First time!

In article , Geoff McCaughan
says...
Peter wrote:
In article , Michael Mc
Grenaghan says...
I will be heading down first time to NZ. I have 10 days and want to
make the best of it. I am into scenery. Most spectacular. Can anyone
recommend a good itinerary keeping in mind I love seeing water!
Time schedule is June 2005.

Cripes. June is the beginning of winter and the days are at their
shortest, especially on the South Island where the scenery is, mostly.

It will be cold and wet in many places. Lots of snow, but that might
make travel over the more spectacular passes "iffy".

Snow in June? Unlikely.

"New Zealand's ski seasons vary but are generally, in the South Island
from early-June until early October and, in the North Island from late
June to mid-November. "
http://www.snow.co.nz/areas/area_index.asp

Perhaps you'd best get onto the people who set the dates for the ski
seasons and tell them they have their heads up their bums.

Pete

Hi Dwayne,

If I don't need to join the Lord of the Rings tour in Queenstown, shall I
allow to walk into the forest by myself. I remember a NZ tour book mentions
that noone allows to get into the forest by themselves unless they join the
Lord if the Rings tour. Is that true?

Ta!
PC


"Dwayne" wrote in message
news:_Kjjd.140297$Pl.40486@pd7tw1no...
MAP:
http://www.backpack-newzealand.com/m...uthisland.html

Christchurch to Greymouth through Arthur's Pass (Hokitika if you hire a
car)
Franz Joseph & Fox Glaciers (plus Lake Matheson walk)
Wanaka (Ski or Boarding @ Cardrona or TC - Treble Cone)
Good views from Rob Roy (Mt. Aspiring National Park) and Mt. Iron
Queenstown (Ski or Board Cornet Peak or Remarkables, TC's the best)
Good views from the Ben Lomond Saddle, plus you can get to the highest
hill
above the Gondola (side track).
Hire a car (if you don't already have one) drive to Te Anau.
Drive to Milford (2 hours if you don't stop, I spent 4 hours and missed
the
walk to Key Summit and Lake Merian each is 3 hour).
Stay in Milford if you can this time of year, I'm assuming you can (bring
food, there no shops only a cafe)
Take the cruise (underwater observatory is ok, if you dive then it sux, if
you're on a budget skip it)
You NEED rain to see Milford at it's finest.
The day trip to Milford from Queenstown is 13hour, and it's a rushed
13hours.
Then back to Queenstown and the Christchurch
If you still have some time go to Mount Cook Village before ending in
Christchurch.
Don't bother taking a Lord of the Rings tour in Queenstown. It's cheaper
and better to buy the guidebook (BEFORE you're in Queenstown) and hiring a
car. If you stay in backpackers you should meet up with people who want to
do the same things and can share the cost (NZ is very friendly).

Enjoy,

Dwayne

"Michael Mc Grenaghan" wrote in message
...
I will be heading down first time to NZ. I have 10 days and want to
make the best of it. I am into scenery. Most spectacular. Can anyone
recommend a good itinerary keeping in mind I love seeing water!
Time schedule is June 2005.

Ta!

MMG

in article , PC at
wrote on 9/11/04 7:50 PM:

Hi Dwayne,

If I don't need to join the Lord of the Rings tour in Queenstown, shall I
allow to walk into the forest by myself. I remember a NZ tour book mentions
that noone allows to get into the forest by themselves unless they join the
Lord if the Rings tour. Is that true?

Ta!
PC

Of course you can walk in the "bush" by yourself. There are no charges to
enter any National parks in NZ and there are over 12,000Km of tracks (info
from DOC website). One of my favourites is the Matukituki Valley - Rob Roy
glacier walk, near Wanaka. Many of the LOTR sites are composites and others
are computer generated so don't expect to see exactly what you saw on
screen.

The latest movie to be filmed in the beautiful SI "High Country" is C S
Lewis' The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe.

Vicki

In article , PC says...
Hi Dwayne,

If I don't need to join the Lord of the Rings tour in Queenstown, shall I
allow to walk into the forest by myself. I remember a NZ tour book mentions
that noone allows to get into the forest by themselves unless they join the
Lord if the Rings tour. Is that true?

Of course it isn't. But the trolls tend to avoid large groups in flavour
of sole travellers.

Quite often those who walk in alone are carried out. Or never make it
out at all. At the very least, find a fellow traveller to enter in the
forest.

In article , PC says...
Hi Dwayne,

If I don't need to join the Lord of the Rings tour in Queenstown, shall I
allow to walk into the forest by myself. I remember a NZ tour book mentions
that noone allows to get into the forest by themselves unless they join the
Lord if the Rings tour. Is that true?

Of course it isn't. But the trolls tend to avoid large groups in flavour
of sole travellers.

Quite often those who walk in alone are carried out. Or never make it
out at all. At the very least, find a fellow traveller to enter in the
forest.

The only locations that can/are a problem are the scenes filmed on private
land. One of the great things about NZ is that it's beauty was not
commercialized (until the LOTR films). Unfortunately there are people who
are out to make a quick buck (actually more like a quick hundred). This
WILL reflect negatively on the NZ tourism industry's bottom line, in the
future as the hype of the films die out.

There are some good stories, but you talk with the locals about what went
on. Like how the actor who portrayed Boromir actually climbed Mount
Earnslaw (it took him 2 days), because he was afraid to ride in a helicopter
to shoot a scene (the snowy mountain in Fellowship where Aaragon says to
Gandalf "We must turn back!"). This mountain was also used as K2 in the
movie Vertical Limit. And the north side of Mount Earnslaw and it's
surroundings were used when Gandalf was riding to Isengard (when the camera
pans wide).

There are few things you need to realize before you start going to the film
locations. Most of the locations used were enhanced digitally or converted
for the film and then converted back to their original state (so you may not
recognize much). There are some amazing locations in NZ that did not appear
in the film. In my opinion. you should go to NZ to see the beauty of the
country and learn about the people, their way of life and their history. If
you stumble upon a set, good. If not, I wouldn't worry about it. One of my
best views in NZ was at the top of Treble Cone ski field on a cloudless day
during spring. Standing on top of a snow covered mountain with heaps of
powder beneath my feet. And way down in the valley, vivid green grass, and
the hills, mountains and blue sky reflecting in the two crystal clear lakes.
I can still taste the crisp air.

Spend a couple of days exploring Fiordland, learn about Maori culture, do a
bungy jump, a bone/greenstone carving, or climb a mountain and you'll forget
about the movies.

Dwayne


"PC" wrote in message
...
Hi Dwayne,

If I don't need to join the Lord of the Rings tour in Queenstown, shall I
allow to walk into the forest by myself. I remember a NZ tour book
mentions
that noone allows to get into the forest by themselves unless they join
the
Lord if the Rings tour. Is that true?

Ta!
PC


"Dwayne" wrote in message
news:_Kjjd.140297$Pl.40486@pd7tw1no...
MAP:
http://www.backpack-newzealand.com/m...uthisland.html

Christchurch to Greymouth through Arthur's Pass (Hokitika if you hire a
car)
Franz Joseph & Fox Glaciers (plus Lake Matheson walk)
Wanaka (Ski or Boarding @ Cardrona or TC - Treble Cone)
Good views from Rob Roy (Mt. Aspiring National Park) and Mt. Iron
Queenstown (Ski or Board Cornet Peak or Remarkables, TC's the best)
Good views from the Ben Lomond Saddle, plus you can get to the highest
hill
above the Gondola (side track).
Hire a car (if you don't already have one) drive to Te Anau.
Drive to Milford (2 hours if you don't stop, I spent 4 hours and missed
the
walk to Key Summit and Lake Merian each is 3 hour).
Stay in Milford if you can this time of year, I'm assuming you can
(bring
food, there no shops only a cafe)
Take the cruise (underwater observatory is ok, if you dive then it sux,
if
you're on a budget skip it)
You NEED rain to see Milford at it's finest.
The day trip to Milford from Queenstown is 13hour, and it's a rushed
13hours.
Then back to Queenstown and the Christchurch
If you still have some time go to Mount Cook Village before ending in
Christchurch.
Don't bother taking a Lord of the Rings tour in Queenstown. It's
cheaper
and better to buy the guidebook (BEFORE you're in Queenstown) and hiring
a
car. If you stay in backpackers you should meet up with people who want
to
do the same things and can share the cost (NZ is very friendly).

Enjoy,

Dwayne

"Michael Mc Grenaghan" wrote in message
...
I will be heading down first time to NZ. I have 10 days and want to
make the best of it. I am into scenery. Most spectacular. Can anyone
recommend a good itinerary keeping in mind I love seeing water!
Time schedule is June 2005.

Ta!

MMG

In article libkd.166634$Pl.107902@pd7tw1no, Dwayne says...
Spend a couple of days exploring Fiordland, learn about Maori culture, do a
bungy jump, a bone/greenstone carving, or climb a mountain and you'll forget
about the movies.

I disagree - who could forget them?

But yeah, the movies are the icing on the cake. New Zealand is
wonderful, every bit of it, and some places are pure magic. The scenery
inspired the movie, not the other way around.

My book, Bookcrossing Through Middle-Earth, touches on the film and
locations, but I talk mainly of the land and the people.
http://www.lulu.com/content/56751

Pete

Peter wrote:
In article , Geoff McCaughan

"New Zealand's ski seasons vary but are generally, in the South Island
from early-June until early October and, in the North Island from late
June to mid-November. "
http://www.snow.co.nz/areas/area_index.asp

Anyone turning up expecting to ski in June would be taking a risk. However
skifields do tend to be in the mountains. The chance of snow impacting
anyone's travels etc in June [even the mountain passes], is remote.

Perhaps you'd best get onto the people who set the dates for the ski
seasons and tell them they have their heads up their bums.

Indeed.

--
Burn the land and boil the sea,
You can't take the sky from me.

Peter wrote:
In article , Geoff McCaughan

"New Zealand's ski seasons vary but are generally, in the South Island
from early-June until early October and, in the North Island from late
June to mid-November. "
http://www.snow.co.nz/areas/area_index.asp

Anyone turning up expecting to ski in June would be taking a risk. However
skifields do tend to be in the mountains. The chance of snow impacting
anyone's travels etc in June [even the mountain passes], is remote.

Perhaps you'd best get onto the people who set the dates for the ski
seasons and tell them they have their heads up their bums.

Indeed.

--
Burn the land and boil the sea,
You can't take the sky from me.

If I have only one full day to spend in mid Nov for taking photos & hiking,
but not skiing, I'm still deciding whether I shall go to Treble Cone or
Arthur Pass? Which scenery is better for fulfilling my interests in regards
of weather also?

Ta!
PC



"Dwayne" wrote in message
news:libkd.166634$Pl.107902@pd7tw1no...
The only locations that can/are a problem are the scenes filmed on private
land. One of the great things about NZ is that it's beauty was not
commercialized (until the LOTR films). Unfortunately there are people who
are out to make a quick buck (actually more like a quick hundred). This
WILL reflect negatively on the NZ tourism industry's bottom line, in the
future as the hype of the films die out.

There are some good stories, but you talk with the locals about what went
on. Like how the actor who portrayed Boromir actually climbed Mount
Earnslaw (it took him 2 days), because he was afraid to ride in a
helicopter
to shoot a scene (the snowy mountain in Fellowship where Aaragon says to
Gandalf "We must turn back!"). This mountain was also used as K2 in the
movie Vertical Limit. And the north side of Mount Earnslaw and it's
surroundings were used when Gandalf was riding to Isengard (when the
camera
pans wide).

There are few things you need to realize before you start going to the
film
locations. Most of the locations used were enhanced digitally or
converted
for the film and then converted back to their original state (so you may
not
recognize much). There are some amazing locations in NZ that did not
appear
in the film. In my opinion. you should go to NZ to see the beauty of the
country and learn about the people, their way of life and their history.
If
you stumble upon a set, good. If not, I wouldn't worry about it. One of
my
best views in NZ was at the top of Treble Cone ski field on a cloudless
day
during spring. Standing on top of a snow covered mountain with heaps of
powder beneath my feet. And way down in the valley, vivid green grass,
and
the hills, mountains and blue sky reflecting in the two crystal clear
lakes.
I can still taste the crisp air.

Spend a couple of days exploring Fiordland, learn about Maori culture, do
a
bungy jump, a bone/greenstone carving, or climb a mountain and you'll
forget
about the movies.

Dwayne


"PC" wrote in message
...
Hi Dwayne,

If I don't need to join the Lord of the Rings tour in Queenstown, shall
I
allow to walk into the forest by myself. I remember a NZ tour book
mentions
that noone allows to get into the forest by themselves unless they join
the
Lord if the Rings tour. Is that true?

Ta!
PC


"Dwayne" wrote in message
news:_Kjjd.140297$Pl.40486@pd7tw1no...
MAP:
http://www.backpack-newzealand.com/m...uthisland.html

Christchurch to Greymouth through Arthur's Pass (Hokitika if you hire
a
car)
Franz Joseph & Fox Glaciers (plus Lake Matheson walk)
Wanaka (Ski or Boarding @ Cardrona or TC - Treble Cone)
Good views from Rob Roy (Mt. Aspiring National Park) and Mt. Iron
Queenstown (Ski or Board Cornet Peak or Remarkables, TC's the best)
Good views from the Ben Lomond Saddle, plus you can get to the highest
hill
above the Gondola (side track).
Hire a car (if you don't already have one) drive to Te Anau.
Drive to Milford (2 hours if you don't stop, I spent 4 hours and
missed
the
walk to Key Summit and Lake Merian each is 3 hour).
Stay in Milford if you can this time of year, I'm assuming you can
(bring
food, there no shops only a cafe)
Take the cruise (underwater observatory is ok, if you dive then it
sux,
if
you're on a budget skip it)
You NEED rain to see Milford at it's finest.
The day trip to Milford from Queenstown is 13hour, and it's a rushed
13hours.
Then back to Queenstown and the Christchurch
If you still have some time go to Mount Cook Village before ending in
Christchurch.
Don't bother taking a Lord of the Rings tour in Queenstown. It's
cheaper
and better to buy the guidebook (BEFORE you're in Queenstown) and
hiring
a
car. If you stay in backpackers you should meet up with people who
want
to
do the same things and can share the cost (NZ is very friendly).

Enjoy,

Dwayne

"Michael Mc Grenaghan" wrote in message
...
I will be heading down first time to NZ. I have 10 days and want to
make the best of it. I am into scenery. Most spectacular. Can anyone
recommend a good itinerary keeping in mind I love seeing water!
Time schedule is June 2005.

Ta!

MMG