Must Do: Heli-Hike at Franz Josef Glacier

To be honest, this was one of the highlights for me of the trip. I have been to Iceland's glacier and sort. But I have only looked at them from afar - this time I am going to scale through them...like wow.

Remember to put at least 2 days at Franz Josef because the Heli-Hike is very weather-dependent. We almost couldn't scale up and boy I was bumped. I tried to comfort myself on the money we could save...but hey this is one place I really wanted to go, it's really not about the money!

So one reason why this activity is a little more on the pricey side is because it came with a short helicopter ride. It is really good for people who have never taken a helicopter (not me by the way!)

And it is considered affordable if you want to have an aerial view of Franz Josef and its glacier.
I was quite lucky because Asians being tinier/lighter, got to sit at the cockpit with the pilot. So I was treated to a clear view through the windows. Have also embedded a video of the glaciers before we landed. :D

I met some Singaporeans in NZ and they asked me about the attire etc. So I thought I should share it here as well. Basically, Franz Josef Glacier Guides (the organiser I used) will provide you with the warm jackets and pants. A red beanie is also given (which you can choose to bring home as a souvenir!) Ice claws for the shoes are also provided. The clumsy me took a while to get used to it, but if I can do it so can you!

All hikers will be provided a tiny pouch to store the essentials you can bring up. It is big enough to store a tiny bottle, a powerbank, a phone, a go-pro etc. We managed to to stuff a lunch box into the hubby's pouch o.O! I bought a handful of wrapped chocolates up and it came in very handy. I think I am just a person who use up my energy too fast. Whatever you can't bring out, you can just throw inside a locker, which can be rented with NZ$2.

The whole hike itself took about 2 to 2.5 hours. Basically, all you will be seeing would be different types of formation of ice, which could grow to become boring...except we had an exceptional guide...Matt. So Matt would share interesting facts as we hike through the areas, pointing out sights and increasing our knowledge on ice formations.

He is also the navigator carving though the ice path, photographer, teacher etc. It was a lot of fun and this even come with entrance to the Glacier Hot Pool. I am sorry I didn't take any photos inside because the hubby said it was rude to take photos. There are 3 pools inside and I only stayed for half an hour cos we didn't have any more time. :(I wish we had upgraded to a private pool instead (FYI, do it early cos it gets booked out fast!)

Akaroa: The Giant's House

We arrived rather late at Akaroa, so we were quite lucky we didn't manage to get a slot for Swimming with Dolphins since we would probably end up missing it anyway. And I sure was glad we had more time at Akaroa because we spent nearly 2 to 2.5 hours at the Giant's House.

To share a little more, the Giant's House is a garden gallery with mosaic pieces. With many art pieces displayed at every corner of the house and garden, be prepared to get your cameras out as there are many photo opportunities with the mosaic structures and blooming flowers.

The intricacy of each piece at the the Giant's House leave you in awe. You can imagine the amount of effort put by the artist, Josie Martin on each piece. (Pss...we were so lucky to say Hi to her!) The collage above only highlights some of the pieces which our eyes feasted upon.

Akaroa is really quite a chill town and visiting this place started our day and the whole vacation on a bright and cheery note. Like a lost child, we wandered in the garden and was astonished by some our finds - especially when we spot a tiny gem.

There is also the option of staying in the house while you are there. Though refreshing, I found the price a little too steep. But if you are really into staying inside a gallery and having more time and the gardens to yourself, staying there is quite a good option. (P.S. there's quite a bit of tourist so you might not be able to have clear shots.)

As part of the entrance fees, you can also visit a gallery showcasing some of Josie's work. The only grouse I have is that some of this work is not made into magnets or souvenirs so that you can buy and bring a piece of The Giant's House home. Sigh. Hopefully, Josie sees this post and next time you guys visit, you can get me something :P

Best Burgers in NZ: Bacon Bros Burgers

We touched down in Singapore from New Zealand and is feeling the withdrawal symptoms fast and hard. What better way then to start reminiscing the delicious food and interesting places we visited during our trip.

Generally, the western food are of a higher standard than what you would have in Singapore. In terms of price, you can expect around restaurant price, between NZ$20 to NZ$30. For fast food i.e. fish and chips (there is barely any Macs or KFC there), you can get it around NZ$10.

Burgers is quite a common sight in New Zealand, and on our first day, we managed to hunt down Bacon Bros Burgers. The portion of the burgers are huge and are within NZ$10 to NZ$20...mind blown. Bacon Bros Burgers is located at The Little High Eatery, a very cool hang-out even by the local's standards. Apart from Bacon Bros Burgers, you can expect to see other joints selling Thai food, Chinese food etc.

Whatever your favourite type of food is, there is sure to be something for you at The Little High Eatery. Plus there is free wifi there too. I am sure some of you have actually heard of Fergburgers of Queenstown. I know some of you may argue with me on this, but personally I think Bacon Bros Burgers is comparable or even better!

Shane (NZ$15) as of now is my favourite burger. I have to admit I just love the combination of hash brown and bacon. Awesome! Another highlight would have to be their handcut fries. The portion is crazy, I could barely finish it, but it satisfied my craving of any fries the entire trip. Yup, it was that good.

Non-locals, please remember to try out their Gingerella and Karma Coke. Gingerella in particular, it is damn frigging delicious. And believe it or not, I am now the face of Gingerella. So please remember to support me! Hehe.