Thur 28 Jan - The Rob Roy Glacier

Today was the day for some strenuous exercise we decided, so after moving our belongings to a cabin at a different motor camp, we headed up the dirt track road to Mount Aspiring. Again it was a gorgeous day, sunny and hot with temps in the mid 20s. The views on the way were inspiring (quite appropriate, really) and as we parked at the start of the scenic footpaths we felt very positive about the walk ahead. Initially we had a gentle walk by the side of a river before crossing a ‘swing bridge’ as the Kiwis call them. Actually it was one of those narrow cable bridges suspended from either end and the word ‘swing’ describes the motion of the bridge as you walk across. Needless to say Christine was not a happy bunny! However this was only the start, the hike (or tramp as they call in these here parts) which was rated as easy/moderate in the guide books turned out to be strenuous/diabolical in the Carr grading system so we didn’t actually make it to the top but took some great pictures of the glacier on the way up nonetheless. We were put off making the final push when we came across a sign saying it was only another 30 mins and we had by then been climbing for nearly two hours. Once we got back to Wanaka it was a quick cooling dip in the lake for Mike whilst Christine bought supplies for a barbecue. Whilst cooking and eating the meal at the site we met up with two sets of people from the USA and one from France – such is the mix of visitors to NZ!

Wed 27 Jan - The Haast Pass to Wanuka

We continued our journey down the west coast of the South Island accompanied by the mountains of the Southern Alps on our left and the coast at irregular intervals on our right. One such meeting with the coast occurred at Bruce Bay where we stopped to take photos of beach sculpture that people had left at the top of the beach. The sculpture was made from stones and wood piled up to make interesting shapes and covered the length of what must have been nearly a mile. Quite incredible! At Haast Junction – two houses, a café/bar and a DOC Visitor Centre – we turned inland and up over the Haas Pass, the road through which had only been completed in the ‘60s. The views up the pass and out on to Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea were truly astounding and again there were many stops for photo ops.
We stayed the night at the town of Wanaka, on the edge of the lake and surrounded by snow-capped peaks. If it hadn’t have been for the rather grotty accommodation here it would have been ideal!

Tues 26 Jan - The Glaciers

For some unknown reason we had thought that the only way to the glaciers was by official vehicle, so the previous afternoon had booked a tour to the Franz Josef Glacier. When we got on the minibus, which was full of backpackers, we found it drove us up to the car park that we could just as easily driven to in our MPV and deposited us to walk the remaining couple of miles to the glacier terminus! Nevermind, you live and learn! So we walked up to the base of the glacier that was a fantastic experience and needless to say took many pictures.
After lunch back in the village and a long session in the Department of Conservation visitor centre we headed over to the other glacier in the area, the Fox Glacier. This was on a much smaller scale, both in terms of the village and viewpoints for the glacier, so having become all glaciered out we headed for Lake Matheson which was alleged to have some great viewing points of the glacier from a distance. After some more walking we got the required pics and returned to a very impressive new café/restaurant and craft shop at the car park. It should be mentioned here that paying for parking is a very unusual event in New Zealand. Apart from on–street parking in Wellington we have never had to pay for parking anywhere and there haven’t been any of those pesky cameras around!
Christine asks me to include a piece of culinary detail for those of you into this sort of thing: her Caesar Salad at a restaurant/bar in Franz Josef that evening included two poached eggs sitting on top. Needless to say the restaurant management was made aware of this peculiarity!

Mon 25 Jan - The West Coast

After another early morning swim, this time in the raging surf of the west coast rather than the millpond of Golden Bay, we headed south for our drive down to Franz Josef Glacier. What a drive this turned out to be with the road alongside the beach for mile after mile. It reminded us very much of the drive alongside the Pacific on Route 1 from San Francisco to LA and was every much as picturesque. We were in danger of disrupting our schedule as we kept stopping for photos! Of the towns on the west coast Greymouth and Hotitika were the only ones worth a mention, all the others were much smaller than the map appeared to indicate and in England would have hardly registered as villages! Greymouth is the regional centre and was reasonably interesting whilst Hotitika was a charming little town famous for the Greenstone, or Jade, found in the surrounding area. We stopped here for a late lunch and to buy a Greenstone pendant for a fellow bellringer in Colerne who had specifically requested such a purchase.
Here it should be noted that the lunch was late due to our stopping off at a Quilt shop en route. Christine had been dozing and awoke to see a sign for a quilt shop flash by which I had completely missed. Needless to say we turned around and spent the next 45 minutes talking quilts and retrievers (yes, she had one of those too) whilst the non-quilter’s stomach was rumbling! However she did point us in the direction of a good place for lunch in Hotitika so the visit wasn’t totally without its plus points. Another plus for Hotitika was the existence of a wonderful old picture house which was featuring “ Morris, my life with Bells On”, a film which Christine has raved about to everyone but no cinema in the UK seemed to be showing it!
From Hotitika we pushed on to Franz Josef Glacier where we stayed in a cabin in another excellent ‘Top Ten’ holiday park.

Sun 24 Jan - Across the Great Divide to the West Coast

After an early morning swim we packed up and were on the road by 9.30 am! It was clear and sunny so the drive up and over Takaka Hill was stunning. What a Sunday morning drive this would have been in the Porsche! New Zealand must have some of the best driving roads in the world. Despite being single carriageway the roads are generally straight with flowing bends. What appear to be towns marked on the map are no more than one or two houses so progress is good so one is able to maintain an average speed close to the legal limit of 60 mph. The distinct lack of traffic, even in the height of the holiday season also helps! From Motueka we took a back road across to Murchison and then on down through the Buller Gorge to Westport. Again, there was fantastic scenery most of the way. It has to be said that Westport was a disappointment, an old coal mining town, it was still heavily industrialised and on a Sunday afternoon the Main Street was like a ghost town! We stayed in a cabin at the ‘Top Ten’ holiday park at nearby Carter’s Beach which was marginally better. This time our evening excursion was to visit a Seal colony a little way down the coast which kept the naturalists amongst us happy. Why is it you can always smell a seal colony long before you see it?

Sat 23 Jan - Sun and Sand on Golden Bay

We bade farewell to Collingwood and drove back south to Takaka, a place that had intrigued us on our drive up two days previously. Indeed there appeared to be a significant number of people (old and young) sporting dreadlocks and ponytails and dressed, shall we say, unconventionally. After coffee at the Wholemeal Café and a stroll through the Saturday market – another similarity to Totnes being the ‘White Elephant’ stalls – we headed to Pohara Beach and checked in at the ‘Top Ten’ Holiday Park. This was located right behind the beach so we were able to walk from our cabin about 40 metres to reach the beach where we spent the afternoon. Despite lacking the excuse of having no swimming costume Christine was still unable to summon the courage for a dip! After enough hours in the sun we decided to explore the road into the Abel Tasman National Park and discovered some truly astounding golden sand beaches. As a lot of New Zealand is formed from volcanic rock many of the beaches have dark sand – particularly on the North Island – so the colour of the Abel Tasman beaches was particularly conspicuous. After our 15 mile drive on dirt tracks we were ready for our first home cooked meal followed by a planned coffee at one of the café/restaurants nearby. To our surprise we discovered that Kiwis retire to bed early, not one of the places was open at 10.00 pm. Another similarity with the USA!

Fri 22 Jan - Farewell Spit

After the obligatory ‘flat white’ (coffee) we headed out to do some exploring in the area. First it was to the Aurore gold fields which had brought Collingwood its shortlived fame in the first place. Then on up the coast to Port Puponga (originally famous for coal mining) and over to the west coast and Wharaiki Beach. This is a truly magical place, sand dunes and cliffs, with rolling surf, lashed by a strong onshore breeze. It is easy to understand why the guide books describe it as one of the most beautiful beaches in New Zealand. Then back to Port Puponga and out onto Farwell Spit which is the thin hook like spit of sand which reaches out 15 miles from the northern tip of the South Island. Most of the Spit is a nature reserve so you are only allowed to venture onto the first mile or so. After a day of glorious weather it started to rain on our way back to Collingwood however our spirits were not dampened as it was on this run that we got a call from Air New Zealand to say that they had found Christine’s bag and would deliver it to us at our motel that evening. In celebration we went for a meal at the local ‘tavern’ where we met two German backpackers. Christine was able to give some motherly advice to one of them who thought that the best way to cure a bout of gippy tummy was to have a large portion of chips!
At 10.00 pm Christine’s bag was duly delivered and there was exceeding rejoicing!

Thur 21 Jan - First Encounter of the South Island

Up early – 6.00 am to catch the Interislander ferry for Picton. The crossing was smooth but it was overcast and there were intermittent spots of rain. As we sailed down the Queen Charlotte Sound and into Picton the heavens opened, but it didn’t stop us appreciating the beautiful scenery as the boat wound it way down inlets that almost seemed too narrow! From the boat we immediately turned onto Queen Charlotte Drive, a narrow winding road that gave us some fabulous sights as we left Picton and headed for Nelson. The scenery on route was just staggering and needless to say there were many stops for photo ops! Unfortunately this part of the trip for was blighted for Christine by the news that Air New Zealand had still not located her luggage.
As a result we spent some time in Nelson shopping for essentials, Christine coming away with just a pair of sandals - she is a hopeless shopper, if only it had been my bag that had gone missing!
We headed on further north and up over the ‘Marble Mountain’ and down into the township of Takaka, which lived up to its reputation as the home of the alternative lifestyle judging by the art and craft shops and advertisements for herbal remedies lining the road. This must be New Zealand’s answer to Totnes! Another half hours drive and we reached our destination of Collingwood on the Golden Bay. It was exactly as Google’s ‘Street View’ had shown and we found our accommodation in the old Police House without problem.

Wed 20 Jan - The Road to Wellington

On the road by 10.30, having confirmed that Christine’s bag was still lost in the airline baggage system somewhere. The road south was initially fairly flat and uninteresting but eventually we became aware of some mountains to the south and west of us – was this the South Island we could see? As we approached closer it was obvious that these highlands were a ridge running north to south on the North Island that would skirt. As we drove further south the road was squeezed between the mountains and the sea until we headed up over the hills and down into Wellington. What an approach! We were immediately stunned by the gorgeous setting of this city with the water and surrounding scenery of the Bay on one side and the houses spreading away up the sides of the hill above and around the city. What a fabulous sight!
After sorting our accommodation we strolled out onto the downtown waterfront and enjoyed a good fish meal in a restaurant overlooking the bay and city waterfront. We decided we must spend more time in the city on our return from the South Island!

Tues 19 Jan - Opunake

Still no news on the missing luggage front – KLM has gone way down on Christine’s list of favourite airlines, even below Delta!
Sampled the delights of a ‘flat white’ (coffee that is) at the Juicy Lucy café in town and drove out to the lighthouse at Cape Egmont – New Zealand’s most westerly point, and then back to Opunake for a swim and ice cream. Weather still hot and sunny.

Mon 18 Jan - Opunake and New Plymouth

Christine is still existing in the clothes she arrived in and the volcano hasn't erupted yet!
Today started with an early morning walk as we had not slept well. The cliff top is only a 10 minute stroll from R & J’s place so we completed part of the coast path walk from ‘Lion’s Lookout’ back to Opunake beach. It was somewhat disappointing to discover that the ‘Lion’ refers to the group who erected the wooden lookout rather than to any animal or geographical association. After breakfast we had a walk down to the town library where there is free wifi access and the ability to download my blog! After lunch on the deck at R & J's – the weather was fine and sunny with temps in the low 20’s (centigrade) – we headed off to a local beach for some fun with the surf boards. It was then on to New Plymouth to do some clothes shopping for Christine – not very successfully – and on for an early evening meal in a downtown pub. The day was rounded off with a visit to the famous Pukekura park for an outdoor Country and Western concert followed by a viewing of the ‘Festival of Lights’ also in the park. The concert was somewhat disappointing, comprising 3 solo artists taking it in turns to sing Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson numbers to a Karaoke backing system! Still we had a good laugh, particularly at the German who tried hard to stir the audience out of its rigor mortis with some poorly received jokes!

Sunday 17 Jan - Mount Taranaki

Well the luggage has still not turned up and Christine is having to dress herself in re-washed underwear and borrowed T-shirts!
The remainder of our journey to Jackie and Richard’s was event free although the landing at New Plymouth in a small 50 seat turbo-prop and strong cross winds was exciting to say the least! Needless to say, Christine was less than impressed.
Today started cloudy with the promise of the weather improving, so we decided to do a circuit of Mount Taranaki – a sleeping volcano – which forms the unique backdrop to the pretty coastal town of Opunake where Richard and Jackie live. We saw waterfalls and fantastic views from the lower reaches accessible by car. At one Visitor Centre there was a sign pointing the direction of various walks which ranged from a walk to the summit (8 to 10 hrs) to a walk to the viewing platform (4 mins). Needless to say we opted for the latter!
So, our first full day in NZ and no further catastrophies, even the volcano has remained sleeping! But we note worryingly that it is due an eruption at any time!

Sat 16th Jan - Auckland Airport

Just a quick note to let you know that we arrived okay in New Zealand. Okay that is, if you discount the flight cancellations and lost baggage! Just waiting in terminal for final flight on down to New Plymouth where brother Rich and sister-in-law Jackie will be waiting for us (we hope). More later.
PS the bag that went misssing had to be Christine's didn't it?!

Thursday, 14th Jan - Bristol Airport

Well it had to happen, all was going too well! We managed to get out of the village okay despite there being six inches of lying snow deposited the previous day, but on arrival at Bristol airport we were advised that our first flight to Amsterdam had been cancelled and as a result all our flights had been re-scheduled! So here we are, its 10.00 am and our new flight is not due to leave until 15.45 - something tells me we shall get to know Bristol airport better than we ever wanted to. In retrospect its a good job that decided to pass on the meeting with next door neighbour Marion's daughter in Tokyo, since we are now going via Hong Kong! The only other problem (apart from how do we stop ourselves dying of boredom at Bristol) is that the re-scheduled flights leave very little time for us to make our connection in Auckland for the onward flight to New Plymouth. Will we be in any fit state to sprint for this flight after 23 hours plus in the air? Watch this space!

Introduction

Christine and I had promised ourselves a holiday in Australia and New Zealand since I retired six years ago. The plan had been to visit daughters Louise and Emma in Wellington and Sydney respectively before their return to the UK. We partly missed this objective as Lou (and Dan) returned to the UK in April 2009, so all the more reason to make the trip now before Emma also decided that blighty held some attraction!

We decided that six weeks was a reasonable time to spend away from home and our dog Chester and travelling during Jan and Feb gave us the benefit of missing part of our winter and exploring these countries during their summer, so tickets were booked for our big adventure arriving in New Zealand on 16th Jan and leaving Australia on 26th Feb. We had always realised that six weeks was insufficient for anything like a full tour of both countries so we decided to concentrate on New Zealand with a quickish stop (two weeks) on the way back to stay with Emma (and her partner Charlie).

A general plan was hatched to fly to Auckland and then on to New Plymouth for the first few days to be spent staying with my brother Richard and sister-in-law Jackie at their house in Opunake. We would then head south to Wellington with an overnight stop in the city before catching the ferry to the South Island. After an anticlockwise tour of the island, going as far as Milford Sound if possible, we will return to the North Island and head up through the east/central area to Auckland before returning to New Plymouth and our flight to Sydney via Auckland.