NEW ZEALAND’s Deep South… a bit of a TRAVEL story.
Returning last Sunday, Peta and I had a wonderful 10 days in the Deep South of NZ, and can thoroughly recommend to any with thoughts of ‘local’ international travel.
We started out in Queenstown, a relative 8 hours travel from here, and with a 5 hour time difference to WA time. Flying in thru the valleys, almost reaching out and touching the ranges on approach to Queenstown A/P, was a surreal experience, as were the mountains that dominate that area.
We hired a lil Toyota hybrid, and with petrol around $3 NZ a litre it served us well, travelling to Dunedin and staying at the incredibly Scottish Larnach Castle, set up high with wonderful gardens overlooking the Dunedin bay and hinterlands. Recommend.
Return journey via the southern route, towards Invercargill and some of the most attractive and intensive farming/grazing lands, alongside rivers, lakes and mountains before having some more time in Queenstown.
It is rather spread out town along the lake and under the mountains, with roadworks on the main entry/exit route making traffic worse than a trip down south late in the day of a long weekend!! SHO—KING. The only downer of the trip. How the locals put up with it, I cannot fathom.
Meal choices and quality really good, and service excellent.
A visit to nearby Arrow Town, and a sunset lake/dinner cruise on an old steam boat were highlites.
We then travelled up over the mountains to Wanaka, staying with friends for 4 days, and truly enjoying the beauty of the little town set amongst the really high mountains.
Again great food, with a highlight the visit to the Wanaka A&P Show, which attracts about 40,000 visitors to its over 1600 site displays. Thinking JacFest… with our 160 sites!! All the regular country show features, but including .. I think… the world’s only major race for Jack Russell doggies.. thousands watched from the fence lines, 100 dogs taking off en mass chasing a lure towed behind a Policewoman on horseback, then heading every which way distracted by whatever.. so comical.
Also a local strong man and woman comp … neither Peta or I were tempted to enter! Some of those Mauri bods are humungous.
A long trip home via Brisbane, but it was worth it.
We are definitely returning as we only scratched the surface of some of the most beautiful sightseeing, fabo food and great hospitality on offer in the Deep South.
Can recommend!
Kenn.
Kenn Williams
0428 472619
Our guest speaker (and singer), Martin Clare was so entertaining and funny at Applecross Rotary Club on 17th March I forgot to take any notes or even a photo until he was halfway through.
