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South Island garden tour; Garden themed travel
Topic Started: Feb 4 2017, 10:29 AM (849 Views)
blizzard
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Lovely descriptions!

Seems snow is early everywhere - I have been informed it is snowing in Victoria, Canada!
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sooty
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Day 10 South Island Garden Tour
Queenstown to Franz Josef via Haast Pass.
A change in the weather, predicted 15 to 13C with rain. We headed first to Arrowtown, an historic gold mining town. Stone cottages, the oldest ones were stacked stone and some were whitewashed. Many miners died in the early days as they weren't prepared for the winters. A tour of the Lakes District Museum gave highlights into the past gold mining, the Chinese settlement during the goldrush and farming. It was very well done and truly authentic. A walk along the Main Street , the old shop fronts were mainly restaurants and souvenirs. A beautiful white wisteria over one verandah front.
Our route now went via Cromwell, Lake Hawea, Makarora, Mount Aspiring National Park, Haast Pass and then north along the west coast to Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers in Westland National Park. The scenery changed, the snow capped mountains came closer, the rain and mist descended, the bridges got narrower and the coastline appeared. There was so much that I'm trying to pick some highlights.
-vineyards and wineries in the Gibston Valley.
-road workers spring cleaning Nevis Bluff rock face to remove loose rock ( the road is directly underneath).
-blue clear ice water rivers east of the divide and a rainfall of 600mm p.a.
-muddy grey glacier fed fast running rivers with huge boulders west of the divide and a rainfall of 9 metre p.a.
-Haast Pass and bridge leading to the rainforests full of tall close trees, ferns and mosses which form the two National Parks.
-windswept coast appearing suddenly and close to the highway
-rain, mist, grey sky, water and mountains blending into one.
-myriads of waterfalls, cascading down the rock faces of the Pass and under our road.
-huge lakes , steep roads and hairpin bends that seemed never ending .
As you can see it was another long WOW day and words can't do justice to the scenery. I'm hoping that tomorrow will be dry for several of the coach passengers want to do the helicopter flight and land on the glaciers. I have had my treat in the air.
Temperature 15C and WET. Costs lunch $18 snack $4 souvenir $29 Steps 6,700
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agate
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Quote:
 
As you can see it was another long WOW day and words can't do justice to the scenery. I'm hoping that tomorrow will be dry for several of the coach passengers want to do the helicopter flight and land on the glaciers. I have had my treat in the air.


That does sound exciting.
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erka
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After dinner we went to watch the working dogs control a mob of sheep by whistle and call. It takes 2 to 3 years to train them for high country sheep work. The sheep ( thousands) are brought down from the mountains for winter. Motorbikes and horses can't get every where. Most working farm shepherds use about ten dogs each in the mustering.


Sooty: THis would be the highlight for me!!

You make this tour come alive .
Edited by erka, Nov 6 2017, 07:32 AM.
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blizzard
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Sooty, your days are wearing me out after my long days tramping about!
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sooty
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Erka, those dogs were amazing. They stared down the sheep to move them.
Blizzard, your commentaries do more for me , as I'll never do the trips that you manage. I've almost succumbed to the Coach trip phenomenon. Not as great as independent travell but more secure.
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sooty
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Day 11 South Island Garden Tour
Franz Josep to Hokitika, east to Arthur's Pass and then the train to Christchurch
A sleep in, wake up call 7.00 am. After a week + of 6.00 am this was a treat.
However the wet west coast lived up to its name with rain, mist and low cloud. No helicopter rides and we didn't even drive to the lookout to see the foot of the Glacier. Icefields Parkway , Alberta must remain my only glacier experience.
Apparently Franz Josep is situated on the Alpine fault line. This moves every 300 to 400 years , Richter scale 8 to 9. It's 50 years overdue and the research scientists are pushing for the town to be relocated. They can't move the glacier!
We headed south through the glacier country. Reflections in the many lakes and light rain. Okarito lagoon had the only white heron breeding site in NZ and also a small special breed of kiwi lived in the bush there. White heron are rare. Apparently to see one in Maori tradition is a once in a lifetime event.
Lots of ferns, trees, then former timber mill towns. There was still a current gold mine in the area. Winding, hilly roads, then the sea came into view, lots of rivers and those narrow one lane bridges. We stopped at Hari Hari , the site of landing of the first biplane solo flight from Australia , Guy Menzies, and a replica of his plane. Adjacent was a delightful park with a mosaic maze and flower patterned mosaic tubs. I can't wait to get home and break some china.
Ross was next. A history of gold mining and the largest nugget found in New Zealand.
Continuing up the coast the trees were tilted with the strength of the prevailing winds. The ocean waters were choppy and rough.
Hokitika , the greenstone mining area. We visited a manufacturing facility to hear how it is found, cut and polished. It was most prized by Maori for its hardness to make a sharp edge weapon. The different qualities that buyers want and the costs, mainly determined by the time needed to cut the piece. It's a hard stone, scale 7 when diamond is 10. Lovely pieces but really out of my range and interest.
Lunch on the Seawall and a chat with a local chap about the surfing. His companion was Gracie, a red/ white Siberian Husky. Very friendly girl.
We turned east into pouring rain and fog. The wet West Coast was living up to its reputation. Mist along the river valley meant no mountain tops visible. The road wound around and up the gorge, the climb was about 16 degrees. There were rockfall tunnels and water sluices for redirecting the water off the cliff face. This route was used by early Maori , west and east coast, trading the precious greenstone.
At Arthur's Pass we boarded the TranzAlpine for the trip to Christchurch. Amazing scenery, gorges, crevasses, rivers down below. Viaducts, bridges and tunnels making light of the two hour journey to the Canterbury Plains. Engineers were really smart people. Over the pass the sun shone and blue skies appeared. Completely different to a short while before.
Please google the trip as these words don't do justice to it. I sat next to a Canadian traveller , originally from PEI and now resident in Victoria, BC. Most of the travellers were from overseas, all enjoying a spectacular train ride. I'll have to see if Michael Portillo has done this trip!
Last dinner, case packed, alarm for 3.00 am. Home late tomorrow.
Temperature 8C West Coast 22 C East Coast Steps 12,400
Costs: Lunch $10 Drinks $16, $8, $4. Souvenirs $48 , $8, $15
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sooty
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Day 12 South Island Garden Tour
Bed at 11.30 pm , alarm at 3.00 am. A walking zombie at the airport through checkin, security and immigration. The Australian end and change to domestic wasn't much better. Duty free was out of Drambuie!
Best experience : the scenic flight from Milford Sound to Queenstown.
Best garden: formal - Ohinetahi ; natural- Blair garden at Queenstown.
A pleasant group of garden lovers, none would be my FBF but we got on OK for the two weeks. Superb weather for touring. West Coast weather was as warned.
Touring company and hotels were good. Food excellent and as always too too much, but that didn't stop me enjoying every mouthful.
Sorry I haven't been able to add photos but these days you can google most sites for much better snaps than I could ever take. Only family will suffer some of them over Christmas ( it's a captive audience!).
I can't wait to be back in my " wide brown land" Australia. But thanks New Zealand for the privilege of visiting some very special gardens. Puss is returning home tomorrow from her holiday.
Temperature 24C Adelaide. steps 10,200 costs gifts $35, $10 food $A11 v taxi $A37 duty free $A65 ( well, they had gin at least)
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agate
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It's always good to get home and I am sure Puss will be happy after at first giving you a hard time 1089
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blizzard
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A Canadian from PEI now living in Victoria - sounds like me! Except I left PEI before I was 2.

Your trip sounds lovely. I am envious as to how you manage to recall so much!
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