3,100 kilometres (and probably just as many shutter presses) after leaving Christchurch on the first day of spring. It’s probably a good time to reflect on the journey.
But first there was the International Antarctic Centre to visit.
It was opened by New Zealand’s Bradman, Sir Edmund Hillary.
In addition to “conquering Everest”, Hillary drove to the South Pole in the late 1950’s in Hegglunds – which the adventurous can take a ride on at the Antarctic Centre.
The highlight for me were the penguins.
They go by a different name here, blue penguins, but they are 20 or so rescued fairy penguins from sub-antarctic islands.
And you can get to see them underwater at feeding time.
On the way to drop off the rental car, I came across a striking church. It’s the oldest all timber church in New Zealand, St. Paul’s in Papanui.
JOURNEY REVIEW
The Highlights:
1. The flights into and from Milford Sound. (Unplanned)
2. Parasailing at Queenstown. (Sort of planned)
3. The Albatross Encounter at Kaikoura. (Unplanned)
4. The Glacier Walk at Fox Glacier. (Sort of Planned)
5. Maruia Falls near Murchison. (Totally accidental)
6. Kaikoura.
7. Snow at Lake Tekapo. (Can’t be planned)
8. Photo Safari. (Totally spontaneous)
9. Puzzling World at Wanaka. (Accidental)
10. The great drives – each equal to the Great Ocean Road:
- Queenstown to the West Coast via Haast Pass
- West Coast to Murchison via the Upper Buller Gorge(unplanned)
- Blenheim to Kaikoura (unplanned)
The Lowlights:
Nil – it’s all worked out better than expected – even the photo’s without a tripod or polarizing filter!
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