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Published: February 7th 2015
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Kaiteriteri beach
A day at the seaside A few days tocatch up on as we havingbeen freedomcamping or staying on DoC sites without access to internet
SUNDAY 1 FEB
Sure enough it rained all night and continued through the morning. We went straight to the. I-site and the lady behind the counter confirmed that there would be no helicopter flights today or tomorrow due to the weather. So we decided to walk up to the glacier an hour and a half return walk. It was still pouring and within minutes our shorts were soaked from the run off our kagouls. When we reached the glacier it was amazing to see the melt water gushing from a massive cavern on the front edge. We took pictures but the cloud was so low you could not define cloud from snow.
On the way back to the camper van the rain stopped and the sun came out enough to dry us off before making lunch. However the cloud was still low and no chance of flights.
Now it is all speed for the Northlands via the West Coast. A tea break was taken at Lake Mahinapua. This
on the way to Kaikoura
Another scenic lunch break is in the middle of the old gold mining area, on display was an old steam driven paddle barge that was used at that time. The area is now designated as a Recreation area. We could have chilled out
there all day but more travelling had to be done. We continued into Hokititia and bought a few things at the supermarket and refueled the campervan.
As we pulled out of the petrol station we saw a train for the first time in NZ. It was a goods train pulling tankers of milk product,how long we could not see. Rail tracks tend to run along side roads and each cross each other with alarming frequency. However we did not expect to share a single lane bridge with the rail track. We knew the train was running slowly behind us but what chaos in a couple of minutes time?
We bypassed Greymouth and continued up the coast. We stopped to view the Pancake rocks. These are layered rock forrmations that look like pancakes stacked one upon another. Just a km down the road we found a Department of Conservation car park that allows freedom camping,
Lake Pukaki
With Mt Cook in the background so handbrake on and bbq lit.
MONDAY 2nd
Continuing up the West Coast and then across to Nelson where we went straight to the I-site to find out where to camp and where to purchase some more memory for Lyn's camera. We were recommend a couple of stores and in the first one bought two 16gb cards as they were so cheap.
We travelled north from Nelson towards Morueka to a council run site on the beach at Mckee Memorial Reserve. $6 Per night collected by the caretaker visiting on his bike.
TUESDAY 3rd
Woke up to clear skies, already very warm. decided to travel a litte further north to Kaiteriteri and spend a couple of hours on the beach. Superb beach but windy. After lunch in the camper van bought an ice cream and walked along the beach. Lyn had a nice run along the beach chasing her hat.
The Nelson area is the northern part of the wine area so we visited a boutique winery. Lyn was not keen on the wine or the prices, still we can say we
have sampled some local plonk. Now descending the East Coast towards Blenheim. Now nothing but grape vines in rows just wide enough for a tractor to go up and down cutting the top and sides, no Titchfield hand pruning here
To break the monotony of miles of grapes were the occasional field of hops, apples, cherrie and other fruit. As it was getting late we were forced to use a commercial site for the night and did not sleep well due to road noise
WEDNESDAY 4th
Continued south along the East Coast. The road runs along the coast so we saw many seals basking in the sun. Took a walk to a waterfall where in season seal pups frolic in safety. Now on the Alpine Pacific Triangle, a scenic route that will eventually take us inland. The wind is very strong in places causing us to slow down. At the Kaikoura I-site we were recommend a small site at Motunau bay. Before reaching there we stopped for lunch along the coast with the most turquoise sea.
The camping ground is correctly described as basic. The only other people
Lavender
In a barren landscape, suddenly a field of lavender there when we arrived were a couple from Christchurch (England)
Had a walk around, beer, bbq and bed.
THURSDAY 5th
Today we decided to head for Hanmer Springs. A simple drive arriving around midday. We went into the Springs (at senior citizen rate) and enjoyed a couple of hours wallowing in sulphur hot tubs at up to 42°C.
After lunch we headed into the Lewis Pass that crosses the Southern Alps. It started to chuck it down and we saw little of the scenery. We stopped at a DoC site near Reefton. Although it was hidden nearly a kilometre from the main road down a gravel track it was an amazing site with a dozen hard standings screened from each other by six foot shrubbery.
Reefton itself is an old gold mining town and reminded us of the old westerns (Saturday matinees at the local cinema!)
Friday 6th
It was still raining when we woke up but by the time we had breakfast the sun was out. Today we are heading back to the East via the Arthurs Pass.
Beach hut?
Spotted this on the road to Mt Cook. Who would build a beach hut at the side of the road in a barren plain below the mountains. The sign above may be a clue. This was a spectacular drive with snow capped mountains on three sides. At one view point we had a Kea which is a mountain parrot found only in NZ south island sat on top of our camper van. The hill sides had a red tinge created by the rata trees braking out into bloom
Again found a tidy DoC site near Geraldine, just north of Winchester. As normal bbq and relax. Think we might recommend this site for a WWC rally as it is so close to Winchester, well within 11000 miles!
SATURDAY 7th.
Sun was beating down when we woke so plan A, off to Mt Cook, the highest point in NZ. We knew it would be a long drive there and back butwewere not disappointed. The scenery was again wonderful. We stopped for lunch overlooking Lake Pukaki which is a rich turquiose colour with the mountains as a back drop. At Mt Cook we had a quick look around the Edmund Hilary display (firstman to climb Everest) and then returned towards Christchurch. We are at Geraldine again tonight but on a commercial site sothat we could catch up on the washing and emails. Tomorrow is the last night in the van which we will spend in the Christchurch arda
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