all I seem to do is apologise for not keeping the blog up to date. Some nights it is so slow and I lose everything. It is currently Friday 13 March so I will bring you up to date.
Monday 09 March
Weather again not very good so I decided to head up to WAITOMO CAVES arrived late afternoon by which time the weather had improved. The local tourist information bureau told me there was a general store beside the campsite (36kms round trip from the nearest town) but this was not the case.
Dined on pot noodle, cheese on toast and an apple, this is living. Nice forest walk before dinner..on the flat for a change.
Tuesday 10 March
Took the three cave tour to view the underground rivers and gloworms who inhabit the ceiling of the caves. Each of the caves was completely different...great day, even when on a boat undergoround in complete darkness and silence except for the gloworms and someone trumped. in an aluminium boat the noise was immense. Great evening cooking on the bbq with Germans and Dutch and of course beer.
Wednesday 11 March
Drove from WAITOMO to Whangerei which is north of Auckland
A largish town by NZ standards but with a bit of character and a spectacular and accessible waterfall near the campsite. Another nice night on the bbq with South africans and german farmers.
Thursday 12 March
Had a easy little drive of 87kms although nearly got killed by the stupidity of a Japanese/Korean/Chinese eejit. NZ has a lot of three lane sections to allow overtaking slower vehicles so this eejit who had been toddling along at 50kph on the two lane road puts the foot down of the three lane section making it hard for everyone to overtake. Poor ETTIE did not have the oomph so I didn,t bother to make the attempt and slowed to sit behind him when he slams on the brakes just as we return to the two lane section. I managed to stop in time but the logger behind had no chance, fortunately for me there was nothing coming the other way and after some gear crunching he went past me instead of through me. There are international gestures which are understood by the orientals. There has been road rage by the locals at foreign tourists...now I know why.
Final destination was Russell in the bay of islands area... Great site so staying on for two nights
Dined out on pizza to be served by a young girl from Portree who worked in the hotel I stayed at when attending cruise ships...even smaller world.
Friday 13 March
There is a tropical storm incoming but the weather is good today so decided to get the van in shape for handing back on Sunday and started packing (10 mins) ...a nice little forest walk to a remote beach then a ferry across the bay to a larger town...a nice chilling day.
Got my final two nights Sunday and Monday accommodation sorted though had to pay a premium as there are very few free rooms because of everything that is happening over the weekend...Eagles in concert, a wine festival on waiheke Island
That's all for now folks
Thursday, 12 March 2015
Saturday, 7 March 2015
Well possums...once more apologies for not updating the blog for the last two days...things have not gone as planned. The weather has been horrendous constant heavy rain and high winds. Schools were closed and some major roads had landslips. I drove up to glacier country to see the Fox glacier or the Franz Joseph glacier. I drove up over hill (or maybe mountain) passes ETTIE did not like these but managed by consuming immense amount of petrol. When I got to both parking areas I was met by wardens/rangers who advised that unless you were fully geared up with hill walking foul weather gear and pokes it was not advisable and that they were restricting access to to further east viewpoint unless people were taking the expert guided tours. I reckoned the best thing to do in these conditions was to drive on so I put in a full nine hour day to the west coast highway. Even in the hostile conditions it was a beautiful drive up to GREYMOUTH campsite which was on the beach beside a runway. It rained all evening and night and spent a great night drinking with a couple from Shetland with whom we have a mutual acquaintance (small world). Also Aussie nurses and husbands, good fun and conversation.
Next day Saturday, the forecast was much the same so decided to drive instead of sitting it out. I headed for the East Coast toward wind country in the hope of leaving the wind and rain. It partially worked as around 14:00 if cleared to sunshine. During the route there are blow holes where the sea punches through rock...unfortunately didn't see them as again the weather was rain/wind and I pulled up behind two bus loads of oriental tourists so the queue was too long fo Mr. Impatient...back on the road. I ended up in Blenheim (cloudy bay country to the wine aficionados) on a campsite beside a railway line and the main road to the north Island ferry...so around three hourly intervals the freight trucks passed going north or South interspersed by freight trains....not having much luck the last two days with ferries.
Having put in two hard days drivingand cut a day from Christchurch I have three days in hand so I intend to go north of Auckland for two/three days in ETTIE....this was not in the plan.
Managed to get a Sunday morning booking on the 08:00 ferry so after a 05:00 start I arrived in Wellington at noon and headed north to a place called Whanganui.....right n the coast and although there is no rain the high ends are still here. ETTIE doesn't like wind either....she's a dancer.
So here for the night with reasonable wifi, but it is a bit remote so it is spaghetti carbonara from a jar with additional mushrooms and bacon...with a cheeky IPA beer. Going to have an easy night and morning and have a light driving day tomorrow ...checking out the small towns along the way....mainly beach areas.
One full week left with ETTIE before the divorce...she is high maintenance fuel wise...this country has massive ranges of fuel costs highest in Wellington was 2.18/litre and lowest was here at 1.71/litre that is NZDs divided by two for pounds. Diesel is even cheaper about half the price of UK.
The standard of driving here is good and other drivers are very courteous ....there are of the course the testosterone fuelled young guys driving the Subaru Impreza who have their own rules. There are a lot of doughnut circles on wider roads outside the towns....the police are trying to clamp down on this.
Will hopefully be able to update tomorrow (Monday)
Next day Saturday, the forecast was much the same so decided to drive instead of sitting it out. I headed for the East Coast toward wind country in the hope of leaving the wind and rain. It partially worked as around 14:00 if cleared to sunshine. During the route there are blow holes where the sea punches through rock...unfortunately didn't see them as again the weather was rain/wind and I pulled up behind two bus loads of oriental tourists so the queue was too long fo Mr. Impatient...back on the road. I ended up in Blenheim (cloudy bay country to the wine aficionados) on a campsite beside a railway line and the main road to the north Island ferry...so around three hourly intervals the freight trucks passed going north or South interspersed by freight trains....not having much luck the last two days with ferries.
Having put in two hard days drivingand cut a day from Christchurch I have three days in hand so I intend to go north of Auckland for two/three days in ETTIE....this was not in the plan.
Managed to get a Sunday morning booking on the 08:00 ferry so after a 05:00 start I arrived in Wellington at noon and headed north to a place called Whanganui.....right n the coast and although there is no rain the high ends are still here. ETTIE doesn't like wind either....she's a dancer.
So here for the night with reasonable wifi, but it is a bit remote so it is spaghetti carbonara from a jar with additional mushrooms and bacon...with a cheeky IPA beer. Going to have an easy night and morning and have a light driving day tomorrow ...checking out the small towns along the way....mainly beach areas.
One full week left with ETTIE before the divorce...she is high maintenance fuel wise...this country has massive ranges of fuel costs highest in Wellington was 2.18/litre and lowest was here at 1.71/litre that is NZDs divided by two for pounds. Diesel is even cheaper about half the price of UK.
The standard of driving here is good and other drivers are very courteous ....there are of the course the testosterone fuelled young guys driving the Subaru Impreza who have their own rules. There are a lot of doughnut circles on wider roads outside the towns....the police are trying to clamp down on this.
Will hopefully be able to update tomorrow (Monday)
Wednesday, 4 March 2015
QUEENSTOWN
Managed to get a decent wifi connection here in Queenstown
The journey down to queenstown was "sweet as" as the say here, magnificent scenery all the way through vineyards and alpine meadows with sheep and cows. Nothing major to report nice weather all the way and great roads at the start. Stopped of at the ajhackett bungy site (the original) to watch around forty adrenaline fuelled youngsters committing themselves to a lump of elastic. I reckon overall the girls were braver than the boys. I had intended to do the zip wire but it was closed for maintenance...I have photo evidence, honest.
Queenstown is fantastic full of shops trying to take your money from you in advance of committing suicide in a variety of ways.... Bungy jumping, tandem free fall parachute, tandem para gliding, white water rafting, downhill mountain biking, to name but a few. I opted for the jet boat and asked the receptionist at the campsite which was the best...she recommended the most expensive which gave the least time on the water but involved a run up the sides of the SHOTOVER RIVER GORGE. this turned out to be a single track dirt road which was constructed may years ago my gold miners. This was not for the faint hearted especially when you encounter another vehicle coming the other way hauling a trailer of white water rafts. The actual boat ride was about fifteen mins each way in the steepest part of the river going through water only six inches deep at some point at between 75/80 mms per hour doing sliders and three sixties to show off...didn't buy the photo but being a true scot I photographed on my iPhone someone else's (twenty dollars saved).
Whether once more starts a bit cloudy but by noon develops into a blistering hot day. Only found out that the sun is at its worst here around 14:00...the hard way.
Again because of the young backpackers the food and drink here is reasonably priced...I ate out on fillet steak plus trimmings last night for £18.25. Not bad and beers are £2.50
Lots of observations and social comment but I reckon the wifi is dying ...to be continued
Big drive ahead tomorrow to glacier country on the west coast
The journey down to queenstown was "sweet as" as the say here, magnificent scenery all the way through vineyards and alpine meadows with sheep and cows. Nothing major to report nice weather all the way and great roads at the start. Stopped of at the ajhackett bungy site (the original) to watch around forty adrenaline fuelled youngsters committing themselves to a lump of elastic. I reckon overall the girls were braver than the boys. I had intended to do the zip wire but it was closed for maintenance...I have photo evidence, honest.
Queenstown is fantastic full of shops trying to take your money from you in advance of committing suicide in a variety of ways.... Bungy jumping, tandem free fall parachute, tandem para gliding, white water rafting, downhill mountain biking, to name but a few. I opted for the jet boat and asked the receptionist at the campsite which was the best...she recommended the most expensive which gave the least time on the water but involved a run up the sides of the SHOTOVER RIVER GORGE. this turned out to be a single track dirt road which was constructed may years ago my gold miners. This was not for the faint hearted especially when you encounter another vehicle coming the other way hauling a trailer of white water rafts. The actual boat ride was about fifteen mins each way in the steepest part of the river going through water only six inches deep at some point at between 75/80 mms per hour doing sliders and three sixties to show off...didn't buy the photo but being a true scot I photographed on my iPhone someone else's (twenty dollars saved).
Whether once more starts a bit cloudy but by noon develops into a blistering hot day. Only found out that the sun is at its worst here around 14:00...the hard way.
Again because of the young backpackers the food and drink here is reasonably priced...I ate out on fillet steak plus trimmings last night for £18.25. Not bad and beers are £2.50
Lots of observations and social comment but I reckon the wifi is dying ...to be continued
Big drive ahead tomorrow to glacier country on the west coast
Tuesday, 3 March 2015
PICTON to Christchurch to Lake Tekapa
The road journey from PICTON to Christchurch was easy and uneventful...just long straight road through vineyards. On arrival at Christchurch I went straight to the town centre which was the centre of the earthquake , it is basically a building site with building being demolished and new ones in progress. There is an area where there are shops and restaurants operating out of freight containers, very ingenious. Got a flavour of the place so cut my planned stay from two nights to one. I got the last slot in the campsite and even cooked the ubiquitous spaghetti and sauce (that is what most of the young backpackers live on...so why not me)...it rained all night and I felt sorry for the kids who are camping especially the one who were moving on with a soaking wet tent.
Once I eventually found my way out of Christchurch in the rush hour I took the scenic route heading south and inland towards the mountains and the alpine region. The intention was to go to Twizel but I stopped at Lake Tekapa which is at the base of Mount John where there is an astronomical observatory. I had hoped to take the night tour but the forecast is cloud and drizzle. I decided to walk up to the summit...there are two tracks...one takes two hours at a gentle stroll or the other is a one hour lung wrencher ...I took the one hour and when I reach the top I find that I could have driven up...probably best that I walked up as ETTIE doesn't do hills too well.
The pitch on the campsite is fantastic overlooking the lake which is turquoise blue and flat calm.
I hear it is snowing in Scotland .. It was a lovely day here with a high of 24C.
Onward to Queenstown tomorrow and I and one day ahead of schedule
Will post pics as soon as I get a decent wifi signal
Once I eventually found my way out of Christchurch in the rush hour I took the scenic route heading south and inland towards the mountains and the alpine region. The intention was to go to Twizel but I stopped at Lake Tekapa which is at the base of Mount John where there is an astronomical observatory. I had hoped to take the night tour but the forecast is cloud and drizzle. I decided to walk up to the summit...there are two tracks...one takes two hours at a gentle stroll or the other is a one hour lung wrencher ...I took the one hour and when I reach the top I find that I could have driven up...probably best that I walked up as ETTIE doesn't do hills too well.
The pitch on the campsite is fantastic overlooking the lake which is turquoise blue and flat calm.
I hear it is snowing in Scotland .. It was a lovely day here with a high of 24C.
Onward to Queenstown tomorrow and I and one day ahead of schedule
Will post pics as soon as I get a decent wifi signal
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