Wild ride on the Dart, February 19, 2026

We were up early to make the hour drive to Dart River Adventures in Glenorchy for our 2 hour jet boat adventure up the Dart River that flows into Lake Wakatipu. The day was overcast, but expected to clear through the morning. 

There were 13 of us plus the driver on our boat. These jet boats can operate in water as shallow as 6 inches, and that was a feature needed for this ride. The Dart is a glacier- fed  braided river, "characterized by multiple, shifting channels separated by small,

On the bus to the river dock

temporary islands (braid bars) across a wide gravel bed." We set off to the north through the Dart valley between mountains in shallow water at speeds of 40-60 mph. The air temperature when we left was low 50s, and we were glad we had dressed in layers, so were both pretty warm. Our driver, at times, would signal to us that he was going to perform a 360 degree water "wheelie", spraying water everywhere. That was cool! About halfway up the river, it started to rain. Lightly at first, then harder for a bit. Those raindrops felt like a face acupuncture treatment: little needles stabbed into your face! Fortunately,  the operation company had given us balaclavas to put over our heads to expose only your mouth and eyes. That helped a lot. They recommend everyone wear sunglasses or glasses. The rain stopped after a bit, and cleared as we came south again.

This was fun, and the scenery stunning. We saw rainbows at 2 locations, and passed the places where filming of Lord of the Rings took place. We passed a cabin on the river that was used in the filming for a Brad Pitt movie that has yet to be released. It served as a stand in for an Alaskan location.

Photos were hard to take in a boat going 50 mph! But sometimes our driver would stop to explain some of what we were seeing,  and give us the opportunity to snap pictures then.

By the time we returned to the dock, it was sunny and beautiful with temps in the upper 60s. We had lunch at a local spot in Glenorchy. Even in these more remote spots, we've found the food to be fresh and tasty. I had a nice chicken salad with spring greens and smoked chicken ( not gross deli chicken).

From Glenorchy,  we drove north for a bit to check out the country, but turned around when we found ourselves on a really rough dirt road. Following the road south to Queenstown,  we stopped at a few overlooks. I'm enjoying all the different vegetation here, so many different plants, flowers, and bushes. The road back is extremely narrow, and Ray is cautious going around hairpin turns. Thank God, because on one of them, we met what looked like an empty logging truck coming around that turn in our narrow (very narrow) lane. Needless to say, we both uttered a choice expletive to see it coming at us. But there was just enough room,  and we're still here.

We decided we'd like to know what we're eating, and opted for dinner at a great little local restaurant (mentioned in reviews as a place mostly frequented by locals). A bonus was that we could walk there instead of braving the insane Queenstown traffic. 

Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/SPVqKFgeVTimXJVY6

Bradrona and Degustation, February 18, 2026

 

Arrowtown 

Yesterday we drove from Wanaka to Queenstown,  stopping at several places along  the way. It was a bright sunny, slightly cool day, for a welcome change.  That drive isn't very long, but we took a leisurely pace. 

First up was the gem, Bradrona. The Cardrona Bra Fence began as a mystery between Christmas 1998 and New Year 1999, when four bras mysteriously appeared on a roadside wire fence. Though the original motive remains unknown, the local landowners decided to leave them up. As word spread, the collection grew to 60 by February—only to be stripped away by an anonymous "cleanser."

Ironically, this attempt to clear the fence only fueled its fame. Following widespread media coverage in New Zealand, the bras returned in droves. By October 2000, the count hit 200; after another mass removal, the story went global, capturing interest as far away as Europe. What started as a local quirk soon became a major tourist landmark, with people visiting in person or mailing garments from across the world. By early 2006, the fence boasted nearly 800 bras. 

In November 2014, Cardrona 2 tour guides decided to take voluntary guardianship of the fence after it had been stripped by anonymous people on a number of occasions. They shifted the fence to their private driveway about 100 yards away from its original spot. A pink sign and a collection box were put up in March 2015 to help raise funds for the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation. The area is now known as Bradrona, and there are thousands of bras on the fence now. 

A short distance away is the small town of Cardrona, established in the 1860s in the midst of the gold rush of the time. A large flood in 1878 wiped out most mine claims, and most people left the area. There are a few original building left in town. We stopped to tour the schoolhouse,  hotel, and church buildings.

As we traveled the road, the scenery changed dramatically.  Views were more open, gone were the lush forests. Further along, we came to Arrowtown, another gold mining town. There are many well preserved buildings here that were used by the European and Chinese immigrants who settled during the town's gold mining era. Arrowtown is a lovely town with tree lined streets that is chock full of boutiques, restaurants,  gift shops and boutiques.  It's another major tourist spot. We stopped here for ice cream and to stroll through the town. We do find it odd that there are very few public trash cans, but very little litter--anywhere. 

By the end of the afternoon, we arrived at our hotel located on a hill overlooking Lake Wakatipu with great views of the mountains across the lake. We enjoyed the degustation menu (as we diecovered, a curated, multi-course tasting menu designed to showcase a chef’s skills, local ingredients, and varied culinary techniques) at the restaurant here, 

The Degustation room

and were mostly bewildered by whatever it was they served. Each course looked beautiful and had lots of textures and flavors, but we couldn't understand most of the waiter's elaborate descriptions of what we were going to be eating. He spoke fast and with a French accent, and I wasnt going to ask him to slow down, or speak more clearly. I just figured that no matter, we'd eat the dish. Every so often, we could pick out a word: "foam" or "eel"...We've laughed a lot about that whole experience, and it will always be a funny memory for us. 

Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ahpsGVjrpyrTK4Kk8

Lazy day in Wanaka, February 17, 2026

Lake Wanaka

Since we've been on the go, we opted to take today as a lazy day. We slept late, had a late breakfast delivered to our door,

Breakfast 

worked out (there's a gym here) and weren't out the door til afternoon. We mosied into Wanaka and cruised the shops that line the streets. Wanaka seems to be every bit a tourist town, with a huge Asian presence. Ardmore and Helwick Streets are lined with restaurant after restaurant interspersed with gift shops. There is a nice walking path along the beautiful Lake Wanaka that is populated by folks welding selfie sticks. Parking lots have very narrow lanes to optimize usage, and it's hard to move around. 

We stopped for ice cream and enjoyed the brightening day. The sun was trying hard to come out. After a while in town, we decided to retreat to our little haven at Tin Tub. We had a glass of wine and sat on the patio and listened to the birds twittering around us. We're far enough from town that there is no road noise.

One thing we really like about NZ is the way most restaurants operate. You place your order when you go in and pay then. A server delivers your food, and you can leave when you're done. No tipping. Restaurant prices are pretty reasonable here. Tonight we each had a steak, fries, and salad for $40 US. 

Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/5atDnqXYarHbm18Y9

Down from the rainforest to Wanaka lakes area, February 16, 2026

After another wonderful lodge breakfast, we set off down the coast through Haast Pass to the lakes region and Wanaka. 

We visited a couple of waterfalls accessed by short hikes, then Haast Pass and the Blue Pools, a hike through native forest and over a swing bridge to turquoise pools branching off a river.

We also stopped at Lake Hawea overlook with views of mountains and lakes. At that overlook, we saw the only bit of roadside trash we have seen in NZ in the last week. It was startling to see, as the country, from cities to scenic areas is so incredibly clean. As we left the rainforest, the landscape opened up to views of lakes edged with mountains, not the typical walls of greenery at the edges of the road.

We arrived in Wanaka at our accommodations by late afternoon.  When we got here, we couldn't figure out how to get in! When we finally found the front door, it was locked, with a sign posted asking for us to call or text a number. Unfortunately,  our esims allow us to use data, not calling. The text number instructed us to use WhatsApp,  but we both use Google messages. Fortunately, a cleaning employee saw us, and offered to call for us. The manager/owner came, and

brought us to our room. This place sits high on a ridge overlooking Wanaka and there are 3 chalets and 2 lodges, for 5 unique "rooms". We have a large patio with outdoor seating, and a separate private "tub area" outside. The chalet itself is huge, and really comfortable. Our tour operator has chosen luxury accommodations in each place, a significant change for the people who toured Europe in a pup tent.

Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/9U1euWWZHdpgT4BF7

Wilderness Lodge Adventures, February 15, 2026

Silver Beech

We are staying at Wilderness Lodge on Lake Moeraki, a destination resort. They provide meals and nature-based activities in a setting that is really far from any established town. The employees live there. The location is remote as it is situated in the heart of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage area. There are no TVs in the rooms, but they offer various outdoor adventures,  or just the opportunity to sit and relax in this serene place. 

Today after a late breakfast, we did laundry (free of charge), and just generally relaxed. The grounds of the resort are impeccably maintained. It was a gorgeous sunny day. In the afternoon, we met up with our guide, Isla, who took us on a personal tour of some local spots. The walk is offered (for a charge) to all guests, along with another activity, (kayaking on the lake). Most others chose that. We were the only ones who chose these walks.

Isla drove us to a few overlooks, and we hiked one area of rainforest, stopped at a beach, and then went to a beach known only to locals. To get to that one, we had to wade across a creek, and trek over a muddy trail. They supplied wet shoes, water, bug spray, and sunscreen.  Isla showed us what to look for in hunting potential gemstones. We found white and light green jade, quartz, and several others. We spent 4 hours learning from Isla about the rain forest and history of that area of the country, and enjoying the great views of the area beaches.  We both completely enjoyed this outing.

When we got back to our room, we had just enough time for a bathroom break before we set out for the evening walk to the lake to meet certain residents: the eels. With Isla and another guide, we trekked through another area of the forest where we found a 600 year old silver beech tree that hosted 96 other species on it! We were also introduced to the eels that live in Lake Moeraki. They are not a danger to humans, but I can't say I'd want to bump into one in the water!

Dinner was delightful and relaxing after a busy day. The cicadas lulled us to sleep.

Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/aDnbfLz8D1eQHgxG6

Down the west coast, February 14, 2026

At Lake Matheson 

Our first stop of the day as we left Franz Josef to head south, was at the Franz Josef glacier. There is a short walk that takes you to a viewpoint of the glacier. Since you're so far away from it, it's unimpressive. 

Further south, we stopped at Lake Matheson, known for being like a mirror for Mt. Cook and Mt. Tasman on a completely calm day. Unfortunately,  there was a  slight breeze today, that hindered that effect. We chose the walk around the lake, through native old growth forest. Everything in the forest seemed to be moss-covered, the trees, rocks, ground- everything.  And the moss was several inches thick. We were amazed at how many species of moss we saw: some looked like miniature trees, some were fuzzy, some like little ferns. Large ferns sprouted from the walls on the sides of the trail in places. The plant life at our feet was as interesting and beautiful as the mountain scenic views. Amazingly there were no annoying bugs! Beautiful  walk.

Heading further south, it clouded up, and we stopped at Bruce Bay, a stretch of beach littered with rocks and driftwood (and sand flies). 

From there, we headed to our final stop for the day at Wilderness Lodge, established by dedicated conservationists. It is located in Te Wahipounamu, in the southwest corner of the South Island of New Zealand. This area encompasses 4 national parks, and is the least developed area in NZ. The vegetation here is in essentially pristine condition as a bridge to this area wasn't built until some time in the 1960s. Our lodge is surrounded, as it's name implies, by the wilderness.  Since there are no other businesses in the area, all meals and recreation are provided here. The meals are all created from fresh, local ingredients,  and they offer naturalist guided nature walks and presentations,  and kayaking. It's a wonderfully peaceful retreat, with expansive lawns and gardens, with nature on its doorstep.

We went on a short guided walk through the bush to the lake, then joined the others staying here for happy hour and then a lovely dinner. 

Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/CamkWM6rrKBvDtvP8

To Franz Josef via TranzAlpine train and Route 6, February 13, 2026

 Our tour company had arranged for us to be picked up by cab early this morning to take us to the 8:15 departure of the TranzAlpine train. That 5 hour journey would take us from Christchurch in the east to Greymouth in the west, where we would collect our rental car for the 2 1/2 hour drive down the scenic route 6 to our stop for the day at a beautiful little town, Franz Josef.

While the day and journey started out cloudy, by halfway through the train trip, it started to rain-- hard. That fact colored our experience. Rain and fog obscured a good part of the trip. If there were spectacular views, we didn't, for the most part,  see them. We sat opposite a couple from Toronto (small world??). The woman wore a sweatshirt that proclaimed "Canada is not for sale!"

Overall, we found that the experience did not live up to the hype. From what we could tell, even with the rain, the views were not what I'd call superlative. Service on the train (we had breakfast with our tickets) was lame. The food was packaged food that they reheated. They'd give you your "cooked" meal, then you'd have to wait 3 or 4 minutes to get your beverage. We wished we had just driven the route.

In Greymouth, we picked up our ride, a huge Mitsubishi Outlander, and set off in the rain down route 6, a lush green landscape pretty much all the way. Ferns clung to the rock faces (we guessed there was rock under all the greenery because the surfaces were vertical) at the sides of the road. You really couldn't see rocks or soil anywhere,  just trees, bushes, and flowers (crocosmia, like in Ireland!). It was really a delight to see, even in the rain.

About an hour north of Franz Josef, the road became a series of twists and turns, snaking through the mountain area. It was pretty cool. 

We arrived at our stop for the night by late afternoon. It is a beautiful, quiet, clean mini-apartment with a kitchen, sofa, and extra bed. I suspect that since we booked this trip so late in the season (summer here had already begun) we got the last room here. Almost every accommodation is sold out. We don't mind. So far, every hotel has been excellent. Franz Josef is a beautiful, scenic town.

We notice that there is a heavy oriental population here. We went to a bustling oriental restaurant for dinner that featured Thai, Filipino,  and Chinese dishes. As all the places we've dined at so far, ingredients are all super fresh and tasty.

Photos link