kamal chilaka 4/8/19 kamal chilaka 4/8/19

A Summer Down Under - 2 Weeks in Sydney, Melbourne and Gold Coast

May in Australia isn’t summer actually but it is summer in the Indian Subcontinent and most of South East Asia where I am based. In tropical Australia, the dry season from May to October has clear blue skies and sunny days. The temperatures are cooler. In May, the average daytime temperatures in Sydney are generally around 16°C and hardly fall below the average minimum temperatures of 12°C. The peak temperature of the month can reach a pleasant 20°C. Sydney in May is generally sunny and perfect for hitting the beach.

We had two weeks to spend including travel. We decided to distribute that between Sydney, Gold Coast, Melbourne and Stopover at Singapore on the way back. That gave us about 10 days in Australia itself.

Sydney

We flew from Bombay to Sydney via Singapore on Singapore Airlines. We landed at Sydney where we were staying with friends and after a good nights rest we set off to explore the Sydney Harbour Area.

Where to Stay in Sydney

Sydney has a wide variety of accommodations to suit most budgets. Here are a few popular options.

Luxury Options

Meriton Suites Kent Street

The Grace Hotel

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney

Mid Range
Rendezvous Hotel Sydney Central

Macleay Hotel

Budget

Bondi Beachouse YHA

Manly Central Apartment

Sydney Photo Ops

On my previous trip to Australia I had spent most of my time around Darling Harbour so tis time i decided to focus on Sydney Harbour area for my photography. The Sydney Harbour and Harbour Bridge create so may different photo ops I could spend a few days just coming back and capturing the different moods and vistas here. It is also great for street photography with so many people from all over the world visiting.

Specially during weekends the entire harbour area has a high energy feel to it. But on weekdays you can enjoy a more relaxed atmosphere conducive to landscape photography. Come her at dawn and dusk to capture the lovely vistas of the Harbour, Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Yes all these have been shot extensively already but you can enjoy the challenge of crating that unique image.

Ferry and Harbour Bridge at Sunset, Sydney Harbour

After the hustle and bustle of Sydney harbour we took time to explore the Urban Parks in Sydney such as Harmony Point . You’ll find many more gardens and parks to enjoy in Sydney. Centennial Parklands in Sydney’s east is popular for picnics, cycling and horseriding. The Chinese Garden of Friendship is perfect solitude in Darling Harbour and Sydney Olympic Park in Sydney’s west is great for outdoor activities and sports.

Take a ferry across the harbour to Neutral Bay and Nutcote, the charming home and garden of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie author and illustrator May Gibbs. Wendy's Secret Garden, a secluded oasis in nearby Lavendar Bay, is another living artwork that offers tranquility, winding pathways, views and lovely picnic spots.

For a delightful daytrip take a train or rivercat to Parramatta for Parramatta Park, a beautiful family park and World Heritage-listed convict site.

Barbeque and Picnic Area At Olympic Park

We also visited the Taronga Zoo which has a great collection of Animal life to view if that’s your thing. I was more interested in the views from the ferry and the island on which the Zoo is located. Taronga Zoo Sydney is located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia in the suburb of Mosman, on the shores of Sydney Harbour.

It was officially opened on 7 October 1916. Taronga Zoo Sydney is managed by the Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales, under the trading name Taronga Conservation Society, along with its sister zoo, the Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo.

Divided into eight zoogeographic regions, the 28-hectare (69-acre) Taronga Zoo Sydney is home to over 4,000 animals of 350 species. It has a zoo shop, a cafe, and information centre.

Gold Coast

After a few days at Sydney we decided to head to the Gold Coast along with our friends. It was off season at the Gold Coast meaning flights and accommodation were cheaper than normal as long as one didn’t mind the less than perfect weather.

Where to Stay at Gold Coast

Luxury

Meriton Suites Broadbeach

The Star Grand at The Star Gold Coast

Mid Range

Private 1 bedroom Carlton Apartment

The Ruby Collection

Surfer’s Paradise Beach

Colloquially known as 'Surfers', the suburb has many high-rise apartment buildings and a wide surf beach. The feature of the heart of the suburb is Cavill Mall, which runs through the shopping and entertainment precinct.

Surfers Paradise is the Gold Coast's entertainment and tourism centre and the suburb's high-rise buildings are the best known feature of the city's skyline.

Cavill Avenue, named after Jim Cavill, an early hotel owner, is one of the busiest shopping strips in Queensland, and the centre of activity for night life. One of the features of the area is the Surfers Paradise Meter Maids designed to build goodwill with tourists.

The "Gold Coast Nightlife Precinct" offers many after-dark activities for visitors. The precinct is considered Australia's nightlife capital and attracts close to 20,000 visitors daily. The area also hosts the largest Schoolies week event in the country, attracting tens of thousands of school leavers to the precinct.

Hot Air Ballooning (the highlight of the Gold Coast Trip)

Skypoint Observatory

SkyPoint located on top of the iconic Q1 Building, one of the world's tallest residential towers, takes you to the highest point above the Gold Coast and offers spectacular 360 degree views from the surf to the hinterland and beyond.

Q1 Gold Coast History

In 1998, the Anderson family acquired the properties on a central Surfers Paradise site bound by the Gold Coast Highway, Clifford Street, Hamilton Avenue and Northcliffe Terrace – the latter streets named in the late 1920s in honour of members of Australia’s champion Olympic sculling team. Some 139 lots were amalgamated and until 2002, when construction of Q1 commenced, the properties remained as they were.

The project to build the world’s tallest residential tower was officially launched on the 28th June 2002. Sunland Construction team began work immediately, with a workforce of 500 labouring for over 3 years, or a total of 2.5 million man hours. More than 2500 people were involved in the project. Q1 Resort and Spa officially opened on the 26th of October 2005.

The Q1 Spire

The Q1 Spire is one of the world's longest at 97.7m. It commences at level 75, is made up of 12 sections and weighs 87.2 tonnes. The oval shaped spire starts at level 76/225m high and extends 47m above the glass fin. Powerful arc lights illuminate the spire which can be seen from 200kms away.

Design of the Q1 Gold Coast

Q1 was designed by Atelier SDG. As the design process proceeded during the year of the Sydney 2000 Olympics, the desire to create something intrinsically Australian took hold. In its final form, Q1 draws inspiration from the upswept curves of the Sydney 2000 Olympics torch – which itself is reminiscent of the overlapping curves of the Sydney Opera House.

The Q1 Building Gold Coast

The Q1 Building is taller than the Chrysler building in New York City.
Q1 is one of the tallest residential buildings in the world.
Q1 is 322.5 metres high.
SkyPoint has one of the World's fastest elevators taking you from ground to Level 77 in 42.7 seconds.
Australia's only beachside Observation Deck .
Offers stunning 360 degree views of the entire Gold Coast, from the surf to the hinterland and beyond.
SkyPoint is 230 metres above sea level.
There are 1331 steps from the ground to Level 77.

Hot Air Ballooning

A great way to start your morning in the Gold Coast is to go Hot Air Ballooning. Float up to watch the sun rise over the rolling hills of the majestic Gold Coast hinterland; enjoy sweeping views of Tamborine Mountain, Lamington National Park and to the east see the shimmering tall towers of the Gold Coast skyline.

This scene from Australias Gold Coast reminds me of images from the Serengeti

Packing up the balloon post flight is a team effort

Melbourne and The Great Ocean Road

Getting there

By Flight

Melbourne is well connected Internationally by many major international Carriers including Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Scoot, Air Asia. It is also serviced by all the regional airlines such as Jetstar, Virgin Australia, RegionalExpress etc.

By Road

While it is easier and faster to travel between Sydney and Melbourne by taking a one-hour direct flight, driving has its own advantages with little trips and diversions that may be taken along the way. The most direct route is 874 km on the Hume Highway (M31), a dual-carriage highway. For those with time to spare, there is the Princes Highway which follows the coast for most of its length, a distance of 1,032 km (640 miles), although not necessarily within sight of the sea. Other alternate inland roads include the Olympic Highway between Albury and Sydney via Cowra and Bathurst, and also the Monaro Highway route via Canberra.

Where to Stay at Melbourne

Here are a few popular accommodations to meet most budgets.

Luxury

Grand Hyatt Melbourne

Pan Pacific Melbourne

Mid Range

Flinders Street Apartments

Pars Apartments - Collins Wharf Waterfront, Docklands

Budget

Summer S Holiday Inn

Melbourne Beach Side Apartment

The Great Ocean Road is an Australian National Heritage listed 243-kilometre stretch of road along the south-eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Torquay and Allansford. Some of the attractions along this road are

The 12 Apostles-Limestone cliffs

Created by constant erosion of the limestone cliffs of the mainland beginning 10–20 million years ago, the stormy Southern Ocean and blasting winds gradually eroded the softer limestone, forming caves in the cliffs.
The caves eventually became arches and when they collapsed rock stacks up to 45 metres high were left isolated from the shore. View the 12 Apostles at sunrise and sunset as they change colour from dark and foreboding in shadow to brilliant sandy yellow under a full sun.

How to get there

The 12 Apostles are located 275 kilometres west of Melbourne, approximately a four-hour drive along the Great Ocean Road.

Gibsons Steps

Be dwarfed by the 70-metre high vertical cliffs and marvel at Gog and Magog, the nicknames given to the giant limestone stacks rising up out of the sea. Weather permitting, make your way down to the beach via the 86 steps that were carved into the face of the cliff by local settler Hugh Gibson, who worked on the route originally used by the Kirrae Whurrong people.

Getting there
Park your car at the Gibson Steps car park or make your way from the 12 Apostles and walk the one kilometre to Gibson Steps, departing from the back of the kiosk. The path passes under the Great Ocean Road near the Gibson Steps viewing platform and beach access.

Loch-Ard-Gorge

Located just three minutes west of the mighty Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge is a treasure trove of natural beauty, coastal wilderness and maritime history. Take some time to wander the trails, exploring the blowholes, offshore limestone stacks and towering cliffs. Visit at dusk to watch the short-tailed shearwaters (muttonbirds) fly home. Hear the story of the Loch Ard shipwreck and learn about the rich maritime history of the area at the nearby Port Campbell Visitor Information Centre.

Views from top of the cliff near Loch And Gorge

12 Apostles and Great Ocean Road Helicopter Rides*

Melbourne Museum

Melbourne Museum is a natural and cultural history museum located in the Carlton Gardens in Melbourne, Australia. Located adjacent to the Royal Exhibition Building, it is the largest museum in the Southern Hemisphere.

Melbourne Museum showcases Australian social history, Indigenous cultures, science and the environment. Located adjacent to the World Heritage listed Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens, and home to IMAX Melbourne.

Major features of Melbourne Museum include celebrating Victoria's local Koorie culture in Bunjilaka, Aboriginal Cultural Centre. Explore Melbourne's rich history in the Melbourne Story exhibition; be immersed in evocative stories and discover the icons and personalities that have shaped Melbourne since the early 1800s.

See Phar Lap, Australia's legendary racehorse, in the flesh. Walk amongst skeletons of amazing animals from the past; from dinosaurs, flying reptiles and megafauna.

Take a close look at bugs, from stick insects to red-back and funnel-web spiders in Bugs Alive. Wander through a living forest with resident wildlife inside the Forest Gallery. Journey into the mind and explore a world of emotions, thoughts, memories and dreams in The Mind exhibition.

Visit the Museum Shops for a unique range of books, toys, games, as well as locally produced crafts and souvenirs you won't find anywhere else.

The Theatre Scene at Melbourne

From Big Budget Musicals to indie stage shows, Melbourne has it all. Catch theatre, comedy and musicals at this elegant theatre on Exhibition Street. Built in 1928, the Comedy Theatre has hosted local and touring shows for generations. Popular hits include Calendar Girls, The Rocky Horror Show, Avenue Q, Rock of Ages and Waiting for Godot.

The Melbourne Food Scene

Experience Melbourne's mix of cultures in its myriad restaurants, cafes, bistros and bars. Whether you're after modern, traditional, exotic or homespun flavours – Melbourne's eclectic dining scene offers a startling array of the world's great cuisines, from popular favourites to the truly groundbreaking.

Share a drink while snacking on high end tapas in a laneway eatery, take on a Szechuan chilli dish in Chinatown, or break out of the CBD and discover the city's specialist eating destinations – Richmond for Vietnamese, Carlton's 'Little Italy', Fitzroy for Spanish and Brunswick for Lebanese. The Melbourne food scene is so great that I think it deserves a separate culinary exploration trip to do it justice. Watch this space for updates on that. :)

Chin Chin Thai Eatery Melbourne - This Thai diner has a cool but unfussy vibe. The menu is mostly sharable and you can order wine by the carafe from the 'Wine Guy'. Crispy school prawns and suckling pig pancakes make great lazy afternoon drinking fo… — Chin Chin Thai Eatery Melbourne - This Thai diner has a cool but unfussy vibe. The menu is mostly sharable and you can order wine by the carafe from the 'Wine Guy'. Crispy school prawns and suckling pig pancakes make great lazy afternoon drinking food. The air zings with spices and buzzes with conversation. Look out for fun touches like vintage propaganda posters and a Vietnamese cyclo by the door. *Visit Melbourne

What was in my Camera Bag for this trip?

For this trip I had carried with me my trusty Canon 5D MARK III and the classic combination of 3 Canon Zooms lenses namely the 17-40MM F4L, 24-70 F2.8 L and the superb Canon 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM II and a Canon G15 Compact camera as a backup.

I also had with me my Hasselblad H4D40 with 80mm HC lens.

Other accessories included

Macbook Pro 15 in Laptop

Lacie Rugged 1 TB external drive

SAN DISK and LEXAR CF and SD cards

Gitzo Tripod and Arca Swiss Ball Head

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR Body - With Canon BG-E20 Battery Grip

Canon

Buy on Amazon

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Canon

Buy on Amazon

*Sources : Visit Melbourne, Visit Australia, Wikipedia

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kamal chilaka 1/13/19 kamal chilaka 1/13/19

My Top Photography Locations in New Zealand South Island

New Zealand should be on the bucket list of every Landscape photographer, Hiking Enthusiast and people with wanderlust in general. The “ Land of the Long White Cloud” or Aotearoa is it is referred to in Maori can amaze you with its expansive Landscapes, Lush Green Hills and meadows filled with spring flowers. From verdant beaches to snow peaked mountains New Zealand has it all.

I decided to skip the North Island and Auckland the most populous City of New Zealand and decided to just explore the South Island for my first trip as I had heard thats thats where the best scenery is. I plan to visit the North Island on my next trip there.

Getting There : Christchurch is the International Airport for the South Island . Many International Airlines have flights to Christchurch including Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin Australia, Cathay Pacific etc The other option is to fly to Auckland and drive and take a ferry to to the South Island.

New Zealand Time : GMT+13

New Zealand Currency: New Zealand Dollar

New Zealand Visa : See info here

Seasons in New Zealand :

Being located in the car southern hemisphere New Zealand has its seasons opposite from the usual months.

SPRING - SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER

SUMMER - DECEMBER, JANUARY, FEBRUARY

AUTUMN - MARCH, APRIL, MAY

WINTER - JUNE, JULY,AUGUST

Summer is the most popular time for tourists to visit New Zealand But I usually prefer to avoid summer for my travel as that tends to be peak tourist season and everything from accommodation to flight tickets and car rentals are expensive and places tend to be more crowded. I prefer the shoulder seasons of Spring and Autumn and sometimes winter too.

For this trip I chose to go during the New Zealand Spring.

I flew from Chennai to Christchurch via Singapore on Singapore Airlines. The flight duration from Chennai, India to Singapore is about 4 hours and the flight from Singapore to Christchurch is about 10 hours. On landing at Christchurch I caught the shuttle bus to the Car Rental place and after a short wait had my car for the trip a compact SUV loaded with my luggage and headed to my Motel for the night .

I had an exciting 9 day road trip planned and wanted to be rested and well prepared before I set off the following morning. Most of my hotel bookings for this trip were done on Booking.com and Hotels.com . I also recommend using Trivago.com and Tripadvisor.com for doing hotel reservations.

At Christchurch I stayed at City Centre Motel and Quality Hotel Elms . As the name suggest the first one is a Motel with basic amenities but is located in the heart of Christchurch. Lots of food options around. The Quality Inn Elms Hotel is more upmarket and has a lovely restaurant. Do try out their Grilled Chicken on Brioche Bun.

Tekapo

My first destination was Tekapo. Lake Tekapo is without doubt one of the highlights of any trip to NZ. I had already researched Lake Tekapo by looking at images online and had some idea of the kind of images I wanted to take.

Where to Stay at Tekapo

My Hotel room at Tekapo at the Peppers Bluewater Resort was a pleasant surprise. It was way bigger than I expected and very well located near the Lake and close to the main shopping strip at Tekapo.

Some Other Stay Options at Tekapo

Silver Fern

Lake Tekapo Motels & Holiday Park

Lake Tekapo is the second-largest of three roughly parallel lakes running north–south along the northern edge of the Mackenzie Basin in the South Island of New Zealand (the others are Lake Pukaki and Lake Ohau). It covers an area of 83 square kilometres (32 sq mi), and is at an altitude of 710 metres (2,330 ft) above sea level.

The lake is fed at its northern end by the braided Godley River, which has its source in the Southern Alps to the north. The lake is a popular tourist destination, and several resort hotels are located at the township of Lake Tekapo at the lake's southern end. The Lake Tekapo Regional Park, administered by Environment Canterbury, is located on the southern shore of the lake.

An astronomical observatory is located at Mount John, which is to the north of the town, and south of the small Lake Alexandrina.

Highlights of Tekapo

Lake Tekapo
Church of the Good Shepherd
Situated on the shores of Lake Tekapo is the Church of the Good Shepherd, which, in 1935, was the first church built in the Mackenzie Basin. The church at Lake Tekapo was designed by Christchurch architect R.S.D. Harman, based on sketches by a local artist, Esther Hope. The church is arguably one of the most photographed in New Zealand, and features an altar window that frames views of the lake and mountains.
Stargazing at Mount John Observatory
Mackenzie Basin walking tracks

Rainbow at Lake Tekapo and the Church of the Good Shepherd

Moeraki

Moeraki is now all known for its boulders; magical spherical stones scattered across a beach. Each boulder weighs several tonnes and is up to two metres high.Scientists explain the boulders as calcite concretions formed about 65 million years ago. According to Maori legend, the boulders are gourds washed ashore from the great voyaging canoe Araiteuru when it was wrecked upon landfall in New Zealand hundreds of years ago.

Where to Stay at Moeraki Boulders

I booked my stay at Moeraki Boulders Kiwi Holiday Park & Motel which is a short drive away from the Moeraki Boulders Beach. See image below. The holiday park has prefab huts which are very comfortable with attached bathrooms. The camp also accommodates camper vans if you choose to use a camper van for your New Zealand Trip. Other nearby options with good ratings on booking.com are Noah's Boutique Accommodation Moeraki and Three Bays Apartment.

Queenstown

Queenstown is the crowning Jewel of New Zealand’s South Island in my opinion. Its a beautiful picturesque all weather resort town. With an elevation of just 310m it still manages to have ski slopes and a magnificent Lake Wakatipu at its doorstep. This terrain allows for so many activities that draws in the tourists. From Skiing in Winter to trekking and water sports in Spring and Summer it has it all. From a Landscape photographers perspective Queenstown and the surrounding areas present a lot of opportunities. Situated a short walk from Queenstown center, the Gondola carries visitors high above Queenstown to the Skyline complex. The best views in the region are found here, spread out in a spectacular panorama with breath taking views of Coronet Peak, The Remarkables mountain range and across Lake Wakatipu to Cecil and Walter Peak.

From a Landscape photographers perspective Queenstown and the surrounding areas present a lot of opportunities. Situated a short walk from Queenstown center, the Gondola carries visitors high above Queenstown to the Skyline complex. The best views in the region are found here, spread out in a spectacular panorama with breath taking views of Coronet Peak, The Remarkables mountain range and across Lake Wakatipu to Cecil and Walter Peak.

Also within a short drive from Queenstown there are locations such as Glenorchy, Arrowtown, Cardrona which present lovely landscapes and viewpoints to explore.

Where to Stay at Queenstown

I divided my stay between these two hotels so as to have access to different photography spots. Both Hotels are superbly located and have great views of Lake Wakatipu.

The Rees Hotel & Luxury Apartments

Heritage Queenstown

Lake Wanaka

Wanaka is just over an hours drive from Queenstown. Lake Wanaka lies at the heart of the Otago Lakes in the lower South Island of New Zealand. The township is situated in a glacier carved basin on the shores of the lake and is the gateway to Mt Aspiring National Park.

Lake Hāwea is a 15-minute drive away, en route to the frontier town of Makarora, the last stop before the West Coast Glacier region. To the south is the historic Cardrona Valley, a popular scenic alpine route to neighbouring Queenstown. I loved the drive from Wanaka to Lake Hawea. There are a number of scenic viewpoints from which to photograph on this drive .

At its greatest extent, which is roughly along a north-south axis, the lake is 42 kilometres long. Its widest point, at the southern end, is 10 kilometres. The lake's western shore is lined with high peaks rising to over 2000 metres above sea level. Along the eastern shore the land is also mountainous, but the peaks are somewhat lower.

Wanaka lies in a u-shaped valley formed by glacial erosion during the last ice age, more than 10,000 years ago. It is fed by the Matukituki and Makarora Rivers, and is the source of the Clutha River. Nearby Lake Hāwea lies in a parallel valley carved by a neighbouring glacier eight kilometres to the east. At their closest point (a rocky ridge called The Neck), the lakes are only 1,000 metres apart.

Where to Stay at Wanaka

Wanaka offers plenty of choices of accommodation from premium lodgings to hostels for back-packers. My hotel of choice was the Edgewater Hotel which is close to Lake Wanaka offering views of the Lake from the Hotel Grounds. Lake Hawea Hotel, Ramada Resort by Wyndham Wanaka etc are all good options.

Lake Pukaki and Mount Cook

Lake Pukaki is the largest of three roughly parallel alpine lakes running north-south along the northern edge of the Mackenzie Basin on New Zealand's South Island. The others are Lakes Tekapo and Ohau. All three lakes were formed when the terminal moraines of receding glaciers blocked their respective valleys, forming moraine-dammed lakes.

The glacial feed to the lakes gives them a distinctive blue colour, created by glacial flour, the extremely finely ground rock particles from the glaciers. Lake Pukaki covers an area of 178.7 km², and the surface elevation of the lake normally ranges from 518.2 to 532 metres above sea level.

The mountain is in the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, in the Canterbury region. The park was established in 1953 and along with Westland National Park, Mount Aspiring National Park and Fiordland National Park forms one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The park contains more than 140 peaks standing over 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) and 72 named glaciers, which cover 40 percent of its 700 square kilometres (170,000 acres).

The peak is located at the northern end of the Kirikirikatata / Mount Cook Range, where it meets with the main spine of the Main Divide, forming a massif between the Hooker Valley to the southwest and the Tasman Valley east of the mountain. These two valleys provide the closest easily accessible view points of Aoraki / Mount Cook. A lookout point at the end of the Hooker Valley Track located only 10 km from the peak has views of the entire mountainside.

**Aspiring National Park home of Mount Cook**

My Gear for New Zealand

This is the gear I had carried to New Zealand.

Canon 5DS-R

Canon 5D IV

Canon 70-200mm F2.8L IS II

Canon 17-40mm f4 L

Canon 24-70mm f2.8L

Gura Gear Bataflae Backpack

Lee Filter Holder and Filters

B&W Circular Polarisers

Gitzo Carbon Fiber Tripod

Arca Swiss B1 Ballhead

I found that I used the 24-70mm and the 70-200mm lens a little more than the 17-40mm. On my next trip I will probably carry a fast wide angle prime such as my Sigma 20mm f1.4 to shoot landscape and in particular for Astrophotography. Lake Tekapo is a designated dark sky point and that is why they have an Observatory there.

General Tips for Travel to New Zealand

New Zealand is prone to Earthquakes..they are not frequent but they do happen from time to time. Check all travel advisories before going and also be prepared when you are there. Emergency services are very good in New Zealand but just let someone be aware of your itinerary.
New Zealand is a windy place. Specially near Lakes and waterbodies the wind pick up speed as it passes over the water.
While renting a car take the optional GPS package. This will come in handy.
Gas Stations in New Zealand usually have a convenience store so you can stock up water and other snacks there.
Most Hotels have decent wifi. But get the travel data card from the airport cause that will allow you o stay connected even in remote locations.
New Zealand Customs is very particular about not letting anything which can potentially harm their plant life. All your shoes should be cleaned before you pack them.If they find dirt on your shoes they will ask you to clean thematic the airport before handing back to you and may also fine you. Check out NZ customs rules form their official website before you go.
There are restrictions and strict laws on flying drones in New Zealand. Pls be aware of them before you operate one.
NZ is a sparsely populated place specially the South Island. So when you travel it is better to travel with a companion if possible. I travelled Solo and did not have any problems but often found myself thinking it would be nice to have a companion .

New Zealand image Gallery

Kamal Chilaka in Association with Eyemage Tours undertakes small group and customised photography tours to New Zealand and other locations suited for photography. Please contact Kamal Chilaka at +91 8778336918 or mail at kamal@eyemage.photography for details.

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