Cycling Trip March 2022 Otago Queenstown Part 3 Queenstown is not my favourite place - but it is in one of the most beautiful locations in New Zealand. The secret is stay in – Arrowtown, or Frankton or Lake Hayes. All of these have an amazing network of hundreds of kilometres of cycle trails linking you to the great outdoors. Tip 1: Don’t stay in … [Read more...]
Lake Dunstan Trail
Cycling Trip March 2022 Otago Queenstown Part 2 Last year we did the Pisa Landing to Bannockburn part of the trail a week before the rest of the trail opened. So this year we are back to do the real thing – it seems about 500 other people have the same idea. Bannockburn Bridge is our starting point – only 33.9 kms from here – less range anxiety with my Moustache … [Read more...]
Cromwell here we come
Cycling Trip March 2022 Otago Queenstown Part 1 We are heading off in our caravan for a week of cycling in Central Otago and Queenstown – the highlight of the trip is to be the new Dunstan Cycle Trail. Towing a caravan slows us down somewhat, so we decide to break our journey to Central Otago (from Christchurch) in Lake Tekapo. We love the Lake Tekapo Motels and … [Read more...]
Rakiura – Land of the Glowing Skies
Rakiura is the third main island of New Zealand - at the bottom of the South Island. An invitation to step back in time, to an ancient landscape where the forest and its wildlife is reclaiming the land and the 400 residents are largely left to hug the shoreline of the island’s eastern bays. It is summer time and we are some of the 400 visitors visiting Rakiura/Stewart … [Read more...]
Christchurch to Bluff via The Catlins
Driving from Christchurch to Bluff you go through some astounding landscapes, and some truly boring ones. We have decided to take two days of it, and after staying in Dunedin we head off on the coastal scenic route through the Catlins. I have never been before, and this is a recce trip with a view to a longer stay some time. We were not disappointed, we will be … [Read more...]
Cycle Trails around Arrowtown – Magic to visit in Autumn
I am told Central Otago has weathered the Covid storm well, with strong support from kiwis who are thriving on exploring their own backyard. Campervans and caravans have been flying out the door. Out of school holidays, it is often the ‘Grey Nomads’ who are out and about, with electric bikes and the cycleways of Central Otago are a great attraction. As part of our … [Read more...]
Cycling in Oamaru
We carry our Moustache electric bikes upfront on our caravan and we are keen to use them as much as possible. We decided to do do the last day of the Alps to Ocean Cycle Trail – Duntroon to Oamaru. We drove to Duntroon and left the car there to be picked up tomorrow. Rail Journeys service this trail with accommodation, bag transport and bike hire if you do … [Read more...]
Oamaru – Cycling, Steampunk, Gardens and Sealife – lots to do here
I have always just passed through Oamaru, but our new caravan has been our excuse to stay awhile at places like this. We did not regret it – even extended our stay another night. You could easily stay a week! Read our separate post on Cycling in Oamaru. Oamaru – Steampunk Capital of NZ You may not know what Steampunk is, but a visit to the museum will open your … [Read more...]
Twizel and Mt Cook – see your own country first
Julie Patterson of Venus Adventures is usually based in Egypt and from there organises six adventures a year for women. A kiwi, she is locked down in New Zealand and has decided to do some trips for women in New Zealand. See them all here See all the trips for women in New Zealand here on Womentravel.info Last month we joined the one based in a lodge at Twizel – once … [Read more...]
Night Skies and Milky Way in New Zealand
I have been in Beijing where in the middle of the day you can look at the sun without shading your eyes. The chance of seeing stars is so remote there, and in some other parts of the world that going somewhere to see the Night Sky is high on the bucket list of many folk. If this is you, then the place to come is New Zealand. My friend Ewa Jermakowicz was recently in New … [Read more...]