Day 14 & 15 -Shake Rattle and Roll

Our last two days are combined into one - not a long story in each. We left Lake Tekapo in pretty much the same weather we arrived, cold, overcast, rainy. This part of the trip is ending the same way it started. Thankfully the middle was sunny.

We headed toward Christchurch taking in the sites as we went, not much new to see, rolling hills, the balance of the 40 million sheep we had missed on our other days and no sun. There may not be much different on this ride but it is still beautiful. The thing about this country is not so much that it has beauty, several of the places remind one of Pennsylvania, Iceland etc, but that it never stops. It is a non stop run on changing terrain of continuous pretty. Pretty much an ooh and aah and wow country.

We stopped in Geraldine to see the "world's largest sweater" and a fabulous copy, in steel chips, of the Bayeaux Tapestry. The gentleman who designed and created it also is a puzzle maker, mostly math type puzzles, fascinating. We both bought his CD with the puzzles as well as the info on the Tapestry. The shop was called The Worlds Largest Jersey .... Coulda been a cow .... Was a sweater that they call a jumper anyway . His little tapestry is made of over 2 million of these tiny chips with the colored ones hand painted before application. You can make your own judgement about the sanity of it all.

Teeny Tiny chips for the mosaic

Earthquake Destruction

Driving on through the rain we finally got to Christchurch and before checking into the hotel did a short tour up the rim of the crater which created the harbor. Fog fog fog, mist, mist, mist, ugh ugh ugh. However, we ended up at She Chocalat for lunch and some of the best chocolate around. Then we drove through town and saw some of the rubble from the quake that might have devastated one building and left the one right next door completely unscathed.

The Hotel George is wonderful, best hotel in Christchurch we were told. Laundry facility and everything. Had we known we had laundry in every hotel we would have taken way fewer clothes and smaller suitcases. So the wet laundry from the day before was dried and we went out for a wonderful Japanese dinner.

Got to sleep in on our last day, but what a spectacular day it was. It started with some rocking and rolling during breakfast. Several seconds of aftershock. All of a sudden it sounded like a great wind and the room swerved a bit.

Akaroa front yard

Hector Dolphins

Hector Dolphin showing off

The sun shone brightly, temperature was warm and we drove out to Akaroa to do a dolphin boat tour. What a treat. The Hector dolphins is the smallest and most endangered of the dolphins. There they were romping and flipping and diving all around the boat out in the Pacific Ocean. And amongst the dolphins were the tiny blue penguin. Very shy creatures so we could not get very close but did manage to see four swimming around. Off in the distance was a trawler so there were dozens of birds in the water and in the sky, Royal Albatross (same as we saw in the reserve but here in the open), Giant Petrels, great brown birds flying and dipping, and makes and models of pelagic flyers, outstanding. After about an hour we had to return to the dock but on the way there were fur seals and cormorants (here called Shags) along the shore.

Seals in the Pacific

Royal Albatross

Upon returning, we met a member of PWP who lives in Christchurch, an American who came here a while ago and stayed. Nice to see someone from home so far away.

For our farewell dinner, we took Sally and John, our guides, to a lovely restaurant called Cookin' with Gas, which was delish. Back to the hotel, one more load of laundry and off to an early start to Australia.

Day -13 -Rain Drops

We arose early (what else) to a clear day and lo and behold we could actually see across the inlet to Dunedin. John 2 (the butler - and apparently our private butler since we were the lone residents in this huge house) was ready for us in the kitchen where we had breakfast and took off for parts north and west. To our surprise this hotsy totsy kitchen had no espresso machine or whipper so no flat white this morning.

We went into Dunedin and stopped at the steepest street in the world, Baldwin Street and took the mandatory photo. We opted out of a morning tour of the Cadbury chocolate factory so off we went. Guess what, it started to rain. We had been so lucky in the South Island, but it caught up to us.

Baldwin Street - Worlds Steepest

Moeraki Boulders

On the road to see the unexplained boulders at the beach at Moeraki (place to sit or daydream in Maori). No one quite knows why or how the boulders got on the beach but there they sit quite impressively. One theory is that they were ballast on Chinese ships hundreds of years ago ..... Who knows? So we tramped a bit through the wet sand and went on to our next port of call.

Glacial Lake Autumnal Color

There was a photo stop along the way at a turquoise glacial lake with golden autumnal colored trees around it. The color contrast was just lovely.

Sheeps

Driving north toward Mt Cook the weather got worse. There was no real hope that we would see the top but as we sat having coffee at the Heritage Lodge at Lake Tekapo the top peaked through the clouds, but that was it. The Heritage Lodge has an Alpine Center dedicated to Sir Edmund Hillary, who we all know(or should know) was the first to reach the top of Mt Everest. The area is a major mountain climbing area and we did see some incredible cloud/sun pattern in the sky (well where else?)

Amazing Sky

We drove on to our lodging for the night at Lake Tekapo, Peppers. Quite a lovely place. The area has a well know observatory which Pat signed up to go see but the weather was so bad that the trip was cancelled. The room was actually a town house with living room, dining room, full kitchen...fully equipped with everything but NAPKINS!!! Downstairs we had a GORGEOUS bathroom, bedroom and laundry facility. So let's do our laundry said we. This turned out to be a comedy of errors with endless wet cycles in our machine, saved by the evening fellow, getting the wrong clothes later that night, getting our clothes back several hours later, back to the wrong wet clothes delivered in the morning to bla bla bla.

It is the morning after, as this is being written so you will happy to know that the clothes are still not dry. We are driving this morning with a bag of damp clothes in the back.

Back to our evening, we ordered room service which was very good, watched NCIS LA and Law and Order SVU (fairly recent episodes too) and played cards. On to Christchurch.

Day 12 - Lullaby of Birdland

One of the odder things in the Castle

Castle Garden

We awoke to lousy weather at the castle, when we opened the 

   curtains, what was supposed to have a "royal" view of the valley and town of Dunedin, didn't even show the driveway, but we were in our toasty fire place heated room. We had a lovely breakfast, prepared by John 2, what we affectionately called our butler. Then John 1 (what we called our chauffeur) came to fetch us for the day. We are two of four at the Camp Estate House, an adjunct of Larnach Castle, and started our day by going to the Castle for a look see and a walk through the gardens which are now winterized. The castle has a wonderful history and had been beautifully restored. The butler was kind enough to print our Sunday NY Times puzzle for us. We like the butler and chauffeur thing.

Then it was down the mountain to Dunedin where we took a walk. We went to the Train Station, which is a lovely building in a country of particularly plain towns, and then up the hill to the Octagon, which was the first area of the city. When the town was founded Engineers drew a map of what the area looked like, but without the geographic hills and dales, and sent it to England to have the city designed, which they did without thought to these hills and valleys. Odd city, very very steep streets, one of which is in the book of records as the steepest street in the world.

Dunedin Train Station

Feeding Albatross

We wandered around a bit, had pizza for lunch and went on to the Albatross Reserve where we saw several babies, one being fed by a parent, not able to tell whether it was a mom or dad unless you see them together, or you look at their leg bands.

With a couple of hours to kill we had soup at the reserve and moved on down the road to see the Yellow Eyed Penguins. This was really exciting. The mom and daddy yellow eyes were just coming home from fishing, so we got to see them coming out of the water and walking to their little huts. They are very anti-social so we had to keep our distance. Cute little buggers with yellow eyes!!!!!!! We walked through underground trenches to where they were walking up the hills to their homes, and then back into the trenches under their paths so a couple walked over our heads, you could hear their claws on the wood. A bunch of fur seals were lounging on the grass. Very lazy. If they are not hungry they can just lay on the grass for days in the sun ( if there ever would be any).

Yellow Eyed Penguin (Patricia) 

After a long walk up the steps from the penguin beach we went back to the estate for our castle dinner. Four of us, the other two were a lovely couple from England, sat in the Castle's formal dining room and were served a lovely dinner. Butler, chauffeur, maid, what could be better. We were alone in the Camp Estate overnight, no other guests, so when they brought us back from dinner they locked us in. Felt a little like the Hound of the Baskervilles, with the fog and the wind howling but we survived to write this entry!

Another great sky

Since we cant match it we are off to Lake Tekapo for the soon to be last leg of our NZ journey.

Day 11 - Play Misty for Me

Day 11 - Play Misty for Me

We had an early rising on the boat since breakfast was at whatever time SHARP and there were very specific instructions about when to do what so they can keep everything running. It was by far the warmest night we have had so far. Teeny cabin + large radiator = heaven. It was dark when we got up, but that's the case every day. The sun doesn't come up until 7ish. The chef had a full buffet breakfast ready and then we went outside. It was so calm on the water they never put the sails up. There is something called the Sounds of Silence, it is done in Australia as well at Uluru Rock, where there is not a sound in the world, except maybe a bird or two (and the morons on the boat who don't understand what "please be quiet" means). With water like glass, not a breeze rustling, so peaceful and eerie at the same time. Stood for about 10 minutes listening to the silence.

Doubtful Sound

Beautiful Misty Scenery

When we got off the boat, bus, boat journey return, John was there to meet us and off we went for the next and soon to be last leg of our journey in NZ. The day was not nice weather wise. Lots of overcast sky and breezy cool temperatures so we headed east towards Dunedin and the yellow eyed penguins and albatrosses. We learned there are 40 million sheep in NZ and we saw every one of them. Finally got John to stop at the side of the road to take some up close and personal sheep shots; sheep, not the rolled and bailed kind (see left), We had a picnic lunch in the car and kept rocking and rolling. On straight to Dunedin for two nights instead of one - YAY a 2 night stay. - first in the trip.

One in millions (Patricia)

On a hill on the Otago Peninsula there is a castle. We were supposed to stay in it but there was no room. The result was we were ensconced at the Camp Estate. The Castle has an additional manor house, built for the overflow, where we had a room with a fireplace (gas but warm) and just beautiful - the Camp Estate.

We had dinner with John at a lovely little place in a town called Portobello and then up the foggy mountain to our estate. The wind howled all night but we were cozy in our down covered beds and fireplace warmed room.

Tomorrow we are off to see Dunedin, walk around a little, something we haven't done a lot of and see some wildlife in the wild.

Day 8-10 No Internet for Three Days

Day 8 - Slip Slidin' Away

OOPS forgot -- yesterday's images a la Patricia. (day 7) From now on they shall be appropriately marked with credit to Pat.


Before we go on with our comments, a word about accommodations. We, for the past couple of nights, have been staying in private houses that serve kinda like B&B's. Interesting thing is that there is no heat in the bedrooms. Some of the rooms have portable heaters and pretty much all the beds have heated mattress pads (I guess instead of electric blankets) which make them comfortable until you have to get out of them. The bathrooms have heaters which, we have discovered, if you leave them on and leave the door open (each room has its own bathroom) it is not so bad. Are we spoiled or what? It doesn't really ever get excessively cold here so I guess it is all what you get used to.

Mountain Reflections in the Lagoon

Morning Mist - Okarito Lagoon

So on to day 8. Glorious morning. We took a boat ride on the Okarito Lagoon. Birds galore, lighting, mist any photographer would die for. And amazing views of the glaciers, Fox and Franz Joseph, with reflections in the water. White herons, Pied Shags, Oyster Catchers, Spoonbills, Black Swans, lovely.

Franz Joseph Glacier

After breakfast we made our way to the glacier to do a little exploring. We did not get up onto the glacier. For that you need a guide and a kit full of stuff like crampons to climb the ice. We are not climbers, one of us doesn't like going up hill, the other doesn't like going downhill so we go level whenever we can. The glaciers are receding no question.

We stopped at Lake Mathieson for lunch where there were several Pukeko. These are birds with red beaks and blue chests and a white ass--black everywhere else. Always eating, hard to photograph.

Black Swans on the lake

Our travels took us down the coast to The Haast. We stopped at a lodge and took a walk through a temperate rain forest. The sun was setting so the light was perfect. Black swans by the dozens coasting around the lake with autumnal gold foliage as background. We saw Fantail and Bell Bird skittering around the trees above us, all kinds of ferns growing under around and on top of trees. The birds skittered, we clicked and sometimes there was actually a bird in the resulting image!

Lodging tonight was at another B and B. It was a little warmer and a lovely home owned by a woman that does beautiful photography of the local area. Being good board members as we are we left PWP info with her. Look for a rush of members for the organization!!!

Each day we drive further south and, like at home in our winter but opposite, it is getting colder as we go. Not cold mind you, but this morning as we took off the temperature in the car was 9* Celsius and 5* outside with beautiful frost on everything.

Until tomorrow, have a great day whatever day it may be!!!
Day 9 - Autumn Leaves

Glacial Lake (Patricia)  Outside Queenstown

See Left (Patricia) 

We started out in The Haast after a lovely breakfast and drove south towards Queenstown. There were lots of photo opportunities in this beautiful country including a braided river and Pleasant Falls. Without a thought of ruining our lunch we had a mid morning ice cream in Makarora. Lakeside at Wanaka for a picnic lunch in the sun of cheese and veggie sandwiches. Lake Wanaka is very much a tourist town reminding us of the towns in Colorado near the ski resorts. It was quite busy even at the beginning of winter which would be the end of the season for water sports.

Outside Queenstown - Mountain View (Patricia)

Lake Wanea and Lake Wanaka run side by side, so first you ride alongside Wanaka, then Wanea and then back to Wanaka.

The day was filled with a lot of mountain driving, curves and twists and turns and lovely vistas. Just before reaching Queenstown we stopped at an overlook and photographed a field of sheep in the distance, they were really quite still. John, our guide, said "don't you notice the sheep aren't moving?" . Yup - they turned out to be bales of hay. In our defense they were the rolled round bales not the square ones. And there was the OOPS for the day.

On our way to Arrowtown, where we were staying the night, there was a stop for more vista images and at a place that runs Jet Boats down a gorge, but not for us today.

Arrowtown (Patricia)

Then back to Arrowtown with a hillside of autumnal color and took some photos of the mountains in "bloom." Arrowtown is another tourist city in the winter because of the ski areas in the vicinity. Most New Zealand trees are conifers (some native, many brought in) so for much of the country there is very little in the way of colors in their Fall. All the deciduous trees are imports, so colors are rare and nowhere near as bold as we have in the Northeast. This hill of gold is a rarity here.

Some note about traveling as an American with the dollar. Today the New Zealand dollar is about $.80. It used to be 3 to 1. As we shopped and did not buy, it became obvious that a 200 dollar sweater in NZ dollars would have been between 60 and 70 USD several years ago and we might have bought them.

We had a lovely dinner in one of the top restaurants in the country with a lovely bottle of wine and rack of lamb for both of us. It ended a terrific day except for accommodation for the night. They were less than satisfactory, but we were able to watch the Royal Wedding before bundling up (no heat) and going to sleep. Patricia had the main room with the heater, broken mattress pad warmer and leaky windows, Maddi the little room with big bed, working mattress pad heater but socket that would not handle the room heater we were provided. We both paid for Internet but never got it and were quite happy to pack up our kit bags and hit the road the next morning.

Day 10 - Sea Cruise

Left the igloo at 8:45 this morning to head out for the cruise on Doubtful Sound. We had to take a boat on Lake Manapouri to the bus to the three masted schooner we took for an overnight on Doubtful sound.

Lovely boat holding about 80 passengers, several of which were children. Many New Zealanders (they are offered a discount for the trip) but mostly international tourists, even ones from the States.

As we sailed through the fjord, the boat stopped and several people took the tender for a closer look at the shoreline and perhaps some fauna. Maddi was on one tender, Pat stayed on deck. They did see some blue penguins (I suspect blue from the cold water, but probably not) but that was about it. Several people went kayaking and when they were all done, some hardy souls went swimming. We sat in the lounge and played cards. The sunset was beautiful. Dinner was delicious and then it was off to bed, after all it was 9:30, way past our bedtimes.

A very relaxing 24 hours and tomorrow off we go to Dunedin and the crested penguins.

Day 7. Sunshine on my Shoulder. Makes Me Happy

So begins our second week on holiday. Still in New Zealand, but the sun is shining brightly. Last night the sky was lit up with stars unlike anything possible in New York or the surrounding suburbs. We saw the Milky Way, Orion's Belt and Sword (the sword was upside down), Alpha and Beta Centauri, Sirius, Rigel, Betelgeuse (without Michael Keaton), Magellan Clouds. Startling to say the least.








We headed south along the coast stopping at Pancake Rocks and Blowholes, which in the early morning light and high tide was lovely. Splashes of water spraying over the rocks.

Onward South towards Okarito stopping at a goat farm to taste the cheese and photograph the goats (one in a wheelchair having been born without the use of his back legs).

Next stop was at a woodcarver/photographer whose work in both wood and images was wonderful.

On to Okarito with a stop in between to look at greenstone carvings. In New Zealand, Jade is Greenstone. The booming village of Okarito is charming. The population is a whopping 30 permanent residents and everyone is just so warm and friendly. Our first stop was to explore the possibility of a night trek to see the elusive and nocturnal kiwi. We had several minutes of friendly banter about whether we were good enough to go on HIS excursion when we discovered it was not friendly banter at all. We failed miserably because we had the unmitigated gall to actually ask some questions. With a grumble and some unkind thoughts we moved on to meet another tour related couple who were quite nice. She took us on a tour of the village, starting with a walk along the beach and then through town and into the temperate rainforest. It is a beautiful place and the whole tour took about an hour.

Accommodation is the first floor of a beach front house this time with three bedrooms kitchen living room and dining area. There is a large lawn behind the house and before you get to the beach the grass is a bit flat. Tractor tracks. Nope, actually a landing strip. With hopes no planes are in the backyard in the morning.

Off to the beach for sunset while John, our guide and driver, made us a delicious dinner, we saw the beautiful sky once again and finished the bottle of wine. And relaxed for the evening anticipating the next morning's boat ride through lagoon to see the birds.

Day 5 - I'll Follow The Sun

Day 5 – I’ll Follow The Sun

Up at 6 and off to the South Island and to meet our guide John.  Another windy rainy day, out oby 7, arriving at the ferry way too early – but that is what we do.   Crossing the Marlborough Straits was fine – though they said the seas were rough the boat swayed gently from side to side. This is not the Staten Island Ferry – it is huge, 11 decks tall with cars and trucks and rail cars on board as well all kinds of amenities.

We settled in at a table inside and continued our gin game – begun at JFK. We play gin when we travel beginning 10 years ago. We play during the game and tally up at the end.

Anyway – early on the boat, we of course wanted to be early off.  As soon as the boat stopped we went down to the level indicated for debarking. Nope – too early – they sent us back up 2 decks.  Then first call came – we went down again – Nope again,  first call was only for those going back to their vehicles – back up 2 decks.  Finally we got off to some mean windy weather but were met by cheery John who helped us fetch the luggage, loaded the van, got us all boarded and provided home baked brownies, baked by his wife and business partner Sally.  A short review of the day’s itinerary and we literally were off to follow the sun.  Rumor (and the weatherman) had it the west coast was sunny so that’s where we went. We could see the end of the clouds and pointed the car in that direction.

On our the way we passed a wine area of New Zealand and the grape vines were turning colors of trees in October in New England.  Fields of green and yellow on both sides of the road.

We stopped at Lake Rotoiti in Nelson Lakes National Park for a fjord-like view of distant mountains and our picnic lunch of sandwiches and a new fruit, feijoa. There was a group of Mallard ducks that came right up to the van – some male, some female with one set of feathers of each side ranging from bright teal to purple. We followed the Buller River through the Wairu River Valley and raced to see the Pancake Rocks at Pakaiku.  Got there a little late for good light so we will go back early in the AM.

Tonight we have a full 2 bedroom 2 bathroom house to ourselves.  Kitchen, living room with gas fireplace, WiFi, etc.  Both bedrooms have full glass windows (or a door) that look out directly to the Taznman sea.

Dinner at pub followed by a lesson on the southern sky (Southern Cross, Orion’s Belt, Milky Way) and then a quiet evening in the living room.