Most people start their South Island holiday In Christchurch. I’d like to suggest an alternative. How about flying into Wellington. That may sound crazy, but it allows you to catch the Interislander ferry across to Picton, which is a great way to start your holiday. As you approach Picton you travel through the Marlborough Sounds, and you will get a much better look at them from the ferry than you would by road. You then collect your hire car from Picton and commence your journey at the top of the South Island, which means you won’t need to backtrack over the same ground.
My suggestion for a 15 day trip is:
Day 1 fly to Wellington. Stay in the city or the Oriental Bay area so that you have a short trip to the ferry the next morning.
2. Wellington to Picton on a morning ferry (about 4 hours). Then collect your hire car at Picton and drive to Kaikoura (about 2 hours). You travel along the coast for most of the journey. The Kaikoura Range comes down to the sea and depending on the time of year there may be plenty of snow still.
3. Go whale watching in the morning in Kaikoura before the winds start, then drive to Hanmer Springs (about 2 hours). Visit the thermal pools in Hanmer. A lovely clean, alpine resort.
4. Hanmer to Christchurch (about 2 hours)
5. Christchurch
6. Drive from Christchurch to Lake Tekapo (about 3 hours) and stay the night (try for a lake view room. The scenery is amazing).
7. Drive from Tekapo to Queenstown (3.5 hours). Spend four nights in Queenstown. There is plenty to do and see, and four days is my recommended minimum time here. Try and book a lake view room if you can.
8 to 10 Stay in Queenstown. This will give you a chance to relax for a few days, although you should plan a bus trip to Milford Sound on one of these days (and a bungy if you are game). The trip to Milford Sound is a big day, but at least someone else is doing the driving. A trip on the old steamship TSS Earnslaw is also recommended as is a trip up to Bob’s Peak on the gondola.
11. Drive from Queenstown to Wanaka. Make sure you travel over the Crown Range rather than through Cromwell, as it’s shorter and has better scenery (about 1 hour). About 20 kilometres before Wanaka stop of at the old Cardrona Hotel for morning tea or lunch. Stay the night in Wanaka. The scenery is similar to Queenstown, but the town is less hurried. A beautiful spot on the shores of Lake Wanaka. Visit Puzzling World while in Wanaka.
12. Drive from Wanaka to Franz Josef Glacier (about 4 hours). Spectacular scenery past endless lakes and then to the West Coast which is wild and rugged. Better to stay at Franz Josef rather than Fox Glacier as FJ has more variety in accommodation and places to eat. And you can see the glacier from the centre of the village. New Zealand weather can change quickly, but if the weather and funds allow, take a helicopter flight on to the glacier. Unbelievable!
13. Drive from Franz Josef to Punakaiki to visit Pancake Rocks and the blowhole. Not much else there other than a small village, but there is a motel called the Rocks Resort which is beachfront. We have stayed there a few times. The rooms look over the ocean and the restaurant has floor to ceiling windows so you can watch the sun setting over the ocean. Beautiful.
14. Drive from Punakaiki to Greymouth (about 30 minutes). Drop your car off then catch the Tranz Alpine train to Christchurch. Along with Milford Sound, this is one of the “must do” things in NZ. The train takes about 4 hours to go from Greymouth on the West Coast to Christchurch on the East Coast, and travels through the alps. Have your camera ready, sit back and enjoy a wine, and watch the world go by. A taste of New Zealand rail travel is a wonderful way to finish your holiday.
15. Fly home.
This itinerary doesn’t take you to Dunedin. My personal opinion is that Dunedin is a bit over-rated, and that there are better things to see in your limited time on the South Island.
Hope this gives you plenty to think of. Enjoy planning your New Zealand travel.
P.S. 1. Don’t forget your New Zealand travel insurance.
P.S. 2 When making your New Zealand hotel reservations, always try and book somewhere close to amenities, and if possible, with a view.
By: Dave Curran
New Zealand Travel – See the South Island in 15 Days
February 9th, 2010 by admin No comments »Village Tour to India
February 6th, 2010 by admin No comments »
Get on the village tour to India to discover the rustic charms of the country. The warm village folk leave no stone unturned to bring the gleeful smile on your face. Enjoy a relaxing holiday in the scenic and tranquil surroundings or engage in numerous cultural activities. Village tour to India let you explore the distinguished lifestyle and of the traditional rural people.
Village Tour To Haryana : The state of Haryana enjoys the rich and glorious culture of India. Step into the world where you will discover the lush green fields with the spurt of fresh air on your face. Enjoy the impressive folk dances and be a part of the vivacious fairs and festivals, which are famous in this area. Villages in Haryana have the proud history that dates back to the vedic times. The rural folk in Haryana are the simple people living the uncomplicated life. You can witness the pretty ladies in the brightly colored saris plowing in the fields.
Religion plays an important life in the villagers in Haryana. If you are brought up with the strong religious background than, it is not uncommon for you to make a quick step, over at the local temple. In the state like Haryana, buffalo is the most useful beast. In the narrow muddy terraced, paddy fields, where the modern tractors get bogged down in no time, the buffalo with the good keeper can do wonders. Invariably there would be wrestling bouts towards the close of the day attracting the largest crowd. Suraj- Kund, Badkhal Lake, Kurushetra, and Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary are some of the must visit destinations in Haryana.
Village Tour to Rajasthan : On your tour to India, enjoy the colorful life of the vibrant Rajasthan. Be it rugged forts, monuments, palaces and temples, sand dunes, music or the folk dances, village tour to Rajasthan offers you everything under the desert sun. Witness the men in turbans and the womens in the multi-colored costumes. You will be enchanted by the simplicity of the people’s lifestyle in the villages of Rajasthan. The mornings are as vibrant as the evenings. Some of the larger markets in the villages are a jumble of sights, smells and sounds and well worth a visit.
If you have enough time to spend, travel to Rajasthan, you can also take the jeep drive to stroll the villages. Outside the window, you get a breathtaking view of nature and people busy in their daily chores. Any time you can stop at in any village and enjoy the authentic Rajasthani cuisine – experience the Indian hospitality at its heart. If you have the spiritual bent of mind and wish to visit some of the religious places bathed in age old myths and legends, a short travel to Rajasthan villages can be your best bet. A lot of people travel to Rajasthan to shop for the handicrafts products, popular in this area. Witness the women chatting around the well side while digging the water and the men seated under the shade of the tree. Your visit to Rajasthan is incomplete without taking the bumpy ride on the back of the camel. Rajasthan offers lots of fairs and festivals for you to enjoy like the camel festival, Pushkar fair, desert festival and many more.
By: Aparana Chauhan
India – Coming of Age
February 6th, 2010 by admin No comments »
‘Coming of age’ is an over used phrase these days, but what does it exactly stand for?
Coming of age means developing with the times, leaving back all the outdated thoughts and beliefs. However, it does not mean leaving out the values and principles that one lives on the lines of.
In a way, India has come of age!
If in the morning a person performs puja at home, he also goes clubbing at night. If someone drinks alcohol, he abandons it at the holy time of ramzan or navratre.
If the cinema is meant for family audience, sensitive topics are also touched upon. Gone are the times where sex was a forbidden word. Now sex education is a part of school curriculum to an extent decided by the school and parents.
Girls are standing up against the crimes done against them. Now the shyness of the topic being brought up into public no longer hides the crimes and wrong deeds!
On another side there has been adoption in the world of economy which again has helped in ‘coming of age’. The concept of malls, shopping centers etc. has lead to a growth into the trend of shopping.
Changing with times and adopting the right trend is what it needs to progress. But who decides what the times is and what is right? This is a unanimous decision taken by the government and its people. This is society, politics and news! But all of them, are made by the people and for the people, together! Support the right changes and see India grow!
By: Tarang Bhargava
