Auckland to Whitianga to Waitomo

After having a night on beautiful Waiheke Island, catching the ferry back to the mainland, then a shuttle bus back to the international airport departures and hoofing it up to arrivals, I was able to pick up the small 4WD vehicle I'd booked. They said they'd upgraded me free of charge and this vehicle had a GPS in it, for which I was eternally grateful only a short time later!

There was bit of a problem with my booking because I'd planned to take the vehicle on the Interislander Ferry from Wellington to Picton in the South Island. Despite me looking for information on this prior to booking, I couldn't find that info anywhere. I later realised it was in the fine print on my ferry booking rather than the hire car company.

They'd completely changed all the drop off/pick up dates of my booking which took some sorting out and negotiation, however, eventually I was able to set off to the car park to find this vehicle they'd upgraded me to. 

I wandered around until I found the car space, thought nope, that can't be right, walked a bit further and realised I needed to go back to where I was and what do you know, they've upgraded me to a flippin’ great big new-ish (10000 kms on the clock) Landcruiser Prado!! And it was one of those press button start jobs that you almost need a degree to drive.  

It took me an embarrassingly long while to figure out the GPS and even then I didn’t have it quite right as it stubbornly refused to talk to me and give me the directions I was seeking.

I figured I’d bravely set off anyway as the girl at the car hire agency had told me which highway I needed to be on. After a near miss and a couple of laps of the car park, I was on finally my way. I got down to the intersection and had a choice to make.  Fairly quickly too it seemed. Left or right. Shoot! Hmm I’ll choose left as I'm pretty sure I need to head north. 

Alas, it was the wrong direction! And it wasn’t until I got to another left or right type of intersection after some 15 minutes of driving, that I figured out the GPS while sitting at lights. A few turns and I realised I’d been going in the opposite direction to where I should have been going!

When I was about half way to Whitianga, I thought I should put in the full address and then discovered it didn’t recognise the road name so I figured it could be an interesting afternoon. I knew the place wasn’t quite in Whitianga and Hot Water Beach was part of the address (or something of the sort) but wasn’t sure if you turned off in that direction. I decided to keep going and would ask someone if I got completely lost. I figured if I got to Whitianga, someone would surely know.

Somewhere along the way, I noticed a look out type of place with some gorgeous coastal views. I pulled in and was at the back of the car getting my camera out when I heard a semi-trailer coming around the bend. It seemed to be slowing down a little, but I didn’t take too much notice until it sounded really close and I realised just as the horn went that it was pulling in next to me.  

The beeping of the horn just about made me jump out of my skin but I was more amused to see a young blonde girl at the wheel.  She looked about 25 if that and was driving a b-double! She had a great big grin on her face so was clearly also amused at the fact I'd jumped when she'd blown the horn.

Back on the road again, I’d passed the sign for Hot Water Beach and was just at the point where I was wondering if I should have turned off, when I came across the road I needed to turn into. Kapowai Road which also happens to be a dirt road. I found the place a little way along and it’s a gorgeous farm house type of stay with plenty of animals about to entertain you. 

I met Justin (his wife is Fiona and she was busy sorting kids out), he suggested I get supplies in Whitianga and also recommended a few places that might be good to eat.  Of course I had to take a few pics first before heading into Whitianga.  

While I was there I went and found the skipper of the Cathedral Cove Cruises, as I was hoping to do the condensed tour in the morning. It was one of the few things I really wanted to do on this trip. I got it all sorted and was going to be having another bright and early start the next day.

I found some fish and calamari as you do when you're by the seaside and had another early dinner down by the bay. I sat on the end of a seat that had a memorial plaque on it for a much loved local to eat my dinner and take a few pics before driving back to where I was staying. I was back in time for a wander and some communing with the animals. It was such a restful relaxing peaceful place.  And no phone (if you had one with you) or wifi access – yay! Such a bonus when it ensures you switch off.  

I woke the next morning to rain, so that didn’t look promising for the cruise I was hoping to go on.  Still, being optimistic I got up and organised early, in plenty of time to make the 20 minute drive to meet the boat. Of course, despite my optimism, the cruise was cancelled due to the weather conditions. Ah well, plan b!

Found a bakery and bought some wicked goodness for breakfast before getting on my way. I took a leisurely drive to Waitomo with a few stops along the way. The countryside is so lush and green, rolling green hills all around. I saw a few places along the way with woolly alpaca’s. They always look kinda cute.

I have to say I was very glad of the car’s navigational system. Without it, I’d have been lost on this trip. I must admit I did wonder where it was taking me when I went through Mystery Creek because it seemed a little off the beaten track, however, it was just bypassing the middle of Hamilton.

I probably spent 3-4 hours driving (more than the time it should have taken me to get here due to stops) and I decided to go to Waitomo Caves as the car hire company I was with had bit of a thing going with them. If you present your keyring then you get into the caves for free, saving the $49 entry fee. Sometimes it's the little things!

This was the 4^th time I’d seen Glow Worm Caves, the others have been at Mt Tamborine on the Gold Coast, Hastings Caves in Tasmania and the caves at Te Anau in the South Island of NZ. 

The particular cave I was in went 14 metres below the surface and as always, was beautiful inside. I have to say the glow worm grotto in this cave was incredible. So many glow worms! It looked a little like a very starry night sky. You could even see some of the lines they drop in an earlier part of the cave. 

The walk in and out of the Waitomo Cave isn’t as strenuous as some of the others I’ve been in, so that was a pleasant surprise. I think this cave would be my favourite of the glow worm caves I've visited. Next stop Te Awamutu!

Taking a peek in the North Island

I decided last year it was time to take a peek in the North Island, given I'd seen so much of the South Island.  I had a week in the North (before having a week in the South as well) and there are a few places I'd like to visit again. Needless to say, there was plenty I didn't see, so lots of reasons right there to go back again someday! 

You will notice this part of the blog is a bit chattier - it helps that I'd kept bit of a travel journal on this last trip which makes it so much easier when it comes to blogging material than relying on my foggy memory!!

I had a very bright and early start to the day, having to be at the airport by 4.30 am. The flight from Brisbane to Auckland was just 2 hours 20 minutes. I have to admit I enjoyed a moment of quiet amusement when the guy next to me asked for a chai latte as the air stewards came through the cabin with the tea/coffee cart. He obviously knows a good thing but I'm guessing he may not travel much.  

After you've disembarked, you come through the arrivals (I can’t recall if it was before or after customs) and there is a beautiful carved Maori welcoming archway as you go through the walkway. Such a lovely cultural greeting to walk through.

I'd decided to stay on Waiheke Island for my first night - one of my big mistakes was only booking one night! And the second mistake was not hiring a vehicle on the island. Going from Auckland airport to Waiheke Island by public transport is time consuming, but also a good way to make you consciously slow down.

I managed to find the sky bus from the airport to the city (no small feat for one who can be somewhat navigationally challenged at times!), then took the shuttle bus to as close to the ferry as it could go, followed by a 5 minute walk. All of that took about an hour or so, then I had a half hour wait for the ferry and a 35 minute ferry ride over to Waiheke Island. On arrival, I jumped on another island bus which then was a 10 minute ride to where I was staying.  

I think it was just over 3 hours from when I landed until I got to where I was staying for the night. I stayed at a little place called the Courtyard in Oneroa and found Jilly the owner to be absolutely lovely! She also had a beautiful scented garden with freesias and lavender in bloom which added to the charm of the place.

After I settled, I caught a cab up to the shops, then wandered about uphill and down dale (very hilly place) and had an early dinner at the Red Crab Thai as recommended by Jilly which was delicious! 

I went to catch a cab back and was joined by two young men who were married just 2 days before and were still celebrating. They were slightly drunk and ever so funny. They were cracking themselves up as well as me, and eventually the cabbie showed some amusement too. 

It was agreed to share the cab because my drop off was on the way to the next pub they were heading to (I think it may have been the long way round but anyway). They wouldn’t let me pay for my part of the fare, thanked me profusely for sharing my cab and said I was a very nice lady.  

After a good sleep and an early morning walk, I was wishing I’d booked more time on the island so it's definitely on the 'to do again list'! Alas, an extra night wasn't to be on this trip, instead I left where I was staying and lugged my bags up the hill to wait for the next bus. Talk about a mini work out! 

I managed to catch the right bus (always a bonus!) back to the ferry which was just arriving as we pulled in. It was a glorious morning to sit out on the deck and simply enjoy the water and the sunshine.  

There was another round of exercise when I got off the ferry as I was unable to find where the shuttle to the Sky Bus left from.  I was ‘helped’ by a homeless guy who said I was on the wrong side of the road for the airport and sent me to the stop across the road that I found out was no longer in use.  

I asked another bloke who talked a lot but essentially didn’t know where to go except a long way from here. I started walking back in the direction of the ferry and saw two other women on the other side of the road asking someone, so I went across and joined them. Together we walked another block and a half of the turn left part of the instructions, then left again and down to the end of that laneway, then cross the road to find I was almost back where I started (only half a block) and we'd finally found the stop. Yay! Who said exercise doesn't happen on holidays?

The bus driver was a Sikh gentleman and was absolutely hilarious as well as very helpful. He got off the bus and greeted each person individually, put their luggage in the racks, made a joke about the heavier suitcases and made sure everyone was settled on the bus before he took off. We’d been driving a little while and were at traffic lights when he noticed a guy on the other side of the road with luggage and called out the window, ‘can I help you mate?’ Not quite sure how we was going to do that though, but he gave him some directions and off we went again.

Just before we got to the Sky Bus terminal, the bus driver got on the microphone to explain we were almost at the terminal where we would get off his bus and onto the Sky Bus one. He wished us all a great day and thanked us for travelling with Sky Bus, before saying he would help us get our luggage off again. Meanwhile, he was cracking jokes again with half the passengers as they got off. He even got on the Sky Bus to help load our luggage on while the Sky Bus driver took the tickets. I think it was the most entertaining bus ride I've ever had!

I eventually got back to the international airport and of course was dropped off at the departure gate, so had to hoof it to the arrivals to pick up my hire car. The rest of that story next time! In the meantime, enjoy a couple of pics from Waiheke Island.

Wanaka! My favourite place...

I'd seen photo's of Wanaka before I ever visited and had a strong urge to go there for a couple of years before I eventually made that first trip. I had a feeling that this place would resonate with me like Tasmania does. 

I was wrong. While I love Tasmania for many reasons and believe I could easily live there should I ever choose to do so, there was something else altogether about Wanaka. It was like coming home. 

I fell deeply in love with this place the very first time I visited. I had almost a week there and was nowhere near ready to go home when the time came. I immediately started dreaming about my next trip.

The next trip was a very quick one about 18 months later and a friend came with me. I still remember what she said to me when we drove into Wanaka towards the lake. 'Oh M, this place is so you! I can see why you love it'.  

My love for Wanaka has grown deeper with each visit and I find it harder and harder to leave. My two youngest sons have visited in their travels of NZ and both have commented that they can see the appeal it has for me.

So what is it about Wanaka? The scenery is stunning. The lake set against the back drop of the mountains that are snow capped during the cooler months, the cherry blossoms and lupins growing wild around the lake in spring and the changing colour of the autumn leaves means there is always beauty to be found in the landscape. 

The town is not a big one, although it has many visitors who come to enjoy the lake in the summer and the skiing in the winter. There are plenty of excellent restaurants with different cuisines to choose from and I would think there is something to suit every taste.

The place just has a nice feel about it. The locals are friendly and are happy to engage you in conversation. There are plenty of things you can do and see without it costing you the earth, including some of the quirkier things like Cinema Paradiso which is an experience not to be missed, Puzzling World which will change the way you look at things and the Transport and Toy Museum which hosts one of the largest private collections in the world.

If you're into skiing, you have choices when it comes to snowfields.  In Wanaka, there is Treble Cone where you have the largest ski area in the South Island.  About 25 kms away you will find Cardrona and about an hour or so away, there is Coronet Peak which is closest to Queenstown and The Remarkables.

For those who don't ski but are keen to see the snow and the views, Treble Cone introduced a scenic chair lift ride in 2016 where for $20 NZ, you can go up on the chair lift to the outdoor cafe and have a hot chocolate while you soak up the views. For another $7, you can add a slice of pizza which is more like a quarter of a pizza than a slice. The views are spectacular and it's a fun thing to do.

Given I've had a few trips to Wanaka, I'll space my Wanaka posts out a little as there is way too much for one post and you may get sick of me rambling!  Here are a few pics to enjoy.

From Glacier Country down to Haast and on to my most favourite place!

The drive from the Glacier Country down to Haast has some stunning coastal scenery as the road winds it way around towards Haast. There are a few places along the way to take some happy snaps and there's a particular place along the coastline of Haast where piles of white stones caught our eye. 

We pulled over to have a look and found that travellers from all over the world had been leaving their names, the date and where they were from written on the stones. Of course we felt obliged to add ours to the pile.

It's not a particularly long section of coastline, but it's certainly beautiful and we enjoyed spending almost an hour reading some of the messages on the stones and going down to the beach to leave some little piles of cairns.  Even the driftwood was a rich beautiful rusty red colour.  

Following the road some more and we came across more farmland, plus one place that had an honesty box with fresh farm eggs in the Makarora area.  Naturally, we couldn't leave those by the side of the road, so left some money for a carton of their delicious eggs.  

The farmland is so green and I never get tired of those views. A little further along and you cross another of those beautiful crystal clear blue rivers before you come to Thunder Creek Falls. The falls are a pleasant short walk from the car park area and the falls were living up to their name the day we were there.

Around the same area as the falls, is the turn off to the Blue Pools of Haast, however, they are still on my to do list so will have to look at those on a future visit.

A little south of Makarora on the right, you will see your first glimpse of Lake Wanaka, the 4th largest lake in New Zealand. Within a very short space of time on the left, you will see the top end of Lake Hawea.  The road then pretty much follows the lake around to the township of Hawea.  

From there you go through Albert Town which is the Clutha and Hawea Rivers meet. Albert Town had until recently been more of a farming settlement, however, population growth in the area has also seen Albert Town grow a little more.

Albert Town is just a 10 minute drive from my favourite place.. Wanaka!

A little more of the West Coast - Jade and Glacier Country

The West Coast is home to Jade Country - Pounamu or Greenstone as it is known to New Zealanders.  This beautiful stone has many variations in colour and there are some incredibly beautiful pieces to be found in the some of the shops and galleries along the West Coast.  

There are a few of these in Hokitika including one an open workshop where you can watch the talents of the crafts people. This place also had some larger breath taking creations as well. Pounamu has a treasured spiritual significance and was historically used by Maori people for weapons, tools and personal items.  

Hokitika is approximately a 35 minute drive south of Greymouth and is also home to the Hokitika Gorge which is one of those must do type of places. The gorge is about 33 kms from Hokitika and the road is full of twists and turns, however, don't give up on it because again, the scenery is spectacular.

There is a short walk from the car park to a viewing platform where the colour of the water below is something else! There is a swing bridge you can walk across to the other side where you will see the rugged ravine and be much closer to the extraordinary blue water.

From Hokitika, you drive down towards the Glacier Country where you will find two of the most accessible glaciers - Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers.

Franz Josef has a lovely little township with a number of places you can stay.  The West Coast Wildlife Centre is located there and you are able to do a tour to see the kiwi birds.

If you're staying a night or two in Franz Josef, then I'd recommend the Glacier Hot Pools where you can relax in the larger public pool or take the option of a private pool.  We had a private pool which was blissful and decadent.  

If you're a fan of Thai food then the King Tiger Eastern Eating House and Bar is the place for you.  The food is delicious and the atmosphere is great.

On the outskirts of Franz Josef, you will find the road heading towards the glacier. It's an impressive sight to see the terminal face of the glacier from the carpark! For those who are fit and adventurous, there is a walk to the terminal face and for those who don't feel up to the hike, there is a short walk to Peter's Pool Reflection. It's a beautiful peaceful spot where you can sit and enjoy the reflection of the terminal face and snow capped mountains.

A half hour drive south of Franz Josef will take you to Fox Glacier where again you are able to see the terminal face. The other thing you may notice is the sound of aircraft and if you look up, you will regularly see helicopters in the sky doing glacier tours.

There is a short walk from the car park to a space where you can get some great views of the terminal face of Fox Glacier and see some of the sheer rocks leading in.

I don't know that I'd quite have the courage to do a helicopter flight up to the glaciers, I love the idea but I'm not a fan of flying at the best of times and the thought of doing that in a helicopter is something else again. Who knows?  One day in my dotage I may find the courage!

The West Coast

The west coast of the South Island has a rugged raw beauty and according to Lonely Planet is one of the top 10 scenic coastal drives in the world.  I've not driven the entire length, however, have been up as far as the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes.

It was a cool cloudy and somewhat foggy rainy day when we visited, however, that didn't stop us from getting out and doing the 20 minute loop walk to view the rocks and the blowholes. Absolutely magnificent!  I'd love to also see them in clear weather one day.  

The blowholes were big and very impressive, probably due in part to the weather the day we visited.  There is also lots of bird in the area and some of them nest among the rocks. Mother nature sure is amazing! 

After our walk in the cold and wet, we were able to go across the road where there is a little roadside pancake cafe.  Their pancakes are delicious and it was a great way to round off the visit.

Greymouth is one of the larger towns on the west coast and is where the train line goes to when you catch the Tranz Alpine Train.  It's a bit like the landing point for arriving on the west coast.  

There is a walkway along the coastal side of town where there is a monument and memorial to miners who died in a mine accident.  We spent a little time there reading what was written and counting our blessings.

I thought I'd try doing a slightly shorter post this time as many of my posts so far have been quite long, so will continue on with the west coast in my next post.  Although, having said that, I tend to keep writing when I'm on a roll so I can't guarantee my next post will be a shorter one too!

Christchurch to the West Coast

There are a couple of ways you can do this trip - by car or on the Tranz-Alpine Train. Both have stunning scenery to enjoy along the way, so you won't be disappointed which ever way you choose to get there.

Last year, my partner and I drove to the west coast, starting out from Akaroa and staying overnight in Arthur's Pass, which is the highest and most spectacular pass across the Southern Alps.  It climbs to more than 900 metres through Arthur's Pass National Park.

As with most parts of NZ, the scenery is diverse and simply beautiful.  There are a couple of little towns you can stop at along the way to Arthur's Pass and I recall one where there was a lovely park area along a creek or river.

The scenery out of Christchurch was lush green fields with snow capped mountains in the background (we were travelling in spring) and the road is initially fairly straight. Along the way, you will see the wide shingle filled river beds and vast swathes of beech forest as described perfectly in the 100% Pure New Zealand website.

Eventually as you make your way closer to Arthur's Pass, the road becomes more winding and the scenery changes as you head into the Southern Alps.  For those fascinated by engineering, this is definitely the road (or rail trip) for you!  It has viaducts, bridges, rock shelters and waterfalls channeled into chutes. 

If you are planning to do this as a road trip, my #1 tip is to ensure you fuel up your vehicle before leaving Christchurch as fuel was a staggering $10 a litre in Arthur's Pass in 2015.  

The township has approximately 30 residents and while there is a store, it only stocks a limited supply of the basics which are also quite expensive.  This brings me to my #2 tip - if you're planning a stay, then buy whatever you think you may need from Christchurch before leaving.

You will find the Wobbly Kea Cafe in Arthur's Pass, which has a limited but reasonably tasty menu.  Again, a little pricey, but in line with what you'd expect in the area.  

We stayed at the Arthur's Pass Alpine Motel which I'd highly recommend.  The people there were warm, welcoming, friendly and helpful! They recommended places to go and things to see.

It had been raining heavily on and off during the time we were there which limited us somewhat as we'd originally had plans to do some walks in the area.  However, we did manage a relatively short walk to a gorgeous little waterfall up behind the church in town and a visit to the Tourist Information place before getting rained on again. Arthur's Pass is on my list of places to go back to so I can enjoy a bit longer walk in the area.

The remainder of our road trip across to Greymouth on the West Coast, was also somewhat rainy so we didn't really stop as we'd anticipated we might.  

I did the same trip on the Tranz Alpine Rail this year (2016), although I traveled about 2 months earlier than the trip we'd taken last year.  There wasn't a great difference in the amount of snow about, however, this year's trip was taken in sunshine rather than rainy weather which was a little friendlier for taking photo's.

That said, I found it somewhat challenging to take pics on the train that weren't too blurry!  The train is a lovely relaxing way to travel and while I don't know that you see much more scenery than you do by road, the difference is that the road isn't alongside the rail track the entire way so you may see the scenery closer up and you're not driving so you have time to gander out the windows.  On the train, you also get some great views of some of the engineering feats I mentioned earlier and the scenery around them.

There is an open air carriage on the train especially for those wishing to take photos, but it does get a little chilly at times! Some great views to be seen and take photo's of but again, the difference between a road trip and a train trip is you can stop whenever you want to take pics on a road trip (providing there's somewhere to pull over), so there's less of the blurry factor.

There is a brief stop at Arthur's Pass where you can get off the train to stretch your legs, take a pic or two, then get back on the train.  There is another stop at Moana which is on the Lake for people who wish to get off, enjoy a walk and/or a picnic and catch the train on it's return journey about an hour or so later.

I found the train trip really enjoyable, the staff were great, they had a reasonable selection of food on board (I enjoyed a cheese board) and they come around towards the end with delicious NZ ice creams.  It's only about a 4.5 hour trip from Christchurch across to Greymouth so if you're wanting to do a return day trip, then it's quite do-able.