This is our last day on our month long trip through Australia and New Zealand. Tomorrow we fly home. Our hotel in Auckland is in the center of town and is quite lovely and the breakfast this morning was amazing! We’ve been very lucky that all of our hotels have been wonderful and the breakfasts, except for one hotel, have been excellent. But if truth be told, we do get some of the best rooms since we have traveled with Overseas Adventure Travel – Grand Circle so often.
We boarded our coach for a tour around the city, stopping first to see the Harbor Bridge. Before the bridge opened in 1959, the only way passenger vehicles could cross the harbor was by ferry which was a time consuming, expensive and thus became an infrequently made journey. Situated on the nation’s main artery (State Highway 1) more than a billion cars have travelled across the steel bridge since it was constructed.
As we traveled along, Catherine mentioned that prostitution in New Zealand is legal. There isn’t a red light district like in Amsterdam and there are no pimps. The ladies are called sex workers, they pay taxes, and usually work out of their homes.
We passed where New Zealand’s America’s Cup boat is being housed. There was a sneak peek offered to the public a few weeks ago, but for the most part, the design is a well kept secret until the race.
We passed Holy Trinity Cathedral where Sir Edmund Hillary was buried from. Sir Hillary was a mountaineer and an explorer and he and his Sherpa became the first climbers to have reached the summit of Mount Everest. He led an amazing life and Allan and I are members of the Sir Edmund Hillary club with Overseas Adventure Travel since we have travelled so often with them.
The next stop was to Bastion Point (you can google about its interesting history) and then on to Auckland Domain WinterGarden. The gardens were spectacular, with many gorgeous flowers that I have never seen. The display changes regularly within the glass houses, but the flowers blooming at this time were truly rare. One glass house is heated and shows lush tropical and heat-loving plants while the other house displays temperate plants changing with the seasons. There also is a fern area that is dense with different types of ferns and trees.
We went back to the hotel to spend an afternoon on our own before the Farewell Dinner tonight. Allan and I walked around since it was a lovely sunny day, after this morning’s sprinkle of rain.
At 5:30 we all took the ferry over to enjoy the Farewell Dinner. We had a lot of laughs and we were sorry that our time together is ending. You really get to know people very well, being with them every day for a month. It was a good group and we traveled well together.
We went back to the hotel and Catherine gave a recap of our time together. It’s amazing to realize all the wonderful adventures we had here in New Zealand. The country is beautiful with its volcanoes, glaciers, meadows, beaches, and of course the majestic mountains that were covered in snow.
Catherine gave each of us a little gift and a written award to go with it, highlighting something that we did that she remembered that she thought was great. Allan got shot glasses and his award read “The award for being able to say he actually fit in a hobbit’s house!” I received a lovely woven little bag and my award read “The award for being a wahine toa and making it through the nighttime tree walk!” Too funny! BTW… wahine toa means warrior woman. Yep…that’s me!!
Harbor Bridge
Building where the New Zealand’s America’s Cup boat is housed.
Yesterday, we had a long drive to visit our last city on this fabulous tour, Auckland, the most populous city in New Zealand.
On the coach Catherine mentioned again over the microphone how proud she was that I overcame a fear and conquered the swing bridge in the Redwood Forest. Everyone cheered! I said, “I’m still recovering…but thank you!” Too funny.
Our first stop was the Arapuni Swing Bridge, (yes…a swing bridge) located not far from the Arapuni power station. It has a span of 499 feet and is 178 feet above the gorge. I went to the bridge to see if I could walk across it. Yeah…no!!! The bridge was bouncing, the view to the bottom was death defying, and I only went one foot on it and turned around. Allan did go partway out to take a quick photo. The bridge was built in the 1920’s to allow workers access to the power station construction site.
Our next stop was Sanctuary Mountain that has one of New Zealand’s largest fenced in eco-sanctuaries and one of the world’s longest pest-proof fences. It is the habitat of many endangered wildlife.
Our guide explained how the fence works to keep predators out of the forest so that the endangered wildlife will have a chance at survival. Xcluder is the factory that manufactures the fencing and after many trials, they built a fence that does not allow pests to jump over, climb over, dig under, or get through. Here are some fence facts that were on a sign at the Sanctuary:
The fence includes more than 850,000 staples, 50,000 battens, 8,500 three metre posts and 240km of high tensile wire
An electronic surveillance system operates 24 hours per day to detect fence breaches
The volunteer effort in maintaining the fence and monitoring pests involves more than 250 hours per month and the equivalent of 37 full time staff. If the fence has been breached, a volunteer is there within 90 minutes to catch the intruder.
The kiwi in the sanctuary were endangered at first, but now, the kiwi living in the forest have multiplied and the forest is now overpopulated with them. This year the sanctuary is going to have 300 kiwi moved to other conservation projects around the North Island. This is a world first in terms of scale and complexity.
Before we were allowed to enter the forest, we had to brush off our shoes and walk on a box that splashed water on the bottom of our shoes to clean them. Then only a few of us could go into a kind of cage-like area at a time. As we entered, we had to close the door before we opened the next door to enter the forest. This was so that pests outside the fence couldn’t sneak in with us.
Our guide was wonderful as we hiked through the forest with its gorgeous foliage, ferns, huge trees, and birds singing all throughout. Often our guide would pause and we all remained quiet so we could hear the chattering of the avian life. We heard kiwi as well as ruru, kaka, and many other bird calls. Our guide pointed out unusual mushrooms, fungi, berries, and told us about a tree (can’t remember the name) whose leaf can be used for toilet paper in the bush. Years ago, since the leaf has a whitish back, people used it as a postcard and mailed it, but the post office no longer allows that practice.
We had a nice lunch and then it was on the bus for the ride to Auckland. On the way, Catherine talked about the government in New Zealand and about taxes etc. People think New Zealand doesn’t have taxes, but that isn’t true. There’s something called a pay rate that goes for maintenance for the parks, rubbish collection, roads, etc. That tax is paid to the local government. The income tax is a separate tax that goes toward education and medical care.
Schools are rated 1-10 with 1 being in the poorest of the poor areas to 10 being the affluent areas. The lower number school gets subsidized by the government and the children get extra curricular schooling, breakfast and lunch programs, books and anything they need for the kids to succeed. The #10 schools… parents raise money on their own with fundraisers as they do not receive monies from the government. The money raised goes towards helping the kids study abroad, extracurricular activities, etc. Sadly, the #1 school kids have it tough and some just drop out because their parents are so poor, they don’t have the incentive to help their kids succeed.
Between 1970 and 1982, if a child had an accident or became incapacitated, the child was forcibly taken from the parents and put into a psychiatric facility, even if the child had no mental problems. The children were given shock treatments and were abused, and neither the parent nor the child had a voice. Catherine spoke from experience as her younger brother was hit by a car when he was 6. He was paralyzed on one side. The government took him and put him in a psych ward and he was given shock treatments. Visiting was very limited, so her parents were not able to do anything for him. Her brother died in the facility and now she is a member of a group that monitors asylums to make sure what happened years ago never happens again.
We passed a lot of cattle on the way and we noticed that some of the cattle had orange paint on their backsides. Catherine told us that the farmers castrate some of their bulls. They also paint the tails of the cows orange. This tail painting can be a reliable tool to tell when a cow is in heat. Even though the bull is castrated, he will still want to mount the cow and then the paint rubs off the cow telling the farmer she’s in heat. The farmer then paints that cow green…meaning she’s good to go and the farmer brings in a bull that hasn’t been castrated to do the job. Tail paint apparently is a tried, tested and proven method and one I had never heard of before.
We finally arrived in Auckland which is a very busy city. Lots of people and traffic. High priced stores like Bulgari, Patek Philippe, Dior, and many more. We took a short walk around and then went to a restaurant called Occidental for a delicious dinner of green-lipped mussels. Allan and I also enjoyed a dark stout beer.
Today we have a tour of the city by coach and we then have the rest of the day free to explore. Our Farewell Dinner will be tonight, so I will write about today’s happening later tonight.
I meant to mention that when we started our New Zealand tour, our guide Catherine gave us some fruit that grows in her garden. It’s called feijoas. The fruit is sweet and tart and is similar to the guava family, but I tasted pineapple in it. It was juicy and quite good.
Also, I spoke with Catherine about the Maori face tattooing and she said they really only do ink tattoos these days and do not do the face cutting anymore. First, it is a barbaric practice and second, the people who were doing it are no longer around to teach the practice. In Australia, the Aborigines still do it, but it is restricted to Arnhem Land.
By the way, all is fine with our hotel room. They fixed the heat and the temp is perfect. Also, the weather has been amazing. We’ve had sunny days and beautiful autumn temps. It’s been a perfect time of year to be here.
One of my favorite opera singers is Kiri Te Kanawa who was born in New Zealand to a Māori butcher. The butcher was already married, so Kiri was given up for adoption to a Ngati Maniapoto family. She was trained in operatic singing by a nun and went on to earn international acclaim.
This morning we started our day visiting the Waimangu Volcanic Rift Valley, the world’s youngest geothermal system. This hydrothermal system was created on June 10, 1886 by the volcanic eruption of Mount Tarawera. 7 small villages were lost and 105 lives were lost. All plant, bird and animal life were lost as well.
The eruption affected Lake Roromahana and the area is now a major tourist attraction. It contains Frying Pan Lake which is the largest hot spring in the world and Inferno Crater Lake, the largest geyser-like feature in the world although you can’t see the geyser since it is at the bottom if the lake.
After the volcanic eruption, when everything was wiped out, the now native forest is the only New Zealand example of a re-establishing of vegetation without any human planting. It truly is remarkable.
We hiked all through the area, sometimes walking on the edge of the crater. The foliage was magnificent and so amazing to know that Mother Nature did this all on her own without the help of humans planting the seeds.
After our hike we boarded a boat and cruised Lake Rotomahana (warm lake). This was once a very small lake but after the 1886 eruption of Mt. Tarawera, it became 20 times its original size, combining with Lake Rotomakariri (cold lake), thus becoming the regions deepest lake.
There were Pink and White Terraces that were natural formations once labeled the 8th Wonder of the World. People travelled from afar to New Zealand to see these amazing terraces that we now can only see in photos since they are below Lake Rotomahana.
We cruised past the steaming cliffs where the hot springs are evident in the mountainside and we stayed in one area for a few minutes to witness a geyser spewing hot water and steam. The boat tour times it so we were able to be right in front of the geyser when it let go. It was pretty spectacular.
We had lunch and then some of us took a bus to visit the Hobbiton Movie set.
Peter Jackson had looked for a perfect location for the Lord of the Rings films, and he found it during a helicopter flight as he searched the countryside in New Zealand for the ideal spot. He saw it when he flew over Alexander Farm, a 1,250 acre sheep farm.
As the story goes, Jackson approached Mr Alexander with a knock on his door, but Mr. Alexander was watching a rugby game and wasn’t pleased with the interruption. Fortunately, it was just about half time, so the two men sat down and worked out the how-tos and wherewithals and a deal was made to use the farm for the filming. Mr Alexander had never read the novels, but I’m sure with the way the novels are timeless and Hobbiton is so popular, he is very happy he stopped viewing the rugby game to make the deal with Jackson.
After suitable negotiations, work commenced in transforming part of the farm into sets for Hobbiton and the other parts of Tolkien’s Shire. Heavy equipment was moved in by the New Zealand Army and 37 hobbit holes with gardens etc were created.
It was a huge undertaking. Generators were installed, sewage had to be dealt with, and feeding of over 400 cast and crew had to be undertaken. They even took all the apples off a huge apple tree on the farm and replaced it with fake plums so that the film was true to the story…since a plum tree was in the writings. Also, during filming, the man-made pond became the home of some bull frogs and at times, the actors couldn’t hear each other because the frogs were so loud. The frogs had to be collected and relocated to another pond on the farm.
The original set wasn’t built to last, but in 2010, the set was reconstructed to a permanent basis for the filming of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and Ian McKellen came back as Gandalf and was joined on location by Martin Freeman.
There are now 44 hobbit holes on view although it is only possible to enter a few of them, all of which have small, unfinished, earth-walled interiors. The homes are built to one of three different scales. In addition to the smallest ones built to the correct size (hobbits are smaller than humans), some are built to a larger scale to make the hobbit actors appear smaller, and some have been constructed in a “dwarf” scale for scenes containing dwarves. Apart from a few exceptions, the color of the front door indicates the scale, for example hobbit holes with a blue door are built to the correct human size.
It was so wonderful to walk around where the filming took place and listen as our guide told us all the little intricacies of the Shire.
After the tour we stopped into the Green Dragon and had a beer. It was a magical afternoon.
We had a delicious dinner and then it was off to bed since we have a big travel day tomorrow to Auckland.
The Hobbit house was so much fun to go through. More pics below.
Peter Jackson said about the set… “It seems as if you could open the circular green door of Bag End and find Bilbo Baggins inside”.
Well, for the first time, even though our room is brand new, there are bugs to be worked out. When we arrived, the heat was blasting and we couldn’t shut it off. We called maintenance last night and they came and apparently shut it off. So all through the night, we had no heat since if we turned the thermostat to any setting, cold air spewed out.
We went to breakfast hoping to warm up, but since a conference is going on, we were put in the semi-outdoor area which was really cold. There was a heater but it didn’t cast much warmth. The food was a bit cold and the coffee was really, really strong so I had a cup of tea to warm up. And since the area has sliding doors to separate the cold from the heated area, there was a gully where the doors slid along and, of course, as I was trying to get my friend over under the heater, I twisted my bad foot in the gully. OUCH!!!!
We had the front desk guy in to try to fix the heat since it’s either boiling or freezing. He said he’d have to get maintenance because he agreed…for some reason it was either hot or cold…nothing in between.
Then I showed him how the towel rack pulls off the wall. His expression was hilarious as his eyes almost bugged out of his head and he said “OH WOW!!!! Never saw that before!!” Hopefully all will be fixed when we get back later today.
We boarded our bus and everyone wore masks as many people have come down with some kind of bug…fever, coughing, and feeling miserable. The rest of us are hoping we don’t catch it.
We visited The National Kiwi Hatchery this morning and learned all about kiwi, the icon of New Zealand. The kiwi hatchery is the largest and most successful kiwi hatchery in the world and is the leader in kiwi husbandry, egg incubation systems, hatching techniques, and kiwi chick rearing.
Kiwi tend to live in pairs, forming monogamous couples. These bonds are generally till death and have been known to last over 30 years. About every third day, the pair will shelter in the same burrow together. The relationship tends to be quite volatile and physical, the female generally calling the shots over her smaller partner. Kiwi are more mammalian than bird-like in that they have a belly button and they have an umbilical cord. The eggs of the kiwi are very large and would be the equivalent of a human giving birth to a three year old. The egg takes up about 20% of the mother’s mass. And most times, the kiwi has two eggs brewing at once.
After the kiwi hatch, the mom leaves and the dad sits on the egg. (I’d leave too after birthing a three year old!!!!) The dad kicks the egg with his foot to turn it, sits on it, and keeps kicking and sitting on the egg until it finally hatches which can take about 80 days. The mom eventually comes back when the chick has hatched and has gone on its own and the dad and the mom mate again.
After the baby is hatched, it sleeps for 48 hours and doesn’t have to be fed since it has already received nourishment from the yoke of the egg.
The eggs and the baby kiwi are very vulnerable and are eaten by possum and other animals in the forest. Only about 5% of the kiwi survive in the wild. Dogs that are not on leashes are particularly lethal to the kiwi since they enjoy eating both the egg and the chicks. In 1987 a dog was loose in Waitangi State forest. For six weeks it rampaged through the forest killing every kiwi it encountered. By the time the dog was found, perhaps as many as 500 of the 1000 kiwi living there had been slaughtered.
The kiwi is the only bird in the world that has nostrils at the end of its beak. It can sniff out its food below the surface.
At the hatchery, we learned how the volunteers look for eggs in the wild and bring them back to the hatchery. They candle the egg to make sure there is a chick inside and then they incubate the egg, turning it 4 times a day while waiting for it to hatch. The kiwi doesn’t use its beak to peck out of its shell but rather uses its shoulders and legs. This takes about five days.
After the chick is hatched, it is taken care of until it is old enough to survive in the wild, and volunteers then put the kiwi back in the area of the forest where the egg was found.
We walked through the kiwi nocturnal house. They keep it very dark since the kiwi have sensitive eyes and can’t see very well. We weren’t allowed to take photos while in the house. We did see a few kiwi and the guide said we were lucky because sometimes, they are in their burrow and do not come out.
It is the end of the hatching season so there was only one egg in the hatchery, but its shell was cracked so it was in the ICU area and we couldn’t see it. They actually put duct tape around the shell to try to save a chick whose shell has been cracked or broken.
We did see one chick that was already quite large and he would eventually be out back into the forest. Some kiwi are about the size of a chicken.
It was very interesting learning all about kiwi and it was truly a unique experience.
After we visited the hatchery, we went to an authentic Māori village in Ohinemutu, home to the Ngāti Whakaue tribe.
Our guide Nicky (his Māori name was too long to remember) guided us around. He told us all about how the Māori live and how they use the geothermal resources to cook and to bathe which they have done for centuries. His family goes back 35 generations and his grandmother now owns most of the land. He is considered a chief. Catherine chose one of the men in our group, Tom, to be our chief, and Tom greeted Nicky and told him that we came in peace and we were honored to meet with him and to hear about his ways and his life. Nicky said a prayer and then we sang a song to him that we had been practicing. The words were:
Te avoha. (Love). Te Whakapeno. (Hope). Me te rangimarie. (Peace). Tatou tatou e. (For all of us)
Then some of the group performed the hongi, the traditional Māori greeting performed by two people pressing their noses together and then deep breathing as one. The greeting is used at traditional meetings among Māori people, and at major ceremonies, such as a pōwhiri.
Traditionally, men receive a Mataora tattoo on their face – as a symbol of nobility. As māori believe the head is the most sacred part of the body, facial tattoos have special significance. Moko kauae is received by women on their lips and chin. A moko kauae represents a woman’s whānau and leadership within her community, recognizing her whakapapa, status, and abilities. Nicky did not have any facial tattoos as of yet, but he has decided on who he wants to do the tattooing and what he wanted tattooed on his face. He has already bonded with the tattoo artist, since both of them have tragically lost their brothers recently.
I believe I already posted about how the face is cut into the design the Māori wants on his or her face. The first cut is deep and when that heals it is cut again in the same area. After it is done a third time, the ink is then put into the areas that were cut, making permanent markings. The modern tool is a needle, although some artists alternate between traditional and modern methods. While the needle is faster and more precise, hand tools bring the ritual more in line with how it was done traditionally. I should have asked what method Nicky was going to have done.
We did see a Māori with the tattoos today and he played some music for us. This apparently was a rare and unplanned encounter, so we were lucky to be able to talk and listen to him.
We walked around the village and went into the Anglican Church and also saw the numerous areas where the geothermal gases are being released. One part of the sidewalk was cracked recently where the gases were escaping.
We enjoyed lunch in the cafe that is run by the Ngāti Whakaue. I had a delicious decaf cappuccino. We bid Nicky goodbye. He had us bow our heads and he said a prayer before we left, thanking God for the beautiful day and for meeting with us and sharing his life with us.
From there we went to the Whakarewarewa Forest, where a diverse range of exotic tree species and native undergrowth reside. The forest is most well known for its stand of Californian Coast Redwoods. They were truly magnificent to see as they all competed in height to tower over each other. We saw ferns and palm trees and the walk was just lovely. The forest path had rocks and tree roots all throughout, which wasn’t the greatest for my wonky foot, but I soldiered on and when I got back to the hotel, I took some Advil and Tylenol and rested so I could participate in tonight’s night canopy walk.
Redwoods Nightlights is one of New Zealand’s top places to visit. We had been there this afternoon of course, walking through the redwoods, but tonight promised a walk ABOVE all the trees. 9 meters high off the ground… which is 3 stories….30 feet!!! WTF was I thinking????? I have a terrible fear of heights and actually can only go up two steps on a ladder. Catherine said since it will be dark, I won’t see how high up we are. NOT!!!! I could see everything and after I went up the circular ramp which went up and up and up and started on the first swing bridge, I was hyperventilating and pretty freaking scared. But you can’t go back…so on I went, clutching the side rails and praying it would soon be over.
It apparently was beautiful they tell me… with 34 lanterns designed by a world-renowned designer…David Trubridge. But I hardly saw anything since I just wanted to get down on terra firma. The walk over the swing bridges is almost 3,000 feet long with 27 platforms where mercifully, I could stop and catch my breath. There were 28 suspension bridges and it took about an hour to complete. I had more fun having my wisdom teeth out. I barely looked at the light display and the lanterns.
So all in all, between my wonky foot, the terror of the Redwood Night Walk, and the problems this morning with the heater, the day was not the best. Catherine said she was so proud of me, as was Allan, that I did something that was really out of my comfort range.
We returned from the night walk and went directly to the bar. That should sum it all up!
Kiwi and egg on display in the hatchery
Nicky our Māori guide
St Michael’s Anglican Church in the Māori village
A Māori who we had the opportunity to speak with.
Whakarewarewa Forest
Very poisonous fern to touch
People would pull off the fronds and lay them in the forest so they could find their way back. The fronds almost glow like silver.
Beautiful trees all throughout the forest
Carved from red wood trees
Entrance to the forest
The night walk in the daylight
The swing bridge
My cappuccino at the Māori village
Our group in the redwood forest. Look at that trunk!!!!
Today was a travel day. We flew first to Wellington and then on to Rotorua where we will be staying for three nights. Rotorua has about 77,000 residents and 75% are Māori.
When we were in the Wellington airport, we ate lunch while we waited for our next flight. Catherine said that O.A.T used to spend a few days in Wellington, but they don’t anymore since the feedback the company received was to stay longer in Queenstown and Rotorua. I’m so happy they changed it since Queenstown was wonderful and the four days we stayed there were fabulous.
Catherine has asked us to start conversations with the locals and she gave us questions to ask. 1. What do you love about New Zealand? 2. What is your favorite food? 3. What would you like to see changed in the country. I’ve been busy asking the questions and so far, these are the answers:
The people, the beauty of the country, nature
Pasta, Lamb, Rice and Chicken, BBQ
I’m happy with the government now, I’d love to see the rivers cleaned of algae, I’d like the government to allow people who have two homes to let the homeless live in one while the residents were at the other home.
Interesting answers to the questions. And today in the airport, the lady I was speaking to said New Zealanders can’t believe that with so many people living in the United States, how can Trump and Biden be the candidates for president? Interesting.
We boarded our plane which was a turboprop and the flight was great. Instead of seeing the mountains and glaciers of the South Island, we flew over volcano and geothermal terrain on the North Island. There is geothermal activity all over caused by the underground thermal springs and you can smell the sulfur in the air.
Our coach took us to the Government Gardens that are near our hotel and we also saw the Rachel Spring. The Rachel Spring (Whangapipiro) is a geothermal pool that is a popular attraction for visitors to Rotorua. The pool is smaller than other thermal springs in the area. The flowers in the Government garden are blooming since Rotorua is warmer in climate than Queenstown was. It was in the 30’s when we left the South Island and now we are in the 60’s. There is a thermal Polynesian spa within walking distance to our hotel, and you can choose to soak in the public bath or have a private couples room. We’ll have to see if we have time to partake.
Our hotel room is beautiful…brand new. They are refurbishing all the rooms so we are lucky to have one of the newly refurbished rooms.
We had a delicious dinner and then it was off to bed. We have a busy day tomorrow.
I added a photo below of the rainbow that arched across the waterfall during our cruise yesterday. So lovely. Also, I found out today that it rains in Milton Sound more than 270 days a year, so we were so extraordinary lucky to have such a beautiful sunny day.
Yesterday I mentioned purchasing a winter hat. A few days ago, I purchased a beautiful shawl, made of the same material…merino wool, possum fur, and silk. I told you in a previous post how the possums are decimating the wildlife and the land in New Zealand. They came from Australia and were introduced to New Zealand in the 1860’s to start a fur trade there. The population got out of hand quickly, and now the possums are hunted, poisoned, trapped and shot and conservationists are seeking alternative solutions to rid the country of these pests. They eat the birds eggs so the birds are in danger of becoming extinct. There are currently over 47.6 million possums in New Zealand.
In the meantime, scientists have discovered that possum fur cannot be knitted like Merino wool, but it is hollow and holds warmth very well and it never freezes. They realized it can be incorporated with Merino wool to make beautiful garments. It takes about 18 possums to provide 39 lbs of fur and when combined with the Merino wool, the outcome is outstanding! My items are 53% Merino wool, 40% possum fur, and 7% silk. They are warm, soft, and just beautiful. So for now, possums that have been hunted or trapped are used for at least some good.
We were able to sleep in today and enjoy a leisurely breakfast. We did a bit of laundry and then at 12:30 we walked over to get the coach for our adventure of the day: Jet boating on the Dart River!!
We had about a 45 minute ride to where the jet boats leave from, traveling all along Lake Wakatipu and enjoying the beautiful mountains. We were bundled up with lots of layers since Catherine said it would be windy and cold on the water.
We arrived at the town of Glenorchy where we would depart from in our jet boat. Glenorchy is a little town with 400 residents. The jet boat folks gave us heavy rain slickers and life jackets and we were also given gators for around our neck that we were told to pull over the top of our heads so that we could tuck our sunglass frames inside so the sunglasses didn’t blow away.
We boarded the jet boat and were given safety instructions and then…we were off. It was exhilarating and a lot of fun!!! Our pilot Pedro did 360 degree spins in the water every now and again, letting us know he was going to do one by circling his hand above his head. He had to navigate the shallow waters and the rocks and we zipped through and around curves, holding on for dear life. The handle bars we held onto were heated, so that made our gloves nice and cozy.
Pedro stopped every now and then to make sure we were all okay and hadn’t turned chartreuse, and he would then tell us about the mountain and the areas where parts of The Lord of the Rings was filmed. He also told us he came from Brazil but fell in love with a kiwi girl and didn’t want to leave this beautiful country. He’s been driving the jet boats for about four years.
According to Wikipedia, “A jet-boat is a boat propelled by a jet of water ejected from the back of the craft.” It differs from a powerboat in that it does not use a propeller that sits under the water. It draws water into a pump inside the boat and then expels it. It rides along the surface of the water for the most part.
In the 1950’s in New Zealand, a Kiwi by the name of Sir William (Bill) Hamilton, developed the Hamilton Jet unit. You can read more about him in one of the photos posted below.
We were out in the jet boat for about two hours, cruising between the beautiful mountains and enjoying the ride. It was a fabulous adventure!
We came back around 5:15 and went to dinner with the group at 6:15. We have flights tomorrow to the North Island flying first to Wellington and then on to Rotorua.
Seeing the South Island of New Zealand has been amazing! Christchurch, Canterbury, Otago, Milford Sound, Queenstown! Just fabulous! Looking forward to seeing what the North Island adventures will be.
Below – The rainbow on the waterfall during yesterday’s cruise in Milford Sound.
Sunrise this morning in Queenstown
Our friend Sharon caught a photo of an Aotearoa in flight. Great pic!!!
Along the Wakatipu River
Black swans with their cygnets
The peak in the distance was in Lord of the Rings.
The pilot has to avoid the rocks. The waters are very shallow.
My Merino wool, possum fur, and silk hat and shawl.
Just want to mention before I talk about today’s fabulous adventure… The views from the gondola yesterday were really beautiful. I guess I was so giddy after going up such a steep incline, I forgot to mention how spectacular the panarama was that was spread before us when we reached the top. It was really amazing!
An interesting fact about New Zealand’s wildlife… Sheep, goats, deer, etc. have all been brought into the country over the years. The only indigenous mammals in New Zealand are the bat and marine mammals.
Today we saw a kea parrot. The Kea is the world’s only alpine parrot and lives in the high mountains of New Zealand. They are beautiful to see, and are highly intelligent. They have been known to turn on water taps and once one Kea locked a mountaineer inside an outdoor bathroom. However, they can cause a lot of damage to cars… Particularly to the tires as they like to peck on them to sharpen their beaks, thus shredding the tires.
We started our day very early… Eating breakfast at 6:30 and on our coach at 7 for the long drive to the west coast of the south island…to visit Milford Sound which is 173 miles from Queenstown, traveling the Milford Road.
The Milford Road is much more than just a way to get to Milford Sound. This was an amazing journey through Fiordland National Park. We passed through magnificent glaciers, valleys that were carved by glaciers, waterfalls, clear ice blue rivers that looked like the waters of Antarctica, and of course rainforests… All in one journey.
We crossed through the Main Divide of the Southern Alps and the highest point we climbed to was 3,083 feet. It began to snow and we watched as the beautiful mountains were covered in a blanket of white and the valleys were filled with snow. It was early in the season for this to take place, so we were extremely lucky to be able to see it.
As our journey began upon leaving Queenstown, we passed Lake Wakatipu. Lake Wakatipu has a ‘tide’ or actually a seiche, which causes the water to rise and fall about 4″ every 25 minutes or so. Maori legend thought a monster named Matau, was sleeping under the lake and it was his heartbeat causing the rise of the water. Apparently, Lake Geneva has this same phenomenon. We didn’t have time to witness the seiche ourselves, but visitors do sit at the waters edge and have fun timing it. It’s a pretty reliable rise of water every 25 minutes.
We passed hay bales in the pastures and everyone calls them marshmallow fields because the bales are wrapped in white plastic and look like giant marshmallows. Some bales are wrapped in pink plastic and some in blue. The farmers buy these colors especially for breast and prostate cancer awareness and the extra money they pay to purchase the colored plastic is donated to those causes.
We continued our journey through Fiordland National Park which was made by glaciers 100,000 years ago. There are waterfalls streaming down the mountains, a rainforest, lakes, and fiords. It is a beautiful passage to Milford Sound, with something different to see every few miles.
We made a pit stop at Te Anau, known as the gateway to the fiords and we enjoyed a coffee and did some quick shopping. I bought a really nice merino, possum, and silk hat to keep me warm.
We got out of the coach to stretch our legs at Mirror Lake and we walked along the boardwalk through the beautiful woods. Unfortunately, it was raining so we weren’t able to see the reflections of the mountains that make Mirror Lake so famous.
We went on our way and entered the Eglinton Valley. It was carved out by glaciers thousands of years ago. Beech trees line the valley and there is beautiful tussock grass below. I actually saw effects of a beech landslide that I mentioned in a previous post.
It started to snow and the mountains were covered very quickly in a winter wonderland of beauty. It was awe-inspiring standing before the towering mountains and looking up and feeling so insignificant. The scenery looked like a postcard. We couldn’t believe how beautiful it was.
We passed through Homer Tunnel which is a 1.2 miles tunnel through solid rock. It took over 19 years to complete and before it was built, there was no access road to Milford Sound. The tunnel passes through Darran Mountain.
We also stopped to view Mt. Tutoko, thought to be named after a Maori chief. It is the highest peak in Fiordland National Park – 8,934 feet. We were able to see the peak as we gazed up since suddenly the clouds parted.
We found ourselves in a beautiful rainforest as we traveled through Cleddau Valley and then we finally arrived at Milford Sound and boarded our boat.
Upon going aboard, we enjoyed a box lunch and a glass of wine, and then we went up on deck to view the cliffs, the glacial valleys, and waterfalls. The Milford Sound is apparently one of New Zealand’s most visited sights. We saw dolphins as we cruised along, but did not see any penguins that are sometimes there, as they had not yet migrated back from Antarctica.
The sun was shining and the sights were amazing. Palisade Falls, Bowen Falls, and Stirling Falls. The boat goes up close to Stirling Falls and you get covered with the mist. Legend says that the waterfall’s mist makes people look younger. I was drenched in the mist so you probably won’t recognize me tomorrow as I’ll look so young!!
The boat went into the Tasman Sea for a bit and then turned around and sailed back to port. It was a two hour cruise and we all enjoyed it immensely.
We boarded our coach for the long ride back to our hotel and arrived at 7:45 and had a bite to eat.
It was a fabulous day…Long, but absolutely wonderful.
On our way to Milford Sound
Seeing the sunrise on the way to Milford Sound over Lake Wakatipu.
The marshmallow field. Photo below is the beech tree landslide evident on the mountain with the tussock grass in the field below.
Mirror Lake
And suddenly…. it’s snowing!!
The snow on the mountains was magnificent! Looked like a postcard.
Mt. Tutoko
We took a side trip to the Swiss Alps! No… Just an unforgettable stop in Fiordland National Park.
Spectacular!!!
The rainforest
Our boat on Milford Sound. And suddenly… The sun is out!
Sailing through the fjord to the Tasman Sea
Two of the many waterfalls
Approaching the sea. This is where a glacier, a rainforest, and the sea all meet at the same time!
Entering the Tasman Sea.
The Stirling waterfall. The boat went very close to it and we all felt the mist on our faces.
April 25 is the National Day of Remembrance in both Australia and New Zealand, honoring the war veterans and those who gave their lives in all the wars that both countries have fought in. Most places are closed today and there were wreath laying ceremonies all over the area.
Before we left for today’s itinerary, we looked out the window and saw a double rainbow arch across the sky. It has been raining hard, but when we were ready to leave the hotel, the sun came out.
Our tour group took the public bus to Arrowtown, a historic gold mining town in the Otago region. It is located on the banks of the Arrow River where scenes from The Lord of the Rings were filmed. There are still many well preserved buildings there that were used by the European and Chinese immigrants who settled during the town’s gold mining era. There was an original miner’s cabin as well as the original pharmacy building, which remains a pharmacy today.
Arrowtown highlights the contribution of Chinese gold miners to the region. Their living conditions were generally poor during the gold rush and most of the Chinese miners spoke very little English. They stayed to themselves, worked hard, but were not treated kindly. The local paper in 1883 had the headline “Almond Eyed Leprosy Tainted Filthy Chinamen!”. And went on to say “that for the past week, Arrowtown has been the center of attraction for about 200 Chinese who have made night hideous with their exploding crackers and their disgusting presence felt in more ways than one.”
The Chinese went to New Zealand because they wanted to strike it rich in the gold mines, but their determination, despite the racism and resentments that they endured, left an enduring strength and respect with the New Zealand nation and in 2002, the then prime minister Helen Clark, formally apologized for the discriminations that took place during the gold rush.
Arrowtown holds its annual autumn festival in April each year and we were lucky to be there on the day the festivities began. This year marks the 39th festival edition.
The movie Lord of the Rings put the New Zealand production company Wingnut on the map. Up until then, they were producing horror films that were not well received, but after the success of Lord of the Rings, they went on to produce The Lovely Bones, The Adventures of TinTin, The Hobbit, and The Beatles: Get Back.
Allan and I decided to take the public bus back into town, and not stay for the festivities, since there was a lot of walking involved and my foot wasn’t feeling up to it.
Before we boarded the bus, I used the bathroom facility in Arrowtown. That was an experience!!!! You wait outside the door until the green light comes on and then you walk into your private bathroom and press the inside button. The door closes and a voice says “Door is now locked. You have 10 minutes until an alarm goes off and the door will open.”Yikes! Then there’s a sign above the toilet that reads that the toilet won’t flush until you start to wash your hands in the sink on the wall. Soap is dispensed, water comes out, the toilet flushes, and then you dry your hands on the fan. You press the button to exit and voila…that’s it! It was pretty cool.
We boarded the bus and asked the bus driver to drop us at the Old Courthouse on Ballarat Street. He had no idea what we meant and so he said he’d drop us at the town square. Of course, we had no clue what that meant. Allan could see the stops that we were approaching on the screen next to the driver, so we waited for Ballarat Street to appear. It never did. The driver never told us where to get off and as we passed by the Old Courthouse, we realized we missed our stop. We had to walk back a few blocks to get to the Skyline Gondola, an adventure we decided to take since it was such a beautiful and sunny day.
Given my fear of heights, this really was out of my comfort zone. The Gondola rises to a height of 1,476 feet and is the steepest cable car lift in the Southern Hemisphere!!!!
And….It was REALLY steep… And my legs were jelly by the time we arrived at the top. We went out to the viewing platform but I could only take a few pics since I didn’t even like being outside and being up so high.
We had a quick bite to eat up at the top in the cafeteria and then we headed back down in the Gondola, during which you could REALLY get the effect of the steepness. There was a sign inside the car that said don’t worry if the gondola slows down or stops. Everything will be okay. Yeah! If that gondola stopped midway, I probably would have passed out.
Fortunately, all went according to plan and we wound up on terra firma. But believe me…I won’t be ziplining anytime soon!!!
We all went out for pizza tonight and it really was very good. It’s an early to bed since we are on the road tomorrow at 7 am for a very busy day!
The toilet experience
Arrowtown Autumn Festival with the street lights festooned in autumnal array.
Gorgeous autumn day
One is the original miner’s cabins
Outdoor privy from the gold mining era. Hmmmm… No door???
The Skyline Gondola
Standing on the viewing platform
We wore our poppies to show solidarity in honoring the veterans on this solemn day.
New Zealand has three official languages: Maori, English, and sign language. Maori was often spoken by government officials until the 1870s, when the use of it declined due to the increase of the European population. In 1867 the Native Schools Act banned the speaking of Maori in the schools. The language was almost totally lost due to that Act, but a Maori language revitalization began in the late 20th century and that has helped slow the decline. A major protest in the 70’s caused greater awareness and now the language has resurfaced. The language is now taught in the schools beginning in kindergarten which has helped increase the number of native speakers.
This morning we checked out of our hotel and drove back to Christchurch to take our flight to Queenstown.
It was a beautiful day and we drove back over the Southern Alps, stopping at different places along the way. We saw where filming had taken place for The Chronicles of Narnia which was pretty cool to see.
The scenery along the way was absolutely magnificent. Autumn is the perfect time to be here…the leaves are changing colors and the temperature is very pleasant – not the hot temps of the summer months.
On the way, Catherine told us about the school teachers in the 1900’s. The men did not have to sign a contract, but the women did. The women’s contract said: 1. They could not smoke. 2. They could not marry. 3. They couldn’t be in a carriage unless accompanied by a member of their family. 4. They agree to get to the schoolhouse early and start the wood heaters and erase and clean the blackboards – not only for their classrooms, but also for the mens. 5. Their dresses had to be below the ankle. 6. And no loitering in front of an ice cream store. (Now that one is just cruel and unusual punishment!!!)
We stopped for a break at the Otira Cafe and Bar. What a crazy place! The guy collects antiquities and his entire place was filled with all kinds of wild and crazy things… And he was just as crazy. He cooks food with a parrot on his shoulder that nibbles on his ear. I’m sure if the Board of Health came in, the place would be shut down in an instant!
The guy wasn’t very nice either. I bought a honey, ginger, lemon tea and he said it would be $6 (as the parrot squawked on his shoulder). I said, “But the sign says $5.” He says, “Oh, Ok. I forgot.” So Allan gives him $10 and I walk away while Allan waits for his change. Unbeknownst to me the guy gives Allan $5 back and then says, “And you owe me a dollar!!”. What a wheeler dealer!
We traveled further along and stopped for lunch at a very popular kiwi pie place. They had all kinds of pies. I had the chicken one and Allan had the steak and mushroom one. The kiwi pies are delicious with flaky crusts and savory fillings. They are very popular in New Zealand.
There are beech trees along the mountain road and Catherine told us that the roots of the trees intertwine under the ground. Unfortunately, if there is a bad storm, the trees are toppled and because the roots are intertwined, they all fall down the mountain like a tree landslide. After a storm, red algae eventually appears over time, which begins life anew and the trees and other flora eventually grow back. We saw the red algae all over the rocks.
We finally arrived at the airport and boarded a small turbo prop plane to take us to Queenstown. The flight was a little bumpy as we soared over the mountains and even the flight attendant was sitting clenching his hands on his knees, but we arrived safely and went to our hotel.
Queenstown is built around an inlet called Queenstown Bay on Lake Wakatipu. The mountain range called The Remarkables (and they really are) can be viewed from our hotel as well as the Cecil Peak and the Walter Peak. Apparently, so the story goes, the name The Remarkables was given by early Queenstown settlers upon seeing the mountain range during sunset one evening, and they named them the Remarkables to describe the beautiful sight.
We checked into our hotel which overlooks the lake and then went for a walk into the town for dinner. The town is a happening place! Restaurants and bars all over as well as shops selling everything you can imagine. We walked along the lake and admired the beautiful trees in vibrant colorful array.
We had a delicious dinner and then walked back to the hotel through the streets that were crowded with diners sitting outside in front of gas heaters looking across the lake at the beautiful mountains.
We’re here for four nights! Looks like it will be a great place to stay and enjoy everything Queenstown has to offer.
Antiquities store
The place is a hotel as well
The scenery along the Southern Alps is magnificent. Below is a picture of the red algae.
The mountains change colors as the sun hits them
Filming for the Chronicles of Narnia took place here
Chronicles of Nardia
View from our hotel window
The peaks of The Remarkables
The lake and pine trees. Below is a picture of The Remarkables mountain range…our first glimpse when we deplaned.
What an amazing day!!! I know you all have been waiting to hear what the opportunity of a lifetime was for Allan and me.
We took a helicopter ride over the Southern Alps! What a beautiful country this is and seeing it from the sky was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Flying close to the forests and the rocks was amazing and as we climbed higher to go over some of the higher mountains, we were in awe of the natural beauty. The pilot flew to a glacier and let us off on the rocks so we could walk right up to the snow covered glacier. I was able to ride in the front seat of the helicopter on the way back. The photos will tell the story better than I can. By the way…we all were weighed before we boarded the chopper so that the weight was distributed evenly.
After the helicopter ride, we went for a 1.3 mile walk through the Hokitika native bush and arrived at a suspension bridge overlooking the gorge. The water below was a gorgeous shade of turquoise blue which we were able to see very clearly since it is another beautiful sunny day. We then walked the 1.3 miles back to our bus.
Our bus took us near the beach and we got off and walked along the sand where driftwood is plentiful.
We had lunch and then we all went to hear how jade (greenstone or Pounamu) is mined from the nearby area and how it is cut and polished and made into beautiful jewelry, carvings, and many other things. I bought a beautiful necklace carved into the shape of a fish hook. Fish hook (Hei Matau in Maori) represents determination, strength, peace, (the name Irene means peace), prosperity, and safe journey especially over water. A very apropos necklace for me.
We also went to The Possum People store to hear the owner discuss the controversial topic of possum eradication by poison pellets. Possum in New Zealand are destructive pests that were introduced to the country in the 1800’s to promote fur trade. The country since realized the devastation the possums were causing but by then, the population of possums had increased to record levels.
In order to eradicate them, the New Zealand government uses a poison known as sodium monofluroacetate. The toxic pellets must be prepared and distributed with care. They are usually dropped by helicopter in the National Forests, which is unbelievable. The pellets are harmful to humans, livestock, and non-targeted animals. Dogs have been killed by accidently ingesting the pellets while out for a walk.
The government recognizes the risks, but they feel the risks need to be weighed against the actual threat that the possums pose to the native forests and the farming industry.
After the talk we did some shopping and then met in Catherine’s hotel room for some wine tasting and snacks.
Catherine was once a wine maker and she told us how Pinot Noir wines are so tricky to produce. The grapes need cool mornings and nights with lots of sunshine during the day. She said the grape skins on those grapes are like silk shirts…thin so the sun can penetrate as opposed to the darker wines where the skins are like leather jackets. Interesting discription. She said when you throw the Pinot Noir grape at a wall, if it bounces back, it is ripe.
We all went to dinner and I had pork belly and Allan had Hoki fish. I finished with pavlova and Allan had apple crumble.
Hokitika is a charming little town and we are sad to leave it tomorrow.
Ready to go
Whoa….flying close to the mountain
We landed on the mountain and walked to the glacier
