone cliffs, and we finally ended up on the sandy beaches of Brod Bay on Lake Te Anau. Our waiting boat picked us up and ferried us back to the visitor center. We checked-in to our beautiful countryside cottage, changed into dry clothes, and took a well deserved nap. The rest of the day was spent admiring the fantastic scenery and enjoying a dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 5 - Milford Sound
The next morning we hit the road and took the Milford Highway from Te Anau to Milford - dubbed the most scenic drive in New Zealand. This was a tall order considering the amount and quality of scenic driving we had experienced so far in New Zealand, however, I had to agree that this was the most spectacular drive I'd ever done. The first part of the 119 km road was through rolling flatlands, hills, and meadows.
Beautiful meadow lands
We made a stop and crossed a cool suspension bridge over the Hollyford river that led to Humboldt Falls.
As we approached the southern alps the scenery became more mountainous and we entered a great beech forests. While driving through the towering trees we crossed the 45th parallel - the halfway point between the equator and south pole. Shortly after, we made a stop at the Mirror Lakes. On a clear day the lake provides a perfect reflection of the mountains.
After driving for miles on, around, and between mountains we finally approached Homer's tunnel. This 1200 meter tunnel cuts directly through a mountain and descends 1 feet for every 10 feet traveled. We had to wait for the light to turn red because it is only one way during non-avalanche season. As we exited Homer's tunnel we were met by the stunning Cleddau Valley and it's steep and slow winding roads.
We finally arrived at Milford where we parked our car, walked to the pier, and boarded our tour boat in the light cold rain. Milford Sound is actually a Fjord (or Fiord) and not a sound. A sound is a general term for a large sea inlet (larger than a bay), but a Fjord is a long narrow water inlet created by glaciers. This results in spectacular waterways among magnificent mountains.
Milford Sound is one of the wettest places on the planet with an average rainfall of 7 meters (23 feet), and it rains 182 days of the year! All the rain creates lots of temporary and permanent waterfalls. The most popular is the Stirling Falls which is 500 feet high. Our boat came right in front of the base of the Stirling Falls. It was deafeningly loud and we were soaked by all the mist created. What an experience!
We cruised along the fjord looking at countless stunning waterfalls cascading down the steep mountains. Some of the waterfalls were easily 1,000 feet high and disappeared into the air rather than touching the water below. We rode all the way out to the Tasman sea and even some a group of seals relaxing on some rocks.
A group of seals on the rocks
At the end of the cruise we made a stop at an underwater observatory. We saw the rare 'black' coral (looks white) usually only found in deep waters. Milford Sound has some interesting marine life because the water is made-up of two layers. Salt water from the ocean makes up the bottom layer while fresh water from the rain & glaciers makes up the top layer.
We returned back to Te Anau, enjoyed a yummy local Italian dinner, and spent the evening watching a film at the local theater that featured a collection of videos and pictures of Milford sound.
Our last full day in New Zealand featured an all-day trip to Doubtful Sound. Doubtful Sound is ten times larger and supposedly more spectacular than Milford Sound. It also required more traveling to access. In the morning we made the short drive from Te Anau to Manapouri and made our way to the meeting point at Lake Manapouri. About 100 of us tourists boarded a double-decked boat that ferried us across Lake Manapouri. The storm from yesterday had passed overnight, resulting in snow on the mountains and a sunny, clear day. We made our way to the top deck of the boat and and took in the amazing views of the surrounding snow-capped mountains.
A rickety suspension bridge
A stop at Mirror Lakes
As we approached the southern alps the scenery became more mountainous and we entered a great beech forests. While driving through the towering trees we crossed the 45th parallel - the halfway point between the equator and south pole. Shortly after, we made a stop at the Mirror Lakes. On a clear day the lake provides a perfect reflection of the mountains.
Fall's Creek
Taking a break to enjoy the view
After driving for miles on, around, and between mountains we finally approached Homer's tunnel. This 1200 meter tunnel cuts directly through a mountain and descends 1 feet for every 10 feet traveled. We had to wait for the light to turn red because it is only one way during non-avalanche season. As we exited Homer's tunnel we were met by the stunning Cleddau Valley and it's steep and slow winding roads.
Homer's Tunnel
The winding road through Cleddau Valley
We finally arrived at Milford where we parked our car, walked to the pier, and boarded our tour boat in the light cold rain. Milford Sound is actually a Fjord (or Fiord) and not a sound. A sound is a general term for a large sea inlet (larger than a bay), but a Fjord is a long narrow water inlet created by glaciers. This results in spectacular waterways among magnificent mountains.
Cruising down Milford Sound
Look at all the waterfalls cascading down the mountain behind us
Milford Sound is one of the wettest places on the planet with an average rainfall of 7 meters (23 feet), and it rains 182 days of the year! All the rain creates lots of temporary and permanent waterfalls. The most popular is the Stirling Falls which is 500 feet high. Our boat came right in front of the base of the Stirling Falls. It was deafeningly loud and we were soaked by all the mist created. What an experience!
Approaching the Stirling Falls
We cruised along the fjord looking at countless stunning waterfalls cascading down the steep mountains. Some of the waterfalls were easily 1,000 feet high and disappeared into the air rather than touching the water below. We rode all the way out to the Tasman sea and even some a group of seals relaxing on some rocks.
It started to storm as we left Milford Sound - quite an eerie sight!
At the end of the cruise we made a stop at an underwater observatory. We saw the rare 'black' coral (looks white) usually only found in deep waters. Milford Sound has some interesting marine life because the water is made-up of two layers. Salt water from the ocean makes up the bottom layer while fresh water from the rain & glaciers makes up the top layer.
Fish swimming around the white colored 'black coral'
We returned back to Te Anau, enjoyed a yummy local Italian dinner, and spent the evening watching a film at the local theater that featured a collection of videos and pictures of Milford sound.
Day 6 - Doubtful Sound
Departing from Manapouri
Our transfer boat at Wilmot Pass
We departed the boat at Wilmot Pass, site of the hydroelectric power station (partly built by Amber's company), and loaded into buses. We traveled along Wilmot Pass Road snaking through the mountains down into the entrance of Doubtful Sound.
'Deep Cove' inlet of Doubtful Sound
We reached the inlet of Doubtful sound, known as Deep Cove. It was a peninsula of water surrounded by steep, lush mountains. There was a small pier where we boarded our touring boat. After a quick safety presentation, we began cruising into Doubtful Sound.
Cruising on Doubtful Sound
After only cruising 15 minutes in Doubtful Sound we spotted a group of dolphins! In accordance with the law, the boat shut down its engines and we all watched on the outdoor decks as the playful dolphins swam by. Some of the dolphins were even jumping out of the water!
A group of playful dolphins
Doubtful Sound is one of the largest fjords in New Zealand. We cruised along the calm waterways for hours and even journeyed out to the much rougher Tasman Sea. It was an absolutely perfect day to take in the incredible beauty that nature had to offer.
A perfect day with beauty scenery
Similar to Milford Sound, this area receives significant amount of rainfall. Thus, the mountains are lush with trees, vegetation, and waterfalls.
I'd never get tired of seeing this
However, the soil on the slopes mountain isn't very deep, and the trees are thinly rooted to the mountain side. If a single tree falls it causes the loosely rooted trees below it to fall, thus, creating a chain reaction of falling trees all the way down the mountain into the water. The result is a vertical scar of bare mountain as seen in the left side of the picture below.
The bare spot on the mountain was formed by a tree avalanche
It's one thing to look at these great photos, but it's quite another to experience it. The freshness of the air, serenity of the water, beauty of untouched waterfalls, and closeness of towering mountains forces you to respect and be in awe of nature. The experience also causes catharsis-like self-reflection of one's life, priorities, and lifestyle. I was ready to drop everything and move to New Zealand!
I love the natural beauty of New Zealand!
Sadly, the tour had to come to a close. We made our way back to Wilmot Pass and toured the hydroelectric power station before crossing the lake and driving back to Te Anau. We spent the rest of the day walking around Te Anau and enjoying a dinner with live music at a local restaurant.
A Moa - a huge flightless bird that were local to New Zealand but are now extinct.
Roadside restaurant in Te Anau
Day 7 - Farewell to New Zealand
Our last day in New Zealand was fairly non-eventful as we had a plane to catch to get back home in Thailand. We made the drive back to Queenstown admiring the amazing landscape one final time. When we arrived in Queenstown I looked up into the sky and saw people paragliding (gliding with a parachute off the mountain down into the city). Everyday day while we were in Queenstown I tried to book a tandem paragliding session but was told it was too windy. Now was the only opportunity to do it, and we are leaving! Oh well, it's something I can look forward to next time.
Bye-bye to Queenstown and New Zealand
Our week in New Zealand met and exceeded all our expectations. We were mesmerized by the natural beauty and spirit of adventure of New Zealand. We sampled just a small portion of what New Zealand had to offer and we wanted more. We only experienced 1 week in only 2 cities of the Southern Island. We vowed to return and explore more areas of New Zealand in the future.
This also concluded our spectacular 3 week vacation. We loved every minute in Australia and New Zealand. We highly recommend these places as a destination to visit at least once in a lifetime. We were so impressed with these places that we were already planning on how to move there. Voila! 6 months later, with a lot of determination, some elbow grease, and a little luck we were moving out of Bangkok, Thailand and into Bunbury, Australia (click here to read about our moving experience!). This trip ended up being an experience-of-a-lifetime in more ways than one!
