Is it possible? New Zealand South Island 8-9 days by train and bus?!
I am planning on an 8-9 day trip to NZ next Feb/Mar. I will be traveling alone. Even though I really want to rent a car to drive my entire trip, I am not brave enough to do so because it drives on the opposite side of the road. I heard that many tourists had car accidents because of the unfamiliarity of the left-lane driving. I am also very reluctant to join a tour as it is just not as fun. Now, I am trying to find out if it is realistic to go by bus and train for my trip in South Island? I want to start in Christchurch, and cover all the major popular destinations such as Queenstown, Milford Sound, Dunedin, Oamaru, Mirror Lake, Franz Josef Glacier, Arrowtown, Te Anau, and Lake Tekapo/Mt. Cook. I really want to stay overnight in Lake Tekapo for stargazing.
Any suggestions, advice, or ideas are welcomed. Thanks in advance.