Welcome to the second full week in New Zealand! Thank you for taking your time to check in on last week's activities. Lots of stuff to share.
The photos for this past week may be aligned with what I, perhaps you as well, expect when I think about New Zealand. Majestic mountain ranges, crystal blue water and Milford Sound, of course! I'm going to do my part to broaden my New Zealand landscape stereotype by profiling the east coast, highlighting its rugged beauty, amazing people and quietness (other than the surf).
My travel objectives for the week was to slow the pace of travel as well as traverse from the Alps to the east coast as I wind my way to the southern part of South Island. I have an affinity for being by the sea, hearing the surf, the air and experiencing the expansive horizon. Long to be by the sea to watch the sun either rise or set - equal beauty. In Buzz Lightyear's immortal words - to infinity and beyond is what I feel when I see the open ocean.
The weather continues to be temperamental. Some mornings have started at 5 C (high 30's) - long ways to come to experience cooler weather than in Toronto or Eau Claire. As the photos clearly show, I've also had the most brilliant weather on the right days in the week. Someone suggested last week that the weather show settle into a summer like pattern nearer to Christmas.
Small pat on my back for some success in slowing the pace of travel, I stayed two nights in Omarama when I originally planned to stay one night. My limited success is evident if you open the Google Map (link below) I use to share my travel to date.
What makes travel different (easier?) in New Zealand is the 'commonality' between my North American 'way of life' and the New Zealand way of life. Standard of living, language and life expectations are factor in big time. The biggest drawback when you experience so much commonality is the lost opportunity for learning more broadly. All this leads to be even more grateful for what I (we) have in life and being conscious to avoid taking what we have for granted.
Dental update - the good news is I'm happy I found the dentist I did in Christchurch. Claire was focused on ensuring I did the right thing for my tooth - given the time constraints in New Zealand we are working with. The other good news is the Midwest Dental team's support in Eau Claire in their immediate time and attention to transferring my dental records and answering questions from Claire. The not so good news is we are unable to do anything for the tooth and I need to eat my food differently and chew funny.
Happy Thanksgiving! Wishing my American friends a happy Thanksgiving! Safe travels if your holiday takes you from your home. May the universe fill your Thanksgiving with love, joy and stretchy pants, as needed!
Travel Administration: For those interested in pursuing international travel, there is a short section at the end of this week's blog focused on power banks and travel adaptors.
Travel Maps
Tracking this past week's travel: South Island Travel - As Of November 17
Timaru
Timaru was my first east coast stop as this location was a good starting point for the following day's travel. Kelly, the realtor I met in The Apron on my first day in Christchurch, suggested visiting Oamaru and The Fishwife in Moeraki.
I've forgot to mention that preparing fresh coffee (packages of ground coffee provided) using a French Press in your hotel is widely available in New Zealand. I can continue my morning coffee ritual unabated while traveling here. Mary, the woman who checked me in, also introduced to the idea of being provided fresh milk for your tea or coffee. Contrary to the expectation she set, most hotels only provide the standard small containers of packaged milk.
My other key discovery in Timaru was the fresh hot cross buns at the locak Pak & Save grocery store. I LOVE hot cross buns. Finding them in November was a small and most welcome miracle. Unfortunately, I've been unable to recreate this Sunday miracle during the balance of the week.
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| Panorama Motor Lodge - Timaru |
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Coffee Bliss - French Press,
Ground coffee and hot water |
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Unexpected flora - at least for me
given the overall climate |
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Fresh milk - Included as part of the
check-in process. Get your key &
small bottle of milk |
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I witnessed four teenagers swim in the sea. Yikes!
I graciously declined their invitation to join in
the fun(?) |
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Frisbee golf - universal appeal?
Reminded of my Wisconsin trail rides
where we had to circumvent the course
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| Beach view - near motor lodge |
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Remember what a telephone booth is?
Alive and well in New Zealand |
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| Something for everyone at this beach! |
My first stop out of Timaru was Oamaru - home of Steampunk, Victorian buildings and Blue Penguins.
Many people mentioned the need to visit Steampunk. My impression of Steampunk, cynical as it may be, is that it is amazing what you can do when you assemble a whole bunch of old machinery and market the hell out of it.
The Victorian Precinct was an interesting visit. Great old buildings now filled with various commercial interests just off the bay.
The Blue Penguins nesting grounds was a relatively recent development as an old quarry was resurrected as a nesting ground. The big draw is seeing the penguins return to their nests at dusk as they scamper across the open beach to safety. I've witnessed something similar in Australia some time ago. I'd encourage you to take the time to experience this activity at least once. There's a dance that goes on as at least one penguin needs to make a beeline across the open beach - fearful of predators. Once the first penguin makes it across the remaining penguins follow suite. Parallels to supporting change in organizations - think about early adopters (lead penguin).
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I loved this experience. All these lights in a
room with mirrors on all sides with cool
music playing. |
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| Ideas for you to do in your spare time |
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| Innovation in action |
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You best be paying to attention to
who is speaking! |
Victorian Precinct
This is one of two streets where the Victorian buildings have been preserved. The second street had buildings that were under various stages of refurbishment.
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All welcome at the Penguin Club.
No sign of the Bat Mobile. |
Blue Penguins
The following photos is as close as I got to seeing the Blue Penguins. As with all penguins, you need to be around at dusk to watch the beach parade. I decided to travel to my next destination instead of waiting the eight hours for dusk.
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| Poster at Blue Penguin nesting grounds |
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| Poster at Blue Penguin nesting grounds |
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If you look real close, you will see all the seabirds
sitting on this wharf
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Moeraki
Thanks to Kelly, I now have the wonderful experience of Fish & Chips at The Fishwife in Moeraki. You truly need to know this place exists to visit. Moeraki is a small village off the main highway that you would may little reason to visit. Apparently, a lot of people know about this place as it was sooo busy! Yes, the fish and chips are good!
The Fishwife
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Missed the Blue Cod - added to the
menu just after I received my order
of Butterfish |
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| And for your dining pleasure! |
Moeraki Boulders
An unexpected stop, just outside the village, was the Moeraki Boulders. These are boulders which are now almost perfectly spherical after extended exposure to wave action. The boulders are found over a stretch of beach. All this fresh air and a great walk on the beach for $2.
Omarama
On the way to Omarama, my home for the next two nights, is the Clay Cliffs. Getting to the Cliffs was my first adventure with a gravel road in New Zealand. Proceed at your own risk! Any windscreen (windshield) damage is voided if traveling on a gravel road. I vacillated for a few minutes about the risk and off I went down the road. All the risk was soon forgotten when I experienced the magnificence of Mother Nature in action. A great feeling as you walk through the opening in the cliffs and find yourself in the midst of the sheer cliffs in all sorts of shapes. A natural setting in nature to feel a oneness with the elements. Spiritual - perhaps!
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| Cliff view from the path's starting point |
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Info for anyone who wants to know more about
the Cliffs |
Watching the weather forecast has been pivotal to fully enjoy the New Zealand vistas. The Tuesday forecast was for clear and sunny skies - perfect to experience Mount Cook; New Zealand's highest mountain. My objective was walk the Hooker Valley Track to Hooker Lake - a three hour excursion on fairly even surface. I discovered while the walking surface was fairly flat, the trail was uphill for the 3 km (~ 2 mi). There are twelve tracks in total with a full range of difficulty.
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| Mount Cook - Lake Pukaki in foreground |
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| Mount Cook |
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| Another South Alps mountain |
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There were three suspension bridges
over the three km distance. Maximum
of 20 people on the bridge - if you
read the warning. |
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Amazing how a little sway while crossing
focused my attention! |
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| Loved the mountainside waterfalls |
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| The trek destination - Hooker Lake |
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| Mountain view from Hooker Lake |
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| Mount Cook Info |
This holiday town has become know for this tree growing in the water. Someone won a prize for this type of photo in 2014. The photo has spawned a pilgrimage and yes, I joined the bandwagon, to take a similar photo. The tree is popular it also appears as a destination in Google Maps. The town is a beautiful destination with walking trails, cycling, kayaking and other outdoor activities.
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Iconic tree in the water.
Wondering what happens when the tree dies?? |
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I took this photo to show there are other trees,
albeit far less famous, growing in the water. |
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Beautiful Lake Wanaka - without the solitary
tree distraction |
Queenstown
Next stop was Queenstown for the following three nights, starting Tuesday night. I discovered Queenstown is the quintessential tourist town. Beautiful setting along the shores of Lake Wakatipu. The vibe was reminiscent of Banff - loads of activity, drinking, eating and everyone here for a good time, not a long time.
Milford Sound was a key destination on my agenda from Queenstown. In the spirit of last minute planning, Tuesday's weather forecast identified Wednesday as the best day for visiting Milford Sound. While I love driving I decided to book a bus tour that included the boat cruise. The trip from Queenstown is four hours each way plus the 2 hour boat cruise. I booked my tour on Tuesday evening and headed for the Sound on the Wednesday InterCity bus leaving at 7:20 am. As an added bonus, the local bus driver (Nearish originally from Fiji) offered additional travel tips. I learned he had been a tour operator before Covid - taking people from New Zealand to Fiji. He decided to become a bus driver after Covid given its more reliable income stream.
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| Lake Wakatipu |
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| Lake Wakatipu |
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Lake Wakapitu with Remarkables Mountain
Range in the background |
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| Queenstown Botanical Gardens |
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| Queenstown Botanical Gardens |
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| Queenstown Botanical Gardens |
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| Gardens Info |
Te Anau is about the midpoint on the journey from Queenstown to Milford Sound. Another beautiful community nestled alongside a beautiful lake with the mountains in the background.
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| Will this photo rival the Wanaka Tree??? |
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| Close up shot - exploring my artistic abilities |
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| Lake Te Anau |
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| Different angle - looking north |
Drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound
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| Simple alpine majesty |
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Mirror Lakes - notice the mountains'
reflection on the lake |
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| Mirror Lake - Part 2 |
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| Photo op along the way |
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| One of so many waterfalls |
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Mountain peaks, blue sky and wispy clouds
Paradise - n'est pas? |
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| Sheer face with multiple waterfalls |
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| Multiple waterfalls - close up |
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| Non stop beauty |
Four hours later we arrive at Milford Sound, just in time to board the 1:30 pm scenic boat cruise for two hours on the water.
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| Our cruise catamaran |
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Looking out to the Tasman Sea from
Milford Sound |
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Sea lions enjoying the warm boulder. Still
puzzling how they managed to get up on the rocks. |
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We were so close to this waterfall
we were getting wet from the mist. Sadly,
the video I took was too large to upload.
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| Waterfalls abound |
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| Natural beauty - at its best |
Spent Thursday visiting Arrowtown - a historic gold mining town amidst beautiful surroundings.
Had a delightful conversation with Gabriela, The Winery manager who was originally from Chile. In fact, I had visited her home town, Valparaiso, when I visited Chile in 2010. Valparaiso is a port city built on hills. I distinctly remember climbing steep hills to reach the tourist destinations that were highlighted for me to visit. Why people put buildings in such difficult places to reach remains a mystery! She was also familiar with a number of other places I visited including the national park where Charles Darwin had once ventured. Yup, I walked on the same trail as Charles Darwin!
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| Liquid love in my flat white |
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Remarkable wine store in this wee town. Shelves of
NewZealand wines. Every corner of New Zealand
must be producing wine given the number of bottles
in this shop. |
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| Arrowtown - Main Street |
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| Always a place for a sweet shop |
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I know first hand that great pies (lamb mint)
are made in this Arrowtown bakery! |
Horseback riding is on my list of New Zealand activities. I had my first chance for a horse trek on Friday morning. The ranch I was riding at just happened to be on the way (Earnscleugh Station) to Dunedin, my Friday travel destination. Debs was a wonderful host and guide for the two hour back country ride. I was able to get more comfortable with going up and down hills along with trotting. I'm making headway in my horse riding skills.
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| Quiet magnificence |
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| Debs - our wonderful trek guide |
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| Meet Arizona - my horse for the trek |
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| Arizona - nice profile |
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The building in the background is where
we started our ride. I belatedly remembered
I needed a photo. |
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Action shot - notice the western
style trench coat. Ready for action! |
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| Surveying the landscape |
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| Happy rider in action |
Dunedin is another marvellous coastal city that is blessed with numerous beautiful old buildings with splendid architecture. Another city I had booked a two night stay. In wandering about the city on Friday afternoon I found a cinema playing Gladiator 2 so off I went to see a movie!
I was blessed to have Tegwyn at the hotel check-in who was super helpful in identifying key sights to see in Dunedin and throughout the South Island. She was the first to mention the need to visit the Catlins on my way to Invercargill. Tegwyn had travelled most of the South Island as soon as she got her driver's license.
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| Cenotaph - Queen's Garden |
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| Railway Station |
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| Railway Station - Interior |
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| Railway Station - Interior |
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| Railway Station - Interior |
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| Railway Station - Interior |
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| Railway Station - Exterior |
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| First Church of Otago (Presbyterian) |
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| First Church of Otago (Presbyterian) |
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| First Church of Otago (Presbyterian) |
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Looking toward Railway Station from
The Octagon |
Trip North from Dunedin - St. Bathans/Naseby
In my quest to cover as much of the South Island as possible, I set off on Saturday morning to head north towards St. Bathans; another quaint village that participated in the Island's gold rush. The local hotel is rumoured to be haunted - as independently attested to by Tegwyn who had something mysterious happen during her visit.
I also stopped in at Naseby Post Office which is now a combo gift store and information center. Hazel, who worked there, shared history about the Post Office including the story about when the community assumed ownership of the Post Office from NZ Post the postmistress continued to get paid for two years in spite of the fact no mail was being sent to or from the post office. Hazel also had a few great tips to travel some side roads for some great views.
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Gold mining operations stopped when
the digging got too close to the village
for comfort. Now this beautiful lake. |
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| St. Bathans |
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| St. Bathans |
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| Are the rumours true? Is the hotel haunted? |
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| Another quaint shop to explore |
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| St. Bathans Post Office |
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| St. Bathans main street |
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Naseby Post Office
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Naseby Masonic Hall
Personal interest |
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| Coastal beauty - Puketeraki Lookout |
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| Coastal beauty - Puketeraki Lookout |
Travel Administration - Power Bank/Adaptor
I've brought two key tools to support using my mobile and laptop while I travel. I suggest you do your research to find the tools that are best for your travel needs.
Power Bank - I purchased a power bank that I keep charged as an emergency back up should I need access to power to recharge my mobile or my laptop. Here are the power bank details: Anker GaNPrime Power Bank, 2-in-1 Hybrid Charger, 10,000mAh 30W USB-C Portable Charger with 65W Wall Charger.
Travel Adaptor - I purchased an all-in-one travel adaptor that I can use irrespective of the country I travel to. What is good about this adaptor is that it has two AC Outlets, 2 USB-C ports and 3 USB-A ports. You can charge everything you own at once - if you need. Here is what I bought: EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter, International Plug Adapter with Dual AC Outlet, 2 USB-C 35W PD Fast Charging & 3 USB-A, All in One Worldwide Wall Charger
Next Week
Next week's plan to explore the West Coast has some uncertainty. The West Coast weather (think about measuring rainfall in feet) has caused a road closure (due to slips) between Haast and Lake Moeraki until Wednesday, November 20th at the earliest. I've booked a hotel room in Haast, departing on Thursday, November 20th - direction tbd. I could be taking the circuitous route through Arthur's Pass to reach the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers - a ten hour drive (instead of a couple hours if the road was open). Stay tuned!
May the universe fill your life and the lives of your loved ones with countless blessings. 🙏
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