Month: December 2014

The weather forecast isn’t great, and the weather continues the gloom from the day before.

However, we decided to at least start one of the great walks.  Jo has done her fair share of South Island hikes already, but she hadn’t done this one.

The whole lot is 71km (one way), so we didn’t plan on doing it all!

The first stop, after about an hour, definitely needed a picture of the Davies part of the family …

.. and turning the camera the other way, just so you can see what Davies Bay actually looks like.

Eileen decided that the beach, some shade and a good book were her best choice at this stage.  Jo and I decided to press on, without appreciating quite how far and high we were going to go.  As the path is in the woods, you spend about an hour in the shade with not much to look at, and going upwards.  Jo is fit; I’m not!

But it was well worth it.  Around a corner, and hey!

We had brought a picnic, and there was a rather nice view from the picnic table.  Tried a panorama but it didn’t really work, so here’s looking left …

… and a quick swivel and here’s looking right.  

I said previously it is almost impossible to give a sense of the Marlborough Sounds.  Not as magificent as Milford, but we think probably better overall.  So here are a few random shots to give you some feel for it.

Jo was kn*****ed, so Eileen and I decided to take a little drive to Havelock, about 10 miles away.  Lovely little cafe by the marina.

Then back home for Jo’s home made vegetarian lasagne.  We had it on very good authority (Jo) that this was counted as the number one dinner in her house in Castle Street – we can see why – delicious.

Although my legs were stiffening up a bit by now (let’s say we walked 16km to a height of 200m – not great by NZ standards but good for old me) we took one last still down to the water for some evening sunset.

And more.

 And more.

 That’s it.   Tomorrow we’re off to Picton to catch the ferry and on to the North Island.

We had 5 nights to enjoy Christmas in our fabulous house in Nelson – final picture while sitting in bed with a cup of coffee.

Then we’re off to the Marlmorough Sounds for the final couple of days before venturing North.  As luck would have it the weather decided to be grotty on a travelling day.

Quick stop to admire the start of the views …

… some didn’t even feel like venturing out of the car!

It’s almost impossible to get a picture to give a sense of Marlborough, but here’s a panorama as a first attempt.

Then we arrived at our house in Akiniwa – the rain has stopped and this is what Queen Charlotte Sound looks like from the bottom of the garden.

Bit of colour, because it is midsummer here.

And a quick wander in the evening to give a different perspective.

One of the well-known outdoor walks is the Abel Tasman.  We didn’t – they can lay on a water taxi as a less rigorous alternative!

Unfortunately the taxi rank isn’t that close to the water …

… but eventually we get going.

Passing by the famous (?) split rock

And catching a brief glimpse of a dolphin family who refused to be photographed.  However, Jo did show us one of the hostels she had stayed in while doing the whole thing properly during a 3 day hike.

When we were on the beach it was very windy which meant some of us got a bit chilly …

… but we’re tempted into the sea eventually.  I should mention that I went in twice but neither was captured, so sighs of relief all round! 

Waiting for the return taxi …

… then a stop for a very tasty frozen fruit yoghurt on the way home.

Off again tomorrow for further adventures, but back to no wifi, so watch this space and wait :o)

Bit of a mooching around day today, so photos follow a bit of a trend:

View from lunch at the house …

… And watching kite surfers on the beach (no, we’re not in this photo!).

Happy Christmas everyone.  It’s Christmas Day in NZ, so we do what one does.

Go swimming wearing Santa hats …

… on a fabulous beach in Abel Tasman.  Then Christmas dinner.

Then a quick trip down to the beach to see the sunset at about 9.00.

It would be very easy to get used to!

Not a lot to say today – mundane stuff such as shopping, admittedly in a fantastic place.  Hardly took any photos today.

Home from home – Aon crops up everywhere, so no escape!

And a nice evening walk around an estuary at Mapua – bit muddy.

It’s a long day of travelling to Nelson today.  First a cup of coffee outside the house,

which is really an old lodge, but nonetheless large and comfortable.

Then a drive through one of the many national parks, stopping for a coffee and a semi-decent selfie,

And lunch.

Get to Nelson and find that the house is absolutely stunning.  It’s hard to do it justice, but here’s a panorama from the living room.  It’s the Pilot’s house, and has fabulous views over the sea, as you can see.  This is by far the best holiday house that Eileen has ever found – Bulls-eye!

And a quick paddle.

Then starting Christmas food shopping, including bread sauce and Xmas Pud.

According to that well-known early riser, Jo.  Anyway, it is 6.15 in the morning and I suggest that we go back and see Lake Matheson.  A very grumpy Jo and Eileen reluctantly agree, and after a half-hour drive and a similar walk, this is what we saw from Reflection Island.  Now we get it!

A quick stop for coffee at the cafe, with Jo very helpfully pointing out Mt Cook (or is it Tasman) – under the circumstances it didn’t matter too much.

And then on to Punakaiki.  Here’s another beach.

And here’s the rocks that everyone comes to see.  Actually, Punakaiki isn’t that special (well at least compared to other places on the west coast), but it is just right to split the long journey to Nelson.

And a couple of us just to finish off for today.

The day started as yesterday had ended – still raining.  So a bit of a lazy Sunday morning until we headed out on a glacier hunt.  Fox Glacier was a non-starter – floods from the rain meant we couldn’t get very far, and even from where we were it was covered in cloud anyway.  By the way, is there any connection between Fox Glacier and the mints of the same name?  They were being sold in the gift shop.

Then off to Lake  Matheson.  It looks and feels like a rain forest, mainly because it is.  The weather didn’t allow our photos to do justice to the most photographed lake in NZ – Google it!

Did manage an artistic (?) view of a fern though.

Really good lunch at the lake cafe, then off to hunt for Franz Joseph Glacier.  Sign below says you can’t get very close due to floods, but very luckily for us they had decided to re-open just before we arrived.

On the way

And here it is, firstly with zoom ..

.. And then without.

Absolutely terrific.  We felt very lucky to have seen it with the sun out, especially as cloud came down shortly afterwards.

So a good day.  Ruben’s birthday, so Jo bought him a cake.  And we said goodbye to him as he heads back to Queenstown and we head north to Punakaiki and then Nelson.

So all good?  Well, still some work on the selfies.  Managed to miss out the whole of the glacier in the background!

Jo wasn’t impressed when she saw it :o)