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Published: March 21st 2010
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We continue to find more and more amazing things to do in New Zealand-
There seem to be no end to them but unfortunately we just do not have time to do them all and we have already decided that we will come back to New Zealand- I'm afraid it is too late to emigrate, and anyway, we could not leave our precious family and friends as we miss them so much!
So there is nothing for it but to return, and return we will, and at at this time of year - their summertime, which is perfect weather.
Before we came to the South Island we had a night in Martinborough (wine country) and then 2 nights in Wellington where we managed to see Scorchers Bay, a beautiful sandy bay lined with pretty painted wooden, holiday houses and one very nice cafe.
We stayed in a campsite just outside Wellington and used the local buses to go in for the evening and the following day, and have a look around.
We saw some brilliant architecture which Rob and I are always interested in, but the highlight for us was the following day when we visited Wellington's wonderful museum 'Te
Papa'.
This really is a stunning piece of architecture. It was the winning design in an Architectural Competition which, by its very nature, engenders cutting edge design and, like the Scottish Parliament, this building was completed much later than it should have been and way over budget - but what a building - amazing from any angle - inside and out. and the content was fascinating too.
There was much about the formation and development of the country, the land forms (Geysers, hot springs volcanoes and earthquakes included) the Maoris who came from Polynesia in their carved out boats 'Wakas', and the settlers from Europe and beyond in this peaceful, beautiful land.
The following day we boarded the ferry to the beautiful South Island after spending the morning in Wellington's Botanic Gardens. We had breakfast there, then had time for a walk around.
There was some lovely colourful planting.The gardens are laid out over a vast area and much of it is wild which is very attractive.
The highlight for us, was the flame of peace which has been alight since 1981. The Flame of Peace (or Hiroshima Peace Flame)was ignited by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima,
and presented by the Japanese people to New Zealnd in honour of this country's prohibition of nuclear weapons.
Wellington is the peace capital of the world and prides itself on the part they play in consistently keeping to every aspect of the United Nations Peace Treaty .
We boarded the ferry for the South Island at 1pm that day and after what can only be described as the most magnificent ferry journey in the world, - all the way through Queen Charlotte Sound we arrived at Picton at 4.30. We camped that night at Momarangi Beach - a very basic campsite with a beauiful view of the bay. From there to our next stop in Nelson.
At Nelson we hired bikes and explored the town which was fun!
We continued on beautiful scenic roads with plenty of hairpin bends and magnificent veiws and arrived at a campsite just outside Westport on St Patricks Day - A place called Carter Beach!
There are many people with an Irish heritage here in New Zealand and St Patricks day is celebrated widely! They even have 'St Practice Night' which is the night before, if anyone wants a double dose of the celebratory drinks
et al!
Carter Beach was beautiful, long and sandy with the surf rolling in - just how I like it - It was also a short walk along to the 'Beached Bar' which was a cafe by day, and a bar by night!
For St Patricks Night you were expected to wear green. A very kind lady gave me a pretty green buttonhole which she had made with dried flowers and ribbons! Rob picked some branches from the roadside and put them in to his pocket - sticking out - so at least we entered in to the spirit of it! Everyone in the bar was wearing green, many items of apparel looked as if they had been carefully selected from the nearest charity shop, green wooly jumpers seemed to be the most popular for men and ladies alike!!
One lady had her hair died green which made for interesting viewing! and several men wore green shamrock shaped antlers!!
They were nice people and included us in their banter! One kind man thought we should experience a bit more of the New Zealand 'St Patricks Day hi-life' and drove us to a pub along the road where there was a
ceilidh in full swing, but just before that his wife ran into her house next door and brought us a frozen crayfish for our dinner the following night - Her husband had caught it!!
Rob was more than happy to join in the performing with the band and we had a fun night!! see photos!
After that we headed of to see the Glaciers - Fox and Franz Josef both were very impressive. How can there be glaciers when the temperature can be so high? We reached the nearest point to the Terminal Walls of both glaciers and that was quite awesome. Lots of tourists hire guides to take them on to the glacier for a real feel but we settled for a real photo!!
The weather changed in this part of New Zealand on the west coast, and it became cloudy and rainy and the temperature dropped a bit. It became very like camping in Scotland and I had to wear my one pair of long trousers and some socks!After the Glaciers we stopped at Haast a small hamlet. We were advised to eat at a very nice cafe there and sat down at a long table beside
2 English people who were travelling, having just been at their sons wedding in Wellington. When I asked them where 'home' was the said I wouldnt know it as it was a very small village in Surrey. It turned out to be Chaldon which is where Davids (my first husband) parents b uilt their house and brought up their family. I visited Chaldon on many occasions and know it well! They knew Edna and Denys and in fact Edna, a teacher at the village school, had taught their son. What a coincidence!!
We are heading to Queenstown now and have an exciting trip planned to Milford Sound, another must see New Zealand destination. We get on a glass roofed coach to Milford sound then a 5 hour trip on a boat on the Fjiords and a tiny plane back over the Alps to Queenstown. We leave at 7.30 in the morning and get back at 10.30pm!! Should be fun! Im looking forward to it.
We then go to Christchurch and hand back the van - it will be sad tosay goodbye to our lovely home for most of March. Before we leave Christchurch to fly to Fiji on 28th March
we have tickets for the Old Crow Medicine Show who are a great band and are playing there on 26th March.
I would recommend a camper van holiday, it has been fun, you are free to go where you want, you meet lots of people and see lots of interesting things along the way. However I suppose there are a couple of caveats! It has to be good weather- warm and sunny preferably and you have to get on very well indeed with your travelling companion(s) because you are together 24/7 apart from going to the shower or toilet. In fact at one campsite, I went for my shower in the morning and Rob came to look for me because he thought I had taken too long!! so there's no escape!!
We get along very well and the fact that we have SATNAV has really helped as that is the one thing we have fallen out about in the past! Directions - if Im giving them I sometimes get my rights and lefts muddled and Rob finds it hard to respond to my actions eg my right arm thrashing across his chest when I want him to go right or
my left hand waving at the passenger window(which he cant see) when I mean left!! When he is navigating, he cant read the sign posts until we are upon them, then it is too late - so Yes sat nav has been the saviour!
Fiji is our next destination, we will be there for 3 weeks and I think it will be a holiday within a holiday!! I cant wait!!
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Trisha
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Camper van
Mary, lovely to read your blog, yet again! This just makes me really want to visit. The camper van sounds good, but I always wonder what you do for transport into towns once you have set up camp for the night? Robert is going to Kho Tao, atiny wee island on the east coast, he leaves on the 2nd. Take care, lots of love Trisha xx