Category: New Zealand

We’re nearing the end of our mammoth trip, and enjoying being in one place, and a fabulous one at that.  

A final piece of Maori culture is Waitangi – where the British and Maori signed a peace treaty in 1840 (and they still celebrate Waitangi Day each 6th February).  

You start with an easy walk through the rainforest – almost deafened by the noise of the crickets.

And into the Maori Carved Meeting Hall.

Surprisingly came across some Jo lookalikes.

And at last found some waterfalls.

A late afternoon ferry trip across the bay to Russell and then back to our balcony for fish and chips (again).

That’s Russell from our balcony.

Not reflections such as we saw in Lake Matheson a long time ago, but a few random thoughts about NZ.  Not surprisingly, we hung around the house for most of the day, lapping up the views and the home comforts, and I think for the first time since we left home didn’t take a single photo. 

1.  Wifi

Nowhere near enough of it.

2.  Policemen

Far too many of them.

3.  Sun

Sounds a bit daft to say it, but it’s very hot.  Apart from gloating that we have seen so much of it, it is noticeably hotter than the UK.  So if the temperature is 23 (which it has been a lot), it is very pleasant when it’s cloudy.  But when the sun comes out, it is noticeably warmer.  Hope that makes sense.  Perhaps we’re nearer the sun or the lack of ozone or something like that.

4.  Curtains

All houses have been fantastic.  But without exception, the curtains have been thin which means sunlight streams in before 6.00.  Just re-reading, not getting much of the sympathy vote so far!!!

5.  Cracks in a Windscreen

Plain nail polish works a treat.  (Well, I did say they were random.)

6.  NZ TV

Rubbish (apart from Australian MasterChef which is on 5 times a week).  News is invariably about road accidents, risks of bush fires and barbecues.

7.  NZ TV Adverts

A lot of them, and all about sales at Harvey Norman or buying NZ Avocados.

8.  NZ Radio

Like UK local radio from about 30 years ago (including the adverts – get some free gel with your haircut at the local hairdresser).

But we love it here, and will be incredibly sorry to leave.

And here are a few random photos to finish off today.

Guess who?

Frozen Yoghurt.

It was 250 miles (or 400km in NZ currency), but WOW!

This is our little house is Paihia.  Into the living room …

… and then out on to the balcony.  Impossible to really give an impression, but here goes.  Step outside and look left ..

… then straight ahead …

… then to the right.

As I said, WOW.  Not sure whether this will come out, but here’s a short video clip.

…  but one of us was driving so stuck to coke :o(

Tried to get the full moon over the bay, but not the greatest photo, so you have to use your imagination.

I was going to say that you can get too much, but that patently isn’t true.  But NZ just keeps showing more at every turn.  Had a short trip to Cathedral Cove, looking one way down the beach …

… and then the other.

The downside is that it is a steep 25 minute walk to get down there, and nearly double that climbing back up again.  Looking relaxed at the top.

So we could also stop a while and admire the view.

Then a 15 minute drive and a 15 minute scramble to the top of the hill in Tairua.  All you can do is admire and watch the sun go down.

Long drive again tomorrow, past Auckland and to the Bay of Islands.  Probably more fantastic views (yawn!)

Some big distances in the North Island (or perhaps just having less time to do it).

Before that, though, a bit of learning Kiwi ( or not).  The best way I can describe it is that when there is an “e” as in “test” it is pronounced about 75% “i” and 25% “e”, so closer to “tist” but not completely.  Haven’t fully mastered “i” as in “tin” but a similar concept.

So when paying for a meal with a credit card in Nelson and the waitress asks if I have a pen, I start rummaging around in my bag, wondering why she doesn’t lend me hers.  Then it dawns that I need to key in my PIN.

And on the ferry when parking up the lady says do we want to go to the left, there’s me thinking I need to move the car a bit.  In fact she obviously thought I was too infirm to use the stairs and was kindly offering an alternative!

So there you go – you don’t need a foreign language to find ways to be embarrassed.

Anyway, off to Tairua which is in the Coromandel.  Arguably less spectacular than some other places, but I think we’re past caring.  More fabulousness!

View from the house ..

… and the beach about 5 minutes walk.

Hot Water beach.  When most people say the sea is warm, it means that there is always that first “oooo” as you get used to it.  On this one, the warm springs mean it really is warm.

Then a short ferry ride to dinner of wine and fish and wine ( in that order)

.. before more views on the way home.

And a sunset to cap it all.

Did one of those touristy things today, and went to see a Maori village.  They seem to try to compete with the Welsh when forming long words!

Active Geyser which very kindly spouted for us.

And a Maori show of welcome.

It was a fun thing to do – not sure how “genuine” but still worth it.  But it meant we hadn’t seen a lake or a mountain for hours, so off to a nearby restaurant for lunch with a decent view (and brilliant fish & chips).

Followed by a ( very short) walk and a rest.

I had shown the Geyser and previously mentioned the smell in Rotura.  They say rotten eggs, although I’m not sure what rotten eggs smell like.  Anyway, very sulphurous throughout the whole town, so you tend to keep your windows closed.

Even with all the nasty smells (and whatever is in the water causing them), it does attract plenty of wildlife, but I rather liked the vision of the dead tree next to the lake.

And finally, because I know you’re all still interested – how are the selfies getting on?  Well, it’s easy – put a b****y great spouting geyser in the background, and what could possibly go wrong???

Had to resort to Jo taking a proper photo for us.

Good morning, sir.  What is your name and would you care to blow into this bag?  It’s 9.30 in the morning and we are picking up Jo.  She spent the New Year at a fabulous house on the beach owned by the parents of one of her friend’s parents.  Note the shades – it was a good evening by all accounts!

Anyway, the police were setting up a roadblock to stop everyone coming back from the beach that morning, so I didn’t feel picked on (and was clear).

And speaking of police, one of the many things we’ve learned is that when they say zero tolerance they really mean it.  The national speed limit is only around 60mph and absolutely everyone sticks to it.  When we were speaking to our hosts in Napier the lady had got a ticket for doing 52 (km ph) in a 50 zone.  And we know about what they think of folks cutting corners ….

So we have driven very very carefully, and whilst seeing lots of police cars, have avoided their attention (so far).

So today it’s off to Rotura (a smelly place, but more of that tomorrow).  For now, we stop to get some fruit

and then head off to Taupo for a stop en-route.  Sometimes you think you don’t really get a place, and this is one of those days.  All the books say it is fabulous, but it was New Year’s Day so very busy, and we never really understood it.

We went on a short walk to find the famous waterfalls (here’s the start – pretty tame as NZ walking goes) but the 2.8kms defeated us (it was very hot – not sure we’ll be getting the sympathy vote from those in the UK), so we thought we would drive to the falls instead.  Couldn’t find them!

We did find the natives bathing – strong currents apparently, so you can’t get far in to the river.

And then off to Rotura.  Mikey the pig was very friendly.

And if that’s how a bad day looks, I think we’re doing pretty well.

Napier.  Eileen and I were up early (Jo wasn’t!), so we decided to go into Napier and explore.  We quickly found the Art Deco shop, and signed up for a walking tour.  I hadn’t realised, but Napier had been destroyed by an earthquake in 1931, and when they decided to rebuild, Art Deco was in vogue at the time, so that was the style in which it reappeared.

The man in the straw hat was our guide, and this is one of many examples.

Later on, a quick drive up the hill to get a view, 

And then off to the docks to get probably the best example of an art-deco building in Napier.

We packed Jo off to her friends for New Year on the beach, and went back into town to the most famous hotel for smashing fish and chips.

So farewell to 2014 (13 hours before the UK).  Happy New Year.

30th December, and the time to leave the South Island and head North.  A very early alarm call as we had a 45 minute drive to get to Picton to catch the ferry.  And guess what – the car hire firm had booked us on the wrong ferry (actually one going the other way!).  Fortunately, some of us have a propensity for arriving places quite a bit earlier than we need to, so luckily we were able to identify the problem, buy a proper ticket and still have time to catch the ferry.  A bill will be winging its way to the car hire firm in dire course.

Meanwhile a quick view of Picton and a last view of the Sounds.

Arrived in Wellington and the start of a very long (5 hour) drive to Napier.  Very little to report – stopped for lunch in a typical town (Dannevirke) which is in the middle of nowhere.  While Eileen and Jo were buying stuff I happened to look in an estate agents window and saw a 4 bed bungalow for £65,000!

Even in the middle of nowhere, Aon appears.

Arrive Napier to a beautiful art-deco house.

But a quick turnaround as we had been invited to the house of one of Jo’s friend’s parents for dinner.  They took us up to their local beauty spot to catch the sunset – fabulous.