new zealand - road trip

Christchurch, NZ

I got a chance to head over the New Zealand for about 9 days with Kristy, her good friend Simone and Simone's roommate Alicia! We went to the south island, so we arrived in Christchurch, hired (rented) a car, and drove our way down to Queenstown making stops along the way.

We got to Christchurch pretty late, and checked into our motel at about 2 am had a few hours sleep and got picked up by the hire car service. After getting the car rental stuff sorted out we went to check out the town centre... or what was left of it from the earthquakes. The town centre was all fenced off so there wasn't much to see, we had a late start to the morning so we didn't spend much time in Christchurch and we wanted to get to our next destination before the sun went down.

Views along the way to Franz Josef

A stop at a lake on the way

Quick stop at Hokitika

Stop at Hokitika

Our destination for the day was Franz Josef. On the way there we stopped by a lake (can't remember what it's called) and stopped in a town called Hokitika for a little break. We got to Franz Josef just a little bit after the sun went down. Stayed in at the YHA (Youth Hostels Association) for a couple nights there. While we were in Franz Josef we went on the half-day glacier walk which was really cool. There was a short walk through this regenerating rainforest bit it continues on to the glacier valley and then to a bit of the glacier. I really enjoyed how one minute we are in a really green, and lush rainforest and a few minutes later we're next to a massive glacier.

We were told that New Zealand has over 3000 glaciers. The Franz Josef Glacier has changed quite a bit in a year though. Our friend Kristy, who was on the trip with us did the same walk a year ago, around the same time and I saw her photos, and it was so different! There were little ice caves you could walk through. I can't really remember the details of what our guide told us but some of the glacier has broken off and it is steadily retreating and shrinking due to global warming. But it was still a really cool thing to see and do! After the walk we went to the Hot Pools in town, which was included in our trip. We also went out to the local bar for a couple drinks and some food.

Start of the walk - through the regenerating rainforest

Getting started for the trek up to the glacier. We had to put crampons (claw things) on our boots so we wouldn't slip!

On the glacier looking back down at where we came from

Then, we were on the road again..destination Wanaka. We got there at about 3pm and had a late lunch, walked around the town a little bit trying to find some accommodation and after talking to a few people we suggested the idea of driving the 2 hours to Queenstown to stay there for the night because that was our destination the next day anyways. There was also no snow because the snowfall was late coming and so Wanaka was very quiet when we were there. It's a really pretty place and it reminded me of banff a little bit. So after a little chat with the group we decided to head off to Queenstown where we would be staying for the next 5 nights. 

More about Queenstown in the next post!

Wanaka, NZ

Wanaka, NZ

Wanaka - View of the mountains

Town of Wanaka (reminds me of Banff)

coastal walk from bondi beach to coogee

Bondi Junction

I decide to go to Sydney a few days before our departure from Sydney to Christchurch, New Zealand just so I could get organized with Kristy and stuff like that before we head off. I took the bus with Busways from Tuncurry to Newcastle and stay the night there with Mareike and Lukas. Then the next day I catch the bus the rest of the way to Sydney and stayed a night with Shane's brother, Matt in Bondi Junction (the apartments Shane and I stayed at when I first arrived in Sydney). I got there in the afternoon so I went walking around and checked out the shops. We went to try this Chinese restaurant in Bondi Junction that had a Peking duck special, and it was really good and something I was craving for a while so it was great!

The next day I got my hot yoga fix in the morning because there was a studio only a few minutes from The Meriton! It was good but just really, really hot. I think it's hotter than the studios in Calgary! I can't imagine doing that same hot yoga class when it's summer over here.

Taro Slush Bubble Tea from Easy Way

Then in the afternoon I decide to go on the coastal walk from Bondi Beach all the way to Coogee. It was such a beautiful walk along the coast. Along the walk there are many joggers and I can see why joggers would choose this route for their daily jog. Also, along the walk there are various circuit stations, like chin ups, dips, sit-up benches and stuff like that! The day started out a bit cloudy but it was still warm and once you start walking you warm up even more so it was nice. The sun came out a few times and it also sprinkled a little rain on me near the end. I should have started the walk a bit earlier because by the time I got to Coogee it was dark so I didn't get to see much or take photos of that area, which is said to be really nice as well. I also started my walk off with a Taro slush bubble tea, another craving I fixed haha.

Starting point: Bondi Beach

Big rocks on the headland along the walk

The walk to Mackenzies Point (next stop after Bondi)

Looking back at Bondi Beach from the walk

Tamarama Beach (3rd stop along the walk)

Me at Tamarama

The coastal walk is about 3 hours from Bondi to Coogee, but it think it was a little longer for me because I was taking my time and taking photos and just enjoying the views. When I got to Bronte Beach, I got to see some dolphins swimming pretty close to the surfers, my lens wasn't long enough to capture them though but it was pretty cool to see and there were quite a few, I think about 7 or so from what I counted. Anyways I'll let the photos speak for themselves on how pretty this walk is. I'll definitely be doing that walk again when I'm back in Sydney.. maybe start from Coogee and then walk to Bondi next time!

Here's a little brochure I found of the walk and a map (not the greatest quality): map

Then after a great day, I met back up with Mat and we went for some Mexican for dinner with Kristy, Jarrod and Phil, which was really tasty! Then I went to stay with Kristy and Jarrod for the next couple of nights before our big trip to NZ!

In between Tamarama and Bronte (taken with phone)

Bronte Beach with Ocean side pool (4th stop)

Ocean pool at Bronte Beach

Dolphins swimming with the surfers (didn't have a long enough lens, but you can kind of make them out)

Waverley Cemetery (5th stop)

Waverley Cemetery

Sunset at Waverley

Clovelly (6th stop, last stop before Coogee)

Clovelly

nelson bay, nsw

My attempt at a cartwheel at Fingal Beach *weee*!

Walk along Nelson Bay

A couple weekends after going to Port Macquarie, we went to Nelson Bay for a weekend to visit Shane's brother and family. It was a sunny weekend for the beginning of winter! We went up on Saturday afternoon got to Nelson Bay at about 5 or 6pm. It's about 2 hours drive away from Old Bar, or about 40 minutes drive from Newcastle. We went to a nearby pub for a drink with Kris, Bec and the kids and then we ordered some Thai food in and just had a quiet night in with them.

On Sunday, we had some breakfast and then went for a walk along the coast to the Marina in Nelson Bay. It was such a nice walk, with beautiful scenery and beaches. We played on the park with his nephew and then they went back home while Shane and I went for a cruise around the area checking out some of the other beaches and had some lunch at Fingal Beach.

At the Marina at Nelson Bay

It's a really quite and nice place, they say it gets really busy in the summer because everyone goes there for their vacation and is quite a touristy spot. I love how there's so many cool places to visit just within hours of a drive away! Enjoying my holiday here so far... I will have to find work soon enough haha.

I have booked my trip to New Zealand as well so that will be in my next couple of posts.

At the park with Kris, Bec, Grace and Mitchelle

At Box Beach

Fingal Beach

Lunch at Longboat Cafe at Fingal Beach

Fingal Beach

port macquarie, nsw

Shane and I made a trip up to Port Macquarie on a Sunday afternoon. Port Macquarie is about an hour away north of Old Bar. We went to have some lunch at a restaurant by near the water, at Zebu, and it was a really nice and sunny day out. After some drinks and lunch we went for a walk along the break wall. It was really cool because the rocks were all painted by tourists that have visited Port through out the years. Then when the day started to cool down we headed back home. Port Macquarie is a pretty nice place, lots of shops and things to do there. Shane said that Port has really boomed in the last few years.