A road trip - Bluff to Nelson

Two days of solid travel, from the bottom to the top of the South Island, 999 kms, 12h 27min.    However, the time does not include all the stopping or travelling at 30 kmh for road works, especially on the Lewis Pass.   This road had to include all the traffic from Blenheim to Christchurch, when Highway 1 and the Main North Line railway was swept away due to the earthquake in November 2016.    All the heavy trucks caused damage to a road that was not built for so much traffic. 

Before we set off north, we stayed for three nights at Shona's house in Wallacetown in order to spend time with her and Ollie.  It was lovely to meet Ollie and to spend time with them both.

The old playhouse, newly painted and looking very smart.

The magnificent grasses, planted by Shona and Ollie, that run along the banks of the Makarewa River.

Ollie and Shona looking relaxed on a cold morning.

A magnificent display of hydrangeas in front of the house.

While we were at Shona's house we drove down to Bluff, the most southern point of the South Island, and fought off the other tourists in order to get our photograph taken.

We walked for half an hour around the coastal path, which was beautifully set in the native bush, and offered wonderful views of the coast. 

Andreena, Walter and Margaret pausing for breath in a particularly lovely grove of bush.

A view across the sparkling sea.  I might add the weather was mild and sunny, most unusual for Buff.   My grandmother, as a very young girl, arrived here by ship with her parents   They came from County Antrim in Northern Island.   It must have been a bleak and unwelcome place in the late 19th century.

The Stewart Island ferry passing a small launch on a calm sea.   Foveaux Strait can be a very rough and dangerous stretch of water.

We also spent quite a few happy hours with Eric and Ngaire, talking about life in general and reminiscing about the past.   A very special time.   Their daughter, Carol, also called in while we were there, and it was lovely to catch up with her.

On Sunday morning we set off to travel north, via Kingston, and the road around the edge of Lake Wakatipu, in front of the mountains, called The Remarkables, which constantly change colour.  After travelling on the new bridge over the Kawarau River, we passed the ever sprawling town of Frankton, past Lake Hayes and then onto Cromwell, where we stopped to buy fruit and a berry ice cream.     We avoided Queenstown, which is overcrowded and spoilt by over commercialisation.

A view of the mountains on the other side of Lake Wakatipu.

The traffic on the road was unbelievably heavy, with coaches, motorhomes, camper vans, and tourists in cars, like us.   Added to this mix there were some very impatient and irresponsible New Zealanders, who passed everyone, regardless of the bends in the roads, or lines on the road, indicating that one must not pass vehicles on this section of road.   Luckily we had a pleasant and uneventful drive north.

We stopped at Omarama, in the middle of the McKenzie high plains, for lunch, which also afforded us a view of the dead deer on the back of a utility truck.   The result of a successful deer hunting expedition, no doubt.   A trifle off putting. 

After passing through the remote and beautiful Lindis Pass, we continued on past Lakes Pukaki and Tekapo, through Burkes Pass, and the lovely village of Fairlie, and then to Geraldine where we stopped for the night.

A view from the lookout on the Lindis Pass.

Geraldine has our favourite cafe, set in beautiful gardens, but on this occasion we went to a pub for a pleasant dinner.

The next day we set off early, and travelled initially on the scenic road which runs between the Southern Alps and Christchurch.    There were hardly any tourists travelling on this road, so therefore no impatient New Zealand drivers either.   A very pleasant trip.

We stopped at a very popular bakery in Oxford for coffee, which was excellent.   We could not resist their locally made pies, sausage rolls and toasted bread.    A bit early in the day, I know, but impossible to resist the temptation to indulge in their excellent food.

Andreena decided to put herself into the stocks outside the old prison cells.

A view of the Rangitata River, which is a braided river, that flows across the Canterbury Plains.

The changing colour of the lower hills of the Southern Alps was very special.

Another view of the same hills.

We came out onto Highway 1 above Christchurch and then turned off towards the Lewis Pass, which required much concentration due to the terrain, and the road works, which I mentioned in the first paragraph.

Once through the mountains we stopped in Murchison for the obligatory extra large ice cream.

Sadly no photographs of this part of the South Island, due to the need to get to Nelson.    The countryside was extremely brown though, with many dead trees, due to the hot and dry summer.

We finally arrived in Stoke, Nelson, at 6 pm.    A very long day.

However, we were greeted by Gordon, who gave us beer and wine, which revived us.   He had also cooked us a delicious dinner. and we went off to bed feeling very happy and relaxed.

A view of Isel House, in its magnificent park, which is just around the corner from Margaret and Gordon's house.    Stormy skies.    However they desperately need rain.

Travelling further south - New Zealand

After leaving Wanaka we travelled first to Clyde in Central Otago, and then on to Invercargill, with lots of family get togethers.   We are loving it.

We caught up with David and Catherine at their lovely large holiday house in Clyde.   It was also David's 70th birthday too.    Yes David and Brian are twins so Brian sent some of his birthday cake along to share with David.    

Catherine cooked blue cod and white bait fritters for the birthday dinner.    A very special meal.    For people who are not New Zealanders, these are local delicacies.   The blue cod is a fine fish caught in the deep sea south of here, and the white bait is caught in the local river mouths.   The white bait is a very tiny soft white fish, cooked in a light batter.  

 While in Clyde we went for plenty of long walks, around the streets, down to the cafe for coffee and to look at the old cemetery, with its hundreds of rabbit holes.   Apparently the cemetery had this problem a hundred years ago, an ongoing one I think.

 We never tire of walking around Clyde, a small place surrounded by mountains, and a fast flowing river.  The holiday houses, with some permanent ones, have interesting gardens and lots of ideas for garden designs.

When we walked through the tunnel underneath the main road, it was covered with murals painted by a New Zealand artist.   My apologies as I did not write his name down.    The paintings were scenes from the bicycle track which starts in Clyde and runs through much of central Otago.   They were very good.

We sat in the green and shady gardens of a local cafe and ate delicious ice creams, with raspberries.   The sky was a brilliant blue.

The gardens at the cafe.    I might add that the temperate climate has brought moisture to my skin and finally healed the battered sun burnt lips. 

I thought Walter, Steve, Jackson and Isabel would love the huge courgettes on sale at the fruit and vegetable stall in Clyde.   A vegetable that none of them really like.   At least I did not let my courgettes grow so large.

We travelled from Clyde down to Invercargill and stayed at David and Catherine's house in Invercargill.    Their children and grandchildren came for dinner on two nights and we had a lovely time catching up on all the news.    I cannot believe how much the grandchildren have grown during the past two years.

A line up of Catherine, me, Andreena, Margaret, David and Lucy, the cute dog.

David took us for a journey along the south tourist route.   The first stop was the museum at Riverton, which is one of the best I have visited.   As well as being filled with the history of Riverton, it also provides visual effects that have quite an impact.   It makes one really understand about the Maori tribes that lived here, and how they were integrated into the early European settlement.

A view of  the Aparima estuary .

The photograph below is of Colac Bay.   Not the most flattering photograph of a very beautiful bay.   We used to have a holiday house here, and spent many a holiday on the beach, jumping from rock to rock and exploring the local area.   

We ate lunch at an upmarket cafe in the ghostly deserted settlement of Orepuki.   Orepuki was once, well probably 100 years ago, a thriving small town.   Originally it was probably larger than Invercargill, but it has declined somewhat and now houses a pub, a few run down houses, a football field, and derelict shops.   Plus the cafe, which is on the tourist trail and  has the most delicious food.

The photograph below is of a derelict shop, not the upmarket cafe.

Finally, after much reminiscing, we arrived at the end of the Waiau River, on the western end of the south coast, not far from the town of Tuatapere, where David and Catherine have a shack, which in our terms is more like a holiday house.    It can be a wild, stormy area but on the day of our visit it was warm and sunny.

A rest inside the house, which is beautifully appointed and has all the luxuries one would expect from a holiday house.

A view of the mouth of the Waiau River, with the southern ocean behind it.   David and his son, James, go whitebaiting at the mouth of this river.

David has a little caravan, very comfortable, plus a toilet trailer, which he places by the river, in order to rest comfortably, while he waits for the white bait to swim into his nets.    No sense in roughing it too much.

We went for a walk around Invercargill and took a couple of photographs of the area that is going to be redeveloped during the next few years.   The heart has gone out of the shopping area of Invercargill, plus most of the old buildings have been rated as not up to earthquake standards, which means they are not occupied at present.    Very sad.

However the flower display in Esk Street was very colourful.

The Cambridge Arcade, with its beautiful tessellated floor, will be no more soon.    There are no shops in there anymore.  Oh well, progress.

Today we went for a drive through Ryal Bush, which is where I lived for the first 19 years of my life.   It is hard to believe that it was once a thriving community, with a shop, garage, hall, church and school.    As they were all wooden buildings they have disappeared, with only a new classroom, used by a playgroup, in the grounds of the old school.    The school once had tennis courts, football field, and swimming pool, all gone. 

The two monkey puzzle trees still stand proud on the front lawn.   Funny that the grounds do not seem as large as they were when I was a child.   Perspective!

My old home, badly in need of a coat of paint.   Again the house seemed tiny compared to the home I remembered.

We celebrated our tour with a lunch of oysters in batter, deep fried with chips, plus coleslaw to make it a healthy meal.   

Deep fried oysters in batter are a real Southland delicacy.   It is the beginning of the oyster season here, and these ones have been dredged from the sea.   No oyster farming here.

A view of the Basilica behind the trees.

A drive to Oreti Beach completed the day.   This is where Burt Munro, the World's Fastest Indian, raced his motorcycle during the 1950s.   

That is our rental car, which did not get bogged on the beach, by the way.   The sand was very hard here.

Andreena testing the water.   I notice that she did not attempt to go for a swim.   A bit cold I think.

Finally a walk along the edge of the estuary and a selfie photo.     Andreena is getting pretty good at taking a selfie photo.

And we continue our journey and special times with the family.

A family visit to New Zealand

 We are in New Zealand to visit my family.    In fact we have been here for over a week, and having a lovely time.  Plenty to catch up on, so lots of talking and memories shared, helped along by glasses of good wine and delicious food.

Andreena also came with us, and Margaret met us in Christchurch.   Lots of fun as we, Walter, Margaret, Andreena and me, travel around visiting family.

First stop Melbourne Airport, where the above photographs were taken.

After we collected Margaret, we visited our lovely aunt at her beautiful apartment in a retirement village.  Then it was an early night before we set off next morning, destination Wanaka.

First stop, our favourite cafe in Geraldine.

Morning coffee whilst sitting outside in the sunshine, surrounded by a beautiful garden.

A stop at Lake Pukaki, and a chance for a selfie.   Very funny.

Lake Pukaki, on a clear fine day has brilliant views of the surrounding mountains, and especially Mt Cook (Aoraki).    We stopped alongside all the other tourists, in coaches, vans and cars.   A popular place.

Walter took this photo.

We stayed in Wanaka at our brother's house in Wanaka.    Brian and Susanne run a very comfortable B and B there.   There is also Brian's magnificent garden, full of quirky art and sculpture work which is really captivating.   

The driveway into a two storey house which they rent out.   We stayed there this year, and a very comfortable place to stay in too.   The driveway, shaded, and full of interested is beautiful to walk along.

We visited the Transport Museum, which is full of interesting old toys and vehicles.

I think models of every car we, and our parents, ever owned, were in the museum.   Talk about travelling down memory lane.

We saw the biggest display of souvenir spoons, too many to look at them closely.

There was even an old Air New Zealand plane in one of the sheds.   It was fascinating to look inside the plane at the old seats, with plenty of leg room.

A lovely walk beside Lake Wanaka.

The famous tree in the lake, very photographed by all the tourists.

Brian, Margaret, Walter and me dressed in our warmest clothes.   Quite a cool breeze blowing.

Another selfie, with Margaret looking very smart in her new bright blue jacket behind Andreena.   Perfectly posed, Margaret.

A beautiful 70th birthday celebration for Brian.

I must mention the mostly glorious weather in the South Island of New Zealand.    Certainly no harsh hot climate here.   While Adelaide has sweltered in 40 degree heat, with no rain in sight, we have encountered rain, some 4 degree temperatures in the early morning and some beautiful sunny days, with temperatures in the mid 20s.