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Published: February 14th 2008
Nearing arrival to the South Island on calm seas, via the 'InterIslander' ferry, is a beautiful introduction to the more relaxed and arguably (and perhaps unbelievably) more scenic southernly half of New Zealand. We smoothly cruised through the Marlborough Sounds to get to the port of Picton before disembarking. The Malborough Sounds are previously hilly areas that had been flooded thousands of years ago by the rising sea, leaving waterways and islands that are low in population and very picturesque. We stayed in amongst the Sounds for our first night before heading south. You really need a boat or at least a week, a tent and a kayak to make the most of the Marlborough Sounds. This would have really appealed to us if we'd had more time, and a tent, oh yes, and a kayak. We always knew our schedule would mean moving from place to place getting a taster of each, and we heard a saying - "you should always leave the table wanting more". So one night in the Marlborough Sounds had to be good enough.
Sure enough our next stop was a fantastically positioned town that’s geographical location has served it well. Approximately 180km north of
Marlborough Sounds
Some seats just have to be sat on.Christchurch on State Highway 1, and once the centre of the whaling industry is a place called Kaikoura. After the rapid decline of whaling Kaikoura became a small fishing town known for its crayfish. In fact the name Kaikoura itself translates to ‘meal of crayfish’. The coastal waters have an abundance of large marine life due to the fact it has a large canyon shelf just off shore, called the Hikurangi Trench that drops from 90 metres to more than 800 metres deep. Warm water from the north mixes with a cold current from the south and draws up nutrients from the depths as it hits the continental shelf leading to a great feeding area, and the waters here are home to a large southern fur seal colony, which in turn attract Killer Whales. There are Sperm whales here permanently, which along with dusky dolphins we were lucky enough to see during a boat trip in order to do just that. In fact numerous species of dolphin including the Hector’s Dolphin (the world’s rarest and smallest) can be found here. Species of whale are just as prevalent with pilot, humpback, the aforementioned sperm and even the enormous blue whales pass
NZ Fur Seal
We would get closer later. through these waters. All continue to support this community, but thankfully, in a much more eco friendly manner.
We continued our journey south, stopping at Christchurch, which is like a little slice of England, before attempting to make our way west across country to view Mt. Cook New Zealand's highest peak. Unfortunately, with low rain cloud we were unable to see the summit and diverted to a southwesterly direction rather than waste time. So finally we get to Queenstown.
Having done white water rafting and skydiving, Queenstown for me, would pose the ultimate test with a bungy jump. I've toyed with the idea for years whether or not, if push came to shove, I could leap off of a high ledge strapped by the ankles to an elastic cord? You would be right to consider that slightly odd after jumping out of a plane at 12,000ft, but doing a solo bungy jump is a much lonelier place in my opinion and therefore, the skydive was merely a test of my nerve and a kind of stress rehearsal. I saw a quote inside the hanger at the skydiving place in Taupo that simply read "Fear loves company".....and I tend
Fur Seal pups
School trip to the swimming baths. to agree. Anyway knowing we would come here when our plans first started means I'd been tormenting myself about it for at least nine months.
Driving into Queenstown meant we would have to pass the 'Kawarau Bridge Bungy' and like a moth to flame I was drawn into the car park. Now this is by no means the highest or the most spectacular of jumps, but it does have history. Thanks to the adrenaline fuelled entrepreneurial efforts of the now world famous AJ Hackett the Kawarau Bridge was the site of the world's first commercial bungy jump, and therefore labelled 'The Home of the Bungy'. It’s for this reason that this bridge would be it, the chosen spot in which I would attempt to leap off a platform 130ft(43m) above the Kawarau River. We stayed for an hour or so watching several people make the ‘leap of faith’ or not, as some succumbed to their fears. It was nothing more than self-torment. Self-torment that would have to continue (and intensify) for the rest of the day as we booked a jump for the following morning, first off at 9am.
Sam cannot be forgotten in all this as she would be
Whale watching at Kaikoura
The tail of a Sperm..............whale! doing a jump of her own. This however would be her second bungy jump, and she clearly didn’t have the hang-ups that I did.
That night I slept like a baby; waking every two hours.
We arrived at the bridge at 08:45 the next morning by which time I'd already emptied my bladder four times and that's without having any breakfast. There was no point in eating; I had a stomach full of butterflies!
Doors open, in we went. We were weighed, and received our tickets to jump. We were told at this point that things weren't quite ready yet as the bungy cords (new that morning) had to be tested first by a member of staff. Meanwhile, I began to withdraw into my own little zone and fell silent as we waited inside. I then went through my routine that I'd practiced a thousand times in my mind, which basically boiled down to two things:
1. DO NOT HESITATE - it wont get any easier the longer you stand there, in fact probably the opposite, so listen to the count and go, was my instruction to myself.
2. LEAP - After watching several people do a bungy, I think
the way you leave the platform says a lot about your character, and most I've seen up till now seem to lose the power of their legs. They either tentatively step off (like they're walking the plank) or fall in an awkward paralysed type state. I'm not being made to do this; it is after all my choice! So anxious or not, I WILL leap because I want to leave that platform, it’s the very reason I'm here!
We get back out on the bridge and the new bungy cords are good to go. Sam and I will be the first two members of the public to jump today and as it's worked out Sam will be first and me second. This order coincided nicely with the legend behind the origins of bungy jumping, vine jumping or the land diving ritual; depending on your source of reference. The story tells of a tribeswoman who following a quarrel with her husband, and fearing another beating, climbed high up a Banyan tree. Here she wrapped her ankles in liana vines and when her pursuing husband eventually reached her she leapt from the tree. Without knowing what she had done the husband
The Kawarau Bridge
Home of the Bungy. also jumped to try and catch her. The vines saved the woman but without them Tamale (the husband) was killed. The men of the Bunlap village were so impressed by the performance they practiced such jumps. This supposedly became ritual to show that they could never be tricked again.
By the time I'm called onto my platform (there are 2) Sam is almost hooked up to her elastic band, and whilst my ankles are being tied I look up and Sam is moving towards the edge, bound and ready. It was then (remember what I said about the way a person leaves the platform) that she informed me she was jumping off backwards!! It was something suggested to her by the guy strapping her up, as it was her second jump. So there I was, trying to hold it together, and she was going off backwards!!
5,4,3,2,1 "BUNGY!!"...............She leaps (backwards) without hesitation.
I watch her leave the bridge and can only sit there listening to her screams echo down the gorge as she reaches maximum stretch before being catapulted back upwards. It takes a few minutes for Sam to finish bouncing around before being released and ferried safely back to
land by a small dinghy waiting in the river below.
And then it was my turn...
My captor ushers me up onto my feet and towards the ledge. With a few hops I make it, and I curl my toes (I'm barefoot) over the well-worn plank. He instructs me not to look down (which I do instantly) and to jump straight. I try to swallow my racing heart, which has somehow made a new home in my throat, and then come the numbers:
5,4,3,2,1..........I leap forward and straight without hesitation!!
The pull of gravity once again leaves my stomach to play catch-up as I go from horizontal to head first with increasing speed. It takes only a few seconds before the bungy's limit then throws the whole process into reverse but this time there’s no choice. I actually requested to touch the water, but due to the elastic being new and cold I was informed that it couldn't be guaranteed and so it wasn't to be.
Whilst back home I’d watched clips of people jumping from this very bridge with my brother on youtube. He’d requested that when my time came I was to look into the camera (you can
Backwards Bungy
Back a bit, back a bit........ request a dvd) and say:
“This one’s for you Mark”
However, with my heart preventing my larynx from working I failed to get the words out but I was thinking about his request as I went airborne. I also had a lucky coin in my pocket, given to me by my mum prior to leaving. I’d sustained a neck injury in 2006 whilst playing football that to this day still affects nerve impulses to my left arm, and she wasn’t keen on the idea of me doing a bungy jump at all.
I hung around for a while, before reaching out for the pole, handed to me by the guys on the river below and I was soon lying on my back safely in the dinghy...........
The feeling once you complete or achieve something that's been on your mind for so long, far out ways the apprehension prior to the event, and if money were no object, I'd have done another. If you've done one, I admire your courage. If not, and you can relate to my anxiety prior to jumping, you should. Some may scoff, but I think it's a real achievement, but then I would say that, I've
Off she goes..
The screams echo around the canyon. done one!
From the tense drama of Kawarau Bridge, we left Queenstown for the tranquility of Milford Sound. This is an amazing area that's very remote (some 295km from Queenstown) and was once described by Rudyard Kipling as the eighth wonder of the world. It’s renowned to be the wettest inhabited place in New Zealand but is also one of the most visited. It’s another massive otherworldly expanse where mountain meets water.
There are two embarrassing facts about Milford Sound, which were pointed out to us by our Geordie skipper during our two and a half hour cruise:
Milford Sound isn't actually a 'sound' (which means - valleys created by rivers then flooded by the sea) like Marlborough Sound, these valleys were created by glaciers which technically makes them Fjords. Realizing the mistake, the whole area (even though this particular area remains Milford Sound) has been called 'Fiordlands'.
The second error came in the spelling of ‘Fiordlands’, which should have been spelt FJORDLANDS....
More useless blog information, but it may just help you out down the local boozer on quiz night.
The cruise around Milford Sound was both interesting and breathtaking. While cruising the tranquil waters, the skipper talked
The crowd gasped.
Did she fall, or was she pushed?? about the history, geology and some of the Maori myths relating to the area. We steered the vessel past the towering Mitre Peak (1,692m) and then gave us the option of donning anoraks as he placed the ships bow into one of the many waterfalls. On a more aggravating note, the sand flies at Milford Sound are both numerous and relentless and descend upon you as soon as the boat gets within twenty metres of land.
The drive to get to Milford Sound is spectacular so on the way back we took the opportunity to pull the campervan off the road and have some lunch all by ourselves amidst the eerily quiet mountain wilderness of the Fiordlands National Park. We weren’t however by ourselves for long. Seeing or smelling an opportunity, we were delighted to be joined by a unique bird known as a ‘kea’. The kea is the only species of alpine parrot in the world and is known for its fearless and inquisitive nature and is considered one of the most intelligent birds in the world. It remained perched on the wing mirror for a while before then sitting on the roof of the van. We’d previously read
Lamb to the slaughter
"Mark, this one's for you!" about them and as requested refrained from feeding it. After posing for a few photos, and realizing there would be no reward it then disappeared back to some mountain ledge.
After lunch we drove back through Homer tunnel, which links Milford Sound to Te Anau and Queenstown. Before it was sealed the 1.2km passage was the longest gravel surfaced tunnel in the world.
Exiting the Homer tunnel we headed for the Fiordlands National Park closest town, Te Anau. Here we booked ourselves into a campsite for the night and then on a two and a half hour cruise for the same evening. The boat trip took us across Lake Te Anau, which is New Zealand’s second largest. We did this in order to get to some caves, which we first entered by foot, then continued further into by rowing boat. Silence was maintained as the boat was pulled along, via a guide rope, into absolute pitch black darkness. The narrow cave devoid of all light then opened up to reveal the natural phenomenon that we’d come to see. Thousands of little green fluorescent lights littered the ceilings of the cave. The glowworms had the same effect on the cave as
the stars do on a clear night, except these little stars were bright green instead of white.
The next day it was back to Queenstown, before embarking on a seven-hour journey north to Fox Glacier. This drive seemed like only two hours and encompassed everything you could ever envisage seeing in the glossy brochures when it comes to New Zealand's scenery, it was absolutely jaw dropping. From snow capped glacial carved mountains to rugged coastline. Deep gorges with crystal clear rivers and waterfalls to low valleys with steep sided hills. Mountains with bizarre rock formations and rainforests, all views were delivered via winding narrow roads and bridges. It had the lot!
Once there we took a good look at what tours were on offer to get the best out of Fox Glacier. Now you can't just go exploring on a glacier without some kind of guidance, so we had to do a tour. However, our morning spent on the glacier couldn't have been better. This place gets an average of 5m rainfall per year, which is good because obviously in the winter that falls as snow which feeds the glacier. That said, on our day we had exceptional weather
9.9
Leaping straight, without hesitation.... in the way of clear skies and glorious sunshine.
Fox Glacier is approximately 16km long, 2km at its widest point, and where we chose to explore, about 200m thick, compact ice. The ice is so dense it's heavier than concrete and that's why it’s such a gorgeous blue colour, not white like the ice cubes from your freezer. There are several sections to the glacier including a steep and very unstable part where large chunks of ice the size of six storey buildings are compressed and move at an astonishing rate of approximately 4m/day. The glacier then flattens out (relatively speaking) to a more stable area moving about 1m/day. Due to the obvious backup as the faster flowing ice meets the slower stuff, natural ice caves form and due to movement and thawing are ever changing. It's this section that we chose to explore. You can't hike up to this point, so we get the added bonus of a helicopter ride which takes us over the glacier with great views of the whole thing before swinging around and landing on a small section of flattened ice, which is man made and the only real flat part of the glacier and
is about the size of a small car. Here we exited the helicopter and applied our crampons (spikes that fit on your boots to give you grip on the ice) before setting off to see what was about. Distance on the glacier is really deceptive, and what only seem like a few hundred metres are actually a few kilometres.
We cupped our hands and drank pure glacier filtered water as the continuous thawing created streams and puddles. Our guide would carve rudimentary steps in the undulations with his ice pick as we followed his lead. We were on the ice for over two hours before being air lifted once again. It was an unforgettable morning and once back on the ground we got to see the peak of Mt. Cook which had previously eluded us, it was the icing on the cake.
The road further north didn't let up on those stunning views around each and every corner, and included a look at the Franz Josef Glacier and a stop-off to cross the Buller River via New Zealand's longest (110m) swing bridge. This next leg ended at a small place called Punakaiki, which has it's own star attractions called
A Kea.
Native bird of the Fjords. Came to visit during one of our scenic layby lunches. 'Pancakes rocks' and 'Blowholes'. The Pancake rocks are limestone formations shaped by pressure and water and look like hundreds of pancakes stacked on top of one another, as their name suggests. The blowholes are gaps of various sizes in the rock caused by erosion. As the surf, which can be pretty rough here, comes in it forces air or water and sometimes both upwards and out of the holes. Some of the blowholes are almost chimney-like and can create sudden thunderous noises or plumes of sea spray. It sounds simple, but it’s captivating. There’s a certain blowhole called ‘Sudden Sound’, which is a large opening, that’s too deep to see down, between vegetation. When you stand and wait for a moment, and if the surf is right, there is a rush of air that sounds like the exhaling of a large dinosaur or perhaps a sleeping dragon. You could really let a child’s imagination run wild with a few little white lies. In fact with their myths and legends I wonder what the early Maoris’ made of this sudden sound? Whilst there, we also sat on the beach in the evening and once again watched another beautiful sunset accompanied by
a soundtrack of crashing waves.
Before returning to Picton, to catch the ferry back across to Wellington, we had one last stop that would complete our South Island adventure. If the Marlborough Sounds were a stunning introduction then the National Park of Abel Tasman would be a beautifully fitting finale.
Abel Tasman with its blue-green coastal waters idyllic coves is eye candy for any beach bum, but this is no place to be lying around. Some of the hiking trails here are long, fairly strenuous and some of the best in the country. Home to a large marine reserve, it’s also a great opportunity to get into the water again and mix with the local inhabitants. In order to do this we hired a sea-kayak and joined a small group for a paddle up the coast and around Tonga Island, which supports yet another one of those seal colonies that are scattered along New Zealand’s coastline. There was talk of orca sightings on previous outings, but although we saw plenty of seals, unfortunately, no killer whales. However, the very thought of kayaking when there are orcas in the water is a thrilling one and an experience we’ll be hopefully
pursuing later in the journey.
Before leaving the South Island we finished in Abel Tasman, another beautiful National Park, which is on the coast and home to a large Marine Reserve. We've been out sea-kayaking here, which included paddling out 500m offshore to a small island, which has another fur seal colony. We were hoping to be joined by some killer whales that come here, but no luck today. We were out in the 2 man kayak for a good few hours before coming ashore and doing a walk in the afternoon.
The next day we visited that same seal colony for a closer encounter - this time getting in the water. At first, we were dubious about the integrity of this trip, but as soon as our guide introduced himself as 'John the Walrus' we knew it would be an experience.... John was a slightly eccentric 65 year old, with a long white beard, great demeanor and a love of wildlife. He would end each sentence with an enthusiastic smile in a Jack Nicholson character-type way. On top of this, he was quite theatrical and would sing at every available opportunity, and it felt rude
Milford Sound
for an idea of size, the waterfall is the same as the one in the previous picture. not to join in when prompted. Thanks to John's quirky nature we were also given the opportunity of gaining 7 years good luck. There's a shipping marker offshore that locates the start of the Hapuka Reef, and legend has it that if you touch the Hapuka Reef Marker and then swim around it in a clockwise direction, you get your 7 years good fortune. We of course took this opportunity, much to John's delight, and the Aquataxi man's amusement. Then it was on to the seals, where we snorkelled in the waters just off Tonga Island, and it didn't take long, on an exceptionally calm sea, for some of the seals to come and check out the visitors. They seemed to take an interest in our clumsy attempts at diving underwater. They would then of course, demonstrate how underwater swimming was really done. They have a fantastic turn of speed and direction, which is in stark contrast to their awkward style on land. We spent about 2 hours in the water, before John reluctantly called time. He too was in the water and had found himself a scarf of seaweed. After lunch, we took another detour to Split Apple Rock,
Hmmm! sounds familiar??
You travel to the other side of the world, but there are always reminders of home, and it was a Sunday!!
Pop Inn- the name of the football team I play for. a strange rock just offshore which looked like a split apple funnily enough... this was accompanied by yet more singing.
It was a good day and Sam's highlight of the South Island, which we had to leave the following day rather reluctantly.
It's been a great part of the trip, and we've 7 years good luck to use up....
Typically, that 7 years good luck eluded us almost immediately when just like the cancelled dive at the beginning of our New Zealand trip, the end looked to be sabotaged by the weather.
Hailed as New Zealand’s best one-day hike, the ‘Tongariro Crossing’ is a 12-mile-long trail that leads the explorer past steaming volcanic vents, alpine scrub, lush forest and emerald and sapphire coloured lakes. A strenuous side trip can take the more adventurous hiker (no ring required) to the top of Mt. Ngauruhoe (Mt. Doom). After overcoming the scree the well-deserved rest is accompanied by superb vistas of the surrounding volcanic geography that is New Zealand’s spectacular contribution to the infamous Ring of Fire. To underscore the beauty and importance of this area is the fact that it is one of the few places in the world to be
Photographic opportunity
NZ a place where a 1 hour journey takes at least 3 twice named a World Heritage Site, for both physical features and cultural significance.
The sad truth unfortunately, was on the day we put aside to complete the Tongariro Crossing the weather had other ideas. With sleet and strong winds forecast for the high ground we would have been ill prepared for a days hike that could (not for the first time here) easily turn tragic in those conditions.
Although extremely disappointed, there was no point in hanging around so we wasted no time in moving on. We made it to Hamilton, New Zealand’s largest inland city, before stopping. Whilst here, yet again that seven years good luck remained mysteriously absent. On returning to the van, following a look around and a bite to eat, we found it to have a flat battery. This of course had nothing to do with me leaving the lights on after parking on our arrival. We wondered if the good fortune would kick in once we left New Zealand. There was also of course the possibility that it was just all load of old bollocks.
As we pulled into the depot in Auckland and returned the campervan, we did so with reluctance and reflection.
Rugged coastline
West coast - South Island Our latest road trip had been another huge success and although there were experiences left out there for another time, we’d managed to tick off several notables on our ‘Bucket List’. Returning the van would also see the end to our independence for a while, and relying on public transport we know will prove inconvenient, frustrating and maybe even futile where we were heading.
For the last few days we enjoyed Auckland with a visit to the top of the Sky Tower via the speedy (glass floored) lift. At 328m it’s the tallest manmade structure in the southern hemisphere gave us an all round good view of the ‘City of Sails’. We also indulged in a few gut-busting meals, in which we savoured the taste of western food prior to the immanent Asian leg of the journey.
We flew into Sydney once again in order catch our connecting flight onto Thailand. From here it was goodbye to New Zealand and Australia, and hello to language barriers and cultural differences. We were now heading for a part of the world where dining on mammals that we recognize as pets is common place, where the ruffling of a small child’s hair
Odd
Sometimes the simple things are the most inspiring. with your hand is not seen as a caring gesture, but an direct insult, and stepping into someone’s dwelling without removing your footwear could be punishable by death, well maybe a look of disgust. With our Cambodian and Chinese visas yet to be arranged things could get a little tricky. First though would be the negotiating of that most infamous of capitals that holidaymakers seem to fly into due to necessity, but quickly depart for somewhere infinitely more heavenly. Bangkok here we come…
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