Razor-sharp, powdered peaks jutted into the misty blue sky, encircled by dense rainforests and ribbons of rushing waterfalls — some more than three times higher than Niagara Falls.

The immense mountains, with their scenic coves and chasms, were carved by more than 90 thousand years of glaciers slicing their way through the turquoise waters of Milford Sound.

Coined by Rudyard Kipling as The Eighth Wonder of the World, this spellbinding landscape far surpasses the imagination. I've traversed the glaciers of Alaska and the soaring Fjords of Norway, but this stunning sound literally took my breath away.

The two-and-a-half hour boat ride on The Encounter Nature Cruise journeyed through the heart of Fiorland Park and New Zealand's Southern Alps. Though a bit cold and rainy during August, we stood on deck to observe a close-up experience of some of the 1,000 waterfalls, dolphins, and the Fiordland Crested Penguins, the rarest penguins in the world.

Several passengers disembarked at Milford Deep, where they descended a spiral staircase to a viewing chamber for a 360-degree ocean glimpse of jewel-colored corals and marine life.

I was traveling with a small group from Overseas Adventure Travel on a post-trip after two weeks in Australia, only a three-hour flight away.

Our week's sojourn commenced on the Pacific Coast on the cusp of South Island's Canterbury Plains at Christchurch, New Zealand's first city. This historic locale has markings of Maori culture, emerging from Polynesian migration 700 years ago. The first Europeans arrived in the early 1840s and eventually created a model English community.

The city center surrounds Christchurch Cathedral, built in Gothic Revival. Just minutes away sits the Canterbury Museum, rich in European and Maori history, along with an impressive display of Antarctica artifacts.

Though it was gray and drizzly the day we arrived, I enjoyed a stroll through the nearby Botanic Gardens enriched with native and exotic foliage. It has a lovely Rose Garden in bloom during the Southern Hemisphere summer months of December and January.

I also meandered through the 800-acre Hagley Park with umbrellas of golden willow trees lining the Avon River, carving itself through the dense greenery. The neighboring Gothic, gray stone Art Centre stands just outside the park. Originally the University of Canterbury, this stately structure houses 40 craft stores, antique shops, and an outdoor cafe. I even designed a necklace at Beadz Unlimited upstairs, and bought a glass necklace at the Centre's weekend art show outside. Diagonally across on Montreal Street is the stark abstract Christchurch Art Gallery housing contemporary to traditional artworks.

Before evening, I headed to the Blue Pearl Gallery at Cathedral Square to view several attractive pieces of abalone shell jewelry designed by owner Jacek Pawlowski.

According to Pawlowski, "There are more than 130 species of abalone in New Zealand, but you will only find the blue-green colored shells here which represent a celebration of life."

I dined with my group at Hay's Restaurant, a bit pricy but worth the savory lamb dishes and housemade chocolates to top the meal. The Thai Samuri restaurant, a few blocks from our hotel, offered reasonable and tasty dishes.

On our second day in Christchurch, our group of four took a bus tour outside the center to the homestead Mona Vale, a Bruge setting with exquisite landscape enhanced by a riot of fall colors. Soon after, we arrived for a heartwrenching moment by a wrangled beam monument from New York's Twin Towers dedicated to firefighters worldwide and over 350 killed Sept. 11, 2001. As a native New Yorker, it was an emotional moment to be at the other end of the world and see this reminder of our country's horrendous loss.

We continued our sojourn along the coastline past Lyttelton Port with sweeping views of Pegasus Bay. Also on the agenda was a quick stop at the seaside town of Sumner.

We left Christchurch by bus on Route 8 through sheep- and deer-laden farmlands braided by rivers and silver threads of streams against an alpine backdrop of MacKenzie mountainside, named after the Scottish sheep rustler Jack MacKenzie. Our traveling music consisted of CDs with Maori singers creating haunting melodies as we drove through the pastoral setting.

We made a short stop at a local shearing shed and actually witnessed a sheep being sheared.

Our bus reached Fairlie, a sleepy little farm town, not far from the glittering Lake Tekapo and Pukaki (with striking beauty similar to Canada's Lake Louise). Our farmstay that night was hosted by Derek and Chris, who prepared a memorable dinner of sweet potato soup and a poultry dish with fresh vegetables and salad. Chris' Mom made a perfect Pavlova cake, covered with mounds of meringue and cream trimmed with kiwi — of course.

Derek took us out to feed some of the animals, which ranged from sheep, ostriches, emus, to 33 cows grazing on 66 acres. They told us how they missed their house pet, a warm, friendly wallaby used to roaming around the rooms like part of the family.

After a wholesome breakfast the next morning, I rose to a cacophony of animal sounds. We continued to Queenstown, our final destination. Along the way, we passed tall spindly poplar trees and crimson-tinged willow trees, below the snowcapped mountains and crystal blue waters.

We lunched in Cromwell at The Big Picture, a creative, interactive film and wine-tasting experience that virtually took us to such wineries as Wild Earth, Pisa Moorings, and Gibbton Valley. I found out that 80 percent of the wine produced in this region is pinot noir. I also went through an aroma-whiffing room, inhaling unusual wine scents from vanilla to orange and coffee.

Two hours later, after a brief stop in Arrowtown, we were in action-packed Queenstown, a ski village of just under 10,000 people known for such extreme sports as bungee jumping, jetboating, paragliding, and parasailing. A must is a visit to Kiwi Birdlife Park, exhibiting New Zealand's exotic birdlife in a natural setting. The privately owned park touts the conservation and rehabilitation of endangered species as its major goal.

Queenstown is swarming with tourists and restaurants at ever step. My restaurant favorites were Vu Du Cafe, for wholesome cooking ,and Avanti, for fabulous lamb dishes.

During early afternoon, I hiked around the lake and Frankton Park Trail, absorbed by a symphony of colors and sounds. As I stared into the sky, I noticed an extra dab of yellow, a parasail billowing and floating peacefully above. Before dusk, I took the gondola up to experience a 360-degree view of Queenstown. I noticed some bungee jumpers below and people going down a luge run for a further adrenaline rush, instead of returning on the gondola.

Our hotel, St. Moritz, had a picture-perfect view of The Remarkables, a white-powdered mountain range enveloped by forested hillsides reflected in the clear blue Lake Wakatipu —an idyllic setting to spend our final days.

Just when I thought I had seen all the scenic beauty imaginable for one week, I peered out my plane window only to see the most miraculous scenery ever. As we hovered over Queenstown, my camera clicked non-stop trying to capture the aerial alpine grandeur below.

IF YOU GO

For more information on the South Island of New Zealand, go to www.leadingattractions.co.nz.

Information on tours to New Zealand, contact: OAT, 1-800-873-5628, www.oattravel.com.

Hotels: Chateau Blanc Suites, 353 Montreal Street, Christchurch, (011) 643-365-1600; St. Moritz Queenstown, 10-18 Brunswick Street, Queenstown, (011) 643-4424990.

Air travel: Quantas Air, 1-800-227-4500, www.quantas.com. Bus: Great Sights- operates luxury coach day tours between Christchurch and Queenstown via Mt. Cook through scenic routes, 0800 744 487. Water: The Encounter Nature Cruise, Milford Sound, www.redboats.co.nz, 0800 264 536,

Wine Experience: The Big Picture, Cromwell, www.bigpicturewine.com.

Beverly Mann is a freelance travel writer. To find out more about Beverly Mann and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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