It's been seven days since I was last on the net to update this blog and I was starting to miss everybody and being in contact with the outside world! It is really hard to set aside the time to get on the internet though and it has to be during the day as its much too cold to leave the van as soon as the sun gets down - its heaters on full steam ahead after five! I cant believe it has been that long since Dunedin but in a week we have gone from the very bottom of the South Island to the middle of the North and we are now at Rotorua about 500km south of Auckland.
Dunedin didnt impress us that much so we headed off that afternoon with every intention of making a place called Timaru, a resort town on the coast about 200km north. However at about 100km our aptly named Britz Beast did a Britz Bitch on us and decided to Britz breakdown. Blew a welsh plug or some such mechanical thing and the hot water light came on. So we pulled over and called Britz and within 1/2 an hour we had a mechanic out to us (we were about 1/2 an hour from nowhere in a little town called Alma but conveniently outside a service station which sold very yummy lollies.) The mechanic had a quick look and then we followed him back to his workshop in Oamaru about 100km south of our hoped destination for the night where we were told that we werent going anywhere tonight and the van wasnt going anywhere full stop! We made it to the nearest caravan park where we were assured a new van would be out to us in the morning at 10am (yeah right we thought). Much to our surprise our new upgraded Maui Van arrived promptly at 9:30 ready for us to move straight in! BONUS! SO we swapped an old campervan with 240,000 kms on the odometer and 10 day old sheets etc (we had intended to wash them in Timaru) for a brand spanking new van with only 30,000 kms up and brand new sheets and towels PLUS a box of choccies, nuts and a bottle of wine. Boy did we score and we certainly couldnt complain about the service.
So the Maui Monster got us on the road again by about
10:30 that morning. Ooops I forgot to mention the penguins - Oamaru (where we were forced to stay the night) was actually quite beautiful and just on dusk we went around to the point and went on a tour of the penguin colony - we got to watch about 50 little fairy penguins make their way onto shore about 10m in front of us. They are so cute - I asked dad for a penguin for a farewell present but apparently they are endangered or some such nonsense :)
Leaving Oamaru behind we had a big big day of driving ahead and we arrived into the alpine resort town of Hanmer Springs just on five oclock which is north of Christchurch. A wander around town before tea and then into bed ready for the Saturday. In the morning we woke up to a frost and another stunning sunny day. Hanmer Springs has been one of our favourite places so far. Very picturesque - you just drive up to the base of these big mountains and it is like a small alpine village and in the centre of town are these thermal springs. Cheap to visit springs here - only $12 for a pass which included access to about 7 mineral pools of varying temperature plus two waterslides etc. I have discovered that there is nothing more relaxing than being submerged in 37 to 40 degree water in a beautiful setting when the outside air is about 10 degrees - except that its bloody cold when you get out!!
On from Hanmer Springs and down to the coast near Kaikoura. A very beautiful area where the Southern Alps come the closest to the sea. We bought a local specialty fish (groper - apparently its a different type to the one at home) to grill for tea and went and had a look at the seal colony. The seals at Nugget Point where soooooo placid that one was laying on the road as you drive in and you have to swerve to avoid it. Naturally we all thought it was dead until you get up close and it lazily opens an eye and yawns showing you a full set of BIG teeth - I dont think I'm getting too close in a hurry. THey are such big lumbering animals on land but once they get into the sea they are graceful swimmers. That night we headed out of Kaikoura about 8kms and found a beautiful free camp site on a surf beach. About five other campers joined us that night and the setting was just amazing with the mountains in the background and the beach on one side.
Ahhhh my favourite bit - waking up to another gorgeous sunny day and it was our designated 'gourmet' day. Headed up the coast with a quick stop for a freshly cooked crayfish at a roadside/seaside stall (local specialty again) and on to the local Marlborough wine region. We started with a boutique chocolate factory for some tastes and a purchase of choccie dipped cherries and then onto the wine. A couple of tastings later and we stopped at one for lunch (Forrest Estate). A huge spread of a picnic on the tables under the trees and a tasting platter of wines each. Mum and Dad (or mum really) had had enough wine by the end of that but I was determined to make the most of the area and we stopped on our way out at a winery called Nautilus. Its symbol is a huge Nautilus shell which is a lucky shell for sailors and it was here that I tasted the most divine champagne. So I splashed out and bought an expensive bottle which I intend to save until I cross the Equator on 'verena', fitting dont you think!
That night in Havelock village (Greenlipped Mussel capital of the world) at the head of Pelorus sound at the top of the North Island the gourmet day continued with a meal out at the Mussel Pot. Anna's in heaven... except its cold.
The next morning we took the scenic drive along the shores of the Queen Charlotte Sound towards Picton and made the 1 oclock ferry to the North Island. By this stage we have had day after day of beautiful sunny weather and NZ proclaims we are heading towards the warmest May on record - which means I wouldnt like to be here when it is actually cold! Still the Cook Strait crossing is known to be one of the roughest in the world and I can understand why as even after a few days of flat calm weather there was still a decent swell rolling in from the Tasman. The ferry takes about 3hrs in all to get to Wellington and the 1st hour is taken to get out of Queen Charlotte Sound so we were able to sit on deck and take in the scenery - stunning.
A night just outside of Wellington as everyone had told us there was no real need to bother stopping in the windy city and then onwards to Napier. Napier was completely destroyed in an earthquake and subsequent fire in the early 1930's and so was completely rebuilt in the art deco style of the time. It is a fascinating port city but not too much to look at other than the architecture so was only a quick stopover for the night. We have started to get into the fruit growing area now and have been able to buy really cheap Mandarins, Kiwi fruit and Apples at roadside fruit and vegetable stalls. Also another stop at another chocolate factory in Greytown - you can never taste too much chocolate. At this one they made some really different combinations like Apricot and Rosemary, Strawberry and Black Pepper, Thyme, White chocolate and Lemon and apparently the bestseller Lime and Chilli. All good.
So we headed inland again to Lake Taupo the biggest lake in NZ and the result of a massive volcanic eruption. It sits at the base of three active volcanoes including Mount Ruapehu and is the trout fishing capital of the world (that one's for Tommy Viney!) A big argument in the supermarket later over sausages or burgers for our envisaged lake side bbq and then we discovered that there is only one bbq on the lakefront in Taupo (even if it is the biggest lake in NZ) and it is out of order - Dad swears the out of order sign Mum spotted later was put on by some other users who had also lost $2 down the slot. Bye Bye BBQ. So cooked again in the back of the Maui monster and ate on the foreshore where a thousand and one ducks thought we were going to feed ALL of them.
That afternoon we decided to do our own thing and the parentals went off on a hike up to the Falls and I hired a bike for a couple of hours and bombed around the lakefront in the sunshine which was just what I felt like! The next morning we headed off to Rotorua via a glass and wood gallery and Huka Falls. We also went to watch the control gates open on the local Hydro scheme which was quite fascinating. This one river produces over 65% of the North Islands electricity and the sheer volume of water was amazing. In the afternoon we headed off to 'Orakei Korako' or the Hidden Valley thermal area which this area is famous for. Here we saw Geysers, Silica terraces, bubbling water pools and boiling mud pools and steam rising from the ground everywhere. It was fascinating to walk through and a big reality check to realise that the Earth which we live on and presume to be stable is covered in places like these by a crust only a few metres thick. This valley was also the site of a geothermal cave - one of only two known caves situated in a geothermal area in the world.
So we stayed in Roturua last night in a top caravan park and have this morning done a few of the attractions. One big attraction for me in New Zealand has been the discovery of a supermarket chain called 'New World' which do THE most divine and huge date and sultana scones - plus they are only 90cents. I declared the other day that I loved New World and it was a highlight of my trip which was apparently quite amusing to my parents... This morning we headed to the Polynesian Spa - one of the top ten spas in the world as voted by 'Conde Nast' magazine. It was beautiful although undergoing renovations and the noise of the buzzsaw did intrude on the serenity just slightly. About four thermal pools though and all naturally heated with lots of good old sulphur in them and plenty of rotten egg smell to go with. Very relaxing again though. Followed up with a trip up the nearest mountain on the Skyline Gondola and then a few exciting luge rides back down again. The luge was great fun - we all had a go - in fact Dad jumped on the Luge ride and not being able to se properly without his glasses headed straight off down the 'Advanced' track which you arent supposed to do without previous experience. So I spent half my time heading down the scenic track cracking up laughing at the thought of Dad bolting down the mountain at top speed. Tried to convey the message to Mum behind me but she just panicked for a few minutes as she thought I said we were on the advanced track. Ahhhh the joys... Still it was a blast and second time round I chased dad down the advanced which was good fun after all that!
SO the trip is winding to a close and it has been an absolute blast - I cant believe how much we have done and the time has absolutely flown. Only four or five days left till I am deposited in Auckland with my new family, in many ways I'm looking forward to embarking on that adventure but it will be sad to say goodbye to the parentals.
Still four more days left to explore the Bay of Plenty and the Coromandel peninsula - I must admit I will be happy to escape the sulphur smell... no matter how good its meant to be for you!
