Franz Josef Holiday House (New Zealand)

It would be remiss of me if I didn't continue to blog about New Zealand, a place where the scenery is simply breathtaking. 

The Franz Josef Holiday House (booked on Airbnb) was one of my favourite places to stay at during the New Zealand trip.

After our walk at the Franz Josef Glacier (which was a little underwhelming during summer), we drove to this place which could accommodate 5 of us.  

It looked pretty ordinary on the outside but never judge a book from its cover, or for this matter, a house from its exterior. 

A comfortable living room, where the owner had thoughtfully provided board games and dvds.

The kitchen was fully equipped. Toaster, oven, fridge etc. You will see a folder which the host has kindly provided on what you could do in the area.

The rooms were comfortable and extremely pleasing to the eye. Though the rooms were a tad small, they exuded a cottage feel and it was nice to be surrounded by nature.

As with some of the places we stayed at in New Zealand, the toilet was separate from the bath area.

Free and strong Wifi was available here. You would be surprised how many places in New Zealand charged for Wifi. It was also a very short drive to the town centre, where we had an enjoyable meal at Snake Bite. 

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Lake Tekapo (New Zealand)

Frankly, the only reason why I ended up choosing New Zealand as my travel destination was because I saw pictures of these plants floating online. I was hard pressed to find what these vegetation were and my google skills involved typing "purple flowers in New Zealand", only to find out that these were weeds, called lupins. 

The moment we got down from the car, the only thing that came out from my mouth was "Wow." Seeing the beautiful turquoise blue of the lake with these lupins in the foreground, it was as though I had just stepped into a painting. 

We walked across uneven pebbles and eventually reached the lake. We were so fortunate to enjoy such glorious weather.

After what seemed like eternity of taking countless shots of the lake, we went to the Church of the Good Shepherd which was a short walk from the lake. The Church was built in 1935 as a place of worship for the pioneer families of the Mackenzie country.

Despite the few hours drive right after touching down in New Zealand, the picturesque setting of Lake Tekapo took away any hints of fatigue. There has to be so much more to life than rushing about on a daily basis.

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Aoraki Mount Cook National Park (New Zealand)

One of the things I dread the most when visiting national parks or outdoor places is bad weather. 

Bad weather makes people miserable- the scrambling around when the rain pours without warning. Bad weather makes photos look miserable. 

Before we left for Mount Cook, we checked the weather forecast and were dismayed to learn that there will be rain. But if we have to go, we have to go. 

We decided to go with the Hooker Valley Track which is supposed to be a 3 hour return hike. We took slightly longer than that, mostly because we were dealing with the rain and slippery ground. 

The landscape kept changing and it was a relatively easy trail for most part, except when we were going to reach the end of the trail when it started to get a little steeper and a bit narrower. 

There were 3 suspension bridges on this trail and everytime I got onto one and looked down, I'm thinking, "Oh gosh, I need some help to cross this bridge."

Good things come to those who wait. I am not saying that the scenery at the beginning was not beautiful. But if you gave up after half an hour, this scene of expansive mountain ranges and clear water will not greet you. 

At some point, I got really trigger happy despite the rain.

It was one of the rare occasions that I didn't feel like it was a wasted trip because of bad weather- the scenery is more than enough to compensate for the bad weather! 

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Wanaka Lavender Farm (New Zealand)

I always had a soft spot for lavender. Not lavender oil or lavender essence, just lavender in its original state. It never fails to bring a sense of peace and calm and I enjoy looking at beautiful lavender fields.

The last time I visited a lavender field was in Furano, Hokkaido. This time, it is in Wanaka, New Zealand. Next stop will hopefully be Provence, France. 

While we were walking around the lavender fields, my mum asked, "Why is the song, Lavender's blue, dilly, dilly, lavender's green? But lavender is purple what." Beats me.

I could spend an entire morning here. For an entrance fee of NZ$2, you get to roam this 10 acres lavender field. When we went, most of the lavender had been harvested. But you still get to see the fruit trees, alpacas and sheep.

To keep the kids (and adults) entertained, there are also see-saws, swings, and other games. This brought me back to my childhood days where my favourite activity was sitting on swings!

Different flowers were also blooming across the fields.

Of course, a lavender farm is bound to peddle its products. Over here, there is a wide variety of products for you to choose from- including lavender oils, lavender lotion, dessert trays etc.

There was also a little cafe where we enjoyed a cup of lavender chocolate ice cream. I fell in love with the decor - so natural, so peaceful and so charming.

This farm was initially not on our radar- who goes to Wanaka to see a lavender farm? However, if you have time to spare and would like to see some lavender (check whether they are opened on their website, their shops are closed on certain months), give this place a go where you get to relax and unwind.

Wanaka Lavender Farm 
36 Morris Road
Wanaka 9382
New Zealand 

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Snake Bite Brewery (New Zealand)

Due to a fire a couple of months ago, the original 88 Asian Fusion was closed for a while. They have now reopened as Snake Bite.

Snake Bite offers both Western and Asian fare on their menu so there's no need to worry that someone in the party does not eat a particular type of cuisine.

It was a cold day and I craved for some warm noodles. I ordered the Duck Noodle Soup ($18). The duck was tender and the portion was generous. The soup was sweet and you don't need to worry about legitimacy- the food here tastes as Asian as it gets. I only wished that it was served with the white noodles for pho.

Another in the party declared the Rendang as one of the best food in New Zealand he had eaten during the trip.

If you are looking for Asian food in the area, look no further!

Snake Bite Brewery
28 Main Road
Franz Josef Glacier
New Zealand 

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Fergburger (New Zealand)

I would have kicked myself in the foot if I went to Queenstown and did not get myself a burger from Fergburger. It's like stepping into Singapore and not getting yourself a plate of nasi lemak or chicken rice- it's a culinary crime.

No matter what time of the day it is, the queues outside are long and at dinner time, it took us a good 45 minutes before we managed to take away our food.

There are limited seats and I wouldn't count on waiting for a seat. 

May I proclaim that these are the best onion rings I have ever eaten. The Homemade Onion Rings with Aioli Sauce ($5.50) were juicy and sweet.  A thin deep fried batter surrounds the onion rings, giving maximum crunch for these absolutely delicious onion rings.

Not one for beef, I order The Codfather ($14.90). The size of the burgers at Fergburger are humongous- they are at least 2.5 times the size of a Macdonald's burger. They don't stinge on the ingredients and you can be assured that it will be a satisfying meal. I enjoyed the fish burger thoroughly as the fish was deep fried but not greasy. That, together with a pillowy bun, made a perfect value-for-money dinner.

Absolutely worth the trip here, and don't forget to get yourself some pastries and gelato next door!

Fergburger 
42 Shotover Street
Queenstown
New Zealand 

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