After three nights in Wellington we left on Saturday to continue heading north towards Auckland. As it's a fair distance away we left relatively early, heading along the Kapiti Coast to Bulls where we stopped for a bite to eat. From Bulls we continued towards Taupo, although the weather wasn't great so when reaching the Central Plateau the volcanoes weren't really visible. We arrived in Taupo by afternoon and after checking into the hostel went for a walk down towards the Huka Falls, perhaps one of the more impressive waterfalls in New Zealand. Despite being only 9m high, what makes it impressive is the sheer amount of water which goes down it which is very powerful. Following the Waikato river back to Taupo we stopped at some natural hot springs which were nice to chill out in. It was amazing how swimming in the river was freezing but on the bank it was hot water, all down to the volcanic nature of the area. We then just had a chilled out evening.
We only spent 1 night in Taupo as the Tongariro National Park was closed which meant it wasn't really worth staying any longer, the following bus 3 days behind. We therefore headed up to Rotorua to spend 3 nights there instead. En route we stopped at some natural mud springs which were fascinating, arriving in Rotorua little over an hour after leaving Taupo. Rotorua has a very thin crust which means large areas emit sulphur making the city stink. It's great for people who like to fart though because you can get away with it as it stinks already. After checking into the hostel we still had most of the day so we headed out to the redwoods forest to check out some of big trees, taking a walk through the forest and towards an old quarry before heading back into Rotorua, commonly called Rotovegas by the locals.
On the Monday we booked a tour to the popular Hobbiton Movie Set, the location of the shire in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film trilogies. The location was used in the Lord of the Rings movies as a temporary set using materials like polystyrene, and was removed after filming leaving just some random hobbit holes in the hillside. When they announced plans to film the Hobbit film trilogy they returned to the same location, this time building a permanent set of structures to allow tours to be given after filming had been finished.
When arriving we had a guided tour round the set which included walking round the shire and getting some great views of the surrounding area, the green hills effectively resembling the english countryside which is what Tolkien based it on in his novels. The Hobbit holes themselves are only exterior though and despite the doors opening only the first 5m or so are furnished to create the illusion there's something inside, the interior scenes being filmed elsewhere. We got to see many places including Bag End and Samwise Gamgees house, before heading out to the party field and the Green Dragon pub for a couple of beers. It was a really good tour and felt like you were really there just like the movies. After returning to Rotorua we headed out to the park to see some of the bigger geysers which were pretty impressive. We also checked out the lake and the government house, before heading out for a few drinks in the evening.
Tuesday was the last day in Rotorua so we decided to head just out of town towards the skyline gondola, walking via some of the geysers. It was a really nice day and it was nice to be finally start to wear things like flip flops again. The views up the gondola were great looking right out over the lake. After heading back down we went to the zorb centre which was fun to watch! We then headed back to the hostel, which was accompanied by a great sunset before just having a chilled out night at the hostel.
We left Rotorua on the Wednesday to head up towards Auckland, and with a late morning departure it was nice to have a lie in. En route to Auckland we stopped at Rainbow Springs where we had the opportunity to visit a Kiwi breeding programme and I thought I may as well visit as I hadn't actually seen a living kiwi. It was very interesting learning what they're doing to protect New Zealands national bird, and when seeing some for myself they were actually a lot bigger than I imagined! After leaving we stopped a bit further down the road in Matamata for lunch before cruising into Auckland by late afternoon. After arriving we just chilled out, although we did do the quiz night in the evening which we actually won!
Thursday was a free day to explore Auckland, although I've obviously lived there for a while so seen a lot of it already. After going down to Wynyard Quarter and Silo Park for a bit, I thought the best thing to do was head up towards Mount Eden as it was such a nice day. The view up top was great, and when heading back down we went back via Newmarket and over Auckland Domain back into the city. Come evening there was only one thing we could do and that was the Frenzi Bar Crawl which we won free tickets to at the quiz the previous night as well as a bar tab at Habana Joe's which is the fourth and final pub, so it would have been silly not to go. It was as ever a great night.
Thursday, 31 August 2017
Friday, 25 August 2017
Kiwi Bus- Queenstown to Wellington
Sunday was when we finally left Queenstown which was great fun, heading north to Lake Tekapo. En route we stopped in Cromwell for a supermarket stop before arriving in Tekapo by afternoon. I obviously stayed here about a month ago although it was nice to return with a lot less snow than the time before. As it was a relatively nice day we decided to go up Mount John for the view, and the path was a lot less icy than last time and we got to the top with some great views of the lake and mountains. Come evening the weather turned a little although we still went to the hot pools nearby the hostel which were nice and relaxing, before I had an early night as I didn't get much sleep the previous night!
The following day was back to to Christchurch, although it snowed overnight all be it a sprinkling which made Tekapo all nice and white again. Luckily this didn't affect us getting over the snowy Burkes Pass, soon arriving in Geraldine for a break. From here we cruised straight into Christchurch by about lunchtime although it was a little rainy which wasn't so good. After checking in we therefore just went down the local pool hall before just chilling out at the hostel as obviously Christchurch CBD is effectively a building site so there wasn't much else to do.
Tuesday we continued heading north towards Nelson, a drive we did previously although it was necessary to do it again to get to North Island unless we flew there. It was a nice drive however going over the Lewis Pass due to the ongoing problems in Kaikoura meaning Kiwi Experience stop in Nelson instead. En route we stopped in Culverden, and also went for a short walk to Maruia Falls which was better than the walk last time when our driver tried to do a bush walk but actually took us to the toilet! We arrived in Nelson by mid afternoon so it was pretty long drive.
As we had a few hours daylight to spare in Nelson we decided to do a walk to the so called centre of New Zealand which was a small hill overlooking Nelson and apparently the geographical centre of New Zealand. God knows if it actually is or not. It was a nice walk though going through Nelson town centre and along the river before a short and steep climb up the hill to the summit, some great views because of the sunny weather. After heading down we headed back through the town before getting fish and chips as it was nice evening and a good sunset. We then just chilled in the hostel which was good as it had plenty of games and even a sky TV!
Wednesday was the last day on South Island, leaving Nelson for the relatively short drive to Picton and the ferry terminal to get to Wellington on the North Island. En route we stopped at the Pelorus Bridge which was nice location, recognisable from the Hobbit movies. From here we continued to Picton where we had a couple of hours to kill before the ferry left. It was just nice to walk along the waterfront as it was a really sunny day. The ferry left by 2 and it was a beautiful ride as it weaved through the Marlborough Sounds before reaching the Cook Strait where North Island became visible. We arrived in Wellington at sunset. After checking into the hostel we just went out for a few beers, including a quiz night which we came last in.
After a pretty late night we headed out to explore Wellington the following day, taking in the harbour and main city streets, eventually ending up at the beehive home of parliament. We somehow ended up going inside and sitting in the gallery where we watched a live debate although the prime minister was getting destroyed by the labour party which was funny. After the debate we headed back through the town to the cable car which we took up top to get a great view of the city skyline. The botanic gardens were also up here. From here we headed towards Cuba Street which is probably the most famous street before heading to the Te Papa museum. As it is such a big museum covering 6 floors we only managed to do a few of the exhibitions. We then headed out for another pub crawl and another late night.
Come Friday we decided to head up to the summit of Mount Victoria which provided some further great views of the city skyline, before heading over the other side towards the Wellington sign. The sign makes fun of Wellingtons common nickname wet and windy Wellington. We then headed to the Weta Caves which are home to the film studios used in many of Peter Jacksons movies including Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, Narnia, and King Kong. This small museum is home to many props, costumes, and behind the scenes film footage so it's an interesting place to explore. After catching the bus to Wellington we went back to Te Papa to explore a few more exhibitions, before returning to the hostel. There was another quiz night however, this time at the hostel and we did better coming in third. We then just headed out for a few drinks.
The following day was back to to Christchurch, although it snowed overnight all be it a sprinkling which made Tekapo all nice and white again. Luckily this didn't affect us getting over the snowy Burkes Pass, soon arriving in Geraldine for a break. From here we cruised straight into Christchurch by about lunchtime although it was a little rainy which wasn't so good. After checking in we therefore just went down the local pool hall before just chilling out at the hostel as obviously Christchurch CBD is effectively a building site so there wasn't much else to do.
Tuesday we continued heading north towards Nelson, a drive we did previously although it was necessary to do it again to get to North Island unless we flew there. It was a nice drive however going over the Lewis Pass due to the ongoing problems in Kaikoura meaning Kiwi Experience stop in Nelson instead. En route we stopped in Culverden, and also went for a short walk to Maruia Falls which was better than the walk last time when our driver tried to do a bush walk but actually took us to the toilet! We arrived in Nelson by mid afternoon so it was pretty long drive.
As we had a few hours daylight to spare in Nelson we decided to do a walk to the so called centre of New Zealand which was a small hill overlooking Nelson and apparently the geographical centre of New Zealand. God knows if it actually is or not. It was a nice walk though going through Nelson town centre and along the river before a short and steep climb up the hill to the summit, some great views because of the sunny weather. After heading down we headed back through the town before getting fish and chips as it was nice evening and a good sunset. We then just chilled in the hostel which was good as it had plenty of games and even a sky TV!
Wednesday was the last day on South Island, leaving Nelson for the relatively short drive to Picton and the ferry terminal to get to Wellington on the North Island. En route we stopped at the Pelorus Bridge which was nice location, recognisable from the Hobbit movies. From here we continued to Picton where we had a couple of hours to kill before the ferry left. It was just nice to walk along the waterfront as it was a really sunny day. The ferry left by 2 and it was a beautiful ride as it weaved through the Marlborough Sounds before reaching the Cook Strait where North Island became visible. We arrived in Wellington at sunset. After checking into the hostel we just went out for a few beers, including a quiz night which we came last in.
After a pretty late night we headed out to explore Wellington the following day, taking in the harbour and main city streets, eventually ending up at the beehive home of parliament. We somehow ended up going inside and sitting in the gallery where we watched a live debate although the prime minister was getting destroyed by the labour party which was funny. After the debate we headed back through the town to the cable car which we took up top to get a great view of the city skyline. The botanic gardens were also up here. From here we headed towards Cuba Street which is probably the most famous street before heading to the Te Papa museum. As it is such a big museum covering 6 floors we only managed to do a few of the exhibitions. We then headed out for another pub crawl and another late night.
Come Friday we decided to head up to the summit of Mount Victoria which provided some further great views of the city skyline, before heading over the other side towards the Wellington sign. The sign makes fun of Wellingtons common nickname wet and windy Wellington. We then headed to the Weta Caves which are home to the film studios used in many of Peter Jacksons movies including Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, Narnia, and King Kong. This small museum is home to many props, costumes, and behind the scenes film footage so it's an interesting place to explore. After catching the bus to Wellington we went back to Te Papa to explore a few more exhibitions, before returning to the hostel. There was another quiz night however, this time at the hostel and we did better coming in third. We then just headed out for a few drinks.
Saturday, 19 August 2017
Kiwi Bus- Queenstown
Tuesday morning we left Wanaka to head down towards Queenstown. We were debating spending 3 nights in Wanaka although we opted for 1 in the end as Wanaka is primarily a hikers paradise. Before leaving we went to puzzling world which was lots of fun as before. There was basically 5 different illusion rooms and a maze to complete which was as challenging as before taking a good hour to get out! It was then onto the short drive to Queenstown, stopping en route at the bungy centre at the Kawarau Bridge for anyone who fancied doing bungy. I did the Nevis one last time and would probably only bungy again if I went somewhere higher, the highest one in the world being the Macau Tower in China. It was fun watching people jump off though!
We arrived in Queenstown in the afternoon and after checking into the hostel took a short walk around the town. Queenstown is probably one of my favourite places in the world, being on the shores of Lake Wakitipu, surrounded by mountain ranges including Coronet Peak and the Remarkables. Many people describe it as the adventure capital of the world due to massive amount of extreme sports on offer, and to add has the most lively nightlife scene in New Zealand despite its small size. After a short walk round the town we ended up playing Frisbee golf round the park which I won. We then met our kiwi driver down the pub for a few beers and ended up on some pub crawl and a slightly late night and a visit to fergburger before bed getting a chief wiggum burger.
Come Wednesday I had a day to myself so I decided to attempt the 1760m summit of Ben Lomond which I did last time I was here, but this time it was just in the snow. The ascent up to Bob's Peak was pretty straightforward but after leaving the gondola summit it got more challenging in a terrain point of view as the path was effectively ice. Luckily as soon as I got over the saddle the path was less icy with it being north facing and I made the summit without any problems, although coming down was fun and games with the ice. When reaching the bottom I had lunch at the gondola cafe and stayed up here a while as it was a great view and sunny day. When returning to Queenstown we had a more relaxing evening compared to the night before.
Thursday was the day of the canyon swing, effectively a 109m high cliff jump including 60m free fall and a 200m swing. Unlike the bungy you were strapped in round your body and not your ankles. The jump was billed as the highest cliff jump in the world. After checking into the centre we got a short minibus shuttle into the shotover canyon where it took place. There were several different jump styles to choose from including trike, chair, and slide. I went for free fall as I wanted to jump off myself. Of our group I was first up and it was lots of fun jumping into the canyon. When returning to Queenstown we had a more relaxing afternoon, playing frisbee golf again before a few beers in the evening.
Friday was a day trip to Milford Sound and with its remote location it was a long drive and an early start. Milford Sound is a fjord located in the Fjordland National Park. A fjord is basically a long narrow inlet formed when a glacier retreats. Milford Sound is also one of the wettest places in New Zealand. A few hours after leaving Queenstown we arrived in Te Anau where we stopped at a cafe. There were even alpacas there although they seemed to like spitting. From Te Anau, 120km and the nearest town, we took the scenic drive into the national park with a few stops along the way, first stop the Englington lookout with great views over towards the Misty Mountains from Lord of the Rings.
From here we continued, stopping at the appropriately named Mirror Lakes which cast a great reflection of the mountainous backdrop. After a quick toilet break we left behind the open plains and headed into more dramatic scenery up and over The Divide which was misty the other side. The cliff formations were breathtaking accompanied by snow on the top, with the road being bang on the fault line. After getting over The Divide we stopped at Monkey Creek and the mist had cleared a bit by here with more great views through the valley. The next section was through avalanche valley which we had to get through quickly with several remnants of recent avalanches and a lot of recent snow on the mountains making it quite dangerous.
Before long we reached the Homer Tunnel which took 20 years to build by literally exploding through the granite cliff! The views the other side were out of this world with the road being nicknamed the road of a thousand waterfalls and they weren't wrong with waterfalls cascading down the cliffs all around us, although there was still a high avalanche risk we couldn't get out and take photos. When reaching the bottom, of the valley we stopped at The Chasm which was a pretty powerful waterfall before reaching Milford Sound itself for a boat cruise around the fjord.
The weather was a little overcast although the views from the boat was stunning. We sailed right out to the Tasman Sea and back again, with several impressive waterfalls. We did however accidentally go into one of the waterfalls and I got soaked being on the front deck. There were also a few fascinating cracks in the cliff which have formed perpendicular to the fault line, with experts predicting a monstrous earthquake due there in the future. After returning to the port it was the long drive back to Queenstown, arriving back in dark. It was a long but a great day!
Saturday was our last day in Queenstown so I needed to have one last fergburger before leaving, getting the dawn horn which was good as always. During the day was far more relaxing, going for a walk to Sunshine Bay along the lakeside, before looking round the shops including the market which was on. Come afternoon I just watched a couple of films before heading out for a Saturday night in Queenstown which turned into quite a late one, although it was nice to have the football on. I did accidentally end up in fergburger at the end though, getting the sweet bambi.
We arrived in Queenstown in the afternoon and after checking into the hostel took a short walk around the town. Queenstown is probably one of my favourite places in the world, being on the shores of Lake Wakitipu, surrounded by mountain ranges including Coronet Peak and the Remarkables. Many people describe it as the adventure capital of the world due to massive amount of extreme sports on offer, and to add has the most lively nightlife scene in New Zealand despite its small size. After a short walk round the town we ended up playing Frisbee golf round the park which I won. We then met our kiwi driver down the pub for a few beers and ended up on some pub crawl and a slightly late night and a visit to fergburger before bed getting a chief wiggum burger.
Come Wednesday I had a day to myself so I decided to attempt the 1760m summit of Ben Lomond which I did last time I was here, but this time it was just in the snow. The ascent up to Bob's Peak was pretty straightforward but after leaving the gondola summit it got more challenging in a terrain point of view as the path was effectively ice. Luckily as soon as I got over the saddle the path was less icy with it being north facing and I made the summit without any problems, although coming down was fun and games with the ice. When reaching the bottom I had lunch at the gondola cafe and stayed up here a while as it was a great view and sunny day. When returning to Queenstown we had a more relaxing evening compared to the night before.
Thursday was the day of the canyon swing, effectively a 109m high cliff jump including 60m free fall and a 200m swing. Unlike the bungy you were strapped in round your body and not your ankles. The jump was billed as the highest cliff jump in the world. After checking into the centre we got a short minibus shuttle into the shotover canyon where it took place. There were several different jump styles to choose from including trike, chair, and slide. I went for free fall as I wanted to jump off myself. Of our group I was first up and it was lots of fun jumping into the canyon. When returning to Queenstown we had a more relaxing afternoon, playing frisbee golf again before a few beers in the evening.
Friday was a day trip to Milford Sound and with its remote location it was a long drive and an early start. Milford Sound is a fjord located in the Fjordland National Park. A fjord is basically a long narrow inlet formed when a glacier retreats. Milford Sound is also one of the wettest places in New Zealand. A few hours after leaving Queenstown we arrived in Te Anau where we stopped at a cafe. There were even alpacas there although they seemed to like spitting. From Te Anau, 120km and the nearest town, we took the scenic drive into the national park with a few stops along the way, first stop the Englington lookout with great views over towards the Misty Mountains from Lord of the Rings.
From here we continued, stopping at the appropriately named Mirror Lakes which cast a great reflection of the mountainous backdrop. After a quick toilet break we left behind the open plains and headed into more dramatic scenery up and over The Divide which was misty the other side. The cliff formations were breathtaking accompanied by snow on the top, with the road being bang on the fault line. After getting over The Divide we stopped at Monkey Creek and the mist had cleared a bit by here with more great views through the valley. The next section was through avalanche valley which we had to get through quickly with several remnants of recent avalanches and a lot of recent snow on the mountains making it quite dangerous.
Before long we reached the Homer Tunnel which took 20 years to build by literally exploding through the granite cliff! The views the other side were out of this world with the road being nicknamed the road of a thousand waterfalls and they weren't wrong with waterfalls cascading down the cliffs all around us, although there was still a high avalanche risk we couldn't get out and take photos. When reaching the bottom, of the valley we stopped at The Chasm which was a pretty powerful waterfall before reaching Milford Sound itself for a boat cruise around the fjord.
The weather was a little overcast although the views from the boat was stunning. We sailed right out to the Tasman Sea and back again, with several impressive waterfalls. We did however accidentally go into one of the waterfalls and I got soaked being on the front deck. There were also a few fascinating cracks in the cliff which have formed perpendicular to the fault line, with experts predicting a monstrous earthquake due there in the future. After returning to the port it was the long drive back to Queenstown, arriving back in dark. It was a long but a great day!
Saturday was our last day in Queenstown so I needed to have one last fergburger before leaving, getting the dawn horn which was good as always. During the day was far more relaxing, going for a walk to Sunshine Bay along the lakeside, before looking round the shops including the market which was on. Come afternoon I just watched a couple of films before heading out for a Saturday night in Queenstown which turned into quite a late one, although it was nice to have the football on. I did accidentally end up in fergburger at the end though, getting the sweet bambi.
Saturday, 12 August 2017
Kiwi Bus Westport to Wanaka
Next stop after Westport was Lake Mahinapua and we left just after 9 on what was an really nice day by West Coast standards. It rains on average more than half on the time of the West Coast and with environments including beaches, rainforest, and mountains in a relatively small area there are several different micro climates. First stop was just down the road to do a walk via Cape Foulwind to Tauranga Bay. It was a beautiful stretch of coastline and great weather for the walk and we even managed to see a few seals along the way. I even went for a paddle in the sea and an ice cream at Tauranga Bay as it was so nice.
From Cape Foulwind we continued south along the dramatic stretch of coastline towards Punakaiki and the Pancake Rocks which are some fascinating rock formations which could be described as looking like pancakes. The walk itself to Dolomite Point was only a short walk to see the rocks, and afterwards I had lunch in the nearby cafe where I appropriately had some pancakes which were really good. A short drive on from Punakaiki we stopped in Greymouth to pick up a few more passengers who had caught a train across from Christchurch, stopping here for a supermarket stop.
From Greymouth it was onto Lake Mahinapua which is home to a remote pub, stopping at Hokitika prior to drop off a few people who didn't want to come to the party. When I last did kiwi experience the owner was recently dead so we couldn't go there but we could stop here this time. After checking in we walked to the lake which was a black coloured lake. I was the only one who jumped in, although it was absolutely freezing. Luckily the pub had hot pools so I could just go straight in there afterwards. The night was effectively a massive piss up and after getting a pork based roast dinner including homemade garlic bread we had a few drinks, heading down the beach for a fire after the pub closed. It was a really good night.
We left Lake Mahinapua about 10 the next morning, and even got pancakes and bacon all you can eat for breakfast. The next stop after here was Franz Josef and it was another stunning day, stopping en route at this lake for a short walk before arriving in Franz Josef just after lunch. As it was such a nice day we went for a walk. We were debating between walking up the valley to the glacier or going to check out Callery Gorge and the Tatare Tunnels. We opted for the latter and it was a great walk, walking through the tunnel barefoot as it was so wet. The gorge as well had bright blue water flowing through it which made it stunning. Come evening it was as more chilled out one after the antics the night before.
The following day was a free day in Franz Josef, although after having three sunny days it was typically a horrendous day with lots of rain. Many people were planning on going on the glacier heli hike which I did last time, although the weather meant this was obviously cancelled. I was originally planning on doing a mental walk into the rainforest and mountains and I opted against this. It was nice to have a chilled out day though, and we sat in the sizable hot pool which was nice and warm which meant the rain didn't matter. Come evening the hostel ran a pizza fest all you can eat night which was really good.
Leaving Franz Josef at half 7 it was an early start towards the next stop in Wanaka. Shortly after leaving we stopped at Lake Matheson to do a walk round the lake renowned for its reflection of Mount Cook. It was a slightly overcast day however which meant we couldn't see Mount Cook, although there were still some great views from various points round the lake including the jetty and reflection island. After Lake Matheson we continued down towards the coast down to Haast where we just a toilet break and look round the visitor centre.
From Haast we left the West Coast and headed into the Mount Aspiring National Park via the Gates of Haast. From here the rugged coastline before soon turned to mountainous rainforest and we stopped at Thundercreek Falls en route for a short walk. When over the mountain pass the landscape changed dramatically to a more arid surroundings due to the considerable less rainfall, and soon after reaching here we stopped at small cafe for lunch. From here we followed Lake Wanaka before traversing across to Lake Hawea. From here it was a short drive to Wanaka township itself.
After arriving in Wanaka which is small town popular ski resort situated by Lake Wanaka, and also the main gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park, we headed out for a walk up Mount Iron. Up top there were greats views of both Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea, and when arriving back at Wanaka we headed down the lake before returning to the hostel. Come evening a few people went to the unique cinema although I just went down the pub and played a few games a pool and what not with a couple of others.
From Cape Foulwind we continued south along the dramatic stretch of coastline towards Punakaiki and the Pancake Rocks which are some fascinating rock formations which could be described as looking like pancakes. The walk itself to Dolomite Point was only a short walk to see the rocks, and afterwards I had lunch in the nearby cafe where I appropriately had some pancakes which were really good. A short drive on from Punakaiki we stopped in Greymouth to pick up a few more passengers who had caught a train across from Christchurch, stopping here for a supermarket stop.
From Greymouth it was onto Lake Mahinapua which is home to a remote pub, stopping at Hokitika prior to drop off a few people who didn't want to come to the party. When I last did kiwi experience the owner was recently dead so we couldn't go there but we could stop here this time. After checking in we walked to the lake which was a black coloured lake. I was the only one who jumped in, although it was absolutely freezing. Luckily the pub had hot pools so I could just go straight in there afterwards. The night was effectively a massive piss up and after getting a pork based roast dinner including homemade garlic bread we had a few drinks, heading down the beach for a fire after the pub closed. It was a really good night.
We left Lake Mahinapua about 10 the next morning, and even got pancakes and bacon all you can eat for breakfast. The next stop after here was Franz Josef and it was another stunning day, stopping en route at this lake for a short walk before arriving in Franz Josef just after lunch. As it was such a nice day we went for a walk. We were debating between walking up the valley to the glacier or going to check out Callery Gorge and the Tatare Tunnels. We opted for the latter and it was a great walk, walking through the tunnel barefoot as it was so wet. The gorge as well had bright blue water flowing through it which made it stunning. Come evening it was as more chilled out one after the antics the night before.
The following day was a free day in Franz Josef, although after having three sunny days it was typically a horrendous day with lots of rain. Many people were planning on going on the glacier heli hike which I did last time, although the weather meant this was obviously cancelled. I was originally planning on doing a mental walk into the rainforest and mountains and I opted against this. It was nice to have a chilled out day though, and we sat in the sizable hot pool which was nice and warm which meant the rain didn't matter. Come evening the hostel ran a pizza fest all you can eat night which was really good.
Leaving Franz Josef at half 7 it was an early start towards the next stop in Wanaka. Shortly after leaving we stopped at Lake Matheson to do a walk round the lake renowned for its reflection of Mount Cook. It was a slightly overcast day however which meant we couldn't see Mount Cook, although there were still some great views from various points round the lake including the jetty and reflection island. After Lake Matheson we continued down towards the coast down to Haast where we just a toilet break and look round the visitor centre.
From Haast we left the West Coast and headed into the Mount Aspiring National Park via the Gates of Haast. From here the rugged coastline before soon turned to mountainous rainforest and we stopped at Thundercreek Falls en route for a short walk. When over the mountain pass the landscape changed dramatically to a more arid surroundings due to the considerable less rainfall, and soon after reaching here we stopped at small cafe for lunch. From here we followed Lake Wanaka before traversing across to Lake Hawea. From here it was a short drive to Wanaka township itself.
After arriving in Wanaka which is small town popular ski resort situated by Lake Wanaka, and also the main gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park, we headed out for a walk up Mount Iron. Up top there were greats views of both Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea, and when arriving back at Wanaka we headed down the lake before returning to the hostel. Come evening a few people went to the unique cinema although I just went down the pub and played a few games a pool and what not with a couple of others.
Wednesday, 9 August 2017
Kiwi Experience Christchurch to Westport
Sunday morning was when Tom arrived which gave me a bit of company for the next month or so. The flight arrival was however 5.10am which meant it was early morning, and with it being early and Sunday meant there was no public transport. This meant I had to run to the airport although it was funny walking into the terminal arriving in t shirt and shorts with the temperature outside minus 4, with people giving me funny looks. After a safe landing we sat in McDonald's for a bit to wait for the first bus into town, which took us back to the centre of Christchurch.
After checking into the hostel we just went for a walk around Christchurch, me acting as tour guide where I just showed off an array of the gap fillers including the space invaders game, cathedral, and many of the other hands on things. We did however end up at the giant chess board where we ended up playing homeless people at chess and they were very good at it! Come afternoon we visited the art gallery which I hadn't actually seen yet which was interesting before having a more chilled out afternoon, before heading the local pool bar in the evening.
The following day was another free day around Christchurch so I thought the museum was worth a look around which was as ever very interesting. We then walked through the botanic gardens where we had lunch at the big shopping centre in Riccarton. From here we caught the bus to Sumner Beach which was nice although the weather was a bit overcast. We then headed up the Port Hills towards the gondola from here which was a nice walk following the crater rim walkway to the cafe on the top. We then went back down the other side to catch the bus back to the centre which coincided with the sunset.
With Tom flying into Christchurch and out of Auckland I thought the best way to get round was either inter city or kiwi experience bus. Kiwi experience had a flash sale so we decided to go with them as it's more of a tour bus and you don't have to worry about booking accomodation then as they do it for you. With the road north of Kaikoura closed first stop was Nelson via the Lewis Pass. It was an early departure from Christchurch though. En route we stopped at Culverden for breakfast, and from here it was a nice drive into the mountains. We also stopped for a walk up in the Lewis Tops which was nice.
We didn't arrive into Nelson until afternoon, stopping in Murchison en route for lunch. After arriving we just had a relaxing afternoon, heading into town to get a few beers for the hostel which had a pool table. The next day we didn't have a departure until 3 as we effectively connected with the people from Wellington which gave much of the day to explore Nelson. We therefore followed the waterfront and went down the beach before heading out for lunch. We then headed into town which was a nice place to walk round, pretty standard before boarding the bus for the short journey for the next stop in Kaiteriteri.
We arrived into Kaiteriteri by sunset although it wasn't a great one as it was cloudy. After dinner we just had a few beers down the pub before bed. The following morning there was enough time to do the walk up to the lookout and to walk along both Little Kaiteriteri and Kaiteriteri Beach before departing. We had the option to stay longer to do Abel Tasman National Park although we would of had to stay 3 nights as kiwi experience only do 3 buses a week in winter. Kaiteriteri still has a really nice golden sand beach though so it was still good.
The next stop after Kaiteriteri was Westport and we left just after 10. En route we went to the Nelson Lakes National Park and Lake Rotioiti to see the view which included snowcapped mountains in the background. No one jumped in though as it was full of massive eels! En route from here to Westport we stopped once again in Murchison for lunch. We arrived in Westport by afternoon. After checking in we walked down to the beach where we watched the sunset which was a really good one. Come evening we had a really nice woodfire pizza which the hostel cooked for us, before watching a film with a few others before bed.
After checking into the hostel we just went for a walk around Christchurch, me acting as tour guide where I just showed off an array of the gap fillers including the space invaders game, cathedral, and many of the other hands on things. We did however end up at the giant chess board where we ended up playing homeless people at chess and they were very good at it! Come afternoon we visited the art gallery which I hadn't actually seen yet which was interesting before having a more chilled out afternoon, before heading the local pool bar in the evening.
The following day was another free day around Christchurch so I thought the museum was worth a look around which was as ever very interesting. We then walked through the botanic gardens where we had lunch at the big shopping centre in Riccarton. From here we caught the bus to Sumner Beach which was nice although the weather was a bit overcast. We then headed up the Port Hills towards the gondola from here which was a nice walk following the crater rim walkway to the cafe on the top. We then went back down the other side to catch the bus back to the centre which coincided with the sunset.
With Tom flying into Christchurch and out of Auckland I thought the best way to get round was either inter city or kiwi experience bus. Kiwi experience had a flash sale so we decided to go with them as it's more of a tour bus and you don't have to worry about booking accomodation then as they do it for you. With the road north of Kaikoura closed first stop was Nelson via the Lewis Pass. It was an early departure from Christchurch though. En route we stopped at Culverden for breakfast, and from here it was a nice drive into the mountains. We also stopped for a walk up in the Lewis Tops which was nice.
We didn't arrive into Nelson until afternoon, stopping in Murchison en route for lunch. After arriving we just had a relaxing afternoon, heading into town to get a few beers for the hostel which had a pool table. The next day we didn't have a departure until 3 as we effectively connected with the people from Wellington which gave much of the day to explore Nelson. We therefore followed the waterfront and went down the beach before heading out for lunch. We then headed into town which was a nice place to walk round, pretty standard before boarding the bus for the short journey for the next stop in Kaiteriteri.
We arrived into Kaiteriteri by sunset although it wasn't a great one as it was cloudy. After dinner we just had a few beers down the pub before bed. The following morning there was enough time to do the walk up to the lookout and to walk along both Little Kaiteriteri and Kaiteriteri Beach before departing. We had the option to stay longer to do Abel Tasman National Park although we would of had to stay 3 nights as kiwi experience only do 3 buses a week in winter. Kaiteriteri still has a really nice golden sand beach though so it was still good.
The next stop after Kaiteriteri was Westport and we left just after 10. En route we went to the Nelson Lakes National Park and Lake Rotioiti to see the view which included snowcapped mountains in the background. No one jumped in though as it was full of massive eels! En route from here to Westport we stopped once again in Murchison for lunch. We arrived in Westport by afternoon. After checking in we walked down to the beach where we watched the sunset which was a really good one. Come evening we had a really nice woodfire pizza which the hostel cooked for us, before watching a film with a few others before bed.
Sunday, 6 August 2017
Omarama and Christchurch
After a great few days in the Mount Cook National Park I left Tuesday morning. One of my friends who has been talking about coming to visit for months also told me he's arriving on Sunday last week which effectively gave me 5 days to play before heading back to Christchurch to meet up. I therefore decided I would do the Twizel and Omarama area and I found this remotely located place on a farm between Twizel and Omarama which seemed like a good base. En route I stopped in Twizel for lunch and to grab a few food supplies for my stay on the Buscot Station, arriving here early afternoon.
The Buscot Station is a pretty sizable dairy and merino sheep farm, previously owned by this retired guy who now solely runs a backpackers accomodation from his home in the farm. His son now runs the farm. About 1.5km off the main road down a dirt track and a further 9km from the nearest town of Omarama it was pretty remote. After checking in I was planning on just relaxing but part of the extensive land was this 1250m peak which he said I could climb. As it was such a nice day I thought why not and headed up through the gully before following the fence line to the snowcapped peak. Being on private land meant I had it all to myself. The views up top were great with Lake Pukaki and the Mackenzie Basin visible one way, and Lake Benmore and the Southern Alps visible as you looked round.
On Wednesday my plan was to visit the Omarama Clay Cliffs which are some fascinating rock pinnacles made out of clay. A combination of the very active fault line they lie on and erosion have shaped these pinnacles. The other person staying at the backpackers gave me lift down there as he wanted to go too. I was able to walk around the cliffs and climb up a few sections although all the recent rainfall and snow made the area very muddy. After visiting the cliffs I headed into Omarama itself and had lunch at the cafe and got some wifi as the Buscot Station didn't have any, before having a little wander around the small town. The owner then picked me up as he insisted I ring him when I needed coming back.
Thursday was a more relaxing day as the weather wasn't as nice. Overnight the hills got a fair bit of snow and the Burkes Pass was closed which is the most direct route to Christchurch from Omarama which wasn't great if that was still the case the following day. The owner did take me off in his car and drove me around the farm which was massive. It was nice to do something despite the weather, and it was very interesting hearing about New Zealand farming from his perspective. The afternoon was basically spent just spent watching trash tv!
Come Friday I left to head back to Christchurch, although in terms of hitchhiking it was pretty ambitious and I wasn't sure how long it would take to get there if at all. After it took me two rides just to get to Twizel I thought it would be a long day although from Twizel some guy took me straight to Christchurch and even dropped me off at the front door of my hostel! It was amazing going through Tekapo and over the Burkes Pass again as there was a lot more snow, although the road was a little icy. After checking into the hostel I just chilled out, with a free day the following day where I just popped over to Riccarton for lunch before watching a couple of rugby games down Hagley Park in the afternoon.
The Buscot Station is a pretty sizable dairy and merino sheep farm, previously owned by this retired guy who now solely runs a backpackers accomodation from his home in the farm. His son now runs the farm. About 1.5km off the main road down a dirt track and a further 9km from the nearest town of Omarama it was pretty remote. After checking in I was planning on just relaxing but part of the extensive land was this 1250m peak which he said I could climb. As it was such a nice day I thought why not and headed up through the gully before following the fence line to the snowcapped peak. Being on private land meant I had it all to myself. The views up top were great with Lake Pukaki and the Mackenzie Basin visible one way, and Lake Benmore and the Southern Alps visible as you looked round.
On Wednesday my plan was to visit the Omarama Clay Cliffs which are some fascinating rock pinnacles made out of clay. A combination of the very active fault line they lie on and erosion have shaped these pinnacles. The other person staying at the backpackers gave me lift down there as he wanted to go too. I was able to walk around the cliffs and climb up a few sections although all the recent rainfall and snow made the area very muddy. After visiting the cliffs I headed into Omarama itself and had lunch at the cafe and got some wifi as the Buscot Station didn't have any, before having a little wander around the small town. The owner then picked me up as he insisted I ring him when I needed coming back.
Thursday was a more relaxing day as the weather wasn't as nice. Overnight the hills got a fair bit of snow and the Burkes Pass was closed which is the most direct route to Christchurch from Omarama which wasn't great if that was still the case the following day. The owner did take me off in his car and drove me around the farm which was massive. It was nice to do something despite the weather, and it was very interesting hearing about New Zealand farming from his perspective. The afternoon was basically spent just spent watching trash tv!
Come Friday I left to head back to Christchurch, although in terms of hitchhiking it was pretty ambitious and I wasn't sure how long it would take to get there if at all. After it took me two rides just to get to Twizel I thought it would be a long day although from Twizel some guy took me straight to Christchurch and even dropped me off at the front door of my hostel! It was amazing going through Tekapo and over the Burkes Pass again as there was a lot more snow, although the road was a little icy. After checking into the hostel I just chilled out, with a free day the following day where I just popped over to Riccarton for lunch before watching a couple of rugby games down Hagley Park in the afternoon.
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