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Published: January 4th 2008
My xmas day spot
A quick snooze while the xmas day morning feast is prepared by the hostel :DWe thought we had better put up a blog since yee are all heading back to work soon or are already there and probably need something to fill your hours when you return to the office.
We spent Christmas in New Plymouth in a hostel called Shoestring Backpackers. Paul n I went out for Christmas Eve drinks and after trawling the streets found an Irish pub playing christmas music, so had a few tipples there wearing our Santy Hats. (only 1 pub with Christmas music, and people on street doing a double take cos of hats.... very different from home!!!). There was a breakfast put on in the hostel by the owner on christmas day, so everyone mucked in (cept lazy asses who slept in like ourselves), and it was nice to have a big breakfast with everyone. It got everyone chatting and sociable in the morning which made for a nice day.
We had done a big shop and Paul made a mean christmas dinner, mash, glazed carrots, parsnip, turnip, gravy, ham, stuffing, and chicken, with dads cookies for desert (for those who dont know, a yummy mish mash of cream, flake, chocolate chip cookies, sherry, and pears
Ringing home
Ringing home xmas morning so thats xmas eve at home and pear juice yum yum yum). We had bought a box of roses each, and a chocolate santa and mince pies, never mind an array of alcoholic beverages (much overestimated, we are still getting through them). It rained all day (a break from the sunshine) so it was just like home! We settled in for a day of feasting, film watching, drinking, and hanging out. We adopted an Irish guy called Dara who was having some bangers and mash for dinner, and gave him gravy and stuffing, and some veg. Also, they dont make Roses like at home, so we gave them out to all the residents winning brownie points all round, and even doled out Dads cookies to some lucky boyo's who were around at desert time. We were very festively sharing the love! All in all, we had a nice day, a success by all counts!
Didn't get up to much in New Plymouth. Had some long coastal walks, went to the free concerts in park, checked out the local museum and surfers on fitzroy beach and let our bellies settle before hitting the road on the 27th. New Plymouth is famous for the towering Mt Taranaki
which serves as a back drop to the city. Resembling Mt Fiji, we didnt get a good view of it unfortunately as the cloud never cleared. We drove down around Mt. Taranaki, and down Surfers highway (as stuffed as turkeys so only looking at surf), down to a spot called Whanganui for a night. On the way we drove through a town that seemed to just contain Outet stores, so we had to double back and have a quick look around. Stayed in a lovely hostel Tamara lodge that had a hammock and a guitar for Paul, and a trampoline for me! Pity only for one night, but we made the most of it. Turned out 4 people from our previous christmas hostel had the same idea so it was like a little reunion, with beers out the back for the evening!
Had a brief taste of Whanganui, but the streets were quiet as a lot of businesses close up over Christmas. We went up to a place called durie hill. Went down a big tunnel and up in an elevator and then out on the hill, and climbed up 167 steps in a round tower thingy to take
in the view!
Back in the car and down to Wellington. Stayed in a little town called Mana outside wellington. Was really nice and homely in the hostel (stillwater lodge) with lots of leftover christmas goodies to feast some more upon! It was on an inlet type thing (hmmm geographical terms fail me at the moment), and the people that ran it had Kayaks we could take out on the water there too, and nice walks for Paul to drag me on (feeling a bit lazy after all the eating). It was just a short train ride into wellington, so we popped in for a preview too and to get some accomadation.
We were going to treat ourselves for New years, as we hadn't for Christmas, but got thinking, and figured it would be more sociable again in a hostel, and didn't really have the clothes we felt for going upmarket. So we treated ourselves to an en-suite room in hostel with tv in Nomads Backpackers (point to note: wouldnt recommend it there normally since kitchen is tiny, and living area isn't great at all, but it was over new years, and we were gonna to be eating
out so it was fine for us and room was lovely). On our first day we checked out the Te Papa museum. A huge Museum right on the waters front, loads of interesting stuff about Volcanoes earthquakes and the like and a cool Whale exhibit, see we are cultured!!! An English couple who live in Wellington Rebecca and Neill, who were in our hostel for Christmas texted us so we met up with them for new years, got the inside track from the locals as it were! Before that we had stuffed ourselves at the local Indian for auld times sake! Not used to consuming food in such quantities we had to waddle around for about an hour before we hit the local Macs Brewery for drinks with Rebecca and Neil. Liked Wellington, it was quite attractive city in a harbour, with a nice centre. We went up on the cable car to take in the view and have a stroll round the botanic gardens. Bought some new clothes as belated xmass presentsfor ourselves :D . On new years day, the sun was splitting the sky, so we walked out to the artificial beach the far side of the harbour
New Plymouth
Fitzroy beach, good for surfing but not today, New Plymouths sugar loaf montains in the backround to soak up some rays, and had a go of the climbing wall on the way (the photos are a bit of a con tho................. ahem).
Anyway, onward bound, on the 2nd of January, true to schedule, we got the interislander ferry from Wellington on the North island, to Picton on the South Island. Ferry ride was lovely (and packed cos of high season). The scenery was fantastic coming out of Wellington, and then into the Queen Charlotte Sounds on the other side. A really impressive trip as the huge ferry made its way down through the sounds.
After a clean start from the Mazda :D we sped onto the South Island and checked into the Jugglers rest for 2 nights - very nice hostel again for the record. Liked Picton, the sun was shining and its a real seaside town with the benefits of the fantastic scenery all around it.
Paul was reading avidly about the Queen Charlotte Track, so I conceded to the Wilderness Guides combo (It was either this or the full 5 day 71 Km hike, no thanks!!). We did a 3hr morning Kayak around the sounds, and then a 13 km afternoon
Wanganui
Chillin in the back garden of Tamaras hostel wanganui, aaaaahhh hike (or tramp as they call it in these parts) along the hilltops ending at Mistletoe bay. Supposed to take 4 hours, but we did it in 3.25hrs. We're speedy walkers methinks. Finished up with a paddle in the bay (forgot swimsuits, but it was artic so didnt mind). The boat that was supposed to pick us and 5 others up had left without us, so a guy there radio'ed for another one, and a little speedboat came for us. It worked out better that way, cos we all sat out the back and got thrown around as he sped across the sound back to Picton. Lots of Fun!
Just realised thats just about brought us up to now!!!!!!
We left Picton this morning for Blenheim, about 30km down road. We're here for 2 nights and intend to sample huge quanities of vino at the wineries in the Malborough region tomorrow. I have been enforcing a liquor ban since New Years Day on Paul and myself. A HUGE challenge, given our constant holiday status. But it ends tomorrow morning when we rent bikes and jump on the wine trail after a full 4 days on the dry!!!!! Cant
Trampoelaine
While I was relaxing in the hammock elaine was in flight wait, going to feast on cheese and wine, and hopefully the weather will keep up!!!! I believe there are optional pick ups for bikes and wine tasters should it all get out of hand, or one ends up purchasing Vats of wine or something, but we may try intermittently spitting the wine as well as swallowing.
Well all this talk of drink and food has my stomach gurgling! I hope you all had a fantastic christmas, that Santa was good to you all, that New years went well, and that the New Year brings you all things good!
Missing you all! Wish you were here! Getting excited now about Chile and Argentina, we have started to read up about them and they sound fantastic. Looking forward to seeing Mark and Mary (Pauls brother and sister in law) at the start of february in Christchurch. They are leaving on their round the world trip on the 17th of January! We are just passed the halfway mark as well, with a little under 4.5 months left, but now that Christmas is over, think its all going to fly now!
Blog you all again soon!
Elaine and Paul
Durie Hill elevator
Tunnel to Wanganui's historic Durie Hill elevator, built in 1916, while we were fighting on O'Connel street they we're building elevators up mountains! .. still the exact same pull systems etc .. u can feel it on the way up x
p.s. Been quite fast moving the last while, so apologies to anybody who emailed who hasn't got replies yet - will get around to them soon, Promise! x
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Richie
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Wheres the hobbits??
Where are all the hobbits? I thought they lived in nz??