The Tranz Alpine train goes over the mountains

Scenery driving to Queenstown

Same

It wouldn't be NZ without sheep

Same

Amazing scenery

Drive around a corner & there's another great view

Not a sign you see every day

Not my normal external mirror view

Queenstown apt view

This is one way to enjoy the view

Queenstown sunset

Milford Sound

Milford Sound

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A waterfall at Milford Sound

Up close to see how strong the water is

Another water fall in Milford Sound

Small plane from Queenstown to Milford Sound ...

... offered very good scenery

Planes at Milford Sound airport

Snow capped mountains fronted by a lake framed by a moody sky

Kaikoura house view

Kaikoura from a lookout

Whale watch in Kaikoura; what are they looking at?

A sperm whale, of course

And there are seal colonies; this one was resting on a sidewalk

Neil the nature photographer

... but this guy wasn't so happy to be disturbed

Nice sunset at Kaikoura

About to swim with the dolphins

It's not easy going in wearing flippers

I looked happy afterwards

Dusky dolphin jumping out of the water

Clearly having a good time

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An interesting story -->

Coffee is very popular in Aust & NZ these days.  Not Starbucks, people Down Under think they have better coffee than that.  Streets are lined with coffee shops all trying to be better than the one next door or across the road. On the first day of our trip we went to a coffee shop in NZ and I ordered every type of coffee on the menu (except espresso) so my tour group could choose their favorite for the holiday.

Personally I don't drink coffee I prefer hot chocolate.  But my tour members chose their favorite & ordered it everywhere we went.  In each case they chose ... tea.  BTW, the cake in the photo was just a bonus on the day