We traveled from Queenstown to Lake Hāwea.

Here’s an interactive map of our route, with some of the stops marked:

Shockingly, another scenic drive in NZ:

We explored the Cromwell Heritage Precinct, which saved some historic buildings when the main street of Cromwell was submerged due to the construction of the Clyde dam:

 

Coffee and a slice at the Seed & Grain Store:

More exhibits:

Clutha River:

Cromwell stone fruit sculpture and sign:

45th Southern Parallel marker, halfway between the equator and the south pole:

Vines:

Interesting rocks:

We were going to stop at Wanaka Lavender Farm, but there wasn’t convenient parking, and most of the lavender wasn’t in bloom, so we skipped it:

Puzzling World is a cheesy tourist trap; we never intended to stop there, and didn’t:

We did stop at the Mount Aspiring National Park Visitor Centre, more our speed:

Of course, we had to take some pictures of That Wanaka Tree (along with several other people):

We had lunch at Scroggin in Wanaka:

A one lane bridge with a traffic light:

Arriving at our campground for the night, The Camp:

It was laundry time again, so we tried the laundry facilities at the campground, but most of the machines were out of order:

The showers were very basic too:

A cabin with a view:

Lake Hāwea:

Outdoor fireplace:

Dome:

Our site:

Since the campground laundry was unusable, we went back to Wanaka to do laundry at a laundromat. Which was a useful experience; we found that taking our laundry to a laundromat was easier than using a campground laundry, since we didn’t need to fuss with coins or small unreliable machines.

After laundry, we had dinner at Hello Ranger:

Then back to our site for the night:

We traveled from Milford Sound to Queenstown.

Here’s an interactive map of our route, with some of the stops marked; a big loop, because there isn’t a more direct route:

A rainy morning lead to hundreds of waterfalls:

Waiting to go back through Homer Tunnel:

Hollyford River:

Morning snack at Alpine Centre Cafe in Te Anau:

Sheep:

Lunch at Route 6 Cafe in Lumsden:

Lake Wakatipu:

Arriving at Driftaway Queenstown, where we spent three nights (the longest stay of this trip):

Our waterfront site:

Power and water:

Other sites:

Jump pad:

Shower:

Laundry:

View out our front window:

After disembarking from the Doubtful Sound cruise, we traveled just half an hour north from Manapouri to Te Anau.

Here’s an interactive map of our route, with our stops marked:

Whitetail deer:

Te Anau Welcomes You:

We stopped at Sandfly Cafe in Te Anau for lunch:

Fiordland National Park visitor centre:

We stayed the night at Te Anau’s Tasman Holiday Park:

Map:

Our site:

Time to do some laundry:

Cabins:

Other sites:

Jump pad:

We walked a few blocks to downtown; here’s a takahē sculpture:

We had dinner at Ristorante Pizzeria Paradiso:

An interesting take on a Hawaiian pizza:

We traveled from Invercargill to Manapouri, where we did an overnight cruise in Doubtful Sound of Fiordland National Park. I’ll do a separate post for that; this is just getting there.

Here’s an interactive map of our route:

Unripe marshmallows:

Countryside:

Farm equipment:

Brunel Peaks Cafe for coffee and slices:

Mountains:

One way bridge:

Waiau River:

Another one way bridge:

A little sketchy:

Interesting rocks:

Parked for our overnight cruise:

Stay tuned for the super-scenic cruise tomorrow….

We traveled from Dunedin to Invercargill.

Here’s an interactive map of our route, with some potential stops marked:

Narow road:

Nice view:

We did a guided tour of Larnach Castle:

Coffee and snack at the castle cafe:

Balclutha Bridge:

Cafe 55 for lunch:

Arriving at Amble On Inn:

Office:

Map:

Then we headed out again; a fuel stop:

Stirling Point sign in Bluff:

An anchor chain sculpture:

Small lighthouse:

McDonalds Big Arch burger for dinner:

Back at the campground, Jenn did some laundry:

Our site:

We traveled from Twizel to Dunedin.

Here’s an interactive map of our route, with some of the stops marked:

A cat visited our site:

On the road:

Waitaki Dam:

Takiroa Rock Art:

Flying Pig Cafe in Duntroon for a morning coffee and slice:

Duntroon exhibits:

Moeraki Boulders:

Lunch at the Moeraki Boulders cafe:

Katiki Point Lighthouse:

Dunedin architecture:

Arriving at Portobello Village Tourist Park:

Our site; very unusual in that it had a sewer hookup:

We traveled from Rakaia to Twizel. A very scenic drive.

Here’s an interactive map of our route, with some of the stops marked:

Morning snack:

An art:

Southern Alps:

Lake Tekapo lupins:

The iconic Church of the Good Shepherd at Lake Tekapo:

Scenic lunch in the van:

Looking at Aoraki / Mount Cook across the lake:

Bumblebee:

We arrived at Twizel Holiday Park to check in before they closed:

,,,but the office had closed early, so we just grabbed the map to our site:

Then we headed to Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park:

Fuel stop in the park:

Park map:

Park visitor center:

Relief map:

Predator free NZ:

We walked partway along the famous Hooker Valley Track:

There are three swing bridges along the track, but the second one was damaged, so the track was closed at that point (which was fine, since it was further than we wanted to walk anyway):

The first swing bridge:

A monument:

Aoraki / Mount Cook viewpoint:

Pizza for dinner in Twizel:

Jelly Tip ice cream for dessert back at our site:

A very scenic day. But not the last!

We traveled south from Hammer Springs to Rakaia.

Here’s an interactive map of our route, with a grocery stop marked:

A nice shower at the Hanmer Springs Top 10:

Back over the one lane Waiau Ferry Bridge:

Waiau Uwha River:

Hills:

Morning coffee and snack at Red Post Cafe in Culverden:

Interesting rocks:

We stopped for groceries at Woolworths in Amberley. It was nice to be able to load groceries directly into the van:

Fanfare sculpture in Christchurch:

Arriving at Rakaia River Holiday Park:

They had a TARDIS by the office:

Campground map:

Outdoor kitchen:

Indoor kitchen:

Shower:

We headed out again to go into town; the iconic Rakaia salmon sculpture:

We got dinner from Rakaia Takeaways:

Rakaia buildings:

We opened some Christmas crackers:

And had mini pavlovas for dessert: