Monthly Archives: July 2020

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New zealand explore

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New Zealand, beautiful island country. It has North and south islands and around 600 smaller islands in the south-western Pacific Ocean. Major cities to explore in North island are Auckland, Rotorua and on South island side Queenstown, Christchruch and Fiordland and more. To drive the entire New Zealand, you need to take a car ferry between North and South islands.

Must visit places in New Zealand:

Queenstown –  Perfect place for an adventure and go wild. Bungy jumping, jet boat rides, skiing, rafting, hiking and more… Known as New Zealand’s ‘Adventure Capital’, Queenstown attracts more than three million visitors a year, who come for everything from world-class skiing and snowboarding to unique thrills in the water, the air and on land, or the relaxed pace of the wine trail in Gibbston.

Milford Sound –  Situated on the west coast of the South Island, Milford Sound is a fusion of natural features that are spectacular even in the rain.

Auckland – a short ferry ride away from Auckland, you will find the vineyards, olive groves and white sandy beaches of Waiheke Island.

Rotorua – filled with fascinating Māori culture, hot springs and mud pools.

Hobbiton – green Waikato countryside where scenes from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies were filmed.

Christchurch – known for its English heritage, is located on the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island. On its banks are cycling paths, the green expanse of Hagley Park and Christchurch Botanic Gardens. known as the “Garden City” because of its many beautiful parks, gardens and tree-lined streets.

Wellington – the capital of New Zealand, sits near the North Island’s southernmost point on the Cook Strait. A compact city, it encompasses a waterfront promenade, sandy beaches, a working harbor and colorful timber houses on surrounding hills. From Lambton Quay, the iconic red Wellington Cable Car heads to the Wellington Botanic Gardens. Known as the culinary capital of New Zealand, Wellington is famous for its tucked-away bars, quirky cafes, award-winning restaurants and great coffee. Head to Courtenay Place or Cuba Street to get among the good stuff.

There is so much to see in New Zealand and we picked the Adventure capital, Queenstown as our stop.

Customs: What can you bring in? After you’ve cleared passport control, you should collect your baggage and proceed through customs and biosecurity checks. In order to protect New Zealand and its environment, certain items are not allowed to be brought into the country, have restrictions for entry or must be declared if they are deemed to present a biosecurity risk. These include food, plants, animal products and outdoor recreational equipment. Your baggage may be sniffed by a detector dog and/or x-rayed, and it may be searched to identify any risk goods you might be carrying.

To avoid penalties it is best to familiarize yourself with these guidelines prior to travel. For a detailed list of prohibited, restricted or declarable items, please visit Ministry for Primary Industries (biosecurity agency).

I am impressed with the details and search they are doing to protect the country.

Day 1: Queenstown

Beautiful clouds and snow welcomed us to Queenstown, New Zealand. One observation, we saw so many people carried their skies in flight to Queenstown from different cities. I don’t know how much effort and price to carry their own skies in flight for a vacation.

Queenstown sits on the shores of the South Island’s Lake Wakatipu, set against the dramatic Southern Alps. Renowned for adventure sports. Most exciting adventure destination.

We stayed in Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, Centrally located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. Beautiful location with Lake views and close to everything. Walk-able to waterfront restaurants, activities, markets and shops. Kids wanted Indian food and to the surprise, there were many Indian options. It was very tasty Indian food as well.

Lively place with activities, music, shops on the street and ice cream .  Main street , Lake Wakatipu beach, activities, boat rides, Queenstown gardens, and Marine Parade. Marine Parade is also the place to catch local events like the annual Winter Festival’s opening night fireworks and New Years’ celebrations.

Our favorite stop during our stay. Patagonia Chocolates – Ice Cream, Sorbets & Chocolates

 

Day 2: Queenstown

The Kawarau Bridge Bungy, Is The Home Of Bungy Jumping. Leap 43m from The Historic Kawarau Bridge. This is where it all started, World’s first bungy and most famous place. No visit to Queenstown would be complete without a stop at the Kawarau Bungy Centre, The World Home of Bungy, opened in 1988. Nestled into a rock face overlooking the stunning Kawarau River, the view alone will satisfy any crowd.

Tensed night and long waiting adventure. I wanted to do Bungy jump in Kawarau Bridge Bungy in New Zealand. As a child, I watched one of the south Indian movie in 1998 where first time Hero does Bungy jump in telugu film industry.

Age restrictions for Bungy jumping :
Minimum 10 years old. Children 14 and under require an adult to sign consent at check-in and accompany them on their experience.

Mexican food for Lunch after a adrenaline activity. As a food lovers, we enjoy outside food and try to taste as many varieties as possible.

A relaxing afternoon with OffRoad adventure center, 4×4 dirt bikes in the mountains with rain, cold, and dirt. what an adventure it was…. Waiting for heaters to get some warmth after the ride. Facilities are well designed in all the places to support winter and cold weather. There were heaters close by & heated bars in boat rides and closed glass doors.

Day 3:

Breakfast is really good here. Parfait , fresh fruit/vegetable juice, eggs, bakery and usual Australian beans and more. Our  Milford day tour got cancelled due to bad weather and road closures. We even tried booking flights to Milford, but flights were also cancelled due to wind and road closure near Milford. So relaxing day today.

Queenstown, A relaxing stroll in Queenstown gardens along the Lake side.

Ferg Burger is a compulsory stop in Queenstown. It’s worth waiting for the burger. There is an article in CNN travel about Ferg Burger “Best burger joint in New Zealand or the planet?” Check it out.

We tried Little Lamby, Bombay Chicken , Sweet Julie and Cock Cajun.  Basically all Chicken varieties and lamb. 🙂

Shot over jet

Adventurous boat ride through the Shotover River Canyons, at 85km/hour, with spins & spraying water. The Shotover River is another favorite among thrill-seekers – fast currents make this one of the best places around Queenstown for jet boating and white water rafting. The Shotover River covers 75 kms (47 miles) in length and flows south of the Southern Alps through to the Kawarau River. Stops and jerks in the ride adds thrill to this ride.

Skyline Gondola ride and bird park.

Take Gondola ride to the top for magnificent views. Easily you can spend half day here with activities, hikes and Queenstown Luge ride.

Dinner in Thai restaurant.

 

Day 4:

More exploring and good bye to Queenstown. One more time enjoyed Ferg Burger.

Summary of Queenstown trip

Day 1 : Queenstown main street, Explore, Queeenstown Garden,

Day 2: Bungy Jump, 4×4 Offroad adventure

Day 3 : Milford day trip (canceled due to weather) , Shot over Jet, Skyline Gondola, Kiwi bird life park

Day 4 : Half day explore and shop

FAQ

1. Seasons & Weather

A popular holiday spot at any time of the year, Queenstown is renowned for its four distinctive seasons. Winter brings crisp, blue-sky days, spring retains the snow but blooms into longer, warmer days, summer offers sunshine and long twilights, and autumn a burst of brilliant red and gold.

Summer  : Dec – Feb

Autumn : Mar – May

Winter : June – Aug

Spring : Sept – Nov

2. Best time to visit New Zealand?

New Zealand weather is very unpredictable. you can see all 4 seasons in a day.

December & January will be most crowded month with all visitors. if you OK with crowd and want summer , this is the time to visit.

3. Visa

Visa: Not required for stays of less than three months for US Citizens

Passport validity : Three months beyond the planned date of departure from New Zealand

4. Food

All cuisines and varieties are available every where.

5. How many days is ideal for New Zealand trip?

14 days

6. Not to miss

Ferg Burger & Patagonia ice cream

 

 

Travel Date: August, 2019

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Melbourne

Melbourne, coastal capital of the southeastern Australian state of Victoria. Australia is so big, that it is easy to fly between cities. We flew from Alice springs to Melbourne. When we were in Alice springs, one Australian couple told us a fun fact. Some relatives called them and said we are landing in Sydney airport, come pick us up. They were making fun that if I need to pick them up in Sydney airport from Melbourne, I have to drive about 9 hours one way..:) It’s easy to fly between major cities in Australia.

With 3 days in hand, we wanted to spend one full day for Great ocean road drive. Other 2 days to exploring MCG, Melbourne city life. One thing Melbourne is famous for is it’s street art. Melbourne is also known as coffee capital of the world. Public transportation is very good in the city.

Top things to do

  • The Great Ocean Road
  • The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
  • City Circle Tram
  • Queen Victoria market
  • Eureka Skydeck
  • Chinatown
  • Luna park
  • The Shrine of Remembrance
  • National Gallery of Victoria
  • Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens
  • Melbourne Zoo
  • The Dandenong Ranges, Mount Dandenong
  • Werribee Open Range Zoo
  • St. Paul’s Cathedral
  • hosier lane street art (Must see)
  • St. Kilda beach and boardwalk
  • Federation Square

Day 1: Chill out & a relaxing dinner in Melbourne

First thing we noticed near the airport, around 100’s of Kangaroos in one area. Similar to goats in my home town, I see Kangaroos there. That screen reiterates that we are in Australia…:)

Day 2: Great Ocean Drive

Melbourne to Twelve Apostles is about 4 hours, 275 km. While going we took inside route and coming back along the coast. The Great Ocean Road has many twists and turns  along the Victorian coastline, close cliffs on one side, with sheer drops on the other side towards the ocean. With road constructions and steep turns in the dark, this was little scary ride. This is an amazing place and worth more than a day to enjoy. Views are simply stunning and and beautiful landscapes. You can stay near Twelve Apostles if you want to enjoy more time. Once you reach Twelve Apostles, you can still drive to close my scenic attractions. We went up to Bay of Islands.

The Great Ocean Road starts in Torquay (the surfing capital of Australia), ninety minutes drive from Melbourne. It stretches over two hundred and fifty kms to the coastal town of Warrnambool going through the Great Otway National Park.

Scenic Attractions :

Twelve Apostles  to Loch Ard Gorge –  4kms , London Bridge – 19 kms , and Bay of Islands – 30 kms

Twelve Apostles

The Twelve Apostles are spectacular. These are massive limestone stacks  45 meters above the ocean formed by erosion along the shore of Port Campbell National Park. These are believed to be formed over twenty million years ago.  There are only seven of the original twelve apostles remaining, the rest have collapsed into the ocean. With time, salt water and Mother nature changes they disappeared. Rest will be gone soon, so that’s the reason everyone wants to take a look at them while they still stand.

Depending on the weather sometimes the beaches are closed. Bring a light jacket even in summer.

Gibson Steps

Get down the stairs and walk on the beach for stunning views of the  Twelve Apostles formations.

Loch Ard Gorge –  4kms from Twelve Apostles

Three minutes drive from the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge is another fascinating stop in the Port Campbell National Park. The gorge is named after the clipper ship Loch Ard, which ran around on nearby Muttonbird Island on 1 June 1878 approaching the end of a three-month journey from England to Melbourne. Of the fifty-four passengers and crew, only two survived. There are stairs to go down to the beach and enjoy views. 

London Bridge – 19 kms  from Twelve Apostles

It is few steps away from the parking and views worth a stop. As seen seems like name came from the shape.

Bay of Islands – 30 kms from Twelve Apostles

As the name says, there are collection of islands.  It offers astounding ocean views and a collection of fascinating geological features. There are 2 viewing points at this stop and you can enjoy both of them. A small walk from parking.

Apollo Bay is a decent sized town on the Great Ocean Road and it’s a popular place to stop for a night. It has many restaurants, places to stay and shops to browse. Its 4 km long main beach is great for a relaxing walk. We stopped here for dinner before heading back to Melbourne. Very good food and we were surprised with the taste.

Day 3: MCG Tour

Melbourne cricket ground (MCG), We booked tour of the MCG. Amazing to see the world famous cricket ground.  Each picture has a story to tell in MCG. Like a board with most number of wickets, runs etc., This tour covers players rooms, players dining area, nets. Also covers commentators box, press conference area, boxes, luxury viewing rooms and more..

Afternoon Stroll in Melbourne central , Queen Victoria market, tram ride and street art.

Lunch at Melbourne Central for Burgers and take out for dinner. Long waiting for the food.

Few Tips

1. Where to Stay in Melbourne?

We booked our hotel in Melbourne central, which is close to many attractions and walk-able. But guess what it’s like a downtown and we need to pay parking fee for rental car. It’s very expensive per night.

2. Which side of the road to drive in Australia?

Drive left side of the road in Australia .

3. Weather ?

Melbourne is colder and prepare with light jackets.

 

Travel Date: August, 2019

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Northern Territory

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Northern Territory, Australia’s Outback

Heard, read and watched many stories about Australian Northern territory. Kangaroo jack in the middle of the Nation and Red center.

Major Attractions:

  • Drive in Outback
  • Uluru (Walk around Uluru rock, Field of light art, walk the domes of Kata Tjuta, Camel rides, Segway)
  • Alice Springs
  • Aboriginal cultural (people and art)
  • Nature and Wild life (kangaroos )

Uluru, or Ayers Rock, is a massive sandstone monolith in the heart of the Northern Territory’s arid “Red Centre”. The nearest large town is Alice Springs, 450km away. Uluru is sacred to indigenous Australians and is thought to have started forming around 550 million years ago. It’s within Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, which also includes the 36 red-rock domes of the Kata Tjuta (colloquially “The Olgas”) formation.

People there are Anangu people. They have traditional Aboriginal name and the English name. This is a big natural land mark in Australia. Perimeter of 9.4KM and most of the rock is lying underneath. Uluru is famous for it’s changing colors during dawn and sun set.

Kata Tjuta, also called Mount Olga or the Olgas, lies 25 km (16 mi) west of Uluru.

Day 1 : Uluru

Fly to either Alice Springs or Ayers rock (Uluru), we flew in to Ayers rock and from there drove to Alice springs and fly out from Alice springs. These are small flights and 2 hrs 55 mins flight from Cairns to Ayers rock. We didn’t get any of our bags to Ayers rock. To compensate and balance the flight, they took off some bags. Our flight was through Qantas air lines. We all got same packet (same size night dress for kids and adults..:)) for surviving the night. Airlines told us they will prioritize to get our bags next day same flight and will deliver to hotel.

There are many options if people want to do camping and stay in hostels etc., We wanted specific things which limited our options to stay in Ayers rock. We went with Desert Gardens Hotel. There is close by shopping market as well. While walking there we saw many places where there are kitchen options as well. Desert gardens hotel doesn’t have kitchen and we had to go out to eat. But we had good time eating out as we tried Kangaroo Burger and Emu Pizza first time.

We reached before our check in time in hotel, so we went directly to Kata Tjuta National Park.

  • Kata Tjuta national park
  • Lunch
  • Hotel Check in
  • Sunset at Uluru Rock

 

Kata Tjuta National Park

  • Dune Viewing
  • Walpa Gorge Walk
  • Valley of the Winds Walk

First stop at Dune Viewing. We experienced first hike with bunch of flies. As we go closer, these dunes are huge and red. It was steaming hot and sweaty. After our dune viewing stop, we started to Walpa Gorge Walk. Grade 3, Moderate hike for 1 hr with 2.6 km round trip.

 

Valley of the Winds Walk :

1st look out : Karu Lookout – Grade 3 , Moderate, 2.2KM return for 1 hr.

2nd look out : Karingana Lookout – Grade 4, Difficult , 5.4 km return for 2.5 hrs.

Full Circuit : Grade 4, Difficult -, 7.4 km , 4 hrs.

 

 

Sunset at Uluru

 

 

 

Dinner @ Gecko’s Cafe

 

 

Day 2 : Uluru

  • Sunrise at Uluru Rock
  • Hike around the Uluru rock
  • Uluru rock climb (People believe this as sacred and not recommend to climb)

 

 

We went back to hotel for a nice breakfast after the sunrise view. Advantage of having a rental car in hand..:) We joined the Ranger guided Mala walk for some time. After some time we went on our own for around the Uluru rock hike. The Uluru base walk is about 10 km of track that takes you around the whole circumference of the rock.  Nice path and easy walk. There are some places where they suggest not to take pictures and those areas are marked.

Keep plenty of water to hydrate and head covering to protect from flies.

When we went in 2019 July, Uluru rock climb was allowed and there were many people walking on it. We heard that Uluru climb will be closed soon and there are some discussions going on.

 

Lunch time , Not many options as we were crossed the lunch time and except cafe, formal restaurants were closed for lunch. But these sand witches were tasty.

We went back again later in the night to Uluru for some photo shoots. Heard there is field of lights show which is highly recommended.

Day 3: Outback drive from Uluru to Alice Springs

Once in a life time experience driving in the outback. It is empty and we expected 0 cars, but we had few cars following and driving along most of the time. We saw few Kangaroos dead along the side of the road, possibly hit by vehicles. Miles and miles of empty land. Ayers Rock Resort to Alice Springs is about 450km, approximately 4.5 hours drive on well paved roads.

Kings Canyon is about 300km from Ayers rock about 3.5 hours drive and heard there is some unpaved roads. This drive needs 4 wheel drive. You need to inform rental car company if you are going here. Ideally rental car companies don’t want the vehicles to be driven on the unpaved roads. We didn’t want to take risk and drive through that in a day. It felt you need more time to go there and go on hike.

 

Alice Spring

Surprised to see so many Indian restaurants and fast foods places in Alice springs. It is a remote town in Northern territory and yet so many Indian restaurants. We stayed in DoubleTree hotel and first thing we noticed is Restaurant Hanuman, Thai and Indian food. Seems like this is one of the top restaurant in Alice springs. We saw many Aboriginal people in the town living normal life. we walked around for fast food pick up after the lunch hour. Art that is displayed in hotel was amazing and hand painted art by Anangu people.

 

Dinner at top restaurant in Alice springs Hanuman. Food and ambience was very good. We went all in with varieties.

Day 4 : Flight to Melbourne

Travel from Alice springs to Melbourne after a nice breakfast at hotel.

 

Few tips:

1. Book your flights early as very limited flights to either Ayers rock or Alice springs. Qantas, Virgin Australia, Tigerair and Jetstar operate at least one flight from major cities like Sydney, Cairns, Melbourne and more.. every day.

2. It is worth taking rental car as you will get rental car for less than one airport to hotel taxi. It’s worth driving and you will be independent to drive any time to Uluru rock for sunrise or sunset etc.,

3. There are bus loads of tourists for sun rise and sunset at Uluru rock. so be prepared.

4. Flies, flies, flies, flies…. every where and annoying and irritating. Buy a face shield, it is worth it and you will be able to enjoy the rest.

5. Carry plenty of water on hikes. There are limited spots where you can fill water.

6. Fill gas before starting a drive from either direction from Ayers rock or Alice springs. There are limited gas stations.

7. Photography, The Aṉangu also request that visitors do not photograph certain sections of Uluru, for reasons related to traditional Tjukurpa beliefs. These areas are the sites of gender-linked rituals and are forbidden ground for Aṉangu of the opposite sex to those participating in the rituals in question.

8. Uluru stands 348 meters above sea level at its tallest point (24m higher than the Eiffel Tower), yet it resembles a “land iceberg” as the vast majority of its mass is actually underground – almost 2.5km worth!

9. Toilets at Uluru & Kata tjuta National park. There is no rest rooms at the hikes in Kata Tjuta. Uluru Cultural Centre and the sunset viewing areas at Kata Tjuta has toilet facilities. Also, The Mala Carpark, Uluru, has toilet facilities. Uluru around the rock has no rest rooms, before starting 10km hike if needed use Mala car park toilets.

10. We booked our hotel through ayersrockresort.com.au and rental car by email through travel@voyages.com.au.

Travel Date: July 28 – July 31st, 2019

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Mount Shasta

Mount Shasta is a potentially active Volcano at the southern end of California. It’s the fastest growing location for visitors for camping, resorts, Skiing and vacationing.

Some of the things to do:

  • Mount Shasta
  • Lake Siskiyou
  • Ski park
  • Shasta Dam
  • Lake Shasta Caverns
  • McArthur – Burney Falls Memorial State Park

Specialty : Peaks at 14000ft

State : California

Travel Date : Dec, 2012

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Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, straddling the border of California and Nevada. It’s known for its beaches and ski resorts. Elevation goes more than 6000ft.

It’s a beautiful place for either skiing or water activities or hikes in the woods. Most of the time, we visit south Tahoe for skiing.  There are so many options for skiing, it’s just peoples preference where they stay depending on their comfort level with skiing and resort etc., South Lake Tahoe and North Lake Tahoe has different sky resorts. In Summer you can enjoy the water ski, kayaking, swimming and many more activities in the lake.

Borders with Nevada where you can sneak peak at the casinos and Vegas style.

Specialty : Largest Alpine lake in North America.

State : California

Travel Date : Yearly

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Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

A day trip to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National parks due to Covid-19. It’s a place definitely worth more than a day. Sequoia National park and Kings Canyon are very close and both are distinct.

We entered to the park from Three rivers city and exited from 180 near Kings Canyon. As expected there was big line at the entrance to purchase the entrance ticket at Sequoia after 10AMPST. Plan ahead and buy online, there is separate line for online tickets. Don’t forget to check the alerts from park web site. Luckily we visited weekend and the road construction between Sequoia and Kings canyon was on break.

There is no signal for phones in the park, so make sure you prepare with directions and offline maps or GPS. National park has very nice app and you can download that prepare in offline mode.

Pack enough food, water and full gas tank. There are very nice picnic areas for visitors to enjoy.

Sequoia National Park

Some of the interesting spots to visit :

  • Sequoia National Park Historic Entrance sign
  • Moro Rock  (Trail – little steep, but safe with proper steps)
  • Giant Forest Museum
  • Big Tree Trail
  • General Sherman Tree (Trail – easy, but uphill while coming back)
  • General Grant Tree
  • Hospital Rock Pictographs
  • Tunnel rock
  • Crystal Cave (Closed due to Covid-19 during our visit)

Moro Rock Trail

Climbing the top of the granite dome is a worth for the views. Trail is nice and safe. It is very narrow, in normal situations there won’t be issues. With Covid situation, it’s hard to maintain distance in this trail. View at the top are amazing and worth the effort. Seems like the steps are paved in some places.  There are many trails along the away to Moro rock trail. You can park your car any where along the road and walk in the woods. Huge sequoia trees everywhere.

General Sherman Tree

General Sherman tree contains more wood (volume) in it;s trunks than any other tree on Earth. There might be other trees taller or wider than this tree, it’s the volume here …

This tree estimates to be 2200 years old. Interesting fact about sequoia tree roots, they are shallow and form a mesh with other trees to maintain balance and stability. Trail is a half a mile away from the parking lot, but it’s an uphill climb while coming back.

 

Kings Canyon National Park

Kings Canyon Park is composed of two distinct areas – Grant Grove (home to the General Grant tree, also known as “the Nation’s Christmas Tree”) and Cedar Grove.

Some of the interesting spots to visit :

  • Drive to the end of the road (Cedar Grove)
  • Roaring River Falls
  • Grizzly Falls
  • Zumwalt Meadow

Drive from Sequoia to Cedar grove is about 2 and 1/2 hours to 3 hours. Kings canyon drive keeps coming. There are camping options inside Cedar grove or on the way to Cedar grove. Hume Lake camp ground seems to be interesting one.

Covid-19 Tip: Before starting we were thinking a lot of about restrooms. As expected, some stores along the way and gas station restrooms are closed for outsiders due to Covid-19 precautions and exposure to employees. Thanks to Park staff, inside the park picnic areas had very good flush toilets. Clean and maintained well.

Specialty : Kings Canyon is the deepest canyon in the US at over a mile and half deep.

State : California

Travel Date : July 3, 2020