Arrived at last

View of Snells Beach

View from Deck at Julie's

View from deck at Julie's

Greetings from Omaha river retreat!
Week Beginning 2nd January. We arrived in Auckland at 1pm on Sunday after an uneventful journey half way around the world. The 24 hour stopover at the hotel by the airport in Kuala Lumpur was a welcome break. We managed to stay awake until 10pm local time before crashing out for a full 12 hours. The rest of the stopover was spent mostly by or in the hotel pool. I felt as if I had died and gone to heaven!!Then it was back into the airport for the last leg of the flight. We were quickly through immigration, baggage reclaim and customs and found Rob waiting for us in arrivals. Nigel had wondered how we would find him in the crowd of people waiting in the arrivals hall but I knew exactly where he would be - at the back ready to make a quick getaway. I also knew what, after greeting us, his first words would be, "Come on let's get out of here"!Apparently Jill, our soon to be landlady had double booked so we were to spend the first night at with him and Julie at Snells Beach. It all looked very familiar as we took the motorway north until we got to the new stretch which goes through a tunnel at Puhoi before going back onto the old road. At Puhoi Rob decided to take a different route to the main road as, with it being the holiday season,he said that there would be a big traffic jam on the way into Warkworth.The next part of the journey was one of the high points of our holiday as far as Nigel was concerned. It was a drive of about 20kms on a twisty, hilly gravel road through thick bush. Rob threw the car around the corners and I was pleased that I was sitting in the back as they couldn't see when I closed my eyes!! At Warkworth we stopped at the New World supermarket and picked up some necessary supplies before going on to Snells Beach. The road looked oh so familiar. I had spoken to Julie on skype so had a good idea of what she was like so it wasn't like meeting a complete stranger. She made us very welcome and we sat out on the deck chatting and having a beer and admiring the view down to the beach. We were both pretty shattered but managed to stay awake and eat the BBQ that they prepared before going to bed at 9pm. Nigel woke very early the next day but I managed to sleep until about 7am. After breakfast we all went for a walk down to the beach and were amazed to find it so quiet despite the fact that it is the holiday season here. We went for lunch at a local pottery and restaurant before they brought us over to our home for the next 6 weeks. We are staying in the small cottage at the Omaha river retreat which is owned by Jill, a friend of Julie's. It is in a beautiful position overlooking the tidal river surrounded by 20 acres of bush. There is also a large house which is rented out but for the first few days we are on our own here.We have a bedroom and sitting room/kitchen with all that we need to be comfortable. We all sat out admiring the view, glass in hand, before Rob and Julie left and we unpacked our bags. Jill was very welcoming and said that we are almost family which I thought was very kind of her, she and Julie are very close friends. The bird life is fascinating, many strange birds that make wonderful sounds and a lot of herons roosting in the high trees surrounding the property. Jill and her daughter live in a nearby converted barn.
Next day,Tuesday, was shopping day. Rob had left me his car, a large, flash automatic Toyota which I managed to drive over to their place at Snells and we all then went to Albany mall on the outskirts of Auckland as I wanted to buy belated Christmas presents for Dannielle and Jonny. Thankfully Julie had a good idea of what they would like so I bought a Toy Story lego kit for Jonny and a pink handbag and wallet for Danni as well as the 2 dresses that I have brought her from home. Oh and we bought 2 bubble blowing kits for them as we too would like to blow bubbles!! Lunch at the Puhoi pub, a well known, old fashioned bikers pub on the way back.A rest period (!) at their place and then back to our little corner of heaven on earth. Each time that I come to NZ I am goggle eyed at the amazing vegetation, flowering shrubs such as bougainvillea and tree ferns.Tomorrow we go back to Rob's and Nigel will stay there with Julie whilst Rob and I go to pick up Danni and Jonny as well as the car that he has got for us for our stay here.

Chapter 2

Chapter two.

Well, on Wednesday Rob and I drove back down to Auckland to pick up Danni and Jonny. They rushed out of the house when we got there and gave us both a big hug. Danni even had a couple of little Christmas pressies for me. It was very emotional seeing them again after 5 long years.Jonny was a bit quiet at first but soon came round. We left and drove to Rob's place of work to pick up my transport for the next 6 weeks, a rather elderly Hundai Accent, but what the hell it's transport. Danni and I drove back in Robs car and she never shut up talking!! Back at Snells Beach they were eagerly anticipating their Christmas presents. Thankfully they were both pleased with the goodies.
  Thursday to Sunday the children slept here with us and during the day we met up with Rob and Julie and went to different beaches. So many beaches around here and most of them are child friendly. Both Danni and Jonny are confidant in the water and have taken to snorkeling like the proverbial ducks to water. On Monday we left for 5 days camping at Mangawhai forest reserve about 40kms north of here.It was quite some exercise packing up the 2 cars with us and all our belongings but we made it and got to camp late morning.The camp is very basic but has hot showers, toilets and a cookhouse. A real Kiwi, off the beaten track place, idyllic. We, N and I were honoured to have the big tent in which we could stand up which was great and Jonny and Danni had their own tent as did Rob and Julie. Jill, our "landlady" lent us a  comfortable blow up mattress so we were very comfortable. Rob did a very good  BBQ in the evening, steak, sausage and bacon and Julie provided the salad and once the children were in bed we sat around with a glass of wine and enjoyed the sunset.Jill came over Monday to Wednesday with her daughter and 2 of her friends so we were quite a crowd The next few days followed a similar pattern, beach, lake, BBQ in the evening. On Wednesday Rob and Julie had to work so I was left in charge and took the children to lake Tomarata which was very safe and where they spent a lot of time snorkelling whilst I was able to go in the deeper area and have a swim. On Thursday Danni and I went to Pakhiri beach and had a 2 hour horse ride along the beach and across the dunes. It was a 40 minute drive there along gravel roads and we hardly saw any other cars, I felt like a real Kiwi! We made the most of Friday, our last day, by going to the beach and taking a picnic. Rob gave Danni a lesson in boogie boarding and she soon got the hang of it and was thrilled. Jonny had a go at it too in shallower water, it won't be long before he gets the hang of it as well. Back to camp to pack up and come "home" after an amazing camping holiday. Rob is back at work now so I am in sole charge for the next few days. We are having a quiet weekend as there are still lots of holiday makers about. It is much quieter on the beaches during the week so we shall have beach days again from Monday onwards. I seem to have done many miles of driving on gravelled NZ roads, quite an experience compared to tarmac! Everyone that we have met has been so friendly. Tonight we were invited over to Jill, our landlady next door, and spent a very pleasant couple of hours sitting on her deck, overlooking the bush, with a glass or 2 of Sauvignon blanc and some nibbles. Not a bad way to spend the evening!As you can tell I am thoroughly enjoying my time in NZ with my gorgeous grandchildren who of course can be a bit naughty at times but they are so good most of the time. So strange being able to be a granny after not seeing them for 5 years. Every day is a memory that I shall cherish for ever. Off now to give them the hard word and tell them to jump into bed and go to sleep, a privilege indeed.
Next day. Another at home day although we did pop into Matakana this morning to pick up some provisions. Matakan is the centre of wine growing in this area and a very popular little village with some nice shops and cafes. Jodie, the childrens mother rang this evening and she is going to come and pick up the children on Tuesday and take them back home for a few days. Much as I love being with them it is quite exhausting and it will be nice to have a few days "off" and for Nigel and I to have some time on our own and to explore the area together.
Chapter 3. Well, on Monday the children were watching tv in the morning and I thought it best to let "viewing children lie"! They have barely watched any tv since they came so I didn't feel too guilty. Rob was going to come over after work and spend the night here before taking them back to Auckland to save Jodie having to drive up here. So after lunch I said that we would go into Matakana and get something for the evening meal and then go to the beach. After we had shopped I was getting back in the car when the door slammed on my finger, ouch and double ouch. Part of the knuckle was scraped off and bleeding profusely and the nail was black and bleeding. Not knowing of any local emergency departments I wrapped it up and drove back here for Nigel to dress it as best he could. I took a paracetamol and lay down to recover and of course no trip to the beach. Rob rang to say that plans had changed and that he wouldn't be coming over until 7.30 next morning to pick up the children. Danni got in a strop as I wouldn't let her watch a tv programme which was billed as having scenes of violence and refused to eat her meal. I banished her from the table as she was sitting scowling at us all! Sometimes grannies have to put their foot down!! We packed up their things ready for an early start the next morning. I waved them goodbye when Rob came, mixed feelings, a joy to have them but I do now feel that we need a bit of time to ourselves and to recharge our batteries! We went into the doc's in Matakana to get my finger dressed by the nurse, feel much happier now that I have had some medical attention, there is a chance that it can become infected but so far so good. Then N and I went to look around Warkworth, have lunch and do some shopping. On the way back we called at Matakana again to pick up tourist brochures and check out the cinema to see what is showing. Matakana, unusually for such a small town, has a brand new 3 cinema complex which is the talk of the area. We shall go there later in the week. Tuesday night was very wet and windy due to the remnants of a tropical cyclone, quite nice to have some cooler weather at last as it has been very humid.Today, Wednesday I had to go and have the finger dressed again and was told that it was healing very well, just have to go back for a final check up on Friday.

Lull

We have had a bit of a lull in activity this week as the children have been back home for a few days and we have had a couple of days of heavy rain and wind. The clouds are now breaking up and the sun is shining again, very timely as Danni and Jonny will be back this evening.

I would like to try and describe Omaha River Retreat, the beautiful place that is our home for the first 6 weeks of our stay. The property sits about a mile from the “main” road down a gravel road and is the last property on the road. Jill, the owner, and her daughter live in a converted barn with a deck overlooking a forest of Kauri trees, some as old as 300 years, plus other native trees that are full of birds. The main house which is let and can sleep up to 12 people looks out over the estuary of the Omaha river and across to Point Wells and the town of Omaha. There is a patio in front of the house where I can spend hours just watching the scenery and the incoming or outgoing tide.or reading my book.. Our self contained apartment is at the rear of the main house and has a small courtyard overhung by tall tree ferns. For most of our stay the main house has been empty so we have the run of the grounds and patio. As Jill is a good friend of Julie, Rob's partner, we were soon made to feel welcome and have spent several evenings on Jills deck with a glass (or two!) of wine and admiring the wonderful views.

 The ever present, in New Zealand, Agapanthus are now just beginning to go to seed after giving us a wonderful display of their blue and white flower heads. I was amazed to discover that for gardeners here they are a bit of a pest as they spread everywhere. I did manage to grow a couple of them when we were at Carol but they certainly didn't spread and cause me a problem there and I did have to nurse them through the winters. One of the indiginous birds is the Tui and I have to admit that I have been complaining about them as they start their call about 5am! However, now that the jet lag is a thing of the past, I  seem to be able to sleep through their dawn chorus.

On Wednesday  we went over to explore Omaha and Point Wells as, seeing them across the estuary every day , we were curious to see what they were like. The road leading into Omaha is lined spectacularly with tree ferns, palms and native trees which were planted, it would seem, as a windbreak as Omaha is really just a spit or small peninsula jutting out between the ocean and the harbour. One visit was enough!! Most of Omaha is covered in modern, architect designed houses and seems to be more for the well off, weekending Aucklander than permanent inhabitants. I am told that the prime minister has a house there. Bizzarely there were not many people around apart from on the rather splendid looking golf course. We walked on the beach at the harbour side of the town and there wasn't another soul to be seen. We then visited Point Wells which was slightly better than Omaha mainly because it had been developed earlier and everywhere looked more mature and in place than in Omaha.where all the development is so new. We parked at the point and looked across the estuary trying to locate our “lodgings” and saying how much happier we were to be staying over there.

Our nearest village is Matakana which is about 8 miles away. Over the last decade or so Matakana has developed from what I suspect was a sleepy little place into a bustling  small tourist centre thanks to investment by a couple of local entrepreneurs and the local wine industry. There are several small vineyards in the area all producing top class wines and they have become part of the Matakana wine trail. The Saturday farmers market has become well known in the region and attracts locals and visitors alike. There are several cafes, a local store, a very good bakers and the butcher. The butcher deserves praise as his meat must be the best around. In the middle of his shop there is a huge chopping block which must have seen many decades of use and I am told that he hangs and butchers all the meat that he sells. To top it all there is now a cinema complex, 3 cinemas, which show newly released films. On Thursday we went to see The Kings Speech which I believe has only just been released in the UK. The Vintry, a wine bar in the complex, sells local wine by the glass which can be taken into the cinema to complete the whole experience!!

Friday was the night of the full moon and Jill held a party, as she does on every full moon, to drum it in!! I had watched the moon rise over the estuary on Thursday and it was a wonderful sight in a clear sky. Sadly, Friday was cloudy and the moon was nowhere to be seen but that didn't stop the proceedings. The party was held in the house as there are no guests there at the present and there were 11 of us including Rob and Julie who came over and a Maori friend of Jill's. Everyone took something to eat and we all sat round the dining table chatting and eating. Then to the drumming. Three people on drums, the Maori was the best drummer of course, the rest of us shaking maracas and other varied “instruments” Quite an evening and very enjoyable.

Week beginning 22nd January

Scotts Landing

Mathesons Bay

River at Warkworth after the rain.

Week beginning 22^nd January.

We should have gone over to Helensville on the West Coast to attend the wedding party of Julie's niece on Saturday evening but a night of wind and rain was forecast. As we were supposed to be camping we all decided that it wasn't an option so just Julie drove over. It was indeed a very wet and windy night and when we woke on Sunday morning we were amazed to see that the windows were fogged up on the outside of the house as it was so hot and humid outside. The rain had stopped and we braved the wind and went into Warkworth to meet up with Rob and Julie for lunch. Rob brought Danni and Jonny back on Monday evening, so good to see them again. On Tuesday I took them over to Martins Bay which is perhaps my favourite beach in the area. It is edged with Pohutakawa  trees which are known as the New Zealand Christmas trees due to the bright red flowers that they produce at Christmas time and is a very safe swimming beach. After a walk along the beach we decided that it was perhaps a bit chilly for a swim so after a picnic lunch we went a couple of miles down the road to a small reserve where there are several donkeys that the children love to visit. A walk for me and a run for the children around the beautiful reserve and we decided that it was warm enough to go back for a swim. We were in the water for about an hour and I discovered the art of “noodling” !! A noodle is really a safety aid for children learning to swim, a long, thin piece of strong foam, but is great fun for adults too. I found that by leaning back on it and wrapping it under my arms I could just lie back in the water and float and keep an eye on the children at the same time.

Wednesday was Rob's day off so we went over there mid morning. Julie was working but her niece and 3 daughters who were visiting the area were there, a great delight for Danni to have someone her own age to play with! Jonny was a bit shy at first but soon joined in the fun and games. After lunch we all went to the beach at Scotts Landing, another safe beach for the children. It was very relaxing for me with other adults there to keep an eye on them all and other children for “my” two to play with. After a swim we waded over to a nearby island, a great adventure! Jonny was too small to wade over so Rob carried him over. By the time we came back the tide had gone down a bit so Jonny too was able to wade and he was so thrilled!! Back at Julie's the children raced around the garden and Rob cooked a meal on the BBQ. By the time we got back “home” it was almost 9pm and we had 2 very tired children who were more than happy to go straight to bed.

They were both still pretty shattered on Thursday and as it was another hot day and we had all had so much sun the day before we had a quiet morning before going off to Matakana and the cinema in the afternoon to see Yogi Bear!!

We were all up and away by 9am on Friday for a short car ride to Goat Island which is a marine reserve and great for snorkelling. I have wonderful memories of previous visits there and was looking forward to Nigel finally getting in the water and seeing the many fish that are in the water there. Danni did remember, vaguely, her last visit there when I was  here 5 years ago but she had not been brave enough to snorkel then and was really looking forward to it this time. We had to get there reasonably early as there isn't a lot of shade on the beach and we wanted to grab a good spot. Sadly, when we got there, the sea was rough and there were angry clouds on the horizon. A handful of brave souls were on the beach and in the water but it was certainly not suitable for my 2 little ones to take to the sea. As we were deciding what to do Rob called me, on my mobile, and told me that there was a cyclone on the way with heavy rain and wind forecast!! So off we went and did some shopping before coming back home just before the rain started. By 7pm the rain was torrential and continued to be so for most of the night. The wind howled and the rain battered the windows but miraculously Danni and Jonny slept through it all! We were up at 7am as Rob was picking the children up at 7.30 to take them back to Auckland for a few days and the worst of the rain and wind was over but we were without electric. Thankfully Jill lent us a gas stove so I was able to have my morning cup of coffee after they had gone. I don't think that I have ever experienced so much rain in such a short time. Jill said that it was worst she had seen in the 17 years that she has been here.

As I write the sun is back again and the wind is dying down and we now have a few quiet days before Danni and Jonny are back again, next Tuesday, for their last visit before starting back at school on the 7^th.

Week beginning 30th January

The Hollies. Ascension Vineyard.

Danni at Warkworth Museum

Danni and Black Beauty.

On Sunday we went to Martins Bay in the afternoon. It was Nigel's first visit there and I had been looking forward to taking him  as it is one of my favourite beaches, perhaps because I have spent quite a lot of time there on my previous visits. It was a bit busier than usual as it was a public holiday but there was still plenty of space. We set up “camp” in the shade of a Pohutakawa tree and spent the afternoon happily reading and of course having a dip in the sea. The sea there is relatively shallow but it is still possible to swim if one wades out far enough. We then went to Rob and Julie's for a meal – they are only a few miles away from Martins Bay- and stayed on to watch the first couple of sets of the Australian Mens Open final before leaving at 11pm, late for us! All the sea air is quite tiring and we are usually ready for bed by 10pm.

Monday was a big day as we had tickets to see the Hollies in concert at the Ascension Vineyard. We went with Jill, John and Martin,from where we are staying, and met up with Rob and Julie there. Gates were open at 5 and we had taken seats and a picnic. There is a sloping natural area between the vines and we found a good place in the middle of the amphiheatre surrounded by many other people looking forward to the evening. We purchased a bottle of good Ascension red wine, the 12 Apostles, and sat back and relaxed, glass in hand and watched people arriving. The concert started at 7pm with a well known local group the “Conrays” who got the evening off to a very good start.. Then it was the turn of the Hollies to come on stage and entertain us with their well known hits. We eventually moved to the side of the seating area and started jigging away before eventually Julie led Martin and I down right to the front where we carried on dancing. We were only a few yards from the Hollies and it was an amazing experience! The music was good, the ambiance was good but we all felt that they could have performed for a longer period.of time. They were billed to be on stage for a couple of hours but in face they only did an hour and a half. Nevertheless it was an exceptional evening.

On Tuesday Rob had the day off but Julie had to go into Auckland to work. She works as an interpreter/signer for the deaf and goes into different areas of Auckland 5 day a week. We hitched a lift in with her and spent the morning in Parnell before she picked us up and dropped us at a huge shopping mall for the afternoon. Auckland is very spread out and densely populated, the only densely populated part of this country and the traffic is horrendous! We were all pleased to get back to Snells Beach at the end of the day and find that Rob was preparing the evening BBQ!

A friend of mine who used to live near here had asked me if, whilst we were here, we could trace the daughter of a friend of hers who died a few years ago. A couple of phone calls and I found Rachael and explained why I was calling and she asked us round for coffee on Wednesday morning. By chance she lives only a few miles from Rob and Julie!! She lives with her son and daughter on a smallholding and we immediately got on like a house on fire. Her daughter was at school but in chatting we discovered that Danni and her daughter had been at school together when Danni lived in Snells Beach and went to the local school – what a small world it is! We had a tour of her property and admired the livestock, hens, sheep, cattle and goat as well as 6 horses . The property is on the market and if I was 10 years younger and had £450,000 I would buy it!

Danni and Jonny came back on Wednesday evening and on Thursday morning we took them to the museum in Warkworth.. Danni particularly was interested in seeing the many exhibits of how people had lived in the early 1900's in this part of the world, Jonny was more interested in pushing buttons and making the mobile exhibits work! After spending an hour or so in the museum we then went on the bush walk through the native forest. An awe inspiring experience and the noise made by the cicadas was almost deafening. At the start of the bushwalk is a towering kauri tree that is 800 years old, if only it could talk. A great number of kauris were cut down for ship building when the English discovered this part of the world, thankfully there are areas where these trees have now been preserved.

In the afternoon I took Danni for a horse ride in nearby Warkworth. We were the only 2 paying riders for the 3.30 ride and we were able to trot and canter up the hills surrounding the stables. Danni was thrilled to have her first real canter and she is now able to rise at the trot. By the time that we got back home granny Dee was pretty shattered to say the least! Jonny can be very dependent on Danni and follows her everywhere, she can be pretty bossy with him and tells him what he can and can't do. He was very upset when we left him here, with Nigel, and was almost in tears. Thankfully when we got back he was fine. I asked him if Nigel had been Nasty Nigel or Nice Nigel and he replied Nice Nigel so that was a relief!

On Friday morning I took them to the Matakana country park where they played, for a while in the playground. There are some stables there and there were  a few horses about as well as one horse being worked in the school so we were able to sit and watch them for a while, Danni of course would have stayed for much longer but Jonny was soon itching to go. A quick trip into Matakan for an ice cream and some shopping and then back home for lunch. In the afternoon we all went to Goat Island which is actually a marine reserve off the Island itself. Sadly the snorkelling wasn't brilliant but they had great fun playing around in the shallows and walking on the rocks.

Rob picked up Danni and Jonny at 7.30a,m on Saturday to take them back home as they start school on Monday. I was pretty shattered but sad to think that I shan't be spending much more time with them. The house next door was rented out for the weekend to a Scottish couple, Jackie and Graham who were getting married. Jill, our “landlady” is certified to conduct marriages and married them at a local vineyard/restaurant on Saturday. We didn't have much contact with them but wished them well as they left for the wedding. Nigel and I spent the afternoon at Mathesons Bay, just up the road from here. Good weather, warm water, relaxing with a book and watching the world go by. When we got back the wedding party, about a dozen of them, were celebrating and asked us to join them. What a night we had!! Sitting or dancing under the stars, glass in hand looking out over the estuary.

A late start next morning as we both felt rather fragile! Drove over to Snells Beach in the afternoon and then to Martins Bay for a walk on the beach before going to Rob and Julies for an evening meal.

Monday was Rob's day off and we went over there in the morning and he took us over to the Tawharanui regional park which is stunning. The whole park is fenced off to create and maintain an open sanctuary free of plant and animal pests where native plants, birds and animals can breed successfully. There are some amazing beaches there and fishing is prohibited as it is also a marine reserve. Back to Robs for a lazy afternoon and evening meal before coming back here,

Tuesday morning we met Rob, Julie and Jill  for breakfast at the Matakana country kitchen before Julie had to drive down to Auckland for her first appointment at 1pm, another day off for Rob. Back home for a while before spending the afternoon at Mathesons Bay again which is becoming a favourite spot of ours to relax and swim.

Last night at Omaha River Retreat

Brick Bay Sculpture Trail

It's our last night at the Omaha River Retreat. We have had a wonderful 6 weeks here and although I am looking forward to exploring pastures new I feel sad at leaving here. It is such a beautiful place and Jill has made us so welcome. Jill went off, earlier this afternoon, so we are here on our own. It is dusk and I have just been out to look at the estuary and watch the tide going out. Nothing goes as planned, being our last day I had hoped to go to the beach and have a swim but after a glorious day yesterday the weather has put paid to those plans. It is warm enough but the sky is grey and there is a brisk breeze blowing. I went into Matakana this morning, being Saturday the day of the farmers market, the place was packed jammed with visitors and parking was at a premium. My first stop was at Wiri the old butchers (that is what he describes himself as) where I have been a frequent visitor over the last 6 weeks. After the customary “Good day how are you” I bought a couple of good steaks for tonight before saying goodbye to him. I then managed to find a parking space up in the village and browsed around the market before going to the chemist to stock up on insect repellent and insect bite cream for our trip down south where sand flies can be quite a problem. There are quite a few mosquitoes around here but thankfully their bites are not as bad as the ones back home.

Yesterday didn't go as planned either. Jonny will be 7 on Monday and we had arranged that Rob would pick him up on Thursday and that he would have Friday off school to go to the zoo in Auckland. He is mad on giraffes  and his one request,when he knew that we were coming over, was to go to the zoo. Thwarted again!! Rob had to work and Jonny had stubbed his toe which had become infected so that he had a problem walking. Not surprising as he, like many children over here, goes without shoes most of the time. Rob dropped him off here on Thursday evening and he was soon in bed and fast asleep, in fact he slept for a full 12 hours! We went over to Rob and Julies and let ourselves into the house late morning and had some difficulty keeping Jonny entertained seeing that he was virtually immobile! Nigel and I took turns at playing board games with him for several hours until Rob and Julie got back from work. Several people, including Jill and her daughter Jess, came over in the evening for a BBQ and Jonny had a chocolate cake with 7 candles to end the evening.. Jonny stayed there and Rob took him back home next morning.

On Thursday we went to the cinema in Matakana, so novel for us to have a cinema so close. It was the first showing of the French film “Gainsbourg” a drama/documentary about Serge Gainsbourg. There were only 5 of us at the afternoon showing and we took reclining seats on the front row – so comfortable. We both thought the film amazing and well worth watching.

On Wednesday we had spent the afternoon at the Brick Bay winery and Sculpture Trail which is at Snells Beach. The owners bought the farm in 1986 and have since developed a vineyard as well as an area of natural bush and pasture where sculptures are displayed. They have landscaped the area to fit in with the natural contours of the land and have created lakes. The walk around the trail took a couple of hours and was well worth the visit. Certainly something that we shall remember as one of the highlights of our time here.

Tomorrow we have to pack up and work out what we need to take with us for our trip South. We are staying with Rob and Julie tomorrow night and Rob will take us to the airport on Monday for our flight to Christchurch at 12.30pm. We have 3 days in Christchurch before we pick up our camper van and start our exploration of South Island. Not sure yet where we shall go  -  wherever the wind takes us!!

Monday 14th February. Snells Beach to Christchurch.

We were up at 7.30 as Julie had to go to work and as we had been sleeping in her room she needed to come in and get ready for work. We sorted out our belongings as we weren't taking all our things to Christchurch, N was booked on the plane with just hand baggage and I had booked to take a suitcase.  Rob took us to the airport and although we had checked in online there was still quite a long wait at the luggage drop. I said goodbye to Rob and we went through security only to find that there were no cafes/restaurants there. We settled down to wait the half hour or so until our flight would be ready to board but soon heard that there would be a delay of at least half an hour due to the late take-off of the plane from Christchurch. We were flying with Jet Star, New Zealands equivalent of Ryanair, and I had booked the flight many months ago and got a very good price for our return flights. I took a suitcase and Nigel just took hand baggage as we didn't want to be encumbered with too much stuff on our trip. We landed in Christchurch just a half hour later than scheduled and caught the shuttle bus to our “home” for the next three days, the Riccarton Village Inn. The accommodation was good, a ground floor room with plenty of space and an adjoining bathroom. The staff were mainly Chinese and were efficient and very friendly. After sorting ourselves out we set off to walk to the town centre via Hagley Park which is, apparently, the third largest park in the world after Hyde Park and Central Park being 10kms in circumference. A fact of which we had been unaware! So after quite a walk we decided to retrace our steps and find somewhere to eat on the way back to the Inn. We decided on an Indian Restaurant  the quaintly named Arjee Bhajee! It had a nice dining room as well as a take away. They were very busy and it took quite some time before our order was taken and even longer before we got our food but it was well worth the wait.

Tuesday 15th February. Christchurch.

 We caught the bus into the town centre and walked into Cathedral Square which was choc a bloc with tourists, like us, wandering aimlessly around. The cathedral looks as if it should be in an English town, in fact most of Christchurch looks very English. As it is further South the vegetation is much more recognisable than where we have been staying up North. There was a busy market in the centre of the square selling tourist attractions and as I wanted to have a good look around there Nigel went off to the tourist office and I arranged to meet up with him in there. It was so busy with lots of tourists of all nationalities browsing the stalls. I finally caught up with Nigel and we were both amazed at the size of the tourist office and the amount of brochures available. We decided that tomorrow we would like to take a coach trip to Akaroa so I rang up and booked for that.  There was a huge screen in the square with a clock ticking away the days, minutes and seconds to the 2011 Rugby world cup. We then walked away from the square towards the art gallery. We had lunch at an Italian restaurant and then visited the Art Gallery, a modern building which reminded us, a bit, of the Guggenheim in Bilbao although not on such a grand scale. It was a very interesting experience and well worth the time that we spent there, free as well!! Next stop was the museum which is next to the Botanic Gardens. By this time Nigel was flagging and time was short so he did the museum and I spent a happy hour wandering round the Botanic Gardens. Apart from the ghastly, brightly coloured bedding plant borders they were indeed spectacular and well worth the visit. I could have spent much longer wandering around but I was beginning to feel the effects of a full days sightseeing and was quite happy to meet up with Nigel and find our way to the nearest bus stop to go back to home base. Once back and after a brief rest and a glass of wine I went out to do a recce of where to eat not too far away. I found an Irish pub, The Craich, which was doing a Tuesday night special of steak, mushroom sauce, onions and chips for 12nzd so back to base and tell Nigel that we didn't have far to go for a good feed! It was quiz night at the pub so that kept us entertained until our food arrived, a very good 12 dollars worth it was too.

Wednesday 16th February. Christchurch.

View from Hilltop to Akaroa.

Sculpture of artist.

The Harbour

We had booked a trip to Akaroa today which is a pretty little town on the Banks peninsula.The coach picked us up at the motel and Stan, the driver, had several other pick ups to do before picking up the bulk of the passengers in Cathedral Square. Sadly, for Stan  it didn't go to plan as the traffic was bad and every traffic light seemed to be against him. Also there are many deviations in the town centre due to the earthquake and subsequent aftershocks that Christchurch has suffered over the past few months. He was almost a half hour late getting into Cathedral Square and obviously quite worried about his late arrival. As we had been first on the coach we had the best seats at the front with a very good view. The adjacent seats were occupied by a very garrulous chap and his wife from |Bridgewater, I tried to be as polite as I could be with him without encouraging him too much as it was obvious that once he started he would go on for ever! . We finally got on the way and had a pleasant drive of 84 kms and stunning scenery to Akaroa with a toilet stop at Little River and another at Hilltop which gives an amazing view of Akaroa and it's harbour. The village of Akaroa is set alongside the harbour which is created from a volcanic crater. It is a very popular tourist spot and a place where one can swim with the dolphins.
James Cook sighted the peninsula in 1770. Thinking it was an island he named it after the naturalist Sir Joseph Banks. The Ngai Tahu tribe, who occupied the peninsula at the time, were attacked at the fortified Onawe pa (Maori village) by the Ngati Toa chief Te Rauparaha in 1831 and their population was dramatically reduced.
In 1838 whaling captain Jean Langlois negotiated the purchase of Banks Peninsula from local Maori and returned to France to form a trading company. With French-government backing, 63 settlers headed for the peninsula in 1840. But only days before they arrived, panicked British officials sent their own warship to raise the flag at Akaroa, claiming British sovereignty under the Treaty of Waitangi. Had the settlers arrived two years earlier, the entire South Island could have become a French colony, and NZ’s future may have been quite different.
The French did settle at Akaroa, but in 1849 their land claim was sold to the New Zealand Company and in 1850 a large group of British settlers arrived. The heavily forested land was cleared and soon farming became the peninsula’s main industry.
Because of the early French influence parts of the village still retain a French atmosphere and this has become one of the village's attractions. After a walk along the beach from where the bus had dropped us we were at the harbour where we settled for a fish and chip lunch. Nothing fancy, order the meal and then pick it up wrapped in paper and sit at one of the many tables to eat it. It was certainly very good. We then strolled along to the lighthouse before going back to the harbour  and drinking a beer at one of the many pavement cafes and watching the world go by before it was time to pick up the coach for the journey back to Christchurch.
We got back to Christchurch at 6pm and we were dropped off at the coach depot which was just around the corner from our motel. After doing most of the packing in readiness for our departure the next day we walked down to the mall in Riccarton for a meal before returning for our last night at the Riccarton Village Inn.

Thursday February 17th .Christchurch to Hamden 300kms.

Road works on State Highway 1.

Such a busy road.

Today's the day that we pick up the van and start our Odyssey around South Island. We said goodbye to the nice Chinese ladies in reception, one of them gave me a hug! We had a taxi to take us to Ascot hire which is situated just south of the town centre. The guy there was very helpful and gave us a tour of the van and it's workings. It looks fine and is well equipped with all we should need complete with awning and table and chairs for use outside. We asked him if he had any ideas where we should spend our first night and he recommended a site at Moeraki. It's quite a way but he said that there is nowhere much of any interest in between Christchurch and there. I was first to drive it, it's automatic and goes well. We got out of Christchurch with no problems and set off down state highway 1 which will take us to Moeraki. I was quite surprised, at one point, to find the road undergoing major repairs and wondered why there was no diversion. Of course the answer is obvious! There are no minor roads that one could be diverted on.
We eventually pulled into a garage and got something for lunch from the little shop there. We intended doing a shop when we arrived so Nigel took the wheel and we carried on. When we got to the camp site at Moeraki we booked in and found that there was no camp shop and no shop in the village. Duh!! We asked where the nearest shop was and found that we had to go back to Hamden about 10kms up the way we had come. We went  back there and after getting the basic necessities Nigel noticed a sign for a camp site there. We went to have a look at it and it looked to be much better in as much as it was by the beach and much less commercialised than the one at Moeraki. So, back to Moeraki to get our money back and then back to Hamden to book in and park up for the night. It was certainly the right decision, the other site was on a hill and quite windy as well as being impersonal. The one at Hamden has just been taken over by Alex and his wife, a young Swiss couple, who have a young baby and are obviously trying to make a success of their venture. http://www.moerakibouldersholidaypark.co.nz/We were both pretty shattered so after supper we got ready for our first night in the van. The assembly of the bed is not easy and there is not a lot of room to manouver so Nigel took over that job! We couldn't find any way of switching on the lights and despite asking Alex and our neighbour to have a look with no success we climbed into bed by torchlight. The "bed" is by far from being the most comfortable that I have slept in but hopefully we shall get used to it.

Friday 18th February. Hamden.

We or rather I found the light switch! I was lying in bed and saw some switches just behind my head on the roof of the van and suggested that they may be for the lights!! Trouble is when the garage man showed us round the van there was so much to take in that we had forgotten where they were!! Panic over - we have lights for the rest of our trip which is a relief! What an amazing camp site this is, a real Kiwi camp with no extras just the basic necessities. There are 2 toilet blocks, one with hot showers no charge, a small, well stocked camp kitchen and great hosts. There is plenty of space and as it is right by the beach no passing traffic to speak of. Alex is always around and is only too keen to be of help and to give out information. In the morning we walked along the beach and saw the Moeraki boulders which look as if they have come from outer space!
"The Moeraki Boulders are huge spherical stones that are scattered over the sandy beaches, but they are not like ordinary round boulders that have been shaped by rivers and pounding seas. These boulders are classed as septarian concretions, and were formed in ancient sea floor sediments. They were created by a process similar to the formation of oyster pearls, where layers of material cover a central nucleus or core. For the oyster, this core is an irritating grain of sand. For the boulders, it was a fossil shell, bone fragment, or piece of wood. Lime minerals in the sea accumulated on the core over time, and the concretion grew into perfectly spherical shapes up to three metres in diameter.

The original mudstone seabed has since been uplifted to form coastal cliffs. Erosion of the cliffs has released the three tonne captive boulders, which now lie in a haphazard jumble across the beach. Further erosion in the atmosphere has exposed a network of veins, which gives the boulders the appearance of turtle shells."



During our stay I spent many hours walking on the beach sometimes with and sometimes without Nigel. Most of the time I/we were the only people on the beach. For me it was just a magical place and I know that we could both return there and spend much longer there. 
Later in the day I walked up to the village shop, quite a steep hill up there with the added excitement of crossing the railway line. Railway crossings here don't have any barriers or bells just a sign saying that one has to give way to trains! Whilst it may not be a busy line there are several freight trains a day so, especially when in the van, it is wise to make sure that there isn't a train in sight. The village shop is very small and just stocks the basic necessities but it must be a life line for people in the village as it is a fair way to any supermarket. I was much surprised, when chatting to the owner, to find out that he comes from Barnsley (Yorkshire)!!
We both walked up to the village in the evening to buy some fish and chips, real fish and chips, what a treat.
And so to bed with lights working and an improvement on putting together the jigsaw of a bed!

Saturday 19th February. Hamden

Penguin on rocks

It rained overnight and was quite cool during the day. Nevertheless it was another day in paradise with the beach so near by. I could spend hours walking on the beach and sitting watching the sea in fact that is what I am doing here for much of the time! I walked up to the shop in the morning and had another chat with the owners there, such nice friendly people.
Our main plan for the day was to go to Moeraki lighthouse and see the rare yellow eyed penguins. They come back to their nests above the beach at any time between 5pm and dusk unlike other penguins who all wait until dusk. It was an interesting drive to the lighthouse the final few kilometres being on a gravel road. The path down to the hide is very steep, OK going down but quite a trek back up. Unlike the time I saw penguins in Australia this is not a commercial venture and there are not crowds of people there. In fact there were no more than half a dozen at any time. For the first hour or so we were the only people there. Not a lot was happening on the penguin front but there were lots of seals lying around and going in and out of the water. Finally one penguin appeared swimming in to shore and then waddling up the beach and starting the climb up the hill to his/her nest. It kept stopping to rest and appeared to be looking out to sea to see if it could see any others coming onto the beach. We had our binoculars and were fascinated to be able to watch it's progress. We stayed there for a couple of hours and saw another 6 come out of the sea and make their way back "home" A wonderful experience.

Sunday 20th February Hamden to Portobello (Otago Peninsula) 120kms.

I think that we could have both happily stayed in Hamden for the rest of our trip but the idea was to see South Island so we had to leave this wonderful place. We drove to Dunedin and parked near the railway station and town centre. Dunedin railway station is amazing, it almost defies description!

"In the early 1900s Dunedin was the commercial centre of New Zealand. A magnificent railway station befitting this status was opened here in 1906.

Today the station remains, fully restored to its former glory. The ornate Flemish Renaissance-style architecture features white Oamaru limestone facings on black basalt rock. The sheer size, grandiose style and rich embellishments of the station earned architect George Troup the nickname of Gingerbread George.

The Evening Star newspaper of the time was hugely enthusiastic about the new station: "The ornamentation of the ceilings is delicate, and the whole atmosphere of the place is one of costliness... the lavatory and sanitary arrangements are luxurious".

The booking hall, for example, features a mosaic floor of almost 750,000 tiles of Royal Doulton porcelain. The one kilometre main platform is the country's longest and every year in October becomes what is probably the world's longest catwalk, for the South Island's main fashion show."

We spent quite some time there looking at the architecture and the amazing mosaics in the booking hall. We then walked up to the town centre in search of a place to eat and were astonished to find ourselves surrounded by pipe bands and men in kilts, We saw more kilted men and heard more bagpipes than one expect to find even in Scotland! Of course it was the Scots who settled Dunedin (gaelic for Edinburgh) and their heritage lives on. We assumed that it was a special gathering of pipe bands from the area who were taking part in a display. After lunch we had hoped to go to the museum but time was running short so we did a shop at New World and set off for the Otago Peninsula. I wanted to visit there as I had read so much about it but I felt that perhaps N would have preferred to stay in Dunedin. I was driving and although it was a magnificent drive along the twisty coastline of the peninsula I wasn't able to see a lot as I really needed to keep my eyes on the road! There is only one camp site on the peninsula and it was a great disappointment after our 3 days in Hamden. Not very friendly, cramped and busy. Of course the very windy weather didn't help either! We managed a short walk to the small town of Portobello and the beach but were happy to get back to the van.

Monday 21st February Portobello to Lignite pit stop. 217 kms.

Not the best of days. Wet and windy so set off to see the Caitlins which is the southernmost coast of N.Z. and reputed to be a beautiful area. We went wrong trying to get out of Dunedin but soon, thankfully, found the right road. We left the main road to Invercargill at Balcuthla and drove to Powatowai where we stopped for lunch and watched the rain come down and the surf pounding the beach. Our camp site literature showed some nice sounding sites in the area but we decided to press on due to the weather. We stopped later in the afternoon at a small town, Waikawa, where there was a small  museum detailing life of the early settlers in the area. It was a fascinating visit and made us realise the hardships that those early settlers had undergone. I was very keen to stay at the Curio Bay camp site right by the beach where there is a fossilised forest but when we got there there was a strong wind blowing and the rain was still coming down so we decided to go on further By this time we were both getting pretty crotchety and tired. We pulled into a small information centre and Nigel went in to inquire about camp sites between there and Invercargill. He came out with details of a place called the Lignum Pit Scenic stop which didn't sound in the least bit attractive but we drove on and pulled in there. What an amazing place it is! If you've managed to read this far please, please look at the web site as it will tell and show you much more about the place than I can. http://www.lignitepit.co.nz/
Maria was so welcoming and gave us a long talk about the place before directing us to where we could park up. They intend to have more facilities, in time, for camper vans but there was all we needed with an electrical hook up and a toilet as well as complete privacy being the only van there. Thankfully the rain had stopped and after our meal we were able to walk round the amazing gardens that they have created from what was basically an open cast  mine. What a find.

Lignite pit to Lorneville 35kms.

Southland museum Invercargill

We had a late start today after yesterday's long and rather stressful day! It was pretty wet so we abandoned thoughts of another walk round the garden which was a shame as it is so beautiful I walked up to the cafe/reception area and ordered a coffee from Maria which turned out to be one of best cups of coffee I have had in NZ. Even better when, much later in the day, I realised that I had forgotten to pay for it! Nigel came over and we looked at all the literature and albums that they have about the place. We were sorry to say good-bye as we would definitely have stayed another day had the weather been better. A short drive and we were in Invercargill and we parked up by the museum and visitor centre. We spent quite a lot of time in the art gallery and museum http://www.southlandmuseum.com/before walking the short distance into the town centre. Invercargill is South Islands southernmost town and it felt like going back in time! The streets are very wide, no problems with space for building in this part of the world! We had lunch at an Irish pub, very friendly and good, reasonably priced food. Then we went to the Hammer Hardware Store where there was a display of motor bikes and memorabilia relating to Bert Munro "The Worlds Fastest Indian" http://www.indianmotorbikes.com/features/munro/munro.htmThis was certainly one of the highlights of our trip as far as Nigel was concerned. My pre-occupation with should we or shouldn't we go to Milford Sound was nothing compared to his determination to see the Bert Munro memorabilia both in Hammer Hardware and the museum!
We went back to the van through the park and gardens surrounding the museum and after doing some shopping went to find a camp site for the night. We went to the Amble On In holiday park on the outskirts of town but soon decided not to stay, too expensive and not at all welcoming. So we drove back through town and a few miles north to the Lorneville camp site. Going back through town I realised that I had forgotten to pick up a bottle of wine when I had shopped, not like me!! So, we stopped at a liquor store and I went in and got a bottle. As I went to the cash desk I noticed that the tv was on and showing signs of disaster somewhere. Of course it was the Christchurch earthquake which had happened a couple of hours previously. I paid for the wine and chatted with the cashier who told me that this time the earthquake was much worse than the one last September and that this time it was feared that there were many casualties. Even then it was not apparent what a devastating blow this was not just for Christchurch but the whole Canterbury region.
We parked up at the Lorneville camp site which turned out to be one of the nicest sites we stayed on. What a difference it makes when the proprietors are friendly and helpful.Although it was dry when we got there it soon started to rain and by the time we had eaten it was raining pretty heavily. There was a large shabby but comfortable room on the site used as a games room/tv lounge and I went in there to watch coverage, which of course was continuous, of the earthquake.This was to become a regular occurrence over the next few days, people sitting in tv rooms on camp sites watching the horror unfold and wearing stunned expressions.It was reported that the tremor had been felt in Invercargill but no-one we spoke to had felt it and we certainly hadn't. I managed to get online and e mail family that we were in Invercargill and thankfully not affected by the quake.

Lorneville to Queentown. Wednesday 23rd February. 187 kms.

Queenstown

As I was preparing breakfast the camp site lady called round and said that she had asked if we could call a number at the British embassy to confirm that we were alive and well and not affected by the Christchurch earthquake. The weather was pretty grey and damp and we finally stopped dithering about whether or not to go to Milford sound. The decision was not to go due mainly to the weather so off we went to Queenstown. We stopped for a short break at Lumsden a small, dreary town with the most amazing painting of a wild west scene on the wall of it's hotel. (see photo above). On towards Queenstown and we stopped for lunch in Kingston. The Kingston Flyer is New Zealand's famous vintage steam train, based in Kingston, Otago (approximately 40 minutes drive south from Queenstown) on the southern shores of Lake Wakatipu. The Kingston Flyer has a history that spans over 120 years. Set in spectacular mountain scenery, the train is a splendid example of New Zealands heavy engineering skills . Unfortunately the train no longer is in service, due to bankruptcy of the owners, and what was once not so long ago a major tourist attraction is no more. The train is still sitting on the tracks and the once busy restaurant and shop area is closed.
We soon arrived in Queenstown and parked up at the Lakeview holiday park which we chose due to its proximity to the town. The site did not have a lot to commend it from our point of view as it was huge and commercial. No friendly Kiwi welcome here plus it was the most expensive site we stayed at. Kitchen facilities were OK but if anyone needed any utensils and/or cooking equipment they had to pay for a key to one of the lockers. A sad reflection perhaps on the clietele here compared to other places we had visited. Anyway, putting all that aside, we strolled down to the town and wandered around the lake before settling down with a beer at one of the many pavement cafes. We spent quite some time people watching before walking back through town and doing some window shopping before going back to the site to prepare supper. We definitely needed warm clothing here, quite chilly due to altitude!

Queenstown to Haast. Thursday 24th February. 262 kms

We were both glad to leave Queenstown, overpriced and overrated in our opinion. I suppose for younger people who want the adventure that it promises coupled with a lively night life it is OK but in reality I found that the mass tourism that it attracts has seriously detracted from the natural beauty of the area. Our first stop was at the Kawarau gorge suspension bridge which was completed in 1880. However, by the mid twentieth century modern traffic requirements were over and above the capacity of the aging single-lane bridge, and therefore it was replaced by a new highway bridge in 1963. In 1980s the Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge was given a new lease on life when it became the site of the first commercial bungy jump in the world,We spent quite some time there, watching the brave (or stupid!) souls dive off the bridge towards the river below. When they had stopped bouncing up and down, headfirst, over the river they were pulled into a small boat and deposited at the bottom of steps leading back up to the shop/reception area. Neither of us felt the urgej to copy them so we left them to it and drove off towards Lake Wanaka where we stopped for lunch. More amazing scenery on the road to Haast and at some point in the afternoon we pulled over to make a cup of tea. I soon noticed that we had now entered sand fly country as the little blighters almost swarmed into the van as soon as we opened it up. They are notorious in New Zealand and are prevalent throughout the west coast area. From now on until we get up north we shall have to be careful about opening up the van. We are prepared with repellent and insect bite cream and I have learned to wear socks and long sleeves which is a great help.At Haast we stayed at the Haast Lodge motor camp. It was a really good site and had the benefit of a large/lounge kitchen where we could relax and prepare our meal. Doubly beneficial as the sand flies made opening up the van a bit of a problem. We met a couple from Lancashire who were doing the trip the opposite way round to us. They had been on the outskirts of Christchurch when the earthquake struck and had been very lucky to escape harm as their van was rocked from side to side. Luckily he had the sense to "get the hell out" as he put it but she didn't seem to have taken in how close to disaster that they had been.

Haast to Hokitaki. Friday 25th February. 281kms.

After breakfast in the camp lounge/kitchen we said goodbye to last nights friends and set off north. This was to be the start of the stunning scenery of the West coast and it is certainly worth braving the sand flies to see it. Each twist and turn of the road reveals spectacular views of coast, forest, mountain and river Our first stop was at the Fox Glacier. There is a short approach road up to the car park which is at the side of the river which runs down from the base of the glacier. Once on the track to the glacier signs told us that we had to keep on walking for 500 metres, no stopping to marvel at the site, until we.reached the slightly uphill path which would take us to the bottom of the glacier. It was a magnificent sight and there were amazing rocks to marvel at (and to take samples of!). We eventually reached a stream and Nigel decided that he couldn't get across it in safety. I would have been willing to have a go and to encourage him but for several minutes, as we approached the glacier, I had had a feeling of "doom" Don't know why, it's not like me but I felt as if I wanted to get away from the area.As we were walking back to the car park we heard a couple of deep booms from the direction of the glacier. some of the ice must have broken off as we could see great chunks of it floating down the river which had not been there when we arrived. An amazing experience. Back on the main road and we stopped in the small town of Franz Josef, not to visit the glacier but just to buy something for lunch before leaving and heading to our next stop at Hokitaki. There we stayed at the Hokitaki holiday park a kilometre or so out of town. There were a couple of sites by the beach but now being wary of the blessed sand flies we thought that we would be better off away from the beach. I met a young couple with a small baby who were booking into one of the cabins. They had left Christchurch after the earthquake as they had no power and water at home, I felt so sorry for them as they were both obviously in a state of shock.