Blogs from Turangi, North Island, New Zealand, Oceania

Wat kan er veel gebeuren in een paar dagen. Bereidt je voor dit wordt een lang blog. Op 23 januari doen we rustig aan om de voet, die al een stuk beter is, nog wat rust te geven. Op naar Havelock, een dorpje aan het begin van de Marlborough sound. Het centrum van de groen-lip mosselen. Geen mossel gezien maar wel een kronkelende route met mooie baaien. 's Avonds hebben we een keertje bij onze cabin gegeten met een pie en een heerlijke Sauvignon Blanc uit de buurt. Weer eens wat anders en voor herhaling vatbaar. De volgende dag hebben we een deel van de 70km lange Queen Charlotte track gelopen: vanaf het eind hebben we 15 km teruggelopen. Van Ships Cove, waar kapitein Cook ooit voor anker heeft gelegen, naar Furneaux Lodge. De bootreis naar ... read more

Since Kristine has been writing the blog entries, all I've been doing is taking and managing the pictures. I've reached 839 in the picture count. It's time for me to memorialize some of the things I've been enjoying. First, let's start with the friendly people everywhere. Not just the locals who live here and help the tourists, but all of the people we've met. First day, when we just got into town and went to the outdoor market, we didn't have NZ cash to pay for our fruit and breads, and they didn't take plastic. The guy at the stand told us "Just take it and pay me when you get back." When we did the coast to coast hike the next day, a guy was finishing the walk going the other way. After talking for ... read more

22 fév On embarque dans notre voiture louée et on s'éloigne tranquilement de la ville universitaire qu'est Palmerston North. On passe par des patelins comme "Bulls", "Mangaweka" et "Waiouru" ... avant d'atterrir à Turangi, ville réputée pour sa pêche à la truite (à la Strout que dira Marilou). C'est qu'il y a beaucoup de pêcheurs à la mouche ici, calés dans la rivière claire parallèle à la Highway one, caoutchoutés jusqu'au nombril et armés de leur cannes-à-pêche paratonnerres. Next Exit: Trout Center. On pourrait découvrir un peu plus le merveilleux monde de la moucheté si on le voulait. Mais ce n'est pas la raison principale de notre escale ici. C'est qu'il y a une marche dans les montagnes tout près qui à la réputation d'être la plus belle marche d'un jour de toute la Nouvelle-Zélande. "Maybe ... read more

Hi everyone. Our port for yesterday (Saturday) was Dunedin which has a strong Scottish ancestry. The Scots arrived about 1840 and put their stamp on a well-established Maori settlement. The town was originally called New Edinburgh. There are many beautifully preserved blue stone buildings that were built to reflect Scottish culture. Although the Presbyterian influence is strong, it wasn’t able to overcome the locals’ fondness for whisky and of course the patron saint of whisky, Robbie Burns. OK, I made that last bit up!! The photo shows Peter making a pilgrimage to the Robbie Burns pub. Keeping up with the Scottish theme we came along two bagpipers busking in the main street. One of the buskers was a small boy about 4 or 5 who was dressed up in his kilt and playing toy bagpipes alongside ... read more

...where was I? Oh yes "Craters of the Moon" Lots of steamy holes and weird smells basically! Then onto Rotorua where we were staying for Tuesday night. First stop Te Puia, Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley. Yes, more steamy holes (but bigger and very muddy) and more weird smells (but much, much smellier!) Rotten sulphurous eggs pervades the air and not just in the Thermal valley. After we completed the tour (and very good it was too) we carried on into Rotorua to find our hotel. Nice place but as soon as you opened the window it wasn't fresh air that came flooding in. They say you get used to it! Tha night was spent sipping a few quality beers at a place called Craft Ales. Then an excellent steak before returning to the pub just to ... read more