Arriving back in Auckland we picked up the hire car that was to be our trusty stead for the next four weeks. We drove back up to Whangarei arriving early afternoon at our hotel, picked for its large bed which at the time of booking appealed to me after such a long flight. Struggling to stay awake we drove up to the local waterfalls and managed an hours wander along the walk way before dinner in the hotel and an early night. The next morning we headed to the boat and a meeting with the lovely Tim, who was co-ordinating all the works that we were having done by the yard. Pleased with the progress we unloaded our bags and repacked them with clothes from the boat for our road trip to the South Island. We had been told this was the best way to see it, as the coastline is not very boat friendly, and we thought it would make a change. I had always wanted to go on a trip booking things as we went and so it fell upon me to make the reservations, the total opposite of when we travel by sea. I actually really enjoyed the experience but then life is very easy with
booking.com , Airbnb and the internet.
So with just our first motel in Lake Tahoe booked we had dinner in town and left the next morning, fully breakfasted and ready for our adventure. Driving South down the North Island we travelled through vast plains, the steam rising from the ground reminding us of the volatility of the terrain we were travelling over. After a five hour drive we arrived at the Cascades Motel. I wouldn’t consider booking a motel in the UK but in New Zealand they are very much part of the landscape. They offer very affordable self catering accommodation, with your car parked outside your room and they appear to always be immaculately clean.
Still suffering from jet lag we were perhaps not in the best of form and couldn’t agree on the afternoons activity. So Andrew took himself off to walk down the gorge to Huka Falls and I went for a heavenly bicycle ride around the lake. The lady at the desk was, in normal Kiwi style, extremely friendly and helpful and fitted me out with a bike that had extra padding on the seat and off I set. The sun was shining and the whole town seemed to be enjoying being out and about. I came across some beautiful black swans, found a marina, inspected the local housing stock and wore myself out. Too tired to go out for dinner I ordered us a take out Chicken Caesar salad which they delivered and we ate it sitting outside our room on the balcony listening to the chat around us from all the other guests partaking in the same manor. Breakfast was bought to our room bright and early and we were soon back on the road.
Another five hour drive took us to Wellington. Our hotel was okay, although a little tired but the location was good. We wandered into town and had excellent crab claws in a crab shack for a late lunch. The town itself was pretty uninspiring but then we have come to the conclusion that maybe we just don’t like being in towns anymore, which actually means we are now just a couple of old farts! The girls had bought me a quilted jacket for my birthday but it hadn’t been big enough so they had instructed me to buy one in New Zealand. We found a very nice one in a Kathmandu shop and then wandered back to the hotel. Dinner in the restaurant was pretty average but breakfast the next morning more that made up for it. Our ferry to the South Island wasn’t until mid morning so we walked up Mount Victoria to get a view of the city. We learnt two things - firstly that the two islands of New Zealand are actually on two different tectonic plates and secondly that we really were incredibly unfit!
The ferry to Picton takes three and half hours. It was a beautiful sunny day with calm seas, which is rather unusual for this stretch of water, and once you get into Marlborough Sound the scenery is breathtaking. We were headed for Abel Tamsin and our first Airbnb experience. I had booked our one bedroom apartment with the lovely Jean Francois for three nights and we arrived in Marahau in the evening after a beautiful drive through the countryside. I cooked us dinner on the little stove and we prepared for our next days walking in the park.
Up early we drove into the village and booked our two day walking experience. In order to access the park it is necessary to take a boat to the various bays and then be picked up from your destination later in the afternoon. You climb onto your Rib, parked on its trailer outside the booking office, and are pulled by tractor, life jackets securely fastened, along the road and then launched into the sea. We were incredibly lucky with the weather and enjoyed two fabulous days walking the most beautiful coastline. Operation lose weight now well under way! The walks are fantastically maintained, the views spectacular and the noise from the cicada overwhelming. However if I knew I was only going to live for a few weeks, mate and then die I think I might want to make a bit of a racket too! We also saw some Fur seals frolicking on the rocks which were very cute and went past ‘split apple rock’, a hangover from the ice age.
Arriving back to Marahau at low tide we found that the tractors were waiting for us on the sand and we motored onto the trailer and off we set for dry land. Quite a slick operation. We took a sandwich with us for the first day but on the second treated ourselves to lunch in one of the lodges that you can stay at in the park. Whilst eating we got talking to an English couple and it transpired that he used to race against my dad in the seventies, so we had a good reminisce about the many antics between Sea Streaker and Flamboyant in various Cowes weeks. Then walking back to our boat we bumped into a mum whose child used to be at school with Emma. What a small world!
On our second morning Andrew was convinced he had seen the elusive Kiwi in the garden, which in retrospect seemed unlikely as they only come out at night. Sadly it was just the more common Weka, but still quite a strange looking wingless bird who made its presence known again the next morning, what a racket. We quickly understood why the locals regard them as a pest. We dined out after our first days walking at the local restaurant, but were very tired on our final night and made do with pasta and enjoyed sitting still and booking the next part of our trip.
I had made a slight miscalculation with my initial bookings and found us with a day to spare in the North of the island so booked us a Jet boat ride on the Buller river. I had managed to find a Lodge nearby as we were keen to try all the types of accommodation available and we were not disappointed. It is rather like staying in someone’s house as they comprise of rooms around a communal lounge. There is usually a fridge available to put your drinks in, or buy theirs from, but there is no service with the exception of a first class breakfast each day. We arrived in the old gold mining town of Murchison and had a quick lunch in the old Commercial Cafe surrounded by a group of motor bikers on tour (We were later to find they were gang members). It felt as if we were in the Wild West. Arriving at Murchison Lodge we were made very welcome by the young Swiss/German couple and their baby son and we were given an enoumous beautifully appointed room.
We drove to the Buller river where we found that in order to get to our boat we had to cross a swing bridge strung high above the water. My fear of heights made this a unenjoyable crossing, not made any nicer by my husband amusing himself by seeing how much he could rock the thing. Arriving on terra firma I tried not to let the prospect of the return journey ruin my afternoon! Embarking on our jet boat our driver at first seemed somewhat grumpy but once the formalities had been completed he brightened up and was great fun. Driving us at speed in depths at times of just a few inches we had a very exhilarating trip particularly enjoying the three hundred and sixty degree turns. I was very grateful that it was a hot day as we got rather wet. After a walk around the park we successfully renegotiated the river crossing, Andrew with strict instructions to stay several meters behind me. We had a very pleasant pizza at the Cow Shed in town and retired to our lodge for the night.
After another excellent breakfast we set off for the West coast stopping at Pancake rocks in Punakaiki. They were formed thirty million years ago from a mixture of limestone, Dead Sea creatures and plants. These solidified into hard and soft layers and were then sculpted by the wind and rain into strange shapes, it was definitely worth a wander around. Our destination for the night was the town of Hokitika and the Hotel On The Beach. The latter was a little bland but served a decent dinner and we spent the afternoon negotiating the tree top walk. Suspended on steel poles high in the canopy it felt a little like an endurance course and was also quite pricey. We then took a hike to the lake below, conscious that daily exercise was necessary to burn off all these delicious breakfasts we were consuming!
Heading out the next morning we made a thirty kilometre detour to visit the Hokitika Gorge which was well worth the effort. Just a small swing bridge to negotiate which apparently had originally been built by a local farmer to allow his cows to cross the river. I rather imagine they made as much fuss as I do! The powdered limestone that is washed down stream from the glaciers above makes the water almost turquoise, a sight that we saw more and more as we headed South. That and an array of purple Agapanthus everywhere.
We had decided to treat ourselves to the Te Waonui Forest retreat, which is an Eco Hotel, for a couple of nights in Franz Joseph, where we had also made a booking to visit the glacier. Arriving in the town at lunch time we found it full of tourists enjoying the blazing sunshine and we found a restaurant where we could eat out in the open. It felt very much like we were in a ski resort. The hotel did not disappoint, built in the trees with lots of glass and interior wood bringing the outside in. We had a beautiful room and our only criticism was that we didn’t feel the blue plastic water bottles provided every night were that eco, nor the Possum cushions. However the latter are considered a pest in New Zealand and you certainly see a lot of these cushions splattered all over the roads.
We discovered we could take a walk to the bottom of the Glacier and so in preparation for our dinner we set off. Walking on the grey pebbles it felt rather like we were on the Moon and it was shocking to see how much the glacier had receded over the past one hundred years. Dinner that evening was superb and we rounded our night off with a digestif in the piano bar where we found some new friends to while away an hour with as you do.
There was a storm forecast and therefore some question as to wether our tour would be able to go ahead. As it turns out fortune was on our side and our helicopter took off on time, although the afternoon tours were cancelled. We had been kitted out in water proof trousers and jackets and given special boots with crampons to fit once we were on the glacier. Only my second trip on a helicopter, the first so long ago with my father I could hardly remember it, I was a little apprehensive as we waited to board. Apparently it was not very nice of me to tell the story of my first insurance claim for the replacement of a rotary blade that had decapitated a man. Once strapped in though with headphones on I thought it was fantastic as we were whizzed up to the tongue.
Climbing out of the helicopter, crouching low so as not to became another insurance claim, we all put our crampons on and then followed our guides onto the ice. We had a fantastic morning as they took us up, over and through the glacier, our leader at times having to use a pick axe to carve the way through. The helicopter descent was equally enjoyable and I was rather sad to have to disembark. There are some man made hot pools to use once you have returned all your gear so we wallowed in them for a while before returning to the hotel and a couples massage. Another delicious dinner and we went to bed replete and feeling very spoilt.
The next morning brought with it torrential rain, making our drive somewhat treacherous in places as we negotiated the windy roads. There had been a large storm a few weeks before and we were astonished at the damage that had been done to large sections of road which had literally been swept away. Judging by the many roadworks we came upon on our journey there is obviously a continual battle with the elements. Arriving in Wanaka we found our accommodation for the night. The very reasonably priced Lime Tree lodge offered beautiful accommodation just outside the main town and arranged for a private chef to cook us dinner. This doubled our bill but we had a lovely evening with two other couples who were guests at the Lodge. And in the morning another fabulous breakfast, it was a good thing that we had climbed Mount Iron the previous afternoon.
We had been told that we would not like Queenstown so we had decided not to stay there. Curiosity got the better of me though and I insisted we drive in and at least had a takeaway coffee and a stroll around. It just goes to show you should never listen too closely to other people’s advice as we all like different things. We thought it was charming with lots of young people, restaurants and life. A real buzz that we hadn’t found anywhere else, maybe we aren’t such old farts after all!
Next stop was Te Anau which we reached mid afternoon, eating at a roadside mobile cafe. It seems wherever we eat in NZ the food is always top quality and delicious. I had decided we would try an expensive motel and had booked a studio overlooking the lake. Driving into the campsite I was a little concerned about my choice but the room was modern if a little small with beautiful views of the lake. We went for a lovely walk and then I cooked us dinner on another little hob.
The following morning was my birthday. Thoroughly spoilt by my lovely hubby I had presents and breakfast in bed. We had arranged to go on an overnight boat trip in Doubtful sound right in the middle of Fjordland. The original boat that we had paid for turned out to be overbooked. The tour company had emailed me to offer a different one that normally operated out of Milford Sound which was closed due to massive flooding which had carried away the only road a few weeks before. It was NZ$600 less and we were to be flown in by helicopter, seemed like a pretty good result to me! And so it proved to be.
We took off in our helicopter, feeling like a bit of a pro now. I was sat next to the window so I tried not to look down as we flew over the mountains, in places covered in cloud and then suddenly there was our boat the Fjordland Jewel and we landed on the top deck. What a thrill, I felt like a movie star! The boat was lovely and the food was amazing. We caught crayfish for dinner , kayaked in the afternoon and even got in the water, though it was a little chilly! A pod of dolphins came to have a look at us literally jumping out of the water in front of us. We met a great couple Guy and Polly and teamed up with them for dinner and had a real laugh. Waking the next morning we pulled the curtains and just sat there taking in the stunning scenery around us in the sound. New Zealand is a beautiful country and the South Island is definitely the jewel in the crown, the further south you go the more it shines! Sadly it was time to leave after breakfast but my helicopter ride back over the mountains placated me.
We had a long drive ahead of us as we had to get to Greymouth for lunchtime the next day. However we did manage a small walk en route and then stopped around eight pm in Fox Glacier for the night booking a cheap motel that was as always clean. We were extremely happy to find a local restaurant that served up a lovely plate of ribs and chips. No breakfast in our motel but we found a great cafe on the way and had a memorable Eggs Benedict.
Greymouth is a pretty miserable old mining town but is where you catch the Tranzalpine Express to Christchurch, one of the great train journeys. We left our car in the local supermarket car park, fingers tightly crossed that it would not be broken into over the next couple of days. The train journey lived up to expectation and the experience was greatly enhanced by a audio link telling us the history as we wended our way through the mountains. Stopping only at Arthur’s Pass where we were allowed to get out for a photo opportunity. Life must have been very hard for the settlers as they made a life in such rugged conditions.
We had booked an Airbnb for two nights which turned out to be our only disappointing accommodation because it stank of damp. We found Christchurch both depressing and interesting at the same time. There are still lots of damaged buildings and empty spaces in the city following the big Earthquake of 2011, a first for us to see the devastation that an earthquake can bring. There were several pop up shops & bars in the spaces which were enterprising and we visited Quake city the museum dedicated to the disaster. It was very interesting and extremely emotional listening to the tales of those survivors who had experienced the earthquake at first hand.
On our first night we had an excellent fusion dinner in a very upmarket Chinese restaurant called the King of Snake, as interesting as its name sounds. On our second we had an early dinner in a tram which had been converted into a smart restaurant as we trundled our way around the town. It was really good fun and the food was excellent. We also visited the famous botanical gardens, very picturesque and well worth a wander through.
The return journey on the train was uneventful and we retrieved our car thankfully untampered with. We stopped that night at the Nelson lakes in a motel and enjoyed a beautiful walk along the lake, the sun was shining and the water was still and crystal clear.Then our last stop on the South Islands was in Renwick where we had treated ourselves to two nights in the Marlborough Vintners hotel. Comprising of ultra modern one bedroom apartments surrounded by vineyards it had looked fabulous on
booking.com and it was! We had dinner on the first night in the restaurant and were not disappointed by the food either. Breakfast though was even better with their own smoked salmon served in big chunks and divine, if a little rich.
Andrew had said that he wanted a Gourmet experience whilst in the wine country and so I had booked us on the Private Gourmet Progressive wine and food tour with Pamela at Your Local Chauffeur. We were picked up at our hotel and whisked to our first vineyard, The Hans Herzog Estate, and were tasting wines by 10.30am. Wow I thought this is going to be my type of day. At our next stop, Nautilus estate, we finally caught up with Pamela who seemed to be rather chaotically coordinating our tour with another from a cruise ship, but she was very bubbly and we had a great day with her. Our second vineyard provided cheese and biscuits with the tasting, our third, to the famous Oyster Bay, half a dozen oysters each.
At our fourth, Giesen, we had a gourmet platter for lunch. In the car on the way to our fifth vineyard, the Forest Estate, I stared to feel rather sick and my tummy was griping. We had tried so many different wines and eaten so many different foods and my digestion is not what it once was. I sipped the next few wines relieved that Pamela had forgotten to buy the ice cream that was supposed to be our next gourmet experience. At the Forest estate we had a wander around the vineyards themselves, amazed at the machinery they use to pick the vines. An interesting titbit we picked up was that in order to make a lower alcohol wine they simply prune the vines more, less leaves results in less sugar in the grapes.
To my horror after depositing us at our last vineyard, the St. Clair family estate, Pamela rushed off to buy ice cream and chocolates to complete our gourmet experience and then proceeded to insist we try them with our wines, Andrew smiling broadly and me grimacing. Bless him he declined the visit to the chocolate factory so that I could get back to the hotel, true love indeed. It had however been a lovely day and we had bought some nice wine as well to take back to the boat. Andrew just cooked scrambled eggs for dinner that evening, breakfast the next day not really necessary either!
Our ferry was booked for lunchtime the following day and again we had lovely sunny weather to enjoy as went through the Marlborough sounds, the crossing over the Cooks straight a little bumpier this time. We had arranged to visit the lovely Karen’s parents who live in Masterton on their boutique vineyard the Landsdowne estate. Having drunk the wine in England many times we were keen to see it’s source, meet Derek & Margaret and as a bonus Libby was there too visiting her grandparents. We were made extremely welcome, given a lovely tea and Andrew drank his way through the wine reserves. It was great to see the vineyard having heard so much about it and I had to drag his merry self away in order to get to our motel in Palmerston North before they locked us out. Arriving after nine we got there just in time and managed to order an Indian delivery to help soak up all the wine Derek had very generously given the skipper.
Our final stop was to the volcanic area around Rotorua where I had booked us another lodge. The town was much bigger than I had expected and we found ourselves in heavy traffic. Arriving at the beautiful Koura lodge situated on the lake, heading back out for the walk we had planned through all that traffic was very unappealing. The sun was shining so we opted to take out a couple of kayaks which seemed a much better idea. Followed by a hot tub and then a swim in the lake we were soon feeling much more relaxed. Then we made our way into town for dinner. A final cooked breakfast and we set off back to Whangarei and our last Airbnb. The room was cute and we wandered into town to meet up with Colin and his mate Peter and Tim & Nancy for drinks onboard Burmese Breeze, followed by dinner in town and a jolly good natter.
We had loved our road trip and after all our walking, and despite all the marvellous breakfasts and meals we had enjoyed, we were pleased to be a little smaller and a lot fitter than when we had left the UK. However we were very excited about returning to Hullabaloo, it was definitely time to get back on the water....
