I spent a lovely few days with Pat and Chris Thorn in Wellington. I'd last seen them 30 years ago on an Indian railway trip. We cycled 15km round Miramar peninsula and walked along a few tracks to lookout points along the way, watched 'Last Vegas' which is very funny and saw the Chinese New Year parade. I went up the in the cable car and walked down through the Botanic gardens, Went to Te Papa which is an amazing museum. I'm not a particularly museumy sort of person but I was there for 4.5 hours and didn't see everything. The Parliament House tour was fascinating too because they have had basement isolators put in to protect in earthquakes. The building was cut off from its foundation and huge shock absorbers put in so that even if the base moves the top stays stable. A lot of buildings now have this system. I find it very strange to have earthquake instructions on all public buildings and designated earthquake shelters. In one art gallery they were under the large tables the artifacts were on. If the table collapsed you'd also get a large pot landing on you!!
The weather in Wellington was lovely and on the day I took the ferry from Wellington to Picton it couldn't have been better. Sunny, blue sky and sea but a bitterly cold wind on deck. Stunning scenery.
Jill met me in Picton and we went back to their house. Within 24 hrs we were back to Picton to camp overnight as Keith was sailing and they leave their motor home in a campsite so they don't have to drive the 40 min windy mountain road back home. I spent 2 nights in the tent and the second night was incredibly windy. I spent nearly all night awake wondering if the large tree nearby was going to fall on me. I survived.
The day I left to go travelling in Jill and Keth's car was a day of catastrophes. Firstly their motor home wouldn't start, having been on the campsite for a month, but without the isolator switch being on. I know the words but don't understand what I'm saying here!
We went to a friend's house to pick up a 24V battery charger. The friends were away for a few days having left that morning, but they'd left the charger in the dog kennel (no dog). On arrival their front door was wide open and a box of wine sitting on the doorstep. After ringing the doorbell and getting no reply we tentatively went inside. Nobody there, no sign of a break in! We put the box of wine inside. Several phone calls later we had a mobile number for them. "We're calling from your house" didn't seem to phase them as apparently the door had popped open during the night before they left and although they'd locked it when they left, it had obviously done the same thing!! This is a house where apparently there are loud cracks like gunshots that happen day and night! We moved the mat which was almost stuck under the door and with a "Have you all got everything?" from Jill she shut the door. Unfortunately she'd left her mobile phone inside!!
Luckily there was a window through which we could see their mobile number on the table. It turned out a spare key was also in the dog kennel. A good job they don't have a dog or there'd be no room for it!
I finally got away about 3 hours later than intended.
I've camped in a one man tent or stayed in cabins or with friends and had a lovely time touring around. I busked in Queenstown on 2 evenings and more than paid for my accomodation and a decent steak and chips meal. I met up with a primary school friend who'd found me on Facebook and happened to be on holiday in NZ and happened to be in Queenstown at the same time. We had a drink at her hotel at 10.20pm after I'd been busking. A pint of lager straight after busking followed by a very large port and I was rolling up the hill to my tent at 11.30 pm. The French campers behind me kept me awake until 12.30am anyway. The loudest voices in any campsite are always French, pourquoi?
I stayed with an ex pupil and her boyfriend in Dunedin and went on the Cadbury's chocolate factory tour and to the albatross colony. I did them both 30 years ago. The chocolate factory tour isn't as good now. It's behind large perspex screens and not much actual chocolate is seen apart from the 4 or 5 free bars of 'pinky' and 'chewy' bars which are nasty. I left those for Emilie and Andrew to 'enjoy'!
The albatross colony was better than I remember. There's a visitor centre and large viewing area. I think we just sat on the hillside 30 years ago.
Notable geological sights along the way have been Buller Gorge which has a great swing bridge crossing it. Not for people who don't like heights as it's about a foot wide and made of mesh. Moeraki boulders, huge spherical rocks on a section of beach at Moeraki and pancake rocks at Punakaiki. Lots of mountains and bright blue rivers and blue skies and fluffy white clouds. Aah!!
I'm now in Hanmer Springs for one night. The tent is drying out in the sun. This morning there was a lot of dew and condensation. That's the first night that's happened as it's been incredibly dry most mornings and unlike camping at home. Tonight I'm in a cabin. Luxury! A double bed, kitchen, fridge and sink and the toilet and shower are very close by.
There are lots of bugs as it's in the forest, but being inside I may manage to avoid being eaten too much. I'd been in the town 5 minutes when I was stung on the neck by a wasp and on brushing it away it stung my finger too. There's a wasp poison trap outside my door so I hope it works.
