New Zealand Food!

Surprisingly, there is a wide variety of food that I've found during my New Zealand 12 day tour. Japanese, Korean, Thai, Indian, Chinese. You name it, and most probably that particular type of food is tucked away in some corner.

Cost of breakfast can be as little as NZD5 for 2 sandwiches. Breakfast can be easily bought from the many convenience shops that are scattered around New Zealand. The more common ones that I've seen is the Night and Day foodstore. Cost of lunch varies and it can cost up to NZD13, depending on your choice. However, I did notice that there are always set lunches sold for a special price of NZD10. Dinner wise may set you back by about NZD25 per person, depending on what you eat. I've tried their beef steak and it is delicious. Coffee is provided free of charge from the hotel but if you wish to order it from outside, it's about NZD3.50.

Below are some of the photos I've taken on the western food that I've tried.

Cost NZD36 (Queenstown) and consist of Wild Southland venison, lettuce, bacon and cranberry, roast kumara

Fergburger from Queenstown. Cost NZD10 and contains Prime NZ Beef, lettuce, tomato, red onion, aioli & tomato relish 

Moose Meat Loaf from the Moose Bar at Te Anau. Cost NZD19.50

Sticky Date Pudding from the Moose Bar and costs about NZD9.50

Steak and Cheese pie from the Royal Albatross Centre cafe. Costs about NZD10.50

Stone-grilled beef from Lake Tekapo. Cook your beef in any way you want on the hot stone. Costs about NZD19.50

Steak set lunch from Sir Edmund Hillary alpine centre. Costs between NZD10 to NZD13 (cannot recall)

Salmon Quiche from Sir Edmund Hillary alpine centre. Costs below NZD10 (cannot recall)

I think its a Venison pie from Arrowtown bakery. Cannot recall the price.

Hot and spicy chicken pie from Arrowtown bakery. Cannot recall the price.

Double scoop ice-cream from Wendys. Only cost about NZD4.20

Cute Yellow Eyed Penguins!

One of the tours conducted by the Monarch Wildlife Cruises in my New Zealand 12 day tour is visit to the yellow eyed penguin reserve also known as the Penguin Place at Dunedin. While in the reserve, a guide will lead you on foot through a unique system of covered trenches into viewing hides that allows access to the living areas and breeding grounds of this shy penguin, which provides the opportunity to witness and photograph undisturbed activity at close range.

Within the Penguin Place, there is also a small hospital that cares for injured penguins. When I visited the place, there is a penguin being treated for abrasions to its leg. Below is a picture of that injured penguin.

Fiordland crested penguin (I think)

We also had a chance to see the penguins beach themselves from the sea. Below is a picture of such a penguin.

Yellow-eyed penguin approaching the beach

As the yellow-eyed penguin is endangered, some help was given to the penguins in terms of providing shelter and breeding grounds. Below is such a wooden shelter being built to aid the survival of the penguins.

Shelter for the yellow-eyed penguin

Below are some of the photos that I've taken around the reserves. It is possible to spend the whole day with them without getting tired of their unique calls and weird walking behaviors. :)

Yellow-eyed penguin walking towards its shelter

Yellow-eyed penguin taking a rest

One of the penguins climbing up a hill

Weird walking style of the penguin. :)

Wildlife Cruise from Wellers Rock

One of the tours conducted by the Monarch Wildlife Cruises in my New Zealand 12 day tour is a Wildlife Cruise from Wellers Rock at Dunedin. In this cruise, you will take a boat out to Taiaroa Head; the only mainland nesting place for Northern Royal Albatross in the world, and home to New Zealand fur seals, and many other bird species. Interesting place if you have an interest in seeing wildlife in its natural environment.

Below is the boat that took us out to Taiaroa Head.

Monarch Cruise Boat

In this boat, the crew will give you a running commentary of the different wildlife you'll see while on board. Binoculars and warm overcoats will also be provided if you require them. In this boat ride, we saw a variety of birds and we even saw a yellow-eyed penguin out in the sea and a Wandering Albatross. Some sea lions (I think) were also playing with us by the boat.

As it is winter, I believe we're not seeing the full range of bird species in that area. I guess there will be more during spring. Below are some of the photos that I've taken in that cruise.

One of the birds swimming out in the sea

Some Spotted Shags

Spotted Shag strutting its stuff

Stewart island shag (I think) in flight

A bird in flight

New Zealand Fur Seal and its pup

New Zealand Fur Seal pup wandering around

Sea lion (or fur seal?) getting ready to go into sea

Sea Lion (or Fur Seal?) playing with us by the boat

Royal Albatross Centre @ Dunedin

One of the tours conducted by the Monarch Wildlife Cruises in my New Zealand 12 day tour is a visit to the Royal Albatross Centre at Dunedin. The Royal Albatross Centre is a protected reserve that has grown into an established colony with a population of around 140 birds.Visitors to the reserve will be briefed on the Royal Albatross lifecyle. Below is a picture of a part of that lifecycle from chicks to adults.

Royal Albatross Lifecycle

After which, they will be brought to a enclosed area where there will be binoculars to allow you to view the Albatross chicks around the reserve. I did not get to see any adults around the area. If I recall correctly, the guide says that they will be back around September.

If you wish to take photos of the chicks, be sure to get a long range lens as they are quite far away. I took the photos using a 75-300mm lens. Below are some photos of the chicks.

Royal Albatross Chick

Royal Albatross Chick

Royal Albatross Chick spreading its wings

Wildlife @ Otago Peninsula Inlets

Updated 13 Jul 2010: Added Seagull pictures

One of the most interesting sights in my New Zealand 12 day tour is the Wildlife tour conducted by the Monarch Wildlife Cruises. A short section of this tour will bring me near the two tidal inlets, Hoopers Inlet and Papanui Inlet. In these 2 inlets, you'll find a variety of wildlife and the tour guide will run you through the different kind of birds that you'll see. Binoculars are also provided to allow you to see the birds up close. Pretty interesting and it's quite cute to see the wildlife in their natural habitat.

Below are some of the photos that I've taken. It may be a little blur as I took it from a distance.

Shelduck walking around the inlet

Pukeko. Looks and acts like a chicken

South Island Pied Oystercatcher trying to grab a bite

South Island Pied Oystercatcher (I think) having a splash

Spur-Winged Plover (I think)

Fantail

White-faced Heron

Pied Stilt

Kingfisher

Seagull landing

Seagull landed

Seagull landed

Seagull flying off

Curious sheep. :)

Scenery around Dunedin

Dunedin has some interesting architecture around the city and in my New Zealand 12 day tour, I had some free time to walk around. I do wish that I had more time at Dunedin as there is quite a lot to explore, much more than Queenstown.

Below are some of the photos that I've taken around the Dunedin area.

Scenery around Dunedin

Scenery around Dunedin

Scenery around Dunedin

Scenery around Dunedin

First Church of Otago @ Dunedin

Central Fire Station @ Dunedin