Yunluo and An Qingju wanted to experience some excitement, so they chose Highway 6. However, since they left Wanaka quite late, they were unable to buy any delicious fruits, which was a regret of their trip.
At around 8pm, Yunluo and An Qingju arrived at the dream town of Queenstown. Because of the bumpy ride in the past few days, Yunluo and An Qingju decided to splurge a bit and stay in a standard hotel instead of a motor camp, which also served as a rest stop during the trip to get enough energy before setting off again.
They were on the road every day. In order to rest their tired bodies, An Qingju and Yunluo decided to rest in Queenstown for two days. Yunluo and An Qingjue spent their honeymoon on wheels. Yunluo and An Qingjue got up at nearly 10 o'clock in the morning. They wanted to stay in the hotel they stayed the day before, but many hotels were already full due to the holiday and the local rugby match.
Yunluo and An Qingju had to find a place to stay again. With the introduction of the shop owner, Yunluo and An Qingju found a hotel by the lake. When they found the hotel that night, it was almost 3 pm. Yunluo and An Qingju hurriedly set off to their destination of the day: Glenorchy + Paradise. These two places are northwest of Queenstown and are also close to Lake Wakatipu. They are the places where "The Lord of the Rings" was filmed. It takes 45 minutes to drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy. This will be one of the best scenic routes you will experience.
The road winds along the shore of Lake Wakatipu. The surrounding mountains rise up from the lakeshore, forming a spectacular landscape. Once you arrive in Glenorchy, you will quickly realize that this city has many similarities with Queenstown. The city is small. The layout is simple, and there are no fashionable shops. The spectacular alpine scenery around it makes the town look even more dwarfed.
The mountain road from Glenorchy spiraled up, and the scenery was as romantic and beautiful as heaven. Since the road to paradise was all gravel, Yunluo and An Qingju's rental car was not powerful enough, so they did not continue to move forward.
If you're a fan of The Lord of the Rings, the beautiful scenery of Paradise will become your lasting memory. There are multiple picnic areas. In the summer, you can stop for a swim, and the gorgeous fall colors are dazzling.
After a good meal, Yunluo and Anqingju started their next project: the Sky Gondola in Queenstown. The Sky Gondola is only a 10-minute walk from the city center and has the steepest cable car track in the Southern Hemisphere (37.1 degrees). Visitors can be sent to a restaurant 800 meters above sea level in just 10 minutes.
In addition to the restaurant, the Sky Cable Car also has a unique scooter (luge), which is an entertaining and exciting entertainment activity suitable for all ages. It is also a good place to enjoy the Maori war dance performance (kiwihaka). In the theater surrounded by traditional decorations and mythological legends, the audience can experience the shocking Maori customs and culture.
Yunluo and An Qingju did not choose to eat at the Sky Cable Car Restaurant, and they really did not have the energy to go back to the hotel to cook. An Qingju and Yunluo walked around Queenstown again and again, and finally found a Western restaurant and had a very cost-effective and chic steak.
Yunluo was still sleeping. An Qingjue got up and rushed to the lake. Watch the beautiful TSS Earnslaw steamship. Due to the untimely flight of the steamship, Yunluo and An Qingjue could not board the ship to follow it for a voyage, so they could only take some photos as a souvenir.
Afternoon tea time is only 15 minutes). Buy tickets at the Real Journeys store on Lake Beach Street, or take the order printout to the company store to pick up tickets after booking at the Real Journeys station. Board the TSS Earnslaw steamship in Queenstown. Feel the legacy of a century ago, this is Queenstown's iconic ship.
The TS Earnslaw was put into operation in 1912 and is the largest and most luxurious cruise ship on Lake Wakatipu. It is said that the TS Earnslaw is the only coal-fired steam cruise ship still sailing in the Southern Hemisphere. The TS Earnslaw sails back and forth on Lake Wakatipu several times a day, arriving at the Walter Peak Plateau Ranch on the west coast.
Taking a cruise on a spacious old ship is an ideal way to see the alpine scenery of Queenstown. After arriving at Walter Peak Plateau Ranch, get off the ship and experience the lifestyle of the New Zealand ranch.
Join a farm or heritage tour at Yunluo and Anqingju. Take a horseback ride through the breathtaking countryside, or enjoy a barbecue lunch or dinner at the Colonel's House. All Walter Peak tours include a trip on the TSS Earnslaw steamboat.
It only takes 1 minute to walk back to the hotel from the lake. Yunluo has already started preparing breakfast. After eating bread and drinking milk, Yunluo and An Qingju set off. Today's destination is Te Anau, the second largest lake in New Zealand and the largest lake in the South Island.
It was already 4pm when we arrived at Te Anau. We asked the front desk of the RV camp about the weather in the fjord the next day. The weather forecast said it would rain heavily, so Yunluo and An Qingju's plan to visit the fjord was shelved. Yunluo and An Qingju immediately started to book a tour of the glowworm caves. Yunluo and An Qingju originally booked a tour of the glowworm caves at 8pm.
The quote from realjourneys was 56 yuan for more than 2 hours. When we arrived at the boarding point at around 7pm, the company said that due to the backflow of rain in the past two days into the cave, in order to ensure the safety of the visit, the last boat at 8pm that day was cancelled. Tourists who had already purchased tickets could either change to the tour flight the next morning or get a refund.
They had no choice but to change the visit plan to the next day. Yunluo and Anqingju returned disappointed and began to wander around the town of Te Anau aimlessly.
As it was getting late, the original plan to visit Lakemanapouri (the deepest lake in New Zealand) had to be cancelled. This lake is located in the mountainous area in the southwest of the South Island, about 110 kilometers northwest of Invercargill. It is a 20-minute drive (about 15 kilometers) from Te Anau. The lakeshore is the magnificent Cathedral Mountain.
The lake consists of four lakes: North Lake, South Lake, West Lake and Hope Lake. This area was chosen as a filming location for the movie "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
At about 9:30 am, Yunluo and An Qingju arrived at the dock and boarded the boat smoothly. After half an hour of sailing, they arrived at the Firefly Cave. Since photography was not allowed in the Firefly Cave, Yunluo and An Qingju only left their "silent figures" on the boat.
After visiting the glowworm cave, it was already 12 noon. Yunluo and An Qingju had lunch in the Chinese restaurant and then drove off. There was still nearly 300 kilometers of journey ahead for Yunluo and An Qingju.
Yunluo and An Qingju drove all the way to Dunedin. Along the way, the weather began to get cloudy, and it started to rain when we approached Dunedin. Dunedin is known as the Edinburgh of the Southern Hemisphere, the most Scottish city. Students account for 30% of the total population, so Dunedin is also called the student city.
Dunedin has a very famous Baldwin Street, which is said to be the steepest slope in the world. The slope has an inclination of 35 degrees. Most self-driving tourists will challenge this slope. Since Yunluo and An Qingju's car was too broken, they did not risk driving up it.
There are also the following attractions in Dunedin that you can visit: (1) City sightseeing: St. Paul's Cathedral, Otago Settlement Museum, and the more than 100-year-old Dunedin Railway Station. A yexplorer one-day pass costs $20.
Including 10 attractions such as art galleries, museums, Otago University, botanical gardens, Baldwin Street, and Speights Brewery.
(2) Cadbury World. 18 yuan for 1 hour and 15 minutes. It is best to make a reservation, otherwise there will be no tour guide. No cameras, video cameras or mobile phones are allowed. You must wear a disposable hat during the visit. Chocolates are given away during the tour. The gate of the chocolate waterfall is only opened during the visit time. It flows for 30 seconds and then stops. It is not spectacular.
(4) Signal Hill, where you can see the panoramic view of Dunedin and Otago Bay.
There is no mistake in the poem, post, content, and read the book on 6, 9, and bar!
Yunluo and Anqingju set out from Dunedin early in the morning. Today's mileage and number of attractions are the most in the New Zealand itinerary. Not long after leaving Dunedin, on the road from Dunedin to Oamaru: Shagpoint is not far from the Moeraki Boulders. This place was originally a paradise for Maori hunters and has a rich history that can be traced back to the 12th century.
Fossils of moa and primitive tools were found here and are on display at the Otago Museum. There are also spherical boulders here, but not as concentrated as at Moeraki. A 7-meter-long plesiosaur fossil was found here and is now part of the University of Otago's fossil collection.
In addition to its rich history, Shagpoint is now mainly a place to watch animals, including a seabird called shag. Standing on the huge rocks, you can look down at New Zealand fur seals and observe their lifestyle without disturbing them. 9 am to 3 pm is the best time to observe, and you can usually see them.
It is said that you can sometimes see dolphins and whales here, but it depends on your luck. In addition, this is also a place to watch New Zealand's unique yellow-eyed penguins. The best time to see penguins is after dark, when the penguins return to their nests.
We continued driving and arrived at the Moeraki Boulders. In Moeraki, 40 kilometers south of Oamaru, there are many round boulders scattered on the beach. Some boulders extend from the sandstone cliffs. Each boulder weighs several tons and is two meters high. Scientists explain that these boulders are calcite condensates formed 65 million years ago.
The calcium and carbonates around the charged particles slowly crystallized to form the boulders, a process that takes four million years like pearls. The soft mudstone containing the boulders rose from the sea floor about 15 million years ago. Waves, wind, and rain dug them out one by one. A few minutes' walk through the regenerated native forest brings you to the viewing platform, where you can see many of the boulders.
If you are lucky, you can also see Hector's dolphins in the sea. Remember to park your car near the cafe so that you can get closer. The beach is very windy, and if you go down from the parking lot in front, you have to walk too far. (To be continued...)
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