DustyLaptop
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South Island ▷ Queenstown Region ▷ Glenorchy ▷
Dart Stables
Glenorchy is a beautiful little town, familiar to the hiking crowd and Dart Stables is a great addition.
The cost is affordable, without being a bargain or overly expensive, and the staff are relaxed and experienced, and perhaps just as laid back at Glenorchy itself. The horse, "The Jazzman", was capable and a little cheeky, but took direction well and was certainly safe. The ride was beautiful, along the river and around the surrounds, but perhaps moreso as the focus wasn't on some movie made nearly a decade ago now.
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Hanmer Springs ▷
Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa
Arguably expensive, but a delight in Winter right after a fresh fall of snow.
Unfortunately, the frustrating locker system and the terrible showers and change rooms may see the experience end in a freezing, foot to foot hop. Why do the Men's change rooms lack privacy? Why aren't they heated? Despite these and other questions, the staff are friendly, and the pools are relaxing. Some might be surprised that the "natural pools" are essentially a series of swimming pool style installations with natural spring water fed to them, but the experience is ideal in a township so blessed with body-aching adventure!
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Christchurch ▷
Christchurch Tramway
Clean, efficient, pretty.
A nice tradition of Christchurch, though perhaps priced a little towards the upper end of what the service represents, as a short circuit going slowly around a walkable area. On the other hand, the cost maintains a truly lovely tram infrastructure, makes for jobs for typically lovely staff and retains some more charm of a charming city.
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Christchurch ▷
Christchurch Gondola
A local bus will take you to the base of the Gondola, which soars up to a lovely mountain vista.
From the top, you are able to explore as you see fit, with a number of lovely walks traversing down to the city or beyond. Indeed, you might like to skip the Gondola entirely and simply walk up, taking up to an hour uphill. The adventurous can even mountabike down, via a third party hire company that is both cheap and without time restrictions.
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South Island ▷ Queenstown Region ▷ Queenstown Township ▷
Skyline Gondola Queenstown
Fantastic view, as one would imagine.
Typical facilities in terms of cafe and the like. Anyone expecting world class coffee or inexpensive food from the top of a tourist gondola ride is perhaps, just a little, misguided. The view is beautiful. Do it.
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South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Mount Cook ▷
Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre
A relatively mismatched collection that ably displays the wonderful pioneering history of the region.
Above all, Sir Edmund Hillary's legacy is the champion feature, although one might question why the free collection of odds and ends at the DOC information center is as, if not more, numerous and factual than that at the commercialised Hermitage that hosts this "alpine centre". The highlight includes a Hillary film doco, looping, and for some the Planetarium feature in the theatre is an experience, to wonder at the rotating concave screen. Surely all can agree that the "3D Movie" is probably the worst thing ever made, and would rate as a rip off if not for the Planetarium feature airing only minutes after. Were this free, it would be unmissable, but it's place as a pricey experience in a commercialised facility boils down to a take it or leave it experience of gawking at some bits and pieces left from the early days, and a very very bizarre sign atop the far stairs alluding to Tenzing's "writhing like a fish" up Everest's infamous Hillary Step. For no discernible reason or suitable context.
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South Island ▷ Wanaka Region ▷ Wanaka Township ▷
Stuart Landsborough's Puzzling World Wanaka
The incredibly popular, and wonderfully silly Puzzling World.
Worth a quick visit, not entirely expensive, and definitely unique. The cynical soul might find the experience a little naff, but the traveler should enjoy the exhibits for the fun that they are. If you have children, this is a must. If you're a child at heart, equally so. If the entry fee scares you off, just wait in the foyer with the free puzzles until your friends emerge, giggling and feeling just a little silly. Good value.
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South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Mount Cook ▷
Hooker Valley Track
I do not give 10/10's lightly.
This is however, most deserving. In Winter this 1.5 hour walk each way (from the carpark, more from the township) should be taken with appropriate warmth and suitable light, and visitors acclimatised to countries with safety barriers and "do not enter" signs might like to remember to respect the safety of what is after all, awe inspiring landscape. Beautiful bridges, a day shelter graced with the signatures of a wonderful world of travelers (can you spot Billy Connolly's name?) and a truly stunning approach to a magnificent mountain. In Winter, the glacial lake will be frozen over, while in Summer, the alpine flowers will sneak out in bloom. Accessible, well maintained (stay on the path!), and beautiful.
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Christchurch ▷
Christchurch Art Gallery
Helpful staff, and a lovely building, but the "special" exhibitions during our visit were uninspiring and a little embarrassing.
Made up for by the static, historical displays, such as portraits of early Maori men and men, if not the typical "ye olde english paintinges" one can find hanging wearily on any Commonwealth gallery wall. Visit it for a quick glimpse at the culturally relevant paintings, to snicker at the post-modern attempts at art, and escape the cold for a few minutes. Or, you could just visit the gallery to use the bathrooms. Which in itself is a post-modern act of performance art.... sigh...
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North Island ▷ Wellington Region ▷ Wellington ▷
Museum of New Zealand
Bursting with history.
Lots of clever modern touches. Perhaps not an entirely essential visit, but only the most indifferent of travelers will visit Te Papa without learning something truly useful, or leave without feeling happy to have visited. Also, yes, it's free.
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Hanmer Springs ▷
Hanmer Springs TOP 10 Holiday Park
Cheap, friendly, close to the center of the town and with a great kitchen and lounge facility.
Unlike other camp and van sites (eg, Methven), the showers are untimed, free and HOT!!!
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South Island ▷ Queenstown Region ▷ Queenstown Township ▷
AJ Hackett Bungy Kawarau Bridge
Beautiful setting and one of the most affordable.
However, the freefall is very short, though the view makes the experience wonderful. I was bundled through quickly as the staff were due a "safety break" due to the stark Winter morning temperatures. Despite that, they were very friendly and the experience was worth every cent. Safety isn't even a question, these are the professionals. As to the photos and video, they are hilariously overpriced but plenty of tourists purchase them. The only criticism with this form of souvenir sales is the method of pre-packaging them to tempt the customer, which invariably leads to a large quantity of waste, as the printed photos are being thrown out more often then purchased. Not quite environmentally responsible, but thankfully without a great deal of sales pressure.
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Christchurch ▷
The Mountain Bike Adventure Company
Bikes are relatively well maintained, if a little loose, but are capable for what is mostly a choice of downhill rides.
We rode in Winter, down the lengthier ride down to Sumner, and the interesting uphill return to the Gondola. It was a wonderful experience, and cheap! Further more, we were not in any way limited by time, dropping the bikes off to the base Gondola office many many hours after we picked them up at the top. Recommended!
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North Island ▷ Wellington Region ▷ Wellington ▷
Wellington Cable Car
A nice ride to put into context an earlier age of Wellington life.
The actual ride is relatively unexciting outside of the historical sense, and but a few minutes in the process, but the museum at top is well worth a visit. It can be reached for free by walking, or by-passed entirely if one wishes to explore the (arguably average and poorly sign-posted) Botanical Gardens. It is well worth the visit, with the history of the cable car development, Wellington's expansion and an insight into the society of the time. Parasols 'n stuff. A stock tourist staple of a visit to Wellington. Hardly life changing, but one would be lacking for neglecting it in a visit.
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Christchurch ▷
Explore More
Picked up a Queenie in Christchurch, with great staff getting us underway.
Affordable price and the van met our expectations. A few niggles as expected with what is after all budget rentals, in that the main cupboard door always fell open and the other cupboards invariably had knobs falling off and so on. The important stuff, such as the engine and the safety of the gas stove and water supply, were perfect. The sound system was relatively non-existent, with someone either blowing the bass drivers or them being removed entirely, but we enjoyed our collection of $1 CD's from "Real Groovy Records" as a highlight of the randomly purchased soundtrack of the trip. As ever, a nod and smile for other Explore More van drivers on the road, and a country made for driving such. Would hire from again : )
Kia ora DustyLaptop - we're stoked that you enjoyed your hire with us. I wondered if you remembered the "name" of your camper? We'll get our ops team to fix those issues you mentioned.
Haere ra,
The Explore More whanau
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South Island ▷ Queenstown Region ▷ Queenstown Township ▷
Skyline Luge Queenstown
It looks ridiculous.
It really does. You catch a lovely gondola up to a beautiful view, dodging the typically terrible "lookout cafe" with its typically terrible coffee, and you see a luge. Why? Well, for tourist money. But... it looks a bit... fun. And, it is. Fun that is. A lot of fun! We bought two tickets each and wished we bought three. Any more would be diminishing returns, but seriously, its a kind of stupid, pointless fun that so often makes for an unexpected laugh on holiday. Give it a try : ) As usual though, ignore the tacky overpriced photos and souvenirs.
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South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Mount Cook ▷
Tasman Glacier Lake walk
Dwarfed only in magnificence by the Hooker Valley glacier walk nearby, but no less impressive for it's "you're walking to a glacier!!!" splendour.
If you can ignore the desire to shortcut "up and over" the walk around the hill, before the descending approach to the dirty Tasman glacier, you will get a nice bit of exercise in the process. Shorter than the Hooker Valley, but as essential for the visitor.
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Christchurch ▷
Canterbury Museum
Another bustling little museum with some slightly long-in-the-tooth installations more than made up for by the displays of indigenous Maori artifacts, historical displays and a very respectable collection
of, well, stuff. Come for a minute, stay for a few hours, and nod with a "not likely" smile to the usual gift shop on the way out.