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Published: March 13th 2007
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TK: We have now finally got our camper van; although to call it a camper van is stretching the definition slightly as it is really no more than a car with a really big boot - big enough to sleep in. It does have the advantage that it is painted in a different style and therefore it is easy to find in the parking lot. It has been fun to travel around and stop where we want - no deadlines, no traintimetables to read up, no booking into hotels, just the open road.
CK: The van is absolutely gorgeous from the outside and it makes me smile on a regular basis but when we first picked it up I was a little disappointed with the interior. Me the daughter of a seasoned campervan user. What was described on their website as a large chiller turned out to be a coolbox, the internal heating and electric fan heater with extension lead, the cooker one flame on top of a bottle that needs to be lifted out of the car first. All these things should either run on gas or be installed in the van so that you can use them whatever
the weather (little note for non camping people). But we have enjoyed it loads anyway.
TK: In New Zealand there are plenty of picnic stops at the side of the road (every few kilometres or so) and it is legal to stay the night for free. (Although we do book into a camp-site or lodge every few days or so to have a shower etc). We have visited some great places and regularly camp overlooking the pacific, being hushed to sleep by the sound of the wind and the waves.
New Zealand is an amazing place and is definetly proving to be a highlight of the tour so far. We have already mentioned about the marine wildlife that we have seen and the animals viewed in the zoo, but that was always on organised tours. So many times we have pulled over after seeing a sign that advertises a scenic spot, we walk to the beach and there we see amazing sights; seals, sealions, dolphins and penguins; albatrosses and eagles. All within just a few metres of us. I never realised that I could become a naturelover (previously I lived in London where it was enough excitement to
see the mice and rats on the tube or the pidgeons on the street.) If you look closely enough at the photo here you will see that the dolphins are swimming towards the beach in the surf of the wave before it crashes - a totally amazing sight - I just wish that the picture could be clearer.
CK: And now for anyone who has been in NZ before or would like to follow our trip on a map:
we went from Christchurch on the scenic route inland to Lake Tekapo (amazing blue with Mountains behind, wow!) then to Lake Pukaki with views of Mount Cook just before going to sleep, then on a little bit rainy day we drove all the way to Dunedin, which is the Edinburgh of NZ and has in impressive ArtGallery (recommended!),
Next along the southern scenic route to the Catlins Coast: Nugget point (beautiful), several waterfalls and beaches later we get to Porpoise bay/ Curio bay. That's where we saw the dolphins in the waves and had a very sunny sunday morning on the beach, not believing how blessed we are, giddy with joy!
Then we did one big drive to ...
TK: Since then we have visited Milford Sound which is a Fjord. The weather had been gorgeous, but as soon as we booked the afternoon cruise around the fjord it started to rain. In fact it would be more correct to call it a deluge. The captain of the boat was a jolly soul who told us that Milford is better when its wet as it is then that the waterfalls come out to play (when it is dry Milford Sound has only 2 permanent waterfalls, but on the trip we saw countless waterfalls.)We even saw what he called "water up's", the wind, steam and other metrological conditions meant that you could actually see water rising - bizarre!
We were very suspicious of everyone advertising how great the rain was but the trip was amazing.
CK:Later that night we stayed in a 1930 motor camp. Little cabins with a kitchen/living area with a coal fired range cooker for heating and cooking. Wonderful! We had a right homey evening and went to sleep with the sound of the water rushing off the roof. (to anyone who knows of our norwegian holidays: it was just like being on hytta!)
Next morning
Moeraki Boulders
Spherical boulders dropped down from the sky just the day before.... brilliant sunshine and we went further to Queenstown, where we sit now in a warm internet cafe (outside temps have droped to 7 degrees, interesting! I bought thermal long johns this afternoon!)
TK: NZ has revitalised us. We are very independent in nature and being dependent upon restaurant owners to make us dinner or serve us a cup of tea began to grate - we needed to do stuff ourselves - as you know we were even getting homesick in Vietnam! We love NZ - it's just a pity that it is so far away from Europe, otherwise we would come more often; we even half considered emigrating out here, but don't worry, we have decided that England is the place for us.
CK: We might not write for a while because of the lack of email out in our wilderness camps and that we are too busy getting around the country. So no worries. Lots of love from the Knox's
and let us know how you are....
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Helen
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Green eyes
... let us know how you are??? Well I'll tell ya, I'm dead jealous! Have been the whole way thru but trying to put a brave face on it. Convincing myself that the extraordinaryily mild winter we've been having over here somehow makes up for all the sun you're experiencing over there. Even wish it was me who was buying those thermals! Must get out on my bike soon and pretend I'm on an adventure. Get back here soon before the whole of Kent up-sticks and comes to join you!! xx