NZ trip questions

Hi John. The US. Sometimes I do forget many other places have states as
well as we do. Mexico for example. Many other places have parishes,
counties, or provinces. Cheers. Travels.

Hi Scotty. Did they change the max limit in the past 7 years? I could swear
it was 110k, at least in the south. I had a pack come loose on the return
from Milford sound and had to pull over to tir it back up. My fellow
riders were ahead of me and didn't know I'd stopped. I pushed the little
BMW single I was riding to 140k to cath back up(not as fast going uphill
though) Cheers. Travels.

Hi Scotty and John. I mounted an 8mm video camera to my helmet on this
trip. It was an older (pre digital) camera and while it is fairly light
weight it still put a kink in my neck at speed. There were 3 other guy's
with me on this trip. Trevor, our guide and a Kiwi. Gerald, from OZ, Ron,
from Vancouver Canada, and myself from the US. We had never met except for
internet contact prior to the ride. Funny thing is , when I wore the
camera (not throughout the whole trip because of aforementioned neck
troubles and rain) they made me ride in the back of the pack. Some said
because the camera looked silly I think they were just jealous. The film
is kind of painfully boring to watch because it is 2 hours or more at a
time of facing foward behind those 3. Outside of some spectactular scenery
it is a great look at NZ highways. I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. We
did 2600 miles in 11 days on the road. Cheers. Travels.

On Tue, 11 Oct 2005 23:45:16 -0400, travels wrote:

Hello. Have a look at www.stuff.co.nz . It is a link to most newspapers and
other links with a lot of NZ information. Are you planning equal time on
the south island as in the north?

Yes, we've decided on 2.5 weeks on the North Island and 2.5 on the South,
for lack of a better idea :-) It's our first trip to NZ, we figured we'd
have a look at a bit of everything.

Both have lots to offer but my favorite cut Cheers. Happy Travels.

Thanks for all the tips. Now I need a bit of time to check all that up :-)

Iwona

Not sure if anyone made the suggestion to go on the
Doubtful Sound day trip which is via Boat, coach, more boat and return.
We stayed overnight at Te Anua and drove down to lake Manapouri
from where it leaves (about 20 mins from memory)
A coach also leaves from Te Anua about 30 minutes before boat departure.
Very worthwhile days outing, and the only way to get there.
If you are into Helicopters, the Helicopter trip that goes over both
Glaciers and Mount Cook is also worth the money.
In Wellington have a look at the OLD parliament house which
looks like it is built of sandastone but is actually wood.
Also new parliament haouse has tours and it has a very unique
earthquake protection system which can be seen on the tour.
John H





"Iwona Maksymowicz" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 11 Oct 2005 23:45:16 -0400, travels wrote:

Hello. Have a look at www.stuff.co.nz . It is a link to most newspapers
and
other links with a lot of NZ information. Are you planning equal time on
the south island as in the north?

Yes, we've decided on 2.5 weeks on the North Island and 2.5 on the South,
for lack of a better idea :-) It's our first trip to NZ, we figured we'd
have a look at a bit of everything.

Both have lots to offer but my favorite cut Cheers. Happy Travels.

Thanks for all the tips. Now I need a bit of time to check all that up :-)

Iwona

The scenic icon of New Zealand is the picture-perfect view of Mitre
Peak mirrored in the glassy waters of Milford Sound.

Milford Sound's majestic grandeur is symbolised by the perfection of
this scene of sheer rock walls, 1700 metres high, plummeting into the
black depths of the fiord. No wonder author Rudyard Kipling described
Milford as the eight wonder of the world, and Arthur Michener thought
of it as 'the most stirring sight in the Pacific'.

The majestic scenery begins long before you reach Milford, in the
Eglinton Valley. Snow-capped mountains loom 1000 metres above the road,
streaked with waterfalls, and reflected in mirror lakes. The road
climbs steeply into a sub-alpine wonderland at the Homer Tunnel
entrance. You emerge from the tunnel to an instantly breathtaking view
of the canyon which descends into Milford.

Milford Sound comes a close second to the mountains of Tahiti in
recording the highest rainfall in the world. The deluge of 7 metres of
rain each year sounds forbidding for a tourist resort, but it actually
adds to the drama and mystique of the sound. In torrential rain the
sheer mountain walls erupt with a thousand cascades plunging from
hanging valleys, wreathed in ethereal mists, and crossed with rainbows.

A boat cruise is the best way to appreciate the grandeur of the sound.
Highlights include Bowen Falls, Mitre Peak, Anita Bay, The Elephant and
Stirling Falls. In Harrison Cove there is an underwater observatory
with views of aquatic life on the reef. Some cruises go out to the
entrance of the Sound where dolphins, fur seals and crested penguins
may be seen. Kayaking and diving trips can be arranged and divers have
the rare opportunity of seeing black coral at relatively shallow
depths. Scenic flights take in the other main sounds down the coast,
and the Sutherland Falls, which are New Zealand's highest.

The 55 km Milford Track, reputed to be 'The Finest Walk in the
World' operates in the summer months. It takes three days and links
Lake Te Anau with Milford Sound.

Milford Sound provides a rare chance to get a close view of nature on a
grand scale. It's the ultimate in scenic splendour in a country that
excels in mountain grandeur.

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