Malcolm and Shona in New Zealand

Week 3: 4th to 10th Jan: North East Coast of South Island

We spent a very hot day driving round Banks Peninsula (Captain Cook made a rare error naming this 'island' for Joseph Banks the naturalist on the Endevour)
The whole area is a sea of golden grasses, in fact the coltsfoot grass seed from here was a major NZ crop and was used to create grazing prairies in South America, Australia and USA! Akaroa the main town has a distinctly French style from it's original settlers - did you know NZ very nearly became French!

After camping for quite a few nights we decided to treat ourselves to something more luxurious but ended up sleeping in a cell in the Christchurch Jail! .... now a backpackers! It was quite strange to close the big heavy metal cell door and look at the sky through the tiny high up window with thick bars! Quite an experience, added to by being shaken awake by a force 6 earthquake at about 5am the next morning - at least we know the jail was really well built!

The centre of Christchurch itself is still eerily empty and quiet with signs of the quake devastation still very visible. The resilience of the people and the creative use of containers also shows through.

See the house half collapsed over the cliff - this is 4 years on from the quakes!

The memorial of the white chairs (one for each of those who died) was a very sad and moving statement. Baby chairs, wheelchairs, kneeler chairs, bar stools - all sorts of chairs.

On to happier things with our superb walk around the peninsula at Kaikoura. The town itself is heaving with tourists and the Top 10 campsite is one to avoid if at all possible (we learnt from experience!), but the scenery and wildlife just away from the centre was spectacular - another of the top experiences of this trip. We also had the best camping meal of banana prawns - yum!

The baby seals are no longer playing in the river nursery as they were when Rhian and Callum saw them - David Attenborough also showed them on his recent documentary as well!, they were still very sweet though, all jumping about and playing about in the rock pools etc - you can just see them!

A couple of nights at a lovely backpackers in Renwick near Blenheim in NZ's main wine growing area was great fun, as was the days cycling round the vineyard cellar doors, luckily it was a cool day. We bought a couple of lovely bottles from Hunters vineyard as Christmas pressies from Gilly and Dave - cheers!

From there it was back to Picton and another gorgeous walk looking down to the Beautiful Queen Charlotte Sound, it was great to be able to look back across the sound towards Cow Shed Bay and where we walked on Christmas eve - it seems like we've been on holiday for ages!

Picton is a pretty little place where the main park area next to the marina was full of families and buskers and market stalls etc, where one of the buskers was playing Mhari's wedding on the flute, she said she started her set with this song because it woke her up and made her feel joyful! - it made me feel joyful too!

We visited a couple of quirky wee museums, one for the Edwin Fox - the 9th oldest wooden boat in the world - build of teak in India she has been round the world 9 times! We also met one of the last people who worked as a whaler in Picton, he showed us round the wee museum including the harpoon guns he had fired to catch these magnificent creatures - it was a job to him!
Malcolm was a bit disappointed we didn't have time for the Husband day care!

Then back to the north island on the ferry - another serene crossing and farewell for now to the South Island

What we did on our Summer Hols composition part 2 (do you remember having to do those at school??)

Week 2: 28th Dec to 3th Jan: - Serene Collingwood to Glacial Southern Alps

We stayed in the Far North of the South Island in Golden Bay staying in a great wee hotel/hostel in Collingwood which had a stunning view over the tiny town. The beer was excellent too - try The Mussel Inn Brewery - Pale Whale and Captain Cooker!

An Eco trip to Farewell Spit completed our time in golden bay - can you see the kiwi?

A quick trip back to Nelson to catch up with our lovely Welsh friend and brewer Ffyon and a visit to WOW (the world of wearable art - it has to be seen to be believed!)

Eels - Yuck!!
Nelson Lakes looked very inviting for an invigorating swim until you saw the residents who live under the jetties - not for Mrs T!

A slightly soggy New Year midnight was celebrated before most of the world in a Nelson Lakes campsite but the best was sending New Year Greetings in UK time from the blue sky sunshine top of Mt Robert, where we had yet another stunning walk

We then headed over to the West Coast and up to beautiful remote Karamea where another of the NZ Great Walks the Heaphy Track ends. We only managed to visit the fringes of this huge wilderness area to see the huge limestone caverns and river walks next to a delightful café called 'The Naked Possum' (Kiwis really DONT like Possums!!)

More high level walking was the order of the day in Arthurs Pass after a night in a lovely campsite at Brunner Lake, where again the dawn chorus was beautiful (and very loud!!)

First a quick visit to the Pancake Rocks and baby seals (which were not up in the river like they were when Rhian, Callum and David Attenborough visited!

You can just about see them!! Still very cute!

The Road and railway through Arthurs Pass is a feat of engineering but the real grandeur is the mountains. We walked up to a ski hut and looked back across to Mt Rollison