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Kia Ora - Aotearoa

November - December 2023
A 31-day adventure by Janette and John Read more
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  • Janette and JohnKia Ora - Aotearoa
    Day 7

    Quake City.

    November 21, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Plan for today - a visit to Quake City then a walk in the Botanic Gardens.

     On the way, Paul found a new friend but he is a bit quiet.

     Quake City is a museum that tells the stories of the people involved in the Christchurch earthquake in 2011 - rescued and rescuers. The ground 'liquified', buildings collapsed and 185 people died.

     There are photographs, videos and news broadcasts that only start to tell of the horror that must have taken place.

     Being a tad weary I headed back to the hotel and left the others to go into the Botanic Gardens.

     Tonight we join our APT tour. We are meeting at 4.00pm and walking to the tram depot for a city tour on a tram. There will be drinks and canapés on the tram and then we're back here for dinner.

     We are now in APT's hands - tomorrow we head to Mt Cook…    Read more

  • Janette and JohnKia Ora - Aotearoa
    Day 8

    Aoraki - Mt Cook.

    November 22, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Bags outside room at 7.30. On bus at 8.30. Set off for Mt. Cook.

     Stopped for a photo stop at the church of the good shepherd - supposedly the most photographed church in New Zealand. The church was built in commemoration of the pioneers of the area. The good shepherd also refers to the sheepdogs that made it possible to farm sheep in this area.

     Stopped at Geraldine for a 45 minute break. Some had lunch, we stocked up on muesli bars, had a coffee and Janette bought a new top.

    Next stop - 30 minutes at Lake Tekapo. Janette and I had a toastie and a cuppa.

     Then it was on to Mt Cook Village.

    But, the water in Lake Pukaki was so calm and reflective that we stopped for another photo opportunity. Tim, the bus driver reckoned he'd never seen the water so calm and reflective.

     Checked into the Hermitage Hotel where every room has a view of Mt Cook. Instructions were to meet at 6.30 for the 'world's best buffet dinner'. It didn't disappoint.

     Tomorrow morning - the Glacial Experience - out onto a glacial lake in zodiaks…    Read more

  • Janette and JohnKia Ora - Aotearoa
    Day 9

    Glacier Explorer

    November 23, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌫 8 °C

    All we knew was that this experience involves boarding a zodiac, being taken out on the Tasman Glacier Terminal Lake, seeing and being informed about the glacier and its icebergs.

     A pre-requirement is that each person must be able to walk the 1.5kms into the lake (and out again) in 20 minutes on uneven ground.

     The tour company bussed us in as far as a car park and then we walked in. The weather was bad. We kept our fingers crossed that it wouldn't be called off. Our driver, Toby, reckoned that, had the weather been a bit worse, it would have been.

     Toby alternated between drifting quietly on the water while educating us about the glacier, the formation of the lake and the icebergs, and using the zodiac as a jet-boat. The speed really was necessary as the lake is seven kilometres long and the toe of the glacier is at the other end.

     After an hour on the water, we returned to land freezing cold, soaking wet and very happy that we'd done it.

    Walked back to car park, boarded our bus and continued on our tour…    Read more

  • Janette and JohnKia Ora - Aotearoa
    Day 9

    More on Glacier Lake

    November 23, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌫 8 °C

    As was the case in so many places we visited, the local guides here pointed out how things are changing. This lake has only existed since 1990. The wall at the bottom end of the lake is the moraine, where the glacier once ended. The moraine is the debris that is pushed along by the glacier.

     The toe of the glacier is now at the top end of the lake, some seven kilometres away.

     Ice dropping off a glacier is referred to as calving. A large calving event coincided with the Christchurch earthquake in 2011. So much ice dropped from the terminal face, it caused tsunami waves of 3.5 metres.

     Opinion is that the glacier will continue to recede…    Read more

  • Janette and JohnKia Ora - Aotearoa
    Day 9

    Moeraki boulders.

    November 23, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Stopped to see the Moeraki boulders, a phenomenon found here on the beach.

    The Moeraki Boulders are unusually large spherical boulders lying along a stretch of Koekohe Beach on the wave-cut Otago coast of New Zealand between Moeraki and Hampden. They occur scattered either as isolated or clusters of boulders within a stretch of beach where they have been protected in a scientific reserve.

    These boulders are grey-colored septarian concretions, which have been exhumed from the mudstone and bedrock enclosing them and concentrated on the beach by coastal erosion.

    After a short walk down to the beach, we braved the weather and walked down the beach to view the boulders.

     Then it was back on the bus and on to Dunedin.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnKia Ora - Aotearoa
    1
    Day 10

    Olveston House - Dunedin

    November 24, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 7 °C

    Olveston was built for Dunedin businessman, collector and philanthropist David Theomin, his wife Marie and their two children Edward and Dorothy.

    Designed by acclaimed English architect Sir Ernest George, Olveston was built as a family home furnished with fine art, furniture and artefacts purchased from all around the world.

    Intended for future generations of Theomin’s to enjoy, this was not to be the case as both the Theomin children died without heirs. Surviving the death of her father, mother and elder brother, Miss Dorothy Theomin lived at Olveston until her death in 1966, when it was discovered the house and the original contents were gifted to the City of Dunedin.

    Opened as a historic house museum in 1967, Olveston is a time capsule as little has changed inside the house since it was occupied as a family home between 1906 to 1966.

    Olveston really is an authentic and original historic home depicting the life of a wealthy merchant family in the early part of the twentieth century.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnKia Ora - Aotearoa
    Day 10

    Larnach Castle, Dunedin.

    November 24, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 8 °C

    Larnach Castle was built by wealthy businessman and politician William Larnach from 1870 over a period of twenty years. It is valued for its architecture and craftsmanship, quite an achievement at the time, overcoming the sourcing of materials and the very challenging building site. The carving throughout is stunning.

    Intriguing stories of the family tragedies and scandals kept everyone enthralled during the tour.

     Bought by the Barker family in 1967, it has been meticulously restored. The gardens are equally as impressive as the fully furnished home, affectionately known as “The Camp”.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnKia Ora - Aotearoa
    Day 11

    Doubtful Sound - No doubt about it.

    November 25, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 5 °C

    Today we're booked to go for a cruise on Doubtful Sound.

     First - what's the difference between a fjord and a sound?

     “A fjord is an underwater valley carved by glaciers. Generally narrow, with steep-sided mountains on either side, these U and V shaped valleys were carved by ancient rivers of ice which have since disappeared. Because these valleys are below sea level, they have been inundated with sea water, creating the fjords we see today”

     “Like a fjord, a sound is a valley that has been filled with sea water. However, a sound is usually formed by the flooding of a river valley, not a glacial valley. This means that the topography is usually less narrow and more gently sloping than a fjord, but it is no less spectacular.”

     “Doubtful Sound Patea spans a staggering 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the head of the sound to the Tasman Sea. It is the deepest of New Zealand’s 14 sounds and its immense size leaves all who visit feeling humbled yet uplifted by its powerful physical presence.”

     “The sound branches into three arms which provide opportunities for scenic cruise boat passengers to explore up-close sheer cliff faces, impressive waterfalls and tranquil overnight moorings. Doubtful Sound Patea also provides shelter to New Zealand’s southernmost population of bottlenose dolphins and tawaki, the Fiordland Crested Penguin.”

     “Spend just a short amount of time immersed in Doubtful Sound Patea and it is easy to understand why early Māori named the sound, Patea - meaning ‘place of silence’. Here, visitors find silence amongst a dramatic landscape with echoing birdsong or cascading waterfalls the only sound to break the stillness.”

     At one point the Captain turned off the boat's engines and asked everyone to be silent for a couple of minutes - quite an experience!

     “With no road to the fiord, the experience of getting to Doubtful Sound Patea is an adventure in itself. Doubtful Sound Patea is only accessible to visitors by a tour excursion departing from Manapouri.”

     So, bus, Te Anau to Manapouri (20 minutes), catamaran to West Arm (1 hour), bus across Wilmot Pass to Deep Cove (45 minutes). At Deep Cove we boarded our catamaran for our three hour cruise.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnKia Ora - Aotearoa
    Day 11

    Doubtful Sound-absolutely no doubt!

    November 25, 2023 in New Zealand

    Just in case you weren't convinced - here are more photos…

     Had to find our own dinner tonight. We fancied a pizza. Another place had the best ice cream so we walked back with a cone each.

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