Disappointment at Lake Tekapo, February 23, 2026

This was mostly a driving day. We have to get back to Christchurch tomorrow to catch a plane back to the north island. This time, we are driving on the east side of the mountains we saw on the west side, especially Mount Cook, which we saw at Lake Matheson. The land here is very different from what we saw on the west, being more wide open, and covered with farms (produce and deer), sheep, and cows. We stopped at a grocery store in Cromwell, (the center of a fruit growing area) to pick up some snacks. Cromwell celebrated their fame with a giant fruit sculpture at the roadside. At the store, we checked out some strange snacks, and unusual foods like this:

How about a nice pig's head for dinner? At $4.08 a pound, that's only $14.53 for this beaut!

Tonight's stop will be at Lake Tekapo, a world-class stargazing spot within an International Dark Sky Reserve. At $

We have reservations for a small group stargazing experience.  This is how it was described: 

"Enjoy a 2-hour stargazing experience with an experienced guide. We keep the tour to a maximum of 10 adults for best experience. Learn about the night sky, see constellations, and use a 16" telescope to see planets and stars. Snack on a platter of nibbles and sip on a hot drink while you stargaze. Get picked up from your accommodation in Lake Tekapo and be driven to a private stargazing site out in the farm with zero light pollution. Sit back in a comfortable moon chair and wrap yourself in a warm blanket. Use a modern 16” telescope to see the night sky for deep sky objects."

We were stoked, except that the skies all day had been cloudy. But we were told to come check in anyway a few minutes before we were scheduled to be transported to the dark sky spot. We did, and were then told that it had been canceled. Bummer.

Our consolation was that our accommodations were great. We had a small kitchen, and 2 bedrooms,  one of which faced the mountains and lake with a huge picture window. We were high above the lake. Very nice. 

Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/YWwa5zuBwwQnWFzDA

Milford Sound, February 22, 2026

I had the feeling that this was going to be a great day when I looked out our hotel window and saw clearing skies. That, along with a promise of sun and 60s weather from the weather gurus, validated my premonition. 

We had to leave early  (7 am+/-) because our Milford Sound cruise was about a 2 hour drive away. And free parking (otherwise $10/hour) was a 20 minute walk to check in.  So, after breakfast that had been provided in our room, we set out.

The drive over Milford Road is nothing short of spectacular. It starts out over open fields, and climbs to snow capped mountains laced with waterfalls. Since we'd have to drive the same route coming back, we didn't stop to drink in the beauty. With little traffic, we arrived at Milford Sound early.  The walk from the parking lot was easy and pleasant as it wove through the rainforest.  A large patch of what looked like hawkweed, and orange crocosmia greeted us at the start of our walk. The only issue we had was  the nasty swarming sand flies. They compare well with NH black flies: they swarm around exposed skin,  they bite, and the bites itch like crazy. 

But, oh my, the 2 hour cruise on the Sound was well worth the early wake up and even the sand flies. The sound is actually a fjord, carved by glaciers, not rivers into steep U shaped cliffs. Those cliffs as the rise up from the water are dramatic with multicolor rock faces and waterfalls everywhere. We were told by one of the crew that we had really hit a

jackpot. It rained yesterday and that filled the previously dry waterfalls. That, paired with a perfectly sunny and mild day was particularly uncommon. Plus, we were blessed with the fact that our cruise was not heavily attended. We could easily move about the boat, going inside and outside in the front and rear. 

The ride back to Te Anau was an opportunity to stop all along the winding road we had previously traveled to check out the mountain and valley scenery. The road nearer to the sound is winding and narrow, and there were places where it was so narrow, it looked like it was actually one lane, but it was really 2. We're driving an Outlander, a full size SUV, and it looked like there was scarce room for a car to approach from the opposite direction. At one of the stops, we were lucky to spot a Kea bird, about the size of a smallish chicken. It's a large parrot, about 18 inches long, and an endangered native NZ bird. There are less than 4000 left in the wild. This one was banded, and I had read that NZ is monitoring the kea population closely. Very cool to get to see this.

Back in Te Anau, we strolled into town to have dinner. Unlike Saturday,  when you really needed a reservation, it seemed like most of the restaurants were quiet and just waiting for customers to come in.

Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/498pWG3YtWnLfiiA7

Queenstown to Glow Worms! February 21, 2026

Getting out of Queenstown was not as easy as we might have anticipated.  There is a great deal of construction, and some roads were closed. The route we had to take took us up those 20% grades hills, and down narrow streets where people were parked on both sides of the street. There were even boats parked on the street. I don't think a lot of people have garages here, or driveways. The drive to Te Anau was beautiful, and we stopped at a few turn outs and town's on our way.

On the road to Te Anau

Anyway, we did make our way out of town, headed for Te Anau, a small town on Lake Te Anau, an area that is home to glow worm caves. Glow-worms are not actually worms, but  larvae of a fungus gnat. They inhabit damp areas like caves, stream banks, and forests, using a blue-green light produced by a chemical reaction in their tail to attract prey into sticky silk threads. So you can see these in the dark-- kind of like fireflies.

We arrived in Te Anau to threatening skies. But rain did hold off. We boarded a boat that took us across Lake Te Anau to the site of the caves. We then walked a path that took us through the rainforest to the caves. Since they don't allow photography in the dark caves,

I only managed a few pictures. In the cave, we followed a path that required up to stoop low (maybe 5 feet high) twice, and that led to a boat landing , and the 13 of us on this tour boarded. It was a VERY small boat. Ray was the last to board, and his knees barely fit to allow him to sit. Once the boat entered the dark cave, sure enough you could see clusters of blue lights on the ceiling, and what looked like veils ( the worm sticky traps) on the ceiling as well. It was interesting, and strange. I would have liked to tour the cave itself with a bit more light, because there was a rushing stream through it and the walls (as much as we could see of them) had fascinating grooves and pockets. 

After the glow worms, we went to dinner in town, walking in the rain that finally arrived. Te Anau has a population of about 2,900 people that grows to over 10,000 in summer (December to March). There are 25 restaurants in town, so there was a lot to choose from, although many require reservations if you want to eat before 8 o'clock. We have found the food in NZ to be very good, with fresh ingredients. But side dishes are mostly French fries. 

Our accommodations are wonderful, we have a full kitchen and living area, and our room looks out on the lake.

Photos here: 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/s4ShZQb5VmQFzY6h7

Lake Wakatipu, views, Walter Peak dinner and sheep, February 20, 2026

We got up late and were 2 of the last people in for breakfast this morning. Later, we headed out to check out Queenstown, a city built on hills in the southwest of New Zealand's south island. It sits on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, a beautiful glacial lake surrounded by mountains. It's a relatively new city, as the first non-Maori  to arrive here came in 1853. Shortly after that, gold was discovered in the Arrow River, and the settlement grew from there. 

Having been built on the mountain sides, the city streets are steep! 16-25% grades are common. I wouldn't want to have to drive a stick shift around here...

We took a walk in the picturesque Queenstown Botanical Gardens, dedicated to WWI veterans. It is an absolute gem, situate on the lake shore, and boasting some gorgeous tree specimens. There were sequoia brought from the US, and beautiful flower gardens all perched on Queenstown's steep hills. 

This evening, we boarded the TSS Earnslaw , a commercial coal powered steam boat, to cross Lake Wakatipu and arrive at the Walter Peak Farm for a sumptuous dinner and sheep demonstration. The ride took us through the mountains and some wonderful

scenery. The farm itself is gorgeous, as it sits in a small bay on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. The dinner was great, the sheep show, not so much. When we were in Ireland, we had attended a demo at working sheep farm, where the dogs, herded the sheep at whistled commands over a many acre area in a natural setting in the Irish hills. It was a marvel to see, followed by a sheep shearing demo where a small group gathered around, feet from the shearer. Tonight's shearing demo was under a lighted tent in the dark, with an audience of about 200. The herding was shown in a dimly lit field in the back of the tent. It was hard to see what the dogs were doing, and it felt really "commercial". 

Photos here: 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4VJ82X9oSMGgbS4e8

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