Te Anau, New Zealand

Te Anau provides a base for exploring parts of the Fiordland National Park one of New Zealand's greatest wilderness zones. From here it is an easy 2½ hour drive to Milford Sound and 20 minutes by coach to Lake Manapouri and the start of a Doubtful Sound excursion.

If it is serenity you are after, then the Doubtful Sound can provide the perfect place for quiet reflection amongst the fiord's rich flora and fauna. Milford Sound is spectacular regardless of the weather - the many waterfalls are in full force when raining, and on a clear day the reflections of Mitre Peak against the fiord's waters are outstanding.

Lake Manapouri and Lake Te Anau are ideal holiday locations for all seasons. During summer the lakes cater for all water activities and during the winter these houses are retreats from which to admire views of the surrounding snow-capped mountains.

(Source: http://www.holidayhouses.co.nz)

Stewart Island, New Zealand

If you are interested in visiting one of New Zealand's most remote locations, then Stewart Island should be on your must do list. Its distance from anywhere means this untouched paradise has a very small population, making it perfect for those wanting a holiday away from civilisation. Stewart Island is accessed either by plane from Invercargill or by ferry from Bluff.

New Zealand's third largest island is almost totally made up of national park. Rakiura National Park covers 85% of the island leaving little space for habitation by human. Instead Stewart Island has become a haven for the kiwi and other native birds. One really special place to visit is Ulva Island, not too far from Oban, which is the main settlement of Stewart Island. Here you will see many types of New Zealand native birds - watch out for the cheeky weka.

Other than bird watching, other popular activities on the island include day walks - there are plenty of tracks accessible from Oban or go on a kayaking tour to explore the many coves and bays. Find a holiday house tucked into the bush to listen to the native bird song and make the most of being away from it all.

(Source: http://www.holidayhouses.co.nz)

Invercargill and Riverton

Invercargill is New Zealand's southernmost and westernmost city and it is full of character. Its distance from other parts of the country has given the city its own distinct flavour that is hard to describe.

Finding a holiday home close to Bluff or in Invercargill is suggested for the opening of the oyster season or alternatively for the Bluff Oyster Festival each April. This annual event attracts oyster lovers from afar - here they can eat oysters to their heart's content along with indulging in great Otago wines and other tasty seafood dishes.

Just to the south of Bluff, a significant part of New Zealand is marked - the end (or beginning) of State Highway One at Stirling Point. Here a signpost shows the distance and direction to various major cities and locations around the world so it's a cool place to stop for a perspective on just where you are standing.

Riverton, a picturesque fishing village set on a small port, provides a small selection of houses ideal for a holiday by the sea.

Invercargill also has Burt Munro that well known as the fastest man from New Zealand. Herbert (Burt) James Munro (25 March 1899–6 January 1978) was a New Zealand motorcycle racer, famous for setting an under-1000cc world record, 183.586 mph (295.453 km/h), at Bonneville, 26 August 1967. This record still stands today. Burt Munro was 68 and was riding a 47-year old machine when he set his last record.

Working from his home in Invercargill, he worked for 20 years to highly modify the 1920 Indian motorcycle which he had bought in 1920. Munro set his first New Zealand speed record in 1938 and later set seven more. He travelled to compete at the Bonneville Salt Flats, attempting to set world speed records. During his ten visits to the salt flats, he set three speed records, one of which still stands today. His efforts, and success, are the basis of the motion picture The World's Fastest Indian (2005), starring Anthony Hopkins, and an earlier 1971 short documentary film Burt Munro: Offerings to the God of Speed– both directed by Roger Donaldson.

(Source: http://www.holidayhouses.co.nz)

Southland and Fiordland

Here lie New Zealand's southernmost lands - a combination of farmland and vast wilderness. Te Anau is the base from which you can explore Doubtful and Milford Sounds or find a lake side holiday house on the edge of Lake Manapouri. Alternatively Stewart Island, which is home to New Zealand's newest national park - Rakiura - is a perfect place for nature lovers.

Riverton, Bluff and Invercargill all provide intriguing places to stay on holiday - you are guaranteed a warm southern welcoming when staying here. With surrounding farms teeming with sheep and the seas with blue cod, a night out in a local restaurant is highly recommended.

(Source: http://www.holidayhouses.co.nz)

Southland, South Island New Zealand

Southland is the part of South Island New Zealand, at the bottom of the island and close to Dunedin and Otago Peninsula.

More than one quarter of Southland is protected within the Fiordland and Rakiura National Parks, and numerous smaller parks and reserves. The rest of Southland is lush, green farmland with small and medium-sized towns scattered around. The southern coastline is a continuous parade of dramatic views, sandy beaches, rocky headlands and an incredible variety of marine and bird life.

Some of Southland’s more popular destinations have their own very informative websites. Click on these links to learn more specific information about Invercargill, Stewart Island, the Catlins, the Southern Scenic Route, Northern Southland, Fiordland and Western Southland.

Southland has experienced remarkable growth and development in recent years and boasts a range of world-class facilities, many initiatives of regional benefit and an expanding range of visitor attractions that feature some of the most distinctive landscapes in the country.

Farming, forestry and horticulture form the region's economic base, but Southland also has a diversity of manufacturing for export. It is one of the fastest growing tourist regions in New Zealand due to its unspoilt nature and wide recognition of it being a place to restore the soul. Southlanders are friendly, honest, hard-working and hospitable people - so come and find out about our many secrets that we would love to share with you.

The Karori Sanctuary, Wellington

The Karori Sanctuary offer an opportunity to see New Zealand's rarest animal dan wildlife in its natural environment. Tucked away in a forrest-clad valley just ten minutes from Central Wellington. We can go there by hire a car or by cable car.

By bus is the cheapest choice, we can buy the day tripper ticket with five dollars New Zealand. Day tripper ticket is designed to give us freedom to go around Wellington by using one ticket. In every bus station we will able to get off and caught bus anywhere that we want by show the ticket to the driver.

The Karori Sanctuary is the place to protect original New Zealand wildlife. Kiwi is one of them. Tour provide us encounters with birds and reptiles normally just found on offshore island, and a chance to learn about unique vision to turn back the clock to the time before humans arrived.

Walking track is include a cruise accros the lower lake and change to look New Zealand's living dinosaur the Tuatara. The best time to running the tour is when darkness has settled, if we lucky we can see the New Zealand's national mascot, that is Kiwi. Over 100 Kiwi live in this park, so there is a good change of spotting one.

There are differences of price between day and night tours. We can go there in day time and the ticket to enter there only NZ$ 14, but in the night we have to pay more, Nz$ 60 to see Kiwi birds.

The Kiwi Bird, New Zealand's Native Bird

Kiwi are the New Zealand's native bird, they are the national bird of New Zealand. Because of the name of the bird, New Zealanders or the people who live in New Zealand are well known as Kiwis.

The kiwi as a symbol first appeared in the late 19th century in New Zealand regimental badges. It was later featured in the badges of the South Canterbury Battalion in 1886 and the Hastings Rifle Volunteers in 1887. Soon after, kiwis appeared in many military badges, and in 1906 when Kiwi Shoe Polish was widely sold in the UK and the USA the symbol became more widely known.

During the First World War, the name "kiwi" for New Zealand soldiers came into general use, and a giant kiwi, (now known as th The Bulford Kiwi), was carved on the chalk hill above Sling Camp in England. Use has now spread so that now all New Zealanders overseas and at home are commonly referred to as "kiwis".

The kiwi has since become the most well-known national symbol for New Zealand, and kiwis are prominent in the coat of arms, crests and badges of many New Zealand cities, clubs and organizations. The New Zealand dollar is often offered to as The Kiwi.

Actually, Kiwi is the nocturnal bird. They get out from their nest and feed in the night. The national bird is a threatened species. Most New Zealanders probably have never seen a live kiwi, and if so it was likely in a kiwi house.

These bird is flightless, it was the main reason why they become rare easily. They are the endangered species in the world. To protect the endangered Kiwi, a number of trusts and protection program have been set up. These including in Karori Sanctuary, The National Park that was set up in Wellington. We can see them in The Karori Sanctuary at the night. The price to enter the park are NZ$ 60, not too expensive to see the endangered bird. The map explain about the habitat of Kiwi.

The Wellington Cable Car Museum

The Cable Car is another of a series of sculptures crowning sculptural signs in the city. All the signs feature Wellington street maps and show the way to nearby attractions.

The Cable Car provides a unique form of transport to the city to the suburb of Kelburn and the top of the Botanic Garden. We are situated at the end of the Cable Car Lane off Lambton Quay in the heart of Wellington's Central Business District.

There are three intermediate stops. Clifton, leading to the Terrace and the Student Accommodation at Everton Hall. Talavera, the mid point of the track, where the cars pass each other. Salamanca, linking to the Victoria University and more student accommodation at Weir House.

The Wellington Cable Car Museum is located just a few metres from the cable car's upper terminus and from a lookout with spectacular views over Wellington, this museum tells the story of the country's only remaining public cable car system.

Visit us to catch up on the service's colourful history, marvel at the machinery in the old winding room or climb aboard one of the old grip cars.

The museum shop stocks a great selection of Wellington and New Zealand gifts and souvenirs as well as a range of specialist transport books, DVDs and models.

The Wellington Cable Car Museum has Qualmark endorsed visitor activity status and was the 2006 Tourism Industry award winner for visitor activities and attractions: culture and heritage tourism.

Source http://blandforddailyphoto.blogspot.com

The Mount Victoria Tunnel in Wellington

The Mount Victoria Tunnel in Wellington is well known in Wellington as being the location of "the beeping game", in which motorists sound their horns as they go through the tunnel, often in response to the tooting of other drivers. This is particularly popular after 5pm on Friday nights. The white building above the tunnel is Wellington East Girls’ College..

The tunnel is 623 metres (slightly more than a third of a mile) long and 5 metres (16.4 ft) in height, connecting Hataitai to the centre of Wellington and the suburb of Mount Victoria, under the mount of the same name. It is part of State Highway 1.

The tunnel was built in 15 months by the Hansford and Mills Construction Company. The project cost around £132,000 and greatly reduced travel time between the Eastern Suburbs and the central business district of Wellington. Construction employed a standard tunnel-excavation technique in which two teams of diggers begin on either side of the obstacle to be tunnelled through, eventually meeting in the centre.

The initial breakthrough, when the two separate teams of diggers met, occurred at 2.30pm on 31 May 1930, and the first people to pass through the breakthrough were tunnellers Philip Gilbert and Alfred Graham. The tunnel was opened officially by the mayor of Wellington, Thomas Charles Hislop, on 12 October 1931.

Although the tunnel has been eclipsed in terms of features and amenities by more recent tunnels around the country, such as the Terrace Motorway Tunnel, the Mount Victoria Tunnel was the first road tunnel in New Zealand to be mechanically ventilated. Around 32,000 vehicles pass through it each day. The tunnel also accommodates pedestrians and cyclists, who use an elevated ramp on the north side of the roadway. In the late 1970s, a number of crime incidents resulted in an alarm system being installed based on buttons spaced along the length of the pedestrian ramp - the system was removed several years later, as it proved ineffective. Recent additions include new lighting, CCTV cameras, brighter cleanable side panels and pollution control. These have significantly improved safety in the tunnel.

There has been a long standing designation for a second parallel tunnel to the north, in order to relieve peak period congestion resulting from lane merges at both ends of the tunnel. A pilot tunnel was bored through in 1974 to investigate the technical feasibility and still exists, although the eastern end has been bricked up and the western end lies on private property. Plans to build the second tunnel paralleled the original plan to complete the Wellington Urban Motorway to the tunnel to provide a motorway bypass of the whole of central Wellington. The second tunnel component was shelved indefinitely in 1981 when budget cuts meant that a scaled-down motorway extension was proposed that would terminate at the existing tunnel.

The tunnel currently is a traffic bottleneck in the morning peak from around 7.30 to 9.00am on the Hataitai side with traffic sometimes backing up over 1 km and in the afternoon peak between 5 and 6pm on the city side with queuing back around 0.5 km. Buses to the eastern suburbs bypass this congestion by using the much older single-lane Hataitai bus tunnel.

Some interesting stuff

During World War II, the government planned to use the tunnel as an air raid shelter if Wellington were attacked. However, the plan was scrapped as the tunnel was thought to be too vulnerable to assault from either side by hostile troops.

A murder occurred during the construction of the tunnel. A young woman named Phylis Simons was murdered by her lover, who buried her in the fill from the tunnel. Police ordered workers to excavate the fill in order to find the victim's body.

Source http://blandforddailyphoto.blogspot.com

Wellington, Four Seasons in One Day

Wellington is very unique city. It is known as "Windy City", because the wind blows strongly and every time. The weather also terrible, four seasons can happen in one day, winter, summer, spring and autumn. Very cold at the night, little bit cold in the morning, hot and sunny at noon and very shower or heavy rain in the evening.

We have to read the weather forecast every day that is published in newspapers, website and telephone. The forecast usually is provided for two or three days. We can use the forecast if we want to arrange activities.

In spring season, summer and autumn are the most interesting season in Wellington. Most of the restaurants, cafes, accommodation agents also offered open space to service the customers. The Cuba Street and and The Courtenay Place are the busy places in summer. There are many tourists and citizens spend much money in both of the places.

In winter, open spaces are not too busy. Many people do not like spend their time outside the restaurants and cafes. They will choose inside them to enjoy their lunch or dinner inside because it is warmer and more comfortable than outside.

However, some restaurants and cafes provide heaters outside in the open space. They install heater outside to service the customer if inside very full and busy. Wearing warm clothes and jackets are the most important thing to eat our dinner outside the restaurant or cafe.

Michael Fowler, Wellington New Zealand

Welcome to the Wellington Convention Centre. Whether you are organizing a convention, seminar, cocktail function or a concert, we can find the perfect solution within the venues that they offered. Some times Michael Fowler used for Graduation Ceremony, especially Wellington Institute of Techology.

You can go there because this place closes to Cuba Street, Manners Mall, and Courtenay Place. Its about five minutes walk to go there. Michael Fowler also closes to library, Wellington Harbor, Te Papa Museum, Wellington City and Sea Museum.

Sunday Market or Farmers Market, Wellington - New Zealand

This market different with others market in Wellington, because only available on Sunday. It was known as Sunday Market or Farmers Market. Every Sunday we can visit there in Wellington on the car park close to Chaffers Marina and Te Papa. With fresh fish sold directly from the boat and all meat , vegetables, eggs, sweets and more available it is a nice trip every Sunday. We really like the farmers market Wellington because the price cheaper than we bought in Supermarkets.

Travel to Manners Mall Wellington, the Beautiful Place in New Zealand

Manners Mall is look like Mecca for young people and teenagers in Wellington. It is popular place to hang out and catch up, or just text some mates for a night on the town. There are many students from abroad usually also visit Manners Mall.

Manners Mall is a pedestrian area, although the government has a plan to change Manners Mall as bus way many people don’t care about that. Some people agree to change it as bus way, beside that some people disagree.

Manners Mall gives walking access to people moving between the Cuba Street, Willis Street, and Courtenay Place. It is full interesting shops (such as Vodafone, Bank of Shoes, and Internet Café etc). It is also provide the pedestrian to fast food places such ash Burger King, Dawath, Eat Asian, Mc Donald and others fast food places.

Manners Mall is also very close to the best entertainment spots in Wellington, on Courtenay Place and Cuba Street. If we want to visit Tee Pa Pa Museum, we only need five minutes on foot to go there or visit Michael Fawler and public library.