Using Jetstar flight to begin the winter trip to Christchurch and Twizel, travel time taking around 1.5 hour from Auckland Airport. Arrived after sunset, temperature different is significantly felt once going outside airport terminal. From 16-18^o in Auckland, its going down to 6-8^o in Christchurch. Knowing South Island is colder than North Island, but don’t expect to be this cold.

Luckily we have prepare winter jacket and thermal heat clothes earlier. From the airport, we have been pickup by rental car company staff and straight away to their office to fetch the rental car. We rent from JUCY company. Once everything settle, time to experience driving for the first time in NZ. But since it’s already dark, we go straight to our accommodation at YHA Christchurch Backpackers Hostel in town. Not far away from airport, around 20 minutes driving.

YHA Christchurch Backpackers Hostel Reviews.

• Good and neat
• Quiet and peaceful
• Big lounge and dining room
• Individual heater in room
• Stairs only. Heavy bag? Time to gain some muscle
• Shared bathroom and toilet. Some are private

It’s foggy in the morning. Temperature is low. Around 4-5^o. Luckily car heater function well. Faster warm up the car. After having breakfast, we are heading to Christchurch town to visited few places most effected after recent earthquake.

ChristChurch Cathedral after earthquake

mall from colorful container in the town

Dress smart mall– coincidence having winter sale, Canterbury clothes, platypus shoes and lots more shop to explore and shopping.

We leave Christchurch town on noon. And it’s still foggy that time.

Road to Twizel

Road view is stunning. With mountain and farm on left and right, sheep, cow even alpaca beside the road, it’s really wonderful. But the most shocking moment of the day is when time to refuel petrol, its fuel first and pay after. And payment counter are inside.

Along the way to Twizel, we drop by at 2 places

1. CookietTime :  factory which bake delicious cookies, cheap and crispy.
   

   CookieTime factory shop

2. Lake Tekapo : It’s a beautiful lake even day getting darker and almost sunset by the time we reached.
   

   Lake Tekapo. Not sure the mountain cover with snow cap is Mt Cook or cloud

    

   

   Another view Lake Tekapo

Arrived at Twizel by night. Road are foggy and dark. Visual range are very limited and its freezing outside. Maybe because in Mt Cook mountain range make the atmosphere like this. So the day  trip conclude with overnight at Fraser Cresent Holiday House.

Fraser Cresent Holiday House Review:

• Big house
• 4 room. Can occupy around 10 people
• Have fireplace at hall
• Warmer on aircond not function. Freezing until fireplace fully warm the hall. Take long time. I think after 4 hours
• Room don’t have heater. Only electric bed warmer.
• Luckily water heater are function properly
• House completed cooking utensil, dishes. Washing machine, refrigerator, microwave, oven, like a real house needed.

Fraser Cresent Holiday House

Fireplace inside Fraser Cresent Holiday House

For our travel pack, we bring cooking ingredient to cook and meal box in case hard to find halal food or arrive late at destination. That’s why most accommodation we booked are fully equipment with cooking utensil. Thats a one nice trip to Christchurch and Twizel.

Continue part 3…journey from Twizel to Queenstown

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