Earth 2010

Campervan Day 6

Hi-de-hi campers. Slight disaster today, for some reason we couldn’t get the cap off the fresh water tank. Luckily we’re still half full at the moment. We’re hoping when we try tomorrow it will work.

Though we had a shaky start, things looked up as we headed for the Kaniere Scenic Reserve. We came across the aptly named Dorothy Falls – both these Dorothys are still standing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also explored the Hokitika Gorge with its famous turquoise river and rope bridge. It may have been the cloudy day but the water looked more grey-blue than turquoise. What do you think? There are pictures in the album.

We then headed through increasingly heavy rain to the exciting sounding Franz Josef Glacier township! We found a lovely pitch at the Rainforest Retreat, the picture below shows us in Kiki retreating in the rain.

Anyhoo, off to see two glaciers tomorrow weather permitting. Right, you are up straight now, you’ll be experiencing our adventures as they happen. Don’t forget we are a day ahead of you, we’re off to bed when you are waking up to the day we’ve just had. Got it?

 

Campervan Days 4 and 5

Hi-de-hi campers! Two for the price of one today, we’re trying to catch-up so you get our adventures as they happen.

After a lovely sunrise at our ocean side pitch in Kaikoura we drove up to the peninsula to look for seals, but only found one. The colony must be on holiday.

We then set off inland to Hamner Springs, a thermal resort in the mountains. We did not partake of the waters when we arrived, mainly because it was a hot Sunday afternoon and it looked more like Wet’n’Wild  in Orlando than a luxurious thermal spa experience. Though we did have a champagne supper at the campsite: as Julie London says ‘chilli con carne and sparkling champagne…’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day we headed through the Southern Alps to the West Coast. On the way we looked for a picnic spot, but they mainly looked like lay-bys. Eventually we came across the Brunner Mine, an old New Zealand coal mine and heritage site. Famous for its restored bridge across the ‘Grey River’ – that is its name (and it lives up to it). If I’d have known there was a flushable toilet on the site, I wouldn’t have used our porta-loo before we walked down to the bridge. The joys of campervanning; remember its only number ones though!

We continued down to the seaside town of Hokitika. Found our pitch for the night, next to a milk factory this time. We then went for a stroll along the waterfront to sunset point. But alas this is the land of the long white cloud, so there was no sun to be seen, but Paul did find a relaxing spot, see the pic below. Strangely enough we had a wonderful supper at the Café de Paris.

Anyhoo, look at the pics in the album, there are plenty. More tomorrow!

Campervan Day 3

Hi-de-hi campers! Another packed day driving along the highways of the South Island. We drove back to Picton from Nelson, this time along the Queen Charlotte scenic drive and discovered one wonderful bay after another.

 

We arrived back in Picton and had lunch at our favourite restaurant, the deck of the Echo – there is a fab pic or two in the album. Then we made our way to Kaikoura on the East Coast. Kaikoura is famous for whale watching and its seal colonies. We found a lovely pitch right by the ocean. But again the camp was more hi-de-hi than ho-de-ho, but the views made up for it, see the pic below for a camper’s eye view.

At this park we emptied our first toilet cassette – like to keep you well informed. Don’t worry it’s only for number ones.

Anyhoo, more tomorrow. Don’t forget to look at the album, my knuckles are going white holding onto the arms of my seat as we drive along the roads to get these pics.

 

 

 

Campervan Day 2

Hi-de-hi campers! We left Picton bright and early after our first communal shower and set off on the road to Nelson (named after the famous Admiral).

We rattled our way up and down windy mountain roads, and were a bit perturbed at the stream of water that kept zooming across the floor from the toilet/shower cubicle. Needless to say everything seems to have sorted itself out, fingers crossed. Though there was a moment when we going downhill, an enormous roar came from the back of the van like a Tsunami. Thankfully it was just our cases rolling down the aisle – they were too big for the overhead compartments! But fit handily into the shower cubicle, when we are not moving. Kiki is so versatile!

On the drive in Paul’s ever elusive search for the perfect Sound we climbed a mountain, up a single track road and wound our way down the other side to find the perfect picnic spot pictured below. It was called Tennyson’s Inlet and we had it to ourselves. The cheese and jam sandwiches were lovely and we made a cup of tea on the gas stove.

We finally arrived in Nelson and found a perfect pitch right by the beach though the camp was more hi-de-hi than ho-de-ho; shall we say in a 1950s style.

Anyhoo, more tomorrow. Don’t forget to look at the pics in the album we drove over mountains to get them!

 

 

 

 

Campervan Day 1

Hi-de-hi, everyone. We're happy campers now for the next two weeks, and we're going to bring you a day by day, blow by blow blog of our camping exploits in the South Island of New Zealand.

The ferry slipped through the beautiful Queen Charlotte Sound on a bright sunny day. We were surrounded by high forested hills dropping straight into the deep water. And then the ferry turned around a peninsular to reveal picture postcard Picton: probably the prettiest port in the world.

It is a spectacular introduction to the South Island. And the fun had only just started. As we waited for our luggage we could see our home for the next two weeks sitting shining in the sun, a big white Ford Transit turned apartment on wheels, who we've come to know and love as Kiki the campervan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We decided not to go anywhere that day, so we could settle into Kiki and enjoy a bit more of pretty Picton. Right choice. After a walk around the harbour we found a lovely café on the deck of a ship, the Echo, and ex-coastal cargo ship and sometime supply ship for the US Navy.

We had a lovely supper and a sunset walk along a path up the sound, returned to the camper and settled into our first night. 

Surprisingly comfy and cosy we set off in the morning to discover the South Island. 

 

Wellington

308 days since selling up, 100 days until the grand return. David Jones recording.

We had a whistle-stop two days in Wellington to conclude our tour of the North Island. We had only just arrived when the earthquake hit Christchurch, which was an awful shock for everyone. We spent some time watching the news with the rest of the city, but being able to do little, we set out to explore Wellington nevertheless.

We started with what became our favourite place in the city - St John's waterfront bar/restaurant. We had lunch there both days in a stunning art deco building. The food was superb and the interior stylishly reproduced the 1930s era. It was so good I even tweeted Sir Ian McKellen about it as he said he'd just arrived in NZ to film the Hobbit. Let's hope he takes my advice and get's to St John's when he has a break in Wellington (no news yet...)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the next day we explored further afield riding the old red cable car up to the botanical gardens on a hill overlooking the city and the harbour. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the long, windy, ferny walk down from the botanical gardens back to the city we strolled through the old graveyard (half of which has disappeared under a motorway, just like Auckland!) and saw the colonial houses of nineteenth century Wellington including somewhere in amongst them the birthplace of Katherine Mansfield - famous author. Have you heard of her? I hadn't. I might add the literary guru travelling with me said he knew all about her, but had to admit he hadn't read any of her books.

We then had a fun-filled day exploring the rest of the city including the national museum of New Zealand, Te Papa. Where you can walk through NZ bush, see a giant squid, see and listen the stories of the Maoris and how they came to Aotearoa as they first called it, and of the British and other settlers in the nineteenth century. We also captured our first photo of a Kiwi, sadly the trick is to have them dead and stuffed in a glass cabinet. Photos from the museum and other sights are all in the album.

We leave you with the view as we sailed out of Wellington Harbour on the Interislander ferry heading for the South Island where our camper van awaited. Look out for daily blog updates from the camper van - wifi permitting. Bye bye 'til next time.

 

Napier and the delightfully decadent deco shindig

307 days since selling up, 101 days until the grand return. David Jones and Paul Twocock recording.

'You're the cream in my coffee, you're the salt in my stew. You're a necessity, I'd be lost without you!' It could be the theme tune to our whole world tour, in fact it was sung from the Shell Sound Stage on the waterfront in fabulous Napier during the heart of its decadent hoorah for all things 1930s - the Art Deco festival - and we were there to see it all.

We were in our element. Having secured one of the last three rooms left in Napier for the weekend, thanks to a midnight online booking cock-up by one who shall remain nameless (it begins with a Two and ends in a cock) we reached the seaside city of Napier just in time to see hundreds of 1920s and 1930s cars poop-pooping along Marine Parade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The cars, the streets, the cafés and the parks were all full of people in flapper dresses, 1920s summer wear and curiously a lot of Al Capones. A swing band skipped through rag time greats on the Shell Sound Stage and we all danced until the moon lit up the ocean.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Sunday there was a Great Gatsby picnic all the way along the seafront, where the flappers and the aristos of New Zealand tried to outdo each other with the best picnic gazebo. And afterwards some of the bravest went for a late afternoon swim.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had definitely come to Napier at the best weekend possible, all its art deco splendour came alive; you could just about imagine you'd gone back in time. There are a lot more photos in the album, take a look!

But after drinking lots of martinis and supping plenty of champagne we had to poop-poop ourselves back on the road and head south to Wellington, New Zealand's capital, and our last stop on the North Island.

But before we got there we found time to stop off to see yet more old cars at the Southward Car Museum. There were an old London Taxi or two, Marlene Dietrich's Cadillac, but for Paul the star attraction was the futuristic car from his favourite Woody Allen movie: 'Sleeper'. Well he got very excited anyway:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All-in-all it we all had a spiffing time in the Art Deco capital of the world (well that's what they say!). Toodle Pip all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rotorua - what a stinker!

306 days since selling up, 102 days until the grand return. Paul Twocock recording.

I can still smell the putrid eggy smell that seethed all around Rotorua. All the volcanic thermal pools had names like the dragon’s breath, the witch’s armpit and the devil’s arse and it was easy to smell why. But we held our noses and set out to get up close and personal with one of the most volcanic regions in the world.

First stop Wai-o-Tapu Thermal Wonderland: and it was pretty wonderful.  It started with the very impressive Lady Knox Geyser. The park helps it along by triggering it at 10:15 every day – we were late, but it was still going and we had the place to ourselves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we moved onto the craters of sulphurous boiling water – a mix of different diabolical colours: orange, yellow, green or oddly grey which sat alongside giant cauldrons of bubbling mud. There were waterfalls of boiling water, and the very pretty but just as stinky champagne pool which had a bright orange rim and boiled like it was a freshly opened bottle of champagne.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The volcanic trek ended in a flourish at the Devil’s Bath – which as you can see in the photo is a hellish bright yellow-green with a stink that made your hair stand on end!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After Wai-o-Tapu we went onto the site of a devastating eruption of one of the region's many volcanoes. On 16 June 1888 Mt Tarawera exploded raining down ash and fire across a wide area and burying a popular Victorian tourist haunt – the village of Te Waiora. Some of the buried buildings have been excavated so you can see ovens, walls, lava covered whisky bottles and the like – although the most interesting bit was to hear the stories of those who survived and those who perished on that terrible night.

As a relief after all the disaster stories you get to wander along a stream-side path and into a valley with the most fabulous waterfall. And to top it all end up back at the buried village café for Devonshire cream teas (I kid you not – this is New Zealand after all – though the cream was not clotted!).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our final stop on our volcanic tour was a bit of a let down. The famed (well in all the adverts any way) Pohutu Geyser failed to rise up to 30m, but did do a bit of a half-hearted spray for us, you can see it in the album. As a compensation the very expensive park which includes the geyser also has a Kiwi house and we got to see our first Kiwi – they are a lot bigger than you would expect and even stranger than you would think with a huge yellow beak and a big fuzz of fluffy feathers.

After two days staying in the stink we had to leave, not just for some fresh air, but also because it was Art Deco festival time at New Zealand’s capital of Art Deco, Napier. Spiffing report of all that went on will follow in the next instalment. Cheerio chaps!

All our thoughts with people of Christchurch

Currently in Wellington but reeling with the rest of New Zealand at the awful news from the South Island as Christchurch is hit by another earthquake, worst than the one last year.

All our thoughts with the people coping with the destruction and loss of life.

lots of love

David and Paul

 

 

Auckland and the Northland

302 days since selling up, 106 until the grand return. Paul Twocock recording.

'The good thing about New Zealand is that nobody's here.' David Jones, February 2011.

An empty airport, long roads with few cars, open fields and hills with no houses and pubs and restaurants where there's always a table free, even on Valentine's night. And to top it all it all seems eerily familiar, but feels totally different. Auckland is a bit like Portsmouth with a supercharged Spinnaker tower and prettier suburbs (more wood bungalows). They were playing cricket on Sunday morning in the park, you can get a roast dinner with all the trimmings and the National Bank of New Zealand even has a logo that looks strangely like the leaping black horse of a famous nationalised bank in the UK.

First things first though we needed to attend to our laundry (a little reported but constant issue for travellers who don't like being smelly). Did I also mention that in New Zealand you keep coming across sudden time warps - things you thought belonged in a museum a long, long time ago. But if a mangle's all that's available...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thankfully we're canny enough to make sure we never too far away from the essentials: in fact Down Under they seem to understand the need for regular laundry and we have never had such a clean wardrobe. Sometimes with had our very own machine, so it almost felt like home again:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But we haven't spent all week in the laundry room. After two days recovering in Auckland from our 24 hour journey from Honolulu, we headed north in a clapped-out green Mazda (it's a 'supasaver' according Ace Rent-a-Car) to explore the Northland - the peninsular north of Auckland. We were based in Whangarei which had a lovely harbour vaguely reminiscent of Cowes, and a waterfall which was like nothing else (no long hike to get to it and a beautiful pool at the bottom).

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We traced the coast northwards to the Bay of Islands (it’s a bay with lots of islands – it seems Captain Cook had run out of inspiration by the time he got to New Zealand) which is beautiful, particularly as seen from the old capital of Russell or Kororeka. We had a lovely waterfront lunch there which reminded us of the Waterfront at Totland Bay on the Isle of Wight.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The windswept west coast was a complete contrast: isolated, with big skies, windswept long beaches and dunes and a massive beautiful harbour with not a yacht in sight. But clambering up to the lookout above Hokianga Harbour and the Tasman Sea was a bit like climbing Tennyson’s Mount. See the album for some extra pics.

One thing you can’t get on the Wight is a massive Kauri tree. This one’s the biggest in New Zealand towering over David:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nor can you get a cliff shaped like the face of Shakespeare gazing out over the bay where Cook anchored up to watch the transit of Mercury across the Sun. Take a careful look at the photo, can you see the face of the bard?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One face you can't miss is the Queen on the 20 dollar note – she reveals a little seen toothy grin, like something has really tickled her.

So many echoes of England, but it really is a long, long way away. And we’ve only just cracked through the surface. Next stop the volcanic pits of Rotorua, one of the sacred places of the Maori, and then on to Art Deco Napier and the capital Wellington. Stay tuned for more from down under.