North Island
Auckland:
After a 14 hour flight from Santiago where we lost the 3rd July (crossing the international date line) we touched down in Auckland in the early hours of the 4th July. Before exiting the plane, the pilot came over the intercom with the news that Germany had handed Argentina a 4-0 cuffing while we were in the air. This seemed to go down well with the numerous Brazilians on the flight (bet they weren’t so chirpy the day before when they were sent packing by the Netherlands) but not so well with Ally and I, as we both had outstanding bets on Argentina winning the tournament!
Auckland is a fairly standard, unspectacular city and we didn’t find that there was much to do. Couple these traits with the fact it rained for the whole time we were there and it’s safe to say that it didn’t leave a lasting impression on us. We did go to the top of the Sky Tower to get a view of the city (which is spread over a massive area geographically and is built on over 20 volcanoes) and took a ferry to the nearby volcanic island of Rangitoto, walking to the summit of the volcano to get an impressive view back across the harbour to Auckland.
When buying lunch one day we discovered that the man serving us was a Glaswegian and so got talking to him. It turned out that in 5 weeks time he was returning to Scotland to get married and was spending his honeymoon in Lewis! A chance encounter which cheered us up in the perpetual rain, especially when he gave us our pita breads for free! Who says there’s no such thing as a free lunch!
While in Auckland we planned our travels in NZ. We decided to divide our 3 weeks by spending 1 week in the North Island and 2 weeks in the South Island, as we’d been advised by several travellers that we’d met in South America and who’d come round the other way that there was more to see in the south. So we opted to buy a bus pass to get us round the various places in the North Island that we wanted to visit, the pass being calculated in hours of travel.
Waitomo:
Our first place visited was the tiny village of Waitomo, famed for its underground caves. There’s not much to Waitomo, the village is geared around the cave tours and not many people actually stay a night there. When we got there and checked into our hostel we were told that another site in Waitomo popular with tourists was the “Shearing Shed”. At first we thought to ourselves that we wouldn’t be interested in that as we’d seen sheep being sheared before, but when we were told that it was in fact giant Angora rabbits that were being sheared rather than sheep, it took on a totally different dimension! So along we went to the daily shearing session, unsure of what to expect. First of all you could view the rabbits which were on the premises as they required shearing (apparently they can die of heat exhaustion if they’re not sheared) and boy oh boy these were some big rabbits! Then, when the time arrived, one of the rabbits was brought out (it felt like a public execution so I booed the rabbit as she was taken out) and her front paws and back paws tied to a device which stretched her out and allowed her to be spun around like a rotisary chicken. And then the shearing took place. We were assured that the rabbits didn’t mind this being done but, to be honest, she didn’t look particularly happy. Quite an incredible amount of wool came off and we were invited up to closely inspect the victim, er sorry, rabbit. I’m not ashamed to admit it was probably one of the funniest and most bizarre things I’ve ever seen and more than justified the trip to Waitomo!
After a swift exit from rabbit Guantanomo Bay, we headed to the caves. There are 3 cave systems which can be toured but we had chosen to just see the Glow-worm caves, so called because, unsurprisingly, of the number of glow-worms you could see inside. After a tour of the cave system, which featured some very impressive stalagmites and stalactites, we boarded a small boat and the guide dragged us through a series of water-filled, pitch-black caves which had thousands upon thousands of glow-worms shining on the cave roof. It was an amazing spectacle. Sadly, as the glow-worms are scared by light and sound (and cease glowing in that state), no cameras are allowed to be used in these caves so I have no photographic evidence that I was there!
An early rise was required the next day in the hostel in order to watch the Netherlands v Uruguay semi-final, which kicked off at 6.30 am NZ time. It was an enjoyable match, during which we met John-Henry and Helen for the first time, a couple from Manchester with whom we spent a lot of time in New Zealand as a whole.
Rotorua:
Rotorua’s fame is built around the geo-thermal hotspots that the town is built upon. Numerous hot springs and geysers can be found around the town. On the plus side this makes it a very spectacular town to walk around, with steam emanating from the ground and mud boiling threateningly all over the place. On the negative side, a smell reminiscent of a post-Christmas dinner fart permanently hangs over the town. Apparently you get used to it after a while but after spending a day there I was still gagging on it.
After arriving in Rotorua, we walked the 5km or so round the town, guided by the Lonely Planet walking tour. This took in the museum (which we visited the next day), the steaming shore at Lake Rotorua and the historic Maori meeting hall and burial ground. If you’ve ever seen the NZ film Once Were Warriors, then this is where the funeral takes place near the end. If you’ve not, sorry for the spoiler but you should see it, it’s really good! They are really impressive, ornate structures and you really get a sense of their history. Less impressive and historic was the 4x4 car parked nearby with the number plate “Seltic - Mon the Hoops”. Just goes to show, you get glory-hunters all over the world.
The next day we visited the Rotorua museum. The museum building was formerly used as a sanatorium where people travelled from all over the country to be treated for various ailments using different hot springs, mineral baths and electrolysis and the museum, as well as detailing the geo-thermal activity in the town, explained the various treatments which used to be performed there.
Taupo:
The next stop was Taupo, a town located on the shore of Lake Taupo, a lake formed in the massive caldera of a super-volcano. Trust me, when that thing goes off, you do not want to be in New Zealand! After arriving and spending the evening in our hostel we made friends with a Czech fellow named Jiri who accompanied us the next day on our walk to the Huka Falls.
The Huka Falls are the main attraction in the beautiful Wairakei Park. Walking for an hour through the park to the falls, we were treated to several stunning views of the Waikato River, many of which were reminiscent of Scottish scenery. Now having been to the Iguazu Falls, the Huka Falls kind of pales in comparison, but the boiling torrent of water running through a narrow channel in the enclosing rock before falling 20 feet still gives a sense of the awesome power of nature.
On the walk back to the hostel we had our first taste of a New Zealand pie. Beaut Bakery’s Steak, Cheese and Bacon pie was well worth the wait!
Napier:
Making good progress down the North Island, our next stop was the quaint town of Napier. Famed for its art-deco buildings and sitting on the East coast, Napier is a really picturesque place. That said, there’s not an awful lot to do so, after having walked the town, (again assisted by the Lonely Planet guide) we amused ourselves with a round of crazy golf before the bus to Wellington.
Wellington:
We arrived in Wellington on a Saturday night and even from the short walk from the bus station to our hostel, we got the impression that it was a livelier, more happening city than Auckland had been.
Our first morning in Wellington was spent in the Te Papa museum, an amazing place which, among other things, houses the preserved remains of the only colossal squid ever to have been fished from the ocean. It’s a pretty amazing sight and looks like something out of a science fiction film. During our first visit to Te Papa we also checked out the Geo-thermal section which housed some very cool computer animated depictions of eruptions and a little house that you could stand in to experience an earthquake. (If we’d been in New Zealand 6 weeks later we could have discovered what that felt like for real!). The following day we returned to complete the levels that we had not had time to visit, including one dedicated to migration which mentioned the huge number of Scots who had emigrated to New Zealand over the years. In total we spent about 5 hours in Te Papa. I can’t recommend it enough!
The World Cup was drawing to a close and, aided by the loudest snorer I’ve ever come across (and that includes you Ali - I think he had some serious underlying medical issues), I managed to get up for half 6 to watch the 3rd/4th place play-off and the final. I was glad I made the effort to see the Germany v Uruguay game as it was a cracker, the final, not so much, although the best team triumphed.
As had become customary, we completed the Lonely Planet walking tour, taking in the lovely harbour front, the Beehive parliament building and the little funicular. Beer being pretty expensive in New Zealand instead of hitting the trendy pubs, we bought a couple from the off-licence and played scrabble in our hostel with our Mancunian buddies, John-Henry and Helen. Rock ‘n roll! After just under a week, it was time to leave the North Island and take the inter-islander ferry to Picton in the south island. The scenery on the ferry journey was incredible as the ferry wound its way through the multitude of tiny islands in between the north and south island. I’ve never been to Canada before, but the scenes were reminiscent of how I’ve pictured Canada to look.
South Island
Christchurch (part 1):
After arriving in Picton on the south island (which was in itself a very picturesque town), we took the bus to Christchurch, which initially winds its way along the north east coast, giving some fantastic views of the coastline and ocean.
We arrived in Christchurch extremely excited at the prospect of staying in an actual real house for the first time in a while. This was because my sister’s brother-in-law, Ken, has stayed in Christchurch for a few years and, luckily for us, has recently purchased a 3 bedroom house! Ken met us off the bus and, after a quick beer, took us to his very switch abode just outside of the centre of town, near the hills. We then discovered that, not only were we going to get a room to ourselves, we had double bed each – amazing!
As well as making us feel at home, Ken was kind enough to leave us his car to use the next day, while he took his motorbike to work. We used this to travel into town and strike an excellent deal on the use of a camper van for the following 10 days! The price was such that we didn’t even mind that it had gaudy images of people’s faces painted on the side of it! After achieving that we took a drive into the hills, timing it perfectly for sunset, to get a great view back over the city.
Nelson/Motueka:
I had been given the address of a distant cousin of mine, Kenny, originally from Stornoway, who had settled close to Nelson. I had spoken to his wife the evening before and she had told us to come and visit their house. So, after picking up the camper van in the morning, we headed off from Christchurch to make the 5 hour drive north east. The drive took us through the Lewis Pass, a spectacular stretch of road which snaked between the mountains. As was the case with many of the roads in NZ, it was extremely fun to drive with sharp corners and sharp ascents and descents and with scenery so beautiful that it’s difficult to keep your eyes on the road. Spirits were high as we looked forward to living in the great outdoors for 10 days and as Ally cranked the stereo and we sang along to Big Country, it could have been the opening scene in a corny American disaster movie.
When we reached Nelson darkness had fallen and, after calling Kenny and getting directions from him to his house in nearby Motueka, (and hearing his still surprisingly strong Lewis towny accent!) we finally reached his abode. Kenny welcomed us into his barn and immediately filled a glass of home brewed beer for us while introductions were made. After a few glasses in the barn, Kenny took us inside to meet his family, his wife Helen and their 3 boys. We were spoiled rotten, with a delicious roast dinner and as much home-brewed beer as we could drink! Kenny and his boys are pretty handy on the eukeleles and they gave us a spectacular rendition of Status Quo’s Rocking All Over the World – brilliant! Our first night in the camper van was spent not actually in the camper van as Kenny provided sofas in a warm house for us to kip on!
The next day, after a hangover-curing fry-up, we headed for the nearby Abel Tasman national park and took a refreshing 3 hour walk which included seeing our first dead possum close up. The possum, native to Australia but intoduced into New Zealand by man, is a despised creature in New Zealand. Huge areas of forestry have been sprayed with poison (1080) to kill them but, controversially, this poison also kills anything and everything else living in the affected area.
After stopping for supplies and a few hours drive towards the West coast, we stopped for the night at one of the many "Conservation Area" camping points in New Zealand, maintained by the Department of Conservation and providing limited facilities for campers. One of the reasons they are provided is to try and prevent free camping (stopping a camper anywhere and staying the night there) which has become a problem in NZ due to the huge numbers of camper vans in circulation. This particular stop-off point was free of charge but the facilities consisted of only a drop toilet. After a fine meal of noodle and chicken cooked on the gas stove, we allowed ourselves only an hour of the back light on (so as not to drain the battery) before turning in at the ungodly hour of half past 8!
West Coast:
The next day we set off and made our way down the west coast. Our first stop was the little town of Westport where we found very little of interest. Carrying on down the coast we stopped off at the Punakaiki pancake rocks and blow-hole site. The limestone cliffs have been eroded in a manner that has left the rock-face layered in the appearance of a squashed pile of pancakes. The erosion of the limestone has also resulted in a vertical channel being burrowed through it. When a wave crashes into the cliff below the spray is channelled upward through the hole in the rock and shoots out in a jet of water, similar to a whale's blow-hole. As well as the pancake rocks and blow-holes, the stunning views north and south along the coast made this stop more than worthwhile.
Our next stop was Greymouth where we intended to stay the night at a holiday park. However, when we arrived in Greymouth late in the afternoon on Saturday, we found that the town had shut down, no shops were open and the place was like a ghost town! So we decided to drive an hour down the road and found a nice holiday park in Hokitika where we had the luxury of a powered site, giving us endless light for reading and heat from the convection heater supplied by the good people at Escape Camping Ltd!
Our first stop the next day was at the Bushman's Centre in Pukeka. As well as the shop and museum, there you can find the famed Roadkill Cafe, slogan "You Kill 'Em, We Grill 'Em". The menu is fairly standard though, apart from the Possum Pie which they used to sell for 4 dollars but, due to government regulations, they are now unable to sell. However, make a 4 dollar donation to the charity box and they'll give you one for free! It was too early in the morning for us though, so we settled on coffee and pancakes.
Continuing down the coast we came to the little town of Franz Josef, a town centred around the nearby Franz Josef glacier. Helicopter rides over the glacier are available and also guided walking tours up on the glacier but, short of time and having been advised that the views of the glacier deteriorated the closer you got to it, we walked a kilometer to a viewpoint and looked at it from afar. Driving to the glacier walk car park, we passed several signs indicating where the glacier had been 50 and 70 years before and were shocked by how far (probably a good couple of miles) the glacier had receded in that relatively short time.
Glacier-daft, we continued on to the next point of interest, the Fox glacier. Again the little town was dominated by adverts for guided glacier walks, helicopter rides and sky dives (tragically 9 people were killed in the last week when an aircraft taking tourists up over the glacier for a skydive crashed). This time we had been informed that the best views were offered close up to the glacier and so we set off to walk up to the glacier face through the vast valley which the glacier had carved out and, similar to the Franz Josef glacier, had receded back through. The little glacier pools that had formed in the valley were the most amazing shade of blue, presumably because of the minerals that had formed. We were able to get quite close to the glacier face and were struck by how dirty the ice was, where the dust and rock eroded by the glacier had blackened the ice. We were also slightly disappointed that the ice-skating polar bear from the Fox's Glacier mints advert seems to have been phased out.
Wanaka/Queenstown:
Heading inland from the coast the next day, the scenic town of Wanaka, situated on Lake Wanaka was our first stop. After relaxing by the lake for half an hour we headed out to the edge of town to Puzzleworld, a little tourist attraction featuring a maze, a room of illusions and an assortment of puzzles to irritate you in the little cafe. We decided to skip the maze and instead entered the room of illusions. Multiple optical illusions await, the highlights being the tilted room where, completely inexplicably, your sense of balance goes out the window, and the room where someone standing in one corner looks tiny while someone in the other corner looks massive. Baffling but very cool! After frustrating ourselves for an hour on the mini puzzles in the cafe we headed to Queenstown, where we had the relatively luxury of camping outside a hostel and being able to use its facilities.
Queenstown is a town that is famed for its skiing. Unlike other parts of NZ, its busiest during the winter months as thousands of ski dudes and dudettes descend on the town to get their fix of the white powder. Snow, I mean. So, masquerading as skiiers and answering frequent questions of "were you guys on the slopes today?" with the stock answer of "er, yeah, it was totally awesome dude", we headed out for a night out with our fellow non-skiing Mancunian friends. We had been told of one bar which ran "Moustachioed Mondays" where 30 dollar bar tabs were up for grabs if your face was adorned with some kind of moustache, so Ally and John-Henry shaved a pretty cool handlebar number in while Helen and I (having shaved the night before!) were forced to draw ours on. It was worth it though as 2 out of 4 of us won the bar tab so a cheap night was had!
The weather thwarted our plans to head up the gondola cable cars the next day as it was overcast and wet so the views from the top of the hill would have been limited. Instead we contented ourselves with a walk in the park where I showed off my completely useless skill of stone-skimming. For dinner we visited a Queenstown institution, Fergburger, a fast food joint famed for its tasty burgers of all varieties. Choosing a Mr Big Stuff (2 hunks of beef, bbq sauce, salad) Ally and I were both amazed as it actually lived up to everything we'd heard about it! It's probably the best burger I've ever had. In fact it was so good that we returned the next day to try a "Chief Wiggum", pork belly with an apricot mayonnaise - delicious again!
Finally, on our last day in Queenstown we had clear, dry weather and so we took the Skyline gondola to the top of Queenstown hill to take in the spectacular views of the Remarkable Mountains, Lake Wakatipu and the town below. We also tried luging, a kind of sledging done on a windy, fast artificial track which was a whole lot of fun!
Dunedin:
After our failed attempts to find a free place to camp close to Dunedin, we spent the night in a holiday park and drove the shot distance into Dunedin. Dunedin, if you didn't know this, is named after Dun Eideann, the Gaelic name for Edinburgh, and shares many of its street names with street names in Edinburgh. FIttingly, when we were there the weather was grey and wet. There wasn't an awful lot to do (we forgot to go and visit the steepest street in the world - doh!) but we did find our way to the Scottish Shop where we picked ourselves up some Highland Toffee and some Tunnocks Snowballs!
Driving to our campsite for the night, with night just falling, we realised that we were passing through Moeraki, scene of the Moeraki boulders. These boulders (10 or so of them) are huge, almost perfectly spherical, rocks which were discovered on the beach. In the almost pitch-dark we decided to walk the path down to the beach and peer through the gloom and rain to try and see them. We saw their outline and Ally took some photos, most of which pretty much look like photos of rain in the dark!
It being winter in New Zealand, we shouldn't have expected our plans to be unaffected by the weather and indeed they weren't. The weather at Mount Cook the next day hadn't improved much and a thick layer of cloud hung over the tiny town and the surrounding mountains, so that Mount Cook was completely shrouded. The forecast was the weather might lift the following day but that would have left us stuck in the town for the whole day , and there was literally nothing in the town other than a hostel and visitor centre. So we took the decision to drive an hour and a half to Lake Tekapo.
Lake Tekapo:
Like so many towns in the South Island, the eponomously titled town on the shores of Lake Tekapo has been developed in a truelly spectacular location. Mount John, just outside of town, has an observatory and cafe at the summit and so, after enjoying a coffee, we took in the 360 views of the Mackenzie basin and the fantastic view of the town.
The weather had indeed improved the next day and we were just about able to pick out Mount Cook in the distance from the lake shore. The clearer skies also brought out the amazing light-blue colour of the water. The improvement in weather was just in time for the happy couple getting married on the shore!
Christchurch (part 2):
Returning to Christchurch that evening we were actually quite sad that our camping adventure was coming to an end. A delicious take-away curry and good sleep in an actual bed soon removed these thoughts though and after returning the camper van safely the next day our thoughts turned to planning our time in our next destination, Australia. (See the link to the next update there?).
Graham
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