South Island Tour

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Lyn and I, not being able to visit Pip, Stu and Grandchildren in Singapore this year, decided to do a South Island tour going to places we hadn't been to or revisiting places we had seen many years ago.

First stop: on the Inter-islander ferry, Kaiarahi, to Marlborough with friends Ruth and Karen and Ruth's dog, Toby, stuck in the hold in a kennel while we pigged out on hot chips up above (among other things). A calm, peaceful crossing with the always serene sliding down the mirror-like surface of Queen Charlotte Sound towards Picton once we were through Tory Channel.

Lyn and I had taken our car so the others piled into it at Picton and we made the short 12 minute ride to Kaireperepe Bay where Ruth's house is. Then 5 days of relaxing, swimming, biking, walking, table tennis, reading, good food, some good wine and a little grounds maintenance. The weather was calm pretty much the whole time; we had some big full moon tides, the high water only being about 30 cms below the jetty deck, clear water, the occasional stingray cruising the shore looking for food and the water temperature ideal for a cooling off dip. Karen collected wind drift apples from the trees in the grounds and stewed them up. Delicious.

The Marlborough Sounds never grow too familiar. There is always something to see and the scenery soothes and relaxes.

1 March - time up at Kaireperepe Bay. Cleaned up in the morning before we took Ruth, Karen and Toby to the ferry for their trip back to Kapiti and Petone respectively. From there Lyn and I drove to Nelson to Redwood Valley to stay with Bim and Lyn(ley), old friends of ours who have relocated to the Nelson area, built themselves a nice house and have set down some roots. A bonus for us was to have dinner with Bim's daughter Sarah, her husband Stu and their 7 year old daughter Harper. A big bonus. We hadn't seen Sarah for a number of years.

Lyn and I also visited old friends of hers, Gaile and Grant who have lived in Motueka for many years. We've caught up reasonably consistently over the years but not for about 3 years by this time. They had moved into a new house and we enjoyed meeting up again and swapping stories, events, health, children etc stories.



3 March - we left Nelson early-ish (7.45am) and began the long drive to Franz Josef. This was to be the longest section of our tour, we were prepared for it and had plenty of stops along the way to break it down a bit. Stopped at Murchison, Reefton, Hokitika for coffee, drinks, food, loo's and made it to Franz Josef about 8 & 1/2 hours later. Fascinating seeing the little towns we had only visited briefly years ago. Brief visits still but they are engaging little settlements, Hokitika being quite a bit bigger.

It rained. It poured, it bucketed down at times. At one stage we stopped as I couldn't see much on the roadway but there were fine patches as well and it wasn't cold. Once south of Hokitika the scenery becomes majestic with rising hills to the east letting you know that the Alps aren't far away; the mist shrouding the tops, the the branches and leaves reaching out from the roadside forest towards the traffic lanes. The road surface was good and traffic was light. A few road stops for road works enforced rests (up to 10mins a time) and we were there. Staying at the Rainforest Resort, which sounds fancier than it is but it's comfortable, clean AND they upgraded us. Great place!

I'm a bit tired from driving so it's a quiet, early night and then to Queenstown tomorrow. I should also add that during our planning for the trip we had decided to stay at Franz Josef so we could join a White Heron sanctuary tour tomorrow but didn't find out until after we had booked the accommodation that the tours have stopped running as the birds have flown. Did it the wrong way round didn't we.

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Photos

Marlborough Sounds
Kaireperepe Bay accommodation

Ditto
...and the boat shed

Comments

[Bruce Stephenson]

West Coast
Nice pics and notes. Nice pics Rob...keep 'em coming. Brewd Crew is reduced to two, but we'll cope.