Kiwi Experience Comes to an End

Queenstown Traffic Jam


en route to Milford Sound

Milford Sound

Milford Sound

02.10.10: All day trip to Milford Sound. Weather wasn't great but I can still see why it's named as one of the 10 most beautiful places in the world. Got back in time for dinner with my friends at Fergburger - awesome burgers! had last night out with the crew around Queenstown.

02.11.10: Queenstown-Christchurch - glorious 7 hours on the bus (remember no iPod/iPhone either = awesome) but I met a nice group of people from Canada and England so I had some entertainment to get me through the ride. Happy to do some laundry and get stuff together while in Christchurch. Had a few drinks with people from the bus in the hostel bar for the night.

Milford Sound

Milford Sound

Last night together... not happy

Lake Pukaki


02.12.10: Christchurch to Kaikoura - marine life capital of NZ. lots of people did swimming with dolphins or whale watching, but I was happy enough with my wild penguin sightings on the drive in (no pics but was so excited to see them on the beach!!) so just chilled out for the day, napped and what not and hung out with people from the bus at the hostel for an early, low key night.

02.13.10: Christchurch to Picton for ferry to Wellington - played cards and such on the ferry over to Wellington, and met up with my friend Lindsay whom I met in Hanoi, Vietnam. We met up for apps and drinks at a cute place on the water and caught up about the end of our travels. Then she had me and a bunch of people from the bus over to her flat where she had a bunch of her kiwi friends over for wine. Headed out and enjoyed the Saturday night Wellington night life. Enjoyed it a bit too much as my 7:45 bus the next day was not fun!

Lake Pukaki

Kaikoura

meeting up with Lindsay in Wellington!


02.14.10: Taupo - lake Taupo was very pretty, I didn't partake in any activities as they all cost about $100 each, I was bummed not to do anything but just walked around the town a bit and enjoyed the beach and the sunshine. Watched Sweet Home Alabama and had some cheap wine with friends from the bus and in bed early!

02.15.10: Auckland - drove through Rototura (which has the most thermal activitity in NZ and top 3 sites in the world, but didn't get to experience the hot bubbling mud, but saw the steam from it from the bus :) ) arrived into Auckland in time to bop around and check out the city a bit. No one has good things to say about the city so a friend and I decided to hit up the only IMAX theater in NZ and see Avatar before it's out of theaters. I really enjoyed it and am enjoying a relaxing evening for my last night in NZ. Off to Fiji tomorrow and still undecided as to whether I'll hit the islands on my own or follow through with the Fiji Experience I had previously booked. Looking forward to sunshine and relaxation though (has as if I have a stressful life warranting a need for relaxation... still looking forward to it though!)

highest point in the North Island

Lake Taupo