Matt Habeger - Trip Highlights
Hi Connie -
I haven't yet had a chance to sort through all of our photos yet, but since you were interested in the penguin experience I started with Lake Moeraki/Wilderness Lodge. You can view them all our photos from the Wilderness lodge here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mhab12/sets/72157625320657558/
As for the experience - it was well worth the 30-minute hike from the highway. As I mentioned we did not go to Munro beach but another one of John's spots - about a ten minute van ride from the lodge. For those not interested in an incredibly scenic beach or penguins, it might be a 'slow' endeavor as we did have to wait quietly on the beach, sitting or lying down for about 15 minutes before our first sighting. On the other hand, it was the highlight of Alison's trip and, for me, ranked right at the top with our helicopter flight at Millford Sound. I would highly recommend it. The beach is pebbles, not sand (see photos) and there are a few sand flies, however a little bug repellent keeps all of them away. As for the timing of the in/out of the penguins from the water, I am not sure that it is a once a day event. We saw several different penguins come and go (John counted about 20 I think). We went around 10-12 in the morning to accommodate another couple's schedule. In the end, it worked out perfectly. As long as your latest honeymoon couple is not completely opposed to being 'outdoorsy' - I would say seeing the penguins is a must.
I'll get the rest of our photos and hopefully some videos of the penguins posted over the next few days. You should be able to navigate to them through the same link above.
As for the other parts of the trip:
We did a cruise at Abel Tasman in Bronte with a guy by the name of Rod Stewart at Daniel's recommendation. What a way to see the park. He has kayaks and snorkeling available when the weather warms up and puts out quite a spread for lunch. If you have people interested in seeing Abel Tasman from the Nelson area who aren't going to be doing full day hikes etc. - he is the way to go! Daniel and Bronte country estate made a great way to start the trip. Alison and I did some walking/hiking on Rabbit Island and we all enjoyed a pub dinner at 'The Tap' in Mapua.
Faye provided an unforgettable wine tour in Blenheim for us - especially Nautilus. We were able to meet Bret the wine maker and do an almost exhaustive barrel tasting with him. We felt so privileged. I'm not sure if you or Faye were responsible for arranging this, but thanks to both of you. From Maison Grange, Alison and I also did some hiking in the national park behind the property. If you send more people here, this is a lot of fun. We didn't allow ourselves enough time to throughly enjoy it, even though John and Robyn recommended it when we arrived.
Punakaiki, Mike's cottage, and the pancake rocks were all superb as I'm sure you know. The sunsets were fantastic even though we were a bit early in the season to enjoy the 10pm late evening versions. We enjoyed exploring, hiking, and relaxing on the patio as I'm sure all guests do.
From the moment we met Mike & Bill we knew we were at a special home. The extra time here was perfect, and allowed for us all to do a lot, and still relax away the afternoons on the grounds of White Shadows. It was made even more special by the makeshift birthday party thrown by Bill and Mike, complete with special after dinner liquor and a home made chocolate cake with my name on it. We took Mike & Bill to dinner with us at Saffron in Arrowtown but we also enjoyed their recommendation of the Bunker in Queenstown, as well as a very nice restaurant just down the road, Gantley's.
In Queenstown we did the TSS Earnslaw to the sheep station (worth it for the boat ride/views) and the Shotover jet boat. The jet boat was fun, but if any of your customers have a power boat or have been on one, especially if they have river fished, you might advise they could better spend their money. Alison and I also did some horseback riding near Glenorchy and saw the old Sheelite mining area complete with preserved living quarters - very cool. The scenic drive to Glenorchy and lunch at the Glenorchy Cafe (the one marked GYC, there are two others) alone would have been worth our time. Of course, the helicopter trip was outstanding - not much can be said other than encouraging people to do it.
Thank you for all your help in putting together the wonderful trip - especially given such short notice. Every step of the way was truly unforgettable and above all expectations. From our stay in Bronte and meeting Daniel to saying goodbye to Bill & Mike - it was top notch. If I can help you with any other info - feel free to ask, we'd love to share more about our trip with you.
Thanks again, Matt
