The Adrenalin Capital of the World! Does that include Curling?

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31st July 2008 - 21st August 2008

Picton - Kaikoura - Christchurch - Arthur's Pass - Franz Josef - Fox Village - Wanaka - Arrowtown - Queenstown - Milford Sound - Dunedin - Naseby - Moeraki - Akaroa - Christchurch

The recent stormy weather had had no effect on the amazingly smooth three hour ferry journey across the open sea from Wellington in the North Island to Picton in the South but had caused considerable damage to the roads in this region. The main road from Picton to Christchurch was closed due to several landslips along the route. Alternative roadways had much the same problem so we were pretty much stranded here for the day at least. We booked into one of Picton's less classy campsites and discovered later the entire site had been evacuated the previous night due to flood warnings! No such problem tonight. The main source of concern came from our very unfriendly neighbours in a large green bus that has seen better days. It seemed we may have intruded into 'their' campsite. Fish and chips and a walk in the rain was all Picton had to offer us, unless you count the world's ninth oldest ship in the harbourside museum - we didn't.

The next day the road was opened up as far as Kaikoura about one and a half hours South. During the drive we could still see evidence of the slips and workmen were trying to clear some areas. The drive took longer therefore and we also stopped on at least two occasions to observe the many hundreds of seals along this part of the coastline which at times were so close they looked like roadkill! Thankfully they were just sleeping. Kaikoura had a groovy pink art deco cinema screening Sex and the City later but the film for Friday and Saturday night had not arrived from Christchurch due to the weather. We decided to go back later to watch it. When we arrived the place was in darkness. We really must learn what day of the week it is! Instead we sampled some Speights Gold Medal Ale at one of the local pubs in front of a roaring log fire. It was nice to be in a proper pub again.

The weather took a turn for the better the following day as glorious blue sky finally allowed us a view of the mountains. We carried on to Christchurch as the road was now open but it was slow going as there was still a lot of debris about. We went to Flight Centre first to book our accommodation in Fiji - our last week travelling! We got a pretty good deal on a week in Bounty Island which will include all transfers, meals and our own beach hut. We felt better now it was booked, a holiday at the end of our holiday!

Stayed the night in the centre of Christchurch at a backpackers that had a few powered sites at the rear for campers. In the morning we drove to the office of Explore More (whom we hired Rodger from) for a demonstration on how to properly attach snow chains and to which wheels! (only the rear two we found out). Once satisfied we headed across country through Arthur's Pass and towards the West coast. The route was very windy, going around and then through beautiful snowy mountainside and at one point we stopped to watch several families sledging by the road, it being a Sunday. We stopped again at a lookout further along where it was possible to see a concrete canopy over the road below protecting drivers from falling rocks and flood water. We didn't stay long as a large parrot began to torment us and was on the roof of Rodger as we drove off. We reached our destination without the need of chains late in the afternoon and helped ourselves to a pitch on a new looking campsite at Hokitika - the owners had left a note saying they would be back in the morning.

Leaving the campsite in the morning we drove on to Franz Josef - glacier country. We parked Rodger near the glacier and commenced the ninety minute return walk to the base of it. It really is a gigantic block of ice that very few of our photographs did any justice to. Just thirty minutes down the road is Fox Village where we did a couple more walks admiring the enormity of another glacier. An exhausting day of glacier visiting was rounded off with a final longish walk around Lake Matheson. On a cloudless day it is possible to see Mount Cook perfectly reflected in the serene lake. Needless to say it wasn't cloudless so we couldn't take the picture postcard we wanted but it was pretty all the same.

We left Fox the next day to drive around 300km to Wanaka of which the last hour of the journey was stunning as the road interspersed two magnificent lakes which perfectly mirrored the snow peaked mountains they were surrounded by. Wanaka is a fantastic year round town with a beautiful lake to enjoy in the summer and ski-fields in the winter resulting in a lively but small town atmosphere. We enjoyed two marvelous relaxing days here drinking coffee and going on gentle strolls. It didn't matter that we were about the only ones walking around in the evening without ski boots, woolly hat and goggle face! Also at Wanaka is the Transport & Toy Museum. Three large airplane hangars are jampacked with every conceivable form of transport and an impressive array of toys. I was there for the advertised Star Wars collection - it wasn't a disapointment. There were over three hundred boxed Barbies for the girls too! It was great but the owner doesn't seem to know when to stop and the presentation was therefore quite unique.

Twenty kilometres from Wanaka is the ski-field at Cardrona and its' iconic restored old hotel found on so many postcards. The driving conditions became quite precarious after this with the added obstacle of a light covering of snow but as picturesque as ever. Eventually we reached Arrowtown stopping for an hour or two to wander along the high street of the former gold mining town. It is promoted as a historical town but in reality is several souvenir shops. The abandoned Chinese settlement village was interesting though.

On to Queenstown and we checked into an expensive campsite in the centre of town that charged for showers on top which on every occasion was at best tepid. Queenstown is dubbed the adrenalin capital of the world but we continued in much the same vein as we had in Wanaka. This meant drinking coffee and taking it easy. We did watch others do some snowboarding on a purpose built ramp in the centre of town one evening though. On our second day we walked up the hill that overlooks the town and is where the Skyline Gondola (Cable Car) takes you up and down in a few minutes. The signpost that stated Skyline 'Walk' was seriously understated and it took us a few minutes to regain our strength at the summit after our greulling one hour climb. Once at the top we had a go on the immensely enjoyable luge ride (bit like downhill go-karting). After I managed to put my safety helmet on the right way I left my normal pedestrian style driving behind me and at the finish line I was in hysterics as Claire almost crashed waving at the camera. Unfortunately it didn't capture the magic moment. A plate of potato wedges later we decided to get the Gondola down.

Happy with our little adrenalin rush we left town the next morning but not before buying some thermal underwear as it is getting very cold! A comfortable but less inspiring drive to Te Anau followed which we used as our base to explore Milford Sound and its' dramatic fiords. Woke up to frost and when we re-filled the water in the van lots of icicles fell out of the hosepipe! The Milford Road is often closed during adverse weather conditions but was open today with warnings of ice and grit so we were a little wary. The three hour journey was actually quite tame in comparison to other roads in the South Island. The highlight was definitely 'Homer Tunnel' a narrow one kilometre section burrowing through the mountain. We were planning to stay the night and join one of the cruises in the morning but there is absolutely nothing here, just one cafe and one campsite, so we booked on to the last cruise of the day and decided to drive back to Te Anau afterwards. A one and a half hour cruise with only fourteen of us on board and the sun shining was a great way to see Milford, but it was still bitterly cold. An enjoyable experience and worth the effort of getting there.

A long drive by New Zealand standards today. A lunchtime stop in the 'Brown Trout Capital of the World' (Gore) and we were back on the East coast by mid afternoon in rainy Dunedin. Dunedin is a fantastic city with plenty to do and heaps of character and grand old buildings including the much photgraphed railway station and the weather after our arrival improved dramatically. On our first day we visited Cadbury World, a lighthearted hour tour of the factory with a bag full of chocolate to go home with. We didn't do much else as we were carefully structuring our days with one main event - 'Joey Days' as we referred to them. The second day's excitement was a tour of Speights Brewery. An interesting hour long tour but it was more like a walk through a museum than working factory and the tasting at the end was a major disappointment. We were given just twenty minutes to sample six beers, a feat which nobody achieved. We also managed to squeeze a movie into our busy schedule at the world's smallest cinema - a ten seater - to watch 'Grow Your Own' with only two others. Not sure if it is actually the smallest but it must be close. Our third day might sound quite full in comparison but it wasn't really. It started with driving to the 'World's Steepest Street' (that is a fact!) and walking up it. Afterwards we had a walk through the lovely botannical gardens and fed the ducks with the complimentary duck food. Finally in the evening we watched Otago narrowly defeat Northland in the rugby at Carrisbrook Stadium. A freezing night which only a couple of thousand others decided might be a good idea. We were wearing more layers than we ever had before that night but still a good time was had.

In the morning we left for Naseby. It was a small detour inland from our planned route but we had stumbled upon a leaflet about Curling and decided it was something we shouldn't miss. We arrived at lunchtime having driven through some high mountains and a generous coating of snow on the road - still no chains needed though! After a few minutes training we were on the ice where the New Zealand team train in our rubber gripper soles and sweeping brush. Not quite an adrenalin rush but it was one of the most memorable things we did in New Zealand. We drove back to the coast and stayed at Moeraki where in the morning we walked along the beach to look at the 'Moeraki Boulders'. There are two to three dozen large boulders, many perfectly spherical and others fallen apart laying in the sand like a jigsaw puzzle waiting to be put back together.

The following day we headed to Akaroa with warnings of bad weather and snow as we were hoping to see Pip, a friend I last saw eight years ago in New Zealand when I broke a small table that she had brought back from Africa on her back! The snow got pretty bad as we traversed the final mountain and the gritters and plough machines were straight into action. A combination of communication errors meant we missed each other all day (or has Pip not really forgiven me for the accident?). It was actually my birthday so in the evening we went to the oldest pub in New Zealand at Duvauchelle and sank a few beers and mulled wines in front of the log fire. We finally caught up with Pip the next day as we knew where she worked (there was no escaping us!) and had a good chat for an hour or two (hope the boss didn't mind!?). Sadly, we had to get back to Christchurch as the van needed returning the next day.

Before dropping off the van we visited the Antartic Centre in Christchurch. We saw Little Penguins being fed including a blind one that fell into the bucket of fish - very funny - and we were able to dress up like Antartic explorers and experience a snow storm in temperatures of -18C. After dropping Rodger off we visited the modern glass building housing the Christchurch Art Gallery and had a brief look insde Christchurch Museum where we focused our attention on a full size replica of Fred and Murtel's 'kitsch' house full of Paua shells before returning to the hotel and the comfort of a double bed and ensuite. Our final morning in New Zealand we had just enough time to have a coffee in the main square while watching a huge game of chess being played. Of all the countries we have visited on our journey we were definitely the most upset to be leaving this one. Nevermind, a week on a Pacific Island should sort us out!

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