Mt. Taranaki, a dormant stratovolcano and the second highest point on the North Island, sits towering over the town of New Plymouth, my next destination. I decided to take the longer route, directly south from Tongariro to the coast then along the coast up to New Plymouth, so that I could see more of the countryside. I made one stop at the very southern end of Tongariro National Park to see Mangawhero Falls, one of the most popular waterfalls in the park. The falls became rather well known after being used as a location for the Lord of the Rings (the scene where Gollum is fishing in a pool in Ithilien). The road to the falls was a typical, climbing, twisting and turning narrow road, which by now I was very comfortable with. The falls were easily accessible from a small nearby parking lot and since it was early in the morning, I had the area to myself. The 28m waterfall and small pool at its foot were very picturesque. After spending a little time there I got back in the camper van to head back down the hill and continue my journey. (I actually did not have to use any gas for about 10km on my return, instead coasting down the hill the whole time!)
Mangawhero Falls- should look familiar to Lord of the Rings fans…
As I continued south out of the park, the topology of the countryside remained dramatic. Severe, sharp and deep folds in the landscape, carpeted by lush green grass, left me with the impression a giant fist had grabbed the land and crumpled it up like a ball of paper before throwing it back down. Like most of my drives around the country, I desperately wanted to stop and take pictures to capture the beauty, but the roads, narrow and winding, did not allow it. Also, like other parts of the country, sheep and cattle dotted the hills, regardless of the steep slopes. I really enjoyed the drive! After about one and a half hours, the hills softened, transitioning to the gentle rolling profile that I had seen in other parts of the North Island; I was approaching the southern coastline. I stopped in Whanganui to get gas before turning west towards my goal. Forty-five minutes later I started to get my first glimpses of Mt. Taranaki (see featured image).
An example of the countryside as I drove south out of Tongariro.
The lone mountain towers over the flat plains that surround it. I had to drive around the mountain to get to New Plymouth and I was constantly distracted, trying to get views from different angles as I skirted around it Eventually I found myself in New Plymouth, a town of slightly under 100,000 and a major economic hub for the region. The city sits on the coast and is also popular for its beaches and coastal walkway. I found my campground easily, located on a beach just north of town with easy access to the walkway. After getting hooked up, I decided to stretch my legs and walked along the beachfront walking path south towards town. Evern though it was early evening, because of the warm weather (low 70’s), the beaches were crowded with people swimming, sunning and surfing. Surfing is apparently a popular sport; at one point I passed a class of students learning the basics with their parents watching from the shore. I was not the only one out enjoying the sun as I passed other walkers, joggers, and scooters along my walk.
I planned two days in New Plymouth and the weather report indicated my second day would be dominated by rain so I decided, even though it was cloudy and overcast when I woke the next morning, to do a hike. Better cloudy and overcast then rain! The hike to Pouakai Tarns, on the slope of Mt. Taranaki, was supposed to provide wonderful views of the peak but I doubted I would see much due to the low clouds that were hugging the top of the mountain. Nevertheless, I headed to the trailhead – the weather was only going to get worse the following day. The trailhead was easy to find, a short walk from the parking lot, which when I got there around 9:30am was already crowded with cars. Several hikes started from this area so I had no idea how many people were going to be on the path.
View from near the top looking down into the valley where I had hiked up from. The clouds were hugging the mountain.
Mt. Taranaki is in there somewhere…..
The trail was easy to follow as it was all boardwalk and steps. So many steps….The path basically was “up” the whole time—two hours of “up”. It never stopped. Sometimes the stairs were steep and at times the steps were staggered such that it took a few paces to reach the next rise, but the predominate direction was “up”. Eventually the trail, which slowly wound around the mountain while it climbed, broke out of the rainforest that covered the lower part of the slopes into an exposed landscape dotted with small bushes. An overlook provided a view of the surrounding area, blocked slightly by the low clouds I had been climbing to meet. When I reached the exposed area, the wind picked up and a solid mist surrounded me so I pulled out my rain jacket and kept going. Before reaching the Tarns, the trail led to a hut, available for overnight camping for those embarking on the three-day circuit hike around the mountain. My hike up had been busy, with people passing me (in both directions!) and I found a large group of people having lunch in the hut. At this point I was completely in the cloud, with no view whatsoever anywhere- not unexpected but still a bummer. I sat in the hut for a bit, warming up and snacking on some trail mix and cheese I had with me, enjoying the protection of the hut away from the cold and buffeting wet breeze. Looking out the window into, well, nothing, I decided to abort going to the Tarns (another 20 minute walk) and head down the mountain. It took me a little over half the time to go down as it did to climb up…..
Stairs! You can see how steep the trail is- look at the tiny person down near the bottom. He was not that far away from me.
After the intense workout from the hike I decided to treat myself to a nice lunch/dinner and after doing a bit of research found a micro-brewery in New Plymouth that looked promising. The beer and lamb short ribs were excellent!
After a day of hanging out in the van reading, having flashbacks to the cold and wet weather I experienced in the South Island, I headed out to my next, and final, stop with the camper van, Waitomo. Waitomo, a small village with a population of around 1300 people, is famous for the glowworm caves that blanket the area. I had visited one in 1990 and was eager to repeat the experience but with a visit to a different cave. The campground was in the middle of the village, which consisted of four or so buildings—all in some way related to touring caves or supporting tourists who came to tour caves. I got a great rundown of the different cave tours when I checked in to the campground. There were a lot of options—hike through a cave, tour in a boat, drift through a cave on an innertube, whitewater raft through the cave, etc. I picked a tour that was a three-and-a-half-hour excursion combining walking and inner tube travel; essentially it was a caving tour and a bit sportier than some of the others.
The next morning I drove to the family farm where the cave was located which included traversing 10km of a narrow gravel road. The tour size is limited to six guests but our group was only four people, the other three being locals who finally decided to explore what was essentially in their backyard. We got kitted out with thick dry suits, hard hats with lights, and rubber boots then set off for the 10-minute walk to the cave entrance. I had my glasses on a croakie to ensure I did not lose them if for some reason they fell off. After the obligatory “before” picture at the entrance, we climbed down 40ft ladder that had been installed in a vertical shaft. I was first, so at the bottom I stepped aside, grabbing the guide rope that was attached to one of the walls. I waited in the large chamber, standing in about an inch of water, until everyone descended, our guide coming last.
The large chamber with some great formations. (Our guide brought lights to stage the photo)
The adventure began! Our guide moved up front and, holding on to the rope with our left hands we followed him down a narrow channel, weaving around rock formations that blocked our path. After a bit we came to the first of several tight passages that we would negotiate during the tour. The first passage had two potential paths—one where it was possible to crawl, the other where it was necessary to slide through on your belly. One person took the crawling path, the rest of us chose the more difficult route. As we emerged on the other side of the constriction, we were in deeper water, and it wasn’t long before I had water in my boots. (We had socks on—I brought my merino wool socks I had bought in the South Island.)
Even though we were walking in deeper water, the footing was still precarious as large rocks were hidden in the depths. I moved carefully and kept a hand on the wall when possible, to help with balance (after the constriction there was no rope). We encountered several other constrictions that required contortions to get through, including one where it was necessary to go sideways through a small space then lean back and float on your back through a very low ceiling. Once through that area, I was fully treading water and swimming for a bit until the water became shallow enough to stand. Yes, the water was cold and the first shock of it entering my suit caught my attention but the wet suit was thick enough that my body heat soon warmed the water and I did not notice (until the next surge of cold water got in…..). At one point our guide had us put our hand on the shoulder of the person in front of us, turn off our lights, and he led us through the dark passageway. We were surrounded by glow worms and I was impressed at, collectively, how much light they were throwing off as I could see faint outlines of people and walls.
Standing in the water (did not have to swim at this part). The wet suit worked really well!!
I have no idea how long we were in the cave before we came to a section where they had inner tubes staged for us to climb on. Once mounted and laying across the inner tubes, we hooked our feet under the arms of the person in front of us, turned off our lights, and our guide pulled us through the main channel of the cave using a rope that had been affixed to the wall. This was a very special experience, sitting in the dark, the only noise from water rushing through a distant chamber, slowly moving through a vast canopy of glow worms populating the ceiling and walls of the channel. But for the sound of water echoing through the chamber, it would be difficult to tell that you were not outside looking at a starry sky. Magical!
After we got to the end of the channel, our guide had us wait while he returned the inner tubes to the beginning for the next group. We then continued, navigating tricky footing, climbing over rocks and contorting our limbs to get through tight places until we came to a large chamber with well formed stalactites and stalagmites, where we posed for photos. (Our guide had some small lights in his backpack for background lights.). A few more traverses required swimming before we reached the end of the tour, emerging from the cave by simply walking through a large hole at the bottom of the hill from their headquarters. It was a fantastic tour and to top it off, they had hot tubs available for any who wanted to take a dip before leaving (I did!). I had never had an opportunity to go caving and am really glad I selected this tour!!!!
On the way back to the campground I stopped at the Ruakuri Caves car park to do the short loop hike through the area. Access to the cave was by tour only, but the loop hike had some amazing scenery. The whole Waitomo area sits on top of limestone, hence the large number of caves, and the trail wandered past and through numerous tunnels and gorges that had been carved out by swiftly flowing water. There were not that many people on the trail, as many were focused on entering the cave, and I had an enjoyable time meandering around admiring the rock formations and the rainforest. After a little over an hour I headed back to the camper van and the campsite to take a shower, relax, and prepare to turn in the camper van the following day as I headed back to Auckland. My vagabond existence on the North Island was at an end.
The Tongariro National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Tongariro Crossing has been named the best one-day hike in New Zealand and among the top ten in the world. Experiencing this hike was on the top of my list when I was planning my trip to New Zealand. It is a challenging 12-mile hike that weaves its way through the volcanic landscape surrounding Mts. Ngauruhoe, Tongariro, and Ruapehu. (By the way, for the Lord of the Rings fans—Mt. Doom was played by Mt. Ngauruhoe so I was going to be hiking around Mt. Doom!!!) The trail gains 765 meters of elevation and descends 1125 meters when hiked from Mangatepopo to Ketatahi, which is the route I would be taking. It is not just steep ascents and descents that hikers must be prepared for, but also the extreme changeability of the weather. To do the hike it is necessary to have transportation that drops you off at the start and picks you up at the finish—the car parks at both ends have a four-hour limit; the hike takes anywhere from 6-8 hours. Consequently, shuttles are available as well as guided tours that cover transportation. I decided to book a guided tour both from a safety viewpoint, as a solo hiker, and I thought it would be more fun to walk with a group. Every evening the NZ Department of Conversation (DOC) provides a weather alert for the crossing for the following day, issuing a “not recommended” or an “OK”. If they issue a “not recommended” shuttles do not operate and most people do not have access to the trail. The guided tours still can attempt the hike, however. Apparently the system is set up to keep unprepared, unmonitored people off the mountain when the weather is dynamic.
I arrived at the tour office at the appointed time, 8am, with high expectations that we would make the attempt. I had checked the weather the night before and the predictions were for a sunny day with high clouds. Our tour guide told us that strong winds were expected in the afternoon and her goal was to get the group past the red crater and summit (the most exposed parts) by noon or so—but there was always the chance we would have to head back if the winds hit early. My gear passed muster and I checked out a set of hiking poles, knowing they would come in handy for the downhill part of the trek. After everyone went through the same process—gear check, get supplied with what was missing—our group of 12 (including our guide) loaded up in the van for the 25 minute drive to the drop off point.
This sign meant the shuttle busses were not running and that there were not going to be many people on the trail. We went….
At the start of the hike. Don’t I look super energetic?!
At the drop off point, I was surprised to find the “not recommended” alert at the trail start. Our guide explained that the DOC based their conclusions on the expected high winds and reiterated that we would be keeping a careful eye on the weather. However, luckily for us, the “not recommended” meant that there would be MUCH fewer people on the trail with us so it worked out great for us. (Our guide mentioned that there can be up to 900 people on the trail in the summer on a good day—Yikes!)
We got started around 8:45am and the first few kilometers were flat as the trail lead us into the ravine; the climb would start when we got to the walls. We set a brisk pace, knowing we were trying to beat the wind at the summit. I was waiting for the “up”, having read about the Devil’s staircase and the open, exposed climb to the summit, and hoping that I was prepared enough (training on “up” during all the other hikes I had been doing on my trip).
DOC sign at the bottom of the Devil’s staircase, the start of the climbing. Their attempt to cull the herd…
At the top of the Devil’s staircase. In the background is where we climbed up from.
After about an hour and a half we reached the staircase. I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to match the pace our guide set and also that the stairs were in no way as hard as the torturous, never-ending set of stairs I encountered during my kauri grove walk in Coromandel. I was very excited when we got to the top! At the top we found ourselves in a large, kilometer(ish) wide crater. The trail headed straight across to our next climb to the rim of the red crater, the summit of the trail. Most people find the Devil’s Staircase to be the most challenging climb, but for me the final, short, steep climb to the summit of the hike was the most difficult. The trail narrowed and led directly up a ridiculously steep incline where it was necessary to slowly and carefully pick a path upwards along packed dirt track through embedded rocks and boulders. Carefully selecting your path was especially important because of the sheer drop off on both sides of the narrow path; I felt very exposed and kept my head down and focused on my feet!
The nice flat area in the crater just after the Devi’s staircase and before the exposed climb to the summit.
An example of the lava fields we walked through.
One final warning sign after the Devil’s staircase before the exposed climb to the summit. Another attempt to scare those who are struggling already.
The red crater, a deep jagged hole in the ground ringed with red deposits, was quite dramatic, especially with Mt. Doom (!) in the background. Actually, the whole time I was well aware that not only was I hiking in a beautiful volcanic setting, but also, at another level, was walking through Mordor!! The views from the crater were amazing, offering a 360 degree panorama of the surrounding countryside- the ever-present Mt. Ngauruhoe just beyond the red crater, an expansive view of the plateau we had just climbed from, and looking forward several volcanic lakes and the long trail down. I was so happy we had made it!
The red crater, which is exactly what it says– a deep pit crater, red in color. We were very exposed to the wind on this ridge.
We were very exposed on the rim of the crater and the wind was definitely picking up, but was not near a level that concerned Camilia (our guide) so we continued forward. The descent off of the crater rim was the most technically difficult part of the hike. Like the final climb, the trail narrowed with steep drop offs on either side, but instead of a dirt track embedded with rocks and boulders, the trail was composed of scree- loose pebbles and small rocks. Scree slopes can be tricky to traverse, both up and down, as the small rocks act like marbles, creating a treacherous footing condition. I had dealt with a scree slope descending Mt. Kilamanjaro many years earlier, but that slope had deeper deposits of rock (easier to dig into with your heel and get some traction) and was very wide (no threat of falling off the side of the path). I was very happy to have my poles and carefully picked my way down the slope, managing to only fall once, backward onto my pack. Some were taking a more adventurous approach, traversing the slope quickly, moving with the resultant rock slides. I am not sure what the better method was…. As we descended the wind had noticeably gotten stronger and we were glad to have the summit behind us.
Me at the summit. You may be able to tell that I am bending my knees and hunkering down to fight the wind.
At the bottom of the scree slope, we sheltered behind some large boulders near one of the volcanic lakes and took a break for lunch. I pulled on my rain jacket for wind protection before we headed out after our break. We were now headed down and even though the trail was not difficult, we still had four to five hours of hiking ahead of us. The trail meandered past several small other volcanic lakes, pristine and brilliant blue, before hugging the side of the mountain to switchback its way down. Before I turned the corner I glanced back one final time to Mt. Doom, having enjoyed hiking with it looming over us.
A view looking up at the scree path (light gray) we had just come down. Notice how narrow it is.
As we started our descent, a few people in our group were experiencing cramps and tired legs and slowed down a bit. Our guide hung back with those that needed to slow down, but several of us continued at a normal pace, waiting at different checkpoints for the tail end of the group. The last hour or so of the hike was through a lovely forest along a small stream and was an excellent way to wind down after our exertions. After about a 20 minute wait at the car park the rest of the group emerged and we loaded the van and headed back to the tour office to turn in any borrowed gear. It was an EXCELLENT day!
View looking forward at the summit. Small beautiful blue alpine lakes were our next stop as we descended.
At the blue lake.
Lake Taupo in the distance, easily visible as we crossed the ridge and started down the other side.
The path down was a long, gentle descent. We were also shielded from the wind, which was a bonus!
Done! I still had (some) energy left….
Before I hit the road for Lake Taupo, I had one remaining stop in Rotorua. Apparently about 100 years or so ago, some redwood tree saplings were brought over from California and planted near Rotorua, with the intent to harvest them later for lumber. The redwoods, which adapted well to the New Zealand climate, are still there, quite large, and part of a protected forest near the city. Several walking and mountain biking trails wind through the forest and I wanted to explore. Finding the visitor’s center and carpark was fairly easy as it was only a few kilometers outside of the city center and an enterprising adventure company had built a treetop walk experience nearby. I was not interested in walking on elevated pathways, however, and after checking out all the available hikes, selected a two hour long walk that would meander in and out of the redwoods and also provide an overlook view of the city and lake. The trees were majestic and it was utterly silent as I wove my way through the grove on the winding path. It was not until I emerged from the redwoods and started to climb up a gravel road that I started running into people, especially the mountain bikers. Luckily the mountain bike trails soon split off from the main trail so I did not have to worry about getting running over! The overlook was nice and gave me a chance to get a birds-eye view of Rotorua. As I finished the walk, drifting through the redwood grove once more, I almost did not want to leave as it was so peaceful. But it was time to get on the road to Lake Taupo, my stop for the next few days.
A small part of the redwood grove. I have not yet been to see the California redwoods, but it is on my list. So stately…so peaceful….
The road to Lake Taupo was the straightest and easiest to drive that I have found so far in New Zealand. The gentle rolling hills did not require the road to follow twisting and turning topography like elsewhere in the country- instead it just punched right through. The usual sheep and cattle herds dotted the countryside as I continued south. About half-way to Lake Taupo I detoured off the main highway to visit one final thermal spring. Orakei Korako is a smaller geothermal area and often overlooked, but nonetheless has a lot of activity, including a cave and boiling mud pools. After buying a ticket, you get on a boat for a short ride across a small lake and dropped off to explore the park at your own pace. There were only a handful of people there when I arrived so I felt like I had the whole place to myself. Similar to the other parks there were brilliant orange, yellow and red mineral deposits spread over broad areas of the terrain, creating a bright splash of color. There were also several small geysers that were continually spraying superheated water, a testimony to the underground activity in the area. The boiling mud was very viscous and made deep gurgling and plopping sounds as the hot gases and steam fought their way out. I spent a little over an hour wandering around watching the dynamics, still amazed at the sheer amount of geothermal activity that stretches across the central part of the North Island.
The mineral deposits at the various geothermal areas continue to amaze me with their colors and variety.
There was a lot of active bubbling and geysers happening at Orakei Korako. More so than at the other two thermal parks I visited.
A thick, viscous boiling mud pool. So weird…
My next stop, just outside of Lake Taupo, was Huka Falls, a small, but powerful waterfall known for its pretty blue and white colors. There was a trail from Lake Taupo that led to the falls (about an hour walk) but I decided to simply park in the car park and walk over to the bridge to see it. Since the falls are so accessible it was fairly crowded, but I was still able to get a good view. Some had chosen to book a boat ride or jet boat excursion to the bottom of the falls and it looked like they were definitely getting wet!
Huka Falls. The falls were not big, but they were mighty- there was a lot of water flowing through the narrow channel.
I easily found my campground and settled in for the evening, enjoying the tree covered site. After doing a bit of research I planned out the next day—a hike up Mt. Tuahara. Mt. Tuahara, a dormant volcano, is located slightly south of Lake Taupo and is a popular hike. The summit, at 1088m, provides an excellent view of the city and the lake, which is the largest lake in New Zeland. That is the good news. The bad news is the trail is only 2.5km, so the hike is a constant, steep climb. For me the hike killed two birds with one stone—I would get great views of the area and good training for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing hike that I planned to do later in the week. Mentally fortified and with my full backpack (training!) I headed up the trail. The first 20 minutes were a steep climb up pastureland before entering the forest. Once in the forest the trail alternated between gently rising to abruptly rising, but the climbing never stopped. I took my time, resting frequently and slowly navigating the roots and boulders that occasionally had to be scampered over. At one point a guy, about my age, passed me practically running up the hill. I took one look at him and figured this was a daily or weekly exercise because of how effortless he made it look. I gritted my teeth and kept going. About an hour later, I met him on the way down (I was still going up) and asked him if he did the hike often. Turns out he is a local firefighter, and their squad does the trail twice a week to stay in shape (I felt better about my pace…..). We chatted for a while, he told me I was near the top and I continued on my way up.
Sure enough, 15 minutes or so later, I reached the summit. I made my way to the rocky outcropping that faced the lake, sat down, had lunch and chilled out for about 40 minutes. Unfortunately, it was a little hazy due to some fires up in Tongariro National Park, but I could see the lake, the city and just barely the distant peaks of Mt Ruapehu and Mt Ngauruhoe, active volcanos located in the park. Even so, though, the view was spectacular and worth the effort it took to get to the top. It took me much less time to get back down to the car park, even treading carefully over the roots and boulders I had had to climb up. By the time I got back to Lake Taupo, half the day was gone and I was hungry, so I parked on the shore of the lake near the city center and went in search of a late lunch/early dinner while also running a few errands I needed to complete. Back at the campground I settled in, got out my camp chair and relaxed for the evening.
Lake Taupo was an intermediate stop on the way to my next adventurous location—Tongariro National Park and one of the most celebrated day hikes on the planet—the Tongariro Alpine Crossing (which gets its own blog post). The drive to my campground, near the park’s visitor center, took a bit longer than I hoped. The direct route was closed due to the wildfires that had sprouted up the day before. Consequently, I had to go around the lake to the west side of the park and then south to the visitor’s center (as opposed to simply driving directly southwest). The drive made for a longer day, but on the positive side, I got to see more of the country…..
Once I got to the park I headed directly to the visitor’s center in the Whakapapa Village to check out the trail maps and see what else there was to see. I got distracted for a bit in the visitor’s center theater watching a movie explaining the volcanic activity around New Zealand that was very informative. Finishing that, I found the information on the hike I was looking for- a two-hour loop track to Taranaki Falls that started at the visitor-s center—and set out. The landscape was scrub and rocks with pockets of forest/jungle nestled into folds in the hills. Inevitably I found myself climbing up and down (more stairs!) as I slowly worked my way around to the falls. I passed quite a lot of people, and it seemed many were walking the loop in the opposite direction than I was.
Taranaki Falls, a short hike from the visitor’s center.
The falls were quite tall, with a small pool at the bottom. Several of the hikers were taking advantage of the hot day and the cool water to have a dip in the pool. The water was quite cold so I was not tempted to join them! Instead, I sat for a while and watched, while I had a snack and some water. Eventually I continued on my way, completing the loop and arriving back to the car park. It was an easy drive from there to my campground for the next three nights.
The drive from Hahia to Rotorua was long, in New Zealand terms, at 220km and three hours. I broke it up at Paeroa, however, stopping to visit Helen (who I met in Cromwell-see that blog post) for an hour. She had asked if I could stay to dinner, but I declined, knowing I would get into Rotorua too late to check in at the campground. Leaving Paeroa, however, I did make one additional stop on the way after saying goodbye to Helen. My route passed by the Karangahake gorge, which was an old gold mining site. The gorge still had old equipment scattered around and a bunch of hiking trails marked with signage explaining the history of the area. As an added benefit, some of the trails went through mining tunnels! So I decided a stop to stretch my legs and explore the trails was a great idea.
As I parked, I noticed a huge number of large groups standing around in what appeared to be organized tours. I headed for the trail that had the tunnels on it, trying to get ahead of the groups, and decided to walk about an hour down the trail and then return- I still had a long drive to Rotorua to complete! The trail crossed two swinging bridges spanning the two rivers that met at the intersection of where the mining camp had been positioned. The gorge was deep, and the river raced between narrow, steep, walls. The miners built the three-story processing building directly into the side of the mountain, and some of the foundations remain. As I walked through the remains of the mining infrastructure, stopping to read the history, I kept running into more of the large groups—clearly there was a big tour happening. The walkways were narrow so foot traffic jams were constant.
The gorge. The mining facilities were built right into the steep walls, along with tunnels and rail.
The tunnels were cool (literally!) with moisture dripping off the walls. The rail tracks for the mining cars were still in place and puddles formed in between the railroad ties, requiring attention to footing. Flashlights were a must to go through the tunnel although I got by with the light on my cell phone. The walls were rough cut and occasionally wood beams had been placed for reinforcement of the walls and ceiling. I had a moment to myself in one of the tunnels and turned off my light and was immediately surrounded by inky darkness; I am sure miners used to carry spare matches and lights! In a few places other tunnels branched off the main trail, but when I followed them, I found locked gates, keeping the public out of unsafe areas. I emerged on the other side of the tunnels and walked for another 30 minutes, contemplating turning around when I came upon a women with a radio standing by the side of the path. We started talking and that was when I found out why there were so many large groups running around. Apparently, there is going to be a big convention in Auckland (of Jehovah witnesses, go figure) and one of the sightseeing trips planned is a tour of the gorge. So, the tour organization was doing a dry-run, shepherding the same number of people and groups around the trails to wring out their process. She was one of the many people stationed at different places along the trail to keep an eye on things. We had a nice conversation, and I headed back. The walk back took me a little less than an hour as I did not stop to read the signs and many of the groups had finished.
Entrance to one of the tunnel sections that the trail went through. Lights are required! You can’t see the other side of the tunnel all the time.
By the time I got to Rotorua, via several detours, due to closed roads and construction, I was done driving for the day. My three-hour drive had turned into a close to four-hour drive so when I got to the campground, I plugged the van in, got out my camp chair and sat in the sun and planned my activities for Rotorua. Rotorua sits in the middle of a large geothermally active area that stretches from the Bay of Plenty in the northeast down to the volcanos in the center of the North Island near Lake Taupo. Consequently, there are a lot of hot springs, geysers and other ground water activity around the city. I visited Rotorua in 1990, during my first visit to New Zealand, but since it has been 35 years, I decided to visit some of the same areas I had before. Another popular activity in Rotorua is to visit one or more of the many Māori cultural centers. The Māori have been in the area for hundreds of years and the current population is about 40% Māori.
First thing the next morning I headed south to visit the Waimangu Volcanic Valley, about 20 minutes from Rotorua. The volcanic rift valley was formed in 1886 when Mt. Tarawera erupted unexpectedly. The eruption created Frying Pan Lake, the largest hot spring in the world and increased the size of the nearby Lake Rotomahana by twenty times. The walking trail at the site lead through the rift valley and craters created by the eruption, ending at the lake, allowing me to follow the story of the eruption. I decided to add the optional boat tour of Lake Rotomahana to my ticket and get the whole experience. Of the three geothermal parks I visited (more on the other two later), I have to say that Waimangu was my favorite because I was walking through the craters/rift valley and could easily picture what had happened. It was also extremely interesting to see the different stages the vegetation has gone through to return to the area.
Frying Pan Lake. That is steam (not mist) coming off the lake.
The area is still very active and not only did Frying Pan Lake have steam coming off it, but random spots in the surrounding rocky cliffs also had active venting. Different mineral deposits stained the rock white, yellow, orange and pink and occasionally I could see water bubling up. The pictures can only provide a minimal insight into the experience. What pictures cannot convey is the heat from the vents, the pervasive smell of sulfur and the cacophony of bubbling, gurgling and hissing from the disturbed water. It seemed like the very Earth was talking. It took about an hour and a half to walk, downhill into the rift valley the whole way, from the visitor center to the boat dock on Lake Rotomahana; it was an interesting and enjoyable walk. The boat tour made a circuit of the lake, including a closer view of the eruption craters on Mt. Tawawera, another crater formed as part of the lake and shoreline geysers. An easy bus ride back to the visitor center was the end of the tour.
Here is an example of a small active geyser and also some of the colors that are created by mineral deposits.
I had booked a Māori cultural experience with dinner included that evening but as I still had a few hours before I had to be at the bus pickup in the city center, I decided to go to soak in some hot springs. I wandered over to the Polynesian Spa, located on the edge of Lake Rotorua, which had numerous public and private springs available—both slightly acidic and slightly alkaline ranging from temperatures of 100F to 106F. It was a warm afternoon and thus the public area was not crowded so I remained there, bouncing from one spring to another before finding one I liked. It was peaceful and I spent a couple of hours there before heading to the shower to get ready for my evening event. My timing was perfect because as I was leaving, larger tourist groups were starting to arrive, so it was about to be a bit more crowded!
Random spots around Lake Rotomahana have active vents. Apparently there are active vents under the deep lake.
We had a full bus for the evening cultural experience and dinner. After about a 15-minute drive south out of Rotorua, we arrived at the Māori village complex. Our tour guide had selected our “Chief” and I knew what to expect for a greeting ceremony based on my experience at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds earlier. There were several more individuals involved in the greeting ceremony than had been at the Treaty Grounds, but the process was the same- an intimidating greeting, followed by an offering of peace, accepted by our “Chief”, then we were invited into the village. Once there we got split into smaller groups and roamed from learning station to learning station which covered the haka (and yes, we got taught the moves), home and family, warrior training, and song and dance. We also were served various tasty appetizers as we rotated. After everyone had experienced all of the stops, we were led to the meeting hall where the group performed some native songs and dance, including a haka with both women and men. I thoroughly enjoyed the event!
The greeting/challenge that kicked the night off. Our “Chief” had to pick up the offered branch to show our peaceful intentions before we were invited in.
Our dinner included food prepared the traditional way (altered to meet NZ public health standards…) having been cooked underground on hot rocks and steamed for several hours. The meal was excellent consisting of salad, mussels, lamb, beef, tons of veggies, and dessert. I was pleasantly stuffed and after getting back to the campground and plugging in my van, headed directly to sleep.
The next morning I visited Wiaotapu Thermal Wonderland, another geothermal site. As I walked around it, I remembered parts of it from my visit decades ago—mainly because the mineral deposits were so colorful and numerous actively bubbling pools and fissures. The champaign pool, a deep blue pool with an orange mineral crust around the edges, is especially memorable. Steam rose from the water and along the edges there was a constant fizzing of small bubbles frothing at the surface just like – a glass of champaign….Wiaotapu also had several boiling mud pools, the deep viscous mud creating deep, throaty gurgles as the steam fought its way to the surface. The numerous deep craters hosted fissures at the bottom that revealed themselves by the hiss of the steam forcing its way out of a confined space. And again, everywhere was the smell of sulfur. (As a matter of fact, even in the city center and at the campground I would get whiffs of sulfur on the breeze.) After a couple of hours wandering around watching nature in action, I ran a few errands and then set off for my next adventure—a visit to Hobbiton.
Close up of the CO2 bubbling up around the edges of Champaign Pool (see featured picture).
This pond is hot with a pH of 2. Not recommended for a swim!
Lake Ngakoro, where the water from Waiotapu hot springs drain, stays warm enough to host algae growth, hence the striking green color.
Anyone who is a Lord of the Rings fan knows that the trilogy, and the three Hobbit movies, where filmed extensively in New Zealand. One of the most well-known sites is the film set for Hobbiton, created from scratch in the middle of a farmer’s field near the small town of Matakana. The topography, green gentle rolling hills, attracted the location scout’s attention during a helicopter ride over the area. To build Hobbiton they had to move tons of dirt to sculpt the area to the movie vision, a road to get everyone into the site, then the hobbit holes and gardens. It was a massive effort. After filming the Lord of the Rings, most of the set was removed, but when it was time to film the Hobbit, it all had to be re-created. This time when the filming was completed, the set remained—and became a HUGE tourist attraction. Being a Lord of the Rings fan since I was little girl, I had to go…..
Gandalf! At the Hobbiton visitor center where the tours leave from.
The tour experience is a well-oiled machine. You check in at the visitor center and are put on a bus to take you to the site, about a ten-minute drive. Tours leave every ten minutes and from start to finish requires 2.5 hours. I asked our tour guide and they typically host 2300 people a day in the summer months, much fewer in the winter, although they are open. The bus drops you off on the road into Hobbiton where Gandalf meets Frodo at the beginning of the first movie. We received some information on how the filming was done to compensate for the fact that the actors were not, indeed, hobbits and smaller than others. But as we came around the bend in the road, Hobbiton spread out in front of us—hobbit holes everywhere. The team running the site spends a lot of time keeping things maintained down to the last detail, even adding hobbit holes occasionally. For example, there are hobbit holes for a baker, cheesemaker, wheel right, dairy, town drunk, fishermen- basically anything you might find in a village. Bilbo’s tree and the party green, the mill house and the Green Dragon Inn are all represented. Most of the hobbit holes are facades, the interior shots having been filmed on a film stage elsewhere. However, two hobbit holes had interiors completed, mainly for the sake of the tours, but it was kind of fun because we got to go in. The tour ended with a beverage of your choice (beer or soda) at the Green Dragon Inn before getting on a bus to go back to the visitor center. So I can say I’ve been to Hobbiton (more or less).
Visiting Frodo and Bilbo at Bag’s End. Unfortunately this is one of the hobbit holes that is just a facade.
However, we could go in to another hobbit hole, which was remarkably roomy and incredibly detailed in its furnishing. Easy to imagine someone living there.
An hour’s drive got me back to the campground for my last night in Rotorua and I was dismayed to find yet another school group staying (and running around everywhere) so I expected to be up early the next morning for my drive to my next stop-Lake Taupo.
The drive to Coromandel, the eastern peninsula on the North island, took me through Auckland, and inevitably, Auckland traffic. And it was raining. I was happy to finally get through the city and turn east away from the city. My first stop on the peninsula was near the northern part of the west coast and the town of Coromandel (same name as the peninsula….). The road hugged the coast line on one side and steep mountain slopes on the other, with occasional breaks were small townships were nestled in a ravine. As I got nearer my destination, I swapped the curvy, twisting road that dropped off abruptly to the water for a curvy, twisting road that dropped off the side of a mountain ridge as I crossed one final set of hills to drop into the valley where the campground was. New Zealand does not have a lot of straight roads, or at least I have not encountered them yet! Even though I had to pay attention to the road, I would steal glances at the coastline, admiring the frequent changing colors of the water, itching to stop and take a picture but on the narrow roads, that was not a possibility.
The campground was on the water and I had a site that looked directly out over a shallow bay. It was warm when I arrived, and a bunch of young people were in the water swimming and kayaking and generally having a good time. I settled in and took the opportunity to do some laundry, sitting on the shoreline and admiring the view while waiting for my clothes to finish.
View from the campground after the storm came through. The dark blue of the sky contrasted beautifully with the green of the water.
I woke to skies threatening rain the next morning, but the weather report indicated that it would hold off until the afternoon so I decided to go hiking to visit a kauri tree grove. There are multiple groves scattered around the peninsula, all under threat by a dieback disease. To reach the trail head I had to retrace my steps about half-way back down the coastline and turn inland at a small town set in a ravine. There was only one other car in the parking area when I arrived so parking was easy. The trail head started about a quarter mile from the car park and, to protect the trees, the entrance gate to the trail had brushes for your shoes (like when you walk into a low grade clean room) and spray disinfectant—all mitigate transference of the disease killing the kauri. After doing my part to help, with freshly clean shoes, I set out along the path. The path plunged into the rainforest immediately and followed a stream back and up into the steep slopes. It was very peaceful and an enjoyable walk to the grove. At the grove, a sign indicated there was a lookout about half-mile further up so I decided, why not?
Well, about 400 stairs later, I was questioning my decision. The path to the lookout went straight up (hence the stairs). And yes, I had to stop to catch my breath every now and then- the stairs never seemed to end! At the top the path narrowed, turning into what looked like a goat track, twisting and turning around exposed tree roots as it climbed. The view from the lookout was great, however, and I was able to look back down the ravine I had just climbed up, all the way to the coast. Weirdly it did not look as steep from the top….
View from the lookout at the top of the Kauri Grove hike. It does not look as steep as it was!
I hung out a bit and then headed back down the trail/steps to hike out. My timing was perfect because as I returned down the trail, by the time I had gotten back to my camper van, I passed a dozen or so people walking in. The trail was getting crowded, but I had it all to myself- it pays to be an early bird! Also as I got to the van, a little moisture was starting to spit from the sky. Again, perfect timing!
I headed back up the coast and, having worked up a good appetite after my 2.5 hour walk, decided to stop at a road-side seafood café, well known for oysters and mussels, that sits just outside of Coromandel town. I feasted on fried oysters, mussels, shrimp and fish and the oysters and mussels were exceptionally good because they were very fresh. The rain that had started further south had not made it north yet but I could tell from the sky it was coming so I got back to the campground, settled in and pulled out my chair to watch the storm come in. From the campground it was possible to make out the hazy outline of the Bay of Islands and the storm clouds, racing across the bay towards us were very dramatic, creating spectacular lighting conditions over the water. I spent a lot of time trying to capture the changing scenes on my camera. Eventually the rain (and thunder) reached us so I retreated into my cozy camper van with my kindle and settled in to read for the rest of the day.
View of the west coast from one of the lookouts. This one was along the road going north.
This view was from the lookout I stopped at going east over the mountain range to the east coast. The view is the west coast.
I headed out the next day to drive east over the spine of mountains that run down the peninsula to spend a few days on the east coast. On my way over the summit, I stopped for a short (and steep, yet again with steps!) hike up to a great lookout to get a birds-eye view of the west bay. From my high vantage point, I could also see the east coast in the distance, as I stared directly into the expanse of the Pacific Ocean. After following the twisting and turning road down the pass and through the mountains I emerged on the east coast, which unlike the sheer drop off into the water on the west coast, had more plains and flatland between where the mountains end and the coast started. Even though my campground was south down the east coast a ways, I veered north first to check out New Chums Beach.
New Chums Beach is reputed to be one of the most beautiful beaches in New Zealand (and in some reports, also the world) but to get to it is not easy. It is not possible to drive to the beach, you must get there by hiking in from the nearby Waikawau Beach. Waikawau is a small community, maybe a few hundred (?) adjacent to a very long and popular beach. The north end of the beach has a very small parking area (most of the parking is about halfway down the beach) which is where people park for hiking to New Chums beach. When I arrived ther were about seven or eight cars there and the area was completely full. I had to park along the side of the street, in front of some of the homes. This was another instance where I wondered what happens in summer when the number of tourists go up—the street in front of all the homes along the road would be swamped with parked cars….
The boulder field that has to be navigated to get to New Chums beach. All shapes and sizes- requires attentive footwork!
To get to New Chums beach required a traverse of a boulder field. I was there at low tide and I am not sure how passable the boulders are at high tide. As I carefully picked my way through the boulders around the point I could see evidence of water all the way up to the shore line. It was hard to spot the narrow trail that emerged from the trees and I missed it the first time, stumbling past on the boulders further than I should have. Another guy was out on the rocks looking and we teamed up, realizing we had gone too far. Backtracking we found the trail and from there it was an easy walk to the beach. The beach was beautiful, a secluded flat expanse of white sand, gently sloping into the water, located in a protected bay. I could easily see the attraction. I hung out for a while and headed back. Again my timing was perfect because I passed a lot of people heading to the beach as I was leaving; it was going to get crowded. I was not looking forward to dealing with the boulder field again but figured at least I was getting a balance and cardio workout! Sure enough when I got back to my camper van, the cars along the street extended forward about three more houses.
But the reward is worth the trouble. The beach is very nice and well protected.
I headed south towards my next campground in Hahei, also located on a beach. (Beaches are a theme in the northern part of the North Island!). After checking in and getting the camper van connected, a few steps found me on the Hahei beach and I took a stroll down the beach before chilling out and making dinner.
I picked Hahei as a stop because it was close to two interesting areas I wanted to visit—Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach. There are multiple ways to get to Cathedral Cove, hiking, kayaks and water taxis that depart from Hahei beach, glass bottom boats etc.. What you cannot do is drive there. Like New Chums Beach, Cathedral Cove, which gets its name for the large rock arch that dominates the beach, is not accessible by road. Hahia, another very tiny township that gets overwhelmed in the summer, set up a car park on the outskirts of town and runs a shuttle from the carpark to the trail head for Cathedral Cove. It is a brilliant way to manage the crowds! But I did not have to worry about parking my camper van anywhere, I simply walked to the trail head from the campground. The walk was about an hour although I diverted near the beach to hike the loop trail that led to a lookout with a wonderful view around the corner from the beach. (more hills!)
Unlike the other places I had been, even though I got to the beach mid-morning, it was a bee hive of activity. Two different kayak groups were milling about on shore and it looked like one school group was congregating at the far end of the beach, having rowed in on inflatable rafting boats. The rest of the occupants were a mix of hikers like me who came to check out the beach and sun-bathers who had hiked over to stay and soak up the sun. The people watching was excellent so I found some shade and hung out for 30 minutes. It was shortly after noon when I left and I passed even more people on the way to the beach. Yikes!
The scenery was equally stunning looking inland. This view was from a point on the hike to Cathedral Cove, looking west.
At the lookout just past Cathedral Cove, which is right around the corner down the shoreline.
Back at the campground I checked in at reception to rent a shovel, a required tool for a visit to Hot Water Beach, my next stop and only a ten-minute drive from the campground. Hot Water Beach got its name because of the geothermal activity that runs near the surface under part of the beach. The sand is actually hot and if you dig a hole you can create a hot tub—except the water can be so hot, it necessary to add sea water to cool it down. I was not sure what to expect but when I got to the beach, it was clear where the right spots to dig where—there were a ton of people in one localized spot and the beach was peppered with deep holes and trenches. I headed over to check it out. It was kind of hilarious because no one was really sure where to dig exactly and several of the deep holes only had cold water in them. Asking around I found the area where the warm (and hot) water was originating. A couple from England and I teamed up to extend a trench that had a hot water source so we had a place to sit. Some German kids and an Australian family joined in.
….and this is why Cathedral Cove gets its name. Notice the people for scale.
There was a very distinct line between where warm water was originating and when the temperature of the sand became scalding. The woman from England (I never got her name) and I were sitting right at the edge of that line and pushing the hot water down the trench towards the others. Across the barren spot where no one could sit because it was too hot, was another group lounging in their pools. In front and back of us (towards and away from the water) others were also lounging in hot pools. Others still were trying to figure out where else to dig. It was chaos with digging happening everywhere and sand piling up in huge mounds randomly. I sat and chatted with my new friend from England for a while, until my finders started to prune up, then decided to head out. Before doing so I walked down to the water’s edge, walking through the sand trying to track by temperature where the thermal energy was located. Sure enough, I immediately found hot sand as my foot sunk into the sand as the waves washed out. It was hot enough that I jumped and moved pretty quickly. It was a weird sensation to have the cold water washing over my foot while the bottom of my foot was threatened with getting burnt!
I really did not want to torture you with pics of random people in bathing suites, but I think a picture helps convey the chaos.
After that great adventure and unusual experience I headed back to the campground, turned in my shovel and went to take a shower to get all the sand off of myself and my swim suit. I turned in early as the following day, I had a long drive to Rotorua, with a few stops along the way.
I am back in camper van mode, but on the North Island. Since I rented the exact make/model of the camper van that I had in the South Island, it was a bit like coming home- I had my storage and logistics system already established and was familiar with all of the equipment. I planned my vehicle pickup to avoid rush hour as I headed out of Auckland to explore the northern most areas of the North Island to start my clockwise three-week journey around the island. My first destination was Paihia, a popular holiday spot in the Bay of Islands on the east coast. I booked a campground for four nights, as there was a lot of interesting places to explore in the area.
Leaving Auckland I decided to drive up the west coast as long as possible before having to cut over to the east coast to get to my destination. I did not mind the extra 30 minutes added to the drive because I knew I would be driving down the east coast on my return as I headed to Coromandel; a drive up the west coast meant I was guaranteed to see different things. As I headed north out of Auckland I quickly encountered an agricultural landscape, similar to the South Island populated with sheep and cattle. However, in addition to the livestock, I passed numerous orchards growing many kinds of citrus, avocados, kiwis and even some olives. Instead of the steep, dramatic, jagged mountains, I encountered sub-tropical vegetation and rolling hills. But, like the South Island, the color green, in all of its varied shades, was dominant.
It took about four hours to get to Paihia, with a few stops, including one for groceries, and I was happy to relax once I got the campground, which was located just outside of town. The woman who checked me in at the campground was very friendly and we had a lengthly discussion about activities in the area during which she provided some advice and insight on options. One of my goals was to get to the northern most point of the North Island at Cape Reinga, although I was not looking forward to the three hour drive (one-way) to do so. She pointed out that there was a coach tour based out of Paihia that went to the Cape and spoke highly of the excursion. Coupled with the fact that by combining that trip with a cruise through the Bay of Islands (which I was going to do anyway) there was a discount combo package– well my decision was an easy one. I promptly booked both!
The water in the Bay of Islands is ever changing, from deep greens to deep blues based on the depths. Stunning!
The next morning I got up early and walked 20 minutes into town to the wharf for the Bay of Island cruise. The half-day(ish) cruise stopped at Russell, a historic town and the first capital of New Zealand, situated directly across the bay from Paihia, before heading out of the bay to see the famous “hole in the rock”, followed by another stop at Urupukapuka Island, a small island with a beach, hiking paths, cafe and activities before returning back to the Paihia wharf. The boat was fairly full, accommodating two different sets of school kids out on field trips, as we headed for Urupukapuka island to drop them off before heading to the “hole in the rock”. The schools were almost out for the summer and the kids were clearly excited to be out of the classroom. One of the schools was a Maori school; the teachers and parents spoke Maori, which is an official language of New Zealand, to the kids the whole time although I head some English bandied about too. The boat got a lot quieter when the kids got off…..
We continued our cruise through the bay heading northeast towards Cape Brett where the Pacific Ocean meets the bay and the unusual “hole in the rock” formation is located. The wind was out of the east creating gentle swells, rocking the boat gently, as we traversed the bay. The water color was an amazing rainbow of greens and blues and every combination thereof. The Bay of Islands is called such because of the numerous islands of various sizes that dot the bay, the depth changes around the islands driving the changing water colors. The sky was blue and the temperature was comfortable- it was a great day to be on the water. As we got nearer to the Cape and started to leave the bay, however, the wind got stronger and the swells got more dramatic causing several people on the boat to get sick. The “hole in the rock” is just that — a large arched hole in a rock formation that can accommodate a boat passage. Because of the wave action, we did not go through it, but our 300 person catamaran would have fit easily. There is probably some geological and hydrodynamic explanation for why there is a large, perfect hole cut through the rock, but I am not privy to it. But it looked dramatic. We also saw the historic lighthouse perched at Cape Brett, once a critical component to navigating the bay safely. The lighthouse keepers house still stands and can be rented; it is a seven hour trek to get there though (or you could get dropped off by boat…). If you are looking for a remote location to hang out at, this is the spot!
The famous “hole in the rock”. Usually the boats drive through it but the sea state was not cooperating for us. Still cool to see though.
We did not stay long at the “hole in the rock” due to the rough seas and were soon back in the relatively calm waters of the bay. The captain dropped us off at Urupukapuka Island where we had an hour to relax and enjoy the beach. The two school groups we had dropped off earlier were still there- clearly enjoying the beach. I had planned to do some hiking but the blue sky, sun and warm weather, combined with the beautiful beach, lured me in and I plopped down on some grass just beyond the beach and turned into a lizard, soaking up the sun and watching the kids frolic in the water (which I think was still rather cold…). It was very relaxing. The hour passed by too quickly and soon the boat was back to pick us up. The next stop was Russell, where I got off, intending to explore a bit before grabbing a water taxi to get me back to Paihia later in the day. (Russell and Paihia are only 15 minutes apart by water taxi, but if you had to drive around the bay the trip would take over seven hours.)
Russell, as I mentioned earlier, is a historic town and was, at one time, known as the “Hell hole of the Pacific” because of the general lawlessness of the settlers, visitors, miners and explorers who all descended on the island before any formal authority was in existence. The town center is still small, only two streets, with residential areas spread out in the surrounding hills. Flagstaff Hill is short, but steep 30 minute walk from the town center, offering spectacular views of the whole bay. I wandered up there and sat on a bench for a bit, overlooking the bay and enjoying the weather, before heading back to explore the town. After browsing through art galleries and shops and stopping for a glass of wine in the Duke of Marlborough Hotel, in operation since 1827 and holding the first liquor license in New Zealand, I hopped on a water taxi and headed back to Paihia and the walk back to the campground.
The New Zealand Christmas tree, also know as the Pohutukawa tree, has stunning red flowers and is in bloom all over the place.
Since the next day was Thanksgiving (in the U.S), I spent the morning calling my siblings (yay wi-fi calling!) and catching up with them, so I got a late start to the day. Luckily, my next destination, the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, was within walking distance of the campground. The North Island, and especially the areas north of Auckland, saw numerous events that led to the founding of the country. As the Europeans arrived, the many Maori tribes exposed to the newcomers, engaged in trade with them. In time, the tribes also sought to export and engage in trade in Australia and other nearby islands. The Waitangi Treaty Grounds played host to a treaty uniting the tribes, mainly on the North Island, in a union with Britian as well as the creation of a Declaration of Independence, to facilitated trade and establish authorities. I spent several hours exploring the history of New Zealand (did you know they have two official flags?) and how the relationship between the native Maori and the European immigrants evolved over time, for better and worse. I also watched a Maori cultural show that included a song and dance performance. It was super interesting, and I highly recommend a visit to the Treaty Grounds if you are ever in the area.
Part of the cultural performance I saw at the Treaty Grounds.
Saturday started bright and early with a 7:30am coach pickup right at the campground for my trip to Cape Reinga. Our driver, Barry, who was a Maori, was very experienced and knowledgeable and kept a running commentary during the whole trip on the countryside, customs, people, and sights that we passed. He also had a wonderful sense of humor, so his discourse was both educational and entertaining. Our route was going to take us up the west coast of the island, driving along 90 mile beach and back down the east coast. Before we got to 90 mile beach, we stopped twice to pick up additional clients, resulting in an almost full coach.
Ninety-mile beach is not actually 90 miles, but closer to 55 or so. It is a broad, flat, long sand beach that runs up the west coast. Only four-wheel drivee vehicles are allowed on the beach and NO rental cars are allowed at all. The company I booked the coach tour with is the only company allowed to drive a bus on the beach. Getting access to the beach is no problem- the road we were on literally ended at the beach. When the road ended, we kept going and suddenly were on the beach, intersecting it about 17km south of the northern exit. About half-way down the beach we stopped for some sand surfing. Barry handed out boogie boards to anyone who wanted to try. After a brief lesson, he led everyone up a nearby dune and helped them go down the first time, on the beginner slope. After that, people were free to try the “fast” slope and the “jump” slope. I did not do it, but it was fun to watch. There were several other cars on the beach, some fishing, others wading in the cold water of the Tasman sea. Some hikers passed by and Barry mentioned that hiking the 90 mile beach, which takes about three days, is a popular trek.
Long, flat and desolate: the ninety-mile beach that is not 90 miles.
Sand surfing on the 90 mile beach.
After our interlude on the beach, we continued our journey north, passing sheep, cattle and multitudes of orchards. Barry commented on each small town we went through and taught us some Maori words. We stopped for lunch in a beautiful bay with a lively surf that looked manageable for swimming and apparently is a popular spot in the summer. It was a short drive from lunch to the Cape. Cape Reinga is a sacred place for the Maori culture as it is believed that all departed spirits gather first at the Cape before launching themselves into the afterlife. Consequently, Barry shared with us the traditional Maori prayer required when both approaching and departing the area. It was fascinating listening to the syllables of the language and trying to understand the pronunciation- I have routinely had trouble correctly pronouncing the names of cities with Maori names (most cities in the North island and a large number in the South island have Maori names). There was a small lighthouse at the Cape and even more interesting, the Cape is the place where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet. Looking out over the edge of land, the swirling green and blue water meets in a violent clash, shifting sand around and creating further graduations of both colors.
Right behind me is where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet (green water meets deep blue water).
Bay facing north where the two bodies of water meet. North most accessible point on the north island.
After an hour at the Cape, we piled back into the bus and began the nearly three-hour drive back to Paihia. We had a washroom stop at a café attached to a famous Maori wood-worker’s studio. He had built his studio around the remains of a kauri tree excavated from a swamp. The tree was 37’ in circumference and after heroic efforts to get the tree out of the swamp, he had it set up, built a staircase on the inside of it and bult around it. The kauri trees grow large, straight and without knots, making them highly prized for woodworking, making canoes and were sought after by early European explorers to make new masts for their ships. The Treaty Grounds also had the remains of a kauri tree, used to make a ceremonial canoe and the size of it was incredible.
I was back at the campground shortly before 6pm—a long day but a good one. I was really glad I chose to take the tour and not drive! But after the trip I can say that I have been to the northern most and southern most point on the South Island and the northern most (accessible) point on the North Island. Way cool!
The next morning I headed out of Paihia to make my way south to one more Bay of Islands stop before heading to Coromandel. Before heading south, however, I went north to Kerikeri, roughly a 20 minute drive, to do the hike to Rainbow Falls. The hike starts at a building called the Stone Store, which has been in business since the mid-1800s. It sits on the river in a very picturesque spot, surrounding by green lawn and two cafes. The hike to the waterfall took me about an hour and I spent some time there taking pictures and talking to some of the friendly kiwis who were there. I was lucky – I made it back to my camper van just before the rain started—it had been overcast all morning and I had anticipated getting wet during the hike. Mission accomplished I set out for the three-hour drive south to Matakana and the surrounding beaches where I was staying for two nights. The weather varied the whole drive, sometimes raining quite strongly, others just a mist and at other times, no rain at all. Unfortunately, when I got to my campground, it was raining strongly so I plugged in the van and hunkered down for the rest of the day.
This is an example of how big a kauri tree can get. A large waka (canoe) was made from this tree.
An artist carved a staircase in the trunk of a dead kauri tree and built his shop around it. This tree is between 40,000-50,000 years old and was 1000 years old when it fell. Incredible! It was dug out of a swamp.
I woke the next day to a sunny sky so decided to head to the Goat Island Marine Reserve, located slightly northwest of my campground. The reserve is a marine protected area popular with snorkelers and swimmers and sure enough, when I got there a school group was gearing up to go snorkeling. (I am not sure if it was the school group staying at the campground with me or not.) My goal was to hike along the coastal track, rather than to get in the water and it was a peaceful hour and a half walk as I saw no one else the whole time. When I got back to the reserve, however, more people had arrived, some swimming and some walking on the rocks. I suspect this is a very popular spot in the summer.
Rainbow falls outside of Kerikeri. It was a nice walk through a rainforest to get to the falls. More good conditioning for future hikes!
Leaving the marine reserve I headed south to check out another popular summer spot, Omaha Beach. Omaha Beach is a sleepy residential community but the beach is huge, with gently sloping white sand and apparently attracts lots of weekend visitors from Auckland, only an hour away. There were a few people sunbathing and fewer still actually in the water, which was a bit cold still. I walked along the beach for a while, stopping to chat with a woman and young lady who were riding horses along the shoreline (which looked like fun!).
My next stop was the Sculptorium, a unique art gallery/museum. The owners had been collecting art – mainly, but not exclusively, sculptures and glass – for many years and decided to create a property to display their collection. The main building has six galleries and two internal “hidden” gardens, all packed with a variety of art from different media, different countries, different styles—all interesting. Outside in front of the main building is a sculpture garden, a mixture of flowers, plants and sculptures discoverable via a meandering kilometer long path throughout. I spent hours wandering through the whole place reading the inscriptions about the art and artist. I think equally interesting would have been information about how the collectors found the different artists and art….
Goat Island Marine Reserve
I finished my afternoon by stopping at a local brewery for a dark beer and a bite to eat before heading back to the campground to soak in the sun and enjoy the water (the campground is on one of the numerous shallow bays in the area).
After a wonderful relaxing ten day stay at Carol and James Airbnb in Arthurs Point I headed over for a three day stay in Cromwell. Cromwell is only about an 45 minutes from Queenstown but the geography is completely different. Unlike Queenstown, which is surrounded by tall, steep, snow-capped mountains, Cromwell, another wine growing region, has a topography that reminds me a bit of Southern California– tall, bare, rocky hills surrounded by green vineyards that climb the slopes as high as they can. I had done a wine tasting excursion from Queenstown but when I had been doing my research realized it would be handy to be based out of Cromwell, too, in order to more easily access some of the eastern wine growing areas.
I did not head directly to Cromwell, however. Leaving Arthurs Point I turned northeast, instead of south into town, heading for Arrowtown. I had not yet investigated the small, historic mining community, saving that for my drive to Cromwell as the route allowed me to avoid the traffic that always exists when driving east through Queenstown. Arrowtown is a historic mining town with remains of a small Chinatown, occupied by the huge amount of Cantonese miners that came to New Zealand in the mid-1800’s to participate in the gold rush. The town is also the jumping off point for several cycle paths. Add a picturesque downtown area with bars, restaurants and stores and it shouldn’t have surprised me to find a full parking lot and a lot of activity when I arrived. I found a parking spot near the river (happy I did not have to negotiate a camper van through the tight spaces) and set out to explore the town. I found a bakery and tried one of their pies– which seems to be a developing theme for me– and sat down to enjoy the day before the rain that threatened arrived. I also explored the remains of the Chinatown, enjoying the storyboards at the different locations which explained the history. I spent a couple of hours wandering around and left when the sky opened up and the rain started.
I had one other stop to make on my way to Cromwell, the Kawarau Gorge suspension bridge, made world-famous as the iconic “bungy jumping” bridge of New Zealand. When I was in New Zealand with friends in 1990, A.J Hackett and his partners had started the bungy jumping craze at the very same bridge; it was still going on, even though under a different name. I had no desire to jump in 1990 and still did not have a desire to jump, but I wanted to stop by and check out the action. Luckily it was only slightly misting at the bridge, which was not enough to stop the operations, so I stayed there for a bit to watch people jump. The most surprising thing was that it is possible to jump as a couple now, and not just individually. I was a bit dumbfounded to see a couple, tied together at the ankles, with their arms around each other, take the plunge! I still think it’s crazy……(some things don’t change in 35 years).
The iconic NZ bungy jumping spot. After the bungy comes to rest, they lower you to a boat and untie you. You walk back up the hill.
I had a nice drive over to Cromwell through the Kawarau River gorge, outrunning the rain and finding myself back in sunshine and easily found my Airbnb, which was nicely located within walking distance of everything in town. The next morning I set out on foot to find the information center to get a copy of the “wine strolling” route I had read about, a comfortable way to visit a bunch of wineries (no driving!). After searching for the info center with no luck, I stopped in a hotel to ask for help and was told the info center had closed. The nice lady at the reception desk provided me an update on the wineries within walking distance and a map. Studying the map I decided I could walk in a counter-clockwise circle around Cromwell and hit between three and four wineries, so I set out south to find the first one.
After a short ten minute walk, I found the first two, which were right next to each other. I spent a pleasant time sampling at both and talking with the proprietor of the second, who as I tasted and explained what I liked and did not, kept providing other suggestions. Eight samples later, I was ready for a walk! Cromwell sits on Lake Dunstan, which was formed when dams were built to create hydroelectric power. As I exited the last tasting room, I followed the directions I had been given to find a path along the lake that led to the historic district of Cromwell. It was a nice sunny day and I was not the only one out walking. As I strolled on the path I caught up with two women, Carol and Helen, who were also out enjoying the weather. We started talking and I walked with them to the historic district where we sat down and had a drink together. They were super friendly and ended up inviting me to dinner with them and their husbands at a local club that evening. I accepted (because, why not???). Plans made, we separated and I headed out to visit one final winery for the day.
The last winery was actually very near my Airbnb, about a fifteen minute walk from the historic district, so I knew I had time to stop by before being home in time for dinner. I enjoyed a Pinot Noir tasting on a scenic hill overlooking Cromwell before heading home. Carol and her husband were going to pick my up for dinner and I wanted to be ready. The club they took me to for dinner reminded me of the Moose Lodge or Knights of Columbus Hall in my home town growing up. It was very causal, they had music, which some were dancing to,, a bar, a casual restaurant and pool. I had a nice dinner with Carol and her husband Mike, and Helen and her husband Jeff. Helen and Jeff were visiting from the North Island; Carol and Mike moved to Cromwell a few years earlier (from the North Island). We had such a good time, they Carol invited me to dinner the following night with the four of them at her house, which turned out was only a 15 minute walk from my Airbnb. I accepted (because, why not???).
Standing at the 45th South Parallel sign.
The next morning I decided to go explore the 45th parallel walk, which had some scenic views of the lake and surrounding area. The hike was named for the fact that the path intersects the southern 45th parallel, which does not intersect land very often. The starting point was easy to find, only 10 minutes from my Airbnb, because there was a marker for the 45th parallel by the highway. The hike to the hill was straight up a steep slope, luckily broken up a bit by steps that had been built into the hillside. At the top was a loop with a bench that overlooked the lake. I sat for a while and watched some of the boat traffic on the lake. It was another sunny, warm day and there were about a dozen boats on the lake, some towing water skiers. The water looked way too cold for me to consider dipping in a toe; I hoped the water skiers were wearing wet suits! I had the whole place to myself, only seeing another person as I descended.
It’s hard to see, but this is the steep hill (with stairs) I had to climb.
But the view from the top was excellent. This is looking back at Cromwell.
I headed back to the Airbnb to shower and do some work before heading over to Carol and Mike’s for dinner. Dinner was lovely and we had a great time, covering a lot of different topics, while we sat around. It turned out that the next day was Mike’s birthday, so we even had a birthday cake. I headed out before dark, as I was walking back to my Airbnb, thanking them profusely for their hospitality.
The next day I headed, retracing my steps partially back towards Queenstown, to visit the Goldfelds Mining museum. The site encompassed an old gold mining camp, with buildings and equipment still strewn about. The mines, small, dark holes in the ground or rock walls, were also in evidence, but were locked up as they were not safe to enter anymore. There were a couple of different trails through the site and I wandered around poking into different areas. I also participated in a guided tour which was interesting as the guide explained what the equipment was for and how it worked. Of course, they had gold panning available for those who wanted to try their luck. I tried one pan just to say I did it (and no, I did not find gold).
Stone, one-room huts occupied by the Cantonese miners that lived in this area searching for gold.
A mine, still with the rusted old trolley in front of it.
There were two more wineries that I wanted to visit, south of Cromwell in Bannockburn, so after I was done at the gold mining museum I headed over to Bannockburn. It was another lovely day and I lingered at both wineries as they both sat on hills overlooking the lake. I had a wonderful conversation with the Italian gentleman who ran the wine tasting at one of the wineries. We talked wine, but he also gave me some good suggestions for what to see on the North Island.
The North Island is my next stop. I headed to the airport the following day and got on a flight to Auckland where I am going to pick up another camper van and spend three weeks roaming around the North Island.
After turning in my camper van in Christchurch I checked in to my airport hotel and jumped on the bus to head down to the botanical garden to see if the roses were in bloom (recall when I was there a month ago, they were not). Well a month makes a difference in the life of a rose in the spring, because when I got to the rose garden it was a riot of color! I spent a few hours slowly working my way around to all of the blossoms, admiring their color and scent. After grabbing a bite at a restaurant along the river, I jumped on the bus and headed back to the hotel, ready to start the next adventure- my two week stay in the Queenstown area.
Just one small part of the Christchurch rose garden.
Flying domestic in New Zealand is like a step back in time, before 9/11 in the U.S. I self-checked in, got a bag tag and a boarding pass, went directly to the gate and got on the plane. At no time did I have to go through security and at no time did anyone check my ID against my boarding pass. Super simple and no hassles! After driving a camper van around for a month, I was very comfortable driving the small car I rented, even in the dense traffic that exists in Queenstown. My Airbnb was not located in Queenstown proper, however, but in Arthur’s Point, a 10 minute drive northwest past the Queenstown city line. I wanted a place that was peaceful and off the beaten path and the bonus was a hot tub that came with the rental. My plan for Queenstown was to do some touring, chill out a bit, and catch up on work/projects that needed my attention, so I kept a leisurely pace. Arriving at the Airbnb I discovered it was everything I hoped for– there was an amazing view and my hosts, James and Carol, were very welcoming and accommodating. And I definitely got a lot of use out of the hot tub!
Sunrise from my Airbnb. (No photoshopping- these are the actual colors!)
Sunset from my Airbnb. I took a ton of pictures from the deck, trying to capture the different light changes. It was a beautiful view-always.
The next day I headed down to Queenstown to hike the Queenstown hill. The city sits on the shore of Lake Wakatipu and almost immediately backs up into the steep mountains that surround the lake. Queenstown hill is a steep 3 mile hike, gaining 1300 ft of elevation, up to a scenic viewpoint offering 360 degree views. Depending on the source it is rated either as moderate or hard, but for someone who has not worked out on hills for a while, I rate it as hard! The steep slope started early as I walked from the parking lot the three blocks to the trail head. The trail wandered through a forest before emerging into exposed meadow. I took it slow, rested occasionally, but I finally made it to the top and since the weather was perfect, I sat and lingered for a while, soaking in the scenery. As always, going down took half the time as going up. I wandered around the city center for a bit to get a feel for it, stopped at a pub and had some mussels, then headed back to my Airbnb to relax.
The number of small lakes available to try to capture lovely mirror images were too good to pass up. This is one of my favorites.
View of Queenstown from Queenstown hill.
One of my other goals during my stay in Queenstown was to do some wine tasting so after consulting with Carol, who knows quite a lot about the wine scene in the area, I joined a wine tasting excursion. I had to meet them in Queenstown, so I got to the city center early and found a bakery (a place literally called “The Bakery”) to grab a pie for breakfast. The van met me at the meeting point and we proceeded to pick others up at their hotels. There were twelve of us total and we visited four wineries, including one, Gibbston Valley Wineries, that had constructed a cave into the nearby hill for barrel storage. It was interesting learning about the history of wine production in the Otago region (started by two guys about 40 years ago) and the evolution of the industry. The region is world famous for Pinot Noir and I can attest to that, as I found the best Pinot I have ever tasted, and several others that were quite good. Apparently one of the original founders still makes wines and has consistently won international awards for his Pinot Noir. (I am going to order some when I stop traveling!!!) Needless to say I went home with a couple of bottles for my immediate enjoyment…
In the wine cave at Gibbston Valley winery. The Otago valley has some great wines!!
The next day was Saturday and it was cold and overcast so I stayed home and worked most of the day. The other motivating factor driving me to stay put was the Queenstown Marathon, scheduled for Saturday morning. Multiple streets and parking lots were going to be closed most of the day and Queenstown, being a relatively small town, did not have the infrastructure to compensate. The day before, as we were driving through town towards the wineries, we had run into absolutely horrible traffic as all of the race participants headed for the event center to pick up their race packets. Apparently about 15,000 people were in town to run either the marathon itself, the half-marathon or the 10K! Consequently, I stayed away from the chaos.
Lake Wakatipu is long and serpentine, with Queenstown sitting at a bend about half-way down the length. I had driven down the eastern shoreline when I drove from Wanaka to Te Anau earlier in October, but I also wanted to explore the western part of the lake. One of the unique ways to do that was by taking a cruise on the TSS Earnslaw, a coal-fired steamship that has been in operation on the lake for over 100 years. The ship cruises across the lake to the Walter Peak High Country Farm, a working sheep station. The farm also has a restaurant and offers a BBQ buffet, farm tours, and sheep shearing demonstrations. I decided to include the BBQ buffet in my ticket and make an afternoon of it. The cruise across the lake was beautiful. The mountain views change significantly by changing your viewpoint, with new peaks winking into view as you round a corner. The sun was out and the brilliant blue sky competed with the blue hues of the lake. I did take some time to investigate the engine room and watch the men shovel coal into the ovens and watch the two large engines operate.
Picture of the ship taken from my seat at the BBQ. It had dropped us off and was heading back across the lake.
After enjoying the BBQ buffet, with a window seat to enjoy the views, I wandered over to the sheep shearing demonstration. It was actually quite hilarious. The gentleman who did the demo explained that if you position the sheep such that their four legs are not on the ground, they don’t quite know what to do and just sit there confused. He proceeded to illustrate his point, hauling the sheep out of the pen on its back by grabbing two legs. The sheep certainly looked bewildered and was totally docile. Apparently a fast shearer can do a whole sheep in around two minutes. The farm consists of 63,000 hectares of land all backed up into the mountains with no road access, so their thousands of sheep roam freely. Consequently they use border collies trained as sheepdogs to round up the sheep when necessary. We also got a demonstration of how the dogs work,, which consist of crouching and turning a predatory eye on the sheep, forcing them to move by sheer will power. (The collies don’t use barking, unlike some techniques used in England.) It was an impressive display of control. The dogs are highly trained and don’t come cheap, usually costing between $5000-$10,000 NZD!
Sheep shearing demo. The sheep was remarkably chill….
The next day, even though the weather looked marginal, with an overcast sky and threat of rain, I decided to do the walk around Lake Hayes, a small lake east of Queenstown and just before reaching the wine country. I had spotted the lake when we were on the wine tour and noted the walking path. I parked at the lot and set out south around the lake, but after 15 minutes, had to turn back as the path was flooded. A runner passed me, he had run through the water, and informed me the water was ankle deep over the path for about a kilometer. I decided to walk in the other direction and see how far I would get before hitting the flooded area. Circumventing the lake in the opposite direction, I passed by several people with wet shoes, who apparently had waded through the flooded portion. When I reached the flooded portion, I decided to wade through it, but to do so barefoot. Taking off my shoes and socks and carrying them in my hand, I proceeded to gingerly step along the path. I did so gingerly because the path was composed of small, somewhat sharp, rocks; it was slow going. I recalled the guy I saw walking barefoot up the trail, of similar rocks, on the west coast and again, wondered how he did it. It took me a while to clear the kilometer of flooded path, but I made it!
The next sunny day I headed back down to Queensland and bought a ticket for the gondola that provides a lift up to another hilltop adjacent to the city center. The Queenstown gondola is the steepest one in the southern hemisphere and we seemed to be heading directly up! It is possible to walk up the steep mountain face, but I decided to keep my energy for the hike I was going to do at the top. The gondola terminates at a restaurant, overlook point and includes access to a parasailing adventure and luge (on wheels) ride. The location is also a jump-off point for a series of mountain bike trails and the Ben Lomond trek, which goes first to a saddle (called Bob’s saddle) then, for those who are in really good shape, to a summit with 360 degree views. The trek is very steep and is pretty much uphill the whole time. (The 4km to the saddle had an elevation change of about 1km.) Before reaching Bob’s saddle, a trail branched off to Arthur’s Point and emerges just slightly up the mountain from the Airbnb I was staying at. I had hiked part of that trail from the Airbnb, which followed the ridge line around the mountain towards Queenstown, to a different scenic overlook. Today I continued on to Bob’s saddle.
View of the steepest gondola in the southern hemisphere.
View from the gondola on the way up.
Finally, after two hours of steady climbing, I reached Bob’s saddle. The hike up to the summit, another hour past the saddle, is steeper still and very exposed – I decided to stop at the saddle. (Again, missing the physical fitness I had in Nepal…..) The views were wonderful and I hung out for a while soaking them in–yes, this is a theme but New Zealand is everywhere so stunning! Returning down the mountain took only half the time and I sympathized with every person I passed ascending, knowing the climb they had yet to complete. I was starving when I got back to the gondola and decided to head back down to the city center and try the world famous Fergburger, a burger restaurant that apparently is a “must-do” in Queenstown. The establishment included a bakery, bar and gelato counter as well as their famous burger joint. I had tried one of their pies from the bakery and it was tasty but had been on the fence about jumping into the ridiculously long lines to try a burger. But after the hike, as hungry as I was, I thought I would go check the line and make a decision. Since it was around 3pm, and between lunch and dinner, the line was only 15 people deep (instead of twice that!) so I placed my order for a lamb burger. It was good, but I think the hype around the place may be a bit exaggerated.
View of Queenstown from Bob’s saddle.
View into the surrounding valley opposite Queenstown from Bob’s saddle.
My final adventure in Queenstown, before moving to Cromwell for a few days, was a drive to Glenorchy. Glenorchy sits at the northwest top of the lake were the Dart River flows into the lake, draining from the west coast spine of mountains. The number of drives in New Zealand claiming to be the most scenic are numerous, and with good reason, but the drive to Glenorchy was especially outstanding. As the road wound along the bend, exiting Queenstown, I was confronted with an eastern view of the tall spine of mountains I had driven through to get to Milford Sound. (see featured image) As a matter of fact, a twenty minute airplane ride directly over the mountains west of Glenorchy leads to Milford Sound! It took about an hour, with a few stops, to get to the small town of Glenorchy. The paved highway continued about 12km beyond the town before changing to an unpaved, gravel road winding up and back towards several trailheads and multi-day challenging hikes. I stopped in Glenorchy to do some local hiking; rain was threatening again and I did not feel like dealing with a gravel road in a potential rainstorm. The mountains were stunning and it is no wonder that some of the filming of Lord of the Rings took place in this area. After my hike and a bit of lunch, I headed back to Queenstown. It was VERY hard to not try to catch one last glimpse of those impressive mountains in my rear view mirror as I was driving back along the lake!
My last evening at the Airbnb, James and Carol and I sat on the deck and had wine and cheese and chatted. James started a fire in their outdoor fireplace and some neighbors stopped by. It was a nice evening and a perfect send off as I headed to Cromwell for the remainder of my time on the South Island.
My next stop after Dunedin, Oamaru, was less than a two hour drive so I was not in a hurry to depart early. My first stop was only 30 minutes north of Dunedin, the Orokonui Ecosanctuary, a reserve that was created to house threatened native species and habitats. New Zealand has (had) a large number of species of flightless birds and the invasion of possums, rats, and ferrets, who eat the eggs of the native species, has been responsible for pushing many of them to the threatened and endangered lists. As the matter of fact the government has declared open season on possums (and I have noticed an extraordinary large number of dead possums on the road- whether that is a reflection of aggressive driving or the sheer numbers of possums that must be in the country, I have no idea!) in an attempt to re-balance the ecosystem in favor of the native animal kingdom. Consequently, the ecosanctuary focuses on creating a safe habitat without any of the imported predators. There are trails all over the property for visitors to stroll on to spot some of the inhabitants. I spent two hours wandering around, enjoying the trees and rainforest and watching the antics of several of the bird species– the kaka (think parrot-like) and Takahe, a flightless bird that is much less shy than the kiwi (also housed at the sanctuary).
Not as shy as kiwis, but just as threatened, all six of the resident takahes, including two chicks, were out wandering around. They are still critically endangered.
I fixed some lunch (self-contained camper van!) before I left and headed north towards Oamaru. I had one more stop to make before hunting down my campground and home for the next two days– the Moeraki Boulders. A collection of the large spherical boulders sit on a beach near the town of Moeraki and are unusual enough to attract attention. Certainly they were impressive looking and it seemed rather strange to see them clumped together on the beach like a discarded set of giant marbles, but what was fascinating to me were the ones that had broken apart. The boulders are apparently hollow inside and are composed of mud, fine silt, clay and cemented by calcite (I checked Wikipedia-go there to get the details) and they have cracks that radiate from the hollow center, which is how they fall apart. The broken ones kind of looked like large eggs that gave way for something to emerge…. Super interesting!
Moeraki Boulders on the beach. They are amazingly spherical (or almost) and seem to be scattered around randomly.
More interesting (at least to me) were the broken ones. Doesn’t it look like something burst out?
My next stop was Oamaru and the campground, which was right on the water at the marina and near the city center. Oamaru (population of about 23,000 in the general area) has a Victorian precinct, only a few blocks from the marina, consisting of a collection of well preserved Victorian buildings that house restaurants, shops and art galleries. For some reason I have yet to discover, the town is also big on “steampunk”, which is a science-fiction/fantasy genre that ties into the Victorian era. A well-known attraction is “Steampunk HQ”, an exhibit of artifacts and samples of that genre. My curiosity drove me to check it out, but quite frankly I did not (nor still do not) get it. The town hosts Victorian (and steampunk) festivals that draw lots of people year round. There are several breweries and an excellent bakery so my further exploration was rewarded.
Steampunk HQ in Oamaru. I don’t get it and was underwhelmed but if you are into that kind of thing…..well, I did not get it.
One of the other activities that Oamaru is famous for is their blue penguin colonies and conservation work. The colonies were situated at the far end of the marina from town, about 10 minutes walk from the campground- the campground was in an excellent (!) location. The blue penguins, also known as fairy penguins, are the smallest of the penguin species and only found in New Zealand and Australia. They spend their days at sea and return to the nests at night. The colony area has been established as a sanctuary but it is possible, under very controlled conditions-silence is require and no electronics, to get a ticket to watch them come ashore in the evening (the price helps pay for the conservation efforts to protect the penguins). The observation areas, general and “special seating” are situated such that the penguins walk right past as they emerge from the ocean. It was a lot of fun to watch them climb up on the rocks, where they seemed to wait until a large group (20 or more) had gathered before literally sprinting across the four meters of grass or so to get to cover where their nests were. I had a great seat and some of the groups literally walked within a meter of me on their way home. As I was walking back to the campground after the event, I discovered that there were even more penguins out roaming around on the shoreline. A local, no doubt hired by the conservation folks, was directing people around the penguins and making sure no one bothered them. And, the next day, as I was heading to the bakery, sure enough there was another penguin – wondering around lost. I was able to snatch a picture of him before some of the shop keepers were able to wrangle him into a box to return to the water. It was clear to me that the people of Oamaru take extra care to ensure the penguins thrive.
After two leisurely days in Oamaru and indulging in baked goods, I departed for my next destination, Lake Takepo in the Mackenzie district- and the last of the six districts of the South Island I had yet to visit. Lake Takepo is not far from Mt. Cook, the tallest peak on the South Island, so I was headed back into mountain country, but this time approaching from the east. The drive was pleasant and the countryside continued to be dominated by agriculture, both animals and crops. As I approached Lake Takepo, alpine features started emerging- tall forests of fir trees and high meadows. The sky was blue and full of sun, turning the lake a gorgeous brilliant blue color. After I found the campground, again right on the water (!), I took a walk along the shoreline and enjoyed the vivid water colors surrounded by the spring wildflowers in orange, yellow, purple, and red which were in bloom everywhere. The village of Lake Takepo is very small (population 600 or so) but gets a lot of visitors both in summer, because of the beauty of the area, and winter, for skiing. As I walked around, it was the first time I actually felt crowded (with other tourists). There were a lot of people out and about, no doubt the weather was a factor, but I did notice a steady stream of large bus tours stopping to disgorge their passengers for an hour or two. But even with all of the extra people running around it was a relaxing place to just hang out and I spent some time at sunset trying to capture some of the dramatic reflections that danced across the water.
I managed to get a wonderful mirror reflection of sunset on the lake. This was the view from my campsite, by the way…..
The next day I headed up to Mt. Cook National Park– I had signed up for a helicopter tour of the glaciers, hoping to have better luck than when I was on the west coast. Thankfully the weather forecast looked promising so I kept my fingers crossed as I drove. It was a little over an hour drive to get to the airport to meet the helicopter and I had to stay focused as I wound along Lake Pukaki, another beautiful lake with Mt. Cook in the background, reminding myself I could stop and enjoy the views, AFTER the helicopter tour.
I did make one stop on the way to the airport for the heli tour. This is early morning light hitting Mt. Cook towering over Lake Pukaki. How could I not stop to admire that view???
The tour was for nearly an hour and it was amazing. If you are ever on the South Island I encourage you to book one. There were only three of us signed up and I had a front seat which provided me a perfect view. Our itinerary basically had us passing by all of the major glaciers and we landed and walked on the top of the Fox glacier (no clouds!). Unfortunately the Franz-Joseph glacier had clouds, but everywhere else it was brilliantly clear and absolutely stunning. I have seen some indescribable nature on this trip, but the views from the helicopter were by far the most awe-inspiring. The time passed way too quickly!
The Tasman glacier melt finds its winding path to Lake Pukaki, all clearly seen from the helicopter.
Me at the top of Fox Glacier.
When we landed I jumped in my camper van and continued west into the park to drive to a scenic outlook to view the Tasman glacier. I had seen it from the air, now I wanted to experience it from below. Again, there were a lot of people tramping around, but as the scenic lookout required hundreds of steps up a steep slope, it was not too bad on top. Other trails, that lead to the Tasman river and pools, formed by glacier melt, were more level and thus more attractive for some of the crowd. After taking in the view and trying (and failing) to imagine the scale of the glacier, I checked out the river trail, then headed back to the camper van. My goal was to retrace my steps and find a scenic lookout to stop and have lunch and just hang out and enjoy the view. I was fortunate, I found a great spot that was not occupied by anyone and pulled over, made lunch, got out my camp chair and sat for a while, soaking in the beauty.
The top of the Tasman glacier (helicopter shot…)
And the bottom of the Tasman glacier as seen from the look-out spot. There is about a meter of stone on top of the glacier, hence the black color. Also it is hard to appreciate the scale of it all from the picture.
I spent the rest of the afternoon slowly heading back towards Lake Tekapo and the campground, stopping frequently to take photos and enjoy the changing view. The whole time there were cars and camper vans coming and going on the main road. I suspect this was a bit of foreshadowing for how the peak season plays out– and if so, I was happy that I will miss it!
That night was my last night in my cozy camper van on the South Island. I cannot believe the month went by so fast. In that month I had visited all six districts of the South Island, traveling over 3000km. I did not see everything I had planned due to some of the weather issues, but probably covered 80% of my list – I guess I have to come back again to get the other 20%!
The next morning I headed back to Christchurch to turn it in and prepare for my next adventure– exploring the Queenstown area.
The drive from Te Anau to Curio Bay felt much longer than the advertised three hours even accounting for the stops I made along the way. I think one of the reasons was the fact that there was not a direct route and I was winding around on what passes for backroads in New Zealand. The scenery was beautiful though (as it has been everywhere) and I pulled off when I could to get photos. As I headed south and then east, I eventually left the mountains behind and emerged into rolling hills dotted with sheep. The landscape looked like a giant green and white polka dot tablecloth that had been rumpled and left in disarray as far as the eye could see. While sheep were the most prevalent livestock, I also ran across plenty of cows and more of the mysterious deer farms. The density of animals in the countryside was sufficient to add a permanent aroma to the air; I knew I was in the country! Like my experience on the west coast, I saw plenty of rivers draining, south in this case, towards the ocean with the accompanying one lane bridge crossings. I also saw tons of large trees that had been blown over and in many of the fields I passed there were HUGE stacks of tree limbs, a result of the post-storm cleanup. I had heard that the storm I sat through earlier (Murchison, when the roads were all getting closed on the west coast) had hit the east side of the island much harder. Seeing the number and size of the trees that were down, I believe it!
The view back towards the west as I was driving east. The countryside turned decidedly agricultural.
One of the stops I made, as I was working my way to Curio Bay, was at Gemstone Beach. If you are a rock person and you want a place to go to get a wide variety of sizes, colors and types of rocks, then Gemstone Beach is a sure bet. The whole beach is littered with stones, and the lore has it that, if you look closely and spend some time there, it is possible to find actual gemstones. When I arrived, there were several groups crouched down in the sand, looking serious about finding something. I took a walk on the beach and picked out a few stones but did not put any work into testing the rumor about gemstones. (It was super windy, like all the New Zealand beaches I have visited.)
I continued my journey, which was complicated by the fact that my map app, which had plotted my route to Curio Bay, took me via a few small towns and a gravel road. It was a bit sporty with my cell phone signal coming and going and the route markings not great, but I eventually found my way to the Curio Bay campground. The bay is a remote, picturesque bay, and I had selected it for a stop just to have some down time in a peaceful locale. So that is what I did while I was there—nothing!
Curio Bay, or part of it. It was big enough that I could not get the whole bay into one frame.
I arrived early evening, so once I got settled, I called it a day. It rained for half the day the next morning, but when the rain ended, I walked around the bay and simply just hung out and enjoyed the scenery. The water reflected multiple shades of green and some blues that were somehow still different than the blues in the sky and I spent some time fiddling with my camera, trying to capture all the vivid colors. It was a nice relaxing day—no driving, no decisions about what to do, no energy required. (I did do a little work via wi-fi to catch up on some email, but nothing that required a lot of thinking!!!)
The next morning I headed out to Dunedin, where I was staying for three nights. I meandered my way there stopping quite frequently. I really wanted to see the Cathedral Caves but, unfortunately, they were closed (indefinitely-maybe the area also sustained damage from the storm??) so I kept going to my second planned stop – the Tautuku estuary. A short walkway led out to the estuary and I enjoyed the silence for a while before heading back to the campervan and continuing my journey. I also did a short hike to Tahakopa river bay. Evidence of the bad storm was present on the trail as I had to skirt around and under multiple blown over trees. Again, on the beach I was the only one there and it was wonderful to have the whole place to myself. As I emerged from the trail, returning to the parking lot, a British couple were just getting ready to head down the path. We chatted for a bit, I filled them in on the trail, and parted ways. There were several other beautiful beaches and look out points that I visited during my journey to Dunedin- the New Zealand coastline, everywhere, is amazing!
A typical landscape — amazing greens dotted with a yellowing plant (I think it’s gorse) and the blue backdrop of the ocean. Missing from this picture are, of course- the sheep!
The campground in Dunedin was south of the city, near the Otago Peninsula, the focus of my visit. It was a bit jarring driving into the city (population 133,000) and having to deal with traffic and stop lights and so forth. I had been spoiled with all the country driving, no cars in sight most of the time. I easily found the holiday park, set up, then wandered over to the nearby beach, only to discover that people were sunning themselves and quite a few were swimming. I was a bit shocked about the swimming, especially, as the water temperature usually hovers in the 50’s (F). Yikes! With an air temperature only in the mid-60s, I doubt I would be enthusiastic about sunbathing either- and yes, it was windy. Dunedin is a university town, however, and most of the people looked like college students…. I headed back to the campervan to make some dinner and settle in with a book for the evening.
The next morning, I had planned to go to the Otago Peninsula, but glancing across the bay it looked like some low clouds were hanging out, rendering any vistas impenetrable, so I changed my plans and decided to explore Dunedin instead. The weather report guided my choice as it was predicting sun the following day- better for exploring the Peninsula. I sorted out the bus system and hopped on a bus for the short ride into the city center. Dunedin is known for its street art, the city council actively encouraging and supporting artists to adorn the sides of buildings with their creations. After grabbing a steak and cheese pie from a bakery, I went off to find the information center to see if they had a map of where to find the murals that were hidden around the city. They did and the nice gentleman who provided me the map also suggested an efficient walking route. Map in hand I set off on my urban hike to view as much of the art as I could find. It took a couple of hours, but I managed to find about 90% of what was documented on the map. Some of the art was small, elaborate graffiti type murals, while other paintings spanned the surface area of one (or more walls). If you are ever in Dunedin—get a map and check it out!
Dunedin street art. It was all very whimsical.
Another example of Dunedin street art.
As I was finishing the route, I turned a corner and there was a pub right in front of me, so I stopped for a drink and took a break from the walking. Refreshed after that interlude I decided to walk back to the campground instead of taking the bus back. The 50-minute walk was straightforward and I would pass by a grocery store, allowing me to stock up on a few things. By the time I got back to the campervan, I was ready to chill for the rest of the evening.
Thankfully the weather report did not mislead, and the sun was shining when I headed up the Otago Peninsula the next morning. I decided to head out to the furthest point on the Peninsula, which happened to be where an albatross colony was located. Apparently, Otago is one of the few places where it is possible to find albatross nesting on a mainland—they normally nest on remote islands in the south part of the southern hemisphere. (I recall seeing a colony on one of the Falkland Islands during my Antarctic cruise.) New Zealand has a conservation and protection program running for the colony, so they regulate access. As I had seen a large colony before (Falklands), I simply perused the visitor center and walked along the scenic walkway to an overlook. Even though I did not visit the albatross colony, the walkway was surrounded by a very large colony of sea gulls, so there was plenty of bird action happening.
The furthest point of the Otago Peninsula. The small tower is the observation point for the albatross colony.
The road I followed on the Peninsula wound up until the hills then down again to hug the coast. The view at the top was incredible (see featured image at the top) as I could see the whole bay and all the way out to the ocean. The bay is very shallow, which is evident when the tide is out, with a deeper channel hugging the northern shore, also evident when the tide is out. The view was super distracting while I was driving, but I forced myself to pay attention to the narrow, twisting road! Luckily there were places to pull over from time to time, which I did, to focus on getting photos that did some justice to the scenery. The one main road that runs internal to the Peninsula was closed for tree cleanup, so I probably missed some even more spectacular birds-eye views….
After leaving the albatross colony I started my return journey, but with a stop planned at the famous Larnachs castle, which sits high on a hill on the peninsula about halfway back to town. It was built in the 1870s by a banker and politician, and mimics a castle keep with an Australian architectural twist – a full veranda surrounding the main structure. It is unique in New Zealand and unfortunately had fallen to ruin until a couple bought it in the 1960s and started the restoration process. Today most of it is restored, but some work continues. The castle is surrounded by an extensive garden, which can be toured separate from the house. I spent a couple of hours exploring both the gardens and the house, including climbing up to the turret on top of the house to check out the view (of course!). By the time I left the castle it was starting to get cloudy and the wind was picking up so I headed back to the campground and settled into my cozy campervan with some wine and a book for the evening. The next day I was off to Oamaru.
Larnachs castle. Since it was architecturally a combination of a European keep wrapped in a verandah, it didn’t look like a typical castle. the interior room layout was, however, noticeably a square.
View from the turret of the castle. A low cloud was coming into the area at the time, blocking out the sun but the view was still magnificent.
Recent Comments