Nov – Dec 2024

New Zealand

A New Zealand odyssey. Watch this space Read more

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Trip start
November 26, 2024
New Zealand
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- Day 1
- Tuesday, November 26, 2024 at 7:20 PM
- 🌙 22 °C
- Altitude: 24 m
- Australia Perth Airport -31.941215, 115.97396531°56’28” S 115°58’26” E
Delayed Departure to New Zealand
November 26, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 22 °C
Our flight was delayed by 4 hours.
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- Day 2
- Wednesday, November 27, 2024
- ☁️ 19 °C
- Altitude: 34 m
- New Zealand Christchurch -43.527136, 172.62701143°31’38” S 172°37’37” E
Arrived Christchurch
November 27, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
Had to rush at Auckland Airport to get to our connection flight to Christchurch at the Domestic terminal. Made it after a 15 minute power walk.
Met up with Andy and Jan who we went to Uganda with. Did an impromptu walking tour of the city. I had to admit it's bigger than I thought. They are still repairing damage from the 2011 earthquake which did a lot of damage.
Not many pix today. Angela took none and I was focussed on vidz for Youtube.
Off across the country tomorrow to the Franz Josef Glacier. Should be spectacular through the Alps.Read more
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- Day 3
- Thursday, November 28, 2024 at 9:30 AM
- ⛅ 14 °C
- Altitude: 740 m
- New Zealand Ghost Creek -43.233591, 171.72221243°14’1” S 171°43’20” E
Christchurch to Franz Joseph Glacier
November 28, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Stuffed up again. I was supposed to edit this one but I created one of my own. There is no end to my incompetence:)
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- Day 3
- Thursday, November 28, 2024 at 6:07 PM
- 🌧 13 °C
- Altitude: 155 m
- New Zealand Franz Josef -43.388553, 170.1829543°23’19” S 170°10’59” E
Christchurch to Franz Josef
November 28, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 13 °C
Fairly long drive today across the Canterbury Plains, the the Southern Alps and down the west coast to Franz Josef. Scenery was stunning. The Alps deserve then name. Huge forests of deciduous Beech and other trees I just don't recognise. The rivers, don't get me started. My fly casting arm was twitching. The water is clear and fast over miles of gravel beds. Sigh.
Weather was nice east of the Alps but drizzly and rainy on the west coast. Hopefully clearing tomorrow. Stopped in Hokitika to have a look around. You can get Elephant Fish and chips! No for real. Went into a shop that was closing down and got two pairs of merino, possum and silk gloves for the price of one. Bargain!Read more
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- Day 4
- Friday, November 29, 2024 at 4:17 PM
- ☀️ 21 °C
- Altitude: 318 m
- New Zealand Roys Bay -44.700783, 169.10901444°42’3” S 169°6’32” E
Franz Josef to Wanaka
November 29, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
Woke up this morning to fog. No helicopter flight to Franz Josef Glacier
Bum! One of the major things I was looking forward to.Headed off to our next destination of Wanaka, a bit over 300km away. Trip wiggles around through mountains, coast, forest, lakes, etc. All the scenic stuff. The rivers and stream look so trouty but we only saw a couple of people fishing. If I came with Darren I would need a spray bottle to squirt him with every time he wanted to stop to fish a stream. There seems be a stream every 100m in some places. Bright, sunny n warm in Wanaka. Summer soon.Read more
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- Day 5
- Saturday, November 30, 2024 at 4:48 PM
- ☀️ 16 °C
- Altitude: 316 m
- New Zealand Kingston -45.330101, 168.71185345°19’48” S 168°42’43” E
Wanaka to Kingston via Queenstown
November 30, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
Shortish but spectacular drive over the mountains to Queenstown. Its very much the resort tourist town with all the extreme sports, especially water sports in Lake Wakatipu. We are here for a trip on the 1912 vintage steamer. It's a beautiful boat, still genuinely burning coal (14 tonnes a day). Have a look at the sheep station across the lake. Saw some trout in the lake at the dock the boat left from.
Then down the hilly, winding road to Kingston, population 385 for the night. As usual in a spectacular location nestled in snow capped (only just) mountains.Read more
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- Day 6
- Sunday, December 1, 2024 at 4:32 PM
- ☀️ 22 °C
- Altitude: 206 m
- New Zealand Te Anau -45.416336, 167.71308145°24’59” S 167°42’47” E
Kingston to Te Anau via Milford Sound
December 1, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Early start to get from Kingston to Milford Sound. A fair hike over a road that got windier and steeper the closer to Milford Sound we got. Mountains are big, valleys deep & rivers clear. Very cloudy/misty on the way but we made it.
Did the obligatory cruise on the Sound. Clouded in at first then cleared as the cruise went on. Very spectacular. Snowy peaks, waterfalls and massive vertical cliffs. Many of the small waterfalls running too.
Then back to Te Anau for a visit to some glow-worms then beddie bies. Can't take pix at the glow worms so you can't come too 😀
PS saw two Keas. First non European birds so far.
Double PS . No pictures of the spectacular road on my phone. Have to wait for the vid.Read more
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- Day 7
- Monday, December 2, 2024 at 8:30 PM
- ☁️ 14 °C
- Altitude: 27 m
- New Zealand Dunedin -45.874234, 170.50099945°52’27” S 170°30’4” E
Te Anau to Dunedin
December 2, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
Basically just a shift day today. Nothing special to see. Took the scenic route rather than stick to the very busy highway.
A couple of stops for pictures, coffee & hot chocolate. Landscape is very picturesque but not the drama of the West coast.Read more
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- Day 8
- Tuesday, December 3, 2024 at 5:47 PM
- 🌬 26 °C
- Altitude: 21 m
- New Zealand Christchurch -43.521584, 172.64157643°31’18” S 172°38’30” E
Dunedin to Christchurch
December 3, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 26 °C
Completed the loop. Basically another transfer day. Surprisingly straight roads over the Canterbury Plain up to the big city.
Did a few stops, one for some weird rocks on a beach and one to see some Blue (Fairy) Penguins which Angela and I opted out of as we have seen them before. Saved $40.
Tomorrow we have a day off for washing then hopping on a train to head north up to Picton via Kaikoura.Read more
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- Day 9
- Wednesday, December 4, 2024 at 6:45 PM
- ☁️ 27 °C
- Altitude: 15 m
- New Zealand Cathedral Square -43.53229, 172.64594143°31’56” S 172°38’45” E
Rest Day : Christchurch
December 4, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C
Rest, laundry, etc day today. Handed the hire car back yesterday. Did a couple of walk/bus trips to 'the Gondola' and the Earthquake Museum. Scenery from the hills behind Christchurch is wonderful.
The Earthquake Museum commemorates the earthquake of September 2011. At 6.3 on the Richter Scale it was less than the Meckering earthquake but only 30 km from the city which was badly damaged. Not many pix from the museum. Copyright and all that, but the exhibits show the extent of the damage and how everyone came together to help those affected. The spire of the cathedral is one of the exhibits ad the cathedral is still under repair.Read more
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- Day 10
- Thursday, December 5, 2024 at 4:37 PM
- ☀️ 20 °C
- Altitude: 16 m
- New Zealand Lyell Creek -42.399752, 173.6805242°23’59” S 173°40’50” E
Christchurch to Kaikoura by Rail
December 5, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Good start to the day today. The taxi we booked to take us to the train station did not turn up. Evidently if you book online you have to phone to confirm. Makes sense to me. Not!
Anyway Uber saved the day. Got to the station with minutes to spare. Think I'm over taxis.
Anyhoo it's a pleasant 3hr train trip up the east coast of the south Island to Kaikoura which is set basically where the sea and mountains meet. Quite speccy. A bit of a walk with the luggage to the hotel and then back for a whale watch cruise.
Sea breeze came in and it was a bit rock and roll but I made it. There is a 1500m deep sea canyon directly off Kaikoura and it attracts Sperm Whales, making it a rare spot where you can see them close to land. And we did. Found one up for a breather during a hunt for giant squid. Big sucker!
Also spotted a pod of Dusky Dolphins.
Tired after getting up at 5am so early to bed. FYI it gets dark at 10pm so faded curtains are a big problem here.Read more
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- Day 11
- Friday, December 6, 2024 at 1:57 PM
- ☁️ 16 °C
- Altitude: 13 m
- New Zealand Picton Ferry Port -41.290137, 174.0063541°17’24” S 174°0’23” E
Kaikoura to Picton
December 6, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Another day day on the train today, not that it's a problem. Shifted up to the top of the South Island to Picton ready to cross to the North Island and Wellington tomorrow. Train takes about 3hrs up the very scenic coast.
Weather was warm and cloudy but cleared later in the day.
No adventures today. Just wandered around Picton which is nestled in a steep valley at the top of Queen Charlotte Sound. Angela bought a nice coat ( winter clothes are on special) and a matching beanie and gloves in merino and possum fur.Read more
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- Day 12
- Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 3:31 PM
- 🌬 19 °C
- Altitude: 48 m
- New Zealand Wellington -41.284607, 174.7743841°17’5” S 174°46’28” E
Picton to Wellington
December 7, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 19 °C
After breakfast at Toasty Lords this morning caught the Interislander ferry from Picton to Wellington, crossing from the South Island to the North Island in the process.
Andy had upgraded us to the Gold Lounge so we had better seats, free drinks and free food. The trip from Picton to the Cook Strait is an hour and a bit of beautiful fjord scenery, then across the Cook Strait, which was well behaved today, to windy Wellington.
Bit of a walk to the hotel but no biggie. Shame about the hills though. Here for a few days so laundry time.
As a side note the ferry we came across on had a 'beached az' incident in July when it ran around near Picton. All went fine today.Read more
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- Day 13
- Sunday, December 8, 2024 at 4:11 PM
- 🌬 18 °C
- Altitude: 44 m
- New Zealand Wellington -41.284278, 174.77426941°17’3” S 174°46’27” E
Wellington Day Off
December 8, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 18 °C
Day off from travelling today. Found out there is a Funicular railway still running and the station is right behind the hotel. How could we resist! Up the top is the botanic garden, a museum for the history of the funicular and a planetarium. Well that took a few hours to get through. Planetarium show was great but played havoc with my vertigo.
Lunch in a café that was part of a bookshop then veg in the hotel for a few hours.Read more
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- Day 15
- Tuesday, December 10, 2024 at 3:29 PM
- ☁️ 23 °C
- Altitude: 15 m
- New Zealand Ahuriri Bluff -39.489347, 176.9184639°29’22” S 176°55’6” E
Napier
December 10, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
Walked around the Art Deco quarter of Napier. Very nice.
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- Day 15
- Tuesday, December 10, 2024 at 5:13 PM
- ☁️ 22 °C
- Altitude: 8 m
- New Zealand Inner Harbour -39.482662, 176.894639°28’58” S 176°53’41” E
Wellington to Napier
December 10, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
Spent a second day in Wellington then today up to Napier on the first day of our North Island leg.
North Island is more built up than the south. Very hilly but so far not the mountains of the south. Messed up and forgot to do the detour via Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu to photograph the sign. Oh well, next time. Having dinner at a place called 'The Gin Trap' but can't risk a gin this late in the day.Read more
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- Day 16
- Wednesday, December 11, 2024 at 8:15 PM
- ☁️ 17 °C
- Altitude: 12 m
- New Zealand Putiki Pa -39.925168, 175.05198839°55’31” S 175°3’7” E
Napier to Wanganui/Whanganui via Taupo
December 11, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Bit of a semi loop today. Headed out of Napier for Lake Taupo, then Mt Ruapehu and finally Wanganui or Whanganui, the signs can't make up their minds.
Saw a couple of people fishing in Lake Taupo. Not surprised as this is trout fishing Mecca. Had lunch in Tongariro of Tongariro River fame.
The off to Mount Ruapehu which is an active volcano with a ski field. Last eruption was 2006 but quiet today. Took the Gondola up, a bit expensive but that's New Zealand for you. Got some pictures of Mt New Zealand: Mount Ngauruhoe aka Mount Doom in the background.
Still some snow around. Angela didn't want a snowball fight so withdrew to the Cafe.
Back down after a few hours and the off to the 'W' place. The landscape is very rugged with the creeks and rivers carving deep cuts into the soft rock which seems to be volcanic ash. Lots of landslips along the winding road. You could not fish anywhere in here without a bloody long ladder.Read more
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- Day 17
- Thursday, December 12, 2024 at 4:27 PM
- 🌧 20 °C
- Altitude: 140 m
- New Zealand Piopio -38.467982, 175.01470738°28’5” S 175°0’53” E
W town to Pio Pio via Taranaki
December 12, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 20 °C
The weather was not kind to us today. It did a Franz Josef and clouded in so we could not see the elegant symmetry of Mt Taranaki. Used all our good luck yesterday at Ruapehu I suppose.
Proceeded up the coast to Pio Pio, our overnight stop. Yet more amazing scenery. Learned how to stop the phone camera focussing on the raindrops on the side window.
Fishing note. The rivers here are quite cloudy due to the volcanic soil. Have to do some research to see if they are good for fishing.Read more
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- Day 18
- Friday, December 13, 2024 at 4:05 PM
- ☀️ 24 °C
- Altitude: 284 m
- New Zealand Whakarewarewa -38.150435, 176.25416938°9’2” S 176°15’15” E
Pio Pio to Rotorua via Tirau
December 13, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Rare brekky at the motel this morning and then off to Tirau to see some animal shaped buildings made of steel sheet. Not something you see every day. Tried to get a croissant but even though there are about 10 cafes here no croissants to be found. Bums!
Then off to Rotorua to see one of the geothermal sites. Google Maps had a jolly time leading us around farm tracks etc when we just needed to go up a major highway. Yay technology.
Finally got to Waimangu Valley which was super interesting because until 1886 it was a quite, bush covered valley. Nothing to see here kind of place. Then in June of that year the earth rolled over and had a scratch resulting in 16 craters opening up between the top of the valley and a dormant volcano some 20km away. Most of these have been filled in with a large lake but there is still a chain of hot lakes, boiling water vents etc at the top end. Fascinating, never seen anything like it before. This is not the only geothermal site around Rotorua but maybe the only one we have time for this trip.Read more
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- Day 19
- Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 3:53 PM
- ☀️ 26 °C
- Altitude: 284 m
- New Zealand Whakarewarewa -38.150446, 176.25409838°9’2” S 176°15’15” E
Rotorua Day 2
December 14, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Andy and Jan visited a Kiwi hatchery this morning but we skipped out on that. Bit expensive and not too keen. Do hope to see a Kiwi but unlikely to see a wild one.
Did a visit to Māori Village at the edge of town. Interesting as it is an inhabited village, not a tourist construct, with about 50 people still living there. The population is reducing because it is being destroyed by the geothermal Springs it is built around.
Got to see our first geyser and see how the locals use the (very) hot springs for cooking and bathing. They have an interesting way to cool the 100C water down for washing in. Saw some people loading up a 'Māori Microwave', basically a wooden box placed over a hot vent in the ground. Each one is big enough for two or three families to cook in.
There was a geyser there called 'Korotoitoi' which is 'Grumpy Old Man'. Evidently goes up twice a year with plenty of warning and shuts down the other geysers for a while. Know how that feels.
Evidently the springs there are too hot for sulphur so it was a bit pongy but not much.Read more
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- Day 20
- Sunday, December 15, 2024 at 4:55 PM
- ☀️ 25 °C
- Altitude: 39 m
- New Zealand Saint Marys Bay -36.845405, 174.7419936°50’43” S 174°44’31” E
Rotorua to Auckland via Hobbiton
December 15, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
OK I'll fess up from the start. I did not think I would enjoy wandering around a movie set, but I did. It was very, very well done. Basically Hobbiton (as in The Hobbit movie) is an exterior film set laid out as per the book and film. Its very detailed and convincing. The interior shots were done on sets in Wellington but recently they have added interiors to two of the 'Hobbit Holes'. These too are very detailed and convincing. The most convincing part of the set is not Bag End, it's the Green Dragon Inn which serves a very decent custom ale and Ginger Beer. Oh and a meal if you sign up for a meal tour.
I think I liked it because I read the books in my early teens and the Hobbiton they constructed matched my inner imagined one very well.
Then on to Auckland, the big city, which I think we will explore tomorrow.Read more
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- Day 21
- Monday, December 16, 2024 at 3:17 PM
- 🌧 20 °C
- Altitude: 40 m
- New Zealand Auckland -36.845488, 174.7420736°50’44” S 174°44’31” E
Auckland Day 2 - Soggy
December 16, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 20 °C
The weather has turned wet and our planned expedition to Rangitoto Island was cancelled. No point walking to the top of a volcanic peak in the pouring rain to see nothing but clouds.
Plan B involved drinkypoos! We were going to visit the Sky City tower in Auckland but it's $47 to get up the the viewing platform but about $45 to go to the bar slightly below the platform and get a cocktail and nibbles. Oh dear, what a decision.
So drinks it was. Nice view from up there too.
Bit of a palaver getting back. Problem with another Uber driver claiming a no show and charging. While we were waiting there was a huge flash of lightning and a massive thunder clap. Shame we weren't still in the tower for that.Read more
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- Day 23
- Wednesday, December 18, 2024 at 8:12 AM
- ☀️ 13 °C
- Altitude: 31 m
- New Zealand Kerikeri -35.230065, 173.93971335°13’48” S 173°56’23” E
Auckland to Paihia
December 18, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
A drive up the coast to Paihia on the Bay of Islands. The whole area seems pretty up market and sort of retired central.
Took a boat ride out and around some of the islands. As usual for New Zealand very scenic. Saw more Dolphins, both Common and Bottlenose.
Tour highlight was driving the quite large boat through an island with a hole in it. Fairly tight squeeze in rough water.Read more
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- Day 23
- Wednesday, December 18, 2024 at 6:27 PM
- ☀️ 21 °C
- Altitude: 7 m
- New Zealand Mission House -35.218365, 173.96297535°13’6” S 173°57’47” E
Paihia Day 2
December 18, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
Nipped across to Russell on the car ferry this morning for breakfast. It goes across a river mouth that takes ages to drive around.
After breakfast got an impromptu tour in New Zealand's only London Cab. Back to the mainland and off to Kawa Kawa for a ride on a heritage railway. We were the only four people on the train. Feature of the train is that it runs down the main street of the town for the part of the trip close to the station.Had a good time looking at the scenery and chatting with the staff.
Then off to Waianiwaniwa (Rainbow) Falls for some pictures then a quick dinner at the Plough and Feather.Read more
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- Day 25
- Friday, December 20, 2024 at 5:32 PM
- 🌬 23 °C
- Altitude: 20 m
- New Zealand Snells Beach -36.417866, 174.72295736°25’4” S 174°43’23” E
Keri Keri to Snells Beach
December 20, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 23 °C
Heading back south now. Holiday is almost over and we fly out from Auckland. After brekky at the nice bakery at Keri Keri we headed over to the west coast and Opononi to then turn south to Waipoua Forest. Didn't try our luck with any orders from the Cafe at Opononi after yesterday.
Checked out the scenery at the mouth of the Wiama River. Nice.
Then into the range where the Waipoua Forest sits. It's one of the biggest remaining Kauri (not Karri, they different) forests left. Did a walk to a notable tree called 'Te Matua Ngahere', Father of the Forest. Big lad, 16m girth. Not spectacularly tall but probably more than 2000 years old and battered with the top broken off.
Then the run through the scenery to Snells Beach which is sort of outer Auckland, which is our stop for the night.Read more
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