Monday 29 November 2010
East and North on South Island
Kaikoura
Once a sleepy little whaling outpost Kaikoura is now big on these giants of the ocean for very different reasons. Today, rather than slaughtering the magnificent mammals for their blubber, Kk is the No.1 centre on the South Island for whale-watching.
It's a quite lovely place nestled between the Pacific Ocean on one side and the snow-capped Kaikoura Seaward range on the other - the tallest mountains on the east coast of NZ.
Despite their beauty - the mountains come down to meet the sea here with just a narrow two-lane highway to divide them - visitors flock here instead to try to catch a glimpse of the area's extraordinary marine and birdlife.
Not only is this coastal area rich with sperm whales - blues, humpbacks and orcas are also frequently seen - you can also swim with fur seals and rare Hector dolphins in their own natural habitat. On the birdlife front, the albatross (minus The Ancient Mariner) grabs all the attention.
We've rolled into town to try to catch a glimpse of a whale or two - and the next morning looks promising. The sun is shining and the sea appears calm near shore. But looks are deceptive. A quick visit to the whale-watching centre's booking office confirms that conditions out at sea are pretty rough - three-metre swells are the order of the day and the advice is not to sail if you suffer from sea-sickness.
This is where we split up for the day. Chris decides she'll do her whale-watching from a helicopter, while John is more than happy to take his chance out on the briny. Both trips provide dividends. Chris reports her ''bird's eye view'' heli trip - four on board, including the pilot - well worth doing. She sights couple of sperm whales from the air, seeing the whole body, where even blow-hole is visible.
John gets the chance to see four sperm whales on a heaving ocean (and there are quite a lot of people heaving too - into paper bags). While he couldn't see what Chris did - the whole body of the mighty mammal - he is out on the deck of the catamaran with the whales just a couple of metres away - great gusts of water spurting skywards out of their blow-holes as they come up for air before diving for the depths again.
Two very different - but equally rewarding - trips end a memorable day. Back at campground, John spots girl who took sea trip and had mouth to bag for much of the 180-minutes (God bless). She is looking a whiter shade of pale.
North to Abel Tasman
Leave Kaikoura to head north-west to NZ's smallest national park. Gorgeous stretch of road, reminiscent of California's Highway 1 at Big Sur south of Monterey. On way we stop at a cafe/restaurant called The Store At Kekerengu - and it reminds us so much of one our favourite spots on the Sur - a mystical one-off restaurant/shop called Nepenthe, once the home of movie greats Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth.
The Store has a similarly glorious setting - a huge deck overlooking nothing but the blue vastness of The Pacific - and the same laidback feel as its Californian 'cousin'. Chris orders us both some French toast and a couple of coffees and server Stacey picks up on our Welsh accents immediately. She is herself from Gwent, got married at The Oxwich Bay Hotel on Gower last March and is working her way around the world with her husband. She has landed up at The Store and loves it there. We can see why Stacey.
Abel Tasman
The Abel Tasman National Park is a coastal paradise - 23,000 hectares of forested hills interspersed with stretches of golden sand beaches and crystal clear lagoons. It is only accessible by walking, boat or kayak - and many hikers are dropped off in this pristine wilderness by water taxi, so they can do the 51km of track by foot. It can take between 3-4 days and there are stops along the way in Department of Conservation huts along the way.
Basic instinct tells us we are not really up to this, so we chicken out and 'hole up' instead in a little town outside the park called Motueka. We've decided to make this our base for 4 nights from which we'll take a trip into the park via boat and take a half-day walk along stretch of the coast.
Pathetic really, but it still proves a wise move because we stumble across the sublime little seaside village of Kaiteriteri which has two wonderful beaches of its own, plus a third on its outskirts - Breaker Bay Beach - which we fall in love with instantly.
So lovely is it in fact that we put our Abel Tasman (AT was a Dutch explorer who discovered the area) adventure on hold for a day to chill out at Breaker Bay - lapping up the sunshine and generally lazing around on the beach, swimming and reading (John catching up with Stieg Larsson's The Millennium Trilogy and Chris getting her teeth into The Lovely Bones).
Suitably relaxed, we're up for our Tasman adventure next day. We're collected at campsite by minibus which takes us to Kaiteriteri where we board sea-shuttle. Hour-and-a-half journey across a placid Tasman Sea (didn't know there was such a thing) rewards us with fabulous views of deserted beaches among dense forest and bush - some long stretches of sand, others tiny coves. Along the way are close up encounters with seals, and a couple of shy blue penguins who disappear quickly under the water as we approach.
Skipper Andy drops us at lonely, but lovely, Bark Bay (no coffee here, in fact nothing at all) and says he will pick us up in three hours time at Torrent Bay. ''You will have to wade out to the boat. It's too shallow to come close in to pick you up.'' Thanks Andy!
Pick up the trail from Bark to Torrent, but Andy has neglected to mention one thing - the pencil-thin and rather long suspension bridge that crosses a ravine some 100-ft below. One hour into our journey and with another hour to go (and Andy picking us up at a different location to the one he dropped us at) there is no going back. Talk about the point of no return. We are at it, for sure. Eyes front then, deep breaths and no looking down. Made it. No sweat!
Dodgy bridge aside, it's a tough trek and steep in places, but eventually make it to Torrent Bay with something to spare. Exhausted, we catch 40 winks on the beach before our big 'wade out' to meet up with Andy and boat again.
Exhilarating trip, but we are tired. Can't be asked to cook in campervan tonight, so decide on grabbing takeaway. Find one in Motueka that advertises roast dinners and vegees. (It's wot New Zealanders call vegetables). The lamb shanks, roasties and vegees are delicious and go down a treat with a nice bottle of red.
One more day left in area. It's another lazy one. Sun shining again after overnight rain. Back to our favourite spot - Breaker Bay Beach. And to cap it - another roast dinner (this time beef, plus vegees of course). We'll have to get back to our camping way of life after spoiling ourselves again. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.
Once a sleepy little whaling outpost Kaikoura is now big on these giants of the ocean for very different reasons. Today, rather than slaughtering the magnificent mammals for their blubber, Kk is the No.1 centre on the South Island for whale-watching.
It's a quite lovely place nestled between the Pacific Ocean on one side and the snow-capped Kaikoura Seaward range on the other - the tallest mountains on the east coast of NZ.
Despite their beauty - the mountains come down to meet the sea here with just a narrow two-lane highway to divide them - visitors flock here instead to try to catch a glimpse of the area's extraordinary marine and birdlife.
Not only is this coastal area rich with sperm whales - blues, humpbacks and orcas are also frequently seen - you can also swim with fur seals and rare Hector dolphins in their own natural habitat. On the birdlife front, the albatross (minus The Ancient Mariner) grabs all the attention.
We've rolled into town to try to catch a glimpse of a whale or two - and the next morning looks promising. The sun is shining and the sea appears calm near shore. But looks are deceptive. A quick visit to the whale-watching centre's booking office confirms that conditions out at sea are pretty rough - three-metre swells are the order of the day and the advice is not to sail if you suffer from sea-sickness.
This is where we split up for the day. Chris decides she'll do her whale-watching from a helicopter, while John is more than happy to take his chance out on the briny. Both trips provide dividends. Chris reports her ''bird's eye view'' heli trip - four on board, including the pilot - well worth doing. She sights couple of sperm whales from the air, seeing the whole body, where even blow-hole is visible.
John gets the chance to see four sperm whales on a heaving ocean (and there are quite a lot of people heaving too - into paper bags). While he couldn't see what Chris did - the whole body of the mighty mammal - he is out on the deck of the catamaran with the whales just a couple of metres away - great gusts of water spurting skywards out of their blow-holes as they come up for air before diving for the depths again.
Two very different - but equally rewarding - trips end a memorable day. Back at campground, John spots girl who took sea trip and had mouth to bag for much of the 180-minutes (God bless). She is looking a whiter shade of pale.
North to Abel Tasman
Leave Kaikoura to head north-west to NZ's smallest national park. Gorgeous stretch of road, reminiscent of California's Highway 1 at Big Sur south of Monterey. On way we stop at a cafe/restaurant called The Store At Kekerengu - and it reminds us so much of one our favourite spots on the Sur - a mystical one-off restaurant/shop called Nepenthe, once the home of movie greats Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth.
The Store has a similarly glorious setting - a huge deck overlooking nothing but the blue vastness of The Pacific - and the same laidback feel as its Californian 'cousin'. Chris orders us both some French toast and a couple of coffees and server Stacey picks up on our Welsh accents immediately. She is herself from Gwent, got married at The Oxwich Bay Hotel on Gower last March and is working her way around the world with her husband. She has landed up at The Store and loves it there. We can see why Stacey.
Abel Tasman
The Abel Tasman National Park is a coastal paradise - 23,000 hectares of forested hills interspersed with stretches of golden sand beaches and crystal clear lagoons. It is only accessible by walking, boat or kayak - and many hikers are dropped off in this pristine wilderness by water taxi, so they can do the 51km of track by foot. It can take between 3-4 days and there are stops along the way in Department of Conservation huts along the way.
Basic instinct tells us we are not really up to this, so we chicken out and 'hole up' instead in a little town outside the park called Motueka. We've decided to make this our base for 4 nights from which we'll take a trip into the park via boat and take a half-day walk along stretch of the coast.
Pathetic really, but it still proves a wise move because we stumble across the sublime little seaside village of Kaiteriteri which has two wonderful beaches of its own, plus a third on its outskirts - Breaker Bay Beach - which we fall in love with instantly.
So lovely is it in fact that we put our Abel Tasman (AT was a Dutch explorer who discovered the area) adventure on hold for a day to chill out at Breaker Bay - lapping up the sunshine and generally lazing around on the beach, swimming and reading (John catching up with Stieg Larsson's The Millennium Trilogy and Chris getting her teeth into The Lovely Bones).
Suitably relaxed, we're up for our Tasman adventure next day. We're collected at campsite by minibus which takes us to Kaiteriteri where we board sea-shuttle. Hour-and-a-half journey across a placid Tasman Sea (didn't know there was such a thing) rewards us with fabulous views of deserted beaches among dense forest and bush - some long stretches of sand, others tiny coves. Along the way are close up encounters with seals, and a couple of shy blue penguins who disappear quickly under the water as we approach.
Skipper Andy drops us at lonely, but lovely, Bark Bay (no coffee here, in fact nothing at all) and says he will pick us up in three hours time at Torrent Bay. ''You will have to wade out to the boat. It's too shallow to come close in to pick you up.'' Thanks Andy!
Pick up the trail from Bark to Torrent, but Andy has neglected to mention one thing - the pencil-thin and rather long suspension bridge that crosses a ravine some 100-ft below. One hour into our journey and with another hour to go (and Andy picking us up at a different location to the one he dropped us at) there is no going back. Talk about the point of no return. We are at it, for sure. Eyes front then, deep breaths and no looking down. Made it. No sweat!
Dodgy bridge aside, it's a tough trek and steep in places, but eventually make it to Torrent Bay with something to spare. Exhausted, we catch 40 winks on the beach before our big 'wade out' to meet up with Andy and boat again.
Exhilarating trip, but we are tired. Can't be asked to cook in campervan tonight, so decide on grabbing takeaway. Find one in Motueka that advertises roast dinners and vegees. (It's wot New Zealanders call vegetables). The lamb shanks, roasties and vegees are delicious and go down a treat with a nice bottle of red.
One more day left in area. It's another lazy one. Sun shining again after overnight rain. Back to our favourite spot - Breaker Bay Beach. And to cap it - another roast dinner (this time beef, plus vegees of course). We'll have to get back to our camping way of life after spoiling ourselves again. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.
Wednesday 24 November 2010
Tuesday 23 November 2010
West Coast on South Island
Te Anau to Wanaka
Who ate all the pies? We are going to. New Zealand is big on pies, so we decide before we leave Te Anau to buy a couple and have them for dinner. Steak and mushroom for Chris, venison for John. See a shop called 'Miles Better Pies' and decide that's the one for us.
Turning north again and face long drive to Wanaka - a sort of mini Queenstown set on lake. On our way we pass through and stop at old gold mining town of Arrowtown. It's a quaint little place which sprang up in the mid-1800s.
You can still pan for gold in the Arrow River today, but we gave prospecting a miss to check out the remains of an old Chinese settlement instead. The Chinese came over during the gold rush, but led the harshest of lives in tiny huts in extreme conditions and were subject to both exploitation and racism. Tough doesn't even begin to describe how life must have been. The huts they existed in were basically no more than one room - and they would house a family. How they survived the most bitter of winters is hard to imagine.
Arrive in Wanaka after taking scenic mountain route late afternoon with sun shining. A multitude of small sailing boats are out on the lake, with the snow-capped peaks of Mt Aspiring National Park mirrored in it. Gorgeous spot to watch the sun turning red over an early evening drink.
Oh, in case you were wondering, the pies prove indeed "miles better'' than any we have eaten before. Delicious. Who ate all the pies? John & Chris did.
Wanaka to Jackson Bay
Get on the road for 8.30am (that's an early start for us late camping birds). Drive through incredibly beautiful Haast Pass with two deep blue lakes on either side, the road twisting upwards through dense rainforests and over single-track bridges (first to bridge has right of way, so can get a bit hairy) with sheer drops on either side. Eyes front, driver and no looking down! No worries. Who wants to stare into the abyss! Couple of stunning waterfalls on the way - Fantail and Thunder Creek - before reaching Gates of Haast at the bottom of the valley. Lovely spot, but dreaded sandflies are biting again. As we get closer to coast cross more and more huge riverbeds, which roar with ice blue snow and ice melt in the NZ winter. It's late spring turning summer here now, so the rivers aren't running wild now but they must be some sight when they are.
Hit the coast at last with the rain fair pelting down now - West Coast of NZ just like west coast of Ireland or Wales. When it's wet it's wet, wet, and wet. Take Tasman Sea road through ancient and eerie rainforest to Jackson Bay which has supposedly great views of Southern Alps. Rain so heavy now and mist is hanging, so assume mountains are looming over us somewhere! Jackson Bay end of road - literally.
It's an isolated fishing hamlet, with one eating place The Craypot - a little caravan specialising in seafood. We have 'whitebait sandwich' which turns out to be a real disappointment (there has hardly been one on our travels). The 'sandwich' turns out be an omlette, but it's a case of find the whitebait! It's just eggy - and the waitress doesn't serve up a smile either, which is unusual in super friendly NZ. At least it's dry in Craypot. Head up to Fox Glacier, where we park up for night.
Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers
Glacier exploring day on agenda. First to the Fox (No Fox's Glacier mints as far as we can make out). Take a walk to foot of glacier, which surges dramatically down valley. Despite having receded over the centuries, it's still an impressive & imposing sight, even more so from a distance where we can now see the upper glacier poking through the clouds. That was hidden to us when we were up close & personal. Mt Cook and Mt Tasman are towering behind, but low cloud prevents us seeing peaks.
Head for nearby Lake Matheson. Hour's walk around lake in which mountains are often reflected in water. Not our lucky day on that front, but sun decides to put its hat on and we get a stunning view of Fox from nearby viewpoint. Great spot for a picnic - and that's what we do in alpine-type meadow.
Franz Josef is some 23km away. Drive there and park campervan in rainforest site for night. Lots of rain, plenty of forest, so no disappointment on that front. Lots of forest noises too! Rain takes a breather for walk to Franz, which is marginally the more impressive of the two glaciers. It appears narrower than Fox, but longer. A 20-minute walk to a spot called Sentinel Rock gives us cracking view of this ice-blue wonder. Can't get as near to it as Fox (both glacier faces are roped off at certain point because of the very real danger of river swells and ice falls), but it still offers real wow factor. Just an incredible world really, particularly as these two giant fields of ice are so close to the sea.
Hanmer Springs
Had wanted to head right up West Coast - drive is a corker in good weather apparently. However, wake to sound of pouring rain and leaden skies, with mist hanging low. Ocean views will be few and far between on such a day. In NZ if the weather is bad in the west it's often invariably good on the east, so we decide to cut our losses and make for Kaikoura which we had wanted to spend some time in anyway, having briefly passed through it before on our way to Christchurch. Decide to stop off and stay night in little village called Hanmer Springs which is South Island's main thermal resort.
Arrive early enough to be able to spend time having a good soak in assortment of mineral and freshwater pools ranging in temps from 35C to 41C. Just the ticket for aching bodies after long drive. Very soothing, though not everyone is impressed. Little boy joins us in one rather eggy-smelling sulphur pool. Turning up his nose, he reckons that someone has farted. It's ''very farty'' in here is the eight-year-old's analysis. Don't look at us, pal! It's the water, honestly.
Jet-boating on River Waiau
Refreshed after our hot springs experience we are Kaikoura-bound, but call in on way to Thrillseekers Adventure who advertise range of sports including kayaking, white-water rafting, jet-boating and bungy jumping. We drop by hoping to see someone take that 'leap of faith.' Instead John goes jet-boating.
As we arrive boat just to go out - and there is one place left right in the front. Chris not too bothered, which is just as well because John is off before she can turn around and has landed himself a primo spot for trip up wild Waiau, jetting through narrow gorges, water rapids and shallows (from 40ft to just 4 inches of water at some points) at breathtaking high speed. Lots of 360% spins along the way make for a top ride.
Family of four in boat - young couple, with little boy and girl - sitting alongside John. After getting back on dry land mum and dad decide to do bungy jump from bridge overlooking gorge. How cool is that? We look on and can only admire their courage. Mum goes first watched by dad and kids and then dad does his swallow dive into canyon.
Those young kids are going to grow up being extreme sports adventurers themselves for sure. That's enough excitement for one day. Kaikoura here we come and, hopefully, some whale-watching out on the Pacific.
Who ate all the pies? We are going to. New Zealand is big on pies, so we decide before we leave Te Anau to buy a couple and have them for dinner. Steak and mushroom for Chris, venison for John. See a shop called 'Miles Better Pies' and decide that's the one for us.
Turning north again and face long drive to Wanaka - a sort of mini Queenstown set on lake. On our way we pass through and stop at old gold mining town of Arrowtown. It's a quaint little place which sprang up in the mid-1800s.
You can still pan for gold in the Arrow River today, but we gave prospecting a miss to check out the remains of an old Chinese settlement instead. The Chinese came over during the gold rush, but led the harshest of lives in tiny huts in extreme conditions and were subject to both exploitation and racism. Tough doesn't even begin to describe how life must have been. The huts they existed in were basically no more than one room - and they would house a family. How they survived the most bitter of winters is hard to imagine.
Arrive in Wanaka after taking scenic mountain route late afternoon with sun shining. A multitude of small sailing boats are out on the lake, with the snow-capped peaks of Mt Aspiring National Park mirrored in it. Gorgeous spot to watch the sun turning red over an early evening drink.
Oh, in case you were wondering, the pies prove indeed "miles better'' than any we have eaten before. Delicious. Who ate all the pies? John & Chris did.
Wanaka to Jackson Bay
Get on the road for 8.30am (that's an early start for us late camping birds). Drive through incredibly beautiful Haast Pass with two deep blue lakes on either side, the road twisting upwards through dense rainforests and over single-track bridges (first to bridge has right of way, so can get a bit hairy) with sheer drops on either side. Eyes front, driver and no looking down! No worries. Who wants to stare into the abyss! Couple of stunning waterfalls on the way - Fantail and Thunder Creek - before reaching Gates of Haast at the bottom of the valley. Lovely spot, but dreaded sandflies are biting again. As we get closer to coast cross more and more huge riverbeds, which roar with ice blue snow and ice melt in the NZ winter. It's late spring turning summer here now, so the rivers aren't running wild now but they must be some sight when they are.
Hit the coast at last with the rain fair pelting down now - West Coast of NZ just like west coast of Ireland or Wales. When it's wet it's wet, wet, and wet. Take Tasman Sea road through ancient and eerie rainforest to Jackson Bay which has supposedly great views of Southern Alps. Rain so heavy now and mist is hanging, so assume mountains are looming over us somewhere! Jackson Bay end of road - literally.
It's an isolated fishing hamlet, with one eating place The Craypot - a little caravan specialising in seafood. We have 'whitebait sandwich' which turns out to be a real disappointment (there has hardly been one on our travels). The 'sandwich' turns out be an omlette, but it's a case of find the whitebait! It's just eggy - and the waitress doesn't serve up a smile either, which is unusual in super friendly NZ. At least it's dry in Craypot. Head up to Fox Glacier, where we park up for night.
Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers
Glacier exploring day on agenda. First to the Fox (No Fox's Glacier mints as far as we can make out). Take a walk to foot of glacier, which surges dramatically down valley. Despite having receded over the centuries, it's still an impressive & imposing sight, even more so from a distance where we can now see the upper glacier poking through the clouds. That was hidden to us when we were up close & personal. Mt Cook and Mt Tasman are towering behind, but low cloud prevents us seeing peaks.
Head for nearby Lake Matheson. Hour's walk around lake in which mountains are often reflected in water. Not our lucky day on that front, but sun decides to put its hat on and we get a stunning view of Fox from nearby viewpoint. Great spot for a picnic - and that's what we do in alpine-type meadow.
Franz Josef is some 23km away. Drive there and park campervan in rainforest site for night. Lots of rain, plenty of forest, so no disappointment on that front. Lots of forest noises too! Rain takes a breather for walk to Franz, which is marginally the more impressive of the two glaciers. It appears narrower than Fox, but longer. A 20-minute walk to a spot called Sentinel Rock gives us cracking view of this ice-blue wonder. Can't get as near to it as Fox (both glacier faces are roped off at certain point because of the very real danger of river swells and ice falls), but it still offers real wow factor. Just an incredible world really, particularly as these two giant fields of ice are so close to the sea.
Hanmer Springs
Had wanted to head right up West Coast - drive is a corker in good weather apparently. However, wake to sound of pouring rain and leaden skies, with mist hanging low. Ocean views will be few and far between on such a day. In NZ if the weather is bad in the west it's often invariably good on the east, so we decide to cut our losses and make for Kaikoura which we had wanted to spend some time in anyway, having briefly passed through it before on our way to Christchurch. Decide to stop off and stay night in little village called Hanmer Springs which is South Island's main thermal resort.
Arrive early enough to be able to spend time having a good soak in assortment of mineral and freshwater pools ranging in temps from 35C to 41C. Just the ticket for aching bodies after long drive. Very soothing, though not everyone is impressed. Little boy joins us in one rather eggy-smelling sulphur pool. Turning up his nose, he reckons that someone has farted. It's ''very farty'' in here is the eight-year-old's analysis. Don't look at us, pal! It's the water, honestly.
Jet-boating on River Waiau
Refreshed after our hot springs experience we are Kaikoura-bound, but call in on way to Thrillseekers Adventure who advertise range of sports including kayaking, white-water rafting, jet-boating and bungy jumping. We drop by hoping to see someone take that 'leap of faith.' Instead John goes jet-boating.
As we arrive boat just to go out - and there is one place left right in the front. Chris not too bothered, which is just as well because John is off before she can turn around and has landed himself a primo spot for trip up wild Waiau, jetting through narrow gorges, water rapids and shallows (from 40ft to just 4 inches of water at some points) at breathtaking high speed. Lots of 360% spins along the way make for a top ride.
Family of four in boat - young couple, with little boy and girl - sitting alongside John. After getting back on dry land mum and dad decide to do bungy jump from bridge overlooking gorge. How cool is that? We look on and can only admire their courage. Mum goes first watched by dad and kids and then dad does his swallow dive into canyon.
Those young kids are going to grow up being extreme sports adventurers themselves for sure. That's enough excitement for one day. Kaikoura here we come and, hopefully, some whale-watching out on the Pacific.
Tuesday 16 November 2010
Heading south on South Island
Early start out of a very wet Christchurch. Rugby was enjoyable experience - but nothing compared to news that Swans had just trounced the old enemy (some team called Cardiff) 1-0. Magic. Onwards and southwards then. Planning to drop into Queenstown - adventure capital of NZ, possibly the world - and then onto Fiordland to take in the wonders of Milford Sound. It's a long haul and fellow camper has suggested we stop over at Lake Tekapo, which he and his family enjoyed. Had intended to head down coast and across, but take his advice - and are glad we did.
Lake Tekapo
Nice one, fellow camper. What a great shout. Park up campervan after a good day's driving on edge of turquoise lake with views out to snow-capped mountains making up part of the Southern Alps range. A tad tired after long drive we wander along the lake passing by a pretty church The Church of The Good Shepherd, so named in honour of the area's pioneer sheep farmers. Couples come from all parts of the globe to marry here. No wonder, the lakeside setting is hugely romantic.
Night closes in and the stars here are remarkable. It is said to be the best place for star-gazing in entire country because of its clear skies - and who are we to argue? Twinkle twinkle little star(s) and big ones too. The quite magnificent Southern Cross dominates the darkest of skies.
Early start next day for an hour long walk to the south summit of Mt John. It's a rough path up (we are no Edmund Hillarys after all), but nevertheless an arduous and steep trek. Lots of stops along the way to catch breath. Rewarded with stupendous 360% views of mountains, including the iconic Mt Cook, and shimmering Lake Tekapo below. Next summit along houses mountain-top Astro Cafe. We head across. Coffee and cake has never tasted this good. Sit outside 'caf' on glorious day with scenery to match. Refreshed, 45-minute descent back to 'base camp' seems piece of cake after ascent! Feel pleased with our morning's exercise, but it's time to move on.
Mt Cook
Drive down from Lake Tekapo to another lake, which, impossibly as it seems, is even more turquoise. Lake Pukaki sits some 45k south-west of Tekapo and offers a picture-postcard view of the near 12,000-ft high Mt Cook - an awe-inspiring sight. We have been blessed with perfect weather again - and this incredible peak, permanently covered in snow, and soaring into a deep blue cloudless sky is hard to move on from. We have found a quiet spot on the lake just to soak up the sun and the quite sublime scenery.
Eventually drag ourselves from our Cook stupour and head further south through contrasting country towards Queenstown. Pass through a tiny town enchantingly called Twizel before long haul taking in long dry valleys, lush verdant farmland before descedning into the Kawarau Gorge through which runs a raging river. Stop off at Roaring Meg - a cauldron of water - for 'photocall' and Chris gets a couple of bites from some very ravenous sandflies. These are a pain in the a--. (though fortunately we have bites only in ankles and knees to date!)
Queenstown
Skipping the driving for a day. Decide to treat ourselves to nice breakfast of fruit (Chris, of course) and the rather (okay much) more fattening French toast and bacon (no prizes for guessing). Spend the day exploring area. It's the South Island's top tourist town, but there is no denying its beauty. Queenstown, founded by a settler from Haverfordwest, is set on Lake Wakatipu and surrounded by a stunning range of mountains called The Remarkables, which they are.
Town has gorgeous park coming down to meet water. Enjoy watching youngsters playing frisbee golf there. Hundreds of young backpackers & students on lakeshore sunbathing when they are not hurling themselves off river bridges (bungy jumping), tearing down rivers in jet-boats, white-water rafting, canyoning, sky-diving or (later at night) drinking bars dry.
John calls up friend and former work Evening Post work colleague Chris Parvin and they arrange to meet up. Chris, who has family in Mumbles, has been in NZ for 17 years, but had a couple of stints at the Post on his return to God's Country - the last around 10 years ago.
Great to see Chris. He's as chirpy and chipper as ever and in seriously top form. He and wife Alison and children are quite obviously loving the Kiwi lifestyle. Spend a super few hours over a couple of 'sundowners' catching up with news and local (Swansea) gossip as men do (and they say women can talk). Really glad we were able to catch up with him at such short notice - and it was (sorry Chris & Alison). We'll be more organised next time we pass through Q, promise!
Fiordland & Milford Sound
Base ourselves in quiet little Te Anau to explore wilderness area of Fiordland. It's a peaceful spot, very different to vibrant and action-packed Queenstown (which incidentally we loved). Day appears to take longer to turn to evening here in TA. Very light at 9pm, but those blasted sandflies are still biting. John's ankles look like he is suffering from bout of measles!
It's a torturous and twisting route to Milford Sound, so next day we decide on the advice of others to take coach trip before catching boat out into Sound.
Another good tip. Te Anau to Milford road is decidely tricky - glad our driver Alex knows his way around. Stunning 120k two-and-a-half-hour ride takes you into heart of wild and wonderful country where ice and snow collide with rainforest. This is an area of towering cascades and massive waterfalls and where avalanches have wreaked untold damage.
Our day is grey and wet (which is actually perfect. The rainier the better, the waterfalls are fuller, and the Sound itself more atmospheric). Majestic country. John glad he is not driving, so he can take scenery in. Coach is top-notch, with clear glass windows in roof too, so you can look up and view above as well as to the side. Innovative idea - and it works well.
Highlights of drive include Mirror Lakes (lakes reflect mountans across valley), Homer Tunnel (a dark and forbidding 1200m long road tunnel dripping with ice-melt) and the awesome forest-clad Cleddau Valley (the Welsh influence is everywhere here).
Our first sight of Milford Sound astonishes us. Massive Mitre Peak is trying to break through the cloud and mist as we board the Milford Mariner for a three-hour nature cruise. It's stagerring, with sheer cliffs and forests coming down to meet the deep, dark blue waters of the Sound. We seem to be having four seasons in one day - rain, cold, sun, warmth, snow and ice. There are waterfalls everywhere we look - one is three-and-a-half times the height of Niagra Falls, but doesn't seem it as it is dwarfed by the vastness of the cliffs surrounding it.
The Milford Mariner - a sail vessel - takes us deep into the Sound and then out into the Tasman Sea which, while calm today, still offers up a two-metre swell - enough to keep you clinging tightly on to the deck rail.
Lots of fur seals to see and a couple of penguins too - a real highlight. On way back up Sound we stop near waterfall to feel power of spray. Astonishing. Nature at its rawest. The whole Milford experience totally spellbining, making one feel like an insignificant dot on Planet Earth.
Time to come back down to earth - and reflect on a quite magnificent day out over a fish supper from a roadside van. Localy caught blue cod, mussels & squid, plus a healthy (perhaps unhealthy) portion of chips hit the spot. Time to hit the snooze buttons.
Lake Tekapo
Nice one, fellow camper. What a great shout. Park up campervan after a good day's driving on edge of turquoise lake with views out to snow-capped mountains making up part of the Southern Alps range. A tad tired after long drive we wander along the lake passing by a pretty church The Church of The Good Shepherd, so named in honour of the area's pioneer sheep farmers. Couples come from all parts of the globe to marry here. No wonder, the lakeside setting is hugely romantic.
Night closes in and the stars here are remarkable. It is said to be the best place for star-gazing in entire country because of its clear skies - and who are we to argue? Twinkle twinkle little star(s) and big ones too. The quite magnificent Southern Cross dominates the darkest of skies.
Early start next day for an hour long walk to the south summit of Mt John. It's a rough path up (we are no Edmund Hillarys after all), but nevertheless an arduous and steep trek. Lots of stops along the way to catch breath. Rewarded with stupendous 360% views of mountains, including the iconic Mt Cook, and shimmering Lake Tekapo below. Next summit along houses mountain-top Astro Cafe. We head across. Coffee and cake has never tasted this good. Sit outside 'caf' on glorious day with scenery to match. Refreshed, 45-minute descent back to 'base camp' seems piece of cake after ascent! Feel pleased with our morning's exercise, but it's time to move on.
Mt Cook
Drive down from Lake Tekapo to another lake, which, impossibly as it seems, is even more turquoise. Lake Pukaki sits some 45k south-west of Tekapo and offers a picture-postcard view of the near 12,000-ft high Mt Cook - an awe-inspiring sight. We have been blessed with perfect weather again - and this incredible peak, permanently covered in snow, and soaring into a deep blue cloudless sky is hard to move on from. We have found a quiet spot on the lake just to soak up the sun and the quite sublime scenery.
Eventually drag ourselves from our Cook stupour and head further south through contrasting country towards Queenstown. Pass through a tiny town enchantingly called Twizel before long haul taking in long dry valleys, lush verdant farmland before descedning into the Kawarau Gorge through which runs a raging river. Stop off at Roaring Meg - a cauldron of water - for 'photocall' and Chris gets a couple of bites from some very ravenous sandflies. These are a pain in the a--. (though fortunately we have bites only in ankles and knees to date!)
Queenstown
Skipping the driving for a day. Decide to treat ourselves to nice breakfast of fruit (Chris, of course) and the rather (okay much) more fattening French toast and bacon (no prizes for guessing). Spend the day exploring area. It's the South Island's top tourist town, but there is no denying its beauty. Queenstown, founded by a settler from Haverfordwest, is set on Lake Wakatipu and surrounded by a stunning range of mountains called The Remarkables, which they are.
Town has gorgeous park coming down to meet water. Enjoy watching youngsters playing frisbee golf there. Hundreds of young backpackers & students on lakeshore sunbathing when they are not hurling themselves off river bridges (bungy jumping), tearing down rivers in jet-boats, white-water rafting, canyoning, sky-diving or (later at night) drinking bars dry.
John calls up friend and former work Evening Post work colleague Chris Parvin and they arrange to meet up. Chris, who has family in Mumbles, has been in NZ for 17 years, but had a couple of stints at the Post on his return to God's Country - the last around 10 years ago.
Great to see Chris. He's as chirpy and chipper as ever and in seriously top form. He and wife Alison and children are quite obviously loving the Kiwi lifestyle. Spend a super few hours over a couple of 'sundowners' catching up with news and local (Swansea) gossip as men do (and they say women can talk). Really glad we were able to catch up with him at such short notice - and it was (sorry Chris & Alison). We'll be more organised next time we pass through Q, promise!
Fiordland & Milford Sound
Base ourselves in quiet little Te Anau to explore wilderness area of Fiordland. It's a peaceful spot, very different to vibrant and action-packed Queenstown (which incidentally we loved). Day appears to take longer to turn to evening here in TA. Very light at 9pm, but those blasted sandflies are still biting. John's ankles look like he is suffering from bout of measles!
It's a torturous and twisting route to Milford Sound, so next day we decide on the advice of others to take coach trip before catching boat out into Sound.
Another good tip. Te Anau to Milford road is decidely tricky - glad our driver Alex knows his way around. Stunning 120k two-and-a-half-hour ride takes you into heart of wild and wonderful country where ice and snow collide with rainforest. This is an area of towering cascades and massive waterfalls and where avalanches have wreaked untold damage.
Our day is grey and wet (which is actually perfect. The rainier the better, the waterfalls are fuller, and the Sound itself more atmospheric). Majestic country. John glad he is not driving, so he can take scenery in. Coach is top-notch, with clear glass windows in roof too, so you can look up and view above as well as to the side. Innovative idea - and it works well.
Highlights of drive include Mirror Lakes (lakes reflect mountans across valley), Homer Tunnel (a dark and forbidding 1200m long road tunnel dripping with ice-melt) and the awesome forest-clad Cleddau Valley (the Welsh influence is everywhere here).
Our first sight of Milford Sound astonishes us. Massive Mitre Peak is trying to break through the cloud and mist as we board the Milford Mariner for a three-hour nature cruise. It's stagerring, with sheer cliffs and forests coming down to meet the deep, dark blue waters of the Sound. We seem to be having four seasons in one day - rain, cold, sun, warmth, snow and ice. There are waterfalls everywhere we look - one is three-and-a-half times the height of Niagra Falls, but doesn't seem it as it is dwarfed by the vastness of the cliffs surrounding it.
The Milford Mariner - a sail vessel - takes us deep into the Sound and then out into the Tasman Sea which, while calm today, still offers up a two-metre swell - enough to keep you clinging tightly on to the deck rail.
Lots of fur seals to see and a couple of penguins too - a real highlight. On way back up Sound we stop near waterfall to feel power of spray. Astonishing. Nature at its rawest. The whole Milford experience totally spellbining, making one feel like an insignificant dot on Planet Earth.
Time to come back down to earth - and reflect on a quite magnificent day out over a fish supper from a roadside van. Localy caught blue cod, mussels & squid, plus a healthy (perhaps unhealthy) portion of chips hit the spot. Time to hit the snooze buttons.
Monday 8 November 2010
Sunday 7 November 2010
South Island
Wellington
They don't call Wellington the windy city for nothing. Here for a couple of nights before catching ferry across to South Island. It's windy all right in NZ's capital, which Lonely Planet has just named the ''coolest little city in the world.'' It's cool, but in more ways than one. We are going to need a few extra layers for that journey across the Cook Strait.
On the upside, there's plenty of sun - and the backdrop of hillsides, dotted with timber-clad homes, reaching down down to meet the harbour makes it a fine looking place. Shades of San Francisco without the trams, though it does have a cable car.
Spend some time in the city itself - we buy a couple of fleeces! - and on the waterfront and spend the night taking in the sights around Courtenay Place, Welly's equivalent to Wind St in Swansea. This is where Wellingtonians go to let their hair down on Friday and Saturday nights - and just like the guys and gals back home they know how to party. With that early ferry to catch, we settle for a few quiet drinks in a little Irish bar off Cuba St - another ''happening place'' - and a meal in a rustic little Italian joint. Happy to watch the throngs outside dresssed up for Halloween. Spooky being here on the other side of the world on Oct 31.
Cook Strait and Marlborough Sounds
Boy are we glad we bought those fleeces now. Drive campervan on and head for top deck of ferry. It's cold - and we face a three-hour crossing to Picton on the South Island. The wind is still playing tricks as we leave the harbour and Cook Strait has a reputation for cutting up rough.
Chris will admit to not being the best of sailors and prefers to tough it out on the top deck, cold or not, rather than below where listing motion of ship isn't the best if you suffer from sea-sickness. With about six layers on, she looks like Nanuka of the North. Being the good soul I am, I stay with her, though do occasionally go a couple of decks below, not to get warm I hasten to add but to watch how NZ are doing against the Aussies on Sky Sports. Back up on deck rewarded with wonderful views of the inlets and waterways that make up the Marlborough Sounds - and the crossing has been kind with the swells fairly gentle. ''Nanuka'' reports that she is feeling okay.
Picton
Little Picton so different to Welly. Quiet and quaint little harbour town, but with some good places to eat and a couple of decent bars - the Scottish-owned Flying Haggis and Irish-run Seamus's, which is much more like an Irish pub back in Killarney or Kilkenny rather than those awful big city excuses for ones.
Take the campervan for drive around the Sounds and do a good bit of walking on point called Snout Head. Resembles Worm's Head a little. Stop at tiny harbour village of Havelock for lunch and watch the world - and boaters - go by. Try the green mussels speciality of the region - delicious. Decide we fancy trying a bit of wine tasting, so book for tour of vineyards next day.
Wine-tasting NZ-style
Plump for Na Clachan Wine Tours for spot of vino tasting and so glad we did. We are new to this game but Helen, our guide for the day, puts us immediately at ease with her relaxed and friendly manner. We warm to her straight away - as we will to the wine, we are sure. Jump into Helen's minibus and meet up with another couple, Tony and Rachel, who have just come up river on paddle-steamer. One more couple to meet at first winery.
Marlborough is the largest wine-producing region in NZ and especially famous for its Sauvingon Blanc because of its warm days and cool nights. Hey, your're listening to wine buffs now, you know.
Visit four wineries in all - starting with medium-sized independent Lawson Dry Hills, then on to famous Cloudy Bay, which turns out to be owned by Louis Vuitton (something we had not appreciated), Mahi Wines, a small independent, and finaly the largest of the independents Villa Maria, whose products can be found in many of our supermarkets back in the UK, but not the ones we were sampling.
Really enjoyable day out, with Helen, who herself grows organic chardonnay for the Allan Scott winery, proving so knowledgeable. Return feeling a tad tired - can't be the wine, can it? Have collected a case - around three bottles from each winery - to send back to UK. Please leave some for us!
During trip got talking to Helen about music. She tells us that she is going to see Leonard Cohen in Christchurch following day. We say we would love to go, as do Tony and Rachel, but that we don't know how to get tickets.
Wendy, who runs rental cottage side of Na Clachan business and who we meet at one of the wineries, says she will see if she can get some for us. She does. Helen and Wendy - what gems you are. Here we are on a wine tour - and these two lovely ladies end up getting us tickets for Cohen concert. Gobsmacked.
Picton to Christchurch
Five-hour drive to Christchurch - and it's awesome. Much of it is coastal. We are heading down to and beyond Kaikoura. The scenery here is even better than Highway 1 in California - and that's saying something. You drive south hemmed in by the snow-capped Seaward Kaikoura mountain range on one side and the turbulent turquoise Pacific on the other. Never driven with sea so close.
You can almost sense that these huge aqua-marine breakers are going to crash against you. Feel like stopping at almost every turn and twist of road to look out to ccean and up to 2,500metre peaks. Hundreds and hundreds of seals on rocks just alongside us - basking in the spring sunshine. Sea-life up close and personal - and totally and utterly wild. One of the great ocean drives, for sure.
Christchurch
Great seats in stalls very close to stage for Leonard Cohen concert. Sublime night watching a master craftsman at work - unmissable, and thanks to Helen and Wendy we didn't miss it. Met up with Tony and Rachel - and they like us were knocked out by the poet-singer genius at work in front of them. A very special evening.
John fancies catching some live rugby while in NZ and the ITM Cup Final is being played in CC on Friday night between Canterbury and Waikato, so we decide to come back but first we are heading out to an area called The Banks Peninsula to stay for one night.
Akaroa and The Banks Peninsula
Gorgeous little spot on a peninsula which is shaped like a fan. Full of small inlets, harbours and beaches. Akaroa is very French in style, even down to its street names. The country's first French settlers made their home here in the early to mid 1800s - and the influence is stil strong. It's also a big swimming with dolphins and penguin-sighting area.
Chris enjoys a visit to The Giant's House (recommended to her by a lady at Little River where we had stopped earlier). Wonderful scent of jasmine and honeysuckle in air, and house and garden gorgeous. Garden, full of mosaic sculptures, has evolved over the years and is owner and artist Josie Martin's pride and joy. Blend of flowers, sculptures and French cafe musical playing gives almost whimsical effect. A special place. Chris gets talking to Josie and it turns out she was at Cohen concert too - a small world here in NZ. John wanders around harbour, soaking up sunshine on lovely afternoon.
Our campsite is perched on bluff overlooking harbour and we are rewarded with magnificent sunset that evening - one of the best we have ever seen.
Christchurch revisited
Weather could not be more different. Wet, windy, downright horrible, in fact. Spend day looking aroud CC and drinking copious amounts of coffee. Rain too heavy to really enjoy city, but visit CC cathedral in centre of town. Impressive, as is River Avon which cuts through middle of city. CC stil recovering from recent earthquake and we see evidence of some historic buildings that caught brunt of it.
John gets to see his rugby - Canterbury beat Waikato 33-13 - at Jade Stadium (once Lancaster Park). Fine stadium with good views out to city and hillsides beyond. High up in stand - and the rain is tipping down and wind howling. Still he enjoys game (game much quicker than back home) and meeting up with some local fans in bar afterwards. A wet - inside and outside - John returns to campervan looking forward to some warming spag boll.
They don't call Wellington the windy city for nothing. Here for a couple of nights before catching ferry across to South Island. It's windy all right in NZ's capital, which Lonely Planet has just named the ''coolest little city in the world.'' It's cool, but in more ways than one. We are going to need a few extra layers for that journey across the Cook Strait.
On the upside, there's plenty of sun - and the backdrop of hillsides, dotted with timber-clad homes, reaching down down to meet the harbour makes it a fine looking place. Shades of San Francisco without the trams, though it does have a cable car.
Spend some time in the city itself - we buy a couple of fleeces! - and on the waterfront and spend the night taking in the sights around Courtenay Place, Welly's equivalent to Wind St in Swansea. This is where Wellingtonians go to let their hair down on Friday and Saturday nights - and just like the guys and gals back home they know how to party. With that early ferry to catch, we settle for a few quiet drinks in a little Irish bar off Cuba St - another ''happening place'' - and a meal in a rustic little Italian joint. Happy to watch the throngs outside dresssed up for Halloween. Spooky being here on the other side of the world on Oct 31.
Cook Strait and Marlborough Sounds
Boy are we glad we bought those fleeces now. Drive campervan on and head for top deck of ferry. It's cold - and we face a three-hour crossing to Picton on the South Island. The wind is still playing tricks as we leave the harbour and Cook Strait has a reputation for cutting up rough.
Chris will admit to not being the best of sailors and prefers to tough it out on the top deck, cold or not, rather than below where listing motion of ship isn't the best if you suffer from sea-sickness. With about six layers on, she looks like Nanuka of the North. Being the good soul I am, I stay with her, though do occasionally go a couple of decks below, not to get warm I hasten to add but to watch how NZ are doing against the Aussies on Sky Sports. Back up on deck rewarded with wonderful views of the inlets and waterways that make up the Marlborough Sounds - and the crossing has been kind with the swells fairly gentle. ''Nanuka'' reports that she is feeling okay.
Picton
Little Picton so different to Welly. Quiet and quaint little harbour town, but with some good places to eat and a couple of decent bars - the Scottish-owned Flying Haggis and Irish-run Seamus's, which is much more like an Irish pub back in Killarney or Kilkenny rather than those awful big city excuses for ones.
Take the campervan for drive around the Sounds and do a good bit of walking on point called Snout Head. Resembles Worm's Head a little. Stop at tiny harbour village of Havelock for lunch and watch the world - and boaters - go by. Try the green mussels speciality of the region - delicious. Decide we fancy trying a bit of wine tasting, so book for tour of vineyards next day.
Wine-tasting NZ-style
Plump for Na Clachan Wine Tours for spot of vino tasting and so glad we did. We are new to this game but Helen, our guide for the day, puts us immediately at ease with her relaxed and friendly manner. We warm to her straight away - as we will to the wine, we are sure. Jump into Helen's minibus and meet up with another couple, Tony and Rachel, who have just come up river on paddle-steamer. One more couple to meet at first winery.
Marlborough is the largest wine-producing region in NZ and especially famous for its Sauvingon Blanc because of its warm days and cool nights. Hey, your're listening to wine buffs now, you know.
Visit four wineries in all - starting with medium-sized independent Lawson Dry Hills, then on to famous Cloudy Bay, which turns out to be owned by Louis Vuitton (something we had not appreciated), Mahi Wines, a small independent, and finaly the largest of the independents Villa Maria, whose products can be found in many of our supermarkets back in the UK, but not the ones we were sampling.
Really enjoyable day out, with Helen, who herself grows organic chardonnay for the Allan Scott winery, proving so knowledgeable. Return feeling a tad tired - can't be the wine, can it? Have collected a case - around three bottles from each winery - to send back to UK. Please leave some for us!
During trip got talking to Helen about music. She tells us that she is going to see Leonard Cohen in Christchurch following day. We say we would love to go, as do Tony and Rachel, but that we don't know how to get tickets.
Wendy, who runs rental cottage side of Na Clachan business and who we meet at one of the wineries, says she will see if she can get some for us. She does. Helen and Wendy - what gems you are. Here we are on a wine tour - and these two lovely ladies end up getting us tickets for Cohen concert. Gobsmacked.
Picton to Christchurch
Five-hour drive to Christchurch - and it's awesome. Much of it is coastal. We are heading down to and beyond Kaikoura. The scenery here is even better than Highway 1 in California - and that's saying something. You drive south hemmed in by the snow-capped Seaward Kaikoura mountain range on one side and the turbulent turquoise Pacific on the other. Never driven with sea so close.
You can almost sense that these huge aqua-marine breakers are going to crash against you. Feel like stopping at almost every turn and twist of road to look out to ccean and up to 2,500metre peaks. Hundreds and hundreds of seals on rocks just alongside us - basking in the spring sunshine. Sea-life up close and personal - and totally and utterly wild. One of the great ocean drives, for sure.
Christchurch
Great seats in stalls very close to stage for Leonard Cohen concert. Sublime night watching a master craftsman at work - unmissable, and thanks to Helen and Wendy we didn't miss it. Met up with Tony and Rachel - and they like us were knocked out by the poet-singer genius at work in front of them. A very special evening.
John fancies catching some live rugby while in NZ and the ITM Cup Final is being played in CC on Friday night between Canterbury and Waikato, so we decide to come back but first we are heading out to an area called The Banks Peninsula to stay for one night.
Akaroa and The Banks Peninsula
Gorgeous little spot on a peninsula which is shaped like a fan. Full of small inlets, harbours and beaches. Akaroa is very French in style, even down to its street names. The country's first French settlers made their home here in the early to mid 1800s - and the influence is stil strong. It's also a big swimming with dolphins and penguin-sighting area.
Chris enjoys a visit to The Giant's House (recommended to her by a lady at Little River where we had stopped earlier). Wonderful scent of jasmine and honeysuckle in air, and house and garden gorgeous. Garden, full of mosaic sculptures, has evolved over the years and is owner and artist Josie Martin's pride and joy. Blend of flowers, sculptures and French cafe musical playing gives almost whimsical effect. A special place. Chris gets talking to Josie and it turns out she was at Cohen concert too - a small world here in NZ. John wanders around harbour, soaking up sunshine on lovely afternoon.
Our campsite is perched on bluff overlooking harbour and we are rewarded with magnificent sunset that evening - one of the best we have ever seen.
Christchurch revisited
Weather could not be more different. Wet, windy, downright horrible, in fact. Spend day looking aroud CC and drinking copious amounts of coffee. Rain too heavy to really enjoy city, but visit CC cathedral in centre of town. Impressive, as is River Avon which cuts through middle of city. CC stil recovering from recent earthquake and we see evidence of some historic buildings that caught brunt of it.
John gets to see his rugby - Canterbury beat Waikato 33-13 - at Jade Stadium (once Lancaster Park). Fine stadium with good views out to city and hillsides beyond. High up in stand - and the rain is tipping down and wind howling. Still he enjoys game (game much quicker than back home) and meeting up with some local fans in bar afterwards. A wet - inside and outside - John returns to campervan looking forward to some warming spag boll.
Tuesday 2 November 2010
Monday 1 November 2010
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North Island cont.
Bay of Islands
Heading south-east from 'up north' to the Bay of Islands - a string of undeveloped islands in turquoise waters. It's one of NZ's top tourist attractions and easy to see why. This is where Aucklanders head on weekends - and being sunny and warm, and Labor weekend to boot, it's busy around here. A beautiful spot, though, for sure - and much history attached. The Bay was the site of the first European settlement and also where the Declaration of Independence of New Zealand was signed in 1835. It really is a gorgeous day and we spend the afternoon here - not long enough - before pushing on further south to our campsite for the night.
Horse-riding on Pakiri Beach
Early start to Sunday morning as Chris has booked in to for a two-hour horse ride on Pakiri Beach - a stunning white sand bay which stretches north and south as far as the eye can see. The stables house around 100 horses - and Chris get to partner one of them named 'Beckham'. Off Becks and Chris go, while I take a stroll on Pakiri - get my shorts well wet while wading across a stream to get to the beach (yup a lot deeper than I had accounted for) and get chased by two angry and very aggressive terns who had decided that I had come too close to their nesting area. They looked mad and mean, so I beat a hasty retreat to the solitude of the beach.
Chris reports that she had a great time with Becks, cantering through dunes and woods and along the edge of the ocean. Heaven, but it takes its toll on the knees, which Chris reports are 'killing me.' Must be old age, luv!
Goat Island
No goats on this island, despite its unusual name - but sea around it is like an aquarium. You only need to step into the water knee-deep to see all sorts of marine life - giant blue-dotted snappers and blue maomao. Visibility for snorkelling is superb and there are many people scuba diving here. Cooler water than Fiji for sure, but warmer than back home so John takes the plunge. Yes, some great fish out there and coming out of the water he nearly steps on a stingray, which is not a good idea. Fortunately, the beautiful and big ray has spotted the clumsy-hoofed Welshman heading his way and makes a dignified exit to deeper waters. John's glad, though admits that this close encounter of the sea kind was a thrilling one. We round off day with a great meal at a local restaurant/microbrewery called The Sawmill Cafe. Chris tries the snapper (delicious). No stingray on the menu, nor goat either! John goes for rabbit (delicious too).
Raglan (not South-East Wales, but West Coast, NZ)
We have been on the road two months to the day. Can't quite believe it. Time seems to be flying by. It's back down through Auckland and west across to Raglan - a small surfing town and one of the top places in NZ to catch quality waves. The classic 60s surf film The Endless Summer was shot at nearby Manu Bay. The day we visit the surf is not big, but we can see why surf dudes head here in search of trying to catch the perfect wave, which was what Bruce Brown's film was all about. We like Raglan, it's a very easy-going, laid-back kind of a place where one sunny day just drifts into another. Love to see it when the surf at Manu is really up.
Lake Taupo
The lake, born out a volcanic eruption, is NZ's largest - and we pull in to a nearby campsite to check it and surrounding area out. Take a long and quite challenging walk to Huka Falls on NZ's longest river The Waikato. It's a 3-hr round trip, but well worth it as was soaking our feet in a natural hot spring on the way back. Lake Taupo itself is stunning too - a much bigger version of Crater Lake in Oregon. Next day we head for the Tongariro National Park and on the way stop off to see some very brave folk bungy jump off a cliff edge over the Waikato. It's a 47m hurtle into oblivion and a dunk in the river below for your troubles. Us non-brave people stand in awe on a platform jutting out over the river watching, which suits us just fine.
Tongariro National Park
This is active volcano country dominated by three near 3,000-metre peaks - Mt Ruapehu, Mt Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe. The latter was chosen as Mt Doom and the area around it as Mordor in The Lord Of The Rings movie trilogy. This is serious hiking country. Not being serious hikers we take the easy option and drive as near to the volcanoes as we can - and yes, some of them are smoking. It's a cloudy day when we visit and the peaks are not truly visible, but we see enough. 'Mt Doom' is the most breath-taking of the three - it's one conical vent soaring skywards into the clouds, while Mt Ruapehu was still capped in heavy snow. Called in to tiny ski resort village of Whakapapa to get great views of volcanoes before staying for night in quiet village of Ohakune, apprently the country's carrot capital. The world's largest carrot was grown here and is preserved at the entrance to the town. John just has to have picture of himself with carrot. Wot next!
Wellington-bound
South Island next, so a long drive on to Wellington, NZ's capital where we will pick up ferry for three-hour crossing across Cook Strait. On the way down stop at Tangiwai Memorial which marks the scene of one of NZ's worst disasters. On Christmas Eve 1953 the level of the crater lake on Mt Ruapehu rose, a dam burst and a 20ft wave of water and mud swept down the mountain and reduced the railway bridge to a tangled and twisted rubble of iron moments before a crowded express train was due to arrive. Despite the heroic efforts of a local man, armed with just a torch, to try warn the engine driver of the impending disaster, the train hurtled into the chasm below killing more than 150 people. The spot is an eerie and poignant place to visit, the river running so quietly. Hard to believe such a terrible disaster could have occured there.
On a happier note we also take time out at a little town called Taihape. Now if Ohakune is the carrot capital of NZ, then Taihape is recognised as The Gumboot Capital of the World and has a large gumboot at its entrance to mark the distinction. Chris just has to have a picture of herself with gumboot. Wot next!
Last stop before Welly (Wellington) is Gravity Canyon where adrenaline freaks can bungy jump or do tandem swings over incredible gorge. Scary stuff again, even for us mere onlookers. Countryside around here is amazing - weird pointy hills everywhere. Expecting hobbits to pop out of them at any time. Like Tongariro, real Lord of The Rings and Hobbit country - a perfect place for Hobbiton, we think.
Heading south-east from 'up north' to the Bay of Islands - a string of undeveloped islands in turquoise waters. It's one of NZ's top tourist attractions and easy to see why. This is where Aucklanders head on weekends - and being sunny and warm, and Labor weekend to boot, it's busy around here. A beautiful spot, though, for sure - and much history attached. The Bay was the site of the first European settlement and also where the Declaration of Independence of New Zealand was signed in 1835. It really is a gorgeous day and we spend the afternoon here - not long enough - before pushing on further south to our campsite for the night.
Horse-riding on Pakiri Beach
Early start to Sunday morning as Chris has booked in to for a two-hour horse ride on Pakiri Beach - a stunning white sand bay which stretches north and south as far as the eye can see. The stables house around 100 horses - and Chris get to partner one of them named 'Beckham'. Off Becks and Chris go, while I take a stroll on Pakiri - get my shorts well wet while wading across a stream to get to the beach (yup a lot deeper than I had accounted for) and get chased by two angry and very aggressive terns who had decided that I had come too close to their nesting area. They looked mad and mean, so I beat a hasty retreat to the solitude of the beach.
Chris reports that she had a great time with Becks, cantering through dunes and woods and along the edge of the ocean. Heaven, but it takes its toll on the knees, which Chris reports are 'killing me.' Must be old age, luv!
Goat Island
No goats on this island, despite its unusual name - but sea around it is like an aquarium. You only need to step into the water knee-deep to see all sorts of marine life - giant blue-dotted snappers and blue maomao. Visibility for snorkelling is superb and there are many people scuba diving here. Cooler water than Fiji for sure, but warmer than back home so John takes the plunge. Yes, some great fish out there and coming out of the water he nearly steps on a stingray, which is not a good idea. Fortunately, the beautiful and big ray has spotted the clumsy-hoofed Welshman heading his way and makes a dignified exit to deeper waters. John's glad, though admits that this close encounter of the sea kind was a thrilling one. We round off day with a great meal at a local restaurant/microbrewery called The Sawmill Cafe. Chris tries the snapper (delicious). No stingray on the menu, nor goat either! John goes for rabbit (delicious too).
Raglan (not South-East Wales, but West Coast, NZ)
We have been on the road two months to the day. Can't quite believe it. Time seems to be flying by. It's back down through Auckland and west across to Raglan - a small surfing town and one of the top places in NZ to catch quality waves. The classic 60s surf film The Endless Summer was shot at nearby Manu Bay. The day we visit the surf is not big, but we can see why surf dudes head here in search of trying to catch the perfect wave, which was what Bruce Brown's film was all about. We like Raglan, it's a very easy-going, laid-back kind of a place where one sunny day just drifts into another. Love to see it when the surf at Manu is really up.
Lake Taupo
The lake, born out a volcanic eruption, is NZ's largest - and we pull in to a nearby campsite to check it and surrounding area out. Take a long and quite challenging walk to Huka Falls on NZ's longest river The Waikato. It's a 3-hr round trip, but well worth it as was soaking our feet in a natural hot spring on the way back. Lake Taupo itself is stunning too - a much bigger version of Crater Lake in Oregon. Next day we head for the Tongariro National Park and on the way stop off to see some very brave folk bungy jump off a cliff edge over the Waikato. It's a 47m hurtle into oblivion and a dunk in the river below for your troubles. Us non-brave people stand in awe on a platform jutting out over the river watching, which suits us just fine.
Tongariro National Park
This is active volcano country dominated by three near 3,000-metre peaks - Mt Ruapehu, Mt Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe. The latter was chosen as Mt Doom and the area around it as Mordor in The Lord Of The Rings movie trilogy. This is serious hiking country. Not being serious hikers we take the easy option and drive as near to the volcanoes as we can - and yes, some of them are smoking. It's a cloudy day when we visit and the peaks are not truly visible, but we see enough. 'Mt Doom' is the most breath-taking of the three - it's one conical vent soaring skywards into the clouds, while Mt Ruapehu was still capped in heavy snow. Called in to tiny ski resort village of Whakapapa to get great views of volcanoes before staying for night in quiet village of Ohakune, apprently the country's carrot capital. The world's largest carrot was grown here and is preserved at the entrance to the town. John just has to have picture of himself with carrot. Wot next!
Wellington-bound
South Island next, so a long drive on to Wellington, NZ's capital where we will pick up ferry for three-hour crossing across Cook Strait. On the way down stop at Tangiwai Memorial which marks the scene of one of NZ's worst disasters. On Christmas Eve 1953 the level of the crater lake on Mt Ruapehu rose, a dam burst and a 20ft wave of water and mud swept down the mountain and reduced the railway bridge to a tangled and twisted rubble of iron moments before a crowded express train was due to arrive. Despite the heroic efforts of a local man, armed with just a torch, to try warn the engine driver of the impending disaster, the train hurtled into the chasm below killing more than 150 people. The spot is an eerie and poignant place to visit, the river running so quietly. Hard to believe such a terrible disaster could have occured there.
On a happier note we also take time out at a little town called Taihape. Now if Ohakune is the carrot capital of NZ, then Taihape is recognised as The Gumboot Capital of the World and has a large gumboot at its entrance to mark the distinction. Chris just has to have a picture of herself with gumboot. Wot next!
Last stop before Welly (Wellington) is Gravity Canyon where adrenaline freaks can bungy jump or do tandem swings over incredible gorge. Scary stuff again, even for us mere onlookers. Countryside around here is amazing - weird pointy hills everywhere. Expecting hobbits to pop out of them at any time. Like Tongariro, real Lord of The Rings and Hobbit country - a perfect place for Hobbiton, we think.
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