Taupo to Napier

11 – 16 March

Friday:

It’s another bright and sunny day today.  As predicted, we’re in a bit of pain this morning.  We can at least still walk though, so that’s something.  We’re leaving New Plymouth this morning for the scenic drive (is there any other kind in New Zealand?) to Taupo. 

For the first couple of hours we’re following the coast, then we cut inland through steep hills and sharp valleys covered in thick forest.  It’s early afternoon when we arrive in Taupo and take in the views of the lake – it’s huge, with views of distant volcanoes on the far side. 

We get ourselves settled into our cabin and take care of a few practicalities (washing, groceries), then take a little scenic drive out.  We’re still knackered after yesterday though and decide a quiet afternoon at the campground might do us some good and there are plenty of ducks to keep me occupied.

Janet adds: I’ve noticed a strong South African contingent in New Zealand.  Greymouth had Afrikaans church services, Blenheim had over 150 South African families, gem squashes are fairly common in the shops and the supermarket in Taupo has a whole South African section where you can buy simba chips and other delicacies. 

Saturday:

We spend a lovely morning sight-seeing today, starting with the angry Huka Falls.  

We drive further up the Waikato river past the hydro-electric dam wall to check out the rapids.  Our next stop is a drive round the geo-thermal power plant.  It’s not terribly scenic, but it is interesting and produces 5% of New Zealand’s electricity, which is not bad going. 

The final stop of the morning is a honey shop.  You can see the bees busily making honey in the hives and sample various honey products.  It’s my first ever honey tasting session and it’s fascinating (or it was for me – Nick was bored stiff by this stage) how different the honeys taste.  I find a delicious honeysuckle honey and then (I’m ashamed to say) treat myself to a honey and fig ice-cream.  Honeyed out, we head back to our cabin for a spot of lunch/something to soak up the sugar.

Did I mention that it’s hot and sunny today?  I’m starting to take the warm weather for granted.  In the afternoon we take a short drive to one of the lake beaches. 

We’d been warned that the water would be cold, but by New Zealand standards it’s pleasant and an excellent spot for a swim.

 

Janet adds: I’m finding the north island decidedly liveable.

Sunday:

We start the morning with a stroll through the town itself and a wander along the banks of the lake.  Yes, it’s still warm and sunny.  Today we’re heading for the distant volcanoes on the far side of the lake.  It can’t help but be a scenic drive, hugging the shores of the lake almost all the way round.  We find an excellent spot for our picnic lunch. 

Tomorrow we’re scheduled to do the Tongariro Crossing: a 19.4km trek around two volcanoes.  It’s meant to be the best day walk in New Zealand and we’ve been planning it for weeks.  It’s a one-way walk, which means we’ve got to arrange a shuttle to drop us off at one end and pick us up at the other.  We’ve chosen a place where we can get a basic room and an early morning drop-off.  When we arrive we’re randomly upgraded and get a room with kitchen and bathroom.  Ah, the luxury.

But before our walk tomorrow we decide to warm up with a gentle 6km hike to a waterfall.

We spend the rest of the afternoon getting everything ready.  By the time the sun is setting our bags are packed and we’re ready for an early night.

Monday:

We’re up at 5am in order to catch the 6am shuttle.   Apart from being the BEST walk in New Zealand, this is also one of the busiest and the only way to beat the crowds is to leave early.  Also, this means we’ll have plenty of time to take in any side-trips.  If anyone is interested, check out what the walk is meant to look like here:  http://www.tongarirocrossing.org.nz As you’ll see, I don’t think our pics quite captured it.

It’s still dark when we’re dropped off – the sun won’t be up for another hour or so.  There’s a thick layer of cloud too, which isn’t a good sign.  We get cracking, telling ourselves the cloud will burn off once the sun is up.

It’s somewhat eerie walking through the tumble of volcanic rocks in the early morning gloom. 

We briefly side-track to see soda springs, though I think we smell it more than see it. 

Soon we’re climbing.  The sun is up now, but visibility isn’t improving.  The higher we get the thicker the cloud.  It’s cold too, and windy.  We get up to the saddle where we’d hoped we’d be able to summit Mt Ngauruhoe (aka Mt Doom of Lord of the Rings fame), but seeing as how we can’t even see the volcano it doesn’t seem wise (or worthwhile) trying to climb it. 

We press on.  If anything the weather is getting worse.  We’re now wearing all the layers we’d brought with us and I’m even wearing a spare pair of socks as gloves. 

We reach the highest point of the track – a narrow-ish strip between two steep craters.  According to the map anyway.  As far as we can see the world just drops away on either side.  The visibility improves slightly as we start to drop down and finally clears enough for us to grab a photo of one of the emerald lakes. 

It’s still early, so we think about hanging around to see if the weather picks up, but it doesn’t show any signs of improving so we decide to push on. 

The last 6km or so are a fairly steady wind downhill.  We do eventually pop out of the cloud and get some gorgeous views over to lake Taupo.  We pass some steaming vents and the smell of sulphur is thick in the air. 

The final stretch is through a pretty wooded area with a burbling brook running alongside us. 

Finally, with aching feet and tired legs, we’re back at the car park for our pick up.  It’s only 12.30, but it feels like we’ve been all day.  We head back to the cabin for a warming cup of soup and then collapse.  We’re somewhat relieved to see that the weather doesn’t get any better and even starts to rain.

Janet adds:  It was hard going today, but nothing compared to Mt Taranaki. Disappointed the weather didn’t play along, especially after the long stretch of sunny days, but that’s the way it goes.

Tuesday:

We can tell we had a bit of exercise yesterday, but on the whole we’re feeling pretty good.  The weather seems a bit better than yesterday, but the mountains are still in cloud so we can’t be tempted into giving it another go.  We’re going to Napier today.

First we’ve got to backtrack up to Taupo, but it’s the kind of trip you don’t mind doing again, then we head east.  Again it’s a beautiful drive through mountains and forest before dropping into wine country just as the sea comes into view.  The further east we get the sunnier it gets.  We arrive in Napier at lunchtime to a blazing hot afternoon. 

We buy a picnic lunch and take it to the beach.  It’s a black pebble beach, but pretty nonetheless and backed by lawns and flower garden. 

After lunch we take a stroll along the waterfront and get an ice cream (it’d be rude not too).

We check into our campsite where we get one of the plushest cabins yet.  It’s still warm enough to enjoy a swim in the pool (after maybe just a little jump on the jumping pillow AND the trampoline).

Janet adds: spotted Ouma rusks in the supermarket today.  Another reason to move to New Zealand?

Wednesday:

It’s gloriously hot and sunny again.  We take a walk into town.  You can’t help but like Napier, with it’s wide, palm tree lined streets and gorgeous buildings. 

Napier was pretty much wiped out by an earthquake in 1931 and the city was rebuilt in the art deco style. 

After a wander through town we walk over the hill to the docks.  Some of the old warehouses have been converted into bars and restaurants, so we decide to stop here for some lunch.  

These are working docks and we watch the fishing boats unloading their catch while we eat.  Neither of us eats fish, but it’s fun to watch anyway. 

A pint and a pizza later we start the long walk back, taking a welcome shady detour through the botanic gardens.  We’re back in time for another swim (and another bounce!).

Wellington – New Plymouth

6 March – 10 March

Sunday:

We’re up and away this morning for the drive over to pretty Picton.  We’re getting the lunchtime ferry to the north island.  There have been a few weather warnings in place and the seas are currently listed as ‘moderate’, so we’re not expecting a particularly smooth ride.  On the plus side, the ferry is huge and should be able to plough through the worst of the bumps. 

The first part of the journey is through the beautiful, calm waters of Marlborough Sound.  After an hour and a bit we hit the open waters of the Cook Straight and things start to get a bit bumpy. 

Walking becomes harder and harder as our legs seem to grow and shrink beneath us.  We’re finding it hilarious, but those suffering from sea-sickness (more than half by the looks of things), aren’t appreciating our merriment. 

3 hours later we finally dock in Wellington.  We’re reunited with our car and make our way to our hotel (once again a lastminute.com special).  Once we’re settled we head out to Flying Burrito Brothers (a favourite from Christchurch) for some delicious Mexican food.

Janet adds: first impressions of Wellington are good: pretty city with good shops, bars and restaurants.

Monday:

After happily devouring some poached eggs on toast we set out to explore Wellington.  It’s the biggest city we’ve been in since Christchurch but still feels easily manageable on foot.  We spend a couple of hours at the fascinating Te Papa museum then walk over to the Civic Square to check out the exhibits at the City Gallery. 

We call into a café for lunch and then take the historic cable car up to the top of the botanic gardens for a leisurely stroll through the greenery back down.

Having had our fill of sight-seeing for one day we head back to the hotel where I entertain myself in the onsite gym while Nick watches football.  In the evening we find a gorgeous Mac’s brewbar on the waterfront, which lures us in for a few beers.  I’ve left it to Nick to find us somewhere to eat tonight and he’s decided on the Red Dog.  Mostly, I think, because it has dog in the name and the logo is a dog.

Nevertheless, they do excellent (if a little weird: I go for the broccoli and blue cheese combo) pizzas.  We take ourselves off to bed feeling rather fond of Wellington. 

Tuesday:

As we did most of our sight-seeing yesterday we’ve got quite a leisurely day today.  We start with a wander up to the Mt Victoria lookout.  The walk is a little more strenuous than we’d anticipated, but we entertain ourselves with a rope swing on the way up. 

We successfully navigate the numerous school groups at the top to appreciate the lovely views of the city and harbour.

We walk back down again past Wellington’s surprisingly pretty city centre beach. 

We pick up a bit of shopping and make ourselves sandwiches back at the hotel, then spend the afternoon window-shopping.  The Wellington City & Sea Museum lures us in and is far more entertaining than it sounds.  Any dog lovers out there will like the story of Paddy the Wanderer: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/timeline/17/07

We take an hour or so at the hotel to rest our tired legs, then proceed to our favourite new Mac’s bar.  We decide – purely for the sake of comprehensive research, you understand – to visit our 3^rd Little India in New Zealand.  We’re so predictable.  Still, it’s good as ever.

Wednesday:

We leave Wellington this morning and head up the west coast towards New Plymouth.  After a couple of days of hit and miss weather the sun is finally out.  It’s a scenic drive past pretty beaches and towns.  Already it’s clear that the north island is more populated than the south, but in a good way.   It feels a little less rural and it seems you’re never too far from a decent sized town.

We arrive in New Plymouth mid-afternoon and stop to pick up some groceries before heading to our campsite at Oakura.  It turns out to be right on a long, beautiful beach perfect for a late afternoon stroll.

 It’s a warm, sunny evening and we enjoy it with a few beers on the veranda of our cabin as the sun goes down.

 At night we fall asleep to the sound of crashing waves.

Thursday:

The first thing to say is that it was my fault.  Nick suggested it might not be the best idea, but I wanted to climb it: Mt Taranaki/Egmont.  And really, who could blame me?  It’s an almost perfectly symmetrical volcano that looks like a child has drawn it on the horizon.  Who wouldn’t want to climb it? 

Somehow Nick lets himself be persuaded, so we’re up early packing our rucksacks with plenty of food and water.  We call into the visitor’s centre to check on conditions (which are good).  We get cracking.  The first hour and a half of the climb follows a 4WD track, which sounds innocent enough, except that it’s steep.  And just when we think surely it can’t keep going like this, we hit the section known as ‘the puffer’.  It lives up to its name and by the time we reach the top of the track we are both out of breath. 

That was the easy bit.  Next we climb some wooden stairs and then pick our way up a rock-filled valley where we see our first snow.  Then it’s more stairs.  We’re both relieved to get to the top of the stairs and the views are getting even better.

We’re now on the scree slopes it’s like trying to walk up a giant (and very steep) gravel heap.  It feels like I’m sliding down more than going up.  The clouds pull in around us and we’re soon in cool mist.  I’ve realised now that I might have bitten off more than I can chew and I’m about ready to turn around and head back down, but with a bit of encouragement (and a few pushes from behind) from Nick we finally get to the top of the scree.

We’re onto ‘the lizard’ – a rocky ridge that will take us up to the rim of the crater.  It’s psychologically easier than the scree especially as we’ve broken through the clouds again, but we’re now hauling ourselves over rocks.

It’s hard going, and a little hairy at times with some steep drop-offs.  The higher we get the heavier the snow.  Again I’m in need of a bit of encouragement from Nick (and believe me, I’ll never hear the end of it). 

Finally though we’ve done it: we’re at the crater rim.  It is beautiful and quite other-wordly: the rocks are covered in ice and the crater is full of snow. 

Clambering into the crater over the ice is a bit hair-raising, but suddenly it all feels worth it.  The official summit is another short climb up the other side of the crater, but this is as far as we’re getting without crampons and ice-axes so we satisfy ourselves with a tromp round the crater.

The hard work is over, all we’ve got to do is get back down… which is another whole story. 

It turns out that clambering over the rocks isn’t that much easier down than up. 

We can’t wait till we hit the scree, figuring we can slide down.  Which we pretty much do, only in an uncontrolled and pretty painful manner.  We both take our fair share of tumbles and it’s a relief to reach the stairs again – at least there’s solid ground under our feet again. 

Finally, 7 and a half hours later, we make it back to the car.

Janet adds:  I’d like to say I’ve learnt my lesson, but I think I probably haven’t.  I am in pain though and walking is a problem.

Nick adds:  I’m finding it quite funny that Janet wanted to climb the mountain and is in more pain than me. You may not be surprised that she is getting no sympathy from me.

Abel Tasman - Nelson

26 February – 5 March

Saturday:

Leaving Greymouth we start cutting inland, following the scenic Buller Gorge.   The winding road reaches a climax where it narrows to a single lane hacked out of the rock. 

Another delightful picnic spot turns out to be a sandfly haven, but we get our sandwiches gobbled down.   It’s about 4pm by the time we get to our campsite in Motueka on the north west coast.  Nick settles in with a beer and some internet while I take myself out for a run (the first in over a week, eek!).

Sunday:

We’d planned on doing a ‘swimming with seals’ trip in Abel Tasman park today, but the tides aren’t playing along and the trip isn’t running this week.  Instead we’ve booked a kayak trip. 

It’s a fairly early start for the short drive to Marahau where we’re meeting up with our group.  We’re getting a lift further up the coast on a water taxi and a tractor delivers our boat to us.  We jump into the boat and then get towed through town to the wharf.  I think it’s almost the highlight of the day.  When we get to the water’s edge the tractor drives straight in.  The water is too shallow here to launch the boats, so we’ve got to get driven out to deeper water by the tractors.  It’s an interesting way of doing things.

Once we’re finally afloat we’ve got a 45 minute cruise past some stunning coastline.  We’re really lucky today: the sun is out and the water is flat and glassy.  Our guide claims he hasn’t seen it this good in 2 years.  We pull into a bay where we’re unloaded onto the beach for a switch into kayaks. 

A quick paddle out and we’re at Tonga island – a seal sanctuary.  The seals are a bit lazy today, but a couple of the more curious ones swim over for a closer look.  It’s brilliant to get this close to them in the water. 

Even better is watching an over-ambitious gull attempting to eat a big starfish in one go. 

We paddle back to the shoreline to check out some natural arches, and then keep paddling to Bark Bay.  The bay is calm and the beach would be perfect if it weren’t for the glut of sandflies that swarm around you looking for the tiniest gap in your insect repellent (and they always find one).  Sandflies aside, we have a lovely picnic on the beach before getting our water taxi back (complete with tractor docking).

It’s a near perfect day and we’re still back early enough to get some washing done and have a splash in the pool.

Monday:

It’s another bright, sunny day today.  The weather isn’t meant to last so we want to make the most of it.  I manage another little run and then we get ourselves packed up for the day.  It takes an hour or so to drive over the mountains to Golden Bay.

We find ourselves a suitably golden beach and after braving the slightly chilly water for a swim we have a picnic on the relatively sandfly-free beach.  Not wanting to waste the sunny after noon we drive back to Kaiteriteri – voted by some people somewhere to be one of the top 5 beaches in the world.  

It is beautiful with golden sand and clear green waters.  I head out for a little snorkel, but there’s not much to see.  A swim and a lie on the beach later we’re ready to call it a day.

Tuesday:

It’s a bit of a weird day today.  As expected, the weather has turned cloudy with on/off rain.   We’d planned to head to Farewell Spit (the most northern point of the south island) for a few walks.  First though we spend an hour or so chatting to Ali, Andrew and little Dusty (not much to say for herself yet, but still stole the show) on skype. 

Somehow after that one thing leads to another and at 4pm we find ourselves still glued to the computer doing some forward planning.  It’s probably not a bad thing.  We’ve been struggling to finalise what happens when we leave New Zealand and we manage to get quite a bit sorted. 

Janet adds: I’ve impressed myself by clocking up 20.7km running in 4 days.  That said, I’m exhausted and everything hurts.  I’ve yet to work out this moderation thing.

Wednesday:

It’s chucking it down this morning as we leave Motueka and head to Nelson.  We’re there almost before we know it and brave the grey skies for a look round town.  Nelson is meant to be one of the sunniest spots in New Zealand and it lives up to its reputation: within an hour or so there’s not a cloud to be seen and the mercury has climbed to 27C.  We look a tad overdressed in our jeans and waterproofs.  It’s a lovely town and the biggest we’ve been in for a while.

After checking into our hostel we find a nice pub for a glass or two of Macs.  We found out a while ago that there’s a Little India (our favourite from Dunedin) in town and we’ve been psyching ourselves for curry ever since.  It doesn’t disappoint J

Thursday:

It’s a lovely day today and we take a trip out to Nelson Lakes National Park.  The drive takes about an hour and a half and with our late start we don’t arrive till close on lunchtime.   The lake is big, beautiful, clear and full of ducks. 

We decide to take a walk up Mt Robert.  It’s a little bit hard going but the views are amazing.  

Two and a half hours later and back at the car we’ve worked up enough of a sweat to put the lake waters on the pleasant side of bearable.  Then it’s back to Nelson for a quiet night at the hostel. 

Friday:

It’s a miserable, rainy day when we wake up, so we decide on a typical rainy day activity: the cinema.  We get soaking wet on the walk to town but both thoroughly enjoy the King’s Speech.  Even better, by the time we come out so has the sun. 

We take a stroll back to the hostel to get some washing done and then spend the afternoon enjoying the sun in the garden.

Saturday:

It’s another rainy morning, but trusting that it’ll clear up later we take a drive over to the Marlborough wine reason.  Nick has somehow found himself volunteering to drive me around while I get more and more tipsy and rapidly collect bottles of wine.  Our first stop is Nautilus where we’re assisted by a South African ex-pat.  Next is St Clair’s for a few more tastes and a lovely lunch in the garden.  We stop briefly at Wither Hills then head back to Nelson for a ‘ahem’ well-deserved afternoon nap.  Tomorrow we’re off to the north island.