South Island (Part 1) - New Zealand

Thursday, 4th January 2007 and we start our campervan adventure departing Christchurch just before lunch time. We head off across the Southern Alps, using Arthur's Pass as our way through this massive mountain range that runs north/south. We get our first view of snow on mountains in what is the Kiwi Summer as well as the most wonderful display of wild blue lupins, native tree ferns, foxgloves, buttercups and dandelions in profusion - and more than anything else we notice that all the roadside verges, even in the middle of nowhere are beautifully mown. It is like driving through some of our botanical gardens at home.

We make it across the mountains to the west coast and start our meander down in the direction of Franz Joseph Glacier, Lake Matheson and Fox Glacier. Sadly this is where our poor weather starts, but it doesn't dampen our enthusiasm. We don't care if the clouds are grey and the waterproofs we have carried half way round the world with us have to be unpacked and used on a daily basis! The scenery is absolutely stunning.... it's difficult to say more than that and below we have given a good selection of the photos we took to represent the many, many wonderful places and new experiences - some of them really quite challenging for us old biddies!

Arthur's Pass


Franz Joseph Glacier and again with Doug. Diane was really excited because this is the first glacier she has ever seen.











Lake Matheson, which is famous for its reflection - which way is the right way up in these two photos? We were also hoping to see Mt Cook for the first time... no luck the clouds were too low!








Just some of the fantastic vegetation we saw on our lovely walk to
Lake Matheson.


Diane at Fox Glacier - 2 glaciers in one day! Then we headed inland via some really picturesque and sometimes dramatic mountain and lake scenery as well as the Gates of Haast, a deep chasm where the river tumbles over seriously massive volcanic rocks.... all this through really dismal rainy weather, but we turned a corner at the top of a pass to look down on Lake Hawea which runs parallel to Lake Waneka, our next destination, and the sun shone for a few days for us.
A couple of views of Lake Waneka


Next stop Queenstown, via Roarin' Meg.... another raging torrent.

Queenstown is situated on Lake Wakatipu with The Remarkables Mountains behind the town.








Doug managed to get his adrenaline pumping by taking a place on one of the Kiwi's Americas Cup boats - New Zealand 14. His comment on return - "we were really flying" - and I always thought you did that in planes....



We went up in the air on the gondola ride to look at the view of Queenstown from above... and Doug took the opportunity to have a go on the luge - I chickened out because it meant a ride on the ski chairlift - and I had already done my bit for the day on the gondola - no head for heights and no nerves left!


We hung around in Queenstown waiting for the weather to break and whilsy we considered the best way to head out to Milford Sound. we went for a drive up to Glenorchy at the to of the lake... pouring with rain again, but we found a little village at the end of a magnificently scenic drive, which included a stop at a lovely little waterfall and time for a quiet moment or two on our own.

















Fjordland is renowned for its rain and low cloud and is a 12 hour round trip drive, which we didn't fancy much. But we then found out you could take a light aircraft in - so each morning we waiting for a call to say the weather was good enough for us to fly - and eventually it came. What an experience! Not just flying over the mountains but imbetween them too! Followed by a flight out to the Tasman Sea and back up Milford Sound to the landing strip. This was followed by the iconic cruise up the fjord. Fantastic! We even saw seals and rare Hector's Dophins. Apparently Milford Sound is named after Milford Haven, but somehow donkeys years ago it got corrupted to Milford Sound. This is a selection of the shots from the plane and also on the cruise... as well as one of us back on terra firma beside our little 8 seater aircraft!





























Then on our last half day in Queenstown we went to their city park for a leisurel walk. It was a nice, gentle way to finish up in adrenaln city - a gentle plod around parkland set beside the lake. Beautiful, ancient trees and fabulous flowerbeds which were so colourful - including this gorgeous iris. The only hazard being dodging frisbees - apparently you throw the frisbeen at this thing - instead of a little hole in the ground - kinda frisbee golf. Farewell Queenstown.

New Zealand

Doug's cousin, Chris Howe and his wife Shirley, came to greet us at Christchurch airport - what a lovely welcome! To quote Chris "About time, it's only taken you 40 years to get here". This is because the Kiwi Howes had visited the UK in 1967 and as they departed in September, Doug had said he would be not far behind.... New Zealand sounded like somewhere he wanted to be.

You will know Doug & Diane met late in October 1967 - apparently it's Diane' s fault he didn't get there till now!

It must be all those new handbags and shoes over the years that made a dent in the NZ Holiday Fund!

Chris and Shirley brought us to our hotel and we said a "see you soon" as our campervan was due to be delivered next morning, they had work and we had to do our lightening tour of the centre and south of South Island before we came back to spend some time with them in Christchurch.

White Van Man - Doug Howe!!

Clearly Doug is doing his fair share of the chores!! But there has to be a civilised end to the day - a nice dinner and a drop of wine, of course!

Come on Diane, time to get up!

We are off to the West Coast, the Glaciers, Queenstown and Fjordland... watch this space!

Sydney

Yes it's us..... and Sydney Opera House.
We were so excited as we flew in from Cairns and could clearly see the Sydney Harbour Bridge and SOH below us, so it was a quick dash to the hotel to meet up with the relations!

Our next destination, Sydney and the Russell Hotel situated on The Rocks. The hotel was chosen because of its location and was more like an old boarding house rather than a hotel, none of us was impressed and it had cost the earth! But we had all the necessities - bed and a shower... and it was clean..... so as we all dug deep as we could never have found other accommodation on The Rocks at this late stage and had to be in Sydney for New Year's Eve ... it was a must! Diane and Geoff, Doug's sister and her husband have also been travelling and we ensured we met up to celebrate Geoff's birthday big time... 31st December. The City of Sydney even agreed to put on a bit of a fireworks display for him!

Geoff, Diane and Doug

All the usual highlights - Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Central Quay, boat cruise of the harbour, bus-top tour of the city, etc before the big day.

Then 8 hours of sitting on a pavement waiting for the party! We were sat right below the SOH and surrounded by other parties.

Two sets of fireworks - one at 9pm and one at midnight. Afraid the photos were useless, but take it from us the fireworks were spectacular -360 degrees for at least 20 minutes (millions of dollars of fireworks) and like we have never seen before. It was the 75th anniversary of the Bridge this year so the Aussies had really made an extra effort.

Cheers!

A soggy picnic sandwich was washed down with large quantities of beer and bubbly and a good time was had by us four - and the million other people who had descended on Sydney for the big night.

Apparently - it's traditional to go to Bondi Beach on New Year's Day, so we did - in the rain! But by lunchtime the weather had cleared and we all topped up our suntans. Doug and Geoff thoroughly enjoyed bodysurfing in the breakers and Diane and Diane thoroughly enjoyed looking at all the lovely young men!

Did you know that it is the 100th birthday of the Surf & Life Saving Clubs in Australia and that Bondi Beach was the first one?

There's also now loads of girls now as lifeguards... equality and all that!

Bondi Beach Surf & Life Saving Club

Next day Diane and Geoff headed off to Uluru - and we made our way to the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Dear friend, Gemma, back in the UK , had conspired with Diane to get fantastic tickets for part of Doug's 60th birthday treat - to watch the England team being humiliated in the final match of the Ashes!

Sydney Cricket Ground

Fortunately the Barmy Army thrashed the Aussie equivalent when it came to banter and anthems.... in fact we learned some interesting new words to Waltzing Matlilda courtesy of the

Barmy Army.... ask us when we get home!

Lee to Cook

So our Australian adventure is over....

now on to New Zealand .....

and a month in a campervan... that should be interesting!