Christmas Road Trip: Part 2

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View from the top of the Key Summit Alpine Walk of the Routeburn Track

From Bluff I traveled up to Te Anau and battled the crowds. I did some short sections of the the Kepler (Brod Bay to Dock Bay) and Routeburn (Key Summit Alpine) Tracks and checked out Milford Sound. The area is one of the most popular areas in the country and for good reason – the snowcapped mountains, reflective tarns, and diverse flora make for some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. One day I’d like to go back and do an entire Great Walk on one of the tracks.

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Christmas Road Trip: Part 1

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The Nugget Point Lighthouse

For my 10 day break from teaching in Christchurch, I took a 10 day road trip around the South Island of New Zealand. I headed south from Christchurch and spent a couple of days in the Catlins, then spent a rainy Christmas day in Bluff. This part of the country is less heavily touristed than most others and I was able to do quite a bit of sightseeing and hiking in relative tranquility. Highlights of the first few days were the Moeraki Boulders, Nugget Point, the trio of waterfalls (Purakaunui, Mclean, and Matai), and hiking in Bluff. There are amazing birds and flowers as well as spectacular ocean views from the Bluff lookout.

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Taylor’s Mistake at Godley Head

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The view from Godley Head

I spent a gorgeous, but hot, Sunday afternoon walking Taylor’s Mistake at Godley Head with a Meetup group. It’s an easy coastal walk with amazing views and plenty of history. There are World War II fortifications and remains of old holiday homes from the late 1800s. It’s a wonderful way to spend a day not too far out of Christchurch.

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Macauley Valley

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The Macauley Hut

The Macauley Valley is an area north of Tekapo that is only accessible by 4wd, horse, bike, or foot. You follow a winding river for about 18 kilometers to reach a well maintained Department of Conservation hut. It’s well worth the trip to get there as the isolation has been unmatched by anywhere else I’ve been in New Zealand and the views of the Southern Alps are incredible. There is some good walking to be done up the hills or further down the river and there are a few swimming holes as well.

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Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukaki, and Raincliffe

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Church of the Good Shepherd

Tekapo is a popular tourist town in Canterbury. It’s known for its turquoise lake, observatory, wildflowers, and stone church. I only spent an afternoon there on my way back from Macauley (blog post and photos pending!) but it was a lovely place to walk around and take some photos. I also went to Lake Pukaki to take a look at Mt. Cook and took a detour through Raincliffe where I saw a cool abandoned car with flowers growing out of it.

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