Amy Thornton's Holiday Pictures - NZ

While at Franz Josef we walked up to the glacier, went fishing and had a tourist flight to Mt.Cook.

Franz Josef Glacier

At the pub in Franz Josef with Steve (AirSafaris) and Pete (Jungmann pilot)

I went fishing for the first time with Pete and two Irish lads. It was 2-0 to the English although the lads did hook a large salmon which escaped and also pulled a mussel!

After driving for 10hrs from Franz Josef via the Haast Pass to Dunedin, I had a lift to Christchurch where I spent a day looking round. I visited the Wigram Air Museum and then got a bus into Christchurch centre.

Christchurch Cathedral

A good way to see touristy bits is to hop on and off a Tram

I caught a plane from Christchurch, changed at Wellington and then flew on to Tauranga so that I could collect some luggage couriered back from Omaka and Mandeville. Having sorted it out I left the next day by shuttle bus for Auckland. Once there, I was able to dump my bags in a shop before catching a ferry from outside the Ferry Building to Waiheke Island.

Wellington Airport had visitors...

Ferry Building, Auckland

Auckland from the Ferry to Waiheke Island

At Waiheke Island I walked a short distance to Oneroa Bay on the other side of the island. I think that's Great Barrier Island in the distance.

Rangitoto Island (volcano)

The next day I flew from Auckland to Queenstown and stayed with a friend in Wanaka. I was there for 5 days and the first full day there I flew with Wakatipu Aero Club to Milford Sound, up to Mts.Aspiring and Cook and back to Queenstown.

Lake Wakatipu, looking north towards Glenorchy. Note the difference in this picture with my previous flight there when the lake was covered in cloud!

Entering Milford Sound from the east. The airfield is visible at the bottom of the picture.

Once west past a waterfall, we started descending and at the entrance to the Sound we turned back and levelled at 1500ft.

Long Final 11

The Airfield was swamped in planes, quite different to being there in the Jungmann towards evening.

You can get on a cruise to go along Milford Sound.

Milford Sound cruise boat by waterfall

After the cruise we took off from Milford Sound and headed north past Mt Aspiring towards Mt.Cook. There was cloud on Mt.Cook's west side so we kept to the east.

Mt.Aspiring

As we approached Mt.Cook we went up to 11300ft. For no more than 30 minutes though.

Mt.Cook

After reaching Mt.Cook we turned back and headed for Queenstown via Wanaka and the Cardrona Valley.

Lake Wanaka and Mt.Aspiring

Wanaka Airfield from the west

The next day I did a Tandem Skydive from 12000ft. This gives 45 seconds of freefall. Excellent!

The plane I jumped out of at Wanaka Airfield. It's white, OK?!

Inside the Skydive plane with Wanaka Airfield outside

Inside the Skydive plane with Lake Wanaka outside

Me!

We could take photos once the parachute opened. Wanaka airfield below.

Wanaka

Excellent!!!

Excellent!!!

The tarmac runway is just appearing at the bottom right of the picture

After getting back on the ground I spent some time in New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum at Wanaka.

The next day I did a bungy jump from Kawarau Bridge, the original bungy site.

Bungy jumping from Kawarau Bridge (no that's not me)

Getting rescued

Also had a ride on the Shotover Jet

View from the top of the Queenstown Gondola

Paragliders kept going past...

The next day, after a thorough briefing, I had a Mountain Flying lesson from Wakatipu Aero Club. I'd definitely recommend this to any pilot. After that I went on a cruise on the TSS Earnslaw vintage steamship.

TSS Earnslaw

Driving from Queenstown to Wanaka via the Cardrona Valley gives a view of Queenstown Airfield behind (extended centreline), just this side of the lake in the distance

The Cardrona Hotel, one of NZ's oldest hotels.

Beside Lake Wanaka, looking towards Mt.Aspiring

Shame to leave Queenstown

I left Queenstown on Tuesday 16 March to fly back up to Auckland

Queenstown Airfield

Queenstown Airfield, grass runway looking south

Arriving back at Auckland Airport

From Auckland we drove up to Whangerei, stayed there the night then got to Paihia, Bay of Islands in dreary weather. However, the next day we had sunshine and the Bay of Islands looked very pretty. We were staying on the coast at Opua and caught a ferry to Russell and also visited a gliding site at Kaikohe but unfortunately the winch was broken and the tug pilot was ill. So we went to the Waitangi Treaty House.

Waitangi Treaty House

Meeting House

View of coast from Waitangi Treaty House

I visited the Bay of Islands Aero Club at Kerikeri and had a flight in a Tecnam around the area.

The Tecnam

Bay of Islands

Waitangi and Paihia beyond

We also had a fast boat trip to the Hole in the Rock

Hole in the Rock

Also had a day's sail in a sailing boat built 20 years ago but looking much older. They gave us cream tea and a BBQ. We also had a chance to climb up a hill in a bay we moored in. We were very lucky because just after lunch a group of dolphins swam towards us and played and jumped out of the water.

The R. Tucker Thompson

View from the hill

The next day I had to return to Auckland to fly home.

Opua in the morning

On the drive south

Auckland just before the Harbour bridge

The Nippon Clip-on

Go to Air Rally page.
Go to the Mt.Cook flight with AirSafaris.
Go to Amy's Flying Pictures Home Page.