Waihopai Wonderings

What to call this blog?, Around the world in 120 days? Tim's big adventure? The Trip 2017 or just Barrable Travels...

Day one dawns with a brisk Northerly and a a clear blue sky. I finish packing the van and leave my rented flat after 22 months. I'll miss the place on Wellingtons south west edge on its wild south coast overlooking Taputeranga Island and out to Pencarrow at the mouth of Wellington Harbour. It's a glorious rugged piece of coastline only 20 minutes from the centre of the capital city.

The ferry sails out into a wide blue day with a few fluffy white clouds and that brisk ever present Wellington wind. I sit on the top deck outside watching the white caps and the stunning scenery.

I sit proped against the bulkhead the 'helicopter pad' and the fluttering red ensign of New Zealand in front of me, the mountains of Wellington in the distance. My mind drifts to another ship, or ships; the US carrier fleet that was then wasn't but now is sailing towards the Korean peninsula. "We're sending a very big fleet, its very powerful" says Trump. "We will anihilate it in a massive preemptive strike" says Kim Jong Un. I'm not sure who is the biggest tinpot Dictator, the biggest blusterer but the "toys" they have to play with are anything but laughable.

The ferry leaves the open water of the Strait and enters Tory Channel, the oddly named West Head to our left. It's actually the easternmost point of the South Island. The Marlborough Sounds are tranquil and green the turquoise waters glistening in the sun. Such an idillic setting with its little houses nestling among the green tree clad hills in little isolated pockets by the waterside; thier only access via boat.
Such a peaceful place and such a peaceful lifestyle. That is both the beauty and the bane of New Zealand… nothing much happens here and its easy to forget the crazy things happening in the world. And with that thought my Seattle Seahawks cap catches a gust of wind and flies out to sea to join its bretheren… it was going to join me on my travels but I guess it had other ideas 😃

Later we dock in Picton and I head south west in my trusty Honda Elysion… through elyision fields and the long straight run down the Wairau Valley with miles upon miles of golden vines on every side stretching to the green forest clad mountains to the north and the the largely brown and barren mountains to the south. An idyllic setting with lots of famous vineyards and glorious sunshine. Spoilt only by the incongruous big domes of Waihopai Spy Base, one of the 5 Eyes eyes and ears intercepting global communications, a part of the ECHELON global spy network. Some have even taken advantage of its presence naming their vineyard Spy Valley 😃

So there we have it again amidst this green and pleasant land the presence of the anglo-american empire. 5 Eyes or FVEY; the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. We may be a long way away geographically but we are very much part of the empire.

https://www.privacyinternational.org/node/51

Onwards and upwards to the alpine town of St Arnauds and beyond we wind into the mountains and start to follow the mighty Buller River as it winds its way 150km to the sea. As I’m winding my way through the Upper Buller Gorge a black breasted native Robin hops out onto a roadside post and watches me pass. Yes we have Robins with black breasts here, like we have Black Swans and the All Blacks, lol. The Robin is normally a shy retiring bird that hides in the bush; so thats the fifth sign.

The deciduous trees are splendid in their Autumn colours and the native forests spread out in their multi been hued splendour on every side. Easy to see why they call it ‘the bush’ its like one big thick bush spread like a carpet across the mountains. As we approach the west coast it becomes even more primeval with so many Fern Trees and Nikau Palms poking out of the bush. Ive driven this road so many times its almost second nature now with its hairpin turns, one lane bridges and tight pathways blasted out of overhanging rock faces. All in all the Buller Gorge is a stunning place.

Its a glorious day for a drive and 4 hours after departing the ferry the River opens out onto the alluvial plains and becomes wider and deeper and even more magnificent. It is NZs largest river by volume of water flow and after heavy rains it is like an unstoppable force with whole trees tumbling down to the sea in its fearsome flow. Today it ambles along, the sun glistening on its deep blueish green water.

Finally to my home in Westport and I grab a sweet and sour chicken from the takeaway and kick back with my feet up to watch the news. The contents of the van and the unpacking can wait until tomorrow...Read more