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📍 New Zealand Read more Tauranga, New Zealand
  • TravelerSouth Island Odyssey
    1
    Day 54–57

    Mosgiel people

    May 31 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    A couple of blasts from the past in here!

  • TravelerSouth Island Odyssey
    Day 53–55

    Mosgiel

    May 30 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Thursday was all about the amazing scenery of the Catlins. We ended up doing a quick trip around the area in just one day. We had been going to take a few days but the weather was pretty miserable and our nieces and their families were going to be all together on Friday so we just flicked around in the single day. It was stunning. We took a few side roads to Slope Point, Curio Bay and Niagara. Slope Point is the southern most point of the south island. Curio Bay has spectacular scenery. All very wild and rugged. The petrified forest is there and some huge bull kelp. Also a cafe for a very welcome hot drink!
    Niagara has an NZMCA camp and a very mini version of the big Niagara Falls!
    We'll come back in summer to explore properly.
    However our adventure for the day hadn't even begun!! We'd had Brighton beach recommended to us as a good place to stay so we asked Mrs Google to take us there!! By the time we got close it was dark so imagine our reaction when the road she took us on was over hills that were extremely steep!! Not much fun towing a giant caravan over. Then add in switchback roads and when we got there, the caravan parking was filled up with little vans!! Some short anglo saxon words were flying!! We found a lesser hill and came across to Mosgiel. We were very happy to be finally parked up!
    Friday was all about people. We had a morning tea appointment with our nieces and their families. It was just delightful!! Wee nearly 4 yr old Phoebe presented me with some artwork that will be very precious!! We had pikelets for morning tea and lots of fun with the kids. Paul went for a walk with Noah and Alice. No ducks but lots of chatter and great company!
    In the afternoon we visited my cousin, Roger and his partner, Shirley. We had a great time and reminisced about a lot of our shared past.
    Late afternoon we met up with my long time friend, Lyn Chapman and her husband, Tony. Again, great remembering going on and Lyn even had some photos to share.
    Today we had planned to move on but it's blowing gales here so have decided to have a caravan day!! Bliss!
    First photos will be Catlins and a separate post for the kids etc    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Island Odyssey
    Day 52–53

    Fortrose

    May 29 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 8 °C

    Big day today. We woke up rain in Ranfurly and had decided to move on to the Catlins.
    We didn't get away as quickly as we'd hoped to and by the time we were ready to leave we still had to do all the emptying and filling up.
    We stopped in Balclutha to do shopping and laundry so more delays!
    And then there was the weather! Cold, rainy, windy etc, etc!!
    This all meant we didn't get to Fortrose till after dark!! Still raining and cold outside. Snuggly and warm inside though!!
    Looking forward to seeing the Catlins in some detail over the next few days.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Island Odyssey
    11
    Day 51–52

    Ranfurly

    May 28 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    After touring the Hayes Engineering Museum, which was well worth while seeing and we thoroughly recommend anyone doing, if only for a glimpse into early pioneering life in rural NZ, we drove through to Ranfurly.
    Once we were parked up, we jumped in the ute and drove out to Naseby, a very cute little town, but the main attraction was the curling rink.
    Paul enjoyed a play with the stones while I was in charge of recording his efforts! See our videos!
    When we arrived we were greeted by a beautiful huntaway dog who was super friendly!
    It's quite an impressive set up there and they recently hosted the Australian champs. This is the only indoor curling rink in both Australia and New Zealand.
    In addition to the curling rink, they have skating and luge.
    We didn't feel like cooking so shouted ourselves a parcel of fish and chips for dinner.
    We're moving on to the Catlins now and will end up in Mosgiel at the weekend to catch up with a swag of nieces and nephews and their families ❤ Can't wait!    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Island Odyssey
    Day 50–51

    Oturehua, Hayes Engineering Museum

    May 27 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    We're now parked up in the grounds of Southern history!! This is where E Hayes and Sons of Invercargill and (Burt Munro) fame all started. Tomorrow we'll look through the museum which I am sure will see Paul in 7th Heaven!!
    Meanwhile today we went meandering around the area and found a couple of local dams and another muddy back country road!! All good fun!!
    On our way here we had some awesome scenery so had to take some pics. Note the snow on the hills!! We're surrounded by it now! Very exciting.
    Tomorrow we're moving on to Ranfurly via the curling rink in Naseby.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Island Odyssey
    1
    Day 49–50

    Omakau

    May 26 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 1 °C

    So today we moved on from Arrowtown and came across to Omakau so we could watch the Rules and Munros doing grass carting. Loads of fun and some very exciting racing, including several races featuring 3 generations! They were fiercely fought! We loved catching up with the Munros!
    We're currently parked up at the local race course with Helen and David. We made the most of the opportunity to have a 5 o'clock party and a wee shot or 2 after dessert!
    Just going a little distance tomorrow to the Hayes Engineering Museum.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Island Odyssey
    Day 47–49

    Arrowtown

    May 24 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C

    We moved to Arrowtown yesterday and are parked on a POP at Arrow junction.
    We took care of the regular jobs such as emptying and refilling, and laundry on our way over. Then had a lovely evening with Neville and Sarah.
    This morning we picked Neville up and drove over the Crown Range to Cardrona. There's plenty of new development going on so we had a nosey around and then went to the pub for lunch which included a very nice mulled wine for me.
    Then back to Arrowtown, picked Sarah up and tbey came to check out the caravan. After that we popped into town to visit the Royalburn shop (Nadia Lims) and then we went to Grant and Melissa's for a catch up and dinner.
    All round a lovely stay including more great family time.
    Tomorrow we're off to Omakau to watch many Rules and Munros grass carting.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Island Odyssey
    Day 46–49

    Pinders Pond 3

    May 23 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 2 °C

    Wake up saw us enshrouded in mist and we had a slight frost. It was beautiful and before too long the sun shone through. Again with the superlatives! Just breath taking! We decided to break out the BBQ and cook brunch outside, but it was a bit too nippy so we chickened out and ate inside.
    I packed up afternoon tea and we decided to drive out to Lake Onslow, a little closer to our camp than yesterday's excursion. We wound our way high up into the hills and couldn't get enough of the scenery. Predictably, stunning! However the higher we got the more greasy the road became and in spite of our 4wd the ute was slipping a bit. We made the decision to call it quits, and come home. We'll wait for summer to see Lake Onslow!! I've included pics of our tyres and wheel arch to show you the dirt!
    We will move on tomorrow towards Cromwell or Arrowtown.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Island Odyssey
    Day 44–46

    Pinders Pond

    May 21 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Before we departed Gore this morning, we called in to Keelow Craft so Paul could give us a guided tour on making jet boats. It was so good to spend a decent amount of time with the Cross family!
    On arrival back to the showgrounds to pick up the caravan, we were very surprised to find a takeover had taken place. A school was there for their annual cross country run. Parents cars and busses everywhere and we were blocked in! After a quick word with a friendly bus driver, he moved his bus and we could get on our way.
    This time we're heading in the general direction of central Otago via tapanui and Raes Junction. The countryside through this area is stunning. The photos just do not do justice at all! We detoured off for a couple of nights at Pinders Pond near Roxburgh. Again a place of spectacular beauty!!
    Tomorrow we'll probably go meandering in the area and see what we can find!!    Read more

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