22/8: Taupo

 

One of my roommates had thunderous snore yesterday night and thus I did not sleep well ... so a bit headache today. I took around 6 hours from Wellington to Taupo this morning and tried to insist being awake in order to capture the scenery outside. The landscapes of north island is quite different from south island, where carries much more high mountains, valleys and rivers. I saw lovely lingling sheep during the journey . For those who were familiar with Heidi cantoon may know what I am talking about. I liked that kind of lingling baby sheep since I was a little girl.

I reached Taupo at around 1:40 pm and then visited my first target - Super Loo!!! Guess what it is! It 's the luxurious public toilet in NZ. Haha!!!

I passed a park with a big chess game on the ground and found 2 kids were playing there. It recalled me a scene in Harry Potter (vol. 1 or 2?). It's at least the 5th time here in NZ recalling different books.

I walked along the lakefront. Lake Taupo is a volcanic craterlake and was formulated after the volcanic eruption many thousands years ago. It is the biggest lake in NZ and even the largest volcanic craterlake in the world. ln fact, it looks like the sea rather than a lake.

I ordered seafood chowder for lunch at the lake front, wanna to enjoy the view of this biggest volcanic craterlake. However, it then rained and I could only move to the inner part of the cafe.

After heaing for some time, I wanna go to Huka Fall then. I asked a lady how to get there and she seemed to be very surprised. She recommended me not to walk there as it's quite far away and it might turn dark at 6 something... Having the experience in Oamaru, I no longer took the risk, especially being told in advance.

Nothing to do then at around 5:20pm. I shopped at supermarket and went back to the hostel to check tomorrow's schedule. Ok... make it. I will try to visit the fall tomorrow morning and then caught intercity to Rotorua. So... I will arrive Auckland on 24/8.

21/8: Wellington

I finally caught a flight from Queenstown to Wellington today. Unlike South Island, the buildings here in this capital city are much higher, though still less than 20 floors.

After leaving my baggage in hostel, I immediately rushed to the nearby supermarket to buy some food for lunch. Then I visited Te Papa Museum. It's lovely that the museum have quite a lot to investigate without any entry fee required.

After visiting the museum, I walked along Wellington Waterfront. It's the first time I was so freely to use wifi while walking here in NZ. Almost at the other end of the waterfront, I found the railway station, parliament and stadium were all nearby. I walked along a memorial trail with many graveyards at both sides. Many of the graves were quite elegant indeed, decorated by beautiful sculptures and daffodil.

At last I reached Wellington Botanic Garden. There were some specific gardens. As it was already turning dark, I only paid a visit to the herbs and rose garden.

Well, tomorrow will go northward to Taupo.

20/8: Arrowtown

 

In the morning, I joined two new friends in the rest room and visited Arrowtown together. Arrowtown was known as new gold hill, where many people came and formulated their dream of goldmining in 1860s. Of which, Chinese also involved a lot with a wish to get rid of poverty. They soon built up Chinese community here, though being discriminated in the region.

After getting through the huts of heritage, we then chose a trail for hiking. It's good to have accompany sharing during the walk, especially in time I wanna take photos for myself !

At night, we gathered again in the kitchen and shared for quite a long time. Oh, yes. I will leave South Island and fly to Wellington tomorrow. I guess I will also pay a visit to Taupo and Rotorua as well. Hopefully, I will be back to Auckland on or before 24/8. Don't worry, I won't forget my return flight to HK on 30/8 and will definitely not to forfeit another air ticket again.

Good night... my last night in South Island.

19/8: Oamaru to Queenstown

 

 

The hostel I stayed yesterday only have 2 visitors, including me. Both my roommate and the receptionist were old ladies, and the kitchen was broadcasting old country songs as well.

I woke up and walked along the main street. The buildings around were old but elegant. I also found some beautiful shop signs. After 20 minutes walk, l found a farmer market again. Unlike the one in Dunedin, the scale here was much smaller, and many old stuffs were being sold .... If you ask me a word to describe this small town, I would use the word "old" with hesitation.

At noon, I took intercity to Queenstown. When I reached Queenston, it was already 6:30 pm. I went to the hostel in order to ensure I could have a place to sleep for tonight. Interestly, I met some HK people here finally. We shared happily in the kitchen and made an appointment to go to Arrowtown together tomorrow.

18/8: Dunedin to Oamaru

ldentifing there's a farmer market next to the railway station on this Sat morning, it turned to my first journey of the day before leaving Dunedin. The market was quite lively, with many different items on sale. I wanna buy some food but had to leave in the afternoon, so had to keep as handy as possible.

At around 1pm, I left this academic and architectural city and caught the bus to Oamaru. However, when I reached Oamaru, the reception of the hostel was close and I could not checkin either. I then left my bulky baggage in the kitchen and went to the supermarket nearby directly. Only after I finished my "lunch" at around 4:30, I could finally checkin. I wanna book a bus back to Queenstown tomorrow via hostel but failed as the receiption told me the hostel was indeed operating by individual and therefore could not provide facility/bus booking service. I wanna go to seek i-site's help, but it had already close as well. What I could do was only to wait until tomorrow.

I then walked to Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony and watched the blue penguins coming ashore (my only reason to Oamaru). It was pretty cold at the seaside, especially standing still in a winter night. I could see around 2x blue penguins back from the sea in an hour time.

After viewing the penguins coming ashore, it's already after 7:15 pm. The seaside was dark and silent, except the sound of seabirds, wave and wind. I was the only one here walking under the wind. I guessed no one would be as stupid as me, walking alone in the darkness at a place with no idea of.... and even worse was I did not have an electric torch either. I was a bit afraid that I could not find the way back to the hostel. I really dared not want to expose myself in the wind and alone in the darkness for a night. Thank God! I finally reached the street with light and I could gradually identify the way back.

Hope tomorrow can go back to Queenstown smoothly. God bless!

17/8: Dunedin

Dunedin was established by a group of Scottish missionary. It has quite a similar smell as Edinburgh. I reached the Octagon and turned to the railway station direction. The station's kind of renaissance style building and gave me strong feeling of nostalgia. There were also many gothic style church around. I occasional discovered First Church, and prayed at the corner of the hall. It was so silent here and I were the only one in.

In the afternoon, I joined a wildlife tour to Otago Peninsula. Here I saw royal albatross flying and landing, though a bit far away, I was glad to see them finally (as the hostel receptionist told me it's only by chance in this season). I walked with 3 others and found there were quite a lot of sea lions nearby. Just around 10 feet away. I was a bit excited and quietly observed their action.

We soon went to the shoreside, hid in a hut, and watched the rare yellow-eye penguins returning from the sea. They were so funny, half hopping, half walking up the hill. Later on, we switched to the other side of the slope in order to visit fur seals. Since the slope was rather wet and steep, I fell down to the muddy ground and turned to be a mudman...

Anyway, it is an extraordinary experience to me, rather than simply having excitement and fun from game. Mudman.... no big deal la.