mandb trips: 2019

New Zealand

(A cappuccino fuelled Road Trip with a plane, train and a ferry ride)

When the Polynesian settlers arrived in the 13th century they called this land AOTEAROA. AO = cloud; TEA = white; ROA = long.

Margaret has already done such a good job by reporting on this trip day to day with postings and photos on her Facebook page, that many of you have remarked it was like you were on the trip with us, travelling from place to place.

London to Auckland via Singapore
= 11.974 miles (a 13 hour time difference)

That job done I'm going to make this blog more of a highlights review and factual record rather than go over territory already covered.

First off I should say as a 'once-in-a-lifetime' (maybe) visit we had planned to see as many of the popular places as time allowed. A guide book listed Top 10 Sights, 7 of which we managed to see. Our intended itinerary went pretty much as planned, with us missing only Fox Glacier due to a road closure with Waitomo caves and Mt. Manriganui bypassed due to time spent elsewhere.

(Above) A very basic map - more detail to appear in each island section

NEW ZEALAND has such incredible variety is such a small area. >>>
Not only mountains, glaciers, fiords, geysers & thermal areas, volcanos and dramatic rivers but also rolling fields of grasses and farmland, evergreen forests and stunning lakes of many colours. And some amazing roads to travel on to see all this breathtaking scenery.
One minute it reminded us of Scotland, then Switzerland and Austria. Margaret said it was like Cape Town and California. Then it was Norway and certain parts of Turkey and often it was like England - all rolled into one.

OUTLINE:
Our trip had been researched and planned for some considerable time. In the case of the motorhome we went back to a company we'd first discovered in 2011, when a shorter 3 week holiday had been mapped out, only to be put on the back burner when circumstances changed.
The Plan this time: Stop off in Singapore; spend a few days with friends Eileen and Tim in Auckland; fly south to Christchurch; motorhome for 16 days; stay with Margaret's cousins near Christchurch; travel back to North Island; finish as we started at Eileen and Tim's.
South Island was a contrasting experience to the North. Mainly because the motorhome and camping travel was very different to the hire car and airbnb accommodation on the North Island.
It was all fantastic (or awesome, if you're a local) with many highlights as detailed here. Click on the links below to travel there, or simply stroll down the page in your own time.
There's a lot to see ... hope you're in for the long haul.

6 week trip (February 12th to March 25th) > including Singapore click on name

Links (jump to sections)
➣ SOUTH ISLAND - map - highlights - photos & videos
➣ NORTH ISLAND - map - highlights - photos & videos
➣ CONCLUSIONS: Questions + Photo Gallery

NZ: South Island

(February 20th to March 10th)

"We wanted to 'do' the motorhome thing along with everyone else. (Happy to join the procession, it seemed like every 3rd vehicle on the road was a camper of some description). The South is totally geared up for this type of travel and what better way to see the scenery unfold than through the wide screen format of those high seats in a van."

Travelling in a roughly clockwise direction (no real reason for this other than perhaps a sense that we wanted to see certain places first, just in case we ran out of time later on).
Our highlights were:
➣ 1. Hooker Valley walk to see Mount Cook
➣ 2. Te Anau to Milford Sound trip
➣ 3. Queenstown's Skyline Gondola
➣ 4. Lake Wanaka (cycle and hike)
➣ 5. Scenic roads: Twizel to Mt. Cook / West Coast Highway 6 / Arthur's pass
➣ 6. Coastal Pacific Train trip
- see numerous photos down the page for extra details.

Total distance driven: 1717 kilometres + 236 day trip to Milford Sound.

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MOTORHOME reality check
Having plugged back into the company and the owner we'd met in 2011, we'd secured a cheaper deal than the average £110 per day hire costs we'd found elsewhere.
Mechanically the van did the job and we managed to get to all the places we'd planned. However it was a bit 'old' and left a fair amount to be desired. The onboard facilities and sleeping plan along with the layout all rather makeshift and we weren't as self-contained as hoped for and, with the colder nights, not as warm. But we made do, while casting various envious glances towards neighbours parked nearby. Our only consolation being the money we'd saved by comparison.
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INTERESTING MOMENT: Beyond cyberspace.
On the drive just north of Wanaka through the Haast pass, there was no mobile phone coverage or internet. As we pulled into the Haast Tourist Office, everything suddenly sprang back to life. Weird !

Staying with Margaret's cousins and relaxing for a few days near Christchurch (a city still very much recovering after the 2011 earthquake) was very nice, allowing us to recharge our batteries and plan the journey back north.
The Coastal Pacific train was our plan and having only recently opened again, following the Kaikoura earthquake in 2016, we were lucky it was back in operation. Shame the observation car was closed after it was deemed dangerous because tourists leaning out had caused safety concerns.
The Interislander ferry across the Cook Straits was meant to be Sea Conditions: Light (see photo) - it wasn't ! Margaret's travel sickness wristbands allowing her safe passage after we'd been blown inside from the upper deck. I just held on, wishing I'd worn mine as Wellington and the North Island gradually appeared through the mist and rain.

SOUTH ISLAND photos & videos

1. Hooker Valley walk to Mount Cook

Four pictures
TOP: one of three swing bridges
ABOVE: Snow capped Mount Cook as clouds cleared away
Just ABOVE: at Hooker Lake
LEFT: one of our dodgy selfies.

The walk was an easy uphill track. Three hours return trip.

2. Te Anau to Milford Sound trip - this was a booked day-trip with a cruise and someone else driving for a change. A good plan.

The road through Fiordland National Park

Lights at entrance to one way Homer tunnel

ABOVE: Three different views of Milford Sound. Fairly rare clear sunny day.

And a VIDEO > of Fairy Falls. 2019.Feb: Milford Sound, NZ

3. Queenstown's Skyline Gondola

ABOVE: Two views of mountain range the Remarkables.

LEFT: another questionable selfie taken in the Stratosfare bar.

4. Lake Wanaka (cycle and hike)
CYCLE ride from campsite around the lake. Four photos below

ABOVE: That Wanaka Tree

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Roy's Peak Hike
This was a serious uphill trek. Five hours in total - 3 up and 2 down.
Starting at 9pm on a gloriously sunny day we met people on their way down having hiked up for the sunrise. Getting there before it got too warm was our master plan but we should have taken more water with us. It was tough but the views were amazing throughout and despite queueing for the viewpoint photo opportunity on a narrow ledge it was a real highlight of our trip. (Stats: car park is 350 meters and the viewpoint at 1350m. That's 4,429 feet above sea level - Ben Nevis (highest point in the UK) is only 4,413 feet high).
One curious note: many younger walkers did so with music blaring out from some speaker concealed about their person. Halfway up a mountain side this sounded odd.
See our photos and videos below >

Lake Wanaka

Steep slopes

The pathway winding behind us

The queue for the viewpoint - left of centre

+ Two VIDEOS >

2019.03.02 Hike up Roy's Peak, NZ
2019.03.02 View from point, Roy's Peak, NZ

At the viewpoint - looking north. See map above for ID

Our 1350 meter 'high' !

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5. Scenic roads: Just some of the open roads
VIDEOS >
VID 2019.03.03. On Highway 6
VID 2019.03.07. Otira Gorge. Arthur's Pass
VID 2019.03.07 Thru Arthur's Pass

The road to Mount Cook - beside Lake Pukaki

West Coast, Highway 6

The Otira Viaduct, built in 1999. Arthur's Pass.

This and the three pictures below, all Arthur's Pass. NOT rush hour !

6. Coastal Pacific Train trip

Running from just north of Christchurch (Rangiora) past Kaikoura to Picton for the ferry across the Cook Straits. A six hour ever changing scenic train ride with commentary.
Not easy to get pictures from a moving train, but here's a few.