Cook Islands and The End

So this is the final episode of the blog, what have I got so say? Well .. I picked up a shell on the beach today and carried it back to the cabin, very taxing, had to recover by putting up my feet and reading a book for a while. It feels like a holiday at the end of a holiday marathon. Raratonga in the Cook Islands has to be one of the most tranquil places on the planet, the pace of life is just a little faster than stop and, according to one of the locals, there is no unemployment and very little crime. Apparently they once had a bank robbery but in an Island which is 32 kilometres round the robbers had nowhere to hide - duuuh!.

The Cook Islands are scattered widely over the Pacific Ocean, the furthest is more than four hours away by plane - New Zealand is closer. It would be a wonderful experience to travel the Islands and that is what we have been musing about, perhaps one day...

However, intrepid as we are, we have travelled - we've been into the main town a couple of times, once in our hire car and again on the bus. There are two buses an hour during the day, one clockwise and one anti-clockwise. As there is only one main road and that just hugs the coast line round the Island, the bus doesn't deviate from this road. There are regular stops but those appear to be merely incidental as the bus can be flagged down to get on and off wherever you want. With a maximum speed limit of 50 km/h everywhere there is very little hustle and bustle and as people mainly use motor scooters, the roads are virtually empty, there are no traffic lights and only one roundabout, actually that is not totally accurate as down one of the side roads there is a stone to commemorate the first Christian preacher on the Island in 1823.  It is in the middle of this back road so I suppose you could call it a roundabout. The town itself is minute, just one main street which you can walk the length of in a few minutes. Yesterday we stopped and had a fruit smoothy (custard apple, banana, papaya and coconut milk - how exotic!). We stopped for a chat, as you do, and the woman who owned the cafe also painted pictures inspired by the Island, like a lot of things here they were going for a song, about £10 each and are a wonderful memory of this Island.

Further along we found a woman selling local fish and bought some 'Wahoo'. It was truly delicious and it only cost £4 but there was so much we couldn't eat it all in one sitting. We had been told by someone in NZ that you needed a fat wallet to come to Raratonga, that may be true if you want to spend your time in one of the Spas or out drinking (though I am not sure where you would go). Our experience is quite the opposite, live simply and it is inexpensive. We were having a moan about the internet being both difficult and expensive but when you consider you are on a remote Island in the middle of the Pacific, that is perhaps understandable.

One day we hired snorkels but as we can't keep out of the water, we have now bought our own. The lagoon is like swimming in an aquarium and even the fish seem friendly. The water is so warm it feels like being in a bath and doesn't evoke even the smallest intake of breath as you lower your shoulders into the water - wonderful.

Talking of friendly, It is not just the people and the fish, it is also the dogs. There is a local group of dogs on the beach, 'pack' doesn't seem the right word to accurately describe them. Anyway, I'm sure they are all locally owned and they meet up each day on the beach. Their purpose in life seems to be to accompany people on their walks along the sand and this happens all day. You see someone walking along accompanied by three or four dogs and then half an hour later someone else walking in the opposite direction again with the dogs strolling along too. If the person should leave the beach, the dogs just lie down to await the next exerciser and when they appear it's heads up, tails wag and off we go again. The dogs are friendly and just seem to like the company, they don't seem to be after anything, just a bit of fun.

We have some lovely neighbours from Canada, Charles and Valerie. The four of us booked to go on an evening of history, food and entertainment called Highland Paradise. We were collected from the end of our road in a mini bus by a real joker of a driver, after collecting others we arrived at the top of a mountain to an ancient spot which was once occupied by one of the early tribes on the Island. The story of the tribe who occupied this space was told through acting out one of the rituals of gift giving that the tribe would have followed. At that time there were apparently three opposing tribes and this group who felt the most under threat took to the mountain but in the end had the strongest position as they were able to defend their position more successfully.  Prior to Christiantiy coming to the Island the inhabitants practiced polygamy and also cannibalism believing that eating their enemies would enhance their strength. The land at the top of the mountain has only been partly cleared, a Marae (ancient temple)has been exposed and how this was used was explained. The stones were arranged in three layers, the King and his close advisers on the top, the next layer replicated the roles and status of our House of Lords and the lower the House of Commons. It was this King of the tribe at the top of the Island who first embraced Christianity and the other two tribes followed very quickly so within five years peace and harmony settled on the island. It is interesting the large part religion plays on the island. There is every denomination of Church you can think of represented from Jehovahs Witness through to Catholicism. The dance and culture of the islands is also evident and reflects their belief in God.

Prior to the meal, which was delicious, grace was said. After the meal there was a display of music and dance which was stirring stuff and through these mediums told the story of the devlelopment of the Cook Islands. The beating of the drums, is complex, we had an introduction to each of the drums the tones they make and how each one works with the next to achieve this overall sound which has melded into one vibrating, almost mesmerising, sound. Again there were the dancers with the grass skirts and hips which move in a way which must have been genetically programmed, my hips would never have been so fluid, and certainly are not now (had a brief wiggle in the privacy of the bathroom and it doesn't work!). The men were earthy and challenging in their dancing, very masculine and testosterone filled the air. A good evening for everyone.

One of the things that impressed us was that the whole evening was very much a family affair. Our bus driver was also one of the drummers, the master of ceremonies was also one of the actors in the early evening demonstration, it seems that everyone had at least one role in making the evening a success.

Our final time on the Island was spent just lazing on our deck, swimming in the clear warm waters, snorkling and feeling regretful that our time in paradise was coming to an end. This part of our time away really did feel like a holiday, we had the best weather in just about one of the best places on the planet. A perfect end to one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. 

We asked ourselves if this whole trip had been a life changing experience. I don't think that is the case. What it has done is make me appreciate all the things that I have, I hope that doesn't sound "Miss World candidate" trite. We have been to the most incredible places and been able to see these at times from a real position of privilege. Many people have expressed envy at the fact that we are British and able to live freely in a society where there is structure and organisation, clearly missing in some countries of Asia. Similarily we have met people who have travelled widely and appreciate going back to live in the peace and tranquility of their home country. We have met fellow travellers who are like us on an adventure, some who seemed to be troubled and trying to escape something and others simply on vacation. My view of life and people has always been quite positive and this has been reinforced by the dignity and integrity of the lovely people we have met across a wide spectrum of cultures.

Travelling with John (my editor and contributor to this blog, goodness knows how long it would have been without him) has been the most wonderful experience and just brilliant and we are still talking so must have been good for him too! Thanks to those who made contributions either on the blog or by E Mail it is good to know that our travels have given pleasure to you too. No piccys this time, going to bore you in person!

We just now want to get home to our friends and family, loved ones we have missed so much.
The End

Pictures of Paradise



John and the dance of the wiggly physics!

Our Paradise retreat

One for the girls !

Paradise, also called Raratonga

NB Photos on next blog if we can manage this, the internet here is difficult.

Today is 'Ground Hog Day' We are having the 8th March twice! Yesterday's 8th March was in Auckland and today's 8th March is in Rarotonga in the Cook islands. Last night we crossed the International Date Line so we have two Tuesdays, now how strange is that? The sad bit is that going back it will then cost us a day so we will completely lose a beautiful day in paradise.


Landing in the airport in Rarotonga was a surreal experience. Whilst waiting to go through passport control, which I have to say was somewhat cursory and just going through the motions, I could hear music in the background. When I got to the front of the queue where I could see the carousel with our luggage, I realised where the music was coming from. Stood in the middle of the carousel, on a sort of stage with all the luggage trundling around his feet, was a chap, aged in his sixties, I would guess, with a microphone, a straw hat decorated with flowers, hawiian shirt, playing the ukelele and singing a selection of 60s numbers! I learned later that he has been welcoming people on to the Island in this way for years. I should have been prepared for something odd and different. When we were on the plane, we were handed our entry forms which asked who we are and are we bringing anything dodgy into the country. Usually these are very starchy, formal documents. This one, however, had a formal bit which you tore off but the rest of the document was advertising fudge and a sarong you could tie a hundred different ways! (I have bought one, need to practice).

The airport is cosy and intimate (tiny) so we soon found the taxi sent to transport us to our villa. The first thing was a lay of frangipani and another heavenly flower was put around my neck and we were taken to our villa. We are so happy, the villa is perfect. I am sat on our verandah, just about four steps to the sand and another twenty to the lagoon. About 100 yards away across the lagoon is a coral reef where the waves break and crash in the distance and look impressive; a foaming white line tumbling against the reef. The water at our feet just gently laps the sand and is warm and so inviting. Between us and the water are a couple of fir trees and coconut palms, one of which bends down and lies across the sand, just like in the holiday brochure advertisements. We have sun beds, a couple of kayaks, wonderful views, sunshine, peace and quiet and we don't have to pack up and move every day. Could anything be more perfect?

This morning we met one of our neighbours, an Islander who lives just behind us. Her name is Liana and her two year old daughter is called Lady. We struck up a conversation whilst soaking in the water and later, while we had our lunch, she arrived back with a huge bowl full of pawpaw, star fruit, and bananas straight out of her garden - it just added to the perfection.

OK, now off to laze on a sun bed for a while and read my book! Aah yes!

Later: Having dusted off a bit of sand I'm ready to add a bit more to the blog.

We saw a notice in the local shop saying 'I'm no longer skinny dipping I'm chunky dunking' and that is just what I have been doing. The weather continues to be perfection so the sea is like a warm bath and the snorkling is wonderful. As it happens, the coral is not a lot to write home about but the variety of fish is superb. We have seen Angel fish, some stripy fish-shaped fish if you know what I mean, and some which look like a diamond shape cut in half. There are black ones, spotted ones and some with a line of spots along their back. In fact, there are all shapes and sizes and most of the colours of the rainbow. It is a magical kaleidoscope and all in water which is so shallow you could stand up anywhere.

There is a small island opposite our cabin, we have kayaked around to the far side of the Island and snorkeled there where the fish are more plentiful and just as entrancing. For the inexperienced at both kayaking and snorkeling, this has to be the perfect place because of the warm shallow water and everything being so close to the beach.

Even in Paradise we have to eat and we have bought all our provisions at the local shop, run by a Chinese guy from Shanghai who has been here 12 years. He calls John 'Uncle' and me 'Auntie' and makes comments on everything we buy. So far he hasn't disapproved of any of our purchases but then I don't suppose he would as he is selling them. He tell us he is going back to Shanghai next year, to see how the building of his house is coming along. He really has adopted us as his uncle and aunt and has invited us to visit his home ( I have a funny feeling he invites everyone!)

You may be aware that floods, earthquakes and cyclones have followed us where ever we have gone and last night, true to form, we had another extreme weather condition to add to our experience. We were in bed, just after midnight, when the phone went. It was Ina, the manager of the cabins, telling us there had been a major earthquake in Japan and official warnings were out that a Tsunami would hit our shores at 6.30 in the morning. We were to switch on the radio and listen to the news and follow the instructions to get to high ground if necessary. Thinking back, we had seen signs along the road saying 'Tsunami evacuation route' but had not taken a lot of notice. All of a sudden, living on the beach, these became very interesting. So, following instructions, we listened to the news which told us that the quake in Japan was over 8 points on the richter scale - a really big one. We looked at where Japan is on our map and John worked out how far it is, a considerable distance that allayed our fears somewhat. Needless to say we did not get a lot of sleep, John kept setting the alarm to wake up and catch the latest news. Fortunately 6.30 came and went and brought no Tsunami. Not a night I want to repeat.

We have hired a car for a couple of days and have been buzzing around the Island. It is only 32km round and the road is primarily just around the perimeter. We have hired an MP3 player with a map of Rarotonga and the major sights are explained on the audio. It really is a good way to see the Island completely at ones own pace, it is quite informative and good fun finding all the named places.
Tomorrow we are off to the market which is the high spot of Island life and, of course, we will let you know what this is like.
Later: Well the Market is just what you imagine a market was like in England tens of years ago. Most of the shops shut as they know everyone is going to the market and shop traders, so as not to lose business, will take a stall in the market too. There was everything from the humble vegetable stall to the most intricate handicrafts. There were cooked goods and stalls selling snacks. It seems to be a regular Saturday social event for the islanders and many attend to meet up with their friends, catch up on news and eat together. We had been told about a local speciality called Poki which is commonly banana or can be another fruit, we also saw papaya, which has been cooked with starch, probably taro and is coated in coconut cream. To look at, it is rather off putting as the banana turns dark brown with being cooked but the taste is delicious, all sweet, gooey and rich - so only in small doses then.

I am saving the best bit until last! In the centre of the market is a raised covered area like a bandstand and on this 'stage' was a master of ceremonies who, in the early part of the morning, was encouraging everyone to sample the wares of all the stalls. We were just about to leave when on the stage came a group of musicians with the drums and ukeleles which are traditional to the Islands and with them came some dancers from one of the northern Islands called Puka Puka. They were all in traditional costume; the women with coconut shell bras and grass skirts with what can only be called a bussle of leaves and feathers, the men were equally exotically dressed with grass skirts and grass garters around their legs and elaborate head dresses. They performed some of the Puka Puka traditional dances. Both the women and the men were amazingly sexy and all the audience were getting hot under the collar, the women being the most vocal in their appreciation of the male dancers.

Now the best bit, guess who was dragged up to dance with one of these sexy ladies, yes, you have guessed it John. He dragged his heels for split second but what man could resist the sight of those wiggly hips wiggling in his direction, certainly not JP who claims that his examination of his partners coconuts was purely to do with the physics regarding how they managed to stay in place. I share with you the photographic evidence of this event.

Farewell New Zealand

I have read that there are 40 million sheep in NZ and I think we have seen at least 20 million of them. A few hundred were being herded down the road by a chap in a pickup and two dogs, we just had to sit and wait until the whole lot had gone past. There must be about 20 million cows too and I reckon we have seen about a million of them. They all look well fed and rounded not like the bony cows we have at home. I am always going to buy Anchor Butter from now on because I am sure the milk comes from contented cows .... now where have I heard that before?

This will be the last blog from NZ. I am sat in our final campsite typing this blog and the situation could not be better. If I look to my right there is a mountain falling down to the sea, further round just over my left shoulder is the town of Akaroa, which is delightful, the town runs along the foreshore and there are quaint little houses and shops, mostly selling souvenirs or local arts and crafts. Rising up behind the foreshore is the hillside which is peppered with the dearest little houses all snuggled in amongst trees, bushes and plants, it reminds me a little of some of the seaside villages in Cornwall but on a larger and more dramatic scale.At my feet are the campsite resident ducks and sparrows. We made the mistake of feeding them some bread so it is going to be impossible to get rid of them until some other camper decides they want to have them as their friends.

We've had an interesting few days, the weather has been changeable, today being the best but still with a sharp wind. Travelling to here we have been through some of the most dramatic scenery, made so by a heavy rain fall the other night which fell as snow on the mountains - so they are now capped with glowing white snow in the sunshine. I think this will be one of my abiding memories of NZ.

John had a quick motor fix on the journey, we stopped in a place called Geraldine where they have a motor and tractor museum. For such a small place they had an amazing number of exhibits. Someone must have put in a deal of money into the project as there were numerous outbuildings all stuffed full of tractors, farming equipment of all kinds, some of it very old. I would imagine it would be of interest to film makers and enthusiasts of farming equipment. In amongst the cars was a Daimler Dart, the sight of which brought a wistful look in John's eye.

We stayed at a campsite where another couple had been on a bit of an epic journey too. It was interesting hearing about their route and what they had been up to. It gave us a couple of ideas for perhaps another journey. However, we won't be like another chap who was busily loading up his bike which he had cycled from England. He had been away 18 months, this did not give me ideas for another epic journey!

It is strange how people say things which strike a chord. It was said by one of our new friends that NZ was too organised and it did not present enough challenge to the visitor. I think that part of the excitement of the journey of ours has been the challenges presented at times, in Asia especially. There is something exciting about living, eating, finding your way around and just being in a place where you have to explore a bit.

In NZ one feels this is all done for you. On the one hand that's great and if I was going to live permanently anywhere it would be here but as a visitor it is, perhaps, a bit too easy and there is little left to your own resources. I expect that is the attraction for some but not for us seasoned adventurers ...

There is no doubt that NZ has the most stunning dramatic scenery of anywhere I have been, it also has the friendliest people. Initially, it takes you aback a bit when you go to the checkout in the supermarket and the woman asks if you are having a good day and what have you been doing. After a while it becomes what you expect and it is really nice as it feels as if the person is interested in you as an individual. NZ is hyper organised and feels quite English, it is a place where you can immediately feel at home and we certainly did.

Tomorrow we are off to The Cook Islands for a holiday before we come home. I don't know what the internet availability is going to be there so there may be a delay before the final chapter or chapters of the 'GreatAdventure' reach you.

Just a quick post script. Felt an aftershock last night, the van moved while we were in bed, not the earth!!! No photos today as posting this at the airport.

From Dunedin, the route was quite enchanting with the most wonderful beaches around just about every corner. It was a drive where you keep stopping to take a photo of another enticing view laid out before you. However, this scenic route was twisty, winding and narrow. So imagine my horror, when I was driving, being confronted on a tight bend by a car with flashing lights and a sign on the roof saying "WIDE LOAD FOLLOWING". I was signalled to stop and pull over to the side of the road. No big deal in many ways but when you are driving something the size of a lorry it is just a little daunting to be directed into a hedge! Then along the road came a truck with a complete house on the back. This was not the first time we had seen this, in fact the other one was a two storey house which had been sawn in half and was on two trucks. The similarity was that they were not new houses but ones which must have been lived in for some time in one place before being moved lock, stock and barrel to another location. Both houses still had the net curtains at the windows and I could see the taste in wallpaper (not good) in this last one. You have to take your hat off to the chaps doing the moving, it was a slick operation and something to behold.
Our first stop after Dunedin was in Moeraki, the prettiest little fishing village I have seen. It was once a busy fishing port but now there are only a few boats which regularly go out. There is a restaurant in the village which has the reputation for being the best fish restaurant in NZ. Had we known about it beforehand we would have booked but without a reservation we could only imagine what we had missed. The campsite was interesting, it was the first time we'd had to park on an uneven pitch and I didn't realise how important it is to be level until I found my feet and legs hanging out of the end of the bed! This could have had something to do with the hospitality of our neighbours who plied John with beer while I had G&T.

After Moeraki, we made our way a little up the coast to 'The Boulders'. These were incredible, it felt like a cross between Stonehenge and Gormley's 'Another Place' where there are the statues of himself set out on Crosby beach. The Boulders are a group of round rocks collected together in one place on the beach, that vary in size from large beach ball to at least 6ft high and 20ft round. Several have split open so you are able to see that inside they are a collection of uneven rocks glued together with quartz and then rolled in something like cement to give a nice smooth coating. They were intriguing and evoked a feeling of wanting to find out how they were formed.

Having followed the coast along through more mouth-watering scenery we then decided to turn inland, heading for Mount Cook. We happened across a shop displaying a notice saying Fossil Museum. Too good to miss, I thought, they will know the answer to boulders and ... well ... it seems they were formed 4 or 5 million years ago on the sea bed. This was just about as much as we got but if you too are interested there is a full explanation on Wikipedia. This small museum was, in fact, quite interesting and the curator took quite a shine to John, I looked around while she gazed at him adoringly and told him every detail of every rock and fossil in the place. John was oblivious to her desires!

We moved on (eventually) and the journey inland took us alongside the oldest man-made lake and dam in NZ. The Waitaki Dam holds back a huge amount of water which is the most unlikely blue colour. It looks as if a huge pot of original Parker coloured ink has been spilt into the water and coloured it. The overspill from the Dam was impressive to watch as torrents of water surged down the spillway casting spray into the air all around - an amazing sight. We then travelled beside the lake to the next dam, Aviemore, which we actually drove across and followed the narrow road along the far side of that lake, through pine forests and by small beaches leading down to this incredibly blue water. At the top of Lake Aviemore we crossed back across the Ben More dam, which in turn holds back the largest man-made lake in NZ. It seems there are, in fact, eight hydro-electric dams on this one river. One of the information centres told us that NZ gets all its power from natural resources and, looking at these dams and the power of the water flowing through, it was easy to see how.

We were keen to visit Mount Cook and had great plans for what to do when we got there, which included the blue lakes and the Tasman Glacier, the largest in the country. Our plans, however, were thwarted by our first day of rain for ages and it just tumbled down. We resorted to just going round the Sir Edmund Hillary exploration centre which was surprisingly interesting. We saw an exhibition of Sir Ed's achievements and then watched a 3D film of Mount Cook, which was so very well done that I feel I really have climbed the mountain. I have to say, though, the best bit of the day was the journey there and back. Despite the bad weather, the views of the snow capped mountains was just magical. Every so often the sun would break through and highlight a peak or a mountainside or a glacier just hanging there and it left you breathless. To say the mountains are majestic sounds a cliche but indeed that is what they are.


We are nearing the end of our time in NZ, just a few more days to go before we leave. The next blog will be the last from NZ, I can't believe it is that time already.

Dunedin and the South

Having left our friends at the airport it all felt a bit flat, we had become accustomed to a lot of chatter in the van but now it felt very quiet. We knew we wanted to go to Invercargill so we set off in that direction. We took the road to Te Anau which by now was reasonably familiar as we had travelled that way to go to Milford Sound, it was only once past the Te Anau turn off that we were in unchartered territory. We decided to find ourselves a campsite for the night and make our plans from there. It was very strange cooking supper for two when cooking for five had been the norm, we ate heartily as the quantity definitely was not two fifths of what I was accustomed to cooking!

Invercargill is very much a port town with a long history of seafaring, whaling, oyster fishing and in recent years container shipping. From there we went south down a peninsula to the town Bluff, the oldest European settlement in NZ, where we visited the maritime museum which chronicled the maritime history of the town and area. There was even an old fishing boat which you could go on to see how the crew lived worked and ate; not the most comfortable of vessels. The town of Bluff has a hill called "the Bluff" which overlooks the town and the surrounding area all the way back to Invercargill. It was a murky day so visibility was poor however the tower had a description of what you could see and it also had how an interpretation of the Maori names for the landmarks. One thing that has been impressive where ever we have been in NZ is the quality of the visitor attractions, even the simplest of places have been well thought out and arranged to best effect.

We have now stood on the Lands End of NZ, a place called Sterling Point at the southern tip of the Bluff peninsula from where the next stop south is the Antartic, less than 5000km to the pole. It was blowing a gale and the midges were out in force so we didn't hang around. We did stand still long enough for a passerby to take our photo stood under the sign saying "London 18958kms" and giving the distances for other major landmarks in the world.

After Bluff, we stopped for lunch at Oreti beach which was deserted except for some hardy surfers being towed out to sea by a jet ski. It was cold and overcast so it was not surprising that the beach was empty but it was easy to imagine that on a fine day the miles of golden sand would be a very popular place to be.

Having dawdled around Invercargill we didn't make many miles to Curio Bay for our overnight stop. On arrival we found it to be famous for several unusual things. Firstly it is one of the few places in the world where the sea has uncovered an ancient forest. On the shore it is possible to walk amongst fossilised trees from 170 million years ago. It is incredible that it is easy to make out the tree stumps, the fallen trunks and to imagine them growing in that place. Secondly it is also home to the rare "Yellow Eyed" penguin which makes its nest amongst the shrubs on the hillside and returns from fishing trips in the evening with food for chicks. We went to see them in the early evening but with no joy and we got thoroughly chilled for our trouble. After a fortifying G&T and a hot bowl of risotto we set forth again and this time were fortunate enough to see a couple of them toddling over the rocks to tend to their young. By this time it was wet as well as cold so we retreated to our cosy coccoon which was snug and warm. Finally, the bay is known as a haunt of "Hector's" dolphins. That evening we only saw a sealion playing in the surf. However, the following morning we were lucky to catch sight of a small pod of 3 or 4 of them quite close in shore. This area is a wildlife haven with strong geological and scientific interest, it is also a joy for the observer.


Our next phase of our journey took us in a northerly direction and we were able to meander off the main road to see various attractions on the way. Perhaps the most amusing (as people kept telling us) were the Niagara Falls. Strangely enough, these were in a place called Niagara which was a hamlet of a couple of houses, a three legged horse and a broken truck (not really but I am sure you get the picture). The falls were sign posted from the road so we parked the van and walked up. We were waiting for the sound of rushing water as the sign said they were only 100 metres away. The falls were actually a few stones in a stream over which the water flowed, falling about 12 inches. We were having a giggle at this when two trucks drew up. Both drivers stopped and said exactly the same thing "the chap who named that had a sense of humour" - we had to agree.

These were not the only falls we saw that day. The McLean Falls were quite spectacular as was the walk to reach them. The path had been created primarily by a local high school with help from the Lottery fund. Like everything else in NZ it had been accomplished to an incredibly high standard. We walked through forest which almost consumed you with its trailing plants, mossy branches like enormous fingers ready to grab you at every turn. It was a beautiful day and the sun had to struggle to give a bit of light through the dense vegetation. I was pleased we were there during the day because at night it would be really spooky and a bit scarey. It was quite a walk to reach the falls and to get to the top was a bit of a climb but well worth it as they were quite magnificent.

Further along the coast road there were loads of places to stop to take photos as the views were stupendous. There was a vantage point  called "Florence Lookout" which was fabulous, the point jutted out into the sea and miles of empty golden sand and clear blue sea framed the land around, quite lovely and a great place to have lunch, so we did. We made several stops along the way, where we saw a beautiful lake, heard wonderful bird song so clear and musical (probably Bell Birds but we were not sure), and rolling hills which reminded us of the Sussex downs, and sheep by the million ( I am not joking when I say that ).

That night the stop was in Dunedin, a much bigger town than I had thought. We met some lovely Americans who were also touring NZ and were really friendly and very welcoming, a nice evening was spent chatting to them. John was keen to go on the Taieri Gorge Railway, apparently one of the great rail journeys of the world so it was a must while here. It was also nice to have a couple of nights in one place to catch up on a few domestic things ( eg this blog). We had the morning looking round Dunedin and took the train in the afternoon for the four hour round trip along the Taieri Gorge.


What a journey it was. The first part is along the main line but after 15 kms it branches off on to the private line. When the line was closed in 1989, Dunedin city bought the bit through the Gorge. They then raised $1.2million by public subscription to restore it to commercial standard. The money was spent renovating the track and the rolling stock, and the line reopened as a tourist attraction. It has been a great success, not only because it is an incredible journey but also because of the feats of engineering necessary to make it possible, evident to even the untrained eye. We have done several train journeys on our trip but this one has to be the most dramatic and scenic of them all. The line follows a deep deep gorge most of the way, the track climbing ever higher, hugging the rugged cliffs along the side of the gorge that towered in front of us nearly all the way. It was dramatic, beautiful and awe inspiring in the execution of such a railway line. It was an incredible experience.

Before leaving Dunedin we wanted to visit Larnach Castle (the only castle in NZ) and the Albatross reserve, both of which are on the Otago Peninsula. We had thought that Dunedin would hold few further surprises for us in terms of scenery but we were so wrong. The drive round to Larnach Castle was just brilliant and the views were to die for. We could fully understand why William Larnach had chosen this spot to build his castle as it was magical. He had married an heiress which I am sure must have assisted him in the purchase and building of the property.  He was a banker and probably well off in his own right but it must have cost a fortune to build this wonderful house. To call it a castle is a bit of a stretch of the imagination but the castellation along the roof line certainly gives the appearance of a castle. Inside it is quite cosy for a large house with all mod cons; eg bathrooms and inside lavatory. It was certainly grand and was presented in a clever way, telling you the history of the building and the Larnach family as you went around the house. The present owners rescued the building in the early 60s and have done an amazing job of restoration to both the house and the garden, it was well worth a visit.

We followed this up with a visit to the only mainland based Albatross colony in the world. All the others are apparently on islands. There is a mystical quality about these birds probably due to the 'Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner'. Neither John or I had ever seen an Albatross and I do believe that unless you are a fisherman at sea, when I suppose they are a common sight, they are a rarely seen over land. We were therefore privileged to visit this colony where the birds are monitored and protected but also left to their own devices and not disturbed by the general public. We saw Albatross in flight soaring above the nesting sites, the size of the bird is just incredible with a wing span of around 9 or 10ft fully grown and it weighs about 10kg, the weight of a generous Christmas turkey. We also saw a couple of birds sat on nests where they either had a chick or were hatching an egg and then, just to add to the excitement, a couple of Albatross chicks. Like other attractions in NZ it was all wonderfully organised with a knowledgeable guide who was able to not only give us an understanding and insight into the life of an Abatross but also draw us into the magic and mythology of the bird and of our visit.

It was with great regret that we left Dunedin behind as we had thoroughly enjoyed our time there and felt there was much more to see...
perhaps next time!

Fiordland West Coast

This was a day I had been looking forward to. I'd never seen a glacier so I was quite excited. Jackie has often been skiing and Kath and Syd live near the Pyrenees so for them it was not quite such an adventure but for John and I ... we were glacier virgins and so set off in great excitement.
If you were to ask some people to name two glaciers they would name the Franz Joseph and Fox glaciers in New Zealand, these are two of the largest glaciers in the world and most visited because of their accessibility. The closest glacier to us was the Franz Joseph so this was our starting point. From the parking spot it was an hour's round trip walk to the glacier face so John and I set off to do the walk. The wind was in our faces blowing cold air towards us and it was getting rather damp. It was not possible to walk right up to the foot of the glacier as this is roped off due to the danger of ice falls. We went nearly to the end and it was an amazing feeling seeing this huge amount of ice slowly crawling down between the mountains. The glacier has significantly reduced over the years. On the road up to the glacier there are marker posts showing where the glacier was in 1935 then in the 70's, the distance from the 1930s marker to where the glacier is today must be at least a mile so it is concerning just how much this has reduced. Walking back to the car park was somewhat easier as the wind was behind us and the chill was out the air. We made it back just in time before the rain set in and it continued for the rest of the day.

After lunch we went to the Fox glacier and for those who have read this blog before they will not be surprised to know that for the second time this trip the pink poncho came into its own. It was the first time our travelling companions had seen this amazing item of clothing and their faces were a picture of undisguised envy - well, that is the way I interpreted it!





Fox glacier is in a more dramatic situation that Franz Joseph. Running alongside the cliff face as you approach the glacier is a stream which carries clumps of ice which have broken off from the glacier face. these look like huge ice cubes you could put into a giant's Gin and Tonic and are the coldest blue you have ever seen. John and I set off for the face of the glacier along with quite a few others. Some were in groups and were clearly going for a more adventures trip than we were. They were all clad in matching waterproof outfits (in rather dull colours I thought, not a single pink amongst them) and carrying back packs, some with ice picks. John and I had considered signing up for one of these walks but had thankfully decided against it as they all looked fit, young, determined and sartorially challenged - not our look at all.

There is something magical and mysterious about both these glaciers. To imagine that they are moving rivers of water forcing and squeezing their way down the valley where water should be flowing with such force that they can carve horizontal lines in the rock face is quite mind blowing. Definitely an experience not to be missed.

Our next stop on the journey was at Haast. On odd little township in the middle of nowhere, named after the chap who had named the glacier after Emperor Franz Joseph! Because of its isolation we had phoned ahead for the camp site and our first impression was not great, which was then confirmed when we arrived. The manager, lacking a certain charm, had been very clear that those staying in the cabins, Kath, Syd and Jackie, should not share their resources with those in the campervans, John and I. Jackie was suffering with a cold so had booked into the cabin too. At bed time she could not find pillows and towels so had come to to the van to collect hers to use. She was spotted carrying her bedding and the next morning was cross-examined by the manager who had clearly been spying all night for any infringements. All very strange.


Our journey the following day was to Queenstown and what a journey that was. The scenery here is amazing and there was one part of the road where the peaks on either side of the road were so covered in trees they looked like enormous heads of broccoli on an enormous green grocers stall. It was impossible to see through them they were so tightly clustered together. We went over rivers where the water was crystal clear and like glass it looked so cold. The road wound alongside great gorges where trees had lost their grip and slid down leaving a swathe of exposed earth which looked barren and as if nothing would ever grow there again, but I am sure it will. Generally, fields are full of either cows or sheep but, surprisingly, we also saw a great many deer being farmed for venison which seems to be a recent departure for some farmers. NZ is never boring, there is always something to see and it is always bigger and better than what has gone before.

Queenstown is amazing, it is like a huge bowl in the kink of Lake Wakatipu, with houses studded around the mountain side and everyone seems to have a magnificent view. We had decided to stay here a couple of days to enable us to stock up and book our trip to Milford Sound. It was while here that we heard of the dreadful earthquake in Christchurch, needless to say the TV coverage has been about little else and we all felt so concerned and worried not only for the poor people of Christchurch who were dealing with this disaster but for our family and friends who were going to be anxious about our safety. So emails were flying everywhere to reassure our loved ones.

John and I decided to take a trip on the cable car up to the summit of the mountain behind us. It was incredible, not as good as the sky train in Cairns but equally scarey for it is a near vertical ascent. For those who are unaware, Queenstown is the home of extreme sports in NZ. At the top of the mountain just about every extreme sport was available. There was paragliding, bungee jumping, luge (on concrete, not nice) and drinking their over-sweet hot chocolate. In the afternoon, Jackie, Kath and I went into town to do shopping and booked our trip to Milford Sound. We decided to do the whole thing; the longer boat journey with barbecue lunch and then a trip to the Discovery Centre. There is very little accommodation in Milford so we also booked into a place called Knobs Flat (about an hour or so from Milford) for two nights.

The journey to Knobs Flat gave us more of the most splendid scenery. This time there were more rivers which again looked wonderful but very very cold. We stopped at Mirror Lakes, where the water was crystal clear and so still, it reflected the mountains and woodland in the mirror-like water; we drove alongside the longest lakes which make the Lake district in England look like a series of small ponds, we were all seduced by the wonder of it all. As we approached Knobs Flats, we were initially dismayed by the look of the accommodation however, on closer acquaintance, the cabin was just lovely and had everything you could want and we were able to park the camper van very near so we were fine too. There was also a 'Bush Bath', two old enamel baths served by a gas boiler and hotwater cylinder, out in the open but screened discreet foliage. We didn't try it out but a young couple did, we think but we couldn't quite see...

The site was run by a rather eccentric chap who was keen to keep everything as close to nature as possible. He had just heard that the local council wanted to put up a permanently illuminated warning sign by the roadside and he was furious about it. So he disappeared off to town to take them to task, I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up winning.

After a comfortable overnight stay we headed off to Milford Sound. To get there the road ascends a long valley and for the last bit you have to go through a really long tunnel which is only one way and very roughly hewn out of the rock. We had been told to stop immediately on exiting the tunnel as there is a layby just there which affords the most remarkable view and this proved to be so true. In the far distance there were snow topped mountains and in the near distance there were valleys and sheer rock faces rising into the sky. Spread out at our feet was the view of the twisty winding road we had to traverse to continue on our way, it was both breath-taking and rather daunting at the same time.

We had been blessed with wonderful weather, it was crisp, clear and the sun was shining. On boarding the boat we were looking forward to magnificent views and we were not disappointed. To try to describe Milford Sound will not do it justice. The cliff faces soar into the air with small waterfalls tumbling down the rocks every few yards, or so it seems. There are also several large falls which the captain of the boat very cleverly steered the boat right in to, soaking a party of school children in the bow as he did so. We were on the top deck and got a good drenching from the spray too. We travelled the whole length of the Sound emerging into the Tasman sea where we were able to see just how disguised and small the entrace to Milford Sound is and why Captain Cook did not see that there was an entrance from the sea and the wonders beyond. It was a Welsh captain called Grono whose ship was driven by a storm, onto the rocks as he thought but he just happened to strike lucky and popped through the entrance into the beautiful shelter. He named it Milford Haven, only much later was it renamed a Sound.

We stopped at the Milford Sound Discovery Centre where you could go down to an observation platform about ten metres below the surface to see the fish and coral life of the sound. As Milford Sound is fed by many fresh water rivers and yet opens out to the sea, it consists of two layers of water, the top being fresh water and the bottom salt. This combination supports a diverse range of marine life and plants which we were able to see in the comfort of the centre. This was for me an experience not to be missed. We were also fortunate that both on the boat and in the centre we had knowledgable and entertaining guides who kept us informed and interested in what we were seeing. If you go to NZ, Milford Sound is a 'must do'.

On the way back from Knobs Flat we stopped at a charming lakeside town called  Te Anau. We pulled up by the lakeside for lunch and spent a very pleasant hour watching the boats and a seaplane coming and going. The town is well known as the gateway to Fiordland and Milford in particular.


Sadly our time with our chums was coming to an end so it was back to Queenstown as they had planes to catch to leave NZ. As a last 'adventure' together we spent a couple of hours in the old gold prospecting Arrowtown. We had an hour of (unsuccessful!) panning for gold in the river before an early lunch and then off to the airport. We have had such an amazing time together and I hope they enjoyed the experience as much as we have. We are now just the two of us for the coming week so lets see what adventures we can get up to in the rest of NZ.