Christchurch
Flew Sydney to Christchurch on Emirates Airbus A380 double decker plane - my first flight on the A380. I flew on the upper deck. Nice flight and the plane is relatively quiet and spacious.
Christchurch is New Zealand's second largest city (largest city in South Island New Zealand), and serves as a gateway to Antarctica. Several expeditions to Antarctica started in Christchurch. Two major earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 caused extensive damage to Christchurch, and the rebuilding remains a work in progress as of today. I stayed at The Grange Boutique, a bed and breakfast inn in the center of Christchurch.
My activities in Christchurch:
* Botanic Gardens - a large park with gardens, walking trails, and the Avon River. Being late fall in New Zealand, also lots of fall foliage colors.
* Canterbury Museum - lots of exhibitions about the history and culture of the Canterbury region (where Christchurch is located) as well as details about Antarctica
* Quake city Museum - go through the journey through the events and personal stories about the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes that hit Christchurch. Learn about how earthquakes happen, Christchurch's plan for rebuilding, and even see artifacts from key buildings such as the Christchurch Cathedral
Queenstown
Queenstown sits on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, surrounded by the dramatic Southern Alps. My flight Christchurch to Queenstown was scenic, with lots of mountain views from the plane. Queenstown also has lots of cafes, restaurants, and shops. It is the ideal city for adventure seekers and nature fans. I stayed at the Crowne Plaza in central Queenstown, very convenient location for sightseeing and eating. My room had a view of Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkable mountains.
I hopped aboard the Spirit of Queenstown for a scenic cruise on Lake Wakatipu, which included a visit to Bob's Cove, an area filled with natural beauty. The cruise arrived at Mt Nicholas which has a sheep farm. Mt Nicholas produces high quality wool for clothing companies around the world. The tour of the sheep farm included feeding the working animals, a visit to the sheep pen, and a trip through the mountains for panoramic views. After the farm tour, returned to Queenstown on the Spirit of Queenstown.
I rode the Skyline gondola to the top of Bob's Peak for spectacular view of Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu, and the mountains. Some people paraglide back down. Also had a New Zealand style dinner at the Skyline Restaurant.
Queenstown Light festival, held on the Queen's birthday weekend, transforms the Gardens into a light show. It is similar to Vivid Sydney.
Milford Sound
It was a sunny day in Milford Sound - it rains up to 300 days per year in Milford Sound so sunshine is a rare treat. I took a helicopter ride, departing Queenstown and flying over the mountains on the way to Milford Sound. Upon reaching Fiordland National Park the helicopter made a landing on Mt Tutoko glacier and another landing on a secluded beach along the Tasman Sea. The flight included great views of cliffs, rivers, waterfalls, and Mitre Peak. The magnitude of the waterfalls vary depending on recent rains.
Auckland
Auckland is New Zealand's largest city and an international gateway into New Zealand. Auckland is nicknamed "City of Sails", owing to the popularity of sailing and boating due to its large harbor. Auckland also has islands and volcanic cones. I stayed at Hilton Auckland and my room had harbor views.
I rode the ferry to Devonport, a suburb with cafes, shops, and a Navy museum. Did the climb to the top of Mt Victoria, the highest volcano on the North Shore of Auckland. The peak of Mt Victoria once served as a military base during war. Up here, the views of the city skyline are stunning. Great place to enjoy the sunset.
I went up to the observation deck in Auckland Skytower, New Zealand's tallest human-made structure. The deck has great views of Auckland and surrounding islands. At the deck, we could also watch people doing the sky jump which, as the name implies, is jumping from the top of the Auckland Tower.
Visited the Auckland War Memorial Museum, sitting at the highest point of Auckland Domain. The museum has many exhibits about the culture, history, people, and nature of New Zealand. There is also an exhibit about volcanoes. I also watched a live performance of the Māori culture.
Joined a group tour to the Auckland wilderness, driving through the Waitakere Ranges on the way to Auckland's west coast. In the Ranges, we visited the Manukau Harbour and Arataki Visitor Centre (with great views of the landscape), walked through a rainforest, and saw a giant waterfall. Upon arrival at the coast, stopped at Piha to visit a black sand beach and Lion Rock. The beach sand is more like granite color, especially under the sun. The sand is also magnetic. And we tasted Mānuka honey, made in New Zealand.
