Discovering A New World in New Zealand (Part 3)

Rows of old barrels lined the walls of the cave tunnel leading back to a cool, moist cellar. There, sitting atop a red table cloth, were glasses filled with wine; and two more bottles waiting to be poured. Our group stood among the barrels, waiting to sample our first tastes of some New Zealand wines. The perfect antidote to the chilly, cloudy weather outside.

It was raining and miserable on our first day in Queenstown, but it didn't kill the vibe and spirit of the city, considered to be the adventure sport capital of the world. And there were certainly extreme sport operators riddled throughout Queenstown. After dropping off our car at the hotel, we explored the town while enjoying some coffee. At 12:30, a bus picked us up for our scheduled wine walk, where we were meant to take a trail between vineyards. However, given the rain, we opted for the guided tour instead, so we could stay in the comfort of the bus.

Our first stop was Gibbston Valley Vineyard, where we got to experience one of the largest wine caves in the country. One of the workers at the vineyard handed each of us a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, and we happily started sipping away. He explained to us the process for making the variety, and the flavors and textures we should have been picking up. I will admit, I'm no sommelier, but I would like to think that I have a pretty mature palette when it comes to wine. The next one we tried was a Pinot Gris, a variety of which I have never really been a fan. But I took a shot on this one, but found it just did not have an appealing flavor. Next was the Pinot Noir, the variety the region is known for, and it was delightful, just light enough that it could be enjoyed mid-afternoon, but with a flavor profile that was still bold and complex, perfect for food pairing.

After our tasting in the wine cave, we hurried through the rain to the restaurant, where we enjoyed a wonderful lunch complete with squash soup, bread, hummus and veggies, and cheese and crackers, and, of course, a glass of wine. We conversed with the other members of our tour group, most of whom were from North America or England. After a brief visit to the gift shop, we hopped back on the bus and made our way over the second vineyard, Waitiri Creek. The tasting room was actually an old church transported from Wangaloa, another region of the south island. We sampled about five different wines: a Chardonnay (phenomenal), a Pinot Gris (not so much), a Riesling (pretty good, not too sweet), and two Pinot Noirs (both delicious).

The third winery we visited was Mt. Rosa, located further up the hillside and in a much more modern warehouse style facility. We squeezed into the room, which felt a little cold and cramped, but the array of wines in front of us certainly made up for it. We tried about eight or nine wines--and yes, you can bet I was feeling it a bit by now. We tried some of the standards--Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Pinot Noir--as well as some other varieties that were a little different--Gewurtztraminer and Chenin Blanc. It was here that we learned a little bit more about the wine industry in New Zealand, and how it is made up of many small, boutique wineries, and perhaps two or three large ones with high distribution. Since many of their operations are so small, it is difficult to produce enough wine to send to larger countries, and the regulations on trade and export make it very expensive. This is why many of these fantastic wines cannot be found in the U.S., which is a real shame. (But maybe if you ask your local liquor stores to stock them, there is a chance they could get enough demand to expand distribution.) 

The final stop on our wine tour was Amisfield Wine Company, considered to be a much larger establishment than some of the others in the region, but still exceptionally good. We met with one of the seasoned wine experts, who took us down into the wine cellar for a quick lesson on the wines, how they were made, and a tasting of about four wines. A Riesling, a Rose, a Pinot Noir and a Pinot Gris. By this point, I had disliked all the Pinot Gris varieties I had that day, but I decided to take one more chance, convinced that this one would disappoint, too. To my chagrin, it was great! I had finally found a Pinot Gris I liked, so much so that I dropped $30 for a bottle--yes, that is expensive for someone who usually keeps her wine purchases to under $10 per bottle.

We were dropped off at our hotel, where we quickly changed and headed back out for dinner. We enjoyed a nice meal next to a raging fire--yes, it was chilly enough for a fire--and then wandered back to our hotel to relax and head to bed.

The next morning, we grabbed a quick breakfast at the hotel, and then ventured out to explore more of Queenstown. The morning was spent hitting up clothing stores and art galleries, where we found some pretty nice items. My parents picked up a couple gifts for friends, and I found a really nice purse at a cute little luggage shop. After a couple hours of walking around, we all started to feel a bit peckish, so we stopped into a place called Fergbaker, a little cafe and patisserie known for its meat pies. It also has a great selection of sweets and really good coffee. We each got a handheld pie--my mom got the vegetarian one, my dad got the lamb and stout and I got one of the signature one with ferg. Delicious! We wandered around for the rest of the afternoon, popping into stores, making a few final purchases and then headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. We enjoyed a simple dinner of pizza and pasta--and, of course, wine--and then relaxed for the evening.

As I sat on the plane the next morning, waiting to return to Australia--and eventually head back to Chicago--a sense of sadness started to creep over me. It quickly rippled through my body before settling as a tiny marble-sized ball in my throat. "No," I heard myself say, "do NOT cry." New Zealand held nothing but good memories, strange experiences and some of the most elaborate landscapes I had ever seen. So why was I sad? A trip ending always makes me a bit forlorn. It translates to packing--yet again--shoving every memento of the vacation into your bag (not to mention all the dirty laundry you'll have to do once you get home, which is depressing in itself); and dealing with airport check-ins and security lines. It means a return to routine, to the acts of the every day, where you know life will never be as exciting as what you just experienced over the last couple weeks. Because, believe it or not, sitting at desk typing away at a computer is not quite as stimulating as trekking through a field of vines or standing among barrels of wine discussing the process that got the liquid into those wooden containers. But mostly the end means goodbye; not just to a place, but to the people you spent the whole trip with and the ones you met along the way.

The only thing that can suppress this bitter marble...the thought of my return to New Zealand to see all the places I missed. Or the knowledge that I will be taking another vacation in a couple months to a new, diverse destination. Or the eye-catching survival expert Bear Gryllis leaping around the forests of Fiordland, tracking the extinct flightless Moa bird, all while delivering essential safety messages. Yes, those Air New Zealand videos certainly grab your attention, and I was super excited I got the chance to see one (I know I'm a nerd).

Discovering a New World in New Zealand (Part 2)

River water rushes over bone white rocks, so clear the bottom is completely visible, so clean you can drink straight from the rapids. The mountains rise up from the water below, emerging as if from no where, creating a scene that cannot be real, but is one of the most natural landscapes in the world. The beech trees cling to the rock faces, creating lush, green hanging forests that are home to an array of flora and fauna. This is Te Anau, New Zealand, nestled among the Murchison Mountains and next to Lake Te Anau. This is where I spent the most time on my recent trip to Australia and New Zealand, and where there is an endless array of sights and activities that could have kept me there even longer.

Te Anau and adjacent Milford Sound are spectacular...and one of my favorite places that we visited while in New Zealand.

After our night in Mount Cook, we grabbed a quick breakfast before hitting the road again. Today was a long day of driving down to Te Anau. We made our way out of the Mackenzie region, and into the Otago area. Along the way, we took a detour over to Arrowtown, a small gold mining town known for its rich history, gorgeous scenery and relaxing atmosphere. Since we did not have a lot of time, we stuck to main street, which boasted most of the town's stores and restaurants. It definitely reminded me of the small mountain towns of Colorado, and it made me miss home just a little. We shopped around for a little bit, picked up a couple souvenirs, and then grabbed some sandwiches for the road.

Within the next couple hours, we arrived in Te Anau, a township located on the banks of Lake Te Anau, the largest fresh water lake in the South Island. We checked into our motel, a quaint, clean facility, with kitchenettes and sitting areas in each room. Since we were staying here for three nights, it was nice to have a little bit more space. We decided to head over to the grocery store to buy some sandwich-making supplies, as well as some snacks to keep in the fridge, just to keep some of our eating-out bills down (a tactic I highly recommend, especially if your hotel room has a small kitchen and you're on a budget).

Later, my parents and I ventured over to the Real Journeys office, where we hopped a ship over to the famous glowworm caves. The boat took us over to the western shores of the lake, while the driver gave us some background information on the area and the caves. By geological standards, the vaces are 12,000 years old--pretty young, actually--and were carved out by the river flowing through them. We were divided into smaller groups of 12, as the caves are very narrow and difficult to navigate if too many people are in there at one time. We had to crouch down very low to get through the entrance, but once inside, the limestone passages were high enough that we could stand. The roaring water echoed off the rock, making it pretty loud, so the guide had to yell when pointing out certain highlights of the cave. My dad took a drink directly from a streaming of dripping water from the roof of the cave. Yes, the water is clean enough that you can do that. A rarity in this world.

We could see little specks of light around the caves, indicating the presence of the glowworms. At one point, we actually got a glimpse of one of them creating a stream of mucus that hangs down to capture prey. Kind of gross and cool at the same time. We walked passed a raging underground waterfall, through tight corridors, until we reached a pair of small boats. Once on board, the lights were shut off, casting us into pitch blackness. But up above, the glimmer of the glowworms became clearly visible, creating a mini universe. We floated aimlessly--or at least it felt that way--gazing at the lights, until we made a full circle back to the makeshift port. We made our way back out of the cave and over to the cabin for some complimentary coffee and tea before reboarding the ship to take us back to the city. We spent the evening relaxing, since we had to get up early in the morning for our next activity.


Bright and early the next day, we headed out to Milford Sound, a two hour drive from Te Anau. The clouds thickened in the sky, and I could not help but worry that rain was inevitable. Along our drive, we stopped at the Mirror Lakes. As the name suggests, the lakes are so still and clear that everything is reflected back, making it look like there are doubles of everything.

Just as we were preparing to go through the tunnel to enter Milford Sound, the rain really started to come down. After verifying our reservation for the 2.5-hour cruise of the sound, we waited on the soaking dock for our ship to open so we could grab the best viewing spot. The ship had ample seating, but we wanted to be right up front, and close to the door to make quick dashes out on the deck. Thick fog welcomed us as the boat pulled away, hiding those famous views we had been so eager to see. Needless to say, we were bummed. But all the locals will tell you that the rain was a good thing, as the area was going though a major drought. Still, I was struggling to find the silver lining...and then it appeared...out of the mist like some magical omen. A magnificent waterfall.

The water rushed down the rocks, through the thick forests of beech trees, their shallow roots holding on for dear life, because at any moment, a whole line of them could detach and slide right into the water, creating what one of our guides referred to as a "travalanche." Despite the cold and rain, I ran out onto the deck to get a better look--and snap a much-needed picture. Captivated by the cascading current, all of us gazed in wonder, disregarding that fact that we were getting drenched. That was what I needed, that was my silver lining.

At least 10 more waterfalls appeared during the cruise, a true gift considering most of the falls had not been seen for months due to the dryness. We even got to steal a look at some sea lions competing over who would be king of the rock, which I was thoroughly entertained by.

After the cruise, we headed back to Te Anau and spent the rest of the afternoon shopping and relaxing. We had a nice pizza dinner on the main shopping strip, and then crashed.

Our last full day in Te Anau, we took a one-day hike along the first portion of the Milford Track. It is a well known tramping route between Glade Wharf at the tip of Lake Te Anau and Sandfly Point next to Milford Sound, and runs 53.5 km. During summer peak season between late October and late April, access to the track is in high demand, and, as a result is highly regulated. It must be completed in four days, and walkers must keep going because of limited capacities at huts along the route.

Four days was not available to us, so we had to settle for a one-day nature walk. After a quick coach trip to Te Anau Downs, and a relaxing cruise across the lake, we began our walk along the Glade Burn toward Glade House. But first, we took a slight detour and climbed up a steep path to get a better view of the lake, and take a drink from the pristine river water.


We had a delicious lunch back down at Glade House, and then crossed the Clinton River along a swing bridge. Part of me wanted to sway the bridge back and forth, but there were some older folks on our walk, so I thought better of it. Our guide pointed out different plants along the way, and provided information on the native birds, if we happened to see any. You see, New Zealand used to be known as a land of birds, with so many different species the forests used to be deafeningly loud. There were no native mammals on the islands, so birds could florish without worrying about predators. Then humans arrived and brought with them rats, weasels and other such animals that began hunting birds or eating their eggs. Before long, many species became extinct, and New Zealand's forests are now called the silent forests. The area is working very hard to revitalize the bird population, and the efforts seem to be working, as we heard a decent amount of noise from the trees.

We learned about a wide variety of fauna on our walk, including a tree that produces berries so poisonous, that consuming them results in death almost instantly. We were also introduced to the Horopito, or the pepper tree, which features spicy leaves that are commonly being used in sauces and dressings for cooking in New Zealand. Our guide told us it was safe to eat right from the branch, and, since my mom and I love spicey food, we went for it. And it definitely had a bite to it. I think it even burned my tongue a little.

The rest of the walk went by quickly, and before I knew it, we were turning back. Even though it wasn't the most strenuous walk I've ever done, I still felt tired when we got on the boat. It was nice to sit in the back, watching the engine create a ripple of waves, gazing at the mountain ranges fade in the distance. I glanced at my parents next to me, clasping hands, subtly displaying their love and commitment after all these years with a simple gesture. Soon, we would be docking, heading back to the hotel to pack, and enjoying our last dinner out in Te Anau. The next morning, we would be loading up the car to drive to Queenstown for the last portion of our trip. But for that moment, all that was around us was the peacefulness of the mountains.