This is the 2nd post of my New Zealand trip.
Some may ask where to buy souvenirs? What to buy?
In Dunedin, you can consider the New Zealand Gift Shop right behind the Octagon. Bring your student card because you not only can get discount for tours, you can also can use it to buy souvenirs at certain shops. Queenstown and Christchurch (unfortunately now the city is closed) are also good choices as they are tourist spots and will offer a lot of souvenir shops. Look for shops opened by foreigners (not by New Zealand people) because they have greater deals.
What to buy then?
For food, you can consider their cookies and oat-based food, they taste delicious and they are quite economical. Since Cadbury is nearby, you can buy chocolates (other brands are also recommended). There is a wide variety of chocolates that are available in Malaysia to choose from.
For cosmetics, there is a wide offer of manuka honey, kiwi, mud and lanolin products. Kiwi and honey might not last long, so mud and lanolin products are more recommended. Please compare the prices at different places before purchase.
What about other items are decorations etc.? New Zealand is famous for its sheep, so you can consider sheep wool products, merino wool products, even the soft toys are soft and cuddly (I prefer the brand: kiwi & friends).
Paua shells-based products are also wonderful. This type of shells are commonly found at the beaches there and they have beautiful luscious blue colour.You can buy a small pack of shells at the New Zealand Gift Shop at NZD 8.00 and fill it as much as you can! (bigger pack at NZD 12.00). There are also tea set and necklaces.
Maori products should also not be missed. Available in various carvings, costume jewellery. Look for traditional patterns that carry meanings.
Postcards can be bought at various places as you go along the tour and tourist spots. Snow globes are also wonderful ad available mostly in Queenstown (if you are looking for beautiful and cheap ones). Fridge magnets are great choices too.
Souvenir coins can be bought at i-site (refer to my first post) at almost every city and certain tourist spots. For Queenstown,, the souvenir coins can be found at the skyline gondola.
Each costs NZD2.00.
Fridge magnets
Spoon featuring Paua shell on top
Postcards from various places
A Maori carving
Souvenir coins
Cute soft toys, only at NZD10.00 each!
Snow globe featuring Christchurch
Now, let's continue the description of my trip.
3rd DAY
1st Part: The Great First
Early in the morning, Jiapei and I went to visit the gorgeous First Church. The church is situated at Moray Place near the Octagon. Its full name is First Presbyterian Church. An essay in the Gothic tradition of church architecture, First Church was designed by R. A. Lawson to grace the top of the Bell Hill. For harbour reclamation and general leveling purposes, however, it was necessary to lower the hill some 12 metres before First Church (by then the third) could be constructed. Taking six years to complete, the church with its magnificent spire rising to 54 metres, opened for worship in 1873.
Spectacular under the blue blue sky
The altar
Painted glass
nice grounds
inside the church
2nd Part: The Queen visits the Queen
Queens Gardens features a high statue in the middle of the park and somewhere along the sides of the park, you get to see the white statue of Queen Victoria.
3rd Part: Otago Settlers Museum
Actually i don't get to go in since it is under renovation but I will still introduce anyway. This museum is right behind Queens Park and beside Dunedin Chinese Garden.
It is New Zealand's oldest and most extensive history museum. You can find some historic vehicles in there.
How sad..
4th Part: Chinese is Everywhere
Right beside the Otago Settlers Museum is the entrance to Dunedin Chinese Garden. The entrance fee for an adult is NZD9 and for student is NZD6. Opened daily from 10am-5pm.
The garden is an authentic Chinese Garden, having been created with the support of the Dunedin City Council and the Shanghai Municipal Government. The garden is New Zealand's only authentic Chinese Garden and one of only three outside China - the first of its kind to be built in the south hemisphere.The Dunedin Chinese Garden is designed as a late Ming/early Ching Scholar’s garden, and is separated from the rest of the city by a four metre perimeter wall. It is centred on a large lake, around which are numerous structures: an Entrance hall, a square pavilion, a study, a climbing mountain half-pavilion and corridor, a tea house, and two-storey conference rooms. A zigzag bridge crosses the lake and connects with Chongyuan, a central pavilion. At the entrance to the garden is an elaborate Pai Lou archway.
The grand entrance
climbing mountain
beautiful lake
The tea house, you can eat and drink inside and play chess too.
actually that is not tea..^^
The souvenir shop, you can buy peach buns here. Funny, it was written "1 peach bun-$1, 2 peach buns-$2". What difference is there?
the lake is so clear, that the reflection is so cool
on top of the climbing mountain
View of the pavillion, the lake and the zigzag bridge
on the zigzag bridge
5th Part: Rail up!
Right at the afternoon, we walked to the Dunedin Railway Station at Anzac Ave. It is the first official architect for New Zealand Railways, George A. Troup, won the unofficial title of "Gingerbread George" for this magnificent station built in 1904-07 in the Flemish Renaissance style. Its beauty is more than facade deep - as a look inside will show.
The railway station has been more than 100 years old. Other than its marvelous architecture and inner design, the garden in front of the station is spectacular. There is a crossover bridge over the railways and a place for skateboarding behind it.
Dunedin Railway Station
Over the railway
The bridge
We head here for the Taieri Gorge Railway ride
Garden in front
special inner design
2 floors, you can buy tickets here, visit art gallery and buy souvenirs here.
64km Taieri Gorge Railway is New Zealand's longest "privately-owned railway". A good choice if you like to experience the natural beauty of New Zealand as you travel through ranches, valleys, streams, mountains and so on. There are several packages offered. Most traveled from Dunedin to Pukerangi or Middlemarch, then travel back. For the trip to Pukerangi, there is only 1 trip per day, from 12.30pm to 4.30pm.
The train for the trip. fares change from time to time. Souvenirs and food are also sold in the train
Lucky to be in the last cart, when back, it becomes the first cart. When at the last cart, I get to go outside the cart and enjoy the breeze of the train moving.
The map of our trip. On our way, we passed through 12 tunnels.
For more information, visit http://www.taieri.co.nz/fares.htm
4th DAY
1st Part: Castle Cruiser
Early in the morning, at around 10.15am, I am heading out for a tour by myself since Jia Pei isn't free. Standing beside the street, soon the van with the words "Castle Cruiser" on it arrived to pick me up. Opening the door for me is a guy in his 30s, named Mark Joyce. He told me I am his only customer that day, so he became my "private tour guide".
http://www.otagocyclehire.co.nz/pages/20/The-Castle-Cruiser, RM55 per guided tour including entrance to the castle and the garden.
At first, he brought me to visit a cemetery where the Larnach's grave is located.
Actually after this, he brought me to see University of Otago but I will post more about the university in Episode 3.
Moving towards Otago Peninsula to the Castle
Beautiful view on the way
http://www.larnachcastle.co.nz/page.pasp?pageid=84 (for price and information)
Larnach Castle is New Zealand only castle, built in 1871 by the merchant/politician/baron, William Larnach. With a tragic and scandalous history, Larnach Castle has a lot to offer. The architecture of the castle and the wonderful garden. It is best to visit Larnach castle in Spring when the flower blooms. Now the castle is owned by the Barker Family with their dog, Fern. There are many different types of gardens. The main 1 is based on Alice in Wonderland as William Larnach built it for 1 of his daughter, Alice. (featuring, Cheshire cat, wishing well, heart shapes, Queen of hearts, Alice and a flamingo, throne).
Up on top of the castle, photography is not allowed inside the castle. By using the gift voucher from jasons, I got 2 free postcards of the castle at the souvenir shop which are indeed beautiful.
The history room
There is accommodation beside the castle, stables and lodge.
2nd Part: Choco-Latte
Right after having my lunch, I set out myself to the Cadbury factory in Dunedin. At a student price of NZD16.00, I get myself a full factory tour. For more details and pre-booking of the tour, please visit: http://www.cadburyworld.co.nz/
At the lobby, the chocolate shop is right inside this gate. Photography is not allowed in the factory.
An exhibition to explore the history of chocolate and Cadbury before the factory tour.
In the factory tour, the guide will show us how the chocolates are made and the packaging process etc.. Along the way, questions are asked and those who can get it right will be awarded free chocolate, all flavours not found in Malaysia!
The exhibition
Vehicles used in the old days to transport and sell the chocolates.
At the end of the factory tour, we were brought into the big purple silo to witness a 5-storey high chocolate fall! We want chocolate!
~WEeKEnDs~
5th DAY
1st Part: Travel to the town of Snow
At around noon, we departed to Queenstown via 4-hour ride on the Intercity bus. We will be staying there for 3 days 2 night. Along the way, we enjoyed some exceptionally nice rice dumplings (NZD3+) which still taste very good when it is cold.
Yummy! Japanese rice dumplings
There is a coffee shop beside here and it is the rest stop for the trip.
Snow mountains! As we move more and more towards Queenstown.
Cromwell, next city is Queenstown!
2nd Part: Black sheep Backpacking
The place we will be staying over for 2 nights is a famous backpackers lodge called the Black Sheep Backpackers Lodge. The place is quite nice, there is the kitchen, barbeque service, the lobby is very warm, the toilet is good. In the room, there is TV, water electrical heater, cups and various tea,sugar and hot chocolate. There is a heat pump and a mirror too. The bed is provided with blankets and duvets but still it is better you bring your own heat water bottle to be warmer at night. The lodge is a 5-7 minutes walk from the town central and you will need to climb slopes to reach it. However, the landscape is spectacular. To get the keys, you need to pay NZD20 that will be return to you when you check out.
The room rates:
August Dorm Special $20 until 31/08/11 for new bookings**Dorms - $27 pp pn (regular rate 01/09/11 on)
Doubles/Twins - $80 per room
Deluxe King - $95 per room
Deluxe Triple - $100 (3 x king single beds) per room
Deluxe Family - $100 (1 x superking, 1 x single bed) per room
For more details: http://www.blacksheepbackpackers.co.nz/
3rd Part: Below Zero is Minus
After our dinner, we went to Minus 5 Bar. Using our vouchers from Grabone, we get a price of NZD15.00 to enter the bar and get a free cocktail. Remember to bring your passport and show them at the counter to prove your age. Bags will be left at the counter before they bring us into the icy chamber at less than -5 degree Celsius. The day we went, it is at -7.5. Jackets and gloves will be provided.
They change the ice sculptures from time to time
Dance music is played
Icy cups, throw or break it after use.
If you don't want alcoholic drinks, you can always ask for mocktails.
6th DAY
1st Part: Queenstown sightseeing
The parks here are quite nice. there are some views that you should not miss.
The stairs
Jetty
St Peter Church
Marine Parade
i-site under the clock tower.
At night, many people party and you can see a lot of people wearing costumes around. There are many souvenir shops here so don't miss your chance to shop here!
2nd Part: In Ferg We Trust
Speaking about food in Queenstown, there is a variety of food from different countries but less by New Zealand (well, because they can only offer Western food) but one thing for sure you can find alcoholic drinks anywhere.
A must eat in Queenstown would be the Ferg Burger. It is somewhere across the stairs and it serves the coolest burger ever. At NZD 10.90, you can get an original recipe burger. You might think it is too expensive for a burger but wait till you see the size of it!
There is always a long queue at Ferg Burger especially at night when hundreds and hundreds of people ( I'm not lying for this part) squeezing at the place, all having fun till crazy.
So, to save yourself the queue, it is best to come as soon as the shop opens in the morning.
Humungous burger with rich ingredients.
3rd Part: Going underwater
In the morning, we set out to the underwater observatory at the main town pier. The entrance fee originally is NZD5 but we get a price of NZD2 (thanks to grabone again).
The Underwater Observatory was built in 1983 for locals and tourists to descend beneath the lakes surface to view the life that thrives close to the lakeshore. A small charge is usually taken at the entrance but until the New Year, entrance will be free for all.
In here, you get to see ducks submerging into waters, various fish and longfin eels.
4th Part: Snow and Skis
At noon, we went to the NZski centre to make our pass to Coronet Peak and also pay for the bus. A sightseeing package costs us NZD12 and the bus costs NZD15 (to and fro).
The sightseeing package includes 1 ride on the Coronet Express, That is a skyline swing transporting people to the peak and going down as well. You will need to scan your pass while passing through the gates for the express.
There are restaurants on the second floor and an open area for you to dine. It is very cold outside here.
People skiing and snowboarding. the rental fee of the equipments? Well, very expensive so it is better to have your own equipments hopefully.
View from the top
The peak
Wow~
There is a free guided tour for the popular skiing routes here 2 times per day
The lower part of the snow mountain
We made snowmen and had our snowball fights here!
5th Part: Skyline Gondola
This is a must visit attraction in Queenstown. Climbing through those steep slopes are worth the trip. From here, you get to enjoy both rides up and down the gondola hill through the skyline gondola. Up here, The scene is wonderful as it overlooks the legendary Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables mountain range. Various activities can be done up here, picnic, luge, bungee jumping, shopping for souvenirs, Kiwi Haka show, reataurants and so forth.
For the prices: http://www.skyline.co.nz/queenstown/prices10-11/
Some of the activities can come in packages.
Way steeper than Genting's Awana but very secure
Helicopter and bungee jumping
A great place to make snowman and have some snowball fights
Luge track and skyline. There are packages for how many rides you want. There is 2 types of tracks here: Scenic track and Advanced track. They are very challenging as the track is wet from the snow and more slippery but still safe in all aspects.
The Lake Wakatipu
Kiwi Haka show with audience interactive section
Displaying Maori culture
You can take photos with the performers after the show
The night view when going down the gondola.
Other places to visit in Queenstown include the Kiwi & Birdlife Park (student price NZD36). Milford sound, Jet boating, puzzling world Wanaka, cruises, paragliding, Te Anau Glowworms cave and many more.
That's all for the 2nd post. Stay tune for the last episode for the World's Steepest Street, museum and university before flying back to Malaysia.
