Lake Matheson - New Zealand
Sitting in the middle of a farmland of cows and sheep, six kilometers west of Fox Glacier township, in the West Coast region of the South Island, lies New Zealand's most famous photograph stop, Lake Matheson. A small lake that earned its fame not for its dark brown waters. Not for its west coast rain forest. Not even for the abundance of water birds and other wildlife. But famous for the reflected mirror-like images of the twin peaks of Mount Cook and Mount Tasman in its dark waters.This ancient lake was formed about 14,000 years ago, when the Fox Glacier retreated towards the sea and carved a slight depression in the landscape that eventually became filled with water. The waters of Lake Matheson are dark brown. The discoloring effect of the water is caused by the natural leaching of organic matter from the native forest floor surrounding the lake. So on a calm day, the dark hue of the water creates the ideal reflective surface, while the participation of the surrounding forest gives the lake shelter, context and protection from the wind providing a smooth surface to produce a perfect natural mirror. Set against the backdrop of the perfectly positioned Mount Cook (or Aoraki in Maori) and Mount Tasman to reflect in the glassy lake, Lake Matheson ultimately earned itself another name, the “Mirror Lake”, which appropriately describes what it is stands for.
Visitors from around the world have come to the lake to enjoy the reflected view of the Southern Alps. Year after year, it never failed to attract more people (travelers/passers-by), especially photographers, to stop, film, photograph to get dozens of amazing vistas of this jewel in New Zealand's scenic crown.
There are two particular designated 'perfect' spot for reflection photos around the lake, the Jetty View Point and the Reflection Island. Visiting just after dawn when the water often sits incredibly still and during the afternoon sunset is the most ideal time to take a picture. Offering infinite photo opportunities, it truly is a “photographer's paradise”- you just can't get enough of her.
So they say, and so do I, nature successfully joined the right elements to create one of the most stunning and iconic views in New Zealand. While Google will give you the numerous search results of this lake, still, the best way to achieve a meaningful experience of such a magnificent lake is to see it “up close and personal”.
Many Happy Trails
I am a bit biased, I admit. I am from California and am proud of the fact. We have everything you could ever want -- beaches, mountains, small towns, cities like San Francisco. What do you like to do? We have it. You like picking mushrooms, deer hunting, swimming, diving, surfing, hiking? We have it. So, when I say that New Zealand reminds me of California, that is a good thing.
We have been hiking almost every day. It has been great. First we hiked near the sea, then in fern laden forests, over mountains, and through gorges. We have seen every different kind of terrain and climate. It snowed on us a few days ago. We went swimming a few days before that.
If you like hiking (tramping in NZ terms) you will love New Zealand. If you like beaches, you will love NZ. If you like skiing or mountains, you guessed it. You will still love New Zealand. It is actually smaller than California; it is about the size of Colorado. There are only 4 million people. The largest city is small by our standards. It is great. As I mentioned before, there are 10 sheep for every one person.
A couple of things we have enjoyed besides hiking.
We have been hiking almost every day. It has been great. First we hiked near the sea, then in fern laden forests, over mountains, and through gorges. We have seen every different kind of terrain and climate. It snowed on us a few days ago. We went swimming a few days before that.
If you like hiking (tramping in NZ terms) you will love New Zealand. If you like beaches, you will love NZ. If you like skiing or mountains, you guessed it. You will still love New Zealand. It is actually smaller than California; it is about the size of Colorado. There are only 4 million people. The largest city is small by our standards. It is great. As I mentioned before, there are 10 sheep for every one person.
A couple of things we have enjoyed besides hiking.
Meat pies.(and beer!)
Tiny horses (or ponies).
Seeing where the hobbits live. That's me being Gollum (in the rain).
Awesome Beaches.
Strange mushrooms.
And of course....a couple of hiking pics!
So, I know I sound like a Chamber of Commerce ad for New Zealand, but I love it here! I have a lot to say about it and although this post is short and photo heavy, once I get back into "real" internet land, I will talk more about WHY I love it so much. Until then, Happy Tramping!
Oh and a very late Happy Easter to everyone! I have been out of blogland lately, but am looking forward to reading everyone's posts once I get home!
How To Peacefully Coexist
So, I think I mentioned that we rented a camper-van and are driving around the North Island of New Zealand.
Have you ever been in a tiny box with the same person for a very, very long time? You sleep in it; you (sometimes) eat in it; you put your dirty socks in it; you drive everywhere in it. It is not self contained, aka, it does not have a shower or a toilet or a power supply, so you spend a lot of time with your head light strapped to your head, playing rummikub inside the van (down by the river).
You also spend a lot of time fighting over who's going to drive, directions/where to go, why so and so's stinky socks are sitting on so and so's backpack, why so and so forgot to plug in or unplug the fridge, where did so and so put the cups.....and so on.
And there is no place to go. You can go and sit in the front to "be alone", instead of sitting in the back. We have made a joke about it -- the front is the study, the back is the living room.
The problem is compounded by the fact that it gets dark around 6, so there is not really anything to do after that. Also, the camping grounds often close their gates around 6 (it is going on winter here), so you can't even leave and go do something. Also, some of them don't even have lights or a table or anything! So you have no choice than to...you guessed it...sit in the van!
We have also only had one place with hot showers, so not only is it dark in the van, but it's pretty smelly! So, why do we subject ourselves to this, you are wondering. Well, despite all above statements, it's FUN! We can go wherever we want, whenever we want to. We can even drive till we drop and then sleep pretty much wherever! We have spent the night near the beach, in prime forest locations, with great views and...even in a parking lot. We have all our food with us -- I can have a ham a cheese sandwich ready in a jiff, no matter where we are! We don't have to carry our backpacks or find out when the next bus is! We can go to all the nooks and crannies that public transportation doesn't go to! It's GREAT! Such freedom!
Anyway, it's been 7 days so far -- we have 15 to go. We haven't killed each other YET (keep your fingers crossed for me). I will check back in a week or so and we will see how it's going then, shall we!
Today's post is part of the A-Z blogfest. H is for How. You can find the rest HERE.
I leave you with a photo:
PS -- Deirdra over at A Storybook World just awarded me this. Thanks Deirdra!
Have you ever been in a tiny box with the same person for a very, very long time? You sleep in it; you (sometimes) eat in it; you put your dirty socks in it; you drive everywhere in it. It is not self contained, aka, it does not have a shower or a toilet or a power supply, so you spend a lot of time with your head light strapped to your head, playing rummikub inside the van (down by the river).
You also spend a lot of time fighting over who's going to drive, directions/where to go, why so and so's stinky socks are sitting on so and so's backpack, why so and so forgot to plug in or unplug the fridge, where did so and so put the cups.....and so on.
And there is no place to go. You can go and sit in the front to "be alone", instead of sitting in the back. We have made a joke about it -- the front is the study, the back is the living room.
The problem is compounded by the fact that it gets dark around 6, so there is not really anything to do after that. Also, the camping grounds often close their gates around 6 (it is going on winter here), so you can't even leave and go do something. Also, some of them don't even have lights or a table or anything! So you have no choice than to...you guessed it...sit in the van!
We have also only had one place with hot showers, so not only is it dark in the van, but it's pretty smelly! So, why do we subject ourselves to this, you are wondering. Well, despite all above statements, it's FUN! We can go wherever we want, whenever we want to. We can even drive till we drop and then sleep pretty much wherever! We have spent the night near the beach, in prime forest locations, with great views and...even in a parking lot. We have all our food with us -- I can have a ham a cheese sandwich ready in a jiff, no matter where we are! We don't have to carry our backpacks or find out when the next bus is! We can go to all the nooks and crannies that public transportation doesn't go to! It's GREAT! Such freedom!
Anyway, it's been 7 days so far -- we have 15 to go. We haven't killed each other YET (keep your fingers crossed for me). I will check back in a week or so and we will see how it's going then, shall we!
Today's post is part of the A-Z blogfest. H is for How. You can find the rest HERE.
I leave you with a photo:
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| Snell's Bay |
PS -- Deirdra over at A Storybook World just awarded me this. Thanks Deirdra!
Great News (and No Net)
I have great news! I was featured over at For The Love of Blogs!! This is like the granddaddy of all good blogs! If you are looking for a new blog to read, new things to learn, fashion, food and fun, this is a great site. AND all the folks who are part of the community over there are really great as well. Thanks girls!
As a side note, as gung ho as I was about the A-Z Blogfest, I have some sad news to report. There is not very much wifi in New Zealand. I KNOW! I thought it would be no problem getting online, but alas, I was mistaken! Sometimes you can find internet cafes, but the going rate seems to be about 8 dollars an hour. And as much as I love blogging, I am just not sure it is worth that much. So. Darn it! I had such great plans! However, I will probably keep up the letter theme just for fun. As you can see, today is G for Great!
Right now, not only are we deprived of the internet, but we are driving around the North Island of New Zealand in a camper-van. What an adventure! The camping facitilies range from a dark "parking lot" to nice ones, like the one we are in now, which has hot showers (NOT common), laundry (yay for not being smelly for a little while) and wifi (for 8 dollars an hour! This will not be a long post *wink wink*)
We spent the last week touring Northland, which is the area north of Auckland. We did a lot of hiking -- we have been *trying* to hike a little each day so we will be "in shape" when we get home (just in time for summer and bathing suit season).
I am going crazy thinking while hiking: adding things to my mile long To Do List, thinking about how and when I will get a job, thinking of the people to visit and the things to see while I am home. It will be really nice to unpack and at least be in one place for a couple of weeks. Then I will have to go back to work!
I will leave you with some photos of the New Zealand scenery.
Fun fact about New Zealand: There are about 4 million people and 40 million sheep. This = 10 sheep per person!
As a side note, as gung ho as I was about the A-Z Blogfest, I have some sad news to report. There is not very much wifi in New Zealand. I KNOW! I thought it would be no problem getting online, but alas, I was mistaken! Sometimes you can find internet cafes, but the going rate seems to be about 8 dollars an hour. And as much as I love blogging, I am just not sure it is worth that much. So. Darn it! I had such great plans! However, I will probably keep up the letter theme just for fun. As you can see, today is G for Great!
Right now, not only are we deprived of the internet, but we are driving around the North Island of New Zealand in a camper-van. What an adventure! The camping facitilies range from a dark "parking lot" to nice ones, like the one we are in now, which has hot showers (NOT common), laundry (yay for not being smelly for a little while) and wifi (for 8 dollars an hour! This will not be a long post *wink wink*)
We spent the last week touring Northland, which is the area north of Auckland. We did a lot of hiking -- we have been *trying* to hike a little each day so we will be "in shape" when we get home (just in time for summer and bathing suit season).
I am going crazy thinking while hiking: adding things to my mile long To Do List, thinking about how and when I will get a job, thinking of the people to visit and the things to see while I am home. It will be really nice to unpack and at least be in one place for a couple of weeks. Then I will have to go back to work!
I will leave you with some photos of the New Zealand scenery.
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| As seen from the back window of the camper-van. |
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| Northland -- Snells Bay |
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| Typical NZ Resident |
New Zealand: Paradise for Food Lovers
New Zealand cuisine is as diverse as it gets. Determined mainly by local ingredients and seasonal variations, New Zealand's cuisine is generally described as the Pacific Rim cuisine with dash of influences from Europe, Asia and Polynesia.
Auckland and the far north region of the country have several specialities, such as citrus fruits, nuts, avocados and Asian vegetables. Tarakihi, hapuku and flounder are the common type of fish in the north; whereas in the colder region of the south there's more emphasis on sole, groper, blue cod and turbot.
In the regions of Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa, Canterbury and Southland good-quality lamb and beef is easily available. In such areas cervena venison, which is a low-fat, healthy kind of red meat, is also found. If you are into healthy but delicious red meat then get your air tickets to New Zealand and devour on these scrumptious offerings.
For wine lovers, airlines to New Zealand are like airlines to the paradise. A number of country's districts specialise in grape-growing. Each region has its own speciality wines that are offered with amazing local food combinations. Let's have a look at some of the eating joints in New Zealand that are worth a visit.
Mt Maunganui's Providores Urban Food Store has a casual charm but with the serious dose of culinary quality. Patrons can surf videos flickered across the walls as they choose between lip-smacking home-smoked meats, sticky orange jams and buttery fresh-baked pastries.
Stewart Island's Kai Kart is popular for dishing out incredible fish and chips. The tiny eating joint serves fresh blue cod and yummy battered mussels. Enjoy the alfresco dining experience with winds blowing up in your face.
Niagara Falls Café in the Catlins is located in a restored 19th-century schoolhouse. The place serves lip-smacking coffee and delicious cheesecake along with local wines and beers. The café also features an art gallery that makes your visit to the place quite interesting.
If you are in Queenstown and looking for a quick snack, you can't go past Fergburger. A favourite burger joint among the local crowd, it is a must visit for Queenstown visitors. If fancy and sophistication is what you are looking for, then walk into the Solera Vino, a fine-dining French restaurant that is known for its delicate flavours, amazing wine and perfect service. Queenstown is on every visitor's itinerary to the country and even if you don't have it on, you can easily book cheap tickets in any of New Zealand's domestic flights and land up in Queenstown to experience the gourmet pleasure.
Passage New Zealand to Fiji
10 days - 1200 Nautical Miles
After six months on land I wasn't so sure what to expect from our upcoming passage to Fiji. Would we get right back into the swing of things or would it take us days / weeks to adjust? I was also a little apprehensive about our next year of cruising. New Zealand had spoiled us; cheap phones, fast internet, endless grocery stores, and let's not forget not a single day of sea sickness! All of this in one of the most spectacular places I've ever been. On the other hand I was ready to go. I was tired of traffic, of "crowds" (any population over 100 now constitutes as a crowd!), and especially of spending so much money. I was ready to relax again, swaying in a tropical breeze reading endless books.
Ready or not, we departed Opua, New Zealand on Sunday May 8th. This passage would be different for us in that we also had two "crew" aboard. Chris's cousin Andy and Andy's 14 year old daughter, Riley, had joined us from Alaska. We hadn't yet cruised with other people on board and weren't sure how "small" the boat would get. We headed out of the Bay of Islands with two boats following (MagMell and Stardust) and a couple more to leave the next day (Ascension and Freebird). It's always comforting to know we wouldn't be out there alone!
While the passage ended up being pretty unremarkable, there were a few days of nervousness at the beginning when Chris spotted a huge "bomb" on the weather fax to the East of us (Bomb = cyclone = high wind and large waves = YIKES). It was far enough away that we were currently quite safe, but we had to keep a close eye to ensure it didn't move our way. It also meant that we didn't make much Easting in our first days out as we didn't want to risk heading anywhere in the vicinity of the storm. By Friday we had safely cleared it and could head East (not to mention breathe easier). Of course by then the wind wasn't fully cooperating, making it a struggle to get East.
This was Andy and Riley's first sailing ocean passage. They handled it great. Boredom being their biggest hurtle. Riley would play hour upon hour of electronic Yahtzee while Andy would spend time staring out at the vast Ocean while listening to Music. I loved it when Andy said to Riley, "Don't you want to stand up and look around?" She replied, "Why? It's just water!!!". I couldn't agree more!
It was a bit strange for Chris and I as we tried to get into the cruising groove with two extra people aboard. Cruising with four defiantly has its bonuses as well as inconveniences. Andy was a superb helper; cooking, doing dishes, and providing us with an additional night watcher. We had added entertainment with Yahtzee tournaments and Wheel of Fortune championships. I'll admit though, that I missed the cruising rhythms and space of just the two of us. Also I felt like Chris and I became huge nags - as so many things on the boat had to be done a certain way. I hated constantly pestering and nagging about one thing or another - and I'm sure it got old with Andy and Riley as well (although they handled it like stars!). In total it all worked out well and we enjoyed their company and were enjoying the added entertainment of viewing cruising through their eyes!
About three to four days out of Savusavu it started to warm up. Ahh yes, to be back in the tropics - foul weather gear traded for shorts, beanie caps swapped for sun hats ... heading back to paradise.
About two days out Chris and I started talking about potentially having to slow the boat down. This was a bit of a shock to Andy and Riley, who after 8 days on a bumpy sailboat were ready for land. "What do you mean you're going to slow down?" Andy asked. We tried to explain that if it didn't look like we could make it during daylight then we have to slow down so that we arrive the following morning. As it turned out we did end up reducing sail to slow the boat. Andy still wasn't convinced, trying to persuade us that speed was better. But we couldn't have made it in daylight on the 17th, so our best option was to slow and try to time it for a morning arrival on the 18th. As Murphy's Law would go - just as we attempt to slow, the winds continued to rise, and we couldn't get the boat to go slow enough! So, around midnight we had to heave-to outside the islands and wait for morning. Because the winds had picked up so had the swell - making it an uncomfortable night as the boat rolled side to side in the swell and the main sail slammed and banged echoing through the entire boat. In the morning I asked Andy, " So, after last night don't you wish we had slowed down earlier so we wouldn't have had to heave-to?". He still wouldn't give in - he preferred making speed for the guarantee that land would be there when the sun rose!
It was a beautiful sail into the bay as we looked up to green hillsides scattered with palm trees. We had to practically drag Riley on deck (from bed) to take in the sights. I think that early in the morning she wasn't impressed!
At 8:30am on Wednesday, May 18th (1200 nautical miles later), we picked up a mooring ball in Savusavu Bay, immensely enjoying the now steady boat. Chris and I got a great chuckle when Riley said "Is that the WHOLE town?" as we all stood on deck peering at the 4 or 5 buildings on the single road across the bay. Savusavu is one of the bigger towns Chris and I have been to during our 1-1/2 years of cruising!!!
| Route from NZ to SavuSavu Fiji |
After six months on land I wasn't so sure what to expect from our upcoming passage to Fiji. Would we get right back into the swing of things or would it take us days / weeks to adjust? I was also a little apprehensive about our next year of cruising. New Zealand had spoiled us; cheap phones, fast internet, endless grocery stores, and let's not forget not a single day of sea sickness! All of this in one of the most spectacular places I've ever been. On the other hand I was ready to go. I was tired of traffic, of "crowds" (any population over 100 now constitutes as a crowd!), and especially of spending so much money. I was ready to relax again, swaying in a tropical breeze reading endless books.
Ready or not, we departed Opua, New Zealand on Sunday May 8th. This passage would be different for us in that we also had two "crew" aboard. Chris's cousin Andy and Andy's 14 year old daughter, Riley, had joined us from Alaska. We hadn't yet cruised with other people on board and weren't sure how "small" the boat would get. We headed out of the Bay of Islands with two boats following (MagMell and Stardust) and a couple more to leave the next day (Ascension and Freebird). It's always comforting to know we wouldn't be out there alone!
While the passage ended up being pretty unremarkable, there were a few days of nervousness at the beginning when Chris spotted a huge "bomb" on the weather fax to the East of us (Bomb = cyclone = high wind and large waves = YIKES). It was far enough away that we were currently quite safe, but we had to keep a close eye to ensure it didn't move our way. It also meant that we didn't make much Easting in our first days out as we didn't want to risk heading anywhere in the vicinity of the storm. By Friday we had safely cleared it and could head East (not to mention breathe easier). Of course by then the wind wasn't fully cooperating, making it a struggle to get East.
This was Andy and Riley's first sailing ocean passage. They handled it great. Boredom being their biggest hurtle. Riley would play hour upon hour of electronic Yahtzee while Andy would spend time staring out at the vast Ocean while listening to Music. I loved it when Andy said to Riley, "Don't you want to stand up and look around?" She replied, "Why? It's just water!!!". I couldn't agree more!
It was a bit strange for Chris and I as we tried to get into the cruising groove with two extra people aboard. Cruising with four defiantly has its bonuses as well as inconveniences. Andy was a superb helper; cooking, doing dishes, and providing us with an additional night watcher. We had added entertainment with Yahtzee tournaments and Wheel of Fortune championships. I'll admit though, that I missed the cruising rhythms and space of just the two of us. Also I felt like Chris and I became huge nags - as so many things on the boat had to be done a certain way. I hated constantly pestering and nagging about one thing or another - and I'm sure it got old with Andy and Riley as well (although they handled it like stars!). In total it all worked out well and we enjoyed their company and were enjoying the added entertainment of viewing cruising through their eyes!
Hove-to:As usual we had radio contact with the other vessels making the passage. We were all quite near though we never saw another boat. The other vessels were making landfall in Suva (on Vita Levu), while we were heading to Savusavu (on Vanua Levu). We had a few slow days; slow enough that Andy asked, "At what point do you start the engine?". Ha Ha. Basically, we have to be just about standing still to motor (or trying to avoid a weather system). At one point Andy even offered to pay for the diesel if we would just motor! They were able to take advantage of the light winds when we hove-to and Andy and Riley jumped over board for a swim and bath.
Basically, setting the sails and rudder such that the boat is not making way.
About three to four days out of Savusavu it started to warm up. Ahh yes, to be back in the tropics - foul weather gear traded for shorts, beanie caps swapped for sun hats ... heading back to paradise.
About two days out Chris and I started talking about potentially having to slow the boat down. This was a bit of a shock to Andy and Riley, who after 8 days on a bumpy sailboat were ready for land. "What do you mean you're going to slow down?" Andy asked. We tried to explain that if it didn't look like we could make it during daylight then we have to slow down so that we arrive the following morning. As it turned out we did end up reducing sail to slow the boat. Andy still wasn't convinced, trying to persuade us that speed was better. But we couldn't have made it in daylight on the 17th, so our best option was to slow and try to time it for a morning arrival on the 18th. As Murphy's Law would go - just as we attempt to slow, the winds continued to rise, and we couldn't get the boat to go slow enough! So, around midnight we had to heave-to outside the islands and wait for morning. Because the winds had picked up so had the swell - making it an uncomfortable night as the boat rolled side to side in the swell and the main sail slammed and banged echoing through the entire boat. In the morning I asked Andy, " So, after last night don't you wish we had slowed down earlier so we wouldn't have had to heave-to?". He still wouldn't give in - he preferred making speed for the guarantee that land would be there when the sun rose!
It was a beautiful sail into the bay as we looked up to green hillsides scattered with palm trees. We had to practically drag Riley on deck (from bed) to take in the sights. I think that early in the morning she wasn't impressed!
At 8:30am on Wednesday, May 18th (1200 nautical miles later), we picked up a mooring ball in Savusavu Bay, immensely enjoying the now steady boat. Chris and I got a great chuckle when Riley said "Is that the WHOLE town?" as we all stood on deck peering at the 4 or 5 buildings on the single road across the bay. Savusavu is one of the bigger towns Chris and I have been to during our 1-1/2 years of cruising!!!
Art & Penny do New Zealand + Chris and I go South
covering South-East Coast, North Island and far South, South Island
2/26/05 - 3/24/05
by KT
Feb 26 - We headed to Auckland to hook up with our friend from Ventura, Phil (who now resides in New Zealand). We all traveled down to Kadikadi where we enjoyed a great dinner with some of Phil's friends and a few folks Chris had met in his New Zealand journeys two years back.
Feb 27 - Back to Auckland, where we hook up with Robin and Duncan (Whisper) for beers and Sushi. Overnight stay at the now very familiar Auckland airport holiday park!
Feb 28 - Airport pickup of Art and Penny and then back to Whangarei. Our fourth Christmas this year as we receive canned chicken, "just add water" mixes, silicone bake wear, and much much more! Lunch, naps, catching up, dinner, and off to bed.
March 1 - And we're off! Back to Auckland to visit the Auckland Museum which was hosting a quilting show (Penny is a HUGE (and fantastic) quilter). Another amazing museum (Chris and I are so impressed with the New Zealand museums). Drive on to Hamilton.
March 2 - Visit to the Hamilton Gardens. In Cambridge we stop at a terrific quilting store and Chris discovers Vintage Aged Gouda (at the wine/cheese store next door) ... which quickly becomes one of our favorite cheeses. Continue driving towards the Rotorua / Lake Taupo area. We stayed in between the two at Golden Springs, where we soaked in thermal pools, KT learned to cross-stitch, and the boys (Chris and Art) cooked a great BBQ dinner.
March 3 - Hike and Boat ride in the Waimangu Volcanic Valley. Take SH5 out to Napier (East Cost). Enjoy Pizza and Tapas for dinner.
March 4 - Explore Napier (store browsing and internet use). Visit a couple wineries in Hastings, where we enjoy a wine and cheese lunch in the vineyard! Drive on to Carterton, where Art and Penny stay in a terrific B&B and Chris and I camp in the B&B's yard!!!
March 5 - Visit the street fair in Martinborough (which ends up being HUGE).
March 6 - Drive to Wellington. A quick hour in the Te Papa Museum before catching the ferry over to Picton. Art and Penny treat us to a hotel stay (hooray real beds)
March 7 - Meet up with Ralph and Donna (Ocean Girl) for coffee before heading to Nelson. (Another treat from Art and Penny as they put us up with them in the B&B)
March 8 - After breakfast with Art & Penny, we say goodbye. Art & Penny are joining a group of eight or so on a 3 week day-hiking tour. We suspect we'll see them here and there along the way and then again in Christchurch before they depart. Chris & I head South, planning on 6 to 8 hours of driving in order to get far South where we will begin our leisurely tour. The Billavan has other ideas as it stutters & hiccups along. Eventually we end up backtracking about 100 clicks (km) to Christchurch where we hope to get the car fixed.
March 9 - A visit to the Mitsubishi dealer, who sends us to their partner shop, who can't see us until the 10th. We spend the day walking around Christchurch, visiting the art center, Canterbury Museum, and Botanic Gardens.
March 10 - Drop the car off at the mechanic (the car is of course now running perfect). Chris runs into another guy who has the exact same car, and is apparently having a similar problem! More walking around Christchurch, browsing sports shops, while Chris continues to check in on the car. Turns out they find NOTHING wrong (of course). We decide to just go anyway, what the heck have we got to lose? Leave late afternoon and head South ... right into a cold front, and man is it COLD! We even see the wind change directions - man is it eerie, I was ready for a twister to start up right then and there! End our travels at a holiday park in Timaru.
March 11 - Continue south along the coast, stopping in Moeraki to check out the touristy Moeraki boulders. Drive out Shag Point (mostly because of its name), where we spot two yellow-eyed penguins in the far far distance (not moving because they are molting). Continue on to Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula. Sneak a peak at the Larnach Castle (as we are too cheap to actually pay to go inside) and then head to Sandfly Beach for penguin watching. Spend about 2-3 hours in the Penguin hide ... but only spot one penguin (who, like the others, isn't moving, or fun at all to watch). As it is raining and we forgot our rain jackets in the car we finally give up :( Stay the night in Dunedin.
March 12 - Tunnel Beach Walk. Drive the Southern Scenic Route (through the Catlins). Stop at Nugget Point (check out the playing sea lions & lighthouse), Owaka Quilt Store, Purakaunui Waterfall, and finally Curio Bay. Curio bay is host to the fossil/petrified forest. Next, it's up to the Penguin hide and more waiting ... man is it COLD! Finally after about 2 hours ONE yellow-eyed penguin comes in (from fishing). And HOORAY he walks, waddles, jumps, and looks around, before disappearing into his nest!
March 13 - Drive out to Waipapa Point (another lighthouse and more sea lions). About five of us are on the beach taking photos of two sea lions playing, when one of the big guys decides he is territorial and CHASES (yes chases, and damn he moves fast) us!!! Car is acting up, but we finally make it to Te Anau (where we plan to park it for 4 days or so).
March 14 - Although the day starts with a low hanging thick realm of fog, by 11am it is crystal clear blue. We relax about Te Anau; taking pictures of the lake, visiting the wildlife (bird) sanctuary, doing a bit of laundry, and just enjoying the fantastic weather.
March 15 - Bike and Cruise Milford Sound. We end up being the only two people on this tour, which is terrific. We are picked up in Te Anau and driven up Milford Road to Hummer Tunnel. On the other side of the tunnel we hop on the bikes and ride ALL DOWNHILL into Milford, where we jump on a small cruise boat and head out for a 2 hour Milford Sound Cruise. Our guide picks us up and drives us back up to the Hummer Tunnel, and this time we ride ALL DOWNHILL down the other side! After lunch next to turquoise rapids of a river, we are driven back to Te Anau, making lots of photograph stops, including Mirror Lake and a Nature Walk through a forest of greens like we've never seen. We also end up running into Doug & Angela (Solstice) at the holiday park!
March 16 - Kayaking Doubtful Sound. Another outstanding tour. We are picked up in Te Anau, and along with 6 other people, taken on a 45 minute boat ride across Lake Manapouri. Next a short scenic bus ride over to another boat in Doubtful Sounds. The boat takes us deep into the Fiord (yes both Milford and Doubtful are really Fiords and not Sounds... they were improperly named a long time again). We hop into kayaks and enjoy a beautiful, flat, scenic day of kayaking Doubtful. We get to see it all again as we make our way back to Te Anau ... we just never get tired of the views, seem they change hourly!!!
March 17 - On to Wanaka. Art and Penny's group are also in Wanaka, so we hook up with them later in the afternoon and enjoy a great dinner with their group.
March 18 - Diamond Lake Track (hike) in Wanaka, with Art & Penny (and their group). This hike takes us up, up, & up, providing 360° views over Lake Wanaka and into Mount Aspiring National Park. We enjoy another terrific dinner with the group and some hot tubbing with Art & Penny.
March 19 - We're back on our own again (Art and Penny have headed towards Queenstown). We hitchhike into Mount Aspiring National Park, and go on one of our best hikes yet ... Rob Roy Valley. Even with the overcast skies and light rains we are thoroughly impressed with this tramp. We're lucky enough to find an easy ride back to our holiday park, and therefore treat ourselves to dinner out (with the money we saved by not having to pay for the shuttle into the Park!).
March 20 - A visit to Wanaka's Puzzling World in the morning and then on to Mount Cook. It's a holiday park with a view as we look down a valley directly at the towering Mount Cook. And what a treat, not only do the clouds lift enough for us to see the top, but the sunset warms the sky with changing shades of pinks and reds.
March 21 - We wanted to do the Hooker Valley Track (at Mount Cook), but the low clouds covered Mount Cook, and we figured it would be pointless if we couldn't see the views. Plus we had departed Wanaka a day early, so we were ahead of schedule. Instead we relaxed around the holiday park.
March 22 - Still some clouds in the sky, but we figured it was as good as it was going to get, so we headed off to do the Hooker Valley Track. We knew that Art and Penny (and group) would also be doing this hike today, but we had no idea what time they would start. Just at the entrance to the track, Chris looked out and saw their two distinct white vans making there way up the Mount Cook road ... we decided to wait and gave Art and Penny a pleasant surprise as we stood their waving when they pulled up. After the hike we departed ways again, Chris and I heading towards Christchurch. We hadn't decided how far we'd drive, but the van ended up running great, so we made it all the way into Christchurch.
March 23 - We had an appointment at the mechanic later in the afternoon, so we entertained ourselves with a movie at New Zealand's largest movie screen before heading over to the hotel where we were meeting Art and Penny. After our hellos, Chris took the car to the mechanic, Art and Penny went out to explore the museum and gardens, and I kicked back with my computer and the T.V.! Of course the car was running great (now that we were somewhere we could actually get it fixed), so the mechanic couldn't do anything!!!
March 24 - Art, Penny, Chris and I shuttled out to Akaroa for "swimming with the dolphins". While we spotted a few (cute little guys, the Hector dolphin is the smallest dolphin), we didn't get a chance to get real close or interact with them ... it was a fun adventure none-the-less!
March 25 - Art and Penny were off ... heading home. After all our goodbyes Chris and I headed towards Picton. Although we made a few stops, we just kept on driving, actually making it to Picton that night, and taking a night ferry over to Wellington.
March 26 - We started making our way back 'home'. We hadn't planned on driving so much in one day, but the van was more or less running okay, and it was raining so we weren't real enthusiastic to get out of the car ... we ended up making it all the way to Auckland ... where we stayed at our "favorite" holiday park.
March 27 - Easter Sunday! We called up Robin and Duncan and met them at their boat, Whisper. We were lucky enough to find a cafe open on a holiday Sunday where we caught up over breakfast. We hung out with Robin and Duncan all day and ended up staying over on Whisper. We were glad to spend the time with them as they will be staying in New Zealand this next year instead of moving on (with us) ... so we'll miss them!
March 28 - Back to Whangarei. Hooray, home again! After all this time in the van, the boat felt like a mansion!
Beyond - Since then we have been getting the boat ready ... double checking systems, washing the bottom, provisioning, etc etc etc. We've also taken time-out for BBQ's with our friends, and for a few goodbyes (to those that aren't following the same track as Chris and I).
2/26/05 - 3/24/05
by KT
Feb 26 - We headed to Auckland to hook up with our friend from Ventura, Phil (who now resides in New Zealand). We all traveled down to Kadikadi where we enjoyed a great dinner with some of Phil's friends and a few folks Chris had met in his New Zealand journeys two years back.
Feb 27 - Back to Auckland, where we hook up with Robin and Duncan (Whisper) for beers and Sushi. Overnight stay at the now very familiar Auckland airport holiday park!
Feb 28 - Airport pickup of Art and Penny and then back to Whangarei. Our fourth Christmas this year as we receive canned chicken, "just add water" mixes, silicone bake wear, and much much more! Lunch, naps, catching up, dinner, and off to bed.
March 1 - And we're off! Back to Auckland to visit the Auckland Museum which was hosting a quilting show (Penny is a HUGE (and fantastic) quilter). Another amazing museum (Chris and I are so impressed with the New Zealand museums). Drive on to Hamilton.
March 2 - Visit to the Hamilton Gardens. In Cambridge we stop at a terrific quilting store and Chris discovers Vintage Aged Gouda (at the wine/cheese store next door) ... which quickly becomes one of our favorite cheeses. Continue driving towards the Rotorua / Lake Taupo area. We stayed in between the two at Golden Springs, where we soaked in thermal pools, KT learned to cross-stitch, and the boys (Chris and Art) cooked a great BBQ dinner.
March 3 - Hike and Boat ride in the Waimangu Volcanic Valley. Take SH5 out to Napier (East Cost). Enjoy Pizza and Tapas for dinner.
March 4 - Explore Napier (store browsing and internet use). Visit a couple wineries in Hastings, where we enjoy a wine and cheese lunch in the vineyard! Drive on to Carterton, where Art and Penny stay in a terrific B&B and Chris and I camp in the B&B's yard!!!
March 5 - Visit the street fair in Martinborough (which ends up being HUGE).
March 6 - Drive to Wellington. A quick hour in the Te Papa Museum before catching the ferry over to Picton. Art and Penny treat us to a hotel stay (hooray real beds)
March 7 - Meet up with Ralph and Donna (Ocean Girl) for coffee before heading to Nelson. (Another treat from Art and Penny as they put us up with them in the B&B)
March 8 - After breakfast with Art & Penny, we say goodbye. Art & Penny are joining a group of eight or so on a 3 week day-hiking tour. We suspect we'll see them here and there along the way and then again in Christchurch before they depart. Chris & I head South, planning on 6 to 8 hours of driving in order to get far South where we will begin our leisurely tour. The Billavan has other ideas as it stutters & hiccups along. Eventually we end up backtracking about 100 clicks (km) to Christchurch where we hope to get the car fixed.
March 9 - A visit to the Mitsubishi dealer, who sends us to their partner shop, who can't see us until the 10th. We spend the day walking around Christchurch, visiting the art center, Canterbury Museum, and Botanic Gardens.
March 10 - Drop the car off at the mechanic (the car is of course now running perfect). Chris runs into another guy who has the exact same car, and is apparently having a similar problem! More walking around Christchurch, browsing sports shops, while Chris continues to check in on the car. Turns out they find NOTHING wrong (of course). We decide to just go anyway, what the heck have we got to lose? Leave late afternoon and head South ... right into a cold front, and man is it COLD! We even see the wind change directions - man is it eerie, I was ready for a twister to start up right then and there! End our travels at a holiday park in Timaru.
March 11 - Continue south along the coast, stopping in Moeraki to check out the touristy Moeraki boulders. Drive out Shag Point (mostly because of its name), where we spot two yellow-eyed penguins in the far far distance (not moving because they are molting). Continue on to Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula. Sneak a peak at the Larnach Castle (as we are too cheap to actually pay to go inside) and then head to Sandfly Beach for penguin watching. Spend about 2-3 hours in the Penguin hide ... but only spot one penguin (who, like the others, isn't moving, or fun at all to watch). As it is raining and we forgot our rain jackets in the car we finally give up :( Stay the night in Dunedin.
March 12 - Tunnel Beach Walk. Drive the Southern Scenic Route (through the Catlins). Stop at Nugget Point (check out the playing sea lions & lighthouse), Owaka Quilt Store, Purakaunui Waterfall, and finally Curio Bay. Curio bay is host to the fossil/petrified forest. Next, it's up to the Penguin hide and more waiting ... man is it COLD! Finally after about 2 hours ONE yellow-eyed penguin comes in (from fishing). And HOORAY he walks, waddles, jumps, and looks around, before disappearing into his nest!
March 13 - Drive out to Waipapa Point (another lighthouse and more sea lions). About five of us are on the beach taking photos of two sea lions playing, when one of the big guys decides he is territorial and CHASES (yes chases, and damn he moves fast) us!!! Car is acting up, but we finally make it to Te Anau (where we plan to park it for 4 days or so).
March 14 - Although the day starts with a low hanging thick realm of fog, by 11am it is crystal clear blue. We relax about Te Anau; taking pictures of the lake, visiting the wildlife (bird) sanctuary, doing a bit of laundry, and just enjoying the fantastic weather.
March 15 - Bike and Cruise Milford Sound. We end up being the only two people on this tour, which is terrific. We are picked up in Te Anau and driven up Milford Road to Hummer Tunnel. On the other side of the tunnel we hop on the bikes and ride ALL DOWNHILL into Milford, where we jump on a small cruise boat and head out for a 2 hour Milford Sound Cruise. Our guide picks us up and drives us back up to the Hummer Tunnel, and this time we ride ALL DOWNHILL down the other side! After lunch next to turquoise rapids of a river, we are driven back to Te Anau, making lots of photograph stops, including Mirror Lake and a Nature Walk through a forest of greens like we've never seen. We also end up running into Doug & Angela (Solstice) at the holiday park!
March 16 - Kayaking Doubtful Sound. Another outstanding tour. We are picked up in Te Anau, and along with 6 other people, taken on a 45 minute boat ride across Lake Manapouri. Next a short scenic bus ride over to another boat in Doubtful Sounds. The boat takes us deep into the Fiord (yes both Milford and Doubtful are really Fiords and not Sounds... they were improperly named a long time again). We hop into kayaks and enjoy a beautiful, flat, scenic day of kayaking Doubtful. We get to see it all again as we make our way back to Te Anau ... we just never get tired of the views, seem they change hourly!!!
March 17 - On to Wanaka. Art and Penny's group are also in Wanaka, so we hook up with them later in the afternoon and enjoy a great dinner with their group.
March 18 - Diamond Lake Track (hike) in Wanaka, with Art & Penny (and their group). This hike takes us up, up, & up, providing 360° views over Lake Wanaka and into Mount Aspiring National Park. We enjoy another terrific dinner with the group and some hot tubbing with Art & Penny.
March 19 - We're back on our own again (Art and Penny have headed towards Queenstown). We hitchhike into Mount Aspiring National Park, and go on one of our best hikes yet ... Rob Roy Valley. Even with the overcast skies and light rains we are thoroughly impressed with this tramp. We're lucky enough to find an easy ride back to our holiday park, and therefore treat ourselves to dinner out (with the money we saved by not having to pay for the shuttle into the Park!).
March 20 - A visit to Wanaka's Puzzling World in the morning and then on to Mount Cook. It's a holiday park with a view as we look down a valley directly at the towering Mount Cook. And what a treat, not only do the clouds lift enough for us to see the top, but the sunset warms the sky with changing shades of pinks and reds.
March 21 - We wanted to do the Hooker Valley Track (at Mount Cook), but the low clouds covered Mount Cook, and we figured it would be pointless if we couldn't see the views. Plus we had departed Wanaka a day early, so we were ahead of schedule. Instead we relaxed around the holiday park.
March 22 - Still some clouds in the sky, but we figured it was as good as it was going to get, so we headed off to do the Hooker Valley Track. We knew that Art and Penny (and group) would also be doing this hike today, but we had no idea what time they would start. Just at the entrance to the track, Chris looked out and saw their two distinct white vans making there way up the Mount Cook road ... we decided to wait and gave Art and Penny a pleasant surprise as we stood their waving when they pulled up. After the hike we departed ways again, Chris and I heading towards Christchurch. We hadn't decided how far we'd drive, but the van ended up running great, so we made it all the way into Christchurch.
March 23 - We had an appointment at the mechanic later in the afternoon, so we entertained ourselves with a movie at New Zealand's largest movie screen before heading over to the hotel where we were meeting Art and Penny. After our hellos, Chris took the car to the mechanic, Art and Penny went out to explore the museum and gardens, and I kicked back with my computer and the T.V.! Of course the car was running great (now that we were somewhere we could actually get it fixed), so the mechanic couldn't do anything!!!
March 24 - Art, Penny, Chris and I shuttled out to Akaroa for "swimming with the dolphins". While we spotted a few (cute little guys, the Hector dolphin is the smallest dolphin), we didn't get a chance to get real close or interact with them ... it was a fun adventure none-the-less!
March 25 - Art and Penny were off ... heading home. After all our goodbyes Chris and I headed towards Picton. Although we made a few stops, we just kept on driving, actually making it to Picton that night, and taking a night ferry over to Wellington.
March 26 - We started making our way back 'home'. We hadn't planned on driving so much in one day, but the van was more or less running okay, and it was raining so we weren't real enthusiastic to get out of the car ... we ended up making it all the way to Auckland ... where we stayed at our "favorite" holiday park.
March 27 - Easter Sunday! We called up Robin and Duncan and met them at their boat, Whisper. We were lucky enough to find a cafe open on a holiday Sunday where we caught up over breakfast. We hung out with Robin and Duncan all day and ended up staying over on Whisper. We were glad to spend the time with them as they will be staying in New Zealand this next year instead of moving on (with us) ... so we'll miss them!
March 28 - Back to Whangarei. Hooray, home again! After all this time in the van, the boat felt like a mansion!
Beyond - Since then we have been getting the boat ready ... double checking systems, washing the bottom, provisioning, etc etc etc. We've also taken time-out for BBQ's with our friends, and for a few goodbyes (to those that aren't following the same track as Chris and I).
Fiordland New Zealand Video
We explored Milford Sound via a bike-and-boat tour and Doubtful Sound via a boat-and-kayak tour. Fiordland is an amazing area of the world to explore - beyond breathtaking!
Exploring New Zealand with Sally & Mark
(covering Central & Southern North Island + Northern South Island)
1/22/05 - 2/14/05
by KT
W.I.P. JOURNAL: This journal piece is not quite yet complete. We are frantically trying to get all our pictures uploaded before we depart New Zealand, and therefore lose our cheap & fast internet connections. In order to accomplish that goal we are posting this journal with mostly just pictures, and sparse outline-like text ... we hope that we will be able to update the text at a later date.
Jan 22 - Birthday dinner for Chris with Island Sonata ... cake and pizza (YUM). Chris got kauri wood pieces (for carving) and new shorts (yipee).
Jan 24 - Early airport pickup. Drive to house Sally and Mark have via house swap, in Lake Taupo. Another 'lucky' car breakdown in Cambridge (where car breaks down just as we arrive at gas station with Auto Supplies store next door). House is HUGE! We have lunch in town and then enjoy fantastic sunset on the lake.
Jan 25 - Volcanic activity day: Craters of the moon walk. Thermal wonderland (amazing colors), and Kerosene Creek (where Chris impresses us with his knowledge about brain amoebas).
Jan 26 - Tonagriro National Park. 2 Hr waterfall hike (Taranaki Falls). Another terrific lake sunset.
Jan 27 - Tongariro Crossing (8hr tramp) ... terrific tramp, but very tiring. Rocky, volcanic, colorful lakes. (OH yeah, yet ANOTHER hose breaks on the car (and we are "lucky" again that it breaks just as we pull into the parking lot!).
Jan 28 - Finally a day of just Relaxing and lounging (hooray!). We watch T.V., Mark and Sally go for a walk on Hot Water Beach and KT does lots of Video editing (I'm making a video of our first year of cruising ... slow going as I don't really know how to use the software yet, we figure I have about 20 hours of my time into the first 6 minutes of video (yikes, at this rate the year 1 video should be done by the time we finish our 5th year of cruising!)
Jan 29 - Chris and Mark do some car work. We all visit Huka Falls (and go for a walk/hike along the river). We check out the Jet Boats and Prawn farm. Island Sonata shows up and spends the evening with us.
Jan 30 - House cleaning, laundry, and relaxing (we're preparing to head down to the South Island). Chris, Mark, & Sally walk down to the beach, where they watch some boat racing. I work on the video some more. Island Sonata spends another night.
Jan 31 - Drive SH1 from Lake Taupo to Lower Hutt (just outside Wellington) ... about 5 hour drive. Dinner with friends of Mark & Sally in Lower Hutt.
Feb 1 - Te Papa museum in Wellington (very very neat museum). It's an overcast/rainy day. Take the ferry over to Picton (South Island). Spend the night in Picton (with lovely train track overhead ... ugh).
Feb 2 - Water taxi/ferry out to Ship's Cove to do part of the Queen Charlotte track. 5hr tramp to Fernaux Lodge (where we catch the taxi/ferry back). Jump in the car for a scenic drive overlooking the Marlborough Sounds. "Camp" at a farm-style holiday park near Havelock.
Feb 3 - Drive to Abel Tasman. Stay at Old Macdonald's Farm (holiday park with pigs, lamas, cows, and sheep).
Feb 4 - Day of kayaking in the Abel Tasman ... beautiful turquoise waters and soft white sand beaches. Check out "split apple rock". Perfect weather today, very enjoyable. Meet up with Robin and Duncan (Whisper) in Motueka for dinner.
Feb 5 - Lots of driving today ... drive through Nelson, then South to West Coast. Stop in Westport to visit the Seal Colony, and in Punakaiki to check out the Pancake Rocks. Continue on to Greymouth where we "make camp" and enjoy a terrific sunset over the beach. Amazing views along the entire West Coast.
Feb 6 - More driving ... Drive to Kaikoura via SH7, with a stop in Hamner Springs where Sally originally wanted to visit the Hot Springs, but it was a wicked hot day, so that idea was thrown aside. Kaikoura is a neat town .. visit to the Seal Colony there too.
Feb 7 - Short drive up to Blenheim, where we rent bicycles and go wine touring. Bit windy, and otherwise another day of fantastic weather.
Feb 8 - Take the ferry back over to Wellington (North Island), and drive drive drive ... all the way back to Lake Taupo House. After the last three days, I never want to get in the car again!
Feb 9 - Relax, and rejuvenate! NO DRIVING!
Feb 10 - Get the house cleaned up, do some laundry, and leave the house for good ... drive to Waitomo.
Feb 11 - Enjoy a few shorts walks in the morning (visiting a natural bridge and some caves). In the afternoon join the Black Water Rafting Company for a FANTASTIC caving adventure which included an 100 foot abseiling, flying fox, tubing, tramping through water, sliding, slipping through holes/caves, and climbing waterfalls (oh yeah and millions of glow-worms).
Feb 12 - On to Auckland ... enjoy our last lunch with Mark & Sally at Loaded Hog, where we run into Scott & Nancy (Apsara), who invited us out to Waiheke Island. After dropping off Mark & Sally at the airport we ferry over to Waiheke and enjoyed dinner out with Scott & Nancy.
Feb 13 - Spend the day with Scott and Nancy on Waiheke, visiting a few wineries and going on a very different "Art Walk".
Feb 14 - Chris and I finally head back to Whangarei ... hooray back home again, and very happy to see that Billabong did great in the three weeks without us!
1/22/05 - 2/14/05
by KT
W.I.P. JOURNAL: This journal piece is not quite yet complete. We are frantically trying to get all our pictures uploaded before we depart New Zealand, and therefore lose our cheap & fast internet connections. In order to accomplish that goal we are posting this journal with mostly just pictures, and sparse outline-like text ... we hope that we will be able to update the text at a later date.
Jan 22 - Birthday dinner for Chris with Island Sonata ... cake and pizza (YUM). Chris got kauri wood pieces (for carving) and new shorts (yipee).
Jan 24 - Early airport pickup. Drive to house Sally and Mark have via house swap, in Lake Taupo. Another 'lucky' car breakdown in Cambridge (where car breaks down just as we arrive at gas station with Auto Supplies store next door). House is HUGE! We have lunch in town and then enjoy fantastic sunset on the lake.
Jan 25 - Volcanic activity day: Craters of the moon walk. Thermal wonderland (amazing colors), and Kerosene Creek (where Chris impresses us with his knowledge about brain amoebas).
Jan 26 - Tonagriro National Park. 2 Hr waterfall hike (Taranaki Falls). Another terrific lake sunset.
Jan 27 - Tongariro Crossing (8hr tramp) ... terrific tramp, but very tiring. Rocky, volcanic, colorful lakes. (OH yeah, yet ANOTHER hose breaks on the car (and we are "lucky" again that it breaks just as we pull into the parking lot!).
Jan 28 - Finally a day of just Relaxing and lounging (hooray!). We watch T.V., Mark and Sally go for a walk on Hot Water Beach and KT does lots of Video editing (I'm making a video of our first year of cruising ... slow going as I don't really know how to use the software yet, we figure I have about 20 hours of my time into the first 6 minutes of video (yikes, at this rate the year 1 video should be done by the time we finish our 5th year of cruising!)
Jan 29 - Chris and Mark do some car work. We all visit Huka Falls (and go for a walk/hike along the river). We check out the Jet Boats and Prawn farm. Island Sonata shows up and spends the evening with us.
Jan 30 - House cleaning, laundry, and relaxing (we're preparing to head down to the South Island). Chris, Mark, & Sally walk down to the beach, where they watch some boat racing. I work on the video some more. Island Sonata spends another night.
Jan 31 - Drive SH1 from Lake Taupo to Lower Hutt (just outside Wellington) ... about 5 hour drive. Dinner with friends of Mark & Sally in Lower Hutt.
Feb 1 - Te Papa museum in Wellington (very very neat museum). It's an overcast/rainy day. Take the ferry over to Picton (South Island). Spend the night in Picton (with lovely train track overhead ... ugh).
Feb 2 - Water taxi/ferry out to Ship's Cove to do part of the Queen Charlotte track. 5hr tramp to Fernaux Lodge (where we catch the taxi/ferry back). Jump in the car for a scenic drive overlooking the Marlborough Sounds. "Camp" at a farm-style holiday park near Havelock.
Feb 3 - Drive to Abel Tasman. Stay at Old Macdonald's Farm (holiday park with pigs, lamas, cows, and sheep).
Feb 4 - Day of kayaking in the Abel Tasman ... beautiful turquoise waters and soft white sand beaches. Check out "split apple rock". Perfect weather today, very enjoyable. Meet up with Robin and Duncan (Whisper) in Motueka for dinner.
Feb 5 - Lots of driving today ... drive through Nelson, then South to West Coast. Stop in Westport to visit the Seal Colony, and in Punakaiki to check out the Pancake Rocks. Continue on to Greymouth where we "make camp" and enjoy a terrific sunset over the beach. Amazing views along the entire West Coast.
Feb 6 - More driving ... Drive to Kaikoura via SH7, with a stop in Hamner Springs where Sally originally wanted to visit the Hot Springs, but it was a wicked hot day, so that idea was thrown aside. Kaikoura is a neat town .. visit to the Seal Colony there too.
Feb 7 - Short drive up to Blenheim, where we rent bicycles and go wine touring. Bit windy, and otherwise another day of fantastic weather.
Feb 8 - Take the ferry back over to Wellington (North Island), and drive drive drive ... all the way back to Lake Taupo House. After the last three days, I never want to get in the car again!
Feb 9 - Relax, and rejuvenate! NO DRIVING!
Feb 10 - Get the house cleaned up, do some laundry, and leave the house for good ... drive to Waitomo.
Feb 11 - Enjoy a few shorts walks in the morning (visiting a natural bridge and some caves). In the afternoon join the Black Water Rafting Company for a FANTASTIC caving adventure which included an 100 foot abseiling, flying fox, tubing, tramping through water, sliding, slipping through holes/caves, and climbing waterfalls (oh yeah and millions of glow-worms).
Feb 12 - On to Auckland ... enjoy our last lunch with Mark & Sally at Loaded Hog, where we run into Scott & Nancy (Apsara), who invited us out to Waiheke Island. After dropping off Mark & Sally at the airport we ferry over to Waiheke and enjoyed dinner out with Scott & Nancy.
Feb 13 - Spend the day with Scott and Nancy on Waiheke, visiting a few wineries and going on a very different "Art Walk".
Feb 14 - Chris and I finally head back to Whangarei ... hooray back home again, and very happy to see that Billabong did great in the three weeks without us!
Happy Holidays & Mom's 10 day Visit
12/19/04 - 01/14/05
by KT
We seemed to cover a lot of "territory" in this time period ... as usual we captured most of it via our cameras. Since we can never seem to come up with the words to accurately describe the beauty, it just seemed to make sense to do another "photo journal" (not to mention easier). We hope we don't overwhelm you with the quantity of photos in this journal, but we think they are all worth viewing (so grab a cup of 'jo and enjoy!).
The Holidays
After our eight-day tour of the Northland, it was back to Billabong and our 'normal' routines. Lots of email, landline phone calls to the States and general about-the-town activities. I was really hoping for an intimate and somewhat traditional Christmas, so Chris and I decided to invite some of our friends over for a huge Christmas feast. It seems that I started planning the meal weeks ahead of time ... with only two burners and a very tiny oven I wasn't sure how we would pull off the dinner I was dreaming of ... but we more then managed (especially with the help of the grocery store butcher who specially cut the Crown Roast short so that it would fit in our itty bitty oven). Our guests for the evening were John & M.J. (Island Sonata), Duncan & Robin (Whisper), and Fred (Mary C). Seven was a lot to crowd around our little table, but it just added to the ambiance. Dinner turned out fantastic with an Apricot Ginger & Cranberry Brie Pastry appetizer, followed by a 5 course dinner consisting of Crown Roast of Pork with Cranberry-Apple stuffing, fresh Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Christmas Salad, Homemade dinner rolls, and an awesome Fruit Salad (brought by Island Sonata). Not thinking we could eat another bite, we somehow managed to still get down Oreo Cookie Cheesecake & Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake ... whoever would of known such a feast could come from such a small galley!
A few days after Christmas we enjoyed a visit from Ralph & Donna (Ocean Girl). They came down from Opua and spent the night with us aboard Billabong. We enjoyed a homemade meat pie (thanks to Donna) and left-over cheesecake.
The next thing we knew the New Year was upon us. Michael & Mary (de la Mer) were visiting and joined us and Island Sonata for a fantastic dinner out at Killer Prawn (doesn't it seem the holiday's are all about eating?!?!). Killer Prawn hosted a live Spanish-style band ... so along with great food & wine we enjoyed some lively dancing! Somehow we managed to stay awake to midnight (difficult considering we're on cruisers hours, therefore typically hitting the hay around 9/10pm).
Mom's 10 day visit
As my mom (Denise) was arriving at 5:00 AM and the Auckland airport was a good 2-1/2 hours away, we opted to head down to Auckland on the 2nd and stay in a Holiday Park near the airport. Five AM arrived quickly and our first visitor (of many) had finally arrived! I couldn't believe that a year had already gone by. After a chatty drive back home to Whangarei, Chris & I enjoyed a second Christmas ... my Mom had brought lots and lots of goodies from the states, including Bisquick quick packs, Skippy Peanut Butter, a new zoom camera lens and camera backpack, and a replacement camera for Chris (seeing as I toasted his last one when I toppled over the wall in Tonga). She also brought lots and lots of pictures which we thoroughly enjoyed going through. Between our early wake-up call and jet lag we decided to have a lazy day around Whangarei.
Mom's Visit Day 2 (Jan 4th)
Since it wasn't raining we figured it was a great day for a walk ... the Whangarei Falls offered great views, a stroll through a small Kauri forest, and a terrific waterfall.
Mom's Visit Day 3 (Jan 5th)
Next up was a visit to Heritage Park located just around the bend from the Harbor. Heritage Park offered a variety of attractions, including an old historic New Zealander's house, Old Engines (maintained by a local Engine's club), a Bird information center and hospital, and a 'famous' talking Tui ... who sounded JUST like a deep-voiced man. He entertained us with "Merry Christmas", "Wanna going swimming", and "Hello".
Mom's Visit Day 4 (Jan 6th)
Unfortunately the weather was still not cooperating, as we awoke to another cloudy, dreary day. But we didn't let the lingering clouds damper our spirits as we headed south towards Warkworth for a visit to Sheepworld. We opted for the scenic coastal drive out to Manawhai Heads, enjoying the beautiful views and sandy beaches.
Sheepworld was the first really touristy thing that Chris and I did in NZ ... and in my opinion one of the most fun! I had talked Chris into going under the ruse that my mom would like it, but in all honesty I was itching to go! In the end I think Chris enjoyed hand feeding the farm animals and the sheep herding show as much as my mom and I!
As the sheep-herding dog show started I selfishly commented to Chris, "Bummer that all these kids are here, they're the ones who will get to do all the [interactive] stuff!". However, kudos to the commentator as he asked for "big kid" volunteers as well, and Mom & Chris were sure to give me the nudge to get out there ... I got to try my hand at sheep sorting and enjoyed bottle feeding a baby pig. After my (quite pathetic) attempt at sheep sorting I have a whole new respect for farmers.
We finished the day off with a drive up to a lookout point over Whangarei.
Mom's Visit Day 5 (Jan 7th)
Since it was raining, it was a good day for relaxing around the boat and catching up on our books. We also prepared for our upcoming South Island / Glacier visit.
Mom's Visit Day 6 (Jan 8th)
Off to the Auckland airport for our flight to Christchurch ...
Just as we arrive at the airport our nostrils were filled with the strong odor of anti-freeze! One of Billavan's hoses had cracked wide up and was now spewing anti-freeze all over the airport parking lot. With a flight to catch Chris took a cursory glance in order to figure out what supplies to buy before our return trip from the South Island. As it turns out this was one of many "lucky" breakdowns ... lucky in that the van decided to breakdown just as we hit our destination (you'll read about the other breakdowns in future journal pieces).
It was a rainy/overcast day, so we didn't get to see much on the flight between islands. In Christchurch we rented a car and headed West across SH 73, through Arthur's Pass and on into Glacier country. At one of our lookout stops, we were introduced to the Kea, a very social mountain parrot who is know for eating plastic and rubber off of cars and camping gear!!!
It was raining off and on, but we still managed to enjoy a few great views. We were amazed at the difference in scenery between the "wet" side and the "dry" side of the Alps ... it was as though we were in two different countries! In addition, the long drive included flat farm lands, the mountainous Southern Alps, and ocean-side highways ... making the drive continuously interesting.
Mom's Visit Day 6 (Jan 9th)
Although it had been pouring down rain when we arrived, we woke to stunning blue skies. We were very excited as today's adventure was all about hiking part of the Franz Josef Glacier. We were booked for one of the morning 1/2 day glacier hikes, so it was a get-up-and-go morning as we headed off for the tour. It was a bit of a shock when we arrived and were shown a picture of the ever growing, and increasingly steeping glacier. Both Chris and I started getting nervous, not only for ourselves (after looking at the picture I had serious doubts as to whether I was up to the challenge), but also for my Mom (hiking glaciers isn't a very common activity in Yuma, Arizona). She however was overly gung-ho and bursting with energy (we learned later that she really didn't get a good look at the picture!!!). We also learned that the Franz Josef & Fox Glaciers are fast moving glaciers, with flow reates up to 3m PER DAY!
We were outfitted with raincoats, boots, and ice-Talonz (basically a set of spikes that cover the entire sole of the boot and are hinged in two places, allowing unimpeded walking and "superior" glacier grip), then shuffled onto a bus for a short trip out to the glacier. We knew that our group would be splitting into three smaller groups based on desired hiking speed (slower, faster, and somewhere in between). The faster you hike, the higher you get, and therefore the more "cool" stuff you get to see (such as ice crevices, ice caves, tunnels, etc). Prior to getting on the bus Mom had told us that we should go with one of the faster groups, but that she wanted to take here time with the more leisurely paced group. Chris and I were torn, we couldn't decide if we should really leave Mom or not (it sort of felt as though we would be just ditching her, what kind of daughter would that make me???). It was a bit funny when Chris and I (who were at the back of the bus, while my Mom was at the front) were discussing what we should do, saying things like "Do you think she'll be okay?" ... "Should we really leave her alone?" ... "You think it is going to be too hard?" ... "Maybe she'll need/want company", and a man sitting next to me said, "Oh, do you have a child also?". "No," I replied, "we have a Mom!". "Ahh, just about the same thing!" he said with laughter! In the end, with Mom's blessing (and urging), Chris and I joined the fast group, leaving Mom to handle the big-bad block of ice on her own!!!
One of the most amazing things about the glacier is the approach. The hike starts with a forty-minute tramp through a pretty dense rain forest that leads you to an open, dry, rocky terrain. Another forty minutes (of mostly flat walking) or so and you are looking up and a humongous block of ice (the glacier). At the bottom of the glacier we were instructed on how to hook on our ice-Talonz and how to walk & climb to make them as effective as possible, and to avoid catching them on your pant legs (which would then trip you up).
As I looked up the side of the glacier my stomach flipped with nervousness ... "I am not this fit." I was thinking, "Why the hell did I come in the fast group?". But nobody in our group really looked like serious fitness buffs, so I tried to reassure myself that all would be well. And of course it was. The guides carve steep ice steps into the side of the mountain, and the going is actually quite slow. It felt even steeper than it looked and I did have a few moments where I visualized myself slipping backwards off one of the steps into oblivion. Even worse, I had a few moments of serious guilt that I had left Mom behind, as I visualized calling my sister to tell her that I had caused Mom's demise! Perhaps my visualization skills can be too good sometimes!
We made our way slowly up the glaciers, using hand ropes and carved steps to ascend. I kept looking down below hoping to see Mom's black head in one of the tiny people-specs below. A few times I thought I saw her, but I'm pretty sure it was just my imagination trying to put me at ease. Once past the super-steep part, the going was much easier, and I could finally relax and enjoy the views. We traveled through a few crevices and got a chance to look through a few tiny ice caves, but a 1/2-day hike didn't allow for much time, and before we knew it, we were on our way down again. For someone a bit afraid of heights, the climb down was just as scary as going up. There was nothing to stop you should you take a wrong step, slip, or trip. As if to reinforce this point, just as we were nearing the bottom, a woman in a group in front of us caught her ice-Talonz on her pant leg, tripping her up. She fell about 25 feet into a rocky crevice. We didn't actually witness the fall, but we did hike past her ... and it was not a pretty sight. She was fine (in that she didn't break her neck), but she did have a pretty good cut on her head, and had dislocated her shoulder. I was quite happy and relieved when we made it down to the bottom, and even more so, when we found Mom sitting there, safe, healthy, and happy!!!
To top of this fantastic day, it didn't start raining until we had finished our hike!!! This was such a terrific adventure, that we took almost 200 pictures! I've tried to pick the better ones, but there are still so many that I felt it would be a little overwhelming to have them all in the journal ... click on the photo below to link over the photo album of Franz Josef Glacier!
Side note: a few days after Mom's departure from NZ, Chris found an article in the local newspaper with the subtitle: "Climbers are now screened because the steep trek is more dangerous"! The article went on to state that the glacier was rapidly expanding outwards, becoming steeper at its front. The manager of Franz Josef Glacier Guides was quoted saying, "It's a safety issue. The climb is tougher now and you have to remember it's not sturdy rock, it's slippery ice. You fall, you're gone." Yikes!!! Glad we read that AFTER doing the hike :) Now all my worrying doesn't seem so cowardly eh?
I had made a [minor] booking error and booked us 20 minutes down the road at a holiday park in Fox Glacier rather than Franz Josef ... which turned out to be quite lucky after all, as the scenery between the two glaciers was fantastic, and it gave us an opportunity to explore both Gillespies Beach and take a look at Fox Glacier.
After our tiring morning we didn't hike to the base of Fox Glacier, but did get the opportunity to see it via a couple of different lookout points.
Rain forest walk to viewpoint of Fox Glacier Lots of tree ferns lined the path Waterfalls could be seen through the dense forest Fox Glacier Next we drove to the car park near the base of Fox, which is surrounded by towering, dramatic cliffs horizontal rule
Since it was still too early for dinner, we decided to drive out to Gillespies Beach. By now the sun had again broken through and we had some fantastic views of the Glaciers and Southern Alps Range. We were a bit hesitant to drive all the way to the beach when we encountered a huge "EXTREME DANGER" sign (regarding road conditions), but what the heck, we were in a rental after all! Turns out the road is not that bad. Gillespies Beach was terrific, you could stand and do a 360, seeing beach, rain forest, mountain ranges, and the glaciers ... all from one spot! We didn't spend long on the actually beach as the sand-flies were horrendous. We also had some fun with the farm animals along the way ... we had stopped the car to take a picture, when I noticed that a couple of the cows were looking up at me, so (naturally) I mooed at them, "Mooo Moooo Mooo" ... I kid you not, EVERY cow in the paddock looked up at me ... so of course I kept on Mooeing "Mooo Mooo Mooooooo" ... next thing I knew they were all running, yes RUNNING, towards me! Luckily there was a fence, so I had nothing to worry about (although I later learned that cows are able to knock over and/or jump the fences when properly provoked). It was one of the funniest sites ever (at least funny to a non-farm girl from California).
Finally, it was back to the holiday park, hot showers, and a nice dinner out (to reward ourselves for completing the Glacier Hike).
Mom's Visit Day 7 (Jan 10th)
Chris was so motivated by all the great scenery, that he woke early and went out to try and get some good shots (photographs) with the soft morning light. Later, the sky was so clear and blue that we all went out to take even more photographs, hoping to capture the majestic sights that surrounded us. We probably went a little overboard on route to Arthur's Pass, continuously jumping out of the car to snap off a few shots ... but it was wonderfully beautiful and we desperately wanted to capture "the moment" on film! Click on the photo below to view the photo gallery of our journey from Glaciers to Arthur's pass (in my non-professional opinion there are some great photos in this album that you just won't want to miss ... so be sure to click and check them out!!!!).
Arthur's Pass was a quaint (i.e. small) little town with fields and fields of purple flowers (whose name escapes me). By now it had clouded over and was raining on & off, so after a brief walk around town (doesn't take to long when there is only one street with all of four buildings), we stopped in at a cafe for dinner. We had a most excellent pizza, with smoked chicken, cranberry sauce, and brie (yes, I was hesitant at first too!).
Mom's Visit Day 8 (Jan 11th)
It was time to head back to the North Island. We made our way from Arthur's Pass to Christchurch. Since our flight wasn't until later in the afternoon, we were able to stop in at the Antarctic Centre. This is a terrific center with interactive displays, videos, and a Hägglund Ride (an all-terrain vehicle used in the Antarctic). There are displays on Antarctic's wildlife, and in-depth information about Scott Base. We spent a couple of hours exploring the centre, and easily could've spent a bit more. During lunch (at the Center's cafe) Chris ran across the street to get a glimpse of the US Antarctic Center, spotting one of the planes departing for Antarctica. The Centre was SO interesting that it made both Chris and I want to visit someday (in the Summer of course). We were very surprised to find that even Lonely Planet has a guide for Antarctica!
On the plane ride back we had a clear view of Egmont National Park and the massive 2518m dormant volcano, Mt Taranaki (click on photo to left). Chris had to work his handy magic on Billavan when we got back to the airport parking lot (fixing the hose that busted when we arrived). Handy as he is, it wasn't too long before we were on the road headed back to Whangarei.
Mom's Visit Day 9 (Jan 12th)
It was a nice day to relax, and we took a leisurely drive out to Whangarei Heads, overlooking a couple terrific bays, talking to cows, and visiting a beach or two.
Mom's Visit Day 10 (Jan 13th)
It seemed like just yesterday we were picking Mom up at the airport, and now it was time to get ready to go back. We mostly lazed around ... taking time to visit a few shops (where Mom stocked up on last minute souvenirs) and enjoying a bit of sunshine.
Mom's Visit Day 11 (Jan 14th)
It was another drive to Auckland (by the end of our stay in NZ we would have this route down pat!). We enjoyed a bit of walking around Warkworth, where we stopped for lunch and a look at the nearby channel. We got Mom safely to the airport ... I couldn't believe that it had been a year since I'd last seen her, and would probably be another year or so before I saw her again. At least I knew the time would go quickly ... but still her visit reminded me of how much I missed home at times, and how many family members & friends I wouldn't get to see this year.
After dropping Mom off, Chris and I hooked up with Robin & Duncan for dinner in Auckland (their boat, Whisper is currently docked across the bay from Auckland). It was a terrific dinner (excellent fish) and it was fantastic to catch up with Robin & Duncan. Since we stayed out late, we opted to spend the night in a local Holiday Park before heading back to Whangarei the next morning.
Well, some 200 pictures later ... it was quite the time with Mom and a superb Holiday season!
by KT
We seemed to cover a lot of "territory" in this time period ... as usual we captured most of it via our cameras. Since we can never seem to come up with the words to accurately describe the beauty, it just seemed to make sense to do another "photo journal" (not to mention easier). We hope we don't overwhelm you with the quantity of photos in this journal, but we think they are all worth viewing (so grab a cup of 'jo and enjoy!).
The Holidays
After our eight-day tour of the Northland, it was back to Billabong and our 'normal' routines. Lots of email, landline phone calls to the States and general about-the-town activities. I was really hoping for an intimate and somewhat traditional Christmas, so Chris and I decided to invite some of our friends over for a huge Christmas feast. It seems that I started planning the meal weeks ahead of time ... with only two burners and a very tiny oven I wasn't sure how we would pull off the dinner I was dreaming of ... but we more then managed (especially with the help of the grocery store butcher who specially cut the Crown Roast short so that it would fit in our itty bitty oven). Our guests for the evening were John & M.J. (Island Sonata), Duncan & Robin (Whisper), and Fred (Mary C). Seven was a lot to crowd around our little table, but it just added to the ambiance. Dinner turned out fantastic with an Apricot Ginger & Cranberry Brie Pastry appetizer, followed by a 5 course dinner consisting of Crown Roast of Pork with Cranberry-Apple stuffing, fresh Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Christmas Salad, Homemade dinner rolls, and an awesome Fruit Salad (brought by Island Sonata). Not thinking we could eat another bite, we somehow managed to still get down Oreo Cookie Cheesecake & Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake ... whoever would of known such a feast could come from such a small galley!
A few days after Christmas we enjoyed a visit from Ralph & Donna (Ocean Girl). They came down from Opua and spent the night with us aboard Billabong. We enjoyed a homemade meat pie (thanks to Donna) and left-over cheesecake.
The next thing we knew the New Year was upon us. Michael & Mary (de la Mer) were visiting and joined us and Island Sonata for a fantastic dinner out at Killer Prawn (doesn't it seem the holiday's are all about eating?!?!). Killer Prawn hosted a live Spanish-style band ... so along with great food & wine we enjoyed some lively dancing! Somehow we managed to stay awake to midnight (difficult considering we're on cruisers hours, therefore typically hitting the hay around 9/10pm).
Mom's 10 day visit
As my mom (Denise) was arriving at 5:00 AM and the Auckland airport was a good 2-1/2 hours away, we opted to head down to Auckland on the 2nd and stay in a Holiday Park near the airport. Five AM arrived quickly and our first visitor (of many) had finally arrived! I couldn't believe that a year had already gone by. After a chatty drive back home to Whangarei, Chris & I enjoyed a second Christmas ... my Mom had brought lots and lots of goodies from the states, including Bisquick quick packs, Skippy Peanut Butter, a new zoom camera lens and camera backpack, and a replacement camera for Chris (seeing as I toasted his last one when I toppled over the wall in Tonga). She also brought lots and lots of pictures which we thoroughly enjoyed going through. Between our early wake-up call and jet lag we decided to have a lazy day around Whangarei.
Mom's Visit Day 2 (Jan 4th)
Since it wasn't raining we figured it was a great day for a walk ... the Whangarei Falls offered great views, a stroll through a small Kauri forest, and a terrific waterfall.
Mom's Visit Day 3 (Jan 5th)
Next up was a visit to Heritage Park located just around the bend from the Harbor. Heritage Park offered a variety of attractions, including an old historic New Zealander's house, Old Engines (maintained by a local Engine's club), a Bird information center and hospital, and a 'famous' talking Tui ... who sounded JUST like a deep-voiced man. He entertained us with "Merry Christmas", "Wanna going swimming", and "Hello".
Mom's Visit Day 4 (Jan 6th)
Unfortunately the weather was still not cooperating, as we awoke to another cloudy, dreary day. But we didn't let the lingering clouds damper our spirits as we headed south towards Warkworth for a visit to Sheepworld. We opted for the scenic coastal drive out to Manawhai Heads, enjoying the beautiful views and sandy beaches.
Sheepworld was the first really touristy thing that Chris and I did in NZ ... and in my opinion one of the most fun! I had talked Chris into going under the ruse that my mom would like it, but in all honesty I was itching to go! In the end I think Chris enjoyed hand feeding the farm animals and the sheep herding show as much as my mom and I!
As the sheep-herding dog show started I selfishly commented to Chris, "Bummer that all these kids are here, they're the ones who will get to do all the [interactive] stuff!". However, kudos to the commentator as he asked for "big kid" volunteers as well, and Mom & Chris were sure to give me the nudge to get out there ... I got to try my hand at sheep sorting and enjoyed bottle feeding a baby pig. After my (quite pathetic) attempt at sheep sorting I have a whole new respect for farmers.
We finished the day off with a drive up to a lookout point over Whangarei.
Mom's Visit Day 5 (Jan 7th)
Since it was raining, it was a good day for relaxing around the boat and catching up on our books. We also prepared for our upcoming South Island / Glacier visit.
Mom's Visit Day 6 (Jan 8th)
Off to the Auckland airport for our flight to Christchurch ...
Just as we arrive at the airport our nostrils were filled with the strong odor of anti-freeze! One of Billavan's hoses had cracked wide up and was now spewing anti-freeze all over the airport parking lot. With a flight to catch Chris took a cursory glance in order to figure out what supplies to buy before our return trip from the South Island. As it turns out this was one of many "lucky" breakdowns ... lucky in that the van decided to breakdown just as we hit our destination (you'll read about the other breakdowns in future journal pieces).
It was a rainy/overcast day, so we didn't get to see much on the flight between islands. In Christchurch we rented a car and headed West across SH 73, through Arthur's Pass and on into Glacier country. At one of our lookout stops, we were introduced to the Kea, a very social mountain parrot who is know for eating plastic and rubber off of cars and camping gear!!!
It was raining off and on, but we still managed to enjoy a few great views. We were amazed at the difference in scenery between the "wet" side and the "dry" side of the Alps ... it was as though we were in two different countries! In addition, the long drive included flat farm lands, the mountainous Southern Alps, and ocean-side highways ... making the drive continuously interesting.
Mom's Visit Day 6 (Jan 9th)
Although it had been pouring down rain when we arrived, we woke to stunning blue skies. We were very excited as today's adventure was all about hiking part of the Franz Josef Glacier. We were booked for one of the morning 1/2 day glacier hikes, so it was a get-up-and-go morning as we headed off for the tour. It was a bit of a shock when we arrived and were shown a picture of the ever growing, and increasingly steeping glacier. Both Chris and I started getting nervous, not only for ourselves (after looking at the picture I had serious doubts as to whether I was up to the challenge), but also for my Mom (hiking glaciers isn't a very common activity in Yuma, Arizona). She however was overly gung-ho and bursting with energy (we learned later that she really didn't get a good look at the picture!!!). We also learned that the Franz Josef & Fox Glaciers are fast moving glaciers, with flow reates up to 3m PER DAY!
We were outfitted with raincoats, boots, and ice-Talonz (basically a set of spikes that cover the entire sole of the boot and are hinged in two places, allowing unimpeded walking and "superior" glacier grip), then shuffled onto a bus for a short trip out to the glacier. We knew that our group would be splitting into three smaller groups based on desired hiking speed (slower, faster, and somewhere in between). The faster you hike, the higher you get, and therefore the more "cool" stuff you get to see (such as ice crevices, ice caves, tunnels, etc). Prior to getting on the bus Mom had told us that we should go with one of the faster groups, but that she wanted to take here time with the more leisurely paced group. Chris and I were torn, we couldn't decide if we should really leave Mom or not (it sort of felt as though we would be just ditching her, what kind of daughter would that make me???). It was a bit funny when Chris and I (who were at the back of the bus, while my Mom was at the front) were discussing what we should do, saying things like "Do you think she'll be okay?" ... "Should we really leave her alone?" ... "You think it is going to be too hard?" ... "Maybe she'll need/want company", and a man sitting next to me said, "Oh, do you have a child also?". "No," I replied, "we have a Mom!". "Ahh, just about the same thing!" he said with laughter! In the end, with Mom's blessing (and urging), Chris and I joined the fast group, leaving Mom to handle the big-bad block of ice on her own!!!
One of the most amazing things about the glacier is the approach. The hike starts with a forty-minute tramp through a pretty dense rain forest that leads you to an open, dry, rocky terrain. Another forty minutes (of mostly flat walking) or so and you are looking up and a humongous block of ice (the glacier). At the bottom of the glacier we were instructed on how to hook on our ice-Talonz and how to walk & climb to make them as effective as possible, and to avoid catching them on your pant legs (which would then trip you up).
As I looked up the side of the glacier my stomach flipped with nervousness ... "I am not this fit." I was thinking, "Why the hell did I come in the fast group?". But nobody in our group really looked like serious fitness buffs, so I tried to reassure myself that all would be well. And of course it was. The guides carve steep ice steps into the side of the mountain, and the going is actually quite slow. It felt even steeper than it looked and I did have a few moments where I visualized myself slipping backwards off one of the steps into oblivion. Even worse, I had a few moments of serious guilt that I had left Mom behind, as I visualized calling my sister to tell her that I had caused Mom's demise! Perhaps my visualization skills can be too good sometimes!
We made our way slowly up the glaciers, using hand ropes and carved steps to ascend. I kept looking down below hoping to see Mom's black head in one of the tiny people-specs below. A few times I thought I saw her, but I'm pretty sure it was just my imagination trying to put me at ease. Once past the super-steep part, the going was much easier, and I could finally relax and enjoy the views. We traveled through a few crevices and got a chance to look through a few tiny ice caves, but a 1/2-day hike didn't allow for much time, and before we knew it, we were on our way down again. For someone a bit afraid of heights, the climb down was just as scary as going up. There was nothing to stop you should you take a wrong step, slip, or trip. As if to reinforce this point, just as we were nearing the bottom, a woman in a group in front of us caught her ice-Talonz on her pant leg, tripping her up. She fell about 25 feet into a rocky crevice. We didn't actually witness the fall, but we did hike past her ... and it was not a pretty sight. She was fine (in that she didn't break her neck), but she did have a pretty good cut on her head, and had dislocated her shoulder. I was quite happy and relieved when we made it down to the bottom, and even more so, when we found Mom sitting there, safe, healthy, and happy!!!
To top of this fantastic day, it didn't start raining until we had finished our hike!!! This was such a terrific adventure, that we took almost 200 pictures! I've tried to pick the better ones, but there are still so many that I felt it would be a little overwhelming to have them all in the journal ... click on the photo below to link over the photo album of Franz Josef Glacier!
Side note: a few days after Mom's departure from NZ, Chris found an article in the local newspaper with the subtitle: "Climbers are now screened because the steep trek is more dangerous"! The article went on to state that the glacier was rapidly expanding outwards, becoming steeper at its front. The manager of Franz Josef Glacier Guides was quoted saying, "It's a safety issue. The climb is tougher now and you have to remember it's not sturdy rock, it's slippery ice. You fall, you're gone." Yikes!!! Glad we read that AFTER doing the hike :) Now all my worrying doesn't seem so cowardly eh?
I had made a [minor] booking error and booked us 20 minutes down the road at a holiday park in Fox Glacier rather than Franz Josef ... which turned out to be quite lucky after all, as the scenery between the two glaciers was fantastic, and it gave us an opportunity to explore both Gillespies Beach and take a look at Fox Glacier.
After our tiring morning we didn't hike to the base of Fox Glacier, but did get the opportunity to see it via a couple of different lookout points.
Rain forest walk to viewpoint of Fox Glacier Lots of tree ferns lined the path Waterfalls could be seen through the dense forest Fox Glacier Next we drove to the car park near the base of Fox, which is surrounded by towering, dramatic cliffs horizontal rule
Since it was still too early for dinner, we decided to drive out to Gillespies Beach. By now the sun had again broken through and we had some fantastic views of the Glaciers and Southern Alps Range. We were a bit hesitant to drive all the way to the beach when we encountered a huge "EXTREME DANGER" sign (regarding road conditions), but what the heck, we were in a rental after all! Turns out the road is not that bad. Gillespies Beach was terrific, you could stand and do a 360, seeing beach, rain forest, mountain ranges, and the glaciers ... all from one spot! We didn't spend long on the actually beach as the sand-flies were horrendous. We also had some fun with the farm animals along the way ... we had stopped the car to take a picture, when I noticed that a couple of the cows were looking up at me, so (naturally) I mooed at them, "Mooo Moooo Mooo" ... I kid you not, EVERY cow in the paddock looked up at me ... so of course I kept on Mooeing "Mooo Mooo Mooooooo" ... next thing I knew they were all running, yes RUNNING, towards me! Luckily there was a fence, so I had nothing to worry about (although I later learned that cows are able to knock over and/or jump the fences when properly provoked). It was one of the funniest sites ever (at least funny to a non-farm girl from California).
Finally, it was back to the holiday park, hot showers, and a nice dinner out (to reward ourselves for completing the Glacier Hike).
Mom's Visit Day 7 (Jan 10th)
Chris was so motivated by all the great scenery, that he woke early and went out to try and get some good shots (photographs) with the soft morning light. Later, the sky was so clear and blue that we all went out to take even more photographs, hoping to capture the majestic sights that surrounded us. We probably went a little overboard on route to Arthur's Pass, continuously jumping out of the car to snap off a few shots ... but it was wonderfully beautiful and we desperately wanted to capture "the moment" on film! Click on the photo below to view the photo gallery of our journey from Glaciers to Arthur's pass (in my non-professional opinion there are some great photos in this album that you just won't want to miss ... so be sure to click and check them out!!!!).
Arthur's Pass was a quaint (i.e. small) little town with fields and fields of purple flowers (whose name escapes me). By now it had clouded over and was raining on & off, so after a brief walk around town (doesn't take to long when there is only one street with all of four buildings), we stopped in at a cafe for dinner. We had a most excellent pizza, with smoked chicken, cranberry sauce, and brie (yes, I was hesitant at first too!).
Mom's Visit Day 8 (Jan 11th)
It was time to head back to the North Island. We made our way from Arthur's Pass to Christchurch. Since our flight wasn't until later in the afternoon, we were able to stop in at the Antarctic Centre. This is a terrific center with interactive displays, videos, and a Hägglund Ride (an all-terrain vehicle used in the Antarctic). There are displays on Antarctic's wildlife, and in-depth information about Scott Base. We spent a couple of hours exploring the centre, and easily could've spent a bit more. During lunch (at the Center's cafe) Chris ran across the street to get a glimpse of the US Antarctic Center, spotting one of the planes departing for Antarctica. The Centre was SO interesting that it made both Chris and I want to visit someday (in the Summer of course). We were very surprised to find that even Lonely Planet has a guide for Antarctica!
On the plane ride back we had a clear view of Egmont National Park and the massive 2518m dormant volcano, Mt Taranaki (click on photo to left). Chris had to work his handy magic on Billavan when we got back to the airport parking lot (fixing the hose that busted when we arrived). Handy as he is, it wasn't too long before we were on the road headed back to Whangarei.
Mom's Visit Day 9 (Jan 12th)
It was a nice day to relax, and we took a leisurely drive out to Whangarei Heads, overlooking a couple terrific bays, talking to cows, and visiting a beach or two.
Mom's Visit Day 10 (Jan 13th)
It seemed like just yesterday we were picking Mom up at the airport, and now it was time to get ready to go back. We mostly lazed around ... taking time to visit a few shops (where Mom stocked up on last minute souvenirs) and enjoying a bit of sunshine.
Mom's Visit Day 11 (Jan 14th)
It was another drive to Auckland (by the end of our stay in NZ we would have this route down pat!). We enjoyed a bit of walking around Warkworth, where we stopped for lunch and a look at the nearby channel. We got Mom safely to the airport ... I couldn't believe that it had been a year since I'd last seen her, and would probably be another year or so before I saw her again. At least I knew the time would go quickly ... but still her visit reminded me of how much I missed home at times, and how many family members & friends I wouldn't get to see this year.
After dropping Mom off, Chris and I hooked up with Robin & Duncan for dinner in Auckland (their boat, Whisper is currently docked across the bay from Auckland). It was a terrific dinner (excellent fish) and it was fantastic to catch up with Robin & Duncan. Since we stayed out late, we opted to spend the night in a local Holiday Park before heading back to Whangarei the next morning.
Well, some 200 pictures later ... it was quite the time with Mom and a superb Holiday season!