NEW ZEALAND SOUTH ISLAND Day 15, Nov 1999

 

NEW ZEALAND SOUTH ISLAND

Day 15

3  Dec 1999

After breakfast, the children went out to play in the farm. Jim had arranged for them to feed the baby lambs, played with chicks and rode on a farm tractor.

We bade goodbye to this loving host and continued our journey toward Mount Cook. 

Lake Tekapo

Church of the Good Shephard.

Lake Pukaki

We chanced upon a large flock of sheep crossing the road to new paddocks. It was an awesome sight to behold.

We continued our drive up to Aoraki Mt Cook resort town. The visibility wasn't that clear as it was rather cloudy. So we didn't had a very clear view of Mt. Cook. 

Not far away, the Hooker Valley

Nearby, there is a Salmon Farm. It is located along Tekapo Canal between Lakes Pukaki and Tekapo, 677m above sea level using flowing water. We had salmon sashimi from the fished we caught from the salmon pond.

We drove to Ashburton and stayed at the Regency Motel.

The days driving route

NEW ZEALAND SOUTH ISLAND Day 14, Nov 1999

 

NEW ZEALAND SOUTH ISLAND

Day 14

2  Dec 1999

We headed north to the town of Omaru. After an hour drive north of the highway, we stopped by  Moeraki, Beach to view the spectacular spherical boulders. according to geologists, these round bounders are formed more than 65 million years ago.

We drove to Omaru. A city rich in English history and heritage.

Hilltop lookout point with Omaru in the background

Then we drove further north to Timaru, coastal port city with colonial buildings made form volcanic bluestone. Below is view of Timaru from Caroline Bay Park.

Next we drove from Timaru westward toward Lake Lake Tekapo. We made arrangement to stay in a farm in 2 km west of Pleasant Point, owned by an elderly couple Doreen and Jim Fairweather. It was a 27 acres farms with sheep, dots, hens, ducks and cats. It was a beautiful house with garden

We walked around the farms\

Dinner was included in the farm stay.

NEW ZEALAND SOUTH ISLAND Day 13 Nov 1999

 

NEW ZEALAND SOUTH ISLAND

Day 13

1 Dec 1999

Today we drove south on a discovery drive to see the southernmost part of New Zealand. We drove from Te Anan towards Gore and then Invercargill. The landscapes are beautiful with rolling hills of grassland and many sheep farms. Population is sparse.

Lake Te Anau

Te Anau Town

                                                            Driving south to Invercargill

                                                                   Gore Town

From Invercargill, we drove north to Dunedin

Dunedin is a beautiful city. It has many colonial building. Here, there is a beautiful Larnach Castle

                                                              St Paul Cathedral

                                                           Public Art Library

Larnach Castle and beautiful Garden

After Larnach Castle, we drove to Otago Peninsula where we saw a picturesque view of Otago Harbour and the surrounding hills.

The day's route