Matt and Wendy's 2011 New Zealand & Taiwan Adventure
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Join us on our 8 week sabbatical vacation to New Zealand and Taiwan!
Notes:
$1US = ~$1.3NZ (New Zealand dollar) at the time of our visit. Easiest way to do the math: take roughly 20% off the NZ price...
$1US = ~29NT (new Taiwan dollar) at the time of our visit.
Join the adventure:
--- New Zealand ---
The North Island
Day 0 -- Jan 1st -- Denver -> LAX -> Auckland, NZ. And a recap of the crazy post holiday journey to start it all... Day 1 -- Jan 3rd -- Exploring around Auckland, penguins at the aquarium, and an evening view from Mt Eden... Day 2 -- Jan 4th-- Up Coromandel peninsula to Hot Water Beach, followed by hot waters in Te Aroha... Day 3 -- Jan 5th -- A visit to HOBBITON! Middle Earth in the flesh! Also an evening waterfall and monster forested land bridge... Day 4 -- Jan 6th -- Blackwater rafting in the glow worm filled Waitomo Caves. A festival of lights in New Plymouth... Day 5 -- Jan 7th -- A bust at Mt Taranaki/Egmont due to rain/fog... Day 6 -- Jan 8th -- "The ring is MINE!" - A hike to the top of Mt Doom and across the famous Tongrariro Crossing... Day 7 -- Jan 9th -- Lake Taupo, honey tasting, and a hardcore adventure playground in Palmerston North... Day 8 -- Jan 10th -- Wellington Part I: Walking tour... Day 9 -- Jan 11th -- Wellington Part II: Weta Cave and LOTR "Get off the Road!" scene location ... Day 10 -- Jan 12th -- Wellington Part III: Finishing Te Papa, visiting our favorite restaurants...
The South Island
Day 11 -- Jan 13th -- Arriving at the South Island, a visit to Nelson, and arriving at Takaka... Day 12 -- Jan 14th -- Engagement Day on the dreamy beaches of Abel Tasman National Park! Day 13 -- Jan 15th -- A seal colony near Westport, and Pancake Rocks on the west coast... Day 14 -- Jan 16th -- A drive through Jade country, along the west coast... Day 15 -- Jan 17th -- Franz Joseph and Fox Glacier, and a drive to Wanaka via Haast Pass ... Day 16 -- Jan 18th -- A pause in Wanaka to prep and heal... Day 17 -- Jan 19th -- The best half-day hike of all-time? Quite possibly Rob Roy Valley... Day 18 -- Jan 20th -- Dunedin, Maeroki Boulders, and penguins in Oamaru ... Day 19 -- Jan 21st -- Revisting Maeroki Boulders, and driving to Twizel... Day 20 -- Jan 22nd -- A hint of Mt Cook, arriving at spectacular Queenstown, and driving up to scenic Glenorchy...
Rees-Dart Track: 5 days, 76km
Day 21 -- Jan 23rd -- Muddy Creek Trailhead to Shelter Rock Hut... Day 22 -- Jan 24th -- Shelter Rock Hut to Rees Saddle to Dart Hut... Day 23 -- Jan 25th -- Cascade Saddle day hike... Day 24 -- Jan 26th -- Dart Hut to Daleys Hut... Day 25 -- Jan 27th -- Daley Hut to Sandy Bluff, & Dart River Jet Boat awesomeness... Day 26 -- Jan 28th -- Queenstown for lunch, a Lavender Farm outside of town, and a drive to Mt Cook Village...
Mueller Hut Track: 2 days, 10.5km, 1040m gain
Day 27 -- Jan 29th -- Best hut location EVER! The Mueller Hut... Day 28 -- Jan 30th -- Sunrise on Mt Cook, descending from the Mueller Hut, and staying at a lamb farm in Omarama...
Day 29 -- Jan 31st -- Driving back to Queenstown, partaking in more kebabs and Fergburgers, and prepping for the next tramp...
Routeburn Track: 3 days, 32km
Day 30 -- Feb 1st -- Lots of cards and food at Routeburn Falls Hut... Day 31 -- Feb 2nd -- Blue bird skies for the scenic Harris Saddle, enroute to Lake Mackenzie Hut ... Day 32 -- Feb 3rd -- Beautiful beech forests and waterfalls as we arrive at the Divide, and head to Te Anau...
Day 33 -- Feb 4th -- A lunch cruise on the ultra-mind-blowingly scenic Milford Sound...
Milford Track: 4 days, 53.5km
Day 34 -- Feb 5th -- Boat ride from Te Anau Downs, and a short hike to Clinton Hut... Day 35 -- Feb 6th -- A glorious hike through a gallery of waterfalls on a rainy day on the Milford, to Mintaro Hut... Day 36 -- Feb 7th -- Catching a break in the weather reveals the glory of the Milford Track, from Mackinnon Pass to Dumpling Hut... Day 37 -- Feb 8th -- More beautiful forest and waterfalls as we hike out to Sandfly Point, and take the boat back to Milford Sound... Day 38 -- Feb 9th -- Enjoying a rest day in Te Anau, and touring the south coast near Tautapere...
Hump Ridge Track: 3 days, 53km
Day 39 -- Feb 10th -- Beaches, enchanted forests, and sublime sub-alpine on the way to Okara Lodge... Day 40 -- Feb 11th -- Revisiting "The Hump", more enchanted forests, archaic wooden viaducts, and a dolphin show at Port Craig... Day 41 -- Feb 12th -- A perfect sunrise on the Hump Ridge Track, and a perfect sunset in Queenstown on our last full day in NZ... Day 42 -- Feb 13th -- Dealing with baggage fees, and transitioning from summer in Middle-Earth to winter in Taiwan...
--- Taiwan ---
Taipei (and abouts): Day 1 -- Feb 14th -- A wet and chilly intro to Taiwan, countered by a hot bath in the waterfall town of Walui... Day 2 -- Feb 15th -- Two more Changs join the adventure! A visit to a Buddhist cemetery, the National Palace Museum, and a festival of lights (year of the rabbit!)... Day 3 -- Feb 16th -- More exploring in Taipei: Chiang Kai-shek Memorial & International Flower Expo, not to mention, more good eats... Day 4 -- Feb 17th -- The enchanted Japanese-influnced town of Jiufen, and surreal Lantern Festival in Pingsi (Happy Chinese New Year!)...
Taiwan 8-day road trip: Day 5 -- Feb 18th -- Navigating out of the maze in Taipei, driving the scenic coastal highway to Chifton Cliffs and Taroko Gorge National Park... Day 6 -- Feb 19th -- Exploring the wonders of Taroko Gorge National Park, and night market in Hualian... Day 7 -- Feb 20th -- Enchanting east coast exploration, before crossing to the west to visit Kenting... Day 8 -- Feb 21st -- Wading into the Pacific Ocean in Kenting, and a surprise trip to Tainan City (best night market yet!)... Day 9 -- Feb 22nd -- Exploring classic temples in Tainan City, before ascending to the Alishan mountains for a "sea of clouds" sunset... Day 10 -- Feb 23rd -- The early Alishan train for "sunrise", a crazy detour through gorgeous plantation lined mountains of Taiwan, and a late afternoon hike in the scenic town of Rueili... Day 11 -- Feb 24th -- Waterfalls and exotic flowers in Rueili, enchanted forests in Sitou National Forest... Day 12 -- Feb 25th -- Walking through the tree tops in Sitou National Forest, and one last evening in Taipei "night market hopping"... Day -- Feb th -- ... Back to main Home
