nothing much in palmerston north. there's a rugby museum though. but u can drive to new plymouth to see mt taranaki (mt fuji in the last samurai movie). nearby also has a windmill hills but i dun know where exactly it is. just saw it when the bus passed by. enjoy!

mountain, yes. there are patchy of snow in a few mountains that i did day hike in dec. it even snow at queenstown/ te anau area in jan, but at altitude of 1100m and above. u may experience it while doing the great walks (milford/ kepler/ routeburn), at the right time of couurse. but if you travel before the snow comes, the weather is not so nice. gloomy all day for a few days to a week.

mueller hut route. u can do a day hike or overnight at the hut. mountains in mt cook region are still covered with snow and u could even see/ hear avalanche happening at mt sefton.


avalanche peak at arthurs pass. patchy of snow on the way to peak and lots of snow at the mountain opposite it, mt rolleston.


no worry... just go down south... plenty of snow mountains

This post has been edited by hoiho: Jun 28 2013, 11:45 PM

In Tauranga, go hike up Mt Maunganui. No snow but nice view from the summit.

If you are interested in hiking, you can go Tongariro Alpine Crossing. The national park is just a few hours drive from Taupo. Since it's winter, you have to follow a tour which will provide you with hiking gear i.e. crampon, ice axe etc. Definitely you will walk on snow and Mt Doom is just next to you
However, be prepared for the cold weather and this hike requires prerequisite fitness level.

Since it's winter, why not go try out skiing? Another nice mountain in NI, will be Mt Taranaki. It's Mt Fuji in The Last Samurai movie.

Have a nice NI trip!

If you love sight seeing, you can spend your time
- driving to Glenorchy (Kinloch/ Bennet Bluff/ Routeburn/ Greenstone) for the beautiful scenery and snow-capped mountain. Paradise (LOTR) is there too but i think you need to join a tour (needs 4 wheel drive).
- join a Milford Sound tour. you will travel to Te Anau and most of the tour will stop at Mirror Lake, Te Anau Downs, Homer Tunnel, The Chasm etc depends timing and eventually join the Milford cruise. there's a possibility to spot dolphins (depends luck). however, since it's winter, milford road will close if snowing.
- Arrowtown but best scenery is during autumn.
- Wanaka and stay overnight there
- or just sit back and relax at Queenstown itself (Gondola at queenstown hill/ Lake Wakatipu/ TSS Earnslaw)

Recommended to eat Fergburger and Cookie Time hot cookie promo buy 1 free 1 at 6pm.

Just note that since it's winter, daylight time is shorter and driving could be tricky if it snows. Hope you get good weather and enjoy yourself!

cheers

Day 1
Nothing in Greymouth can skip. If you have time, spend a short while in Arthurs Pass to Devil Puchbowl waterfall. Very nice.
If you don't have enough time, suggest you to stay overnight at Fox glacier instead. It's take shorter time and route to walk from trailhead to the glacier face compared to Franz Joseph, if you must see glacier. And at Fox glacier, you can have a walk at Lake Matheson.

Day 2
On the way from west coast to Wanaka, u can stop by Lake Hawea. mirror like lake wif weather is good. There's a rippon vineyard at wanaka but how much is the cellar door visit i have no idea.

Day 4
2 places in a day, not sure enough time or not as they are in different direction. suggest to stop by kawarau bridge to see ppl doing bungy jump on your way to arrowtown.

Day 5
Dunedine - Speight's Brewery tour. drink kau kau, only if u stay overnight
I remember when i was on road trip from oamaru to questown, we stopped by aviemore dam. i just like the place and at cromwell, lake dunstan. just awesome to have that kinda view on a long road trip...

Day 6
The salmon farm is on the way from mt cook to lake tekapo route

Day 7
Suggest you to vist the seal pups at kaikoura. super cute.


have fun!

Are you going for glacier hike? To me, i think your day 1 & 2 just driving. lol. if you're not going for a glacier hike, just skip west coast lah. you must join a tour to step on glacier, else just see from far. then you have more time to spend at queenstown or go to oamaru like suggestion by fallout.

btw,w not doing skydiving?

Land at Chch should be good too as you can visit Lake Tekapo, Mt Cook and Wanaka before Queenstown. The route is very scenic especially Tekapo. Just that you have to rent a car and do self driving.

most of the car rental companies allow you to pick from chch airport and return at queenstown airport. no worry.. pls research on this

wow just back from queenstown

just wonder is mathias the piano man still there?

thanks foxxy.. so happy to see him still there after so many years

playing piano at the same spot. lol


This post has been edited by hoiho: Feb 13 2014, 10:59 PM

i think greymouth - hanmer spring - blenheim is a long route...

maybe greymouth go nelson better. abel tasman

opps... just found out it's winter... be prepared for snow
can go skiing at queenstown or wanaka... and if there's nzihl ice hockey match at queenstown, go catch it

oh yea, if you're gonna do the day hike at tongariro national park.. you have to follow guided tour. they'll prepare all the equipment like crampon, ice axe etc..



This post has been edited by hoiho: Mar 5 2014, 12:54 AM

should be alright... suggest you to travel in summer so that you have longer daylight hour and don't have to rush..

kayaking... and sun...

abel tasman is a national park and one of nz great walks along the coast. u can take water taxi into one of the track point and tramp out or the other way round.

just bear in mind august is winter month and daylight hour is short, dun recommend for a long drive. and you may need to have a contingency plan in case it snow hard during your travel period. often there's road closure on the way to milford and arthurs pass.

just bring cash and deposit into ur gf account when u arrive. then pay everything using debit card.

hi. what position u hold there? snowmaker? any tips how to get a job at ski resort? what they ask or test during interview?
hope u can share more. thanks!

i see. yea, earning RM and spend in NZD is costly. too bad i dun have the skillset to work in ski-field. i'm applying for aus whv and thinking to get a job during ski season. that's hard i believe.

queenstown must be flocked with ppl heading to coronet peak and the remarkables now... enjoy your winter!