New Zealand Trip report 2015
Just got back from N-Zud as you probably know, and thought it time to do the trip report.
For the first time, we booked a package. It’s not our usual, though we do scout out what’s on offer all the time, and find it cheaper to put things together ourselves. But back in Feb, we found a package from Skimax, and couldn’t come close to matching it…. and it included accommodation that we would have chosen anyway.
So for our $, we got return flights to Queenstown, 7 nights accomm at Te Wanaka Lodge with breakfast, Corolla car hire, and 6 days on snow for the price of 4 flexipass for Cardrona and Treble Cone. We’d be hard pressed to do similar in oz for the same $.
We travelled with Shazza and B-Rad, whom you’ll know from the shred, and another couple from Brisbane who hadn’t seen snow for a few years.
We decided to upgrade the air tickets, because we’d need extra baggage allowance for the gear, so we got the Works Deluxe pack. that gave us an extra 23kg, seats in row 1 with guaranteed 3 seats for 2 of us, meals movies and lounge access, although they have just dropped that part of it.
We flew into QT on Friday afternoon, straight over Milford Sound. We got a really clear view of the mountains, the start of the spectacular South Island scenery we lived with for the week.
We circled around right over the Crown Range and Coronet Peak, and the Remarkables and had a good smooth landing.
Straight through customs this time… no alpaca poop on the shoes, no hiking boots in the bags to trip us up (we’ve learned out lesson, thanks NZ customs), pick up the cars and off to Wanaka.
The Crown Range Road is always magic and a great drive. There was a bit of ice and snow most of the way through to Wanaka.
Te Wanaka Lodge was welcoming and friendly when we arrived. It’s how we’d love our Aussie lodges to be…. quiet, calm, and no annoying lodge manager in your face all the time. Although it sleeps 28 at capacity, I’d say they were running at about 50%, and we pretty much had the place to ourselves in the evening. It was great to have a hot tub to come home to each night.
We had bathrobes in our room, ensuite, verandah and great free wifi. We took our Rad boot driers, those things are so good, seriously if you haven’t got one from the store, do yourself a favour and get one!
Azz took two boards, the T-Rice and The Greats and rode both of them. I think next time the 162 something will sneak in as well. I took the Hell Yes, and loved it. Shall got some new skis, and B-Rad just stuck with his faves. The Bris-Vegas crew got rental skis.
I also got some new goggles from the Boardworld store. Dragon Boost Transitions… which were great… look for a review of them in the other section soon….
We had a couple of days on snow at Cardrona, the snow was in good condition on the groomers, but a little sketchy off. Lots of laps, and fun to be had. The FIS Slopestyle comp was on and man those features are huge.
The 3rd day that we travelled to Cardrona wasn’t fun. We didn’t take local knowledge, about which way the wind was blowing…. it was all fine in the valley, but up top, gale force winds and hard driving hail type stuff. We had to fit chains to the wee Corolla, and of course they were just a little too big and kept twisting on the corners. We got to the carpark, sat there for a bit, then called it. A down day. We should have gone to treble Cone… it was sunny and low wind all day. Cardrona ended up cancelling lessons, and all the top lifts were on hold for most of the day.
On the advice of our lodge manager we took a trip with Captain Chris, from Eco Wanaka Adventures for the afternoon. He took us out on the lake, to an island called Moa Wahu.
Birds called Weka live there, after becoming extinct on the mainland in the 1920s. They are really curious and not scared at all, coming straight up to us when we got to the island. It’s a success story for the locals, to have these birds back from the brink. It doesn’t end there though, because the birds love to eat these gnarly looking cricket type things called Weta, they are an insect that is also almost extinct. They have to have insect hotels all over the island to protect the Weta from the Weka. A real kiwi tongue twister!.
The Weta is pretty amazing, because it can be really frozen, as in ice block frozen, then thaw out years later and get up and crawl away.
We planted a native tree… a nice thing to do to increase the forestation in the area, if you’ve been to the south island you’ll have noticed the lack of trees due to felling by Maori and Europeans over the years..
We walked to the top of the island, to a lake. we could see a rock in the middle that gets a rain puddle on it…
So it’s a lake on an island, on a lake on an island on a lake on an island in the ocean. Get your head around that!
The scale of this place is enormous. From the top of the island, we could see right up the lake to Haast Pass…. more than 50km away. The lake is around 300metres deep! A chopper flew by, down the lake, and it was so tiny we couldn’t really even see it.
On one of our down days we went for a but of a drive.. out to the airport, and stopped by chance at the Toy and Transport Museum. $17pp entry made us think twice, but we had to do something.
Well the place was enormous, and it blew our minds with the stuff in there. Like everything else around, the scale was BIG. Every toy from you childhood, and your parents, and grandparents and so on was there. And every firetruck, and every car, and bus.
A truly amazing collection, held by 1 man. If you get the chance, and that’s your thing, you have to go there. I understand he has over 600 cars! American police cars, like in the car chase movies, an old Vicroads snow clearer. A hovercraft. A MIG fighter. One of the first 5 jet boats……Wow.
We had our wedding anniversary in NZ. Worked that in well, didn’t we? To celebrate, what else but Japanese food? The little restaurant Sasanoki Kitchen was fabulous, with tatami mat for some diners. Bruno, the owner, is a Japanese gem… here’s a couple of quotes from the Facebook page…
“SASANOKI’S JAPANESE OF THE WEEK - ‘jigohoukoku’ (jig-go-hawk-cock) meaning ‘after-the-fact report’. I apologize that we were closed yesterday on Tuesday lunch. With the school holiday finished, my patience ran out and I had no time to give notice in advance. Our powder clause applies to non-powder days, too. And I am feeling far better!!”
“SASANOKI HAS ASAHI ON TAP - It makes sense that Japanese Sasanoki has a Japanese beer on tap. Japanese Bruno will be drinking lots of it behind the counter. Don’t interrupt me please. He he.”
Classic.
We also ate a couple of meals from Burt.Ritos cute caravan diner on the backstreet, obviously Burt does burritos and tacos. There’s even blankets to put over your lap at the outside table while you wait or eat. The fish tacos were awesome!
Now here’s something… We’ve known Shazza since 2007, and I cannot count the times she’s said to us “I went to Treble Cone 20 years ago, and it was horrible. I hate that mountain” you get the idea.
This time… “Let’s go back to Treble Cone, it’s lovely!”
We even did the instagram#thingy, and won a prize thanks to TC and Icebreaker.
Aren’t you the boss lady?
We decided to upgrade the air tickets, because we’d need extra baggage allowance for the gear, so we got the Works Deluxe pack. that gave us an extra 23kg, seats in row 1 with guaranteed 3 seats for 2 of us, meals movies and lounge access, although they have just dropped that part of it.
So you got your lounge access?
we did!
this report’s not finished yet…..
Shazza B-Rad and I went back to Treble Cone, while our Brisbane mates took the Cardrona option. The wider green runs there suited a learner skier a bit better, at least in her mind.
How beautiful is TC?
B-Rad checking the avi-gun platform…
On the way home, we stopped in at Diamond Lake, which is a fairly large lake and completely frozen. Who would have thought? One of those things… I’d seen it on a blog but none of the locals I asked about it had ever been there! Well it was beautiful. Apparently you could walk on it, and sometimes could skate on it!
Some other stuff from Cardona…
You’ve probably seen Bradrona, the bra fence to raise money for breast cancer research. It’s looking good 
And the famous Cardie Pub…
and just cos….
As you can imagine, Wanaka is stunning.
Next day… left the gorgeous Wanaka to drive to Queenstown. Stopped in at the bungee bridge complex, but not a lot of jumpers in the cold weather.
and missing Billy…
and Wildman…
A quick shop in QT for some gifts, and then to the airport. Azz stocked up on the Jager, we’ve a hell of a lot of Redbull here after KingBob won a year’s supply (it’s still coming!). He also bought some Tiki liquor stuff in a fancy Tiki bottle. Made from Manuka honey. Time to go home :(
In Melbourne, we declared everything. We’d scrubbed the boots, the helicopter took off from a cow paddock, and we’d done a few hikes, but we were ushered straight through! I don’t get it….. From plane to outside in about 20 minutes!
Then back to reality. Well, as close to reality as Chill Hill ever is. If you’ve been here you know it’s fairly stress free. But we didn’t enjoy slamming back into Friday peak hour traffic and a 4 hour drive.
now Azz has to add his bit. Go Azz!
now Azz has to add his bit. Go Azz!
I think you’ve done a great job without his input!!!!!
Great write up, and a great trip, Tambo!!!!! 
Epic trip. Great stuff, Kym. Thanks for sharing.
Excellent trip report! NZ is the best.
Thanks for sharing, Tambo! Good read!
We skipped NZ this year but I have a feeling it’ll be on the menu again next year!
Great report! The only thing missing is Azz launching himself off large things.
I wonder if that special effects studio in NZ is named after that little Weta cricket?
Great report! The only thing missing is Azz launching himself off large things.
I wonder if that special effects studio in NZ is named after that little Weta cricket?
Indeed it is! I’m working over at Weta next week which will feed into Beervana in Wellington and another trip to Wanaka. Can’t wait!
This is a great write-up Tambo, good to read about the off-mountain stuff as well. I am going to have to try out Burt’s caravan, looks awesome!!
Indeed it is! I’m working over at Weta next week which will feed into Beervana in Wellington and another trip to Wanaka. Can’t wait!
Very cool! Are you a techo or creative type?