[Fox Glacier Village, New Zealand] Longest amount of driving thus far-360km from Queenstown to Fox Glacier. We opted for pancakes at McDonald’s for breakfast instead of weatbix, mainly because we knew there was free WiFi there. Except the unlocked WiFi from the other day had now been locked and limited to half an hour access. Pancakes chomped we headed off for some supplies and onwards to Fox, stopping first at Arrowtown and then at a bungy spot further down the road. Arrowtown looked quite charming if that’s the right word for it. An old gold mining town that has been nicely restored. We cruised through town but did not really stop.

Our next point of interest was the LOTR filming location for the pillars of the kings scene. We pulled off the road at a likely spot disturbing a family of Californian quail ( I looked them up in the bird book the Ewegs lent us) but could not get close enough to the edge off the gorge. So we carried on down the road until we saw the AJ Hackett bungy centre located on an old bridge over the Kawarau river. Another slick operation. Nice modern building built into the cliff side with a viewing platform so you can watch people hurl themselves off the bridge. We watched a few people do this very calmly without any screaming before we got bored and moved on.

We took the Crown range road to Wanaka. It was quite a climb up over the pass in our little van. We could smell the clutch struggling a bit. The plaque at the top said it was the highest paved road in NZ.

Wanaka looked like a smaller more chilled version of Queenstown. We might have stayed to explore it but we had a glacier to get to. We found out later that some of the countries best rock climbing is in Wanaka. Will have to check it out at a later date.

Sim and I swapped over at Wanaka with me behind the wheel for the 140 odd km through the southern alps to Haast on the west coast. It was a beautiful drive first along the edge of lake Hawea then along lake Wanaka before heading through the tree filled Mount Aspiring national park. It seemed to be a popular route with cyclists and hitchhikers alike.

The national park was really a treat to drive in. The road followed the Makarora River upstream then at some point we crossed a watershed and the water was flowing the opposite way and we following the Haast River. Both rivers had the beautiful blue green colour we are so fond of and we stopped to admire numerous waterfalls along the way. At one point we crossed over a bridge at a point on the river named the ‘Gates of Haast’. It was a picturesque steep cliffed gorge with the blue green water thundering through some rapids. We will have to look up the history on that one some time.

Arriving in Haast we were finally in Westland, the rugged, sparsely populated western coast of South Island. Haast had nothing to tempt us with except a fuel station which must do very well as it’s the only one in a 120km radius. We filled up and drove on stopping only at Knights Point lookout to check out the stunning view and sample the sandflies.

When we got to Fox Glacier Township (not the same thing as an SA township), the guide shop was still open so we popped in to find out about the weather prospects for the next 2 days. Sim had phoned Fox Glacier Guides up a couple of days ago and booked us on a heli ice climbing trip. The idea is we get flown up the glacier in a helicopter which will then land on the glacier dropping us off for a day of ice climbing before picking us up again later and flying us back. How cool is that? The critical thing though is the weather. If the weather is bad, the chopper can’t fly. Since it’s a rather expensive treat for us (£600 ouch) we want to make sure the weather is optimal so we have set aside a couple of days that we are prepared to hang around. So the good people at Fox Glacier Guiding have made some back up bookings for us to make sure we get what we want. The staff have been brilliant and it makes a big difference when you mention you have been climbing for the last 15 odd years as these guys aren’t just doing a job, they are climbers getting paid to do what love. Anyway, we had a chat with one of the guides and looked at the weather for the next 2 days. Tomorrow is not looking so great but who knows with the weather. We will have to check in tomorrow morning to get a better idea.

P. S We have discovered the twin joys of the West coast. When the sun goes down and the blood sucking sandflies go to sleep, the blood sucking mosquitoes come out. They are pretty slow moving though and we still spent quite some time squashing them against the inside of the van roof before we went to bed.

[Pictures: River gorges, bungee bridge, more gorges with white water, pretty waterfalls and sea views]

Last little snippet of a Loony Bungy jumper

– Posted from my iPhone via WiFi

[Queenstown, New Zealand] WARNING. Geat day = long post.
Yet another perfect weather day, it even felt hot and the cold breeze must be busy somewhere else. We were up very early to be in time for the canyoning. Typical, we were a half hour early, but killed the time on McDonald’s free WiFi connection that for some reason was not asking for the usual login (some IT guy is gonna be in trouble). We had a group of 10 people with 3 guides. I won the age race again by at least 10 years. It was a short ride out to the canyon and in no time we had been kitted out in 7mm full length wet-suits, booties, life vests, helmets and harnesses.

Before walking up river we had a chance to sample the water, it was around 6 degrees Celsius. Brrrr. Thankfully for the first few canyon crossings we were high above the river on zip lines. Once again the guides were excellent. Everything was checked and double checked on each person. A well oiled and professional operation with a lot of simple (some hardly noticeable) steps to ensure safety. After the zip lines (which were short and slow compared to what we are used to) we were lowered into the canyon and got to experience a small slide. Hitting the water was so cold it knocked the wind right out of us. This was followed up with a decent (7m) waterfall jump into deep water. As usual I somehow found myself at the front of the queue. V had managed to wiggle her way to the back and had initially opted to be lowered down but to her credit she didn’t chicken out – she was rewarded with a nose full of icy water 🙂

Jumping, wading, sliding and scrambling got us back out of the canyon to another zip line. This time the object was to zip to the middle of the line and then abseil down to the water. V and I were the last to go and we were just chatting about how not to mess up the simple procedure involved. V was a little concerned but had no problem in the end (just like the other 8 people before her). Then I stepped to the plate and forgot to release the safety before starting the abseil. Doh. What a gonk! In my defense I have never had an additional safety to remove before abseiling. All I needed was 15 seconds to tie an 8 and step up to release the safety but the guide was hauling me back in before I could turn around. V is never going to let me forget that one. Scrambling around the rocks I put my hand down to balance myself and felt a pop in my shoulder accompanied with excruciating pain and loss of motion in my arm. It is impossible to keep you muscles warm in this cold water is my excuse, but really I think I’m just getting old. I managed another bigger jump (maybe 8m) but V did opted out (paaak pak pak pak), and were on our way sliding and wading towards our exit point but not before another icy dunking (I suspect the guides favorite part). By the time we got out of the canyon a few of us were starting to shiver and turn blue but it didn’t take long to warm up in the sun.

Back in town we rushed back to camp (ibuprofen rocks) swallowed as much lunch as possible and then walked up to the gondola to discover that ‘half-day’ pass meant from 3pm until 8pm. With an hour to kill we chilled out back at the van and then tried again with more success. The views going up the gondola and from the skyline complex at the top are stunning. This place has a lot to offer.

Vertigo bikes is yet another fantastically run organization. We decided to rent some full suspension downhill bikes (full face helmets included, body armor as an optional extra) and they were in perfect condition. They even switched the hydraulic disc brake levers around for V (she’s not normal). Not familiar with the bikes or trails we took the easiest route down (an 8km green trail). It was awesome and to give an idea it was comparable to the black (hardest) runs in Wales with options which look positively life threatening (huge jumps, elevated Ewok village trails etc). Then the best part. The guys at the gondola hooked our bikes on and in no time we were back at the start and ready to go again with ear to ear grins. We love gravity assisted sports.

Gaining confidence we hit the same route, but this time a lot faster making full use of the burns and small jumps. The bikes instill a lot of confidence – obstacles that would throw me off a hard-tail just get smoothed out with the dual shocks. It’s an incredible feeling and the best value for money thing to do here. Also the most adrenalin inducing. A bungy jump you ‘know’ is safe, but careening through a forest over jumps and obstacles is infinitely more dangerous – and the outcome is far from certain. Just to prove the point we opted for a blue run on our next descent. It was STEEP and accompanied with shrieks of exhilaration/fear from both of us. I accidentally ended up on a black run headed straight down an insane trail. It wasn’t long before I was thrown over the bars and was being chased by my bike as I rolled head first down the trail. Confidence crushed and in some pain I found my way to a road, met up with V and continued down the blue run at a more conservative pace.

Back on the green run and by half way, having forgotten the earlier spill, I was gravitating towards the more technical options. A small gap jump landed me on a rock which punctured my tire. V continued on alone as I pushed back to the top along an access road. One thing about downhill bikes, they are HEAVY. I got to the top completely spent at the same time as V. It took 30 minutes of slog up the road. Chatting to the locals it seems that the gondola has not been available to bikes for too long and this is the first year that riders have been able to buy a season pass. I can’t imagine having to ride (or push) all the way up, but it would have been worth it – the trails are genius.

We did a few more runs (6.5 for me in total and 5 for V – the locals do 8 or 9) but the last ones were hard. Never again will we diss downhill mountain bikers as lazy – this stuff takes a lot of fitness. With time running out I set off on one last cannonball run. Too fast, too tired, too unfit and not enough skill had me bouncing down the trail again. How often can you have a huge grin on your dial with blood dripping from a bashed knee and covered in grazes and aching bruises. We love it!

It was a long hard day at play. Luckily we are spending tomorrow driving as I doubt either of us will be able to walk. Thank you Queenstown. We will be back (just need to rob a bank first).

[Pictures: Queenstown from the Skyline complex – Stunnning. All the other pics are on the camera so you’ll have to wait]

– Posted from my iPhone via WiFi

[Queenstown, New Zealand] We can only spend two full days here in Queenstown and have to balance that with our budget, which is running tight, and with the plethora of ridiculously fun activities around town. After pouring over the brochures last night we have decided to do some Jet Boating, Canyoning and Downhill Mountain Biking. We figured 8.5 seconds of bungy is just not worth NZ$280 each!

First order of business was to walk into town and make some arrangements. Queenstown looks and feels like a purpose built resort town (something like Whistler). As we headed down to the centre under perfect clear skies we could hear screams of terror/joy from the half dozen or so tandem para-gliders up the mountain. We booked the canyoning for tomorrow morning and the bikes for the afternoon. What luck! The gondola opens for bikes tomorrow. That should be a blast.

We debated the jet boat options and settled on the one which looked the most life threatening (albeit more expensive for less boat time). The Shotover Jet boat operation is one slick machine. We arrived at their main office (they have many), paid, and within 10 minutes were on their bus out to the canyon with promo video and seat-pocket instructions in every language you could think of. 20 minutes later we were at the riverside kitted out with life vest and spray jacket staring down one very steep and narrow but beautiful canyon.

Now a bit of advertising for Shotover Jet. The boats are brilliant. Capable of navigating in 10cm of water at speeds up to 85km/h through some very tight canyons. Two 3.8l V6 Engines are hooked up to simple water jets developed in New Zealand allowing for the shallow operation and 360 degree spins. Apparently the company was one of the first ‘adventure tourism’ operations in Queenstown and has ‘thrilled over 2.5 million people since 1970’. That’s not hard to believe.

The ride was exhilarating to say the least. V and I scored the front seats and V, being on the outer side was screaming like a little girl as our pilot came within inches of the canyon walls and mid-river boulders at crazy speeds. The 360 spins were brilliant – resulting strained necks and the entire boat being soaked. Without a rudder or directional prop and a flat bottom you are just sliding around on the water in whatever direction the jets are pushing. Fantastic fun that was over too soon but well worth it. Within a minute of getting off the boat the operation had a video and photos of our run ready to purchase. Like I said, slick. We hung around a bit and took some video and pics of other groups hurtling through the canyon before catching the bus back to town.

With a town full of outdoor gear and toy shops it was impossible to stop V from doing a little window shopping. We spent a good hour checking it all out and getting a little frustrated – gear here seems to be more expensive than in the UK – that just doesn’t seem right. Guess most of it has a long way to go to get here. We ‘splurged’ on a delicious ice cream (V tried the local fave ‘Hokey Pokey’) on our way back to the campsite and passed a Queenstown icon, Fergburger. A burger joint that always has a queue out the door, it must be really good or cheap, but nothing is cheap here so we suspect the former.

We spent the afternoon cruising out along the lake towards Glenorchy. The drive along the windy lakeside and the views were magnificent – we stopped again at just about every viewpoint to take a pic. Glenorchy is a tiny little village with not much to look at so we continued out towards Paradise. The road soon turned to gravel and that was that, we were done for the day (honestly – who would put paradise at the end of a gravel road?)

Tomorrow should be a lot of fun, but you can be sure we’ll be completely knackered by the end of it.

[Pictures: A ‘wide’ part of Shotover Canyon – Spot the boat? V is such a chick sometimes, shoe shopping again! A view of lake Wakatipu]

Shotover Jet Boating.. Yeee Haaa

– Posted from my iPhone via 3G

[Queenstown, New Zealand] Pancakes for breakfast! Lovely. Being bitten by sandflies and having to fish them out of our tea and pancakes – not so lovely. We had to resort to strolling around the van while eating just to keep away from the nasty little buggers. It seems they are unable to keep up when you walk. It also appears they are indiscriminate blood suckers as they don’t mind munching on me even when the tastier option of Simon is right next to me. I’m also choosing to blame the loss of my flip flops on the little buggers. Found out later that I had left them behind in our hurry to escape the camp site.

Sim was correct in postponing the Milford Sound cruise till today. Today’s weather was far superior – not raining and with just a few patches of cloud in the bright blue sky.

We checked in and hung around our boat the Milford Mariner. Real Journeys has some nice rides. We cruised on out of the little cove along with 100 other passengers (they counted us).

There is a reason Milford Sound is more famous than Doubtful Sound. It is just more spectacular. It may be smaller and there may be more boats on the water, but the narrowness of Milford make the sheer cliffs on either side just more impressive. We spent the entire 2.5 hour cruise outside on the front deck of the boat just going ‘Oh wow’.

We got some good shots of Mitre Peak (it’s on every postcard and Milford brochure) and we saw the impressive Stirling Falls (150m) which was dwarfed by the 1300m high mountains on either side of it. The captain even poked the bow of the Mariner into the falls, spraying everyone on deck and joking that the falls is also known as the Milford boat wash (har har). It did illustrate very clearly how vertical the cliffs are and that they extend a good distance below the surface of the water (200m+) We got up close to the rock a couple times to check out fault lines, interesting colorations and of course some seals which were lounging around as usual. We also sailed or rather motored into the Tasman sea. It was calm today but apparently it gets pretty hectic at times with 20m+ swells.

We were thoroughly impressed with Milford Sound. Sometimes when you hear about these things it’s all just tour company hype but Milford deserves being raved about by everyone. It was stunning and well worth the drive out to get there.

On the drive out of Milford, we stopped at the other side of the Homer tunnel for a late lunch. We can’t express the absolute joy we have over a simple thing like stopping by the side of the road and being able to make ourselves a peanut butter sandwich. This is the way to travel!

After lunch we stretched our legs by hiking up to the waterfall and the patch of ice below it. We had a jol rock hopping to get there then messing around in the ice by the river. It was a fun diversion before the long drive to Queenstown.

We reached Queenstown and our most expensive campsite yet (40 dollars for an unpowered parking bay and showers are 2 dollars for 8 minutes). It does have a resident flock of ducks that waddle around though. We had a quick look around town (lots of outdoor shops and adventure activity operators) and picked up some brochures from the wall of pamphlets at the camp reception. Looks like the next 2 days are gonna be expensive but a helluva lot of fun. If it makes adrenalin then you can find it here!

[Pictures: What a view to wake up to! I thought Mitre peak was a mountain not a volcano? 150m waterfall off in the distance and Mitre Peak again. Playing on the ice near the waterfall.]

– Posted from my iPhone via Expensive 3G

[Milford Sound, New Zealand] After stopping in town (Te Anau) to pop into an outdoor equipment shop (V just can’t resist), we hit the road bound for Milford Sound. The trip is, according to a few sources, the most beautiful road trip in the world. It’s only 120km, but we agree. Stunning.

The first section follows the shore of lake Te Anau and we stopped a couple of times to take pics in the perfect weather. After 30km the route kinks away from the lake and starts following the Eglinton river. The traffic was getting heavier the further we drove. Chains of tour buses and camper-vans of varying sizes kept the road busy, this being the only way to and from Milford. At each lookout or viewpoint there were at least a couple of cars and buses but they all cleared off quickly so it wasn’t a problem.

Before entering the Fiordland National Park (free) we were driving along a huge valley floored with rocky grasslands and walled by spectacular hills. Entering the park we drove into a solid wall of trees as far as you can see in either direction. We passed a number of DoC campsites (with ‘self check-in’ drop boxes and pulled in at Mirror Lakes. A wooden walkway led us (and loads of other tourists) down along a few pristine lakes in front of a backdrop of dramatic mountains. Pity the wind had started up and the clouds were moving in because you can see these pools would have provided amazing ‘reflection’ shots. The sign across the lake had ‘Mirror Lakes’ printed as a mirror image so you could read it in the water – what a sweet touch.

I think we stopped off to take photos at just about every viewpoint from Mirror lakes to the Homer tunnel, taking in the vast valleys, snow covered peaks and crystal clear streams. At a couple of stops we encountered the odd Kea, usually being fed by tourists who were blatantly ignoring the ‘Don’t Feed the Kea’ signs. The Kea is the only alpine parrot in the world (nesting in snow). They look cool (like fat, green parrots with big beaks) and like humans (and the food) but they can be a problem. They have been known to pluck and chew wiper blades and the rubber from around windscreens. With that beak I can believe it. Talking of wildlife, I’m sure we mentioned the possum in an earlier post. These guys became a pest here after being introduced ages ago. You would think that the numbers are under control from the number of squashums we passed today but apparently not.

We also passed a lot of trail-heads mostly full of cars (it’s the weekend and the Kiwis are restless) There are a lot of great multi-day hikes that you can do from this area. We have got to do a few someday, the place is too awesome not to. It is also simplified, for example, there is a company called TrackNet that will fetch or collect you at trail heads. And no need for tents. As long as you book there are convenient huts on the trails. We love this place.

Homer tunnel is ‘one way’ during the day so we had a short (15 min) wait in front of a huge rock wall. To our right in the distance was a towering waterfall and large patch of snow/ice. We’ll have to take a walk up there on our way back to check it out. The tunnel is around 2km long and very steep (down), hope the van can make it back up. More breathtaking scenery as we started dropping down towards Milford. We stopped off at a short walk called ‘The Chasm’, because it is one. Raging water rushing in a beautifully formed gully beneath the walkway. Brilliant.

By the time we got to Milford and the huge ticketing offices (looks more like a small airport terminal) the weather was changing but we bought a ticket hoping it would pass by. With a couple hours to kill we had a very late lunch and then the rain started. The sound was obscured by heavy cloud. It was not looking good. Luckily we were able to change our ticket for the morning – may as well take the chance, how much worse can it get right?

We managed to get a site at the only campsite in Milford (the DoC sites being the far side of the tunnel) which was very expensive (NZ$44, £22) with all the expected facilities. A small parking lot style site but this time teeming with sandflies. Once the rain stopped and the clouds started clearing the view and river alongside made it all worth while. What a stunning spot to camp. The weather-man says tomorrow will be clear and calm. Let’s see!

[Pictures: Cute little window rubber eating Kea. We have hundreds of shots like this (hopefully better) from today. Waiting at Homer tunnel. Peering into the Chasm]

– Posted from my iPhone via expensive 3G

[Te Anau, New Zealand] Our first Kiwi ‘tour’ today out to the Manapouri lake hydro-power station and over Wilmot pass to Doubtful sound. The weather in the morning looked promising but it changes so quickly and by the time our boat was ready to leave at 11:30 it was overcast. ‘Real Journeys’ seems to be the major player in the tour business here. A big and very spiffy cat, capable of carrying at least 100, arrived to take us and the 40 odd other tourists across lake Manapouri to West Arm and the power station. The hour long ride passed easily as the captain pointed out islands, gullies and other features. The walls of the lake were very steep and occasionally rise over a thousand meters to the higher summits. The sheer rock is covered in trees that have grown on top of the lichen, intertwined with other trees and hanging on to the occasional crack. Here they have tree-falls, not rock falls. When a tree comes down it takes all the connected tress with it and the snowball effect rips a gaping rock strip down the side of the mountain. It takes 75 to 100 years for the tree slope to recover.

Manapouri power station is awesome! From the visitors centre we boarded a bus and after notifying the control centre at Twizel (more that 200km away) descended over 200m through a spiraling tunnel to the machine floor of the station. It was an immense engineering project. 7 huge turbines generate some ridiculous amount of power (14% of the country’s requirement at one point). Environmentalists in the 60’s halted the raising of the lake level so the station has only been running at full power for the past few years (smart engineers built an extra tunnel). I’m always in awe of this kind of thing.

From the power station our driver and guide took us over Wilmot pass (another impressive feat of engineering). Rex (the driver) filled us in on the area, it’s history and the flora and fauna in his flat monotone voice. Even the jokes were rendered in the same tone. I’m not sure if he was bored of doing the same talk day after day or if that is just his way. Either way he was entertaining.

From the top of the pass we got our first sight of Doubtful Sound (actually a Fiord). Impressively steep rock walls stretched into the distance. An even larger and fancier cat was waiting at the docks to take us out on the sound. Not long after leaving port we were joined by a large pod of bottle nosed dolphins – the juveniles where having a ball jumping out of the water – so cool to see. The fiord tour itself was excellent. Steep tree covered walls, vast mountains, gushing waterfalls. All kinds of information from our guide as we cruised along and definitely more impressive than the fjords of Norway (Norway’s fjords are much longer but just did not feel as impressive).

The name ‘Doubtful Sound’ was from Captain Cook who marked it on a map as a warning to other sailors. He was doubtful that he would get the winds needed to get his ship out if he entered the sound, so he didn’t go in. We eventually popped out into the open sea at the mouth of the fiord to visit a colony of NZ fur seals sunning themselves on a collection of small islands before turning around and heading back up the fiord. On the way back we had more dolphins. This time even closer and playing in our wake. Great to watch.

After the cruise it was just a matter of the bus ride back over the pass and another boat ride across the lake. We got back to the van around 8pm and then had to drive up to the next town (Te Anau) to camp for the night. It was a long day even though we were passengers, but it was worth it (even for the price).

[Pictures: Big stuff in the power station 200m under ground. The view of Doubtfl sound from the pass. Heading home – just another stunning view of the fiord]

– Posted from my iPhone via 3G

[Manapouri, New Zealand] We left Tuatapere at our usual departure time this morning. Most campsites have a 10am check out so we aim for that but not before frying up some bacon and cheese baps for breakfast. Today was going to be a very light day and thankfully the weather was looking a little more cheerful than yesterday. With our gas bottle refilled we hit the road, the destination for the day being only 80 odd km away. We stopped off at another old suspension bridge near Clifden. This time we could not drive over it (or even walk) – huge concrete blocks and warnings signs indicated it was structurally unsound.

Not far from the bridge are some limestone caves that looked like a lot of fun. They stretch for a few hundred meters and require scrambling, climbing and crawling to access the depths of the unregulated caverns. Unfortunately after 30m of stumbling we realized that our little headlamps with their 8 month old batteries were no match for the inky blackness even after our eyes had adjusted. It would not have been safe to continue with light that barely rivaled our cell phones so we opted out. Such a pity. I love caving. We’ll have to come back someday (with ropes for the ‘expert’ section too).

Disappointed we cruised on to Manapouri and stopped in at the ‘i’ site to book a tour out on Doubtful Sound tomorrow. NZ$265 (R1400) per person! Ouch. That is worse than Norway, oh well, we have come all this way to see the Fiords (spelt the Kiwi way) so why not. Lake Manapouri is the second deepest lake in the country and from our lunch spot on the beach we had stunning views of the fiordland across the water. The overcast conditions yielded occasionally to blue sky and sun beams illuminating the distant mountains – it was a great spot for a sarmie.

We found a small campsite (maybe 10 sites) close to the lakeshore as the rains started once again. Fiordland gets between 5 and 7 METERS of rain each year !! The temperature dropped dramatically and we settled in for a lazy afternoon. V is catching up on some reading while I finally get the blog up to date. It’s been good to have at least a half a day off, we’re both feeling a little road weary. Tomorrow someone else is doing the driving for us. Should be good (at that price it better be).

[Pictures: The suspension bridge at Clifden. V catching up on some reading]

– Posted from my iPhone via 3G

[Tuatapere, New Zealand] A less hectic day today but we did do more driving than average. Our total distance is now just short of 2000km and the van is doing fine. We left Curio bay after a luke warm shower and under perfect blue skies (it was even hot). We headed for Slope Point :gps:(GPS)::-46.67388::169.00143:gps:, the southern most point on south island and by default the southern most point on our trip. A short stroll across sheep filled farmland got us to the markers and the obligatory photo. The wind was starting to pick up and by the look of the hunched over trees around it is not a wind to do battle with.

Invercargill was our next ‘city’. It’s the 3rd largest city on South Island (Southernmost city in the world) but the wide streets devoid of traffic made it feel like a dorp as we drove past the outskirts on our way to Bluff at the end of the peninsula. We lunched at the Bluff view point with sand-flies and the smell of a burnt clutch (the road up was almost too steep for the van). After taking in the 360 degree vista we headed down to Stirling point and the very end of the road. A sign post indicated 18 958km to London (it’s only taken us 8.5 months!). We were also lucky enough to spot a small pod of dolphins playing just off the point. The public loo deserves special mention with it’s automatic door complete with Star Trek sound effect, 10 minute usage countdown and bowel relaxing music. I just want to know what it does to you when you have used up your 10 minutes ?

We stopped briefly in Invercargill on our way back for fuel and supplies. We like the ‘New World’ food stores – you get a discount coupon for petrol from them which comes in handy. We took a walk/run along the main street just as the rain started to bucket down, snapped a few photos and bailed back into the van. Seems we are getting fussy. Campsites at Riverton (the oldest town on the South Island) and Colac Bay did not reach our ‘standards’ so we just kept driving.

On the way to Tuatapere is a ‘Gemstone Beach’ where you’re encouraged to collect a few stones. We were the only ones there. Not surprising the rain was pouring down. I think we lasted around 5 minutes. Tuatapere is another tiny town but declares itself ‘Sausage’ Capitol of the world… Hmm… Wonder what the Germans have to say about that? Anyway we found a campsite (after checking 2 that were wither closed or not acceptable) and took shelter from the rain in the common kitchen. ‘Shooters Backpackers’ campsite was empty but the rooms were full of much older folk and a young German couple on touring bikes. Riding in the rain today could not have been much fun! V made good use of the kitchen baking us up a pizza as I relaxed at the dining table. These camp facilities never cease to amaze – you really don’t need your own stove, pots, pans, cutlery or crockery when you go ‘camping’ in New Zealand.

[Pictures: A view from Bluff (yip it was overcast). It’s another sign ! and Invercargill town centre in the rain]

Some Not very extreme sheep herding

– Posted from my iPhone via 3G

[Curio Bay, New Zealand] Wow what a day! We set off for Nugget Point around 10:30 after enlisting the help of some Poms and Germans from the camp next door to give us a push (the van got a tiny bit stuck in the mud getting out of our secluded site).

Nugget point was lovely. A tiny little lighthouse perched on some cliffs at the end of a bluff with seals cavorting in the rock pools far below. The DoC had also put up some thoughtful information plaques which had been written in the form of poems. Very different.

Then we were off to Cannibal bay. A nice bay with soft sand and a solitary sea lion basking in the sun that had finally come out. He was encircled by half a dozen tourists all taking photos. We did not stay for long, backtracking up the dirt road, back to the main road, heading for Owaka for fuel and milk.

In Owaka we found Teapot Land. Someone had collected a huge number of teapots and arranged them all in their garden facing the main road. It was slightly bizarre, but we were happy to donate a dollar and take a picture of this unexpected quirkiness.

After Owaka we hit Jacks Bay and after a quick bite to eat (chip sandwiches) in the car park looking out at the beach, we took the 20minute hike up to the blow-hole. Jacks blow-hole is 200m inland, 55m deep, 144m long, 68m wide and other dimensions as well. It wasn’t really much to look at, but Simon really enjoyed himself.

By now, the usually chilly weather had turned positively hot and when we got back to the beach, the water actually looked enticing. There were a couple of kids body boarding in it so how bad could it be? It was freezing! Sim got in as far as his knees, I only stuck a toe in. Hardcore Kiwis, they seem to be immune.

Back onto the scenic highway, we called into Purakaunui Falls which was nice but not too impressive, and passed loads more scenic coves and bays as well as the obligatory sheep of which there are gazillions of. In Papatowai we visited the Lost Gypsy Gallery.

What an absolutely brilliant little spot. An old bus and a back yard full of creative mechanical/electrical ‘artwork’. It was the best ten dollars we have spent thus far. Fabulous. My fave was the simple hand wound whale out front. Sims was the bizarre keyboard hooked up to all manner of odd things from electric toothbrushes to doorbells.

We debated calling in at Cathedral caves, but since you can only walk thought he cave at low tide (2 hours later) I decided to move on.

We reached our campsite at Curio bay at around 5. An amazing spot. Its high up on a bluff overlooking the sea. The individual camp spots are hacked out of the vegetation and we have found ourselves a nice little one with a view of the sea with waves that crash onto a rock outcrop below. What a view. It’s on a bit of a slope, but Sim is determined to figure out a way to get the van level.

It has been a long day, but it was still not over. After dinner we popped down the road to the petrified forest which also happens to be the spot where a small colony of yellow eyed penguins nest. We watched a couple of them come ashore and spend ages pruning themselves before waddling and hopping across the rocks to their hillside nests to feed their kids.

We have spent a good part of the day on dirt roads (we have been on lots). They are in good condition, but everything in the van including us is feeling a tad dusty. Cell signal is also pretty patchy. We are starting to recognize some of the other tourists along the way. It’s hard to get off the tourist trail when there are not that many roads to choose from.

[Sim: BTW. I got the van perfectly level with a ditch made by wheel-spinnig and a rock under another wheel]

[Pictures: The stunning view from Nugget point lighthouse. Peering into Jack’s Blowhole. Techno-Gypsy bits and bobs. Scared trees. Spot the penguin]

Couple clips from the Gypsy Gallery

– Posted from my iPhone via 3G

[Kaka Point, New Zealand] There was a ‘berg’ wind last night. Our first warm night meant we could sleep without our beanies. The morning was dead calm, overcast and warm but it didn’t last long. The mission for the day was to explore the Otago Peninsula before heading south again. We drove to the top of the peninsula to see Lanarch Castle (the only castle in New Zealand) but turned around at the gate when we saw the entry fee just to get into the grounds. Ridiculous.

Back on the coastal route we went as far as the road would take us, Taiaroa head and the Royal Albatross Centre (again too expensive for us). We took a short walk in the now gale force and freezing winds to the view point. A great view of the sea cliffs, light house and tonnes of kelp in the water would have been better if it wasn’t so windy. The fields around here are full of cute bunnies – another pest that was introduced and has caused havoc.

Crossing the peninsula and a few more gravel roads got us to the deserted (probably because of the weather) Allan’s beach. Once over the farm fence we were joined by a little black pig. He (or she) wouldn’t leave us alone and followed us all the way down the trail to the beach. We were on the beach to see some sea lions but the beach, although beautiful, was empty. V spotted a moving ‘rock’ in the distance and we took a walk with piggie still on our heels. We were able to get up reasonably close to three large sea lions that were just chilling on the beach. Sweet. They looked very relaxed and were not bothered by us at all. Back at the van we fed piggie a peach and made our escape as two surfers (yes, in that cold water) arrived.

Next on the list was Sandfly Bay and the possibility of more sea lions. As we arrived it started raining so we decided to skip the 80 minute round trip walk to the beach. I guess we should mention sandflies. They are the pest to fear here (much worse than a mozzie) but so far we have only seen a couple. Apparently there are a lot more on the west coast. I’m nervous already.

That was it for Dunedin and the peninsula. We headed straight out onto the Southern Scenic Route (which for some odd reason leads you out of town through a bunch of boring suburbs). The weather wasn’t really helping but at least we got an entire beach to ourselves for lunch near Brighton.

The route kinks inland for a while through more farmland and forests and then rejoins the coast. By 3pm we were both feeling tired and had had enough of the bad weather so we pulled into a campsite at Kaka Point. A sign on the office door stated ‘Back later. Find a campsite and settle up in the morning’. No argument from us. We found a great little nook in the trees, perfect for an afternoon nap. Here’s hoping the weather clears tomorrow.

[Pictures: Simmie in the middle – with piggie and sea lion. Lonely sea lion chilling on the beach. Lunch view with a beach to ourselves]

– Posted from my iPhone via 3G

[Otago Peninsula, New Zealand] Our first overcast day so far. The sun was trying, but not being very successful. Thats OK though as we had a long list of things to do in nearby Dunedin that were mostly indoors.

First up was the train station. The Flemish renaissance style building was actually very nice and very English despite its official classification. We wandered in, took some snaps, bypassed the sporting legends museum before having a look around the weekly farmers market set up at the end of a platform. It was mostly local produce and a couple of buskers including a trio of belly dancing hippies. We decided to try the local beef and picked up some rib eye steaks before hurrying onto our appointment with Cadbury World.

Cadbury’s factory has been in Dunedin in some form or other for over a hundred years. Unfortunately the factory section was closed (it being the weekend) but there was still some interesting bits to see. We were taken around by an enthusiastic young Kiwi with pockets full of chocolate that he dispensed in return for correct answers to his Chocolate trivia questions. It kept us on our toes. The highlight of the tour was the chocolate fountain where one ton of liquid chocolate is poured down the centre of the inside of a disused storage silo, then pumped back up for the next tour group. It serves no other purpose than our entertainment. Would have liked to have been in the meeting when they came up with that idea. Apparently the ton of chocolate repeats it’s show for a year by which time things inside the silo get decidedly gross. The year old goo then goes off to some very lucky pigs on a farm somewhere while some unlucky cleaners have to abseil into the silo with high pressure cleaning equipment.

We were also introduced to Jaffas, our new favorite nibble plus some interesting free choccies that we have not seen before (perky nanas, chewys and chocolate fish). We left the building with a huge packet full of chocolate which I’m sure will not last very long. The Jaffas barely made it back to the campsite (there were 6 left in the packet).

After the tour we headed for the centre of town along the way getting sidetracked by some bicycle and outdoor gear shops. How can the same Icebreaker T-shirt Simon bought in the UK possibly be more expensive in NZ where it is made?

The empty city centre was a little slice of Scotland with buildings trying hard to give the city a distinguished history. This country was the very last place to be colonized by people and so most of the historical buildings are only slightly more than a hundred years old. The city was also pretty empty. It’s mostly students that live here and there aren’t too many of them about during the holidays. The remainder of the towns population seemed to be at the supermarket we visited to pick up some supplies.

The Otago museum was excellent. Well laid out, lots to look at, few people and best of all free. Though we did make a donation to the stuffed moa at the entrance. We could have spent half a day there.

Our very last sight was Baldwin street. The worlds steepest street according to the Guinness book of records. At over 30 degrees we decided not to stress our Vanette and elected to walk to the top instead. It’s steep! Would not like to live on this street though Sim says it would be fun to ride a bike down (not up).

The weather turned all drizzly and as we drove along the scenic route along the Peninsula to our caravan park we lamented the fact that we forgot to take pictures of the pretty harbor when the sun was out yesterday. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Back at our campsite (more like a car park) Sim cooked us the most mouthwatering, fantastic meal so far. Steak, mash and corn on the cob. Marvelous. NZ beef has turned out to be streaks ahead of the dismal stuff we gave up trying to eat in the UK. Sim of course is taking full advantage of his hero status. He is a wonderful cook and I don’t mind doing the dishes. In typical fashion, as we settled down for the evening, the sun finally came out.

[Pictures: No photos allowed inside Cadbury’s – so this I our new number 1 munchie. Dunedin city centre looking very Scottish? What’s wrong with these two pics Baldwin Street?]

– Posted from my iPhone via 3G

[Dunedin, New Zealand] The only noise to wake us out in the Domain were the sheep – fantastic spot to camp.

We started the day off with a pot wash behind the van and after our standard breakfast (tea, fruit and cereal) headed off towards Dunedin. The drive crisscrossed the Otago rail trail all day. Looks like a cool (and easy) bike trail to ride – maybe someday.

On a recommendation from a friend of Ingrid’s we stopped off at the Hayes Engineering Works. A small farmstead with a preserved machine shop and residence. The Hayes family started here way back (1880 odd) and are still manufacturing bits and bobs for farmers. Everything from gate hinges to windmill parts. The entire workshop is run by overhead pulleys, belts and wheels that were originally driven by a 6m windmill (later changed to a water wheel). It was sooo cool – lathes, drills, presses, grinders, hacksaws all driven by brilliantly designed belts. Boxes full of bits and pieces. Nothing went to waste. They spin up all the machinery for tours but only on certain days – unfortunately not today. In any event it was well worth the cost of admission.

The next ‘town’ on our route was Naseby. Another little ghost town with some cool old buildings and a few vintage cars. We popped into the museum – a random collection of random things obviously collected from local families. V had read that ‘Curling’ is big in Naseby. Hard to believe (the place is tiny) but sure enough we found a year round indoor curling rink with outdoor (winter only) luge and ice hockey rink. Incredibly odd. We popped inside the rink to find Kiwi, Auzzie and Japanese teams getting ready for an international junior tournament… in Naseby!?

We drove on through Middle March and past the end of the rail trail. Flat, straight roads turned to windy hills as we approached Mosgiel where we found the first traffic light since leaving Christchurch. Road works meant that large sections of road were a mixture of loose gravel and wet tar. What a mess on our little van. By the time we got to Dunedin we were getting tired and skipped through town in search of a campsite on the Otago Peninsula. It was a beautiful drive out along a windy coastal road and the weather was perfect but eager to find a campsite we didn’t stop to take photos (someday we’ll learn). The site at Portabello Bay was a bit like a parking lot. We are missing the open space of a free campsite in the middle of nowhere but a hot shower is always welcome.

BTW: The delay in posting is due to fact that cell phone reception has been terrible. Seems the country is not well covered at all – I suppose what’s the point when there are only 6 people in a town!

[Pictures: V sneaking a pot wash behind the van and our Domain campsite. Tractor and automates hack-saw at the engineering works. Yip, it’s a Curling Rink]

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[St. Bathans, New Zealand] Back on the road earlyish today after refueling. The little van is consuming just under 10l of petrol per 100km and with fuel costing around R10.30 per litre it is more expensive than we had hoped. First stop of the day was another LOTR location. This time the scene of the ‘Flight to the Ford’ where Arowen is taking Frodo to Rivendale and is being chased through the trees by the black riders. We found the place but could not get to it. Private land as part of the Tarras vineyard. One of these days we’ll get onto a location !

A short snack at Lake Dunstan and then into Cromwell. The ‘historic’ part of town was truly dismal. The few old buildings that exist where relocated from the original town centre before it was flooded as part of the hydro dam. The end result does not look very authentic but still better than the massive (and massively cheesy) fruit salad outside the new town centre. V had read that this is THE place to get fresh produce but we had no luck and ended up at the supermarket (biggest building in town) to stock up – they didn’t even have chives, but we splurged on some lamb chops and had a friendly chat with the cashier on the way out (almost all of the Kiwis we have met have been very friendly).

This area is full of gold rush towns. Most are now ghost towns or tourists spots on the Otago Central Rail Trail (a 150km long bicycle route along a decommissioned railway line). We stopped in at Clyde. A very quaint single street town with some delightful old buildings. Most have been converted to bike shops (servicing the rail trail), restaurants and guest houses.

Next up was Omakau and an old (1880) suspension bridge near Ophir. Ophir was another surprise. As old as old can get in New Zealand the tiny town also holds the record for the lowest temperature recorded in NZ, -22 deg C. Lucky for us it was sunny and warm so we stopped for lunch at the suspension bridge.

Last stop for the day was another gold rush boom and bust town. Saint Bathans (Population 6) has a picturesque Blue Lake that has gone a little green. The lake is man made – a result of the gold mining. We took a stroll from the ‘Vulcan Hotel’ (how cool) down to the lake and took some shots around the towns preserved buildings before heading to the campsite.

The ‘domain’ near town is just a public space that can be used for camping free of charge. We arrived in the huge tree spotted field to find two other groups there along with a tap and the cleanest long-drop toilet in the world (complete with loo paper).

I have to mention dinner. Up till now it’s just been regular camp food. Tins, noodles, pasta-n-sauce, that kind of thing. Tonight we had mash potatoes with chili and lamb chops. Simple but unbelievably awesome for camp food. Just wish we could have had a braai – no fires allowed.

[Pictures: Giant fruit salad outside Cromwell. The suspension bridge near Ophir and the man made lake at St Bathans]

– Posted from my iPhone via 3G

[Omarama, New Zealand] Another chilly night this time at the foot of Mount Cook and being a basic campsite there were no nice warm showers to wake us up. No problem – we packed up and cruised into the village where the ‘Public Shelter’ has a fully equipped kitchen, dining area and hot showers (hot for small fee). It seems impossible not to find decent camping facilities in this country.

The overcast conditions sent us into the visitor’s centre to check out the exhibits. Very impressive. From the history of the mountain, it’s explorers and climbers to animal and geological exhibits. A true wealth of information, well presented in a perfect location, and best of all, free. One of the interesting factoids was the 14 million tonne collapse of rock near the summit in 1991 that reduced the height of the mountain by a good 10m. We then wandered over to the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre. Another excellent free exhibit (with optional extras at a price). Plenty of Everest and Antarctic memorabilia and information. Hillary opened the centre shortly before his death in 2008 and the life-sized bronze at the entrance is a reminder of what a hero he was to New Zealand.

With the weather clearing (just a little) we headed to the Tasman glacier and another short walk. In the parking lot we noticed a group with photographers, models and lots of outdoor gear. The brand ‘The Red Face’ is new to us, but by the look of the director and photographers it is Asian.

V led us to the ‘Blue Lakes’. A set of small lakes that have turned green (maybe they need some chlorine). We followed the trail along the edge of the first lake to get to the others but it quickly disappeared in thick thorn bushes. Not wanting to give up we bashed our way through eventually heading up the scree slopes to ridge and then back to rejoin the main path the the Tasman glacier. It was an unnecessary mission. We should have guessed when we saw all the other walkers heading directly for the glacier. The Tasman glacier is the largest in New Zealand but is again covered by debris on the lower sections so it looks like a rock slide with a white face. From our vantage point above the glacial lake it looked impressive but we are both itching to get a heli ride up high onto a snowy white glacier. We’re saving that for the Fox glacier on the other side on the Alps in a couple of weeks.

All tramped out for the morning we climbed in the van and headed for Twizel. Our routine at the moment seems to be: leave camp at 10am, spend the day driving, walking etc and then find another camp around 5pm. It’s working well for now but we may need a break at some point.

Before Twizel we went out looking for another LOTR shooting location – the ‘Plains of Rohan’. It must been some distance off the road because we could not find it – I’m sure we were close.

More driving got us in the area of Omarama. V had read about some cool looking clay cliffs close to town so we went looking for them. More gravel roads led us to a farm gate with appropriate signage. The entry fee was NZ$5 (£2.50) payable in town but there was also an ‘honesty box’ (an old ice-cream container) on the gate post with at least NZ$50 in it ! We could not believe it. Imagine that in Africa, or even in the UK. The cold wind and cloudy sky was not great so we didn’t stay long, but the cliffs did look very cool (BTW you can see them at a distance from the main road if you don’t want to pay or ride on dirt roads).

Heading into Omarama we passed a large airfield full of gliders and a couple old style bi-planes. This area is known for gliding and there are lots of tour operators charging a fortune to take tourists up (not today I’m sure with this weather). We checked into the only campsite in town. And a top rated 5 star one at that. Again excellent facilities in a pleasant setting. Not too busy and wonderfully tranquil. This is just too easy (if only the WiFi was free).

[Pictures: Hillary looking out to Mt Cook. One of the Blue/Green Lakes. Clay Cliff. Another great campsite]

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[Mount Cook, New Zealand] At last. I woke up feeling more or less ‘normal’. What a huge relief after the discomfort of the past 10 days. We packed up early, paid the NZ$2 each for a shower and left the campsite as quickly as possible.

First up was a walk up to the Mount John Observatory overlooking Lake Tekapo. It was a pleasant stroll up a gradual path through pine forest. It only took around 45 minutes to climb the 300 odd vertical meters to the summit where we were met by a car park and the Observatory. The signs indicated that it is part of the University of Canterbury Physics Department – pretty cool setup with at least 5 instrument domes and a convenient coffee shop. The weather was perfect (maybe a little cool) and the views endless from the store patio but the angle of the sunlight made the lake look less blue. V and I sat a while and took a few snaps before heading back down the same path now busier with young and old walkers (‘busy’ in NZ means you can see more than 3 people if you look in any direction).

There were two small attractions on the shore of lake Tekapo that we wanted to catch before heading out. The first is a monument to the local Collie’s without whom sheep farmers would have had to do a lot more work. These ones are well trained Mom. Finally a tiny old stone church perched on the shore. A wedding was in progress surrounded by bus loads of Asian tourists. Maybe not the best choice of venue – guess it made for good photos. A quick stop at the shops – this time for essentials and beer (water is getting boring) and we hit the road.

The first time you come around a bend and spot Mount Cook seemingly rising from lake Pukaki…WOW. We won’t forget that for a long time to come. Following the length of the 30km long lake we frequently pulled into viewpoints to ogle and take photos. The lake eventually turned to a vast sprawl of intertwined tributaries as Mount Cook started to fill the windscreen. The ranger on duty at the stunning visitors centre was a friendly chap who immediately warned us that the weather was expected to change in the morning. He recommended getting to the campsite and out on the trail today. We heeded his warning and set off for the campsite. The site is classed as a ‘Basic’ which means running water (that may need boiling) and toilets. Not the most picturesque site – basically a large dusty parking lot but the sign in procedure was a novelty. You take a bag and receipt from a box. Put your fee inside and deposit it in a drop box. Can you imagine that working in Africa !?

We started out on the Hooker glacier hike around 3pm (they estimate a 3 hour round trip and it is light until 22h00 at the moment). The immaculate trail crossed over two huge pedestrian suspension bridges that were nothing like the rickety bridges we have been on in Asia. Low lying sections were raised on wooden walkways and areas where rockfall could be a problem were protected with steel mesh. Mount Cook popped out as we rounded a bend to add to the beauty of the glaciers to our left. The Hooker glacier (when we eventually reached the lake at it’s base) looks more like a large rock slide with an icy front face. We walked a little further towards the glacier passing huge icebergs in the muddy looking lake before stopping for a quick snack. After absorbing the surroundings for a few minutes we started back past some looney Kiwis taking a dip in the glacial lake. By the time we got back to camp we were knackered with the sun and exercise having taken it’s toll. Still daylight we watched the Moon rise over a glacier before retreating to our van. Early to bed for us tonight after another amazing day in New Zealand.

[Pictures: Looking out from Mt John Obeservatory. The Collie monument. A first glimpse of Mt Cook in the distance. Mount Cook – beautiful]

– Posted from my iPhone via 3G