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South Island Odyssey

April - June 2024
An open-ended adventure by OverTheHillsAndOnOurWay Read more
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  • TravelerSouth Island Odyssey
    Day 18–21

    Clyde to Moke Lake

    April 25 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    After a very blustery night when the wind blew in some very violent gusts, we woke up to brilliant sunshine. After enjoying a very lazy morning, we headed out in the afternoon for Moke Lake, up Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown. Again our NZ countryside is staggeringly beautiful.
    As it was Anzac Day we took time to remember those brave men who fought for our freedom to be able to live this lifestyle - a number from both sides of our family, both WW1 and WW2.
    We arrived as the day was starting to close down and we discovered the wind followed us but now it has turned to a steady rain. We've been warned that it will be a cold night!! Our diesel heater will get fair workout and maybe even our winter pj's might get broken out!!
    We plan to be here for a few nights and then we'll move further up the lake.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Island Odyssey
    Day 19–21

    Moke Lake

    April 26 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 0 °C

    Great excitement this morning!! We woke up to snow on the tops of the mountains!! It was spectacular! The morning was an interesting study in the way our views changed very quickly. The photos will speak for themselves but they were taken over half an hour or so.
    We decided it would be a porridge kind of morning! Our diesel heater is keeping us beautifully warm and cosy and it's mostly on a very low setting.
    After our fortifying breakfast, Paul decided to see if he could entice a trout onto his line. In spite of seeing them, neither he nor the beginner fly fisherman we met managed to land any. Maybe tomorrow!
    It's been fairly cold today so we were really surprised to see a wedding party here late afternoon to have their photos taken. I felt for the bride in her wedding dress in the cold for the 2 hours they were snapping away!! I hope they had a good heater in the car!
    Not sure of our plans for tomorrow but we may stay another night or we might head up to Kinloch.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Island Odyssey
    1
    Day 20–22

    Kinloch

    April 27 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    We started the day at Moke Lake with the desire to drive on the Moonlight Rd and do a bit more back country driving. However when Paul went to get permission, which was granted along with a fee request of $100!! We decided to change our plans!
    We upstaked and came up to Kinloch at the head of Wakatipu and chock full of family memories for me. In my very younger days my parents used rent a house for our annual holidays and we had a fantastic time. To get from home in Invercargill to Kinloch was quite a feat. There was no road up the lake then, so getting here went:
    Mum baked biscuits like there was no shop here (there wasn't), food and supplies were accumulated for all 8 of us for 2 weeks.
    The car was loaded the night before.
    At 3am we kids were lifted from our beds and put in the car with blankets to snuggle into. We arrived in Queenstown around 7ish and, while mum and kids were dropped off at our aunties house to get dressed and have breakfast, dad took the car to the Earnslaw wharf so it could be winched on for the trip up the lake. In those days the Earnslaw called into the stations along the lake and it was not unusual for live stock (sheep and cows) to be onboard. Upon arrival at Kinloch, the car was winched off and we all trooped up to the house which still stands and features a very good restaurant. The house (which is now a private hotel) is still pretty much configured the same way and the coal range mum slaved over is still there!
    Back to now! We're parked on water front in a DOC park but unfortunately the water front of yester year has retreated quite a way back into the lake. The Earnslaw used to tie up at the wharf in the pics. There's only about 300mm deep of water there now!
    We have been for a walk and Paul tried fishing again but only caught a stone!!
    Oh well, next time??
    Today's best news is being back online as it's our granddaughter Maia's birthday today and we were able to call her and say happy birthday to her ❤
    Tomorrow we plan to drive down to the Greenstone and up to the Routburn.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Island Odyssey
    Day 21–24

    Kinloch

    April 28 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 7 °C

    After a sleep in we got up to a stunning day so celebrated by having whitebait fritters for breakfast thanks to the generosity of friends of Helen and David. We then packed a lunch and drove to Paradise on the Glenorchy side. It was gorgeous. Beautiful country. In fact it is Lord of the Rings country. We called in at diamond lake and chatted to a couple from Christchurch, then went to the end of the road, through quite a few fords. Road was fairly corrugated and lots of pot holes. We stopped by a river to have lunch. Back on the Kinloch side we headed up the routeburn. Lots of family memories here including one memorable trip there in one of the old soft top buses that used to ferry tourists from the Earnslaw to the start of the routeburn. While our family were there a storm rolled in and it thundered like anything, made worse by us being in the middle of a ring of mountains! The noise was unbelievable! When we came out to the bus the rain had collected in the soft top and we had to push it out from inside the bus. All very exciting for young kids!
    We'll have another night here and then move on.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Island Odyssey
    1
    Day 22–25

    Kinloch 3

    April 29 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Our last night here for this trip and mother nature celebrated with cracking frost this morning! See the pic of the ute windscreen.
    After breakfast, Paul went to see if there were any fish in the lake and apparently there aren't any!!!
    Again I packed a lunch and we drove down to the Greenstone and Elfin Bay. We walked in a wee way on the Caples track and had lunch after which Paul discovered that there are also no fish in the river!!
    We were in amongst the trees and, while it was cold it was very pretty. We spotted some interesting fungus too, not to mention the sandflies the size of blackbirds that failed to read the memo that informed them they should stay away from people soused in insect spray - a good one!!!
    On our way back to the camp two deer ran across the road (1 did yesterday as well and I forgot to mention it in that post). Too quick for a photo.
    We had plenty of time left in the day so we carried on to Glenorchy and tiki toured around there for a while. Found the community hall where I attended my first dance (NYE) at the ripe old age of 12! I remember being so excited and nervous, but loving every minute of it!
    We ended up in the pub for some beer and fries. While there a bunch of Americans arrived and were fascinated by the game of rugby on the TV. They had no idea what was going on and were grateful for our explanation!
    Back at the caravan now and in the morning we'll head out to Lumsden with a stop for emptying and refilling, laundry, groceries and lunch with Maureen and Mike Hansen. Can't wait!!    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Island Odyssey
    Day 23–25

    Kinloch to Lumsden

    April 30 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    It's been a rainy old day today, especially unwelcome when we have to pack up and move on. However Kinloch has been a wonderful journey down memory lane for me. We found a rainbow on our way down the lake!
    In Queenstown we drove past the hotel we were both working at when his nibs swept me off my feet!!
    We did a much needed grocery shop in frankton, then met up with our life long friends, Mike and Maureen for lunch. Such a great catch up! Maureen and I grew up together. Her family and mine were neighbours. After warming our seats for 2 hours we thought we better let the cafe reclaim them!
    On our way again it was a fairly grey trip down the lake to Lumsden. We broke out the wine and cheese to celebrate the rainy day!!
    Tomorrow we're having dinner with my nephew's family. Will be so cool to see them.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Island Odyssey
    Day 24–26

    Lumsden

    May 1 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

    As is my habit , I pulled the shade down a little bit when I woke up to see the day and if there was anything to see. I was well rewarded this morning to find bunnies hopping around us. Around a dozen I'd estimate!! Some say pest but it's a novelty for us!
    We had a quiet day, laundry, lunch at a lovely Cafe, roar in Lumsden, a nap in the afternoon and then dinner at Richard and Jo's, my nephew and niece in law. Such a wonderful night. Beautiful food and superb people. As a bonus, we enjoyed a stunning sunset.
    Unsure if we'll stay another night or move on again.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Island Odyssey
    Day 26–28

    Mavora Lakes

    May 3 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    Once again we find ourselves in paradise!! We left Lumsden late this morning and wandered our way to the Mavora Lakes. Neither of us had been here before and we had been encouraged by a number of people to go, so we did and we're not at all sorry! I've said it all before but again we're in a stunning part of NZ. The photos will speak for themselves! This is a large area with several camping sites and there are only 3 or 4 parties here. Very much spread out. Paul has verified that there are no fish here!! Then he went for a walk and brought back firewood with the idea to make a fire for us to sit by while we had our pizza and red wine. Was a very good idea!
    Tomorrow we're going to drive to Walter Peak Station and the day after we will move on to Manapouri.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Island Odyssey
    1
    Day 27–29

    Mavora Lakes 2

    May 4 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 3 °C

    Mother Nature continues to deliver in spades! We woke up this morning to a very heavy frost. It made for some awesome photos.
    Our plan for the day was to drive through to Walter Peak Station and so we bustled around making bacon and egg sammies for lunch and making porridge for breakfast. It seemed like a porridge kind of morning with all the frost!
    Once fed, watered and lunch packed we were on our way in brilliant sunshine and through amazing scenery. The only way either of us had been to Walter Peak Station was via the Earnslaw so going on the back country road was pretty exciting! The photos will tell the story. Farm life was going on around us. We had to stop for 2 mobs of sheep that were being moved to a new paddock. There were cattle, fords, gates to open and close. Plenty of action.
    While at Walter Peak we spent some time with a very friendly German couple, wandered around the gardens, watched the Earnslaw come in and go out, ate our lunch, spoke to another lady, this one from Auckland and bought me an Earnslaw captain's hat! When we kids, the captain would let us "drive" the Earnslaw but we had to wear the captain's hat! Now I have my own!!
    Back at Mavora we met up with a couple Paul had spoken to last night and had a drink and chat by the roaring fire they had going! Paul and Sue from Alexandra. Very nice people.
    Finally home for dinner and probably an early night!!
    Will probably move on to Manapouri tomorrow.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Island Odyssey
    Day 28–29

    Manapouri

    May 5 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Just as a change from heavy frost, we woke up to a pea souper fog. It took a wee while for the sun to burn it off and then it was glorious weather, including some very pretty clouds.
    We packed up the caravan, hitched up and got on our way to Manapouri. At least that's what we planned! A nice straight forward run through. Not what fate had in store for us!
    Driving along the gravel road quite happily, when there was a bang! Blowout in one of our brand new tyres on the ute! Bugger!! Paul had all my sympathy as he did the change. We've not had to do that especially on this vehicle and all the gear you need is stashed in secret hidey holes where you would least expect!! After about an hour we were ready to get under way and made it to Manapouri without any more problems!    Read more

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