Highlight of the day:
1. More delectable NZ pies from Miles Better Pie in Te Anau
2. World famous Milford Sound Cr
We started to envy the sheeps, they live such a good life.
Spotted rainbow again :-)
the other side of the rainbow
a complete rainbow
From Queenstown, we drove to Te Anau, the gateway to Milford. There was this little shop, Miles Better Piles and more, selling a variety of delicious pies.
The shop is very famous among travelers, many will stop for their pies before continue their journey to Milford. We shared two pies and a cup of hot coffee, which made a perfect light lunch. Then, we booked the 3pm Milford scenic cruise with Real Journey.
We took a Milford map with recommended lookout points at Te Anau iSite. A non-stop driving journey from Te Anau to Milford Sound will take about 2.5hours, but we spent 3.5hours in total.
our rented car, all the way from Auckland airport
A gentle reminder. Check the condition of Milford road, the road might be closed when weather is bad. And also, do make sure your fuel is enough. There is no fuel station between Te Anau and Milford.
Homer Tunnel which only allow one way traffic
one more lookout point before the cruise
Cruise waiting for us
Weather was great and the cruise departed on time
NZ flag with Milford view as the background
the wind was so strong
Milford is known as the wettest inhabited place in New Zealand and one of the wettest in the world.
enjoyed the view and cold weather
Many waterfalls could be seen running down the steep sided rock faces that line the fiord
The waterfalls looked impressive when the cruise went very near to them. Our cameras and lenses were all wet, but we were happy with the photos. ;-)
I almost have dropped this place in my list, thinking that it was just cruise with some waterfalls. I was glad that I did not. The cruise trip was simply amazing.
Real Journeys
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Highlight of the day:
1. Beautiful Wanaka Lake
2. Little Arrowtown
3. The gigantic Ferg burger
4. Skyline to Bob's peak at Queenstown
5. First time on Luge
Peaceful Wanaka lake in the morning
A zoom out version. Can't decide which to use. ;-)
We were so surprised that beautiful views were everywhere in NZ. In the first few days, we stopped many times to take pictures. Then later on, we started to be picky, or we have to be picky, else we would never reach our destination.
Fruit farms before Queenstown
Jones's fruit stall
fruits in season
love this view too
First time our car had to come to full stop.
Glibbston Valley Vineyard and Cheesery
The vineyard offers unique wine tasting in the underground wine cave. We did not arrive at the right timing, thus did not make it to the wine tour. Do check out their schedule at their website(link below).
Next to the vineyard, there is a cheesery. If you have the cost and time budget, do consider their picnic hamper where they pair the cheese and wine together. As usual, check out their website(link below).
Would you get more courage to do a bungy jump with such a nice view? ;-)
Standard must take shot in NZ
Arrowtown, former gold-mining town
autumn is at the corner
Street in Arrowtown
We decided to have lunch at Stables restaurant which offer al fresco dining option.
timeless ambiance and perfect weather
Left: sleepy in such a relaxing environment
Right: Grandpa and grandson enjoying time together
Hearty seafood chowder with a toast
Coffee is a must
winding road to Queenstown
After we checked in to Absoloot Value in Queenstown, we came out and explored the town.
Patagonia for chocolate lovers
The birds in NZ were not afraid of human.
Bird having a bite of bread
bird couple
Lake Wakatipu
the lengendary Ferg burger
enjoying burger
making burgers
Burger as big as my face
We shared the Big Al(NZ$17.50), with 1/2lb of prime NZ beef, bacon, cheese, eggs, beetroot, lettuce, tomato, red onion, relish and aioli. It was so satisfying!
isite building in Queenstown
We got our second, or third dose(not quite sure) from Bean Around The World.
the menu
bean around the world
Remarkable Sweet Shop for the sweet tooth
Our accommodation was strategically located at the center of Queenstown, therefore we did not have to drive and have headache with parking. With a 5 minutes walk, we reached Skyline Queenstown. We bought the Gondola & 2 Luge combo ticket at NZ$38 per person.
Taking a Gondola up the hill, we were greeted with unsurpassed view of the region.
taking a luge cart
There were two tracks, scenic track and advance track. We started with scenic track and then went for the advance track.
it was me on luge!
The thrilling ride was fun! We could not get enough with just 2 rides, but the ride wasn't cheap. We enjoyed the inspiring view for another while before we went down hill.
Dinner was at Flame Grill and Bar.
funky deco on the restaurant's wall
The restaurant was fully packed, we only managed to grab two seats at the bar.
the bar tender
Rib and Steak Combo NZ$41
While we enjoyed lake and mountain views, the food and activities in Queenstown, we spent few times more here compare to other towns. And yet, we did not go on the famous TSS Earnslaw Cruise. A good reason for another NZ trip in future? :-)
Glibbston Vineyard
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Gibbston Cheesery
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AJ Hackett Bungy
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Stables Restaurant
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Ferg Burger
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Bean Around the World
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Remarkable Sweet Shop
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Skyline Queenstown
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Flame Bar and Grill
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