Smeared Type

West Coast, Southern New Zealand

We returned to Chicago on New Year’s Eve. Due to the attempted bombing of the flight from Amsterdam to Detroit during Christmas, we received hand search to our bags and pat down to our bodies at Auckland Airport. But our flight departed for Los Angeles on time and we able to get upgraded on a United flight from LA to Chicago.

Over the last few days, we have looked at the photos we took in New Zealand several times. We continue to marvel at our experiences—the beautiful sceneries, our daily hiking, and the delicious food. It is fair to say this is the best, and the longest, vacation we have ever had.

My “record” experiences include the following:

1. I have never seen so many sheep and cows in my life;
2. I have never eaten so much lamb in such a short period of time and loved every bit of it;
3. I have never gone through so many different climate and vegetation in a given day;
4. I have never viewed so many waterfalls in a sound or mountain; and
5. I have never witnessed so many creeks/rivers along a hiking trail.

Patio View from Te Puna Wai Lodge

1. Kiwi people are very friendly and patient;
2. The water in the lakes, rivers, and ocean fronts is clearer and sky bluer in the Kiwi land;
3. Abel Tasman, Routeburn Track and Milford Sound are places one must see in a lifetime;
4. My highly recommended places include: the botanic garden in Christchurch, Te Puna Wai Lodge B&B in Nelson, Boat Shed Restaurant in Nelson (do the “trust the chef”menu), Hunters Wines in Benwick, Marlborough (wines and food), Franz Josef Glacier, Boardwalk Seafood Restaurant in Queenstown and Redcliff Restaurant and Bar in Te Anau.
5. Make a trip to New Zealand when you can—it’s definitely worth it!    

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China. www.mulberrychild.com, www.moraquest.com.

It took us nearly two hours driving from Queenstown to Te Anau, a small town located between the well-known Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound. We checked into Cats Whisker B&B and took a 3-hour hike in a nearby park, with the easier hiking trail so far.

Waterfall at Milford Sound

The following day, as Mary took a cruise tour to Doubtful Sound, Francis and I drove an hour and a half to Milford Sound, the best attraction in New Zealand. The Sound is surrounded by sheer rock faces that rice above 3,900 ft or more and can receive 250 mm rainfalls in 24 hours. We took a cruise to view the sights and witnessed numerous waterfalls cascating down the cliffs, some stretching a thousand meters in length. The captain brought our attention to rock faces of the mountains: “They are 200 million years old,” he said. “There is little soil remaining on the cliffs,” he continued, pointing to a section where there were only small bushes. “It was created by a tree avalanch 20 years ago. It will take 120 years for the vegetation to fully grow back.” We were awed by the beauty and resilience of nature.

The cloud was high when we departed the harbor, but half way through our tour, it came down and covered the cliffs on both sides. We could hear the rapid waterfalls around the boat but couldn’t see from where they came from, as if they fell down from the sky. I used one hand to shield my camera lens and tried to capture the amazing scene until the lens cover got wet and stuck. The rain added another mysterious layer to the beauty of the Sound, and before we knew it, the low cloud swiftly moved away and soon the rocky mountain ranges revealed themselves again, with pine trees and other vegetation spreading from the surfaces. It was breathtaking.

Me at Key Summit

On our way back, we went to Key Summit, the other end of the Routeburn Track. The plants on this side of the trail were different from the ones we saw a couple days before on the other end. It took us nearly two hours to reach the Summit. Surprisingly, we saw a large flat area covered with Alpine plants, in rich red or yellow color. And thick layers of moss coat the tree trunks and branches, making them appear ancient. Another magnificent sight, coupled with snow-covered mountains that looked close by.

By the time we returned to Cats Whiskers, Mary was already back. We would compare and share pictures, we promised. We went to the Redcliff Restaurant that our hostess recommended as the “best in town” and enjoyed a wonderful dinner of fresh fish, steak, and venison. While Mary and Francis seeped their wine, I had a bowl of my favorite pumpkin soup. This was our last dinner together before parting our ways—Mary would take a 5-day guided hiking tour to Milford while Francis and I would drive back to Queenstown and take a flight to Auckland and then to Chicago via Los Angeles. We toasted to our unforgettable time in New Zealand. On our walk back to Cats Whiskers, we saw a “Scoop It” sign in front of a BP Gas Station and each got a large scoop of ice cream. We laughed and licked on our ice cream back on the street, finishing the last leg of our journey with a perfect sweet touch.       

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China. www.mulberrychild.com, www.moraquest.com.

We arrived at Queenstown and checked into Trelawn B&B on the order of town on Christmas Eve. Trelawn Lodge is located above a steep cliff, overlooking a river and mountain ranges. Later that evening, after a wonderful dinner at Broadwalk Restaurant at the harbor downtown, I indulged myself in the outdoor hot tub at Trelawn and enjoyed the fantastic view.   

Christmas Breakfast at Trelawn

Michael and Nery of Trelawn hosted a nice Christmas breakfast for their guests—a family of three from England, a family of four Americans who were living in Singapore and us three. We finished two bottles of “bubbles” by the time breakfast was over. Earlier that morning, I went out for a jog all the way to town and was relieved to see one biker on the road—at least, I was not the only one out at 6 A.M. on Christmas Day.

We took a cruise the following day and visited a sheep farm. Our farm guide Marvin demonstrated how the “working dogs” herded the sheep—they took their job darn serious and the sheep ran crazy at their barking and chasing! Then Marvin went on a stage, grabbed a large sheep and sheared its thick fur in less than 10 minutes while explaining the process. He said a worker can shear more than 300 sheep a day! Quite an eye-opening experience for me.

A View from the Routeburn Hiking Trail

The most exciting event at Queenstown, however, is the long hike at Routeburn, another national park. Different from Abel Tasman, Routeburn felt like a tropical forest, nourished with plenty of waterfalls and creeks. Every step of the way was accompanied with the melodious sound of water running or falling and birds singing. Moss and ferns covered the ground of the dense forest. We walked for four hours and were intoxicated with the unbelievable beauty of nature.

Our friends in the U.S. have raved about the magnificence of Milford Sound, our last stop. I wondered how it could beat the views of Routeburn Track!     

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China. www.mulberrychild.com, www.moraquest.com.

Abel Tasman

It’s hard to believe Abel Tasman National Park, with a Coast Track that extends 52 kilometers and an area covering 23,000 hectares, is the smallest national park in New Zealand.

We drove for about an hour from Nelson to Kaiteriteri and took the cruise along the coast up north. Richard recommended us to get off at Tonga Quarry and hike back to Anchorage, a distance of about 15 kilometers. Richard is thin and fit. He said he could cover the distance in an hour and a half. “You can easily do it in 4 hours,” he said.

At the ticket office, however, we received different advice: “It will take you 6 hours without a break,” a young man behind the counter told us. “Get off at Medlands Beach, so you can enjoy a lunch break and do some side trips.” We looked at the map. It’s 10.6 kilometers, about 7 miles. The last cruise returning to Kaiteriteri was at 5 P.M. We decided to be conservative.

It became chilly as the boat picked up speed. We tightened our three layers of clothing, but still felt cold. But attracted by the gorgeous view, we remained on the upper deck. We saw lush vegetation on the mountain range and groups of people in bright orange or yellow Kayaks along the coastal line. The water was crisp green and appeared calm in mid morning. We eagerly snapped pictures in all directions. The captain introduced the attractions along the way, but I couldn’t catch a word of his statement in his unique Kiwi tone, in the midst of the roaring engine.  

We got off at Medlands Beach and followed the well-marked and treaded trail, climbing high up steep hills in the dense forest or going down to the open oceanfront. We passed numerous waterfalls, long or short suspension bridges, and water pools. We ran into people from time to time, hearing different languages, but for the most part, we were by ourselves, surrounded by nature. We could hear birds singing, but in the thick, lush trees and bushes, we couldn’t see them. It took us more than three hours reaching Torrent Bay, about two-thirds of our way. We took a break and had our packed lunch on the beach.

The wind became strong in the afternoon and waves crushed the rocks at the foot of the mountain, creating spectacular views. We took more pictures. We watched the 3 P.M. cruise depart Anchorage on top of a hill and reached the beach in another 30 minutes. We made our way in 5 hours and had some time to spare. Mary threw down her backpack on the sandy beach and enjoyed her sunbath. Francis and I took off, exploring the camping area and the short trail nearby.

Our boat came 10 minutes before 5 P.M., picked up the hikers waiting on the beach and took off in 3 minutes. “Wow, they don’t hang around and wait!” I exclaimed, feeling relieved we were not late.

You must visit Abel Tasman and experience the hiking and scenery if you ever get to this part of the world. Every single minute was filled with wonder and beauty.

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China. www.mulberrychild.com, www.moraquest.com.