We intended to take that bus, but we never found the bus stop. We walked instead. It was a short walk and I would recommend walking. It is extremely well marked with a giant green stripe.
New Zealand Dec. 25 2022 report
- Thread starter Eastridge
- Start date
Day 4: On the Glow
We left Auckland in the morning. This day was a couple of hours on a bus to get to Rotorua, with two of the most unique and special activities in this itinerary: the glowworm caves and a dinner experience at an authentic marae. Our bus driver on the North Island was Gavin, who also acted as a local guide in Rotorua.
After leaving the suburbs of Auckland, the terrain changes to farmland and green countrysides. Our first rest stop was at Pirongia, which the British used as a fortification.
We had lunch at Roselands BBQ. This was closed to the public and was operating at lunch just for our group. It has a short trail in the woods next to the restaurant.
Then we went to the nearby Spellbound glowworm caves. While I have a few pictures, they don't really capture the experience. Imagine being in a cave that is pitch black, looking up and seeing blue-green dots of light that remind you of the movie Avatar. It's a little like looking at stars at night except these "stars" are very close and you can see the 3D shape of the cave roof. There were two caves. One is primarily a glowworm cave where we spent a while to get our eyes acclimated to the darkness to better see them. We put our phones and cameras away because the light from the screens would give off too much light. The glowworms are actually larvae with bioluminescent light to attract prey to snares that extend downwards. Part of the experience is riding in a boat that moves silently while you can see the glowworms overhead. The second cave is more of a normal cave with a few glowworms but other things such as bones from a moa bird.
This is a long exposure shot with a wide aperture in the second cave, while I tried keeping my camera still.
The guides did a better job of capturing an image that is closer to the experience in the main glowworm cave:
There aren't many places in the world where you can see glowworms, making this a rare and special experience.
We left Auckland in the morning. This day was a couple of hours on a bus to get to Rotorua, with two of the most unique and special activities in this itinerary: the glowworm caves and a dinner experience at an authentic marae. Our bus driver on the North Island was Gavin, who also acted as a local guide in Rotorua.
After leaving the suburbs of Auckland, the terrain changes to farmland and green countrysides. Our first rest stop was at Pirongia, which the British used as a fortification.
We had lunch at Roselands BBQ. This was closed to the public and was operating at lunch just for our group. It has a short trail in the woods next to the restaurant.
Then we went to the nearby Spellbound glowworm caves. While I have a few pictures, they don't really capture the experience. Imagine being in a cave that is pitch black, looking up and seeing blue-green dots of light that remind you of the movie Avatar. It's a little like looking at stars at night except these "stars" are very close and you can see the 3D shape of the cave roof. There were two caves. One is primarily a glowworm cave where we spent a while to get our eyes acclimated to the darkness to better see them. We put our phones and cameras away because the light from the screens would give off too much light. The glowworms are actually larvae with bioluminescent light to attract prey to snares that extend downwards. Part of the experience is riding in a boat that moves silently while you can see the glowworms overhead. The second cave is more of a normal cave with a few glowworms but other things such as bones from a moa bird.
This is a long exposure shot with a wide aperture in the second cave, while I tried keeping my camera still.
The guides did a better job of capturing an image that is closer to the experience in the main glowworm cave:
The Spellbound guide briefly illuminates some glowworms so we can see the snares hanging downwards
There aren't many places in the world where you can see glowworms, making this a rare and special experience.
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Day 4: Marae
After seeing the glowworms, we drove towards Rotorua. There was a rest stop in Tirau where some of the buildings are made of corrugated iron and shaped like animals:
We then went to the Owhata Marae. A marae is a sacred space for the Maori. It seems to serve the functions of a church and community center. I'm sure there are tourist facilities set up specifically to cater to tourists and give them a dinner and show. But this was an authentic marae, which appeared to be run by a family and which serves its community. It's not something created for tourists. This isn't an experience I could have arranged on my own. To visit a marae, one must be formally invited and participate in a ceremonial welcome. When we arrived, we were not allowed to use cameras while this welcome occurred. Before entering the ceremonial building, we took our shoes off. Due to COVID, they skipped the traditional pressing of noses. Inside the building, there were performances of various dances and the haka. We also had a chance to learn the haka ourselves.
Nettie told me that the young performers were all part of the extended family or local community that supports this marae.
I had asked if there was a dress code. They made an exception for us, but I gathered that under normal circumstances there is an expected dress. People appear to wear black, and women wear long dresses or skirts. Nettie changed into a long skirt before entering the marae.
Afterwards, we went to the place where the hangi was cooking. This appears to be the same as a Hawaiian imu, where food is cooked in a pit underground.
We had a buffet dinner in a dining facility close to the ceremonial hall
Other activities on this trip were more exciting or more fun. But to me, this was the single most special experience on the trip, one that was authentic and impactful. Some of the kids and young adults connected with the family that runs the marae.
After seeing the glowworms, we drove towards Rotorua. There was a rest stop in Tirau where some of the buildings are made of corrugated iron and shaped like animals:
We then went to the Owhata Marae. A marae is a sacred space for the Maori. It seems to serve the functions of a church and community center. I'm sure there are tourist facilities set up specifically to cater to tourists and give them a dinner and show. But this was an authentic marae, which appeared to be run by a family and which serves its community. It's not something created for tourists. This isn't an experience I could have arranged on my own. To visit a marae, one must be formally invited and participate in a ceremonial welcome. When we arrived, we were not allowed to use cameras while this welcome occurred. Before entering the ceremonial building, we took our shoes off. Due to COVID, they skipped the traditional pressing of noses. Inside the building, there were performances of various dances and the haka. We also had a chance to learn the haka ourselves.
Nettie told me that the young performers were all part of the extended family or local community that supports this marae.
I had asked if there was a dress code. They made an exception for us, but I gathered that under normal circumstances there is an expected dress. People appear to wear black, and women wear long dresses or skirts. Nettie changed into a long skirt before entering the marae.
Afterwards, we went to the place where the hangi was cooking. This appears to be the same as a Hawaiian imu, where food is cooked in a pit underground.
We had a buffet dinner in a dining facility close to the ceremonial hall
Other activities on this trip were more exciting or more fun. But to me, this was the single most special experience on the trip, one that was authentic and impactful. Some of the kids and young adults connected with the family that runs the marae.
Gavin with some of the kids from the marae, and the marae complex in the background
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Day 4: Pullman Rotorua
Finally we reached our second hotel, the Pullman Rotorua
The weird thing about this hotel room was that the bathroom wasn't in a separate room. To the left of the sink was a shower stall and to the right is a toilet stall. Those have doors, but there is nothing separating the sink area from the rest of the hotel room. Which is a bit of a bother if you're trying to change clothes and want some privacy.
I really didn't have time to walk around Rotorua but there are hot springs, an interesting looking building that is a museum, a flower garden and other stuff. Rotorua also appears to be a center of tourism with many activities, such as giant plastic balls that people go inside and then roll down a hill.
We often smelled sulfur in this area due to the hot springs and geothermal features.
Finally we reached our second hotel, the Pullman Rotorua
The weird thing about this hotel room was that the bathroom wasn't in a separate room. To the left of the sink was a shower stall and to the right is a toilet stall. Those have doors, but there is nothing separating the sink area from the rest of the hotel room. Which is a bit of a bother if you're trying to change clothes and want some privacy.
I really didn't have time to walk around Rotorua but there are hot springs, an interesting looking building that is a museum, a flower garden and other stuff. Rotorua also appears to be a center of tourism with many activities, such as giant plastic balls that people go inside and then roll down a hill.
We often smelled sulfur in this area due to the hot springs and geothermal features.
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Day 5: Save the Kiwis
This day started with another activity unique to New Zealand: a private tour of the National Kiwi Hatchery
This facility works to increase the numbers of one type of kiwi bird. They locate eggs in the wild and retrieve them to incubate and hatch. They raise the chicks until they are big enough to have a much better chance of surviving on their own, then return them to the wild. The kiwi birds are threatened by many predators not native to New Zealand, including possums and stoats.
We weren't allowed to take photos of the areas with the eggs and chicks:
We saw the incubators that hold the eggs, and a person inspecting the eggs and taking notes. Then we saw one kiwi chick as it was getting weighed. There was a whiteboard listing the current eggs / chicks. Apparently they name each based on the father. Which didn't seem fair to me because the mother bird has the tough job. Look at the size of the egg compared to the bird:
Kiwis are nocturnal, so it is difficult to see them. We went into one section where we could barely see one scurrying around in the dark. They blend in well with ground cover.
Kira and Nettie also made a friend in the gift shop:
This day started with another activity unique to New Zealand: a private tour of the National Kiwi Hatchery
This facility works to increase the numbers of one type of kiwi bird. They locate eggs in the wild and retrieve them to incubate and hatch. They raise the chicks until they are big enough to have a much better chance of surviving on their own, then return them to the wild. The kiwi birds are threatened by many predators not native to New Zealand, including possums and stoats.
We weren't allowed to take photos of the areas with the eggs and chicks:
We saw the incubators that hold the eggs, and a person inspecting the eggs and taking notes. Then we saw one kiwi chick as it was getting weighed. There was a whiteboard listing the current eggs / chicks. Apparently they name each based on the father. Which didn't seem fair to me because the mother bird has the tough job. Look at the size of the egg compared to the bird:
Kiwis are nocturnal, so it is difficult to see them. We went into one section where we could barely see one scurrying around in the dark. They blend in well with ground cover.
Kira and Nettie also made a friend in the gift shop:
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Day 5: Agrodome
The next stop was the Agrodome. It's not an actual farm but an attraction with farm animals and equipment. We boarded open air trams and they took us into meadows where we encountered a group of sheep, then a group of alpaca and sheep. At each stop we got off and were swarmed by the animals looking for handouts. They may seem friendly but it was purely transactional. The moment a sheep realized you didn't have any food, it quickly moved on to the next person. The drivers handed out lots of food for people to feed the animals
After that, we saw a bull and some other animals. Then we headed to Bowen House for a sheep shearing demonstration and then lunch.
We did not see dogs herding sheep at this site, despite what the itinerary said. Instead, we saw that in Queenstown.
We had a private lunch buffet at Bowen House with various BBQ and vegetarian dishes.
The next stop was the Agrodome. It's not an actual farm but an attraction with farm animals and equipment. We boarded open air trams and they took us into meadows where we encountered a group of sheep, then a group of alpaca and sheep. At each stop we got off and were swarmed by the animals looking for handouts. They may seem friendly but it was purely transactional. The moment a sheep realized you didn't have any food, it quickly moved on to the next person. The drivers handed out lots of food for people to feed the animals
After that, we saw a bull and some other animals. Then we headed to Bowen House for a sheep shearing demonstration and then lunch.
Guess which sheep got picked to be sheared
We did not see dogs herding sheep at this site, despite what the itinerary said. Instead, we saw that in Queenstown.
We had a private lunch buffet at Bowen House with various BBQ and vegetarian dishes.
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Day 5: Rotorua Canopy Tours
The third activity was a zipline. We were broken into small groups and driven in vans to the zipline site. This was quite different from the zipline on Waiheke.
First, the company that runs it is a conservation organization protecting an area of old growth forest and they run a zipline to raise money. They are a conservation organization first and a zipline second. As such, while we hiked there were many stops to see the forest, observe the wildlife and learn about their efforts to remove the non-native predators such as possums. The guides even brought a few worms so that people could attempt to feed birds. A brave bird would quickly swoop down to snatch the worm and fly away.
Second, this zipline is more challenging. They don't have parallel lines. But we zipped from tree to tree onto platforms, where most had no railings. You are secured to cables around the trees, but it is probably possible to fall off the platform. You won't fall to the ground, but the guides might have to pull you back up to the platform. If you have a crippling fear of heights, this isn't the activity for you. This was the experience I had the most trepidation about before the trip, but I committed myself to try it. I found that knowing the cable would always support you kept my fear of heights under control.
You also must walk a swinging bridge that bounces around. The ropes on the side obviously won't keep you on the bridge. You hang onto the cable that connects to your body harness to keep yourself upright and on the bridge.
One of the lines ends at an amazing tree that is about 1000 years old:
From that tree, you are then asked to do a backwards launch. Most of the launches require going onto steps that lead to... nowhere. Then you launch by lifting your feet. In the backwards launch you step down backwards, facing the tree you are on, and then just lean back and fly off:
For a few of the lines, it is important to be able to pull your knees up against your body and keep your arms close to your body. Otherwise there is a risk of hitting a tree on the way out.
One of the platforms at the end had a walkway with no rails or anything. You walk across that, and then they encourage you to lean out so they can get a great photo, as Nettie demonstrates:
So this should give you some idea of what is involved with this experience. It is a great experience but not for everyone. Once you start it is difficult to back out, since there are sections where you go directly from tree to tree with no easy way down.
The itinerary said there is an alternate activity of a walking tour, but the company running the zipline did not have the personnel to serve as guides. So in reality there was no alternate activity. Instead, for the people who skipped this activity, Gavin took them back to Rotorua and served as a local guide, offering to take people to various places and give a tour of the city.
The third activity was a zipline. We were broken into small groups and driven in vans to the zipline site. This was quite different from the zipline on Waiheke.
First, the company that runs it is a conservation organization protecting an area of old growth forest and they run a zipline to raise money. They are a conservation organization first and a zipline second. As such, while we hiked there were many stops to see the forest, observe the wildlife and learn about their efforts to remove the non-native predators such as possums. The guides even brought a few worms so that people could attempt to feed birds. A brave bird would quickly swoop down to snatch the worm and fly away.
Second, this zipline is more challenging. They don't have parallel lines. But we zipped from tree to tree onto platforms, where most had no railings. You are secured to cables around the trees, but it is probably possible to fall off the platform. You won't fall to the ground, but the guides might have to pull you back up to the platform. If you have a crippling fear of heights, this isn't the activity for you. This was the experience I had the most trepidation about before the trip, but I committed myself to try it. I found that knowing the cable would always support you kept my fear of heights under control.
You also must walk a swinging bridge that bounces around. The ropes on the side obviously won't keep you on the bridge. You hang onto the cable that connects to your body harness to keep yourself upright and on the bridge.
One of the lines ends at an amazing tree that is about 1000 years old:
From that tree, you are then asked to do a backwards launch. Most of the launches require going onto steps that lead to... nowhere. Then you launch by lifting your feet. In the backwards launch you step down backwards, facing the tree you are on, and then just lean back and fly off:
For a few of the lines, it is important to be able to pull your knees up against your body and keep your arms close to your body. Otherwise there is a risk of hitting a tree on the way out.
One of the platforms at the end had a walkway with no rails or anything. You walk across that, and then they encourage you to lean out so they can get a great photo, as Nettie demonstrates:
So this should give you some idea of what is involved with this experience. It is a great experience but not for everyone. Once you start it is difficult to back out, since there are sections where you go directly from tree to tree with no easy way down.
The itinerary said there is an alternate activity of a walking tour, but the company running the zipline did not have the personnel to serve as guides. So in reality there was no alternate activity. Instead, for the people who skipped this activity, Gavin took them back to Rotorua and served as a local guide, offering to take people to various places and give a tour of the city.
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Day 5: Adult / junior dinner
This evening, ABD arranged an adults-only dinner and a separate junior adventurer dinner.
The adult dinner was at Atticus Finch, a restaurant on Eat Streat, which is a row of dining establishments. It's a short walk from the hotel. Alcohol was not provided. ABD preordered a bunch of dishes and there was plenty of food.
The junior adventurers ate in a meeting room at the hotel, learned a TikTok dance and saw the movie Moana. Apparently there was a refrigerator in the room with wine and beer, but fortunately it was locked. Yes, the teens tried getting into it. This event was good for helping the teens to get to know each other. Would have been nice if this could have been earlier in the trip but based on the itinerary I don't see an earlier evening where it would be possible to schedule it.
This evening, ABD arranged an adults-only dinner and a separate junior adventurer dinner.
The adult dinner was at Atticus Finch, a restaurant on Eat Streat, which is a row of dining establishments. It's a short walk from the hotel. Alcohol was not provided. ABD preordered a bunch of dishes and there was plenty of food.
The junior adventurers ate in a meeting room at the hotel, learned a TikTok dance and saw the movie Moana. Apparently there was a refrigerator in the room with wine and beer, but fortunately it was locked. Yes, the teens tried getting into it. This event was good for helping the teens to get to know each other. Would have been nice if this could have been earlier in the trip but based on the itinerary I don't see an earlier evening where it would be possible to schedule it.
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TravelJunkieHubby
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2019
This place looked neat, I wished we could have gone there but Eat Street was closed on Christmas Day so we missed this adult dinner/junior adventure night. Instead, our guides coordinated Christmas Dinner at the hotel instead with a White Elephant gift exchange. I think I ate enough lamb on this trip to last me for a year!Day 5: Adult / junior dinner
This evening, ABD arranged an adults-only dinner and a separate junior adventurer dinner.
The adult dinner was at Atticus Finch, a restaurant on Eat Streat, which is a row of dining establishments. It's a short walk from the hotel. Alcohol was not provided. ABD preordered a bunch of dishes and there was plenty of food.
The junior adventurers ate in a meeting room at the hotel, learned a TikTok dance and saw the movie Moana. Apparently there was a refrigerator in the room with wine and beer, but fortunately it was locked. Yes, the teens tried getting into it. This event was good for helping the teens to get to know each other. Would have been nice if this could have been earlier in the trip but based on the itinerary I don't see an earlier evening where it would be possible to schedule it.
Day 6: Island Hopping
This is the day we flew from the North Island to the South Island. First, we went to the Te Puia geothermal area. It felt like a tiny version of Yellowstone, with a bubbling mud pool and areas with steam and a geyser. When we were there, the geyser was sprouting pretty well. There was also an area of rock steps where you could sit or lie down and the rocks were very warm.
Then we visited the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute, where students learn the arts of stone carving, wood working, and weaving. There were quite a few things to see and the following photos are just a small sample.
The tour ends at a gallery and then a gift shop. Many student works are available for sale.
From here, we boarded the bus and went directly to the Rotorua airport. As we were exiting the bus to gather our luggage, my son announced that he left his laptop in the room safe.
If we had been traveling on our own, there would have been no way to recover the laptop at that time. But the ABD guides came to the rescue. They contacted the hotel and the staff retrieved the laptop. Gavin drove the bus back to the hotel, picked up the laptop, and returned to the airport, where Nettie met Gavin and my son was very appreciative. So this is one advantage of going on an ABD trip.
What also made this possible is that the Rotorua airport has no security. Nothing separates the check in area from the gate. I don't ever recall being able to board a commercial aircraft in that manner previously, without at least going through a metal detector. So it was easy to meet the bus when Gavin returned. The weight limit for your carry on luggage is supposed to be 15 pounds but there was no enforcement. Everything was very low key and we boarded only 15 minutes before departure, and we arrived at the airport only about an hour before departure.
We had box lunches in the airport while waiting to board the flight. We had selected the lunch on the first day so the guides had everything ready and we could just pick them up.
The aircraft was an Air New Zealand ATR 72 for those who are fans of commercial aviation.
This is the day we flew from the North Island to the South Island. First, we went to the Te Puia geothermal area. It felt like a tiny version of Yellowstone, with a bubbling mud pool and areas with steam and a geyser. When we were there, the geyser was sprouting pretty well. There was also an area of rock steps where you could sit or lie down and the rocks were very warm.
Say this five times quickly
Then we visited the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute, where students learn the arts of stone carving, wood working, and weaving. There were quite a few things to see and the following photos are just a small sample.
The tour ends at a gallery and then a gift shop. Many student works are available for sale.
From here, we boarded the bus and went directly to the Rotorua airport. As we were exiting the bus to gather our luggage, my son announced that he left his laptop in the room safe.
If we had been traveling on our own, there would have been no way to recover the laptop at that time. But the ABD guides came to the rescue. They contacted the hotel and the staff retrieved the laptop. Gavin drove the bus back to the hotel, picked up the laptop, and returned to the airport, where Nettie met Gavin and my son was very appreciative. So this is one advantage of going on an ABD trip.
What also made this possible is that the Rotorua airport has no security. Nothing separates the check in area from the gate. I don't ever recall being able to board a commercial aircraft in that manner previously, without at least going through a metal detector. So it was easy to meet the bus when Gavin returned. The weight limit for your carry on luggage is supposed to be 15 pounds but there was no enforcement. Everything was very low key and we boarded only 15 minutes before departure, and we arrived at the airport only about an hour before departure.
We had box lunches in the airport while waiting to board the flight. We had selected the lunch on the first day so the guides had everything ready and we could just pick them up.
The aircraft was an Air New Zealand ATR 72 for those who are fans of commercial aviation.
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Day 6: Punting
We arrived at the Christchurch airport and met Ricky, our bus driver for the South Island. We drove into Christchurch, to the Christchurch Botanic Gardens. But we weren't there to walk around the gardens. Instead we went punting. This isn't the act of drop kicking a football, but a laid back experience where you just sit or lie down on a boat and let the punter push the boat down a stream. Well, they call it the Avon River but it is really a gentle, shallow stream. Yesterday's zipline experience was high on thrills, but this experience was on the opposite end of the scale. Just a lazy, quiet ride in a very pretty stream.
While we waited to board the boats, some guests fed the ducks and noted that there were eels popping their heads up by the docks. Watch your fingers.
My kid would have preferred the option to go kayaking instead, but I think most of the adults appreciated just lying back and soaking in the beauty.
If you have mobility problems and can't lie flat on the ground, ask to use the chair that is at the back of each boat:
After punting, Ricky took us on a tour of parts of Christchurch. We must have circled the downtown area 3-4 times, seeing the ruins of the cathedral, an art car, and other sites. I think we arrived early and they had to delay to give the hotel time to finish getting our rooms ready.
We stopped at a firefighter's memorial, which has steel from the World Trade Center.
Finally we got to our rooms at the Crowne Plaza. Dinner was on our own. I had difficulty finding a restaurant in advance that I was interested in but was also open. Many places were closed due to Xmas and New Year's. So I ended up getting a reservation for the restaurant in the hotel, for convenience. There is a street to the east of the hotel that seems to be a "restaurant row" and had a few places open. Apparently there was an interesting food hall somewhere else but I didn't find that. Overall, Christchurch felt pretty dead. probably because this was the day before New Year's Eve.
Christchurch felt like a town in England. Auckland reminded me of Sydney or Vancouver, while Rotorua reminded me a bit of some places in Hawaii.
My son reported that there is an excellent playground area to the east of the hotel, called the Margaret Mahy Family playground. Apparently it was built after the earthquakes as part of the recovery. So that may be a place to take your kids or teens.
We walked to the earthquake memorial, which has some similarities with the Vietnam memorial in DC.
We arrived at the Christchurch airport and met Ricky, our bus driver for the South Island. We drove into Christchurch, to the Christchurch Botanic Gardens. But we weren't there to walk around the gardens. Instead we went punting. This isn't the act of drop kicking a football, but a laid back experience where you just sit or lie down on a boat and let the punter push the boat down a stream. Well, they call it the Avon River but it is really a gentle, shallow stream. Yesterday's zipline experience was high on thrills, but this experience was on the opposite end of the scale. Just a lazy, quiet ride in a very pretty stream.
While we waited to board the boats, some guests fed the ducks and noted that there were eels popping their heads up by the docks. Watch your fingers.
Follow the safety guidelines and note that every seat has an emergency exit
My kid would have preferred the option to go kayaking instead, but I think most of the adults appreciated just lying back and soaking in the beauty.
If you have mobility problems and can't lie flat on the ground, ask to use the chair that is at the back of each boat:
After punting, Ricky took us on a tour of parts of Christchurch. We must have circled the downtown area 3-4 times, seeing the ruins of the cathedral, an art car, and other sites. I think we arrived early and they had to delay to give the hotel time to finish getting our rooms ready.
We stopped at a firefighter's memorial, which has steel from the World Trade Center.
Finally we got to our rooms at the Crowne Plaza. Dinner was on our own. I had difficulty finding a restaurant in advance that I was interested in but was also open. Many places were closed due to Xmas and New Year's. So I ended up getting a reservation for the restaurant in the hotel, for convenience. There is a street to the east of the hotel that seems to be a "restaurant row" and had a few places open. Apparently there was an interesting food hall somewhere else but I didn't find that. Overall, Christchurch felt pretty dead. probably because this was the day before New Year's Eve.
Christchurch felt like a town in England. Auckland reminded me of Sydney or Vancouver, while Rotorua reminded me a bit of some places in Hawaii.
My son reported that there is an excellent playground area to the east of the hotel, called the Margaret Mahy Family playground. Apparently it was built after the earthquakes as part of the recovery. So that may be a place to take your kids or teens.
We walked to the earthquake memorial, which has some similarities with the Vietnam memorial in DC.
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Day 6: Crowne Plaza
This was our third hotel, in a central location in Christchurch, very close to the cathedral.
The weird part of this hotel room is that the shower stall has glass on two sides, which enables a clear view into the shower (and the toilet behind that) from the bedroom area. There are some blinds you can lower to block that view.
We were here only one night. The ABD trip doesn't spend much time in Christchurch and uses it as a jumping off point for the Tranz Alpine Express train and getting to the other South Island destinations.
We have now reached the halfway point of this trip!
This was our third hotel, in a central location in Christchurch, very close to the cathedral.
The weird part of this hotel room is that the shower stall has glass on two sides, which enables a clear view into the shower (and the toilet behind that) from the bedroom area. There are some blinds you can lower to block that view.
We were here only one night. The ABD trip doesn't spend much time in Christchurch and uses it as a jumping off point for the Tranz Alpine Express train and getting to the other South Island destinations.
We have now reached the halfway point of this trip!
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sayhello
Have Camera, Will Travel
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2006
WHY do they do that with the showers? Since I travel solo, it's not really an issue for me, but I really can't imagine it if you have more than one person in the room. It just doesn't make sense! We had 2 friends who were traveling together on my Iceland trip, and one of the hotel rooms there was set up with no doors to the bathroom or shower, and it was really awkward for them!
If you sit on the bottom of the punting boat, is there enough room to stretch your legs out? If not, I'd probably need to sit on the seat in the back. Thanks! That looks like a fun activity, similar to the boat ride in Japan.
Sayhello
If you sit on the bottom of the punting boat, is there enough room to stretch your legs out? If not, I'd probably need to sit on the seat in the back. Thanks! That looks like a fun activity, similar to the boat ride in Japan.
Sayhello
Basically, yes. I don't recall if I had to bend my knees a little
Day 7: Tiki Tour (New Year's Eve)
This was the earliest start of all the days, with luggage outside our rooms at 6:20am and boarding the bus at 7:20am. We had to get to the station on time to take the Tranz Alpine Express, which winds through the Southern Alps and eventually makes it to Greymouth on the western side of the South Island. All our luggage and bags stay on the bus. After dropping us off, Ricky drove the bus to Arthur's Pass while we boarded the train. This route has been called the most scenic train journey in New Zealand.
We didn't have a private car or anything like that but we were bunched together in a section. You can sit in comfort in the viewing cars and see the scenery go by through the large windows.
Or, if you are like me and you don't want to shoot photos through glass if you can help it, you can come to the open air car:
Let me now describe all the joys of being in the open air car (where I was camped for most of the journey):
I'll let you decide if these pictures were worth it:
This was the earliest start of all the days, with luggage outside our rooms at 6:20am and boarding the bus at 7:20am. We had to get to the station on time to take the Tranz Alpine Express, which winds through the Southern Alps and eventually makes it to Greymouth on the western side of the South Island. All our luggage and bags stay on the bus. After dropping us off, Ricky drove the bus to Arthur's Pass while we boarded the train. This route has been called the most scenic train journey in New Zealand.
We didn't have a private car or anything like that but we were bunched together in a section. You can sit in comfort in the viewing cars and see the scenery go by through the large windows.
Or, if you are like me and you don't want to shoot photos through glass if you can help it, you can come to the open air car:
Let me now describe all the joys of being in the open air car (where I was camped for most of the journey):
- Comfy seats are for wimps. You get to stand the entire time.
- Climate controlled cars are for wimps. You get to freeze as the air rushes by.
- Except when you feel and smell the hot exhaust from the diesel engine, particularly in the tunnels.
- Did I mention the tunnels? See how the guard rails are slanted inwards? That's to encourage you to keep your arms, legs and head inside the moving vehicle at all times. Because anything you stick outside the train may get suddenly chopped off by a tunnel wall just inches outside the train, which appears with no warning.
- Right now the car is empty because the start of the most scenic train journey in New Zealand begins by going through the not so pretty industrial suburbs of Christchurch. But eventually the terrain changes to farmland and countryside, and then becomes the stunning mountains, lakes and rivers of the Southern Alps. At that point, 50 other people flood into this car and everyone jostles for position to take photos. You can't really camp on one side or the other because there are photo ops on both sides.
I'll let you decide if these pictures were worth it:
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How long are you on the train? (And worth it).Day 7: Arthur's Pass to Monteith's Brewery
The train stops at Arthur's Pass before continuing on to Greymouth. We are headed to Greymouth, but we get off the train at Arthur's Pass to join Ricky and the bus because it is faster to drive the rest of the way than to stay on the train.
The bus stops so we can see a viaduct that we will be driving over. At one point the slope of the road reaches 16%. I'm happy to leave the driving to the professionals.
We also stop briefly by a hotel that has a Gollum statue (from Lord of the RIngs). I think there were also Smaug and Gandalf figures.
We also pass by a town called Moana (not making this up), by a lake
When we reach the town of Greymouth, we first stop by the area where the Grey river meets the sea. The town gets its name from this, being placed at the mouth of the Grey river. We see the turbulent Tasman Sea that separates New Zealand from Australia. There is also a restored WW II pillbox that you can check out.
Lunch is at Monteith's Brewery. ABD covers 2 beers per person of drinking age, plus the buffet lunch.
The train stops at Arthur's Pass before continuing on to Greymouth. We are headed to Greymouth, but we get off the train at Arthur's Pass to join Ricky and the bus because it is faster to drive the rest of the way than to stay on the train.
The bus stops so we can see a viaduct that we will be driving over. At one point the slope of the road reaches 16%. I'm happy to leave the driving to the professionals.
We also stop briefly by a hotel that has a Gollum statue (from Lord of the RIngs). I think there were also Smaug and Gandalf figures.
We also pass by a town called Moana (not making this up), by a lake
When we reach the town of Greymouth, we first stop by the area where the Grey river meets the sea. The town gets its name from this, being placed at the mouth of the Grey river. We see the turbulent Tasman Sea that separates New Zealand from Australia. There is also a restored WW II pillbox that you can check out.
Lunch is at Monteith's Brewery. ABD covers 2 beers per person of drinking age, plus the buffet lunch.
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