Last year, I had a great trip to New Zealand despite some hiccups experienced, and that’s what travelling entails.

So, this time round, I decided to cover the northern part of South Island. It will be another chilling and relaxing trip & not forgetting the good food that I am about to savour too.

Since my flight departs in the evening, I have decided to go to the airport earlier to do lounge hopping for old time sake. 😊

As expected, excitement can only happen after clearing the departure gate.

Commencing my first lounge visit at TGM in Terminal 2.

Food quality is of standard. A satisfying meal indeed.

Next up, I went over to SATS Premier Lounge at Terminal 1. You may be pleased to know that SATS Premier Lounge is available in Terminal 2 & 3 as well.

Food quality is still good and if all else fails, at least it is still a decent lounge.

Followed by Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 1.

The purpose of coming in here is for the chicken rice but sadly it is at best okok and nothing great to shout about. A pretty small lounge. Guess I am spoilt with better lounges. 😅

I still love my all-time favourite SilverKris Lounge. This is what lounge experience is all about. 😘😘😘

Freshening up with a good shower prior to boarding.

Time to board for my anticipated flight to Christchurch.

Cheers to the start of another great holiday trip.

Start of sky dining…..😋😋😋

With onions, cucumber and spicy peanut sauce.

Indian lamb curry with spiced rice and cucumber, red onion and tomato salad.

Thin noodles with seasoned vinegar sauce, garnished with sliced and minced pork, pork ball, braised mushroom, fried pork lard and dried sole. Served with chilli sauce.

Safe arrival in Christchurch Airport after more than 9 hours of flight journey.

Headed over to Door 2 exit to await the free shutter bus service to bring me to the car rental company.

Here I am at the Omega Rental Car company after a 5 minute ride from the airport.

Collected the Mazda Demio for my next 9 days road trip.

Thereafter, I headed over to my first night stay at Punakaiki Beachfront Motel, which is about 280km away.

Taking a quick brekkie at Arthur’s Pass Store.

Check-in at Punakaiki Beachfront Motel for my first night stay.

I loved the big and spacious room that this motel offers. It comes with 2 queen-size beds and 2 single beds coupled with a living, dining, and kitchen area.

The motel that I am in offers a great view of the Tasman Sea.

Visited Pancake Rocks and Blowholes thereafter. I did not manage to cover this attraction last here when I was here, and I am glad that I am able to do so for this trip.

You will see the nature’s power in full force where an unrelenting drama plays out as the mighty Tasman Sea crashes into these iconic limestone formations.

Snacking at Subway at Greymouth, about an hour’s drive from Punakaiki.

Followed by dinner at KFC after spending time at Woolsworth.

Enjoying morning breakfast at Punakaiki Hotel & Garden Bar.

Grilled bacon, sausage, tomato, hashbrown, sautéed mushrooms, poached eggs & served with toasted bread.

Loved the vibes of the simple country style café coupled with the nice cosy interior.

Scenic spot of the Tasman Sea along Highway 6 from Punakaiki to Murchison.

Chilling out at Berlins Café & Bar while en route to Murchison.

Trust me. This is one of the better carrot cake that I have had! 😋😋😋

Headed off to Buller Gorge Swingbridge before check-in to Murchison Motel.

Cross New Zealand’s longest swing bridge, suspended 20 metres high above the mighty Buller River. Experience nature, explore history and extend scope for thrill-seeking on the far side.

Mesmerising view of the Buller Gorge taken from the middle of the suspension bridge.

Check-in to the unmanned Murchison Motel next.

The lock code will be provided by email on the day prior to check-in and the lockbox is located under the veranda on the posts opposite the doorway.

The key to the room will then be unveiled thereafter.

Another lovely studio room awaits.

Catching a late light meal at Rivers Café conveniently located right next to the motel.

Next, I visited the Maruia Falls. This majestic 10-metre waterfall can even be heard before it is seen as it plummets into the deep pools below.

Settled for dinner at The Cow Shed Restaurant & Pizzeria as this is the only available option in this town as the rest of the restaurant closes at 4pm.

Large prawn cutlets, sauteed in garlic & herb butter with a hint of chilli.

Cinnamon onions, capsicum, spiced chicken, corn, cream cheese, jalapeños, & crunched corn chips.

Another satisfying meal without a doubt.

Starting the morning with a brekkie at Beechwoods Café.

Fresh white bread, butter, generous Mokihinui and Motueka caught whitebait fritter with a slice of lemon.

Spending time at the Murchison Morning Market.

Visited Tutaki Bakery, the smallest bakery in the south.

Refuelling at Kohatu Flat Rock Café.

Nelson Classic Car Museum is one of NZs finest private motor vehicle collections.

Here, you will get to see vintage cars in their immaculate conditions.

Headed off for lunch at The Speight’s Ale House Nelson next.

Creamy chowder jammed packed with seafood & chunky vegetables  served with grilled ciabatta on the side.

300g grass fed angus rib-eye steak with buttered mash & seasonal vegetables and ale house jus.

Proceeded to check in at Palazzo Motor Lodge after a hearty lunch.

This is another beautiful luxurious studio room and it will be my abode for the next 2 nights before some sightseeing activities in the city centre.

An Anglican cathedral church at 1 Trafalgar Square, Nelson, New Zealand.

Visited the Queen’s Garden, a classical Victorian garden and it was founded to commemorate the 50th jubilee of Queen Victoria’s coronation. Though a small garden yet you can still spend a considerable amount of time exploring this simple beauty of this garden.

Look at the bridge reflection. Isn’t this beautiful?

Decided to have dinner at Little India Nelson.

Filleted fish marinated in yoghurt, mustard oil and spices, skewered and cooked in the tandoor.

A hot dish, made world famous by the Chefs of Goa. It is cooked with vinegar, capsicum and whole spices.

It’s definitely a great satisfying spicy meal. 👍

Spotted Burger King while on the way back. So here I am!

This morning, I paid a visit to Pic’s Peanut Butter and also made a reservation for the free tour at 10am.

Enjoying a quick breakfast at Pic’s Café while waiting for the tour to commence.

Start of tour proper.

Last but not least, you can even make your own peanut butter by cycling on the stationary bike to grind the peanut butter.

Time for merchandise shopping. ☺️

Made my way to Mapua, a small town in the South Island of New Zealand and on the coast line of Tasman Bay.

The Māpua Wharf is one of Nelson Tasman’s most popular dining, shopping, and recreation attractions. It overlooks the picturesque Waimea Estuary.

The Port Mapua Maritime Museum is located in the original Mapua wharf building and is one of the few remaining historic working wharves in New Zealand.

At the Mapua museum, you can walk through the rich maritime history of Nelson and its coastline of Tasman and Golden Bay and enjoy photos and video interactive displays along with maritime memorabilia detailing the wharf’s history.

Thereafter, proceeded for a quick light meal at The Smokehouse for lunch.

Pit stop at Toad Hall Café in Motueka.

Cucumber, pear, apple, spinach, lemon & ginger.

Double shot espresso with milk over ice.

Continuing on with my journey to Kaiteriteri, the South Island’s most iconic beach and a popular holiday spot.

With its golden sand, tree-covered headlands and classic crescent shape, Kaiteriteri is a picture perfect beach.

Kaiteriteri, or Kaiteri to the locals, has been a favourite holiday spot for Kiwis from all over the South Island for generations.

Significant moment to mark my visit to this beautiful golden bay. 😀

Made another quick stopover at Mrs Smith Café before heading back.

Spotted Richmond Mall and took the opportunity to check it out as usual. 😉

Richmond Mall is the largest shopping destination in the region with over 70 stores and the regions only food court. For city dwellers like us, this is not what you will expect. So, do not place high hope if you intend to come here (to avoid disappointment). 😱

Followed by dinner at Indian Café Restaurant & Bar near the motel I am at.

Whole chicken marinated in lemon juice, ginger, garlic and exotic spices cooked in the tandoor oven served.

A medley of vegetables cooked with chef’s own special spices and garnished with coriander.

Another variation of the popular vindaloo preparation with diced beef left overnight to pickle served garnished with julienne ginger.

Starting the day with a morning brekkie at Tozetti Café Nelson prior to moving out.

Making my first stop and took in the scenic view of Cable Bay, a small settlement in the Nelson Tasman region of New Zealand. It’s a popular destination for swimming, kayaking, fishing, snorkelling, and diving.

Followed by Pelorus Bridge along State Highway 6.

Pelorus Bridge is a tiny locality in Marlborough, in New Zealand’s South Island, where the Rai River meets Pelorus River.

Mesmerising view taken from Pelorus Bridge.

Panoramic view of the Pelorus River.

Enjoying a short trek near the Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve to the Rai River Suspension Bridge.

Soaking into the beautiful view from the suspension bridge.

Stopping by Havelock Town (Mussel Capital of the World) for lunch at The Mussel Pot.

New Zealand famous Green Lip Mussels. This Havelock Restaurant is an icon in Marlborough and the South Island.

14 to 16 mussels grilled on the 1/2 shell with a mix of the following toppings:
• Bacon & Cheese
• Garlic & Herb Butter
• Coriander, Sweet Chilli & Ginger

Bacon and onion cooked in napoletana (tomato) sauce. Served with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Took a scenic route along Queen Charlotte Drive and did a reasonably steep trek to the Cullen Point Lookout.

You will be rewarded with this awesome view of Pelorus Sound from the Cullen Point Lookout after the steep trek.

Groove Arm Jetty, an old wooden jetty in the Marlborough Sounds.

Ngakuta Bay is a good place to stop and stretch your legs along Queen Charlotte Drive — a picturesque little bay with a pier and nice views across Grove Arm.

Isn’t this amazingly beautiful?

A deep water port facility. The wharf is designed as a multi- purpose berth and is used for log exports and large cruise ships.

Scenic view of Picton Town towards the tail-end of the Queen Charlotte Drive.

Checking in to Picton Country Hideaway, a stay along State Highway 1 about 5km away from Picton Town for a night stay.

Loved the quiet and serene countryside stay where you can take in the nature beauty.

The host is kind enough to allow me to take the freshly hatched chicken egg directly from the farm. Guess this is what farm fresh egg is all about. 😉

They are other animals like cattles, goats, and lambs on the farm too.

Dinner is at Pinch of Spice Indian Restaurant in Picton Town.

All I can say is that this meal is so darn good and as expected. 😋😋😋

Headed back to Picton Town for my morning fix at Seabreeze Café & Bar.

This café is right by the beachfront and you can just relax and chill while you savour your meal. This is definitely what life should be all about. (Great for retiree like myself) 👍

Apples affair at New World Supermarket, Blenheim. I loved the Apple Lemonade. Can you spot it?

Adjourned for a quick coffee break at New World Café.

Taking a quick bite at McDonald’s before continuing my journey to Kaikoura.

Burger comes with a huge beef patty, beetroots, tomato, fried egg, cheese and lettuce.

Admiring the beautiful turquoise colour of the sea along State Highway 1 towards Kaikoura.

Spotted Karaka Lobster but was turned off by the exorbitant pricing. A small whole crayfish costs about NZD100. WTH! 😱

Arrived into Alpine View Motel for tonight’s stay in Kaikoura.

The best part of staying in a motel like this allows you to park the car directly in front of your property.

The room is cosy, clean and spacious.

Interestingly, there is a small stall set up right outside of New World Supermarket giving away free sausage sizzle.

Here I am, enjoying the free sausage sizzle. 😋

Cruising past Kaikoura beachfront to Kaikoura Peninsula.

From here, you can trek up to the Point Kean Viewpoint.

After a short climb of about 200m, you will reach the Point Kean Viewpoint.

View of the Kaikoura Peninsula.

More scenic panoramic views.

A factory built about 1917 where you get to see some of the last visible remnants of the whaling industry in South Bay.

South Bay Whaling where whales are being spotted out in the sea.

Settled for dinner at The Pier Hotel Kaikoura as recommended by the previous host, Paul in Picton.

Oven baked in garlic butter with homemade coleslaw & jasmine rice.

Salmon cakes, steamed mussels, micro battered whitebait, paua, calamari, pan fried fish of the day, smoked fish pate, toasted homemade bread & seaweed salad.

Kickstart the morning with a sumptuous breakfast at Black Rabbit Kaikoura Café before my long journey from Kaikoura to Akaroa.

With potato hash, poached eggs, spinach & smoked salmon.

Finally, arriving into Hideaway-A Couples Retreat in Akaroa after about 4 hours drive. I am thankful for the detailed instructions on how to get to the property provided by the host, else I wouldn’t know how to get there on my own. 😅

This is definitely a lovely accommodation, secluded in the countryside and is only a couple of minutes’ drive to Akaroa Town.

Settling for a super late lunch at The Brasserie Kitchen & Bar Akaroa.

What a lovely cosy restaurant interior. So country-style furnished.

Fresh gurnard, lightly battered with chips, salad, marie rose sauce & fresh lemon.

Allpress coffee, Kahlua & vanilla bean ice cream.

Finally, I got to see it for this trip as it was being renovated last year when I was here.

Scenic view of Akaroa Harbour seen from the lighthouse.

Set in the scenic Akaroa Harbour, Onuku Marae offers a stunning carved Whare Tipuna (ancestral house), a new and contemporary wharekai (dining room), a beautiful original church and lush peaceful grounds.

This church is built in 1876 and was used for services until 1963. With a reduced number of families, it is now used mainly for baptism, wedding and funeral ceremonies.

Beautiful quiant interior of the church hall.

Dinner at the beachfront at Thai Trading Rooms Asian Fusion & Seafood Restaurant.

This is what life is all about, the perfect dining experience taking in the natural beauty of the environment.

Green curry paste with coconut cream, beans, peas, courgette, bamboo shoots and capsicum.

Tomyum soup, spring onions, bean sprouts, peas and meat balls.

Self-cooked supper for tonight with the fresh meat produce bought from Akaroa Butchery & Deli earlier.

Morning brekkie at Akaroa Corner Café.

Visited Barrys Bay Cheese next, a delightful little boutique cheese shop.

Cheese making in progress…..

Merchandise shopping if you need…..

Arriving in Shamarra Alpaca for the farm tour. I was early, so I had to wait at the foothill for the gate to be opened at 10.30am.

You may self-entertain with the Alpacas while waiting.

Here I am, at the top of the hill after a steep drive-up.

Commencement of the Alpaca Farm Tour at 11am with the guide showing us the look and feel of Alpaca’s fur as well as the fun facts of Alpacas.

Headed back to Christchurch for lunch at The Great India Restaurant after spending a good fun time at the Alpaca Farm Tour.

Pieces of lamb braised with a gravy flavoured with garlic, ginger and aromatic spices.

A spicy and tangy onion tomato Indian curry with mushroom and peas, flavoured with spices.

Grilled shrimp skewers loaded with the bold Indian flavours.

Finally, I am checking in to Colombo in the City Motel for my last 2 nights stay.

Another lovely and spacious room awaits.

Well, the 2 days here will be spent purely for chilling out, enjoying café, savouring food and slowing things down to watch the world go by and at the same time, preparing myself for homecoming.

Dinner will be at The Hoi Polloi which is conveniently located diagonally across the motel.

Roasted Merino lamb rump with rosemary butter. Served over creamy root-vegetable mash, caramelised onion & pan jus.

Raised on the grassy slopes of South Canterbury, this prime 300g beef steak is grilled to your preference. Served with green peppercorn cream sauce, fries & tossed mixed salad.

Great food with great companion as always.

Morning starter at Copenhagen Bakery.

After much contemplation, I have decided on Jiggle Korean Cuisine & Barbeque for lunch at The Korean Food Street.

Deep fried boneless chicken to perfection.

The lunch set is super value for money given the huge food portion coupled with the quality. Importantly, this is as authentic as you can get. Highly recommended! 😋👍

Cleaning up the laundry for the past week prior to homecoming. This is the most arduous task for each trip. 😱

Chilling out at Coffee Culture Beckenham for the rest of the afternoon.

One for the road dinner at Himalayas Restaurant to spice things up for the last time. 😀

Chunky fillets of gurnard fish cooked with green capsicum, fresh tomatoes, red onions, ginger, garlic, coriander and special in-house spices.

Lamb chops marinated in light spiced tandoori marinade and roasted in the tandoor.

Another lovely and satisfying meal without a doubt. 😉

Pulling over at Cocoa Black Bishopdale Café for a quick morning snack before heading over to the car rental company.

Taking the complimentary shutter bus service from the car rental company to the airport for my flight home. It has been a great trip as always. ❤️❤️❤️

Relaxing at Air New Zealand Lounge prior to boarding.

Savouring light snacks at the lounge, though it’s nothing great to shout about. I would call this “for rough use” at best. Something is better than nothing. 🤣🤣🤣

Freshen up with a good shower before boarding for the long flight home.

Time for homecoming. Yay!

Always love the bellini served prior to take-off.

With onion, cucumber and spicy peanut sauce.

With honey mustard dressing and olives.

With asparagus, brussel sprouts and yoghurt dressing.

That’s all for this trip. Hope you enjoy your read and stay tuned for my next adventure. 😊

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