When I was a child there was a tv programme called 'the FBI'. It starred an actor by what I then thought was the ludicrous name of Efrem Zimbalist Junior. At the end of each episode an authoritative voice announced 'The Epilogue'. I never knew what that meant, but now I do.
So Curly and Shiny are back in blighty after (we think) a 38 hour journey involving travel on three aircraft, two cars, one bus and one train. We ate 5 airline meals including 2 breakfasts on Monday - one over Denmark, the other over Birmingham.
In NZ we drove in total about 4800 km and walked quite a few too. In addition to the travel between the UK and NZ we travelled on one further aircraft, two helicopters, a ferry, several other boats a horse and a kayak. Altogether we took 5009 photos.
So reflections on NZ ...
We always found people were warm, friendly, relaxed and happy to help.
The pioneering spirit is still strong and NZers have a really positive, 'just get on with things' attitude to life.
We noticed how they value and repair things instead of disposing of them. For example, there are many cars that we would regard as old still driving around. Cars from the 60s and 70s - and even some from the 20s and 30s.
Lots of shops still sell fabrics and knitting wools, so it seems that quite a lot of people make their own clothes.
The whole country has amazing scenery.
We loved the times spent in the 'bush' with fabulous ferns, trees and birdsong, particularly the melodious Bellbirds and Tuis which must have some of the most pure and beautiful calls.
We're envious of the space that everyone has - although we would miss city life too
Long straight roads that aren't Roman in origin. (though they're not all straight by any means)
There were some things we didn't like. For example, we didn't like the fact that so many cafes and restaurants close quite early. In some places it was difficult to find a place to eat after 7.30 - 8 this was even true of some towns with significant numbers of visitors and tourists,
We found it quite difficult to come to terms with the country's susceptibility to earthquakes. Christchurch is still experiencing tremors and there is a lot of uncertainty about the future of the city.
Similarly, the geothermal areas are both amazing and scary. Taupo exploded less than 2000 years ago ands in geological terns is still regarded as an active volcano. Just like yellowstone it could erupt again one day ... and probably will...but in the meantime it makes a fascinating country to visit.
We have been so fortunate to be able to have such a wonderful holiday - it is certainly a country we would like to return to if we ever get the chance - so we can visit areas we were not able to fit in this time and spend longer in other areas.
We have enjoyed writing this blog - reflecting on our journey as we travelled and sharing it with those of you following us.
Thanks and goodbye
Monday, 23 January 2012
Sunday, 22 January 2012
Departure
After a scrummy breakfast we bade farewell to our hosts and fellow guests and set off on our return journey to Auckland airport. The weather wasn't as nice as yesterday and when we approached Auckland it started to rain.
We dropped off the hire car and checked in the suitcases without a hitch and went through security. At the other side Curly suddenly remembered she had a mini carton of juice in her bag that was meant to have been consumed before going through security! Shiny promptly consumed it in a furtive fashion.
At Auckland airport they have an amusing way with announcements when calling recalcitrant travellers to board 'everyone else is on board and just waiting for you Mr Brown'. Shiny was concerned to hear them announce that 'Oslo procedures had been commenced' against a missing passenger.. no doubt imagining some severe form of Norwegian retribution until Curly pointed out that the combination on NZ vowels and his ears had misheard that 'off load procedures had been commenced'.
Our departure was delayed by 30 mins as our plane was late in. We then had a 10 hour rather bumpy flight and are currently writing this late at night in Hong Kong airport (or Singapore as Curly keeps calling it). It is a beautiful airport building btw.
Our next plane leaves in an hour (about midnight HK time) for Heathrow. We are due to arrive in Heathrow at 5.00am. We're not very good at sums right now, but we think that's a 13 hour flight with the time difference. Hoping for some sleep en route...
We dropped off the hire car and checked in the suitcases without a hitch and went through security. At the other side Curly suddenly remembered she had a mini carton of juice in her bag that was meant to have been consumed before going through security! Shiny promptly consumed it in a furtive fashion.
At Auckland airport they have an amusing way with announcements when calling recalcitrant travellers to board 'everyone else is on board and just waiting for you Mr Brown'. Shiny was concerned to hear them announce that 'Oslo procedures had been commenced' against a missing passenger.. no doubt imagining some severe form of Norwegian retribution until Curly pointed out that the combination on NZ vowels and his ears had misheard that 'off load procedures had been commenced'.
Our departure was delayed by 30 mins as our plane was late in. We then had a 10 hour rather bumpy flight and are currently writing this late at night in Hong Kong airport (or Singapore as Curly keeps calling it). It is a beautiful airport building btw.
Our next plane leaves in an hour (about midnight HK time) for Heathrow. We are due to arrive in Heathrow at 5.00am. We're not very good at sums right now, but we think that's a 13 hour flight with the time difference. Hoping for some sleep en route...
Saturday, 21 January 2012
Curly and shiny take a dip in the briny
Our last day dawned bright and warm. We ate breakfast on the balcony looking out over the glittering Pacific Ocean. 'It doesn't get better than this', remarked our fellow guest - and he was right.
We decided to visit a spectacular beach known as Cathedral Cove. It was quite a long walk to the cove (about 40 mins) but we were there before 10.00.
The beach is divided in two by a rocky promontory. A huge natural archway creates a way through from one to another. The arch is so long, tall and pointed that it looks and feels like the inside of a cathedral.
The beaches were stunning, with several large rock stacks and small islands dotted around the sea. Local people said the beaches would be busy, but they weren't busy by European standards.
We moved from one beach to the other and found shelter from the hot sun in the dappled shade of a tree.
It wasn't our original plan, but we enjoyed it so much that we stayed pretty much the whole day.
Curly managed to finish reading the first of her holiday books. Normally she reads about 3 per week on holiday. A good holiday is either defined by lots of books read, or by very few. This holiday fell into the latter category.
The sea was so tempting that we both took a swim. The Pacific tastes just as salty as the Atlantic, but this particular part of it was warmer and more inviting.
So while you Europeans were tucked up in bed in the early hours of a cold January morning, we were swimming in the Pacific Ocean.
We decided to visit a spectacular beach known as Cathedral Cove. It was quite a long walk to the cove (about 40 mins) but we were there before 10.00.
The beach is divided in two by a rocky promontory. A huge natural archway creates a way through from one to another. The arch is so long, tall and pointed that it looks and feels like the inside of a cathedral.
The beaches were stunning, with several large rock stacks and small islands dotted around the sea. Local people said the beaches would be busy, but they weren't busy by European standards.
We moved from one beach to the other and found shelter from the hot sun in the dappled shade of a tree.
It wasn't our original plan, but we enjoyed it so much that we stayed pretty much the whole day.
Curly managed to finish reading the first of her holiday books. Normally she reads about 3 per week on holiday. A good holiday is either defined by lots of books read, or by very few. This holiday fell into the latter category.
The sea was so tempting that we both took a swim. The Pacific tastes just as salty as the Atlantic, but this particular part of it was warmer and more inviting.
So while you Europeans were tucked up in bed in the early hours of a cold January morning, we were swimming in the Pacific Ocean.
Onwards to the last stop
The place in which we stayed in Tirau was about a century old with huge rooms and high ceilings. We later discovered that it was formerly a Masonic Hall. You're probably envisaging a stone building with columns, but this was a wooden building, like most in NZ.
Breakfast was served on trays in our room. We had porridge, toast, fruit, juices and tea.
The day wasn't very remarkable. We did some pleasant shopping in Tirau, which as you may remember is notable mainly for being halfway along the journey from Auckland (to wherever you're going) and of course their corrugated metal theme.
We drove to the Coromandel peninsular, choosing the slightly longer route, believing it would be more scenic, whereas it proved to be a bit tedious as we were stuck behind camper vans on twisty roads.
But the destination made it all worth while. Our last place to stay is a delightful B&B run by an elderly couple, formerly British, who moved to NZ during the 50s and 60s. They have lived here so long that they now regard themselves as New Zealanders.
The house is built on a ridge so that the balcony where we were to eat breakfast had an amazing view over the Pacific Ocean. We were welcomed with cups of tea, home made cakes and warm conversation.
We took a walk to a nearby viewpoint (a 'lookout' in kiwi-speak) with even more amazing views over the Pacific, dotted with islands.
We met our fellow guests, who we discovered once lived ten minutes drive from us in the Netherlands. They recommended a nearby town as a place to eat. The journey involved a short drive and a ferry across a harbour. We had a good meal and journeyed back across the harbour at sunset.
Breakfast was served on trays in our room. We had porridge, toast, fruit, juices and tea.
The day wasn't very remarkable. We did some pleasant shopping in Tirau, which as you may remember is notable mainly for being halfway along the journey from Auckland (to wherever you're going) and of course their corrugated metal theme.
We drove to the Coromandel peninsular, choosing the slightly longer route, believing it would be more scenic, whereas it proved to be a bit tedious as we were stuck behind camper vans on twisty roads.
But the destination made it all worth while. Our last place to stay is a delightful B&B run by an elderly couple, formerly British, who moved to NZ during the 50s and 60s. They have lived here so long that they now regard themselves as New Zealanders.
The house is built on a ridge so that the balcony where we were to eat breakfast had an amazing view over the Pacific Ocean. We were welcomed with cups of tea, home made cakes and warm conversation.
We took a walk to a nearby viewpoint (a 'lookout' in kiwi-speak) with even more amazing views over the Pacific, dotted with islands.
We met our fellow guests, who we discovered once lived ten minutes drive from us in the Netherlands. They recommended a nearby town as a place to eat. The journey involved a short drive and a ferry across a harbour. We had a good meal and journeyed back across the harbour at sunset.
Friday, 20 January 2012
Napier and beyond
Our previous post left us in Napier - a seaside resort on the Pacific east coast of NZ.
We decided to spend some time looking round the town - well, I should refer to it as a city really, as we discovered that it has a cathedral.
We learned more about the earthquake that destroyed the city in 1931. In the few seconds of that earthquake the centre of Napier was lifted by 2 metres (and continues to rise by a centimetre every year).
Many buildings, especially those that were brick built, were destroyed straight away by the earthquake. This included the former cathedral which simply collapsed. Those that were not immediately destroyed were burned in a fire that raged through the ruined city.
But people refused to be defeated and set about rebuilding the city as fast as they could. Interim structures in timber or corrugated steel were quickly erected. Shops and businesses in the central area set about rebuilding.
So unlike most towns or cities, the majority of buildings in the centre were constructed at one time and in a particular style - Art Deco - which was current at that time.
And most of that heritage has been preserved, giving the centre a character that is unique, probably anywhere in the world. Only Miami has a similar concentration of Art Deco architecture.
Not only are the buildings interesting, but the city centre, though quite small, has a lively, cosmopolitan atmosphere with lots of interesting shops and cafes.
The reconstruction of the cathedral was interrupted by the second world war and so it was not completed until the 1960s. Fragments of glass from the original building have been incorporated into a new stained glass window. It is a beautiful building with great purity and simplicity - and a sense of peacefulness.
We liked Napier, perhaps a little unexpectedly.
We journeyed on to Tirau, chosen mainly because it is about half way between Napier and Coromandel, which is to be our final destination in NZ.
Tirau is a quirky town that seems to have no particular reason to exist apart from the fact that travellers stop for food and drink, or to break their journey. It has the oddest collection of shops, including a quilt making shop, a clock shop and a Christmas heirloom business.
The theme of the town is corrugated steel and the tourist info centre is in the form of a dog and a sheep constructed in corrugated material.
Very odd to our eyes.
We decided to spend some time looking round the town - well, I should refer to it as a city really, as we discovered that it has a cathedral.
We learned more about the earthquake that destroyed the city in 1931. In the few seconds of that earthquake the centre of Napier was lifted by 2 metres (and continues to rise by a centimetre every year).
Many buildings, especially those that were brick built, were destroyed straight away by the earthquake. This included the former cathedral which simply collapsed. Those that were not immediately destroyed were burned in a fire that raged through the ruined city.
But people refused to be defeated and set about rebuilding the city as fast as they could. Interim structures in timber or corrugated steel were quickly erected. Shops and businesses in the central area set about rebuilding.
So unlike most towns or cities, the majority of buildings in the centre were constructed at one time and in a particular style - Art Deco - which was current at that time.
And most of that heritage has been preserved, giving the centre a character that is unique, probably anywhere in the world. Only Miami has a similar concentration of Art Deco architecture.
Not only are the buildings interesting, but the city centre, though quite small, has a lively, cosmopolitan atmosphere with lots of interesting shops and cafes.
The reconstruction of the cathedral was interrupted by the second world war and so it was not completed until the 1960s. Fragments of glass from the original building have been incorporated into a new stained glass window. It is a beautiful building with great purity and simplicity - and a sense of peacefulness.
We liked Napier, perhaps a little unexpectedly.
We journeyed on to Tirau, chosen mainly because it is about half way between Napier and Coromandel, which is to be our final destination in NZ.
Tirau is a quirky town that seems to have no particular reason to exist apart from the fact that travellers stop for food and drink, or to break their journey. It has the oddest collection of shops, including a quilt making shop, a clock shop and a Christmas heirloom business.
The theme of the town is corrugated steel and the tourist info centre is in the form of a dog and a sheep constructed in corrugated material.
Very odd to our eyes.
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
Curly and Shiny go their separate ways
'I would like to go horse riding' said Curly when we were planning our visit last October.
'I wouldn't!' said Shiny in his usual grumpy fashion, 'I would like to canoe down a river'.
'Well maybe we could do both' said Curly.
And that is what they decided to do ladies and gentlemen.
It must be 30 plus years since Curly last sat on a horse. The recent models seem to be somewhat more difficult to mount and dismount and don't seem quite as comfy as I remember them - although trotting, cantering and the basic methods of control have remained the same.
My mount was a beautiful mare called Jess (thankfully a name pronounced more or less the same in NZ and UK English ) a chestnut aged 17 and about 15hh. She was beautifully behaved, responsive to instruction and not fussy about her position in the trek of 5 horses as long as she wasn't last. She had great fun seemingly washing a mouthful of grass in a trough at lunchtime but not actually drinking.
An extra hour meant we could reach a summit of a local mountain with stunning views and despite a slow very hot walk up, the horses all enjoyed a canter on the grassy flower meadow at the summit.
Throughout the trek we were accompanied by huge dragonflies and often stunning scenery - including glimpses of a fast flowing, turquoise river far below.
As it turned out, this was Shiny's river...
Shiny had donned a natty wetsuit and was canoeing down the river (with a guide).
It was indeed a fast flowing river in a deep limestone gorge. Think of Dovedale on steroids. The NZ river was more twisty, with ferns and sub tropical vegetation, kingfishers and swallows, no roads or paths and no people apart from two canoeists. Apparently there are eels in the river, some as much as 2 metres in length and thicker than a mans thigh.
The river was at least twice the width and many times deeper than the river Dove in Derbyshire. It was mostly well behaved, but with occasional bumpy bits that helped to quicken the pulse. I wouldn't want you to think it was white water canoeing - it wasn't, but a delightful way to see a beautiful river. We canoed downstream. It was impossible to paddle against the current.
When Curly and Shiny reunited after their separate adventures they drove to the delightful coastal town of Napier - a seaside resort on the Pacific east coast of NZ.
Napier is one of the Art Deco capitals of the world, much of it having been rebuilt in that style after it was flattened by a 7.8 earthquake in 1931. Many of the buildings, especially those in the town centre, are very beautiful.
We found yet another Dutch expat, this time running an excellent Indonesian restaurant. We decided to eat there as it was rated number 1 in Napier by TripAdvisor.
Our meal (rijsttafel) was excellent and we were able to ask for our bill in Dutch.
'I wouldn't!' said Shiny in his usual grumpy fashion, 'I would like to canoe down a river'.
'Well maybe we could do both' said Curly.
And that is what they decided to do ladies and gentlemen.
It must be 30 plus years since Curly last sat on a horse. The recent models seem to be somewhat more difficult to mount and dismount and don't seem quite as comfy as I remember them - although trotting, cantering and the basic methods of control have remained the same.
My mount was a beautiful mare called Jess (thankfully a name pronounced more or less the same in NZ and UK English ) a chestnut aged 17 and about 15hh. She was beautifully behaved, responsive to instruction and not fussy about her position in the trek of 5 horses as long as she wasn't last. She had great fun seemingly washing a mouthful of grass in a trough at lunchtime but not actually drinking.
An extra hour meant we could reach a summit of a local mountain with stunning views and despite a slow very hot walk up, the horses all enjoyed a canter on the grassy flower meadow at the summit.
Throughout the trek we were accompanied by huge dragonflies and often stunning scenery - including glimpses of a fast flowing, turquoise river far below.
As it turned out, this was Shiny's river...
Shiny had donned a natty wetsuit and was canoeing down the river (with a guide).
It was indeed a fast flowing river in a deep limestone gorge. Think of Dovedale on steroids. The NZ river was more twisty, with ferns and sub tropical vegetation, kingfishers and swallows, no roads or paths and no people apart from two canoeists. Apparently there are eels in the river, some as much as 2 metres in length and thicker than a mans thigh.
The river was at least twice the width and many times deeper than the river Dove in Derbyshire. It was mostly well behaved, but with occasional bumpy bits that helped to quicken the pulse. I wouldn't want you to think it was white water canoeing - it wasn't, but a delightful way to see a beautiful river. We canoed downstream. It was impossible to paddle against the current.
When Curly and Shiny reunited after their separate adventures they drove to the delightful coastal town of Napier - a seaside resort on the Pacific east coast of NZ.
Napier is one of the Art Deco capitals of the world, much of it having been rebuilt in that style after it was flattened by a 7.8 earthquake in 1931. Many of the buildings, especially those in the town centre, are very beautiful.
We found yet another Dutch expat, this time running an excellent Indonesian restaurant. We decided to eat there as it was rated number 1 in Napier by TripAdvisor.
Our meal (rijsttafel) was excellent and we were able to ask for our bill in Dutch.
Water - in various forms
STEAM
Rotorua has many visitor centres focussing on Maori culture. Again we tried to find a less commercial option and decided to visit the 'Whakarewarewa Thermal Village'.
For several generations this Maori village has invited in visitors as one of its main sources of income. The village is built on a geothermal site, which provides a number of problems and benefits. Geothermal pools with temperatures of 140 degrees C are used for outdoor cooking. Muslin bags of vegetables are dropped into the pool and fished out some minutes later when ready. Other meals are cooked underground in pots or wrapped in foil.
Different areas of hot water are used for bathing. The people in this village bathe communally, twice daily, with social protocols used to preserve their modesty. The water is so hot that the baths have to be run about 2 hours beforehand and left to cool.
But the very active geothermal site creates other problems as steam vents can erupt anywhere - in a house or in a graveyard for example - resulting in abandoned houses or emergency steam vents added to graves.
Our Maori guide showed us how the leaves of a specific plant are made into strands for skirts. This is an incredibly skilful task and involves the use of a mussel shell as a blade.
On the outskirts of the village is a large geyser - the largest in the southern hemisphere. It doesn't keep to a precise time and so we had a very long wait before we were rewarded with an impressive shot of water and steam.
THE SWIMMING POOL
We were hot and sticky when we left the village in the mid afternoon, so we went for a swim in the blue pool baths in Rotorua - a quaintly old fashioned outdoor swimming pool recommended by friends.
THE LAKE
Our third watery activity was an early evening trip across Lake Taupo on a yacht once owned by Errol Flynn. We saw a modern Maori carving set into a cliff face overlooking the lake.
THE RIVER
And we weren't finished there. We remembered the thermal pool in the river that we hadn't tried the previous day. We decided to have a sunset swim and found only a few other people using the pool.
The experience was amazing. The river was lukewarm some distance from the thermal pool, but as we got closer it became warmer and warmer. The hot stream that entered the river was simply too hot to bear, but as it mixed with the river it cooled in an oddly layered kind of way. People found different places to sit or swim depending upon their tolerance to the temperature.
So that was four water-based activities in one day - and a perfect end to a perfect day - a dip in a steaming river as hot as a bath - as the sun set over the hills.
Rotorua has many visitor centres focussing on Maori culture. Again we tried to find a less commercial option and decided to visit the 'Whakarewarewa Thermal Village'.
For several generations this Maori village has invited in visitors as one of its main sources of income. The village is built on a geothermal site, which provides a number of problems and benefits. Geothermal pools with temperatures of 140 degrees C are used for outdoor cooking. Muslin bags of vegetables are dropped into the pool and fished out some minutes later when ready. Other meals are cooked underground in pots or wrapped in foil.
Different areas of hot water are used for bathing. The people in this village bathe communally, twice daily, with social protocols used to preserve their modesty. The water is so hot that the baths have to be run about 2 hours beforehand and left to cool.
But the very active geothermal site creates other problems as steam vents can erupt anywhere - in a house or in a graveyard for example - resulting in abandoned houses or emergency steam vents added to graves.
Our Maori guide showed us how the leaves of a specific plant are made into strands for skirts. This is an incredibly skilful task and involves the use of a mussel shell as a blade.
On the outskirts of the village is a large geyser - the largest in the southern hemisphere. It doesn't keep to a precise time and so we had a very long wait before we were rewarded with an impressive shot of water and steam.
THE SWIMMING POOL
We were hot and sticky when we left the village in the mid afternoon, so we went for a swim in the blue pool baths in Rotorua - a quaintly old fashioned outdoor swimming pool recommended by friends.
THE LAKE
Our third watery activity was an early evening trip across Lake Taupo on a yacht once owned by Errol Flynn. We saw a modern Maori carving set into a cliff face overlooking the lake.
THE RIVER
And we weren't finished there. We remembered the thermal pool in the river that we hadn't tried the previous day. We decided to have a sunset swim and found only a few other people using the pool.
The experience was amazing. The river was lukewarm some distance from the thermal pool, but as we got closer it became warmer and warmer. The hot stream that entered the river was simply too hot to bear, but as it mixed with the river it cooled in an oddly layered kind of way. People found different places to sit or swim depending upon their tolerance to the temperature.
So that was four water-based activities in one day - and a perfect end to a perfect day - a dip in a steaming river as hot as a bath - as the sun set over the hills.
Tuesday, 17 January 2012
In which Piglet nearly eats the wrong Apple
The forecast was for a bright and sunny day after a few early showers. We decided to visit a less commercial 'geothermal steam and mud' place. A helpful person had recommended Orakei Korako as just such a place, so off we set.
When we arrived, we had to Journey across a lake to get to the volcanic features, adding an extra touch of drama to the event. The place had geysers, bubbling mud, steaming pools, caves and boiling hot streams. Everywhere was hot and the place had a sulphurous smell like a traction engine steam rally - though it was not unpleasant. Another amazing and spectacular experience.
After lunch we journeyed back to Taupo, stopping en route at another place that promised mud, steam and bubbliness. We decided not to go in, but Shiny spent a little while outside inspecting the farmyard animals set out for viewing - hens, rabbits, guinea pigs and foul, a peacock (which donated a beautiful tail feather that Shiny gathered for Curly) ... and a delightful piglet.
Shiny leaned over to scratch the piglet's back, but as he did so, his iPhone slipped out of his pocket and dropped into the piglet's enclosure. The piglet was delighted. He had never used an iPhone before, but he knew an Apple when he saw one and decided to give it a nibble.
Shiny wasn't so keen on this and attempted to retrieve the phone, but being rather short in the limb department, found that he could barely reach. Meanwhile, piglet was manoeuvring the phone into his chosen nibbling position.
Shiny decided to give the piglet a gentle push in the opposite direction. The creature that had moments before been so friendly, now became possessive over his new acquisition and attempted to nibble Shiny's fingers.
A brief and undignified tussle ensued which resulted in the phone being retrieved without physical injury to either party, though both were a little ruffled by the experience.
We returned to Taupo and decided to walk alongside the river that flows rapidly out of the Lake. 28 rivers flow into Lake Taupo, one flows out.
We followed the river as far as the spectacular falls of Huka - a Maori word meaning 'foam'. A delightful walk in hot sunshine, passing by a place where a hot stream joins the river. We hoped to bathe in the warm stream, but found it packed with locals looking like the display of lobsters in a French restaurant. Maybe another time...
When we arrived back at base Curly went for a dip in the icy waters of Lake Taupo. Shiny had more sense.
When we arrived, we had to Journey across a lake to get to the volcanic features, adding an extra touch of drama to the event. The place had geysers, bubbling mud, steaming pools, caves and boiling hot streams. Everywhere was hot and the place had a sulphurous smell like a traction engine steam rally - though it was not unpleasant. Another amazing and spectacular experience.
After lunch we journeyed back to Taupo, stopping en route at another place that promised mud, steam and bubbliness. We decided not to go in, but Shiny spent a little while outside inspecting the farmyard animals set out for viewing - hens, rabbits, guinea pigs and foul, a peacock (which donated a beautiful tail feather that Shiny gathered for Curly) ... and a delightful piglet.
Shiny leaned over to scratch the piglet's back, but as he did so, his iPhone slipped out of his pocket and dropped into the piglet's enclosure. The piglet was delighted. He had never used an iPhone before, but he knew an Apple when he saw one and decided to give it a nibble.
Shiny wasn't so keen on this and attempted to retrieve the phone, but being rather short in the limb department, found that he could barely reach. Meanwhile, piglet was manoeuvring the phone into his chosen nibbling position.
Shiny decided to give the piglet a gentle push in the opposite direction. The creature that had moments before been so friendly, now became possessive over his new acquisition and attempted to nibble Shiny's fingers.
A brief and undignified tussle ensued which resulted in the phone being retrieved without physical injury to either party, though both were a little ruffled by the experience.
We returned to Taupo and decided to walk alongside the river that flows rapidly out of the Lake. 28 rivers flow into Lake Taupo, one flows out.
We followed the river as far as the spectacular falls of Huka - a Maori word meaning 'foam'. A delightful walk in hot sunshine, passing by a place where a hot stream joins the river. We hoped to bathe in the warm stream, but found it packed with locals looking like the display of lobsters in a French restaurant. Maybe another time...
When we arrived back at base Curly went for a dip in the icy waters of Lake Taupo. Shiny had more sense.
Monday, 16 January 2012
Twinkle twinkle
We found ourselves in Waitomo Caves following a long, but spectacular journey along the 'forgotten world highway'.
We took an evening walk by torchlight through an amazing gorge. The river crashed through a cave, emerging at the other end into a different part of the valley. We saw glow worms on the roof of the cave and then on the walls of the valley. These were pin pricks of green light, not like the fire flies or glow worms we had seen in Europe or America.
The next morning we visited the famous glow worm caves - the same ones visited by David Attenborough when making his TV programme a few years ago. In essence, the glow worms create an evil trap for unsuspecting flying insects. The insects are attracted by the light and become ensnared in fine threads dropped by the glow worms and are then hoisted aloft to be eaten.
From our point of view the glow worms create a magical galaxy of points of light in the ceiling. We floated downstream in a boat with no additional source of light. Even underground, it is surprising how well you can see with just a few thousand glow worms for illumination.
Back on the surface, our guide demonstrated that his stories of monster eels were not an exaggeration by casting some meat into a small stream, at which point a huge eel emerged. It was about three-quarters of a metre in length and as thick as a man's forearm. The guide wrestled with this beast for a few seconds before returning it to its watery lair. Apparently they can grow to 2 metres in length, so this one was just a tiddler.
A second cave was less spectacular, but did include the bones of a Moa - an extinct flightless bird bigger than a modern ostrich.
We later visited a bird sanctuary, mainly because we wanted to see some kiwis that weren't stuffed. They are delightful creatures, crashing about the undergrowth of their enclosure, deftly prodding the ground to search for insects and worms with their amazingly long beaks. They reminded us of skaters bent over with their hands behind their backs.
We journeyed on to Taupo on the shores of Lake Taupo, the largest inland lake in NZ. It occupies the flooded crater of a former volcano - the largest volcano ever known on earth - that erupted many thousands of years ago. Our hotel is on the shore of the lake. We trust there will be no further eruptions while we are here.
We took an evening walk by torchlight through an amazing gorge. The river crashed through a cave, emerging at the other end into a different part of the valley. We saw glow worms on the roof of the cave and then on the walls of the valley. These were pin pricks of green light, not like the fire flies or glow worms we had seen in Europe or America.
The next morning we visited the famous glow worm caves - the same ones visited by David Attenborough when making his TV programme a few years ago. In essence, the glow worms create an evil trap for unsuspecting flying insects. The insects are attracted by the light and become ensnared in fine threads dropped by the glow worms and are then hoisted aloft to be eaten.
From our point of view the glow worms create a magical galaxy of points of light in the ceiling. We floated downstream in a boat with no additional source of light. Even underground, it is surprising how well you can see with just a few thousand glow worms for illumination.
Back on the surface, our guide demonstrated that his stories of monster eels were not an exaggeration by casting some meat into a small stream, at which point a huge eel emerged. It was about three-quarters of a metre in length and as thick as a man's forearm. The guide wrestled with this beast for a few seconds before returning it to its watery lair. Apparently they can grow to 2 metres in length, so this one was just a tiddler.
A second cave was less spectacular, but did include the bones of a Moa - an extinct flightless bird bigger than a modern ostrich.
We later visited a bird sanctuary, mainly because we wanted to see some kiwis that weren't stuffed. They are delightful creatures, crashing about the undergrowth of their enclosure, deftly prodding the ground to search for insects and worms with their amazingly long beaks. They reminded us of skaters bent over with their hands behind their backs.
We journeyed on to Taupo on the shores of Lake Taupo, the largest inland lake in NZ. It occupies the flooded crater of a former volcano - the largest volcano ever known on earth - that erupted many thousands of years ago. Our hotel is on the shore of the lake. We trust there will be no further eruptions while we are here.
Saturday, 14 January 2012
A big update
Bit of a catch up session following a time of limited Internet connection. Should also add please excuse any odd spellings or strange punctuation as we are often writing on small screens.
Before we left Arthur's Pass we walked to some local waterfalls and Shiny had a close encounter with a NZ robin (we think - very different to a UK Robin) which took a shine to him, hopped around his feet and then flew past so close he could feel the wind from it's wings.
We then drove down to Kaikoura where we had a beautiful room overlooking the Pacific. During the evening ominous clouds gathered and there was a torrential thunderstorm. Looking at the low cloud over the sea Curly remarked that there was unlikely to be a good sunset that night whereupon it was pointed out by Shiny that there certainly wouldn't be a sunset in that direction as Curly was looking to the East!
Next day was our whale watching trip and we were hoping the weather would be bright and calm....it was perfect and we saw three and a half sperm whales dive next to us and got some perfect whale tail fin photos. The half whale was one seen at a distance.
On leaving Kaikoura we drove north via Blenheim to Picton. Driving to our motel via Queen Charlotte's highway we saw stunning scenery of wooded hills and turquoise water - we didn't stop to take photos knowing we would be travelling back the next morning on the right side of the road for stopping.
The evening enabled us to tick off one of our 'must do' experiences in that we were able to sample the local green lipped mussels which really do have a bright green edge and make French and UK mussels look very puny by comparison.
We retraced our road ready to take many pics the following morning only to find a sea fret worthy of Skegness had descended but by the time the ferry had loaded the mist had lifted so were able to appreciate the beautiful journey through the Sounds.
Back on North Island we drove to our friends house at Palmerston North where we had a lovely evening catching up with them their children and grandchild. Some of the family we had last seen when we
lived in NL others had been born since then so we were meeting them for the first time. In the evening we drove out to the beach house or 'bach' (to give it it's proper NZ name) along with Chris, Kate and Kate's mother for two nights.
This morning dawned...ferociously wet and windy a north-westerly gale. We did venture out round the corner to see the sea but the horizontal sand persuaded us to retreat. We took a short drive to Foxton where very appropriately there is a Dutch windmill; we were hoping to walk around the nature reserve but the high tide and on-shore wind meant the path was flooded so we retreated back to the bach where our friends assure us it was really hot and sunny normally. But we have good company, good food and the chance to catch up on some reading and blogging. We are promised a BBQ later - which may turn into a rather British affair with the men being pushed out into the wind and rain while the rest of us shelter inside!
Before we left Arthur's Pass we walked to some local waterfalls and Shiny had a close encounter with a NZ robin (we think - very different to a UK Robin) which took a shine to him, hopped around his feet and then flew past so close he could feel the wind from it's wings.
We then drove down to Kaikoura where we had a beautiful room overlooking the Pacific. During the evening ominous clouds gathered and there was a torrential thunderstorm. Looking at the low cloud over the sea Curly remarked that there was unlikely to be a good sunset that night whereupon it was pointed out by Shiny that there certainly wouldn't be a sunset in that direction as Curly was looking to the East!
Next day was our whale watching trip and we were hoping the weather would be bright and calm....it was perfect and we saw three and a half sperm whales dive next to us and got some perfect whale tail fin photos. The half whale was one seen at a distance.
On leaving Kaikoura we drove north via Blenheim to Picton. Driving to our motel via Queen Charlotte's highway we saw stunning scenery of wooded hills and turquoise water - we didn't stop to take photos knowing we would be travelling back the next morning on the right side of the road for stopping.
The evening enabled us to tick off one of our 'must do' experiences in that we were able to sample the local green lipped mussels which really do have a bright green edge and make French and UK mussels look very puny by comparison.
We retraced our road ready to take many pics the following morning only to find a sea fret worthy of Skegness had descended but by the time the ferry had loaded the mist had lifted so were able to appreciate the beautiful journey through the Sounds.
Back on North Island we drove to our friends house at Palmerston North where we had a lovely evening catching up with them their children and grandchild. Some of the family we had last seen when we
lived in NL others had been born since then so we were meeting them for the first time. In the evening we drove out to the beach house or 'bach' (to give it it's proper NZ name) along with Chris, Kate and Kate's mother for two nights.
This morning dawned...ferociously wet and windy a north-westerly gale. We did venture out round the corner to see the sea but the horizontal sand persuaded us to retreat. We took a short drive to Foxton where very appropriately there is a Dutch windmill; we were hoping to walk around the nature reserve but the high tide and on-shore wind meant the path was flooded so we retreated back to the bach where our friends assure us it was really hot and sunny normally. But we have good company, good food and the chance to catch up on some reading and blogging. We are promised a BBQ later - which may turn into a rather British affair with the men being pushed out into the wind and rain while the rest of us shelter inside!
Monday, 9 January 2012
Ice and parrots
It wasn't always dignified. It began with a short ride on an ancient, but characterful Bedford bus. Then we had to change into old boots and were weighed (fortunately in small groups) before being squeezed into a helicopter for the short trip up onto the glacier.
Neither of us had been in a helicopter before. It's surprisingly gentle, even when climbing or descending. We flew quite close to waterfalls and rock faces en route up the mountain and did those swoopy manoeuvres much favoured by helicopter pilots in the best Hollywood films. Us pilots (family joke) found it a bit disconcerting and reached for the grab handle that wasn't there.[NB Curly would like it noted that she loved every minute of the flight and grabbed at nothing].
We landed on the glacier and were met by Ruth, our guide. She was strong, friendly and knowlegeable - and had red hair (a good thing of course). She enthusiastically hacked steps in the ice and told us where it was and wasn't safe to stand. She found ice caves for us the slide through and took us on a scenic trek across Fox Glacier. We got wet and muddy, but it didn't matter. We had a great time and were sad when it was time for the flight back to base.
After a tasty lunch we continued on our journey, stopped in a mountain pass to see some Keas - a kind of chunky green flightless parrot with a silly waddling walk and a taste for the rubber trim around car windscreens.
Finally, we found a cosy 'alpine hotel' in Arthur's Pass - the highest township in New Zealand.
And so to sleep - zzzz.
Neither of us had been in a helicopter before. It's surprisingly gentle, even when climbing or descending. We flew quite close to waterfalls and rock faces en route up the mountain and did those swoopy manoeuvres much favoured by helicopter pilots in the best Hollywood films. Us pilots (family joke) found it a bit disconcerting and reached for the grab handle that wasn't there.[NB Curly would like it noted that she loved every minute of the flight and grabbed at nothing].
We landed on the glacier and were met by Ruth, our guide. She was strong, friendly and knowlegeable - and had red hair (a good thing of course). She enthusiastically hacked steps in the ice and told us where it was and wasn't safe to stand. She found ice caves for us the slide through and took us on a scenic trek across Fox Glacier. We got wet and muddy, but it didn't matter. We had a great time and were sad when it was time for the flight back to base.
After a tasty lunch we continued on our journey, stopped in a mountain pass to see some Keas - a kind of chunky green flightless parrot with a silly waddling walk and a taste for the rubber trim around car windscreens.
Finally, we found a cosy 'alpine hotel' in Arthur's Pass - the highest township in New Zealand.
And so to sleep - zzzz.
Twists, turns and twinkly worms
Yesterday was a long driving day but we spent a couple of hot sunny hours at Queenstown which despite being a hot sunny Sunday afternoon was much nicer and less busy than we expected. Shiny procured new sunglasses after his others fell apart. There are so many old cars here dating back even beyond Shiny's vintage but he keeps getting uneccessarily excited by what he sees driving around. So he announced excitedly yesterday that a certain vehicle was an old Cortina..then declared it wasn't. Upon Curly asking what it was then ( out of politeness you understand) she was told he didn't know...but it was something old and probably Australian!
We continued on to Fox Glacier via Arrowtown and a wonderful twisting road over the pass (thanks for that tip Alan). There were numerous photo stops en route which meant we arrived quite late at our motel. There was a beautiful clear sky, evening sun and no wind. This we knew was the ideal combination for the famous reflection of Mount Cook in Lake Matheson so we did a forced route march around the lake and got the photo. This led to going without an evening meal for the second time this holiday however the local cafe took pity on us and let us order desserts...so against Kiwi custom we left a tip! We were glad we went to the lake though as a more leisurely return to the lake today (via the gift shop..lucky for some of you)there was a breeze blowing and no reflection.
The evening finished with a trip down a pitch black path to see twinkly glow-worms. Today's exploits merit a post of their own.
We continued on to Fox Glacier via Arrowtown and a wonderful twisting road over the pass (thanks for that tip Alan). There were numerous photo stops en route which meant we arrived quite late at our motel. There was a beautiful clear sky, evening sun and no wind. This we knew was the ideal combination for the famous reflection of Mount Cook in Lake Matheson so we did a forced route march around the lake and got the photo. This led to going without an evening meal for the second time this holiday however the local cafe took pity on us and let us order desserts...so against Kiwi custom we left a tip! We were glad we went to the lake though as a more leisurely return to the lake today (via the gift shop..lucky for some of you)there was a breeze blowing and no reflection.
The evening finished with a trip down a pitch black path to see twinkly glow-worms. Today's exploits merit a post of their own.
Saturday, 7 January 2012
Top toilets and upside down constellations
Today we explored the area north of Te Anau. We went for a gentle walk around Mistletoe Lake where we saw dragonflies and the NZ version of a wood pigeon (bigger, plumper, with a white chest and blue feathers on its back).
After lunch we went on a walk to 'Key Summit' (about 1000 metres) with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. At the summit was an alpine plants walk with leaflets left in a box for people to use. Also there was a public toilet, a shiny painted metal structure fastened down with guy ropes.
The weather was delightful today with little puffy clouds. The views over the surrounding mountains and valleys were breathtaking.
Our walk took nearly four hours and we rushed back to Te Anau where we met one of Shiny's work colleagues who just happens to be staying here too. Despite it being Saturday evening, all places of entertainment here seem to close at 10.30, which surprised us a little.
One of our friends had a phone app that can tell which star is which. We spent some time searching for the southern cross - without success. However, we did find Orion, which was rather disconcerting as it is upside down in the southern hemisphere. Strange!
After lunch we went on a walk to 'Key Summit' (about 1000 metres) with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. At the summit was an alpine plants walk with leaflets left in a box for people to use. Also there was a public toilet, a shiny painted metal structure fastened down with guy ropes.
The weather was delightful today with little puffy clouds. The views over the surrounding mountains and valleys were breathtaking.
Our walk took nearly four hours and we rushed back to Te Anau where we met one of Shiny's work colleagues who just happens to be staying here too. Despite it being Saturday evening, all places of entertainment here seem to close at 10.30, which surprised us a little.
One of our friends had a phone app that can tell which star is which. We spent some time searching for the southern cross - without success. However, we did find Orion, which was rather disconcerting as it is upside down in the southern hemisphere. Strange!
Friday, 6 January 2012
Birds and boats
Yesterday we had a windy but sunny morning in Dunedin which was perfect as we were at the Albatross centre and were able to see not only a nesting bird a few feet away from the hide but four birds soaring around us ...magnificent.
We had a longish drive over to Te Anau people had said it is like driving in the 1950s...well we were not driving then but the roads are very quiet. Motorways are few and far between and are more like a quiet dual carriage way.
Other things seem quite dated too...I am certainly no fan of 24 hour shopping but it a shock to the system when you drive into a market town at 6pm and everything is closed. Other differences include fabric shops and Christian bookshops on every highstreet.
It is 10pm and cool but we are sat outside, today was our Doubtful Sound boat trip with clearskies we could see the tops of snow capped peaks. When they stopped the boat engines so all you could hear was the calls of birds, the waterfalls and the deep silence it waswonderful.
We had a longish drive over to Te Anau people had said it is like driving in the 1950s...well we were not driving then but the roads are very quiet. Motorways are few and far between and are more like a quiet dual carriage way.
Other things seem quite dated too...I am certainly no fan of 24 hour shopping but it a shock to the system when you drive into a market town at 6pm and everything is closed. Other differences include fabric shops and Christian bookshops on every highstreet.
It is 10pm and cool but we are sat outside, today was our Doubtful Sound boat trip with clearskies we could see the tops of snow capped peaks. When they stopped the boat engines so all you could hear was the calls of birds, the waterfalls and the deep silence it waswonderful.
Wednesday, 4 January 2012
Mostly about cars
We left Christchurch this morning having spent a lovely couple of days with our friends - and had a fantastic meal out last night. We spent a short time in the beautiful park/gardens in Christchurch then set off south. As we paused for lunch at Timaru we were gratified to see they had closed the road off, brought out the bands and arranged a selection of vintage cars down the street for Shiny to look at!
We then moved on to Oamaru with it's beautiful White stone buildings.
Our destination was Dunedin and our journey was easy, the hire car is good and as soon as the NZ drivers learn that when Shiny uses the windscreen wipers it means we are about to turn left or right then all will be well.
This evening down to beach where we saw penguins and sea lions - much bigger than they look on TV
We then moved on to Oamaru with it's beautiful White stone buildings.
Our destination was Dunedin and our journey was easy, the hire car is good and as soon as the NZ drivers learn that when Shiny uses the windscreen wipers it means we are about to turn left or right then all will be well.
This evening down to beach where we saw penguins and sea lions - much bigger than they look on TV
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
Signs of hope
Sitting on a bench outside Lyttelton Public library (where else!). On a trip from Christchrch with the friends we are staying with. A historic small town with a wide street and 'wild west' type buildings. Some re-opened after the devastation caused by the earthquakes but many closed or destroyed and everywhere empty lots where buildings once stood. Very sad seeing how much damage there has been and the uncertainty the residents face in the future. Just yesterday there were over 40 quakes registered though we only felt a couple of them. But flowers have been planted in empty lots, shops and cafes opened in shipping containers and messages of hope written on walls and windows...life goes on.
Sunday, 1 January 2012
New Year's Day 2012
After last night's New Year's Eve fireworks we had brunch sat outside in the sun this morning. We spent several hours at Auckland museum particularly looking at the wonderful Maori collection. We also looked at the natural history section which was perhaps not the right moment for Curly to discover that our pop up mosquito net (otherwise known as an insurance policy against foreign beasties) had not made it to NZ due to lack of space in the suitcase.....a mental note has been made not to pick up ANY stones to see what is living underneath!
We used the local excellent bus service to get to the museum (which stands in a prominent position overlooking the city). We then walked back at which point Shiny discovered that the detachable lens hood on the new camera is really awkward to detach - except when it is being used from a bridge over a 50 foot drop! This led to a 'scenic' tour of an abandoned cemetery (the place where the local drunks hang out under the arches) where we managed to find the dropped item in amongst the trees.
We then hopped on a ferry across the bay to Devonport where we found a nice place to eat and stunning views of the Auckland skyline at night.
Still find it odd to see Christmas decorations and be wearing summer clothes.
We used the local excellent bus service to get to the museum (which stands in a prominent position overlooking the city). We then walked back at which point Shiny discovered that the detachable lens hood on the new camera is really awkward to detach - except when it is being used from a bridge over a 50 foot drop! This led to a 'scenic' tour of an abandoned cemetery (the place where the local drunks hang out under the arches) where we managed to find the dropped item in amongst the trees.
We then hopped on a ferry across the bay to Devonport where we found a nice place to eat and stunning views of the Auckland skyline at night.
Still find it odd to see Christmas decorations and be wearing summer clothes.
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