http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Oceania , New Zealand , South Island , Kaikoura en-us Thu, 23 May 2013 13:18:40 +0000 Thu, 23 May 2013 13:18:40 +0000 Trans Alpine Railway and Kaikoura.We left Franz Joseph by 0900 hours after collecting the video of the Kayak session. Our aim was to get to Greymouth by 1300 hrs. On the way we stopped at a few view points to see some waterfalls a bridge where you could get a magnificent view of the snow capped moutains and again at a sea side supposed to be a surfers paradise only a couple of people surfing. http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-785559.html Dear allAfter a very long and sleepless journey we arrived here on South Island New Zealand. We picked up our Campervan and drove round the corner to the nearest camp site. We are now 11 hours ahead of the UK and we were tired confused and didn39t know if we should eat breakfast or dinner. We put the bed down in the van and then slept for 13 hours I guess we needed it.We woke up feeling ref http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-783036.html Its another early start this morning as at 6am I am at the Ocean Encounter centre and getting kitted out in a full wetsuit wetsuit jacket hood snorkel and flippers. After a short safety briefing video around 15 of us pile onto a boat and speed out into the Pacific Ocean. Whilst we are out on the water the sky goes from black to a magical redyorange as the sunrises over the surrounding mou http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-782397.html We arrived early morning in Picton and set off on a 3 hour journey to the Nelson area home to our friend Ben Cameron. We stayed in Motueka the first night and drove up to Farewell Spit in the furthest reaches of the North West tip of the South Island.We stopped on a site near the Able Tasman park right next to the beach. Whilst swimming we spotted some Dolphins jumping in the distance. I decided http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-780472.html Hello AllSo we left Haast and Jonny39s pride behind and made our way over to Franz Josef Glacier something which we were both really looking forward to. We decided to take the time to drive via Jackson39s Bay which was supposed to be a brilliant drive and it didn39t disappoint. We stopped in Jackson39s Bay and walked round with a cup of tea trying to avoid the sandflies. The Bay li http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-779681.html Got the bus from CHCH to Kaikoura with Ruth nice scenic ride along the coast. Once there we unpacked at a very empty backpackers and went for a walk around the headland in search of seals were not disappointed Great wholesome meals of rice and cheese on toast carried us to the next day of swimming with dolphins was incredible Splashed out on some fish39n39chips and packed up ready for t http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-777601.html ltpre stylelineheight 21px whitespace normal color 444444 fontsize 15pxgtWe39d had to plan today down to the tee as we had finished our Kiwi Experience pass and New Zealand39s poor public transport system had let us down. The planning was all going to be worth it to swim with the dusky dolphins. But then the weather played havoc again and rough sea conditions meant the http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-776816.html Ganz langsam beginnt der heutige Tag. 7 Uhr soll der Bus beladen werden. Gestern haben noch viele gemeint dass sie viertel vor 6 aufstehen. Als ich mich dann kurz nach 6 in der Dusche finde bin ich der erste hier. Naja ich habe meine Ruhe und ganz entspannt startet der Morgen. Nachdem dem Frhstck wird der Bus beladen. Die Tren fr den Gepckraum sind bereits offen nur der Fahrgastraum http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-775567.html It was great to end my tour of NZ on a high note. I left Picton on the train bound for Kaikoura the whale watching capital I arrived at that they call the Whaleway Station very apt. It incorporated the railway and the whale watching station. We left and headed out to sea it was windy and therefore quite choppy. We headed out to where the continental shelf is the water just drops into an abyss w http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-775050.html Sadly this will be our final blog from New Zealand as we are about to fly from Auckland back to Sydney to start our tour around Australia. This is a bit of a mammoth blog with lots of photos and even video links. AppologiesOur final leg back up New Zealand started at Kaikoura where we stayed in a nice little hostel called Fish Tank. As you can probably imagine it was all themed around sea http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-773112.html We left Christchurch on Monday 14th Jan and set off along the East coast to Kaikoura which was about 180km away.It was a pleasant drive in sunshine and it seemed like we had left behind the dramatic39 Lord Of The Rings39 scenery further back down down the coast.On route we picked up a couple of hitch hikers....proper backpackers from Prague Barcelona....they had been travelling for a year http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-767504.html Our last blog was entered out of sequence as we got a bit behind due to lack of Internet connection and having a great time.Lovely motel and slept a little better than I have been. Yummy breakfast prepared by Mr Combes and we packed said our goodbyes and left to tour the wineries. We arrived at Villa Maria at 10am just as it was opening a little early for tasting wine but nevertheless we did and b http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-759689.html The wind died and we got the chance to go whale watching. Three choices boat light aircraft and helicopter. We chose the former on the basis we would get closer assuming of course we found a whale and there was no guarantee. We turned up at the whaleway station yes that39s the real name as trains stop there also and were advised sea conditions following days of gales meant a 3 metre swell http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-754611.html Travelled south to Kaikoura which is famed for marine life such as whales dolphins seals and many sea birds. Went seal watching on a very cold and windy day see photos. Same cold and windy evening and having enjoyed a wonderful meal and local wines we decided to take a taxi back to the motel. What we failed to consider was that we were located in a rural town and everything closes at 9.30pm e http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-754447.html 18th April 12 Kaikora to PictonThe stars of today were the seal pups that we came across at the Ohau Stream waterfall walk just outside of Kaikura. We would have just driven past this ordinarily as it was just a lay by round a sharp bend with a sign to a waterfall but we had stopped on the other side of the bend at another lay by to have one last attempt at spotting whales. While there we http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-711476.html 16th April 12 Christchurch to KaikoraToday there was no sign of any hitchhikers it was rather strange It only took us 3 hours to get to Kaikora including the little scenic drive diversion to see the Cathedral cliffs think Bryce canyon only on a minute scale. The road apart from the diversion followed the same route as the train with 3 matching tunnels to get through the mountainsid http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-709877.html The whales are fantastic but the dolphins steal the show. Keep you39re eyes peeled for one show off dolphin doing acrobatic flips in the air http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-703469.html Had a fab time back in Sydney and caught an early flight to New Zealand. Flew over the Southern Alps a simply fantastic view. Picked up out new van dont tell cilla called Gollum He39s a Wicked Van Went straight up to kaikora the capital of the world for whale watching. Saw 3 Sperm whales diving a cheesey inspirational sight. After leaving Teearkee the name of the Whale on our http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-703462.html We had a brilliant week in Kaikoura a place with a rich sea life whales dolphins seals and sea food There is a Kaikoura range mountains around 2000m which we challenged as well. Kai means food and Koura is crayfish in Maori language. The paradise for a fishermanOn the way to Kaikoura we stopped in Conway Flat Claverley where Lucas caught a massive fish from the beach by a beauti http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-702999.html Day 6 Interisland ferry to Picton was a lovely crossing. It39s always windy in Wellington. I wouldn39t like to fly in the runways a tiny strip with sea on both sides and because there are mountains on both sides of Wellington there is a constant wind tunnel going on.Can imagine the ferry must be choppy most days but today beautiful We crossed the twenty odd miles in 3 hours. It takes so http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-686771.html