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Nz Visit On The Agenda


jphanna

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Wife and I wanna go to NZ for a holiday this year. we got severe time restrictions (baby sitting etc) so it probably only a 4 day visit.

 

i dont want to upset the north island people, but we been told to go to the south island, as not enough time and money to do both.

 

if we rolled up in winter, what can you do there? too cold? where is the snow, only certain spots or lots of areas? she never seen snow before.

what about scenic train tours? any slot tracks in christchurch?

 

i know a few of my favourite people on this forum are from NZ.

Shed People Mutual Admiration Society

2 times Australian National Champion

1991-Flexicar 1999- Group 12 Sedan

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Hi John, shame it's just a 4 day visit

 

if it's a scenic rail journey you want then the Trans Alpine http://www.kiwirails...nz/tranzalpine/ or Taieri Gorge http://www.taieri.co.nz/ are two options.

They are both brilliantly scenic and I'm speaking from experience as in an earlier life I have driven trains on both these routes.

 

Snow is a tricky one unless you intend to head for ski fields. If you're driving from one side of the South Island to the other you can easily see it or else you just can't drive from one side to the other because of it! The further south you go the more you will see and when the snow is low a drive through the Mackenzie country to Omarama and south from there to the Lindis pass is spectacular. If you can get to Milford Sound a trip on the boat down the sound is a good option and the vista at the mouth of the Homer tunnel is majestic.

 

Too cold? depends what you compare it with. While living in Clyde in Central Otago 20 something years ago I experienced -15deg but that's pretty uncommon. I got hypothermia one time while out shooting bunnies when a Sou'wester came through and thawing out from that must have been one of the most painful things I've experienced.

Not trying to put you off but if you're dressed for it it's OK and if you happen to see a hoar frost while you're here, that's pretty spectacular too.

 

South Island is a pretty damn good choice though John

Hope this is of some help, Bram

Edited by Wobble
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train ride is right up my alley. so is thesnow. I heard it a day drive to snow from Christchurch. if it was 8 day trip, can afford to lose a day driving there.. have to suss the snow situation to see if any alternative.

 

appreciate your info. thanks

Shed People Mutual Admiration Society

2 times Australian National Champion

1991-Flexicar 1999- Group 12 Sedan

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In winter when the snow is low (sometimes it snows in Christchurch) you can get to the snow in not much more than 2hrs. It only takes 4hrs to drive from Christchurch to Greymouth and that is on the Westcoast (the other side of the island) and that's not pushing it. I've done it in 3 1/2 hrs.

Winter here doesn't really kick in 'til after the shortest day and the worst snow I've experienced in ChCh was 3 weeks into spring.

 

And to kill 2 birds with 1 stone, there is even a railway return snow trip to Arthurs Pass a few times during winter run by Mainline Steam and this train is hauled by an old NZR steam loco.

 

http://mainlinesteam.co.nz/excursions.html

 

Edited by Wobble
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  • 2 weeks later...

senational.

 

years ago i was watching one of those old black and white movies that are on in middle of the night. this particular movie was made in 1930's......a time when international travel was not a thng we take for granted like today. only the very rich could do it. in that movie was a lady who was supposedly dying of some disease. a guy asked her what she would like to do before she kicked the bucket

 

her answer was to go to the south island of New Zealand. this movie was made in 1930's. HTF would anybody know about the south island of NZ then?

 

so that footage is no surprise.

Shed People Mutual Admiration Society

2 times Australian National Champion

1991-Flexicar 1999- Group 12 Sedan

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