Blogs from Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 12

Aamulla oli aika kiittää isäntiämme Paekakarikissa makoisista unista ja jatkaa matkaa kohti Wellingtonia. Eteläsaarelle menevän paatin lähtöön oli vielä parisen tuntia, joten ennen terminaaliin menoa huristeltiin ylös Victoria Hillille. Sieltä olikin upeat maisemat joka puolelle. Autotie ylös kukkulalle kulki kapeaa katua, jonka kummaltakin puolelta löytyi asuntoja. Tiestä tuli mieleen matka San Franciscon kukkulalle, koska sekin oli samankaltainen matka ylös. Wellingtonissa tosin näytti, että näillä kavereilla oli paremmat näkymät. Paha taas mennä vertailemaan, koska San Franciscosta on vierähtänyt jo puolisen vuotta. Maisemien ihailun jälkeen mentiin autojonon jatkeeksi satamaan. Vähän päälle kolmen tunnin paattimatka meni mukavasti leffoja katsellen. Tuli siinä hieman ihailtua maisemiakin paatin kruisaillessa kohti eteläsaaren Pictonia. Pictonissa käytiin kaupassa ja samalla kauhistel... read more

At the beginning of our trip, we might have anticipated that by the beginning of Week 9 in one small country, we might be pretty weary and ready even for that interminable jet ride home. But, instead, we were eager to keep going and to soak up as much more of New Zealand’s South Island as we could in the last seven days. The week began in Marlborough, a region on the northern coast edged by an elaborate chain of peninsulas and islands. A highlight of Marlborough was spending a day on the Queen Charlotte Track, one of dozens of long hiking paths in NZ by which travelers can explore remote scenic areas by walking, often for 3 - 7 days, and staying in shelters or huts along the way. Unlike many other tracks, the ... read more

Rach... South east of the Abel Tasman Nation Park lies the Marlborough region which was the next stop on our tour. Two facets of Marlborough held interest for us: Firstly, The Sounds, where many fingers of land and small islands extend chaotically into the Tasman Sea, and secondly the Marlborough wine county, home to perhaps New Zealand’s best Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Thus we set off from Abel Tasman, eventually passing through the small coastal town of Havelock, the self-declared Mussel Capital of The World, no less. Despite this auspicious pedigree, Havelock failed to draw us in, and we drove on further to the larger port town of Picton where we set up camp. My guide book describes Picton as a pretty town whose port and railway activities lend it a certain buzz. This description is ... read more

PICTON TO HANMER SPRINGS VIA MOLESWORTH STATION Sheryll and I for ages have wanted to drive the Molesworth Station Road which is about 198 Km s long and runs between Blenheim in Marlborough and Hanmer Springs, the road is shingle all the way and is the access road for New Zealand's largest cattle station, "Molesworth Station". Molesworth covers approx 180,000 hectares and is home to New Zealand's largest herd of cattle, the road is only open to the public for a few months of the year. On Saturday the 4th of March, after packing up the 4WD and loading on our mountain bikes we said goodbye to the kids and left Auckland headed for Paraparaumu to visit with my Mum before catching the Ferry from Wellington to Picton the following morning at 2am. The Ferry crossing ... read more

AUCKLAND TO WELLINGTON Sheryll and I for ages have wanted to drive the Molesworth Station Road which is about 198 Km s long and runs between Blenheim in Marlborough and Hanmer Springs, the road is shingle all the way and is the access road for New Zealand's largest cattle station, "Molesworth Station". Molesworth covers approx 180,000 hectares and is home to New Zealand's largest herd of cattle, the road is only open to the public for a few months of the year. On Saturday the 4th of March, after packing up the 4WD and loading on our mountain bikes we said goodbye to the kids and left Auckland headed for Paraparaumu to visit with my Mum before catching the Ferry from Wellington to Picton the following morning at 2am. ... read more