Michelle Lee’s family group from Singapore, returned to Aotearoa for a second Road Trip. This time to experience what the South Island had to offer.
The first week, guided by Alex, saw them visit the Waipara vineyards north of Christchurch en-route to the stunning coastal town of Kaikoura. Sadly they did not see any whales but they did spot some NZ fur seals.
Their next stop was the amazing blowholes at Punakaiki (Pancake Rocks), then onwards to the vividly blue Hokitika Gorge and the Franz Josef Glacier on the West Coast before reaching Wanaka.
The family enjoyed playing with the animals at the Lavender farm and stretching their brains at the unique Puzzling World, a must do while in town.
From there, Constance took over as Alex had become unwell. The transition into the second week of their journey went smoothly as the family ventured further south.
They giggled at the Bradrona fence, sampled Cardrona’s finest at the distillery, explored the Chinese Mining Settlement and shops of Arrowtown and we’re blown away by the majestic mountains on their day trip to Milford Sound.
After two nights in Te Anau and a boat ride across the lake to spy the glow worms they were whisked off to Queenstown where they shopped, fine dined and took a scenic drive along the shores of Lake Wakatipu to Glenorchy. They had a Fergburger picnic lunch in the Botanic Gardens then took a steamship ride on the TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak Station for a farm tour & BBQ dinner.
On the way back north they watched Bungy jumpers at Kawarau Bridge, sampled wine at Gibbston Valley, tried fresh fruit ice creams at Jackson’s Orchard in Cromwell and fed the hungry fish at the High Country Salmon Farm.
In Tekapo they went atop Mt John for a bird’s-eye view of the Lake & the MacKenzie Basin before tasting the famous Fairlie pies at the Bakehouse.
Back in Christchurch the family did a loop of the city on a tram then the children were free to play at the Margaret Mahy playground, named after a NZ children’s author. On the last day before they flew out they went to the International Antarctica Centre to get up close with the Huskies and Penguins.
