thawaio.a personal journal
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A row of tall, narrow poplar trees along the shore of a bright turquoise lake, with a long green hill behind and stony ground in the foreground.

Journeys · 7 parts

New Zealand's South Island, 2019

Two families, two cars and the TranzAlpine

Where
Christchurch, Lake Tekapo, Aoraki/Mount Cook, Queenstown, Dunedin, Methven, Arthur's Pass and the West Coast, New Zealand
Travelled
21 November – 2 December 2019
Written up
October 2026
Parts
7

In November 2019, our family and our friends’ family spent ten days on New Zealand’s South Island. Ten of us travelled in two rented cars, from Christchurch to Lake Tekapo, Aoraki/Mount Cook, Queenstown, Dunedin, Methven and over Arthur’s Pass to the West Coast.

It was my first time driving in a foreign country. The trip ended with the one thing I had asked for: the TranzAlpine, from Greymouth back to Christchurch.

Start from part one: From Christchurch to Lake Tekapo →

The stories, in order

  1. Part 1 · 21–23 November 2019 · Christchurch and Lake Tekapo

    From Christchurch to Lake Tekapo

    Two families, two rented cars and my first time driving in a foreign country, from a nervous drive through Christchurch to a first evening at Lake Tekapo.

    1 min read

  2. Part 2 · 24 November 2019 · Aoraki/Mount Cook

    A clear day at Aoraki/Mount Cook

    A sunny day with some cloud, short walks the grandparents could manage, and a suspension bridge we reached but did not cross.

    1 min read

  3. Part 3 · 24–26 November 2019 · Queenstown

    Queenstown, the lake and the wind

    Tricky streets on arrival, some of the best views of the whole holiday, a quiet day in town and a windy day on the Skyline Luge.

    1 min read

  4. Part 4 · 27–28 November 2019 · Dunedin and the Otago coast

    Dunedin and the Otago coast

    A stop in Alexandra for petrol, an evening walk in Dunedin, Baldwin Street on foot, the gardens at Larnach Castle and the beach at Moeraki.

    1 min read

  5. Part 5 · 28–29 November 2019 · Methven and Arthur's Pass

    Methven and over Arthur's Pass

    Friendly locals in Methven, the limestone rocks at Castle Hill, lunch at Arthur's Pass and the walk to Devil's Punchbowl Falls.

    1 min read

  6. Part 6 · 30 November 2019 · The West Coast

    Blowholes, a gorge and driftwood on the West Coast

    The blowholes at Punakaiki, the suspension bridge at Hokitika Gorge, driftwood on Hokitika Beach and an evening at Monteith's in Greymouth.

    1 min read

  7. Part 7 · 1–2 December 2019 · Greymouth to Christchurch

    The TranzAlpine, at last

    Returning the cars in Greymouth, and the one thing I had asked for on this trip: the TranzAlpine across the South Island to Christchurch.

    1 min read