In land trip to South Island New Zealand

April 30, 2006

 

We have decided to take a ten day bus trip to the South Island. We bought a pass via the Inter City bus terminal that goes all over the country. We started from Whangarei to Auckland and then flew to Christ Church, province of Canterbury region and there picked up the bus. New Zealand is separated into a few Islands some uninhabited. It is about 1,000 miles from Australia coast; they have the South Pacific to the North and East, the Tasman Sea to the West, and the Southern Ocean to the South. The South Island has less population however magnificent scenery and wildlife.   The first night we stayed City Motel right near the center of the square because we each had a32lb. backpack and taxi cabs seemed expensive. Getting adjusted to carrying backpacks again we walked to the bus taking a Newman’s bus (who worked interchangeable with the Inter City) to our first town of Dunedin, New Zealand’s first city, leaving the sight seeing in Christ Church for when we return on our loop. It took about 5 hours and all these buses have the driver as a tour guide on the way stopping at points of interest and scenery.

We have lost most of our pictures of this trip however the memory is there. In Dunedin we stayed at one of the oldest (1884) newly renovated hotel called Leviathan, situ downtown near the intercity bus, with pick up and drop off across from Dunedin railway stations and gardens. All the hotels, motels have units of at least a refrigerator and hot plate, some stoves, and all with complementary dishes, tea coffee which is nice. We toured the Speight’s Brewery which was founded in 1876 and remains on the same sight.Speight’s Gold Medal Ale are the flagship beer made here. They still have some of the copper cauldrons that they brew some of the beer in. At the end of the 90 minute tour we were led to the Brewery Bar tasting six sessions of beer. They always have a specialty which because of Easter this month’s was a chocolate beer. To me it doesn’t mix if you want a good beer go for the dark or ale and if you want a good chocolate go for Cadbury or M&M’s. Look for a Trader Joe’s beer in Southern Ca. which is especially being made for them by Speight’s. After the tour we had a fantastic dinner at the Terrace Restaurant cooked at the table on Lava rocks. We had Lamb Mmm.

Being Dunedin is N.Z’s first city there is a lot of history here which we enjoyed thru the tours and Settler’s museum. The next day we toured, New Zealand’s famous chocolate, another important factory Cadbury World. It tastes better then England and they say it is due to the dairy here which makes sense. The factory is a working tour we went on and there were many unique displays and fun filled facts about chocolate. Besides seeing how this delicious chocolate is made today and was in 1800’s we got to meet “Mal” the icon and to taste many of their samples. A major highlight of the tour was a rooftop walk to the purple silo which houses a chocolate waterfall dropping one ton of liquid two storeys high.

In the afternoon we went on the ‘Monarch Wildlife Tour ‘at the Otago peninsula, Taiaroa Head which included a guided bus to the harbor and taking a boat to the end of Peninsula to see the Albatross as well as a walk to the Penguin reserve. Not having many pictures however we had fascinating and dramatic views of the wildlife. We saw the Northern Royal Albatross flying and landing and some of the chicks were still there on the Peninsula. What we learned about the Albatross that 90%of its life is in the air, for instance after reproduction of one chick with the same partner every two years, during the off year of recovery it glides around for a whole year feeding and gliding. They are fascinating birds and have a wing span of over 3 meters (9 ft.) . Also there were Petrels,Sponblls and other rarely seen ocean birds as well as N.Z .Sea Lions ,fur seals and pups to mention a few in one afternoon. To see from the waters what you really can’t see from land is so much better. When we saw the Yellowed Eye Penguin we also saw a baby which is unusual for them to come up on the land and then because it was near dusk we saw and heard the callings of the famous Blue Penguin who only come to land at night. So as you can see, we had a full tour and all to be seen with little rain. We were on a mission to act like a tourist in Dunedin and we sure did.

In the morning we boarded the bus and decided due to recommendations to go to Te Anau. It is really a transit stop before going to the Fiords and Milford sound, however a relaxing stop because it is surrounded by the glacier lake of Te Anau one of the largest. Stayed at Bella Vista Motel which is a chain and again newly built and we had a great dinner at an Italian restaurant La Dolce Vita pricey but delicious.

May 3, 2006 we again boarded our tour bus to Milford Sound Fiord land National Park, passing much scenic landscape including Mirror Lake. The Southern Alps with their snow peaks are mirrored in the lakes. I guess we will need to buy some postcards. The weather in this area has the highest rainfall average in the county it rains 300days a year leaving spectacular water falls dropping vertically into the sound. Our weather today was mostly sunny which is unheard of. We took the Pride of Milford Red Boat and had many highlights, seeing dolphins, fur seals, calm seas and all the history as well as he many points within the sound including the coastal fiords where the Tasman meets the hill and mountains. What do you think Captain Cook thought when he found this Fiord?

I can’t begin to describe this glacier landscape it is gorgeous. The famous N.Z. black sand fly originates here the legend is a goddess placed it in the sound so people would not stay too long. A little bug spray helped. We went back on the bus to Queenstown for the night at the Top Ten Holiday Parks.

Didn’t see or do much there. It seems like a fun adventurous town especially for water sports which it was too cold for that, they are getting ready for the Ski season in June. You do realize this is winter in New Zealand. Queenstown was also founded in the 1800 a gold mining town among many here in the South Island. There was much to do but we were ready to go see the Glaciers and “you always have to leave something to come back to”

The next morning we boarded the bus early and rode to Franz Josef Glacier. Passing many beautiful picture spots and history, we saw Southern Alps, valleys, wine country, Deer farms and more gold mining towns. All around here is where the Lord of the Rings was filmed and Chronicles of Narnia. The southern rain forest is in this area too. New Zealand is known for its one way bridges on the West Coast. This is considered the last frontier in New Zealand. Driving along a spot there was a place you could see where the Tasman and then Australia is out there, to the South the Antarctica and if the world is flat this would be the end. We spent the night in Franz Josef at a Bella Vista Hotel which again was very accommodating had dinner at the Blue Ice Bar specialty thin crust pizza and Sprights Ale. We made arrangements with the Guiding Company to walk first ,climb the glacier, in the A.M. weather permitting.

May 5.2006 we did it. We are so weather fortunate the day was beautiful and of course not warm however sun shinning and no winds or rain. It is becoming off season and so this day we were only ones signed up for this time and that meant we had our own private guide (most times they take 8-10people). We were outfitted with boots, spike cleats that fasten to your boots so you can grab the ice and a few directions of safety etc., asking questions to be sure you have no health problems or height fears. Being adventurous we always answer no to all of the above, it is obvious we are no 39yr.olds, but we are convincing. So well outfitted we took a bus about 3.5 miles passing thru the overhanging rainforests on route to the Glacier area, then walk over a mile of rough ,rocky, unstable footing to a ladder in place that one must start the climb finally we reach the ice. Spectacular view of old and new ice and especially great is the blue ice which make the nearby streams blue. No going back now we are climbing. In some area there are steps carved out every day by the team and once in a while a rope banister to hang on to. Pat found some of the steps not carved short enough; therefore much thigh muscle had to be used. The other thing hard to get use to is to trust the cleat on the boot to stop you; this was a first for both of us. When the climb was finished we finally got the motion which probably means we should do it again. As you can imagine seeing and climbing over crevices and changing conditions was not just exciting but also exhilarating to both of us. Reaching of course, not the top because even the helicopters don’t land on top, but as far as they will take you for a six hour tour we now had to come down. Right, steep and trust those cleats, no other way. Pat also befriended the young guide, as only a mother could, so she often had a helpful hand. He also told us we were, without an I.D. check, one of the oldest couples he had guided that high on the Glacier. What a day and an accomplishment for us to climb a Glacier. Needless to say we wished we had a massage and sauna however all we had was a good hot shower, lots of stretching, fluids and Advil. Well it only took about three days to walk right again whose says we’re not in shape? We do! We had dinner in the room with a good Australian Red Wine.

Franz Josef is the steepest commercially guided Glacier in the world. This and neighboring Fox Glacier are unusual, since no where else in the world do glaciers come this far down to rainforests, crunching their way down the valleys to the peaks of the Southern Alps until they are 7.5 miles from sea level. They are a spectacular sight since both glaciers are advancing at a rapid pace (for glaciers) with huge blocks of ice breaking off at the terminal face and floating downstream. During the last Ice Age which was 18,000 years ago both these glaciers reached down as far as today’s coastline and beyond. About 1,000years ago they were reduced to mere pockets of ice on their neves(upper slopes),but then deterioration in the climate caused them to advance once more. Since the beginning of the latest period of global warming they have been gradually receding, with minor advances at roughly 20-year intervals. During the last 10 years the terminal face of Franz Josef has advanced 1 mile down the valley, reaching the point it occupied 30 years ago. Hummmm interesting, did you all know all this? This info came from our knowledgeable guide.

Early next morning we got on our bus and headed for the town of Grey mouth on the Western side still of South Island. The ride was so picturesque and we passed a variety. Remembering this is now gold mine country, glaciers made tunnels for mining. We passed Lake Mapourika(Mirror) the trees and mountains look like they are upside down in the water or does N.Z. grow trees upside down? New Zealand has much: Industry, beef, lamb, deer and dairy farms. The venison is delicious here. We even passed possum museum to show the danger of them to the wildlife. In Grey mouth we switched from the bus to the Tranz Alpine Train.

The Tranz Alpine Express is one of the greatest railroads adventures of the world. It connects the east and west coast via Southern Alps Mountain passes, tunnels and impressive viaducts. The 145 mile narrow gauge single track climbs via viaducts from the East and 16 tunnels to the station at Arthur’s Pass then descends thru a 5 mile tunnel to Grey mouth on the West coast. We arrived in Christ Church where we started last week. We stayed at the only negative experience motel Bleinhane’s and ate next door which was equally negative. It was out near the airport and all I can say we goofed. Not bad to have one out of ten though.

The next morning we found a tour bus that goes to Akaroa, Banks Peninsula quite a find. We had been touring so much and still nursing sore thighs and knees from the glacier climb that we just needed a well deserved R&R. We found a B&B The Maples and decided to stay there in Akaroa. Banks Peninsula southeast of Christ Church is the South Island’s main volcanic area, and there are two massive craters that form the peninsula now two harbors. Akoroa is a former French town and in fact the French found that and planned on all N.Z however the English came back in the meantime. It reminded us of a Ca. Mendocino town and was a good find.

The next day found us taking the tour bus back to Christ Church, Canterbury to do a little sightseeing there. We had a great gourmet dinner at Strawberry Faire and found another old hotel right at the Square called Camelot where we stayed two nights before going to the Airport to leave for Auckland. The weather was cold actually crispy and a ¾ moon which made for a nice evening to walk around the square of the city. The next morning we became tourists and bought a ticket for the Christ Church Trolley. It goes all around the square and you can stop and hop off any time you want to go to the museums,antarctia

Botanical gardens and the other areas of history and concern.

We left on the next morning for the airport to fly to Auckland. There we spent an overnight, at the President Hotel right near Sky City Tower, connected with friends ,a little shopping etc. and took the bus back up to Whangarei where Crusader is still moored in the Riverside Marina. Auckland