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New Zealand and Oz 2023-2024New Zealand and Oz 2023-2024
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New Zealand and Oz 2023-2024

November 2023 - March 2024
A 149-day adventure by Vanessa Read more
  • 17footprints
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  • 149days
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  • TravelerNew Zealand and Oz 2023-2024
    Day 47

    Onwards to Wanaka to Greymouth

    December 17, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    Onwards towards our Christmas destination. Stopped at Wanaka for a few nights. Very beautiful area. First night was at Luggate Cricket Club POP which was great we could sit by the van and watch the match. Could have been anywhere in England on a Saturday afternoon. Only difference was the sandflies.
    Took the opportunity to climb up to Diamond Lake but never made it to the top as both of us felt unwell. Whether we climbed too quickly or what it was we don’t know but rested for a while and then decended.
    Next day we drove down the length of lake Wanaka and through the stunning Haast pass to reach the West Coast.
    The plan was to spend a night at Jackson Bay but as we hit the west coast the weather changed to heavy rain so we spent the night at the excellent motor lodge at Haast. Not before we had fish and chips at the Craypot Cafe , Jackson Bay. Very expensive and just ok but then it was at the end of long dead end road, no passing trade. Also dry enough to walk the track to Ocean bay. It had the most unusual collection of rocks on this beach including a rock that looked like a dinosaur s head.
    Onward the next day, we were in for a very long days driving. We stopped for a break at Whataroa with its brilliant Christmas tree and Ross a gold mining town with a great trail through the old mine workings and an impressive Chinese garden, a memorial to the Chinese gold miners that settled here,. The pub here was something to behold. Straight out of a cowdy set with old piano and noisy crowd, unfortunately no photo. A place to return to as lots to see. .
    Stopped a night at Greymouth to do our Christmas shopping..    Read more

  • TravelerNew Zealand and Oz 2023-2024
    Day 52–60

    Karamea

    December 22, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Karamea is an hour and a half drive from the nearest town over a twisting mountain road. On the north west coast of South Island.
    It is famed for its whitebait fishing and between August and November attracts people from all over. Otherwise it is a quiet and off the beaten track. The community is similar to Takaka with its mix of residents of all nationalities and characters. The weather rarely gets below 10c and gets up to 25c so they can grow almost anything here. Even some of the strange fruits we saw on Samoa. They can even grow bananas. Although not very big. The locals tell the visitors that it rains most of the year. But it doesn’t!!!🤣
    We had heard that Colin and Leslie the wardens of the campground love Christmas and that it is a good place to be over the holidays. The site is on the Domain (sports ground) with a swimming pool bowling club and tennis courts next door. The old rugby club serves as lounge kitchen, showers and a bunk room.
    Visited the Oparara basin 16k north of Karamea.. Very dense natural forest, the road was a challenge both in and out but the Hiace dealt with it brilliantly. The Moria Gate arch was the smallest but most impressive. The Oparara arch was over 200m long..
    Sandfly central!!!
    Also cycled and walked to a tall Rimu tree.    Read more

  • TravelerNew Zealand and Oz 2023-2024
    1
    Day 53

    Christmas and New Year

    December 23, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Spent Christmas at Karamea. Leslie cooked an amazing spread for everyone on site. She made far too much though, to the delight of some American girls who spent the next four days eating it up. Spoke to some interesting people but we thought there would be more people there.
    Met Mike down at Westport and we decided to visit Denniston mine which is on the top of a hill. Unfortunately there had been a slip a short while before we arrived so the road was closed. Did the Cape Foulwind walkway instead. It ends at a seal colony but there were only five seals lazing on the rocks so not that impressive. The day was made by the Boysenberry ice cream we bought at the little cafe. Boysenberries are like overgrown blackberries and are even better blitzed with frozen yoghurt rather than ice cream.
    We moved on to Charleston for New Year. Nice pub next to the campsite where Steve and Mike beat the locals at pool but they closed before midnight so we went back to the campsite where most people were in bed. I sang Auld Lang Syne at midnight and went to bed😜    Read more

  • TravelerNew Zealand and Oz 2023-2024
    1
    Day 65–72

    He did it !!!!

    January 4 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    We decide that as Mike had to get back to Christchurch we would head back up to Karamea. After a night freedom camping at Westport to give a chance to do a bit of shopping and buy provisions we got on our way.
    Only back one day and Steve thought he would try fishing on the river. He had been trying for four hours to catch something when a local rocked up with his very expensive kit. He could cast twice as far as Steve with his small reel. We watched as he pulled in three Kahawai. Then Steve got a bite but as he reeled it in it jumped out of the water, did a somersault and freed itself. Within a couple of minutes he had caught another one this time he managed to land it.
    Back to the campground ,Colin weighed it and it came in at a very respectable 4 1/ 2 lbs.
    After cleaning it we decided to have salad for tea, too much blood and guts but did eat it in a fish curry the following night. Kahawai is quite a strong tasting fish so not great just grilled.
    The weather has been much better,, the wind has died down and we have west coast sunsets, summer starts at the beginning of January.
    Did an excellent four and a half hour walk on the Fenian walkway to Adam’s Flatt. Following an old gold miners bridleway. We reflected the whole time on how hardy these people were to carve their way through dense forest up in the hills three hours away from civilisation. Brilliantly maintained by DOC there was a reproduction of the original slab house on Adam’s Flatt, a small clearing ,that they would have lived in. Kitted out with a platform, hikers use it for overnights today. Had a great day!!!
    Went up to the end of the road 16km beyond Karamea, the start of the Heapy track one of NZ’s great walks. There was a DOC campsite, would have camped there but there was a lot of sandflies. We walked the first hour of the Heapy track to Scott’s Beach. Like being on a desert island. Just wonderful!    Read more

  • TravelerNew Zealand and Oz 2023-2024
    Day 74–81

    Beyond Karamea

    January 13 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    With great sadness we left Karamea.
    The other side of the mountain is a campsite called Gentle Annie’s, highly rated we decided to stay a couple of nights. This would have been a great site outside of school holidays but it was heaving and the facilities did not stand up to the pressure. That said we did a pleasant bush walk, the Bali style showers were really good and we made use of the woodfired pizza oven which produced great tasting pizzas.
    Two nights was enough though so onward towards Westport. We had heard that the road Denniston had been opened so we tried again. Well worth the effort! This town on the top of the hill grew up around the coal mines. Only a handful of houses there now but lots of history and fantastic views. The coal was carried down to the coast in overhead wagons. (Aerial ropeway) A bit like cable cars but carrying coal. As always just amazing engineering.
    Another couple of nights at Westport where we visited our first AP show, agricultural and pastoral. Like our agricultural shows with the addition of speed log cutting and axe throwing competitions. Fairground rides were very old fashioned. Could have been Beamish.    Read more

  • TravelerNew Zealand and Oz 2023-2024
    Day 75

    The road back to Christchurch and around

    January 14 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    Stopped off at Reefton on the way back to Christchurch. Rain plus sandflies meant we only stayed a couple of nights.
    Plus a couple of nights at Rangiora where we visited the RSA club. Burns suppers advertised, it’s a thing here too!
    The idea was to spend the rest of our time in Christchurch playing bridge and table tennis. BUT decided to spend another weekend at the Springfield domain site which we visited before Christmas. Big mistake!! Fell playing tennis and broke my wrist. Spent six and a half hours in the emergency department and only got out just in time to meet Steve and Mike for a first table that we had booked. All plans up the swanny!!!!    Read more

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