5 days until we are on our way to Hong Kong. Just attacking the packing. More soon!
Got email from Cathay Pacific yesterday to say our 1715 flight to Hong Kong had been cancelled but they had rebooked us on the 22.05. We were advised by Trailfinders to stick with our early coach from Cambridge and take food and drink with us because of the bad weather. We actually had a great journey scoffing Kit Kats, sandwiches, crisps and Cola. Went to check in and found we were not sitting together on the flight and one of us was right behind the toilets. Had a grizzle to the check in agent but to no avail She is going to try to persuade a single person to change seats when they check in, so we can sit together. However we will not know until we reach the departure gate.
Update! A kind gentleman swapped seats so we were sitting together behind the toilet. In fact the seats were great with stacks of legroom and no one putting their seat back into our space. Had to sit on runway for a while whilst they defrosted the ice from the wings. Finally took off about 23:00. So a long day of travelling and waiting around is over!
Having eaten at LHR airport on Friday evening, when we finally took off at 23:00 and were offered dinner and wine on the plane about midnight we were too tired to eat it! Uneventful trip. We both managed to grab some sleep and I watched Paddington 2 for some light relief. After breakfast at 04:30am we landed at HK about 06:30. Weather very overcast but temperature 25C! Had taxi to Hotel Jen on the island, which took about 40 minutes passing lots of docks and high rise buildings. Hotel very nice with pool on 28th floor overlooking the harbour. Too tired to venture out so went to Malacca restaurant at hotel. There was a raucous Lo Hei Chinese New Year in full swing so we were seated in the quieter Hibiscus room instead. I had a vegetable curry and Bernard had a Malaysian dish - both authentic local tastes. Now going to bed at 2245. 8 hours ahead of UK. A good night’s sleep will set us up for sight seeing tomorrow, and hopefully some photos.
Leisurely start to day with breakfast at the hotel. I opted for vegetable noodles and dim sum and Bernard had a Full English( Hong Kong style). Then got hotel courtesy bus to the Peak Tram depot. Long queues - if we had remembered to buy an Octopus Travel card Earlier we could have missed the queues! Lovely tram funicular ride to the Peak which would normally have fantastic views over Hong Kong and the harbour but shrouded in fog! Still worth the trip. Then went in search of the longest escalator in the world. Bit disappointing as actually a series of escalators up and stairs all the way down. Gave access to a really eclectic mix of shops. We got off halfway up and went to have a cuppa in a M and S food store. ( very adventurous!)
We wandered around a little more, taking in the Man Mo Temple and bought our Octopus Card and caught the MTR (tube) back to the hotel. Incredibly cheap 18pence for a few stops. After a rest break at the hotel, we ventured out to cross to the mainland on the Star Ferry to see the Symphony of Light show where many of the Island skyscrapers are lit up and there was a laser show. We stopped to have a meal in a very nice Chinese restaurant that overlooked the harbour first. Most Chinese seem to share lots of dishes and drink tea with their meals. Then watched the Light show that was quite disappointing. However the skyline on its own was fantastic. Came back on the MTR and had a drink in the bar then made our weary way up to bed!
Decided to visit Golden Bahinia Square in the morning. Very hard to reach as mega construction work everywhere. We discovered that the HK government is building a new MTR rail line under the harbour from the mainland to HK island. After finding the Square we caught the MTR to Fortress Hill to meet friends Helen and Mark for lunch after they had flown in from Sydney in the early morning. Interesting Cali-Mex restaurant where you could pour your own beer. They had just returned from a New Zealand trip and gave us lots of useful pointers.Went up to their hotel room to freshen up. They were on the 27th floor and had the most fantastic view of Victoria Harbour from full length windows in their sitting room and bedroom. Could spend all day watching the activity in the harbour.
They decided to join us on trying out the old tram system that runs mainly East to West along the top of the island. We had to alight at Happy Valley race course which is a green haven amongst the sky scrapers. We decided to get the Star Ferry over to Kowloon on the mainland. We visited the 1881 Heritage Centre then caught the MTR to Mongkok which is the main shopping area for tourists. Streets dedicated to selling one item eg trainers and the Ladies Market which is a large street market aimed at tourists. We were flagging by this stage and stopped for refreshments, then caught the MTR back to the island and said our goodbyes.
Bernard and I caught the end of Happy Hour at the hotel and settled for a bar snack as we were too tired to venture out again,and had to pack ready to check out tomorrow.
Packed up and checked out. We discovered last night that there is a new MTR train line under The Peak, to Southern Horizons which is a huge new development on the south coast of the Island, and that we could get to Aberdeen on it, instead of a bus.
Aberdeen Harbour is a Monsoon Shelter for boats and was based on Aberdeen Scotland, although it is hard to see any similarity. Now surrounded by skyscrapers and with expensive boats sharing the harbour. There were old sampans and fishing vessels and a stroll along the quayside showed that fishing hauls are stil landed there. We were going to have lunch on the largest floating restaurant in the world which is moored just along from the quayside but we had too much time to kill as we wanted to have a late lunch before heading for the airport. So we strolled back and caught the train back to our hotel stop.We then had a wander around Hong Kong University which includes some fine colonial buildings. We then search for a Chinese restaurant in Queens Road near our hotel but couldn’t locate it so went to a westernised restaurant instead (charged £6 for a bottle of water!) before going back to the hotel to change. Had a very chatty Chinese limo driver on way to airport. He was born in Tunbridge Wells and his English was excellent. Exact opposite of the very old Chinese man who brought us from the airport to the hotel. He didn’t utter a word and Bernard thought he saw him take his teeth out and wrap them up!
Checked in and waiting for flight now...........
Overnight flight leaving HK at 2130 and arriving 1330 local time next day (5 hours in front of HK time). We didn’t sleep so well on this trip but we caught up on our film viewing. I watched “3 billboards outside Ebbing Missouri” and Bernard watched the comedic “Death of Stalin”.We had been warned about the strict environmental checks when entering NZ and I had removed coffee, spices,sauces, teabags that I had packed for the motor home. We sailed through passport control and the environment checks as there were not too many flights landing either - fastest checkin we have ever had at an International airport! Caught the Skybus immediately that stopped right outside our hotel. Hotel Scenic is not in the most tasteful area but is an Art Deco conservation building. Temperature was 24C so we changed back into lighter clothes.
Auckland is the capital of NZ and known as the City of Sails. Very similar to most large city centre areas. We walked down to the main Harbour, saw the Skylon Tower and stopped for a beer watching all the ferries. Both very jet lagged. Found the main harbour area buzzing with restaurants but felt we couldn’t do them justice so found a small restaurant for a snack. Came back to hotel and ready for bed! Have suite with separate sitting room and fully equipped kitchen. Pity we won’t have time to enjoy the amenities. Tackling more sightseeing tomorrow!
We had seen most of the shops yesterday on our walk down Queen Street to the harbour. There were a few department stores reminiscent of ours about 20 years ago. Many single storey houses in suburbs also looked very dated. Yesterday Bernard also watched the end of the fourth ODI cricket match which NZ won. So the last match on Saturday should be good.
Today the hotel concierge recommended the War Museum and as it was threatening rain we thought this was our best option for the day. We walked to the museum which is in the Domain- a huge public area with lovely gardens. It was a long walk but worth it. The Domain had been host to a vast parade of NZ and Pacific Islands soldiers going off to WW1. Only about half of the Maori Regiment came back unscathed.
The museum really consisted of five museums but we spent most of our time in the War Museum. Interesting to see the NZ perspective on WW1 and WW2. We didn’t know that it was actually a NZ Airforce Officer that directed The Battle of Britain. They had a full size Spitfire in the museum.
We also visited the Maori museum and the Natural History museum and saw the native birds including the Kiwi and the Kakapo which is nearly extinct. We then sat through a show about volcanoes and earthquakes complete with sound and sensory effects. It was not very reassuring to know the whole of NZ is actually a string of volcanoes!!!!
Walked back to hotel and caught Skybus to airport. Nice Air New Zealand flight to Christchurch and we passed over the Charlotte Sound between North and South Islands and the mountain range that forms the backbone of South Island. Only about an hour’s flight but we were served a lovely Sauvignon Blanc ( beer for B) with a minute cheese and biscuits platter.
Got taxi to Towers on the Park motel which is right on the edge of lovely Hagley Gardens and importantly only 6 minutes from the Cricket Ground. No restaurant but we have a kitchen so after having a nice Thai curry at a local restaurant that Bernard had researched, we bought some breakfast items and came back to the motel. Seem to be back into our routine now having both had a jet leg moment whilst waiting for the plane earlier.
Had breakfast at motel and then strolled across Hagley Park into Christchurch centre. The park is beautiful and includes a wonderful Botanic Garden. They have punts on the River Avon - talk about deja vu for a Cambridge resident!
We followed the tram line around the compact city centre hoping to find the shops that are now held in lorry containers since the earthquake. We saw the cathedralo that was badly damaged and needs to be demolished. However, they have now decided to restore it to its original state. Whilst in Cathedral Square we were approached by a Christchurch volunteer guide who explained much about the earthquake. Her own house was slightly damaged but was then devastated by liquefaction which is when all the sand and sludge gets liquified and pushes up through any available space. Many people were without running water and electricity for weeks after the quake. She told us to visit the Quake museum which was an eye opener and we sat through a sample earthquake! Apparently the container shops had closed the week before as they now had new premises. The Victoria Park had reopened that day after being reconstructed so we were lucky to see that.
We saw the cardboard Cathedral that actually holds 700 people and will be used until the new Cathedral is rebuilt. We also saw the 185 white chairs that are a memorial to the 185 people who died - mainly from one business building.
We went home and freshened up then walked back into town to The Trenches which was a RSA sponsored restaurant ( Returned Services Association similar to our British Legion). We had a lovely meal - scrumptious prawns for me and a steak for Bernard, then strolled to see the Festival of Lanterns on the river. We were going to have some beers by the river but it was full of young people with no oldies in sight, so we went back to the hotel to get ready for the cricket tomorrow!
This morning dawned bright and clear with a few fluffy white clouds as we prepared for our day at the Hagley Oval to watch NZ play England in the 5th and deciding one day International. Although not very patriotic we were pleased that NZ had won the 4th ODI to level the series, and to provide us with a game with the series win to play for.
Google said it was a six minute walk from our hotel to the ground but it was more like 15! We joined a long Q to get in and found a spot on the grass embankment in good time for the start of the game. NZ batted first but England’s bowlers were soon on top and despite a late rally they ended up with 223 runs on the board. We had eaten our packed lunch before the interval so T headed off for the beers which we enjoyed before the start of the England innings.
The openers started well and had a 100 on the board in quick time, making a mockery of the slow pace of the NZ innings. In the end after the loss of 4 wickets England passed the NZ total with 17 overs to spare Ben Stokes hitting a big 6 to close the win. This was T’s first experience of a major cricket match and she said she enjoyed it!
The ease of the win was a bit of an anti climax after our expectation of a close match but we headed home across the beautiful Hagley Park before heading out for a nice celebratory meal. Tomorrow we pick up our motorhome so need a good nights sleep!
Aargh! Picked up motor home OK and stopped at supermarket to stock up on supplies. Then started the long drive to Dunedin. We had been warned to take some newspaper to stop plates rattling, but the noise in the m/h was deafening. We spent a while putting plastic bags around saucepans, newspaper around dishes, sponge wedged in shower door, j cloths in loose drawers etc etc.. Only marginal improvement but decided to soldier on.
Straight run to Timaru took about 2 hours then we took a detour to Oamaru to see the Blue penguins only to discover they only came ashore at dusk, so missed them. Next stop was the Moeraki Boulders which are a throw back to prehistoric times we think. Had a cuppa and cake at a nice cafe overlooking the bay. Arrived at Dunedin about 1830 after a very brief look at the town. Had supper in the m/h. Took a while to get use to the reduced space for food prep and cooking.
Had a hilarious time trying to sort out the bed arrangements and we eventually decided that Maui the rental company had omitted to include two extra cushions to make up the bed!! Eventually managed to make up both beds ( I was going in the top bunk as bed below not big enough for us both so B had the lower bed).I had to climb a ladder to get into my bed and B said it was not the most very elegant manoeuvre he had seen. Neither of us slept well but we had at least survived the first day in the m/h!
Both feeling tired after a broken night of sleep. Had brekkie and started out from Dunedin. Was going to see Larnach Castle (only castle in NZ) but was too far up the peninsula so didn’t have time. Had another attempt to stop the rattling and squeaking. Finally wrapped part of the grill pan and put in one of our cases and the other half went in a cupboard! Seems to have helped!
We picked up the Southern Scenic Route and stayed on it all the way to Invercargill. Went through the Catlins National Park. Magnificent scenery all the way. Went to the Purakanai Falls through a lovely shady rain forest. Stopped at Nugget Point and had a coffee break overlooking the Southern Ocean. Went to Curio Bay to see dolphins, seals and sea lions and saw none! There was also a petrified forest that we didn’t see because it started to pour with rain. Lovely campsite there and would be nice to be there in the evening to see the creatures. However continued on to Invercargill. Camp Site not very impressive. We bought fish and chips from a local shop run by Chinese people. Couldn’t ask for fish and chips twice but eventually had blue cod and a mountain of chips( no mushy peas - that was a step too far!).
Had a rough night due to high winds rocking the m/h. I thought it was B tossing and turning but he told me it was the wind!
Didn’t mind leaving the Kiwi Invercargill campground as a little run down and with a derelict church behind it. Invercargill was nicer than we had originally thought the previous evening but had nothing to detain us from our mission to visit Bluff. This tiny town is world famous for its oysters and being the southernmost point in NZ. When we arrived it was tipping down and we nearly took a photo from the m/h and moved on. Then suddenly the rain stopped so we stood at the signpost. 18958 kilometres to London! We then went up to the 360 degree viewpoint and it lived up to its name and we could see smaller islands in the distance. However it was sooo windy it was impossible to stay up there very long.
Picked up some shopping in Bluff and then started our journey to Te Anau in Fiordland. Stayed on the Southern Scenic route for the whole journey. Ever changing scenery but always with lots of sheep in evidence. Also saw cows, llama, horses goats and deer but mainly sheep, sheep, shorn sheep, sheep. Scenery got more spectacular as we approached Fiordland.
Campsite much nicer than previous one and Te Anau is a well laid out clean town with mainly single storey buildings by the 2nd largest lake in NZ. Had an exciting chilli sin carne for supper but rather bland despite buying chilli powder the day before. Plenty left for another meal but restricted storage containers means it is stored in two beer glasses in the fridge!
We had booked a tour of Doubtful Sound the day before, after consulting the weather forecast so looking forward to a great day there tomorrow. Bernard very pleased as he has a day off from driving.
It is not possible to get to Doubtful Sound by road. We were picked up from our camp site for a 30 minute coach trip to Lake Manapouri. We then boarded a boat for the hour long trip over the Lake to get to West Point. From here we had an hour’s coach ride over the Willmott Pass which was the most expensive road to be built in NZ and is not connected to the National road system. It was quite dramatic as we went through the rainforest as we steadily climbed up the mountain And then a steady drive down the other side. Coach driver very droll with comments such as “ Don’t worry folks the brakes are regularly maintained on this coach - once a year and the next check is due tomorrow”. Arrived at Doubtful Sound and boarded The Patea Explorer ship for a spectacular cruise along the Sound ( technically a Fjord but they decided not to rename it but to call the whole area Fiordland). We went right out to the Tasman Sea when things got a little choppy. Also ventured into some of the inlets and as well as the chance to drink glacial water from a small waterfall the captain also turned off the engines for a few minutes for The Sound of Silence. It was truly magical. The only downside to the trip was that we didn’t see the seals and dolphins that we expected. Strangely there were also few birds. A great day out though.
Had a trip around Te Anau and then left for Queenstown. Nice scenery all the way. Stopped at the head of Lake Wakatipu for lunch and then continued alongside the lake until we reached Queenstown. We have now completed the total Southern Scenic Route from Christchurch through Otago, Southland, and Fiordland to Queenstown.
Great excitement on reaching the campsite as today is Laundry Day. Spent a couple of hours shuttling between the m/h and the laundry. Missing one of Bernard’s flight socks so great drama as I tried to track it down with the other laundry users. No luck but as I was later getting my clothes ready for the next day I found it stuck inside my tee shirt by static, so I was forgiven! Campsite is 4 kilometres out of town in a beautiful location near the Shotover Canyon where you can have a Jetboat ride. Looks a bit too scary for us! Sat outside and watched the sun go down over the mountains.
Another day off for the driver! Caught the shuttle bus into town and wandered around Queenstown. A nice compact town with a waterfront overlooking yet another beautiful lake. Saw the old steamship TSS Earnslaw puffing it’s way up the lake. Then wandered along the waterfront. Bernard was regretting wearing his shorts as there was a blustery cold wind. Watched a busker who had a dog who was “singing??” to “ The House of the Rising Sun”. Bernard was yearning for a bacon butty and we found a small cafe that obliged. I had French toast with berries and maple syrup which is probably not conducive to a healthy diet but great as holiday fare. We then wandered up towards the gondola and went to the Kiwi and Wildlife Park. Actually saw some kiwis! They are nocturnal birds so no wonder they are rarely seen. We went to watch their feeding session but it was only just possible to see them. Also saw the cheeky Kea bird who loves destroying rubber wind screen wipers and pinching anything it can. Watched a Conservation Show that centred on how possums were destroying the environment. Encouraged to buy Merino wool and Possum products. Saw a Tuatara which is a lizard which was supposedly 120 yrs old. Ran out of time to do the gondola and luge rides. Caught the bus back to camp and sat in the sun drinking wine, until the breeze got up. Lovely camp site.
Left Queenstown and journeyed to Lake Hayes which is called the Mirror Lake because the mountains are reflected in the water. However we were disappointed because it was cloudy and the wrong time of day.
We continued to Arrowtown which was a gold mining centre in the mid 1800s. Visited the Chinese settlement where men had travelled alone leaving their families in China. They hoped to make 100- 200 dollars a year from gold panning ( average wage in NZ then was about 12 dollars per annum) and send most home to their families to save to buy a farm when they returned to China. In the meantime they lived in squalor in Arrowtown.
On leaving Arrowtown we took the Cardrona road which was very steep and twisty with lots of uphill hairpin bends with steep drops alongside. We journeyed on through usual spectacular scenery and empty roads and eventually arrived at Wanaka where we stopped for a cuppa overlooking a beautiful lake. After a pleasant stay we moved on to Lake Pukaki, after crossing the Lindis Pass, where you can get awesome views of Mount Cook against the backdrop of a beautiful blue lake. I sent Bernard on a wild goose chase to find the best viewpoint and we eventually found it on the main road that we had originally been on! Unfortunately the top of Mount Cook was shrouded in clouds so didn’t get the full effect but still a beautiful sight.
Arrived at Lake Tekapo campsite and was told we had been given one of the best spots as we had booked early. It certainly was perfectly placed overlooking another beautiful lake.That evening at 21:15 we joined a Tour of Cowans Observatory ( part of Mount John observatory - part of University of Canterbury NZ). Absolutely brilliant. LakeTekapo is a world renowned Dark Sky area and you can see thousands more stars than you can usually see in a built up area, with the naked eye. It was an awesome sight added to by the enthusiastic guides who explained where Earth fitted into our own galaxy, the Milky Way, and other galaxy’s. Looked through two telescopes that showed stars million of miles away. Quite mind boggling the information about planets, stars and galaxies that makes Earth seem really insignificant! Late night but well worth it.
Had breakfast overlooking the lake and then tidied up the m/h and packed. Went to see the Church of the Good Shepherd that overlooks Lake Tekapo and was built to serve the sheep farmers. Started our journey to Christchurch to hand back the m/h. Scenery got flatter and flatter and we started to see more sheep.We had commented on the number of butterflies when we left Christchurch and we started to see them again in their hundreds. Fields were awash with Cabbage White butterflies. Strange to see. Also the fields have massive irrigation sprayers similar to those we have in the UK except theirs spread out to about 900 feet across a field!Stopped just short of Christchurch to have some lunch finishing up the odds and ends in the fridge. Handed the m/h back with no problems and got the shuttle to the airport. Caught the 55 minute flight to Nelson and then a taxi to the hotel. What a treat!We actually have a twee two storey English style country cottage in a row of similar cottages. Has a full kitchen so can have our breakfast here before an early start for our Abel Tasman trip tomorrow. Also has a spa bath in the bathroom which is bigger than the whole m/h! Also has a 6 foot 4 poster bed. Utter bliss! Hotel out at end of a peninsular so few restaurant options so ate at the hotel. B had lamb and T had gurnard? fish in a lovely curry sauce. It was a really nice meal with good ambience and service that helped us unwind after a busy day.
Early start as picked up by coach at 07:50 for journey to Kaiteriteri which is a small seaside village where most excursions to Abel Tasman NP start. We had a relaxing 3 hour cruise up to the northernmost point of the rainforest. As the boat called in at several small beaches people got off to hike through the rain forest to the next stop and catch another boat back. Some people were even camping overnight.
On the return trip we went up on the open deck. Beautiful sunny day (22c) but very breezy! Didn’t see any dolphins and only a few fur seals but a nice relaxing trip. Had a few hours to kill when we got back to Kaiteriteri whilst waiting for the bus so took a short hike up to Kaka Point. Ate our packed lunch with a spectacular view. Wandered back down to the beach for a cuppa then caught bus back.
Asked the driver to drop us in Nelson rather than at our hotel so we could do a brief tour of the city.We saw the memorial gardens ( but not the Botanic gardens, where there is a plaque stating that Nelson is the middle point of NZ).The shopping area where there are many arty shops and shops specialising in woollen wear was next, fortunately most of them were closed as it was after 6pm. We also saw the cathedral from the outside and I must say it is the ugliest cathedral that I have ever seen, but it was built with local stone from a quarry we saw in the Abel Tasman National Park.
Then we had a meal in a restaurant offering Guinness that attracted B’s eye. Got a taxi home with a really scruffy driver with a long straggly beard. He was a chatty guy and is taking us back to Nelson tomorrow to catch the bus to Picton for the beautiful trip between the South and the North Island. Our north island adventure starts tomorrow and the blog is up to date!!
Taxi to Nelson then bus to Picton where the Interislander Ferry departs. Nearly two hours on the bus. Went over Rai Pass with hairpins and millions of trees, mainly pines. Then dropped down to agricultural land, mainly Sauvignon Blanc vines. They were very hot on their Craft beers in Nelson and we saw lots of hop fields whilst there. Now definitely entered vine country.
Arrived on time in Picton and had a stroll round before grabbing lunch and a coffee at the terminal. Another lovely day and a great 3.5 hour trip on the passenger ferry to Wellington. The first hour was stunning as we passed through the Marlborough and Charlotte Sounds. Photos are beginning to look very sameish - stunning scenery and yet more stunning scenery!
Arrived in Wellington and got a taxi to the Bay Plaza hotel on Oriental Parade which is right in the centre. Tired so ate at the hotel whilst doing some laundry, and about to have an early night ready for another sightseeing day tomorrow. Today has been mainly travelling from the north of South Island to the south of North Island. Apparently yesterday when we were at Kaiteriteri in Tasman Abel NP on the South Island we were further north than Wellington! Quite confusing because I thought there was a distinct distance between the two islands.
The Bay Plaza has a good harbour side view ( and a New World supermarket view that they do not mention in their advertising blurb!) but is a little dated. Woke up to a gloomy overcast day. We have been lucky with the weather so far and Wellington is well known for changeable weather so it may brighten up later. Sitting in bed with a cuppa deciding on our plan for the day as this is the First day we haven’t had to set the alarm for a few days.
Went to the “one of the world’s leading museums “ in NZ - Te Papa. It is housed in a brilliant modern building right on the waterfront about 5 minutes walk from our hotel. Some of the exhibits at the museum were similar to what we had seen at the Quake Museum in Christchurch, and we felt the earth moving again with a different earthquake experience! There were many more aspects of earthquakes, extremely well presented.
We moved onto the Natural History section which was brilliantly laid out. We then ventured outside to the Bush City which cleverly displayed most aspects of NZ’s landscape. After a lunch break we popped into the Gallipoli Experience to see if it was the same as the Christchurch one. It was far better with incredible models of soldiers that were about 20 feet long ( 2.4 scale). Very moving stories. Worth a look on the Te Papa website.
However we had to move on so caught a bus to the tram stop where we caught the funicular tram to the peak overlooking Wellington,which stops at the Peak in the Botanic Gardens. We wanted to go to the Space Place, which showed how the Big Bang happened amongst other things, but unfortunately it is closed on term time Wednesdays! So we had a leisurely stroll down through the Gardens which were lovely with all sorts of displays from rain forest to rose gardens.
When we got back down to harbour level we passed the Parliament Building and we were going to see the two cathedrals - St Paul’s and old St Paul’s. However we were flagging by now and seeing the new cathedral in the distance we decided not to go. It was almost as ugly as the one in Nelson. It is very commendable that they use local stone but they also need to inject some style or decoration! Caught the bus back to the hotel for a cuppa and a break. Watched The Chase on TV!!!
Later we strolled over the road and found a nice looking Thai restaurant. I remarked to B that we should perhaps have a Thai in Wellington as the smaller towns like Napier may not have them. When we got inside we found that the owner had started his business in Napier and he still has a restaurant there and a few other towns! Had a lovely meal. I had veggie fritters for starters and B had chicken satay. I then had veggie noodles and B had a red beef curry. Everything was really tasty and I wouldn’t mind repeating the experience in Napier tomorrow!
Upon awaking , found the weather was foul, with rain and mist. The hire car was dropped off at the hotel at 10 am and B managed to negotiate his way out of Wellington onto the main road to Napier. Journey took about 5 hours with a lunch break at a nature reserve. First part of journey was over the mountain range to get to the east coast. Dramatic but very misty and rainy. T drove part of the way today. Lovely hybrid Toyota Camry automatic- so quiet after the motor home!
We followed the Scenic Wine Route but much of the journey had scenery similar to the UK. Was expecting more vines. They started a few miles before Napier. Luckily the rain cleared as we entered Napier arriving just before 4pm. Hotel Quest really nice with our own kitchen again. Art Deco exterior.
Was in local car park next to hotel trying to find the right change. We needed 3 dollars to take us up to 6pm when it was free. A traffic warden came up and asked what we were doing. After we told her she said to just put a dollar in as she wouldn’t be coming around the car park again until the morning. What a refreshing approach - opposite to jobsworth approach in the UK!
After a short rest and a quick visit to the local supermarket for breakfast essentials, we went off for a whirlwind tour of Napier. We liked it very much. After the earthquake in the 1930s many of the buildings had to be rebuilt, and they rebuilt them in Art Deco style. After the earthquake more reclaimed land appeared so the cliff is a little inland on the edge of the town! Napier has a pebble beach that is unsuitable for swimming.
Had a beer overlooking the beach then strolled back into town via the cathedral which was rebuilt in Art Deco style. Had lovely Italian supper at Portofino restaurant just around the corner from the hotel. Swopped the Sauvignon Blanc for a Montepulciano tonight!
After breakfast in our room, I wanted to go to Possum World but they were closed! So we left Napier and drove to The Mission Estate which is a winery on the edge of the town. It was too early to sample wine especially as we were driving and it was too early for morning coffee so we looked around and left. It was in a lovely location and looked like a Southern mansion from Gone with the Wind!
Apparently there are over 200 vineyards in the region but we didn’t see many as we headed west towards Lake Taupo on the Thermal Explorer Highway. Stopped for coffee halfway along the route. After a couple of hours we reached Taupo and stopped at a Scenic Lookout overlooking the lake which is the largest in NZ. It made Grafham Water look like a small pond! Helped out a couple of German lads ( who were spending 6 months touring NZ and Bali) by providing antiseptic spray and Elastoplasts after one of them asked us for help as he had gashed his finger. Finally our complete medical kit, which has remained largely untouched during our travels, has been of use!
Went to the Haka Falls and managed to see two canoeists go over them but failed to catch it on camera. Then found a nice picnic spot for lunch before going to see the Craters of the Moon. Although lacking geysers, the site had plenty of fumaroles (posh name for holes in the earth ) belching out steam. We also saw volcano-like pits with bubbling mud pools. Then went onto the Aratiatia Rapids which are just below the Wairakei power station. We didn’t realise that the Rapids were only rapid after the power station opens its dam but we had missed that! Pretty but not really worth the detour.
Arrived in Roturua about 1800. Hotel is huge by comparison to others we have stayed in but room is nice. Walked down to the lake and saw hundreds of birds nesting on the sulphur flats. Bit smelly from the sulphurous fumes. Had supper at the hotel as too tired to go out! Looking forward to seeing some old geysers tomorrow. Weather has been kind to us today. We understand that the Lindis Pass on South Island has had snow this week and it is rainy all over most of South Island so we were lucky there too!
Slept in today and were the last people down to breakfast. It made a change to have a restaurant breakfast and we made the most of it! Then drove to the edge of town to the Whakarewarewa Maori Thermal village. We were just in time for the 11:30 guided tour. We had a really amusing young Maori guide who had been brought up in the village for most of his life. Interesting tour that included all aspects of their lifes, including cooking and bathing.
Also saw the two active geysers, the Prince of Wales’ Feathers and Pohutu,spouting. The mud pools and hot water pools were much larger than the ones we saw yesterday. Had corn on the cob that had been cooked in one of the hot pools. Then saw the cultural performance which was educational and amusing. Saw them perform the famous Haka that the NZ rugby team do before a match. An interesting morning.
It rained on and off and we were unsure what to do in the afternoon. Decided to go up on the Skyline gondola that soars 200 metres up a mountain. We had bought tickets that allowed us 3 luge rides down the mountain and chairlift back up, but it started to rain harder and it was a real deluge that didn’t look like stopping so in the end, after a coffee, we decided to come back down on the gondola!
Went back to the hotel and T went for a swim in the thermally heated pool whilst B relaxed watching NZ rugby ( not allowed to mention English cricket at the moment!). Walked down the road later for a meal and got soaked coming back, even with the brollie. I thought the weather was meant to be better on North Island!!!!
Left Rotorua and called in at the Agrodome which is a tourist attraction covering farm tours and various shows. Watched the show that displayed the 19 varieties of sheep in NZ - quite a selection. A light hearted show that satisfied T’s urge to get up close to some lambs! Continued on journey via a lovely forested area that also had mini volcanoes that had been formed years ago after an eruption. Weather variable -mainly rain. Pleased that we had the IPod to provide entertainment during the rainy spells. Stopped at Tirau which is a small town that is becoming an arts and crafts centre. Main attraction was the giant animals! We then stopped at Cambridge because we couldn’t just pass it by! An attractive leafy town off the main road.
Arrived in Hamilton and found the Ibis Hotel by the river. Not quite the leafy spot we envisaged as right in the CBD. Just having a break watching the cricket before we venture out for a riverside walk to the gardens and something to eat. May not have pictures of sheep show or Hamilton tonight as only have limited internet access at the hotel.
Early start tomorrow for long drive to the Bay of Islands. Went on our first stretch of motorway today for about 10 miles - limit is 110 kilometres - usually 100 - about the same as the UK. Went out for a walk by the river. The hotel actually does look over the river from the other side of the hotel and we took a lovely riverside walk trying to find the paddle steamer jetty. Didn’t have any luck but managed to stroll through two nice parks. Walked away down the main street trying to find a restaurant then found an Indian restauarnr down the side street right next to the hotel!
Early start so will stop on journey for breakfast once we have a few miles under our belts. Met our first traffic jam near Auckland and lots of roadworks around the city. Stopped near Red Beach for a lunch break. The beach is not red! Very slow quite boring journey up to Paihia. Then found we had to take a detour on another major route to get to the Bay of Islands. Took about 6 hours in total including the lunch break and petrol stop.
Arrived in Pahia - beautiful location on the bay. Hotel actually on the front and we have a side view of the bay if we stretch over the balcony. T went for a swim and relaxed by the pool and B watched the cricket until temperature dropped enough for a stroll. Reached 26c on our journey but 24c in Pahia.
Went for a stroll around Paihia and booked a boat trip to Cape Brett tomorrow. Having problems with SnapBridge sending photos to the IPad so you will have to wait to be bored with sheep photos from yesterday and Bay of Islands today.
Got up at leisure, had some fruit with our morning cuppa and then wandered along to near the jetty for the Bay of Islands Discovery tour. Grabbed a quick coffee and scone before boarding the boat. We had tickets to Russell included- this is the oldest European settlement in NZ and is set out on a peninsula reached by the 10 minute ferry ride from Paihia.
We got there just after 11 and had 3 hours before the Discovery ferry departed. Visited the Pompallier - NZ’s oldest industrial building. It was a printing press and a tannery. Tiny place and we didn’t bother buying tickets for the tour as we had already read all about it! Also took in a few more interesting sites including the oldest church in NZ. It was in this area that the Waitangi Treaty was signed in 1840 between the British and the Maoris. Unfortunately the British were not good at keeping their promises and the Maoris cut down the flagpole and this started the first NZ war!
Russell was actually called Kororareka in 1840 and had a drunken reputation because of all the whalers that called there. This started an influx of missionaries! Stopped for a cuppa and then sat by the front in the beautiful bay until our Discovery boat arrived. Luckily there were only about 14 people on the boat and we had a fantastic viewpoint. Saw dolphins in the distance whilst in Russell and we thought we would miss them on our cruise. However we didn’t and had a pod of dolphins swim alongside us for about 10 minutes- fantastic sight and the wildlife highlight of the holiday.
Continued on out to Brett Cove and saw the hole in the rock. The captain then actually took us through the hole because the weather was good and sea not too rough. Fantastic. On the way back we stopped at one of the 144 islands for a bar-b-q dinner and some relaxation time. It was absolutely wonderful and we could have stayed there! All in all a great day, I think we saved the best till last, we were thinking about missing the Bay of Islands, because of the long drive, but it was well worth it!
Have sorted out the camera interface so more pics of previous days to follow.
Found out that a landslip had caused the main road into Paihia to be closed the day we had to detour. We were lucky not to be on the road when it happened as there would have been quite a traffic jam! Sadly the road is not to be reopened until April so we need to detour again. However there has been flooding down near Napier, so we feel lucky that we have missed any bad weather down in central North Island.
Sadly left Paihia after going to view the Waitangi Treaty Grounds that were on the outskirts of the town. This is where the UK and the Maoris signed the famous agreement that resulted in the birth of NZ as we know it. There were two versions- one in English and one in Maori and the contents didn’t exactly match, resulting in some misunderstandings. However the British seem to think they now owned NZ and many still treated the Maoris as second class citizens! There were a couple of wars that helped to sort out some of the problems and, by and large, there is now equality although Maoris still seem to be less well educated and hold down more menial jobs and fewer professional positions than the Pakeha (white folk). The Treaty Grounds seem to be a bit of a tourist trap as you have to buy a day pass to visit the grounds, museum, Treaty House, War canoe, film show etc etc for 50 dollars each (£26) when we only wanted to walk in the grounds and see The Treaty House. So we just had a little wander and left!
Were going to visit Friedrich Hundertwasser’s toilets in Kawakawa as they were mentioned in the tourist guide. Caught a glimpse of them on the Main Street but decided they didn’t merit a visit!
We went to the Kawiti Glowworm caves on the way back to Auckland. The opposite of the Treaty Grounds - totally uncommercialsed and run by a Maori family. We had a fantastic tour complete with gas lamp style lights to help us on the walkways between the stalactites and stalagmites. When we turned the lights off it was eerie and we saw thousands of glow worms- looked like the Milky Way! Went further in and saw two more caves of glow worms and an eel that lives in a stream in the dark under the boardwalk. At night flies and mosquitoes come into the caves and are caught by the glow worms. No photography allowed so no photos to show but it was brilliant and Kinga our young Maori guide was very knowledgeable.
Good journey back through rolling countryside. Stopped for lunch at a quirky cafe in a one horse town but food and tea was good. Stopped at Hatfield Beach near Auckland. Totally unspoilt.
Then wall to wall traffic for the run into Auckland but we found the Crowne Plaza and we dropped our luggage. We explained we needed to take the car back to Avis so they unloaded it and took all of our luggage up to our room whilst we took the car back to Avis. Also got a room upgrade to 25th floor. B agreed to try it although he hates lifts going that high! Everyone is so friendly and helpful. Having a rest now then down to the waterfront for a celebratory last NZ meal. Hi
NZ is extremely photogenic -wall to wall scenery with a few bald patches!
We feel we have only skimmed the surface of all the sights to see. Would be best to spend 6 weeks on one Island and have a separate holiday on the other island! We felt we had rushed around a bit too much but we had already cut a lot out of our itinerary.
All Kiwis are so friendly and helpful - only had one stern receptionist experience.
There are no intercity passenger trains in NZ apart from the three tourist trains that make money.
Auckland is known for its terrible traffic. Only place that seemed a little like the UK with regard to traffic. However it is not surprising as most N Zealanders live in Auckland! Otherwise traffic is almost non existent on some roads. 100K speed limit, although many bends warrant a 35K sign. Very few dual carriageways but all roads have passing lanes every few miles. Most people overtake here: you rarely see anyone overtake at other times. Bernard only overtook three vehicles in the 8 days we had the motorhome - one vintage steam engine, a vintage car and a tractor! Many small towns resemble American mid west one horse towns with single story one window shops, mainly wooden, in a strip along the main highway. Many homes are single storey and wooden with large gardens.
All hotels have Earthquake, Tsunami and Flood warning procedures.
Tipping is not expected. One taxi driver gave her tip back. Diesel is about 70p a litre, petrol about £1.05.
Lots of sheep and cattle on South Island with vineyards on both islands.
Commercial transport on roads is mainly logging trucks and sheep transporters. They even have Animal Effluent Disposal spots all down the major routes. Sad to see all the sheep on their way to becoming lamb chops.
Most used phrases on the holiday:
“It’s further than I thought”
“Look at that”
“What time is it in England?”
“Do you want a beer?” - we had bought a big case for the motorhome. Actually finished them at Auckland Airport on way home!
“We haven’t got time have we?”
The arrangements for the whole trip went smoothly - only three potentially small problems we may have had (all self induced).
Whilst unloading the car at Rotorua Trisha left the I-pad on the car roof in the outside car park. After about 20 minutes Bernard mentioned it and T remembered where she had left it. B rushed out and luckily it was still there.
At another hotel ( sorry, stayed in so many) we were just leaving and walking out the bedroom door with our cases when T just opened the wardrobe on the way by, and we had left coats, trousers etc. We normally check before we leave but must have been tired that day!
At the airport at Auckland the check in clerk said the cases were going straight through to Heathrow as we had checked in both legs of our flight. We had to ask her to change it so our cases were unloaded in Hong Kong or we would have been without toiletries,nightwear and clean clothes that night! With hindsight should have just packed overnight stuff in rucksack for HK stay.
Wandered down to the buzzy waterfront last night and had a meal at a steakhouse B had noticed on our earlier trip to Auckland. He had a really nice steak and T had fried squid with aioli sauce. Wandered past the harbour. Saw a tour when you could go on a large yacht and have a race against a similar yacht as in the Americas Cup. Alas we have no time as leaving late this morning. Also a bit scary!
Packed and and had our last NZ breakfast. Really nice spread at the hotel, so had a hearty breakfast before catching the shuttle bus to the airport for our afternoon Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong.
Flight good and I watched Shape of Water and Gone with the Wind. I had never seen the latter all the way through so it was an ideal opportunity. About 2 hours into the film, all the screens along our side of the plane froze and I thought that once again I would not see the whole film! However after dinner they managed to restore it and I completed the film.
Arrived in HK at 2130 ( body clock thinks it is 0230am). Staying at Regal Hotel - just along a walkway from the airport. Hot chocolate and sleep beckon......Just had brekkie and a wander around the hotel. It has a nice outside pool but no time to use......
However another first for us! The hotel has the world’s largest pillarless grand ballroom in the world!
Off to Heathrow this afternoon so that is the end of our blog apart from one last one tomorrow with a summary of snippets about NZ. It has been a wonderful adventure and New Zealand is a beautiful country that will leave us with many fond memories.