Profile
Claire
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South Island ▷ Central Otago ▷ Ranfurly ▷
Cycle Surgery
Booked from England: - try to deal with one person as things got a bit confusing trying to arrange things via email.
However, all turned out well in the end and we collected bikes, panniers and accessories from Clyde. Bikes were heavy but well maintained. Our extra luggage was transferred to Middlemarch and stored at the shop which was handy. The Otago Rail Trail is very straight and mind-numbingly dull in some sections. The "big skies", good accommodation and excellent food at the cafes en route made up for it...........
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North Island ▷ Wellington Region ▷ Wellington ▷
Wellington Cable Car
Nice sedate ride up the hill with great views of Wellington and surrounds.
Well worth walking down through the Botanical Gardens - ferns, rock garden and rose garden are particularly lovely.
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South Island ▷ Queenstown Region ▷ Queenstown Township ▷
Skyline Gondola Queenstown
Very steep!
Nice to be able to have a drink in the bar whilst admiring the views and people on the luge (bit naff).
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South Island ▷ Coastal Otago ▷ Dunedin ▷
Elm Wildlife Tours
A rather wet afternoon and evening but we still saw a wealth of wildlife - spoonbills, terns, shags, fleeting glimpse of an albatross and storm petrel as well as seals, seal lions and penguins.
The tour does include lots of driving round and the guide did taunt the seals and penguins into action which I wasn't keen on. However, generally good value and an enjoyable experience.
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South Island ▷ Fiordland ▷ Doubtful Sound ▷
Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise
Pretty much faultless service.
Boat and coach transfers on time with informative guides. Superb weather for cruise saw us kayaking and some braver souls swimming. Crew incredibly hard-working, helpful and well-informed. Food excellent. Although a bit pricey if you're on a limited budget, it's well worth it - wildlife and scenery are truly awesome.
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North Island ▷ Wellington Region ▷ Wellington ▷
The Overlander Train
Travelled from National Park to Wellington.
Train was 1.5 hours late (not that we were in a hurry but it didn't catch up any of the time)! Staff very friendly and helpful but food (veggie lasagne) pretty awful. Scenery beautiful and great to have big windows to view it from.
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North Island ▷ Auckland Region ▷ Auckland ▷
Sky Tower
Polite but impersonal service - large no's of people.
Great views of Auckland city. Cafe staff very helpful.
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South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Abel Tasman ▷
Kahu Kayaks
Superb day out.
Excellent guide: Patient and informative. Slick other staff too - incredibly friendly and helpful.
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North Island ▷ Taupo Region ▷ Taupo ▷
Chris Jolly Outdoors and Cruise Cat
Standard sort of cruise (1.5 hours) good commentary and nice to be able to get a cuppa on-board.
They don't tell you the maori carvings are modern until you get there! Most of us assumed they were old.
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North Island ▷ Taupo Region ▷ Taupo ▷
Craters of the Moon
Not as spectacular as I had hoped but well laid out site and good information boards.
Facilities clean and staff very helpful.
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North Island ▷ Auckland Region ▷ Auckland ▷
InterCity Coachlines
Generally on time with drivers friendly an helpful.
Stops en-route are good but they make journeys quite long.