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Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Bay of Islands
February 18th 2013
Published: February 25th 2013
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Kia Ora! Friends & Family

So we left Australia after 11 glorious months. Sydney was fantastic, a great place to spend the festive season plus it had a climate which I prefer to the ffffreezing UK. Equally it was great to spend almost 4 weeks there and not spend a cent on accommodation!

New Zealand has been another place we'd long wished to visit and for F it was a hope to enjoy some cooler weather. Arriving in Christchurch it was soon raining & windy so she was happy. Since then though it has been glorious weather here in NZ.

Christchurch is a sad city. It has suffered greatly from the recent earthquakes (2010 & 2011). Whilst many of those who remain are trying hard to rebuild, it certainly has lost the soul of the major city it no doubt was. The city centre is now a collection of demolished buildings and metal fences. Many visitors still arrive and can visit the 'Red zone' where the main destruction occurred. It feels in part a little morbid since some 185 people died in the quakes. These weren't just lifeless buildings that were shook to rubble, but offices, homes and businesses with real people inside. On the other hand this place needs the tourist dollar to survive and it is intriguing to see the devestation up close, an insight into so many disasters we've witnessed on tv around the world & an example of how a 'rich' country copes with such a situation. Some 8,800 buildings are being demolished. There have been over 12,000 aftershocks and we felt a mid 3 one whilst relaxing one evening.

A highlight though of Christchurch was visiting an international buskers festival (a kind of poor relation to the Edinburgh fringe). We visited the opening night and were treated to the some cheeky comedy (where one guy ate my keebab dinner), some risque burlesque (where we managed to bag the front row for some eye popping action, though there was too much male flesh on display for my liking, lol) & watched a rather large British-Nigerian gentleman perform in drag with a full beard! Certainly entertaining and once again did enforce the idea that you can be whatever you want to be, even if that does include dressing up in a full dalmation lycra suit and bopping to some Madonna hits with two Brits
Christchurch MuseumChristchurch MuseumChristchurch Museum

Despite the Earthquakes there still is some stuff to do in town.
in a muddy field in New Zealand! We also got another glimpse of the Blackstreet Boyz, two guys from the US who seem to have been to every blinking street festival in the southern hemisphere!

Wanting to see the most of New Zealand with the freedom to camp where we liked we decided to rent a campervan for a few weeks. We got a 'special' deal to take a camper from Christchurch to Auckland. Some of the reviews for this company weren't great but we headed off anyway.

Now I detest manual vehicles so it meant that white van Mamm Fiona stepped up as chauffeur. A little shaky at first (we were glad we had extra insurance) but she was soon into the swing of things and was overtaking the plodding tourists on the wildly twisty and steep roads.

It gave us a chance to explore parts of the islands that you couldn't get to on tours. The first few days we stayed around Christchurch, gradually working our way towards true freedom camping (no toilet, electricity), plus popping into the camper hire place to fix a few broken things!

Heading down the east coast we stopped off to visit the family of a woman we met in Perth. It was a bit weird rocking up to a complete strangers’ house, simply because we knew their daughter. Still we bought a bunch of flowers and they thought we needed feeding up so we joined them for lunch.

Oamaru is a town on the east coast which has penguins & seals as well as some impressive architecture that takes you back to the Victorian era. The area is so well preserved that you can imagine some hollywood film about ye olde london being filmed here. Further down is Dunedin (the Edinburgh of the south). Now for some reason a large number of Scots swapped a wet, hilly, gorgeous city for a similarly wet, even more hilly place in the southern hemisphere. As ever in New Zealand the scenery is stunning, though somewhat spoilt by the newer buildings which don't match the grandeur of the original settlements. This makes vast areas seem like a shoddy US town with motorways passing through.

At Dunedin we needed to visit (find first) a repair shop to sort our battery out & another place to look at the water pump. The
I'm a lonely boyyy... penguinI'm a lonely boyyy... penguinI'm a lonely boyyy... penguin

Near Oamaru on the south island. I think the first time we've ever seen penguins in the wild.
staff were certainly more helpful than the hire company.

Dunedin has the steepest residential road in the world. We drove up a few almost vertical ones so goodness knows what that would be like!

Top on the tourist list is the Cadbury factory in the centre of town. To walk past and catch that sweet chocolate aroma was too much to resist. Whilst not as exciting as Charlie's visit, we did get our fill of chocolate, both as sweets but also the smooth pure gooey stuff. Whilst fantastic the highlight for me was whilst 'freedom camping' on the Banks Pennisula. In the morning Fiona decided to have a wash outside of the van in some bushes. She didn't believe me when I warned her about an approaching walker. I almost wet myself as I watched her crouch and huddle behind the van in all her glory. She was also slightly horrified to think that the guy had seen her doing some lady business.


To say that New Zealand is stunning is an understatement. There are vast vistas where few people/buildings are. Just when you think the country can't get better looking, you go around a corner
Oamaru is a bit funky.Oamaru is a bit funky.Oamaru is a bit funky.

It has some great architecture and a funky outlook on life.
(usually a mountain) and the view once again takes your breath away. Arriving in summer we perhaps didn't get the stunning snowcapped peaks but the weather has been fantastic, record highs and only a few wet days.

Most people skip going to Invercargill, the bottom of the south island. It is a place of windswept beauty, however some of the people aren't so wonderful. This is bogan country. Hoons roam the streets at night, rust bucket cars filled with badly dressed people. Whilst driving in we past a guy who had the words (excuse my French) 'Fucking Hostile' emblazoned in several areas on his shirt. It was not something kooky like 'funking hostel' etc. We were advised about being careful camping in the area, particularly at weekends. We found a really quiet location, some 7kms down a gravel track and facing the ocean. Beautiful. Alas near 11pm some guys pulled up beside us and revved their engines, whilst looking aggressively at us. I had jokingly put a knife under the pillow as it reminded us of being in the US. Admittedly though the place was called Cannibal Bay! So we hiked it out of there and headed for a
Moeraki BouldersMoeraki BouldersMoeraki Boulders

These odd malteser shaped boulders are found in this tiny little area. Some are almost completely round!
nearby caravan park, hoping the guys weren’t waiting for us on the winding gravel road. We probably could have stayed at the park for free as we rocked up past midnight and no one noticed. However we (I) thought it was wrong and bad karma (the hoon incident could be attributed to prior karma when we (F) left some rubbish in a beautiful location, completely by accident). Most of the people have been great. Only the hoons on the beach & some bogan who played Gangnam Style all night at a quiet campsite are notable exceptions.


We got to see both sides of the Southern Alpine range, which is the fastest growing mountain range in the world! On the west we visited Milford Sound. The number one destination for anyone coming to NZ (check out the pics). As always check out the photos to get a true sense of the glory of this country (plus more info).


Further up the South Island we stopped off in the glorious Marlborough region, famous for the great wine it produces. We sampled plenty of it on the tour and needed to retire early to bed.



With
Yum, YumYum, YumYum, Yum

A tour of the Cadbury factory in Dunedin was always a must. If you got questions right on the tour then you got extra chocolate! Needless to say we paid close attention to what was being said adn got a belly full!
such a beautiful country you often wonder why people leave this place, and then you hop on the expensive ferry across to the North Island and you realise why. First impressions of the southern part of the North Island is of virtually just a motorway. Wellington might be nice, but we didn’t stop there. Being pressed for time (3 weeks is not enough to see this country!), our first steps on the North island were at a garage forecourt. We headed to Rotorua, an area famous for its aroma as you can smell the place before you see it. As it is one of the most seismically active countries on earth there are many volcanoes, mud pools and general sulphur spuing areas dotted around. It was great to visit and experience yet another type of landscape, one that in parts seem like a different planet. We also managed to trek the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, an amazing walk that offers views of volcanoes (some active) and great truly epic scenery. Unfortunatley that does mean a lot of people also want to visit, so you don’t always feel the isolation as you either trudge passed weary hikers or get overtaken yourselves by noisy Germans! Whilst the French are disliked (somewhat) in Oz, over here it is the Germans who have a bad name. This is mainly due to the fact that whilst camping they either dump their waste in the parks or just do the business in front of people! This does mean that the ‘freedom’ part of camping is curtailed in certain areas, though we still managed to stop off in great locations for an evening swim.



Most of the towns are small & you drive through them quickly. The South Island in total only has around 1 million people. 3 million are in the North whilst Auckland has 1 million alone. It is a funky little city. Swanky yachts are docked close to bus stops. Fancy restaurants are not too far from the massage parlours. People offer to pray for you in the street, whilst buskers ply their trade. We've tasted more culture at the Fringe & Chinese New Year festivals.
Most of the towns are small & you drive through them quickly. The South Island in total only has around 1 million people. 3 million are in the North whilst Auckland has 1 million alone. It is a funky little city. Swanky yachts are docked close to bus stops. Fancy restaurants are not too far from the massage parlours. People offer to pray for you in the street, whilst buskers ply their trade. We've tasted more culture at the Fringe & Chinese New Year festivals.
It was great to be in the campervan. Admittedly she had her problems & wasn't as cheap as a tent, but she did give us freedom to go where we wanted & just stay there to sleep or just make a coffee (for F).

After dropping off our much troubled campervan (we had to fix the radiator pump: kept topping it up with water every 100+kms, the fridge: stopped working, replaced the battery: kept loosing charge!) in Auckland we headed north to Paihia. Here we stayed with the sister of Fiona’s friend (Kelly) who runs a motel. It was great to meet her & catch up with her Mum who was staying.

Hopefully most of you would've had an enjoyable Valentines Day. Some of you may be experiencing the first heady days of romance, whilst others might be slightly more grey. For us on the road romance can take
Purakaunui Falls - South New ZealandPurakaunui Falls - South New ZealandPurakaunui Falls - South New Zealand

Apparently the most photographed falls in New Zealand
a bit of a back seat. Being together 24/7 doesn't often lead to wanting to spend some special time together, in fact we often crave company. There are still touching moments between us. F is often keen to thrust her unwashed knickers in my face and ask if they have another days wear out of them!
This year we spent V Day at the Waitangi Treaty grounds near Paihia. It is the birthplace of modern New Zealand, where Maori chiefs agreed to become part of The Empire (mainly in order to keep the rowdy settlers in check).
(Those singletons can rejoice in a piece of Auckland digi art we saw. Basically we are all flawed beings and by choosing another flawed being to 'complete' us, we will inevitably fail at this relationship and hate that person).




Kiwis do seem to have a stronger affinity with the UK than Australia. You will often see the Union Jack fly alongside the Kiwi flag. You get a sense that they feel deeply let down by the British, certainly after being cut off when the UK joined the EU. However with a weak pound (you once could get 3 dollars
Anytime is coffee time!Anytime is coffee time!Anytime is coffee time!

For F the best part of having a campervan was that she was able to pull over at beautiful locations and make a brew. At this place we bagged the best spot and had loads of people around our van trying to get a look.
to the pound!) making it more expensive to visit and the growing numbers from Asia (Auckland is the largest Samoan city for example) that relationship may wane. It is interesting to think that these pockets of white european settlements have been living in a kind of bubble that is bursting. By population alone China & India make up some 4 in every 10 people. I guess we all will become some homogenised people (hopefully peacefully) with a huge range of culture to call our own.

New Zealand officially has a committment to recognition of both its Maori (a term meaning normal) and Pakeha (European or white) heritage. Whilst no one can deny that there are still tensions, New Zealand appears to be dealing with this quite well. Immigration is an issue that few countries cope well with.

It is interesting to note that in many areas European migrants are negatively labelled as 'invaders'. An all encompassing phrase when on a human level many were merely trying to better their lives in a place they knew very little about. If you were to negatively frame all modern immigrants then you would be labelled a racist. A father looking to
On the way to Milford SoundOn the way to Milford SoundOn the way to Milford Sound

So much great scenery. They say it is a bit tricky to drive from Te Anu to Milford Sound so 'suggest' taking a tour. Certainly worth it as you can sit back and relax.
escape famine in Ireland is surely no different from a Somalian one today?

Whilst clearly injustice occured, in certain ways some Aussies & Kiwis can't stop apologising enough for the great countries they have built (sadly often without the input of the original inhabitants). As is the case elsewhere if non-white communities perform poorly it is because all white people are racists. Just as the fact that women earn less than men is because all men are sexist. These reasons have been trotted out for years but fail to deal with the reality on a human-to-human level.

Interesting that some early explorers, etc noted the Maori as savages. Having experienced some of their culture this seems so bizarre. Though admittedly they did eat a few people, the early settlers would have met a vibrant community, with a great love of art and music. Are we in danger glossing over history and hearing about all the good Maori things, or were previous generations just so blind to difference?



Our guide at Waitangi was a Kiwi of European decent who married a Maori. The pride and joy she felt as she spoke about the place was such
A KeaA KeaA Kea

The world's only Alpine Parrot
a thrill. She probably has done a thousand tours but what she said could easily have been fresh. With her it truly seemed like her past and that of her husband were one. It is good to see a culture surviving. We often wish that we were a little more exotic in our heritage. Country dancing just doesn't have the same ring as the haka. (note to the ladies: we can't seem to load videos on this site but I will post some of the barechested haka when I get the chance).


I confess that I see such beauty in nature. Both Australia and New Zealand are blessed with some beautiful scenery and amazing wildlife. Whilst NZ cannot match Oz for the latter it certainly was a joy to see seals, penguins & dolphins frolicking about in the water. It is horrifying to think that for so long all men wanted to do was bludgeon the seals (in particular). I can't even begin to imagine how sickening it must have been during the whale & seal hunting period, how anyone could do this to a living creature is beyond me (even for necessity). These are not domesticated animals, raised to feed, but wild. We should remember that this sort of slaughter still continues today, with elephants for their ivory, sharks for their fins & whales for the 'science', most if not all to quench the thirst of the mighty Asian market. Hopefully they can be educated to avoid this vanity based slaughter. Wild animals are not property. Whereas a farmer can lay claim to an investment in livestock, people should not be able to treat wild animals as they would simply because of loss of profit.


Speaking of Asia we shall be heading there soon. It will be interesting to get a first real taste of the area. Being in this part of the world you get more of a sense of what things may be like in twenty years, as China & possibly India increase their influence. Conversely you get the feeling that Britain is going to need the EU to counterbalance this economic, cultural and possible military onslaught. Make no mistake these Chinese are hungry (in some cases literally) for success, and food, resources, jobs, wealth will continue to funnel to the East. Britain does not usually like sitting by the sidelines, but it
The iconic Milford SoundThe iconic Milford SoundThe iconic Milford Sound

The Number 1 thing for people to do in New Zealand. Some cruises were very busy. But ours had only a few people on it, almost like a personal cruise.
is in danger of being left far behind if it doesn't take things seriously.

Technology is fantastic. Though I do wonder what we did in the US/Canada without the blessed iPhone?! Perhaps our route was simpler but finding obscure places and making our way around an emergency detour was made so much easier with the phone.

Now we're back in Auckland. Woofing at a nice lady's place who seems intent on fattening us up on great food before we leave. It does seem crazy that in less than two weeks we'll be back home. Already some of the (endless) photographs seem so distant.

Admittedly we have done the 'easy' countries so far. Still it is always interesting to experience the little differences in places. For example in NZ they put the flush button behind where the toilet seat opens. Clearly not designed for us lazy guys who keep it up! Reggae is also popular here, perhaps because of the heat!

It still beggars belief at how carelessly stupid colonists were at bringing animals/pests over. So many species have been lost/impacted. Though there are always good ideas. Both bees & butterflies were introduced to help pollination. Previously
This little seal was causing a lot of trouble.This little seal was causing a lot of trouble.This little seal was causing a lot of trouble.

He kept trying to nudge in on the space of others. Cute though!
moths were the main/only helpers. We were told that any plant that has non-white flowers is most likely introduced. Why? Because white would stand out at night to attract the moths.

Heading back home we are obviously happy to be meeting friends & family. Sad at (perhaps) not meeting the great people we've made friends with again (Leeann, Georgia, Pete, Sue, Brad, et al - thank you so much). And somewhat fearful of what the future holds (real life, mortgages, (no) jobs, bump). But fear is what stops us from doing amazing things. This has been an amazing journey that we chose to make real. We have ideas/plans that we will have to make work!!!

Things we'll miss: 30c ice cream, a dollar thickshake, the glorious weather (we can probably count on two hands the number of rainy days). The relaxed lifestyle (no dramas is a popular phrase - prob why they don't make good dramas). Happy people (it is the sun). Not working (though we'll prob have more of this). Everywhere being new. Checking out the fit, young travellers and pretending we're that cool.
Vast open highways with only traffic lights to cause a jam (3 cars).
The waterfall at Milford SoundThe waterfall at Milford SoundThe waterfall at Milford Sound

The boat went so close to the falls that we got soaked. Great fun!

Breathtaking scenery, wildlife.
Beautiful woof food

Things we won't miss: Bus drivers (seriously some of the worst I've come across - grumpy, bad braking, acceleration)
mosquitoes (it'll be nice not to worry about something trying to bite/eat us). customer service (they simply don't do it in Oz, only slightly better in NZ). Weather (too hot at times to enjoy the outside).
Television (you seriously don't appreciate the BBC until you're away from it!)
Just one bag of clothes!
Pit toilets (haven't resorted though to digging our own!).
Spending money (this year has been hell for me, lol). Expensive booze, food - roll on Asia!!


So long friends and family. Hopefully it won't be long before we see you again, our next blog shall be sent from the jolly UK. Unless something surprising happens like I meet an amazing ladyboy who treats me better than F, or she finds that aged gentleman who'll pump money into her coffee/choc emporium!

Enjoy!


Additional photos below
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Hard to believe we were thereHard to believe we were there
Hard to believe we were there

Glad we took plenty of photos!!
Time fo a cool drinkTime fo a cool drink
Time fo a cool drink

The water is so clean here that you can drink straight from the streams. So we did (even me!). It tasted amazing.
Time for a nice Alpine strollTime for a nice Alpine stroll
Time for a nice Alpine stroll

After the cruise we took a great walk through the Alpine area. Led by our knowledgeable guide Jarrod (centre) it was well worth the hike.


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