After finishing up on New Zealand’s North Island, Barb Williams and Sonia Milrod headed south and right away felt a different vibe. The South Island is known for its dramatic landscapes — towering mountains, glaciers, deep fjords, lush forests, as well as endless opportunities for sports adventure.
They flew into Christchurch, nicknamed the “Garden City” because of its majestic trees, expansive parks and beautiful public gardens, which Sonia and Barb enjoyed!
Unfortunately, the city was significantly affected by major earthquakes in 2010 and 2011, with the second quake causing widespread destruction to historic buildings. As Barb and Sonia explored the city, they saw firsthand how Christchurch has been rebuilding. Less than half of the historic buildings had been restored, many of them replaced with modern structures like their incredible library. The famous Church of England is supposed to be reconstructed, but experienced a lot of controversy and setbacks.
Photo credit: Cathy Hollander
One of the most striking impressions was vibrant street art everywhere: colorful murals on buildings and creative installations in public spaces, turning the city into an open-air gallery. They found the art museum very interesting, with many intriguing sculptures and paintings.
From Christchurch, they boarded the legendary TranzAlpine train considered one of the most spectacular rail journeys in the world. The scenery was ever-changing — rolling farmland gave way to deep river gorges, lush valleys and eventually the rugged peaks of the Southern Alps. The dramatic mountain scenery and river valleys made the journey a highlight of the trip.
They continued to Franz Joseph Glacier Valley where they took a rainy scenic walk to the glacier lookout. Only a small portion of the glacier could be seen in the distance — a sobering reminder of how climate change has affected these once massive ice formations. It was still worth the visit.
Next, Sonia and Barb traveled to Queenstown, named for Queen Victoria, and known as New Zealand’s “adventure capital.” With Its modern vibe, lively atmosphere and abundance of night life, Queenstown felt distinct from other cities visited. “We saw more young people there, more bars, places to hang out, and water sports,” remarked Sonia. It was lively, fun, and a great place to explore. In the evening, they enjoyed the Queenstown restaurants and shopping.
Another memorable experience was a visit to a Kiwi Hatchery, home to a hatching program of the world’s rarest kiwi, the Rowi. Barb and Sonia learned fascinating facts about these unique flightless birds from an expert ranger. Interesting fact: they lay eggs that are about two-thirds the size of their body. The ladies were able to walk through a dimly lit habitat designed to mimic their natural environment and were lucky enough to see the kiwi birds up close.
The next day, a long but incredibly scenic bus ride brought the ladies to Milford Sound. Milford Sound is a long narrow inlet located at the northernmost end of Fiordland National Park, opening out onto the Tasman Sea. It is often referred to as the Eighth Wonder of the World and one of the wettest places on Earth with abundant waterfalls and rain forests.
Photo credit: Cathy Hollander
They boarded a cruise boat to the Milford Sound fjord, which was carved by the erosion of ancient glaciers and is surrounded by steep cliffs and rainforest. “Unfortunately, New Zealand was experiencing a drought while we were there, and I observed less waterfalls than expected until…a storm rolled in while on the cruise. Suddenly spectacular waterfalls cascaded down the cliffs! It was definitely a sight to behold and a highlight of the trip for me,” exclaimed Barb.
One favorite stop along the way was Mirror Lake, where the mountains reflected perfectly in the water. It was one of those perfect, photo-worthy “Kodak Moments.”
On their final day, Sonia and Barb embarked on a scenic river cruse across Lake Wakatipu aboard a vintage steamship where they observed the crew members shovel coal to steam power the vessel, a step back in time. They were taken to a working farm where they learned about New Zealand’s farming lifestyle. They fed animals, watched sheepdogs in action herding sheep and saw a live sheep-shearing demonstration. There are very few sheep farms left in New Zealand as they now raise mostly cattle.
Photo credit: Cathy Hollander
Some interesting final takeaways and observations from the from the trip to New Zealand:
– On both the North and South islands, the restrooms were impressively clean. The New Zealanders are very proud of their public bathrooms.
– New Zealanders demonstrate a strong environmental consciousness, especially in efforts to protect native species and habitats.
– Signage in public places often appear in Maori, English and Chinese. The Chinese are the second largest immigrant population in the country.
– Walking on the left side of the sidewalk took some getting used to!
After a final dinner with the entire tour group, Barb and Sonia headed home, both agreeing that this bucket-list trip did not disappoint. “It was phenomenal,” said Barb.
