north Island and back to Christchurch.

well after the south island we headed from Picton to the north Island. on the 20th of august.
The 3.5hr ferry trip across from Picton was nice and calm and we even got a few nice views of the surrounding bays.
After arriving in Wellington we wasted no time and drove north to lake Taupo, going past mount Tongariro ( Peter Jackson's version of Mordor from J RR Tolkien ) although it was sat in clouds when we past so we didn't see much of it. After a day on the road we decided to have takeaway for dinner so we went to the Chinese although it's not exactly what i have become accustom to.

The following day we went past the rest of lake Taupo and visited Huka falls on the way up to Wai-o-Tapu park which consists of a number of thermal springs and bubbling pools spewing forth among other things H2S which gives it that distinctive rotten egg smell.
We went on to Rotorua (sulpher city) and then on to Tauranga where we stopped that night.

From Tauranga on the 22nd we went to Auckland which neither of us thought that much of although it has a wonderful museum with lots of info on the Maori history in New Zealand. A trip around the Victoria Market is also worth while and a few gifts were picked up before negotiating the disastrously feeble road network to retreat south.
The road system appears to be designed and carried out in good British form being over budget and time and seems nowhere near completion. (well done)

From Auckland we headed south and drove down the picturesque west coast to New Plymouth where we arrived and found that the rain which had followed us all day had caught up and decide to continue until the following day, The hostel was however really nice and the fish and chips for dinner from across the road went down a treat.
The next day it was still no better and Mt Taranaki / Egmont had to be experienced from the pleasures of the free museum which gives a full 360 view of this mythological mountain of Maori legends which created and raised the land around it into the New Plymouth area.

We set off fully informed from the museum at new Plymouth and headed to a little town just north of wellington by the name of Plimmerton. The hostel had great sea views being all of 20ft away from the beach on the other side of the road, and was a great springboard to launch into Wellington and onto the ferry to Picton the following day.

We were back once again at the Sequoia lodge in Picton, The one with the free chocolate pudding and again as before the weather was crap. in fact so much so that the road to the south was washed away, as was some poor souls cows. well not all of them but a good few went for a swim from which they would never return. So needless to say the road was out and plans of getting to Christchurch and stopping long enough to do the whale watching were looking decidedly dubious. That's what over two months rain in two days can do to things. However all was not lost and a second night and a second helping of chocolate pud was had as we awaited news of the road opening, and had to dry the car out from the flooded car park where it went for a small paddle the night before. ( I said i was going to put it in the ocean but the rain got to it first)

All was not lost, we made it to Kaikoura later on the 27th and were rewarded with a great sunny day which allowed us to see a few seals drying themselves from the soaking they would have had the past two days.
The sea was an ugly brown from all the rain run off and floating debris and we found a nice hostel to stop at until we could go whale watching the following day.

The morning of the 28th came and we were greeted by great views out to the south Alps and rolling surf of the west coast, we spent about 3 hrs on the water and spotted two sperm whales which made the day well worth while. That afternoon we headed back to Christchurch via a nice little town known as Sheffield sat in a very pleasant spot about 56km west of Christchurch in a spectacular place with great vistas. After the small detour we arrived and then prepared to fly out on the following day.

There was just enough time on the 29th to drive up and around the port hills south of Christchurch for some magnificent views of the city when the low clouds permitted, before we handed the car back and awaited the flight to Melbourne, which i can report landed safely with all on board and no bags were lost en route. Hurrah.

Now we just have to sort out what were going to do in Oz for the next three weeks.

South Island with Mum

Mum arrived at Christchurch on the 11th about 11:30 pm so nothing was done apart from heading to a hostel to sleep.
The following day on the 12th it dawned grey and raining so we just spent the day going around firstly the cathedral, it was only a short distance from where we were stopping and built using local stone and timber it took some 50 odd years to complete ( due to lack of funds) from when the few settlers established the town back in 1850's to about 1906ish, and then after a cup of coffee we got on the old Tram, after a bit of a high step to get on, and set of at the wonderful speed of about 20kph around an inner city loop. We got of to have a look around some craft shops and then took the tram back to the quaint little regent street and walked back just avoiding the latest downpour.
On the 13th we left Christchurch and headed down the banks peninsular to a beautiful little place called Akoroa, which has some wonderful old building and a picturesque lighthouse, for which it seemed to remain sunny. After elevenses we got back on the road and headed south to Dunedin, where we arrived late and had to search around for a hostel eventually finding the YHA which was converted from an old hospital build in the 1800's and designed by some architect who's apparently built many similar buildings around the town.
Also this is home to a cadburys chocolate factory and a magnificently grand and ornate train station.
the next day was a much more pleasant dawn and we left Dunedin heading south again down the east coast to the Catlin's, an area of great beauty which runs across the south coast to Invercargill. As far as towns go this one should probably be avoided except for its only apparent redeeming factor, the beautiful Queens park and botanical gardens.
From Invercargill we headed north and slowly climbed the foothills and up the valleys to Te Anau, a most attractive town by a crystal clear lake, with snowy peaks, and unfortunately snowy roads which prevented us from making the journey onwards to Milford Sound.
We stopped at a modern and well equipped hostel and waited around on the 15th hoping for an improvement from the snow which much to our disappointment didn't happen. When the road was closed for the 3rd day this being the 16th we packed up and headed to Queenstown where i meet back up with a friend to reacquire some climbing gear that had been misappropriated due to mutual error and I took mum to explore the little settlement of Arrowtown which was established in the gold rush when many Chinese migrated to test their luck and their fortunes, most of these came from Guangdong so must have had a real shock when they experienced the cold and snowy winters which must have been a real hardship when one looks at the shacks and the remains of the little village they setup just outside the main town. A late lunch was had in Arrowtown and we headed back to Queenstown hoping for the clouds to rise so we could get a view of the town by going up the gondola, this unfortunately wasn't to happen and to insult us a bit more it decided to snow.
The 17th dawned and we headed north Past the much quieter town of Wanaka and up highway 6, and with the aid of chains to get through some snowy sections of road we made it to Haast after some spectacular views from the snaking road of the lakes and surrounding countryside and it appeared that on the west coast we had well and truly left the bad weather behind us and made our way over to the Franz Joseph Glacier which unfortunately isn't a patch on what it used to be but then what glaciers are nowadays.

We left the Frans Joseph behind us and headed up what is apperently one of the most scenic sections of highway on the south Island heading past "the road kill cafe" at Puka as the locals call it. Renowned for its possum pie. Yum Yum.
It was a bit to early for lunch but i picked up a pair of trousers for the princely sum of $1 (bargain) and we headed up to Pancake rocks which is well worth seeing. we were then left with a good few hours of driving to go before getting to the north coast at Motueka, where we spent the night and today went to the Able Tasman National Park, we were once again blessed with beautifully sunshine and spent the better part of the day heading by boat up the coast past sandy beaches clear waters granite boulders, one in the shape of a split apple, and also fur seals and cormorants, which were sat sunbathing not a care in the world.
Tonight we are stopping at Picton before getting the ferry across to the north Island tomorrow. It must be mentioned that the Hostel is one of the best yet, it even has free chocolate pudding and ice cream, gets my vote although with all this driving and sitting around I'm liable to start getting fat. mind you i could have a shave and a hair cut which would probably make me a few pounds lighter.
Well thats the first week traveling with Mum, an Automatic car (which im growing to hate) and about 2500km. will this car survive... i may just have to dump it in the ocean..