Day 15 - Queenstown to Sydney

Queenstown airport to leave for Sydney 9:50am.

Back home again. We had a lovely holiday. Three of the couples we enjoyed various parts of our holiday with are still in New Zealand canoeing the Doubtful Sound. I hope the weather is good and they are enjoying themselves.

I don't know where we will go or when we will go away again. Thanks for reading. I hope I kept you up to date at your own leisure.

Day 14 - Queenstown to Milford Sound

Queenstown to Milford Sound on a bus trip with Bbq bus group and we were fortunate enough to get a group of 5!  The day before they had a group of 19 and the day after they had two bus loads of 22 each.
Great tour with informative commentary along the way, stops for photos, to fill water bottles at the fountain of youth and for bbq lunch at Lake Gunn.  We walked into Lake Gunn through a beech forest while lunch was cooking:

Fantastic weather, perfect sunshine and a cloudless day.  About a 3% chance of that at Milford Sound where they get 9000mm of rain a year and the record is 11,000mm of rain a year.

The crouching lion (on the left)

Snow still on the mountains in the not so distant distance.

Sterling falls. We went right under the falls of this spectacular waterfall.

Stayed at the Mantra Marina, Queenstown for our last night. 

Day 13 - Chatto Creek to Queenstown

Chatto Creek to Clyde winery tour then on to Queenstown. 

So lucky with the weather. It rained last night but a beautiful clear, sunny, hot day.
Fantastic section of rail trail. All down hill to Alexandra then we took the river path which is a fantastic 16 km roller coaster ride around single track paths right next to the Clutha river under beautiful shade trees. Photos below.  Lovely way to end the trip.

Trip to some wineries and saw some people enjoying the shotover river along the way.

Arrived in Queenstown early so we booked dinner at the Skyline restaurant accessed by gondola. Fantastic views and we got a window seat. Extensive buffet including roasts of venison. This is the view of the Remarkables from our table.

Staying at:
Mantra Marina Queenstown.

Day 12 - Rail Trail: Auripo to Chatto Creek

Auripo to Chatto Creek 32 km. 

Poolburn Viaduct a huge bridge supported by schist columns from local stone and cut on site by stone masons who lived in camps nearby.  The men making the tunnels also lived in the camps. The remaining chimneys which they attached a tent to still remain today. 

Lovely down hill ride to a fantastic pub run by another one of those enterprising women along the rail.  This time Leslie Middlemass was up late to provide dinner and up early to serve us breakfast.  Filling us in on her history and that of the Tavern was part of the charm of the place. 

Chatto Creek Tavern. 

Day 11- Rail Trail: Ranfury to Auripo

Ranfurly to Auripo 37 km.

Wedderburn is 13.5 km from Ranfury and a superb little town.  It is also only a few km from the highest point in the track which means down hill all the rest of the way from here!

We crossed the 45th Parallel twice.  This is the midpoint between the equator and the south pole.  We also visited the Gilchrist's Store, built in 1899, is the oldest continuously operating general store. Had lunch at Ida's Kitchen at Oturehua, exceptionally good food and service.

Taradale Homestead, Auripo for some of our group but we stayed at the Lauderburn Cottage at Lauder.  The town needed a doctor, he requested a house so the town built him one in 1923.  Superb place to stay.

Day 10 - Rail Trail: Hyde to Ranfurly

Otago Rail Trail. Hyde to Ranfurly - 32.5km.

2 tunnels and lots of bridges.

Tunnels are very long, requiring torches and one curved in the middle which was a fun experience to ride through!

Plenty of picnic spots next to the river and amazing views of plentiful trout in the Taieri river.  Beautiful weather.  The track is still up hill as it has been from the beginning.

All this activity resulted in a tiny amount of overnight rain but it was clear again the next day.  Either we were very lucky with the weather or Otago’s weather is perfect for outdoor activities.   

Holiday Park Ranfurly.

Day 9 - Rail Trail: Middlemarch to Hyde

Middlemarch to Hyde 34.5 km.

Very pretty trail across lots of bridges which have a timber boarding over the original cast iron rail bridge.

This is the memorial to 21 people who died in a crash on the rail line in 1943 caused when the train got out of control at 120km/hr.

Dinner and stayed at the Otago Central Hotel at Hyde.
The amazing thing about the rail trail is the amazing number of women who run the accomodation and eateries along the way.  Ngaire who moved back into the area and bought and renovated the Otago Central Hotel is one of the main forces behind the towns revival since the rail trail began.
Lovely place to eat and stay with the staff and owner adding a special something to the experience.

Day 8 - Dunedin to Pukerangi

Taking the train through the Taieri Gorge from Dunedin to Pukerangi. 

Dunedin Railway Station.
Spectacular marble and granite railway station kept in immaculate condition.  Fantastic start to the train journey through the Taieri Gorge.  It is a special journey with the crew telling humourous stories about the history of the track along the way.  

This is one of the bridges along the way cut into the rock along the side of the precipitous slopes of the rocky gorge.

We got off the train at Pukerangi where our kind bike hire man decided, as it was very windy, to drive us (well most of us, anyway, yes two of the hardy guys, desperate to get on their bikes rode from Pukerangi) to the top of the hill (12 km of uphill grind) and from there we rode the bike to Middlemarch - 21 km for some, 7 km for others.  

We stayed at The Rocks, Middlemarch. 

This gorgeous farm house is part of the 7,000 acre property where they still have some of the original schist fence posts.  Schist is a metamorphic rock that splits somewhat like slate.

Day 7 - Dunedin

We visited the Christchurch Botanic Gardens in Hagley Park.  Spectacular.  Walked along the Avon River - one of the highlights of Christchurch in my opinion. 

Picked up friends from Christchurch airport and drove to Dunedin. 

Fresh fruit icecream along the way and a very nice dinner at the Oamaru Workers Club which was one of the few places open on New Year's Day.  We have found very nice people everywhere along the way in New Zealand so far. 

Stayed at the Mecure Leisure Lodge, Dunedin. Exceptionally nice place.  A pity if was such a short visit. 

Day 6 - Arthur's Pass

Arthurs Pass "tramp" Cass to Cora Linn Road.

Day 4 of tramp: Lagoon saddle to Cora Lynn Road.

There was a section where recent wind had blown over a few beech trees which had blocked the path and we had to find our way back to the orange triangles again.  In the hut someone had written that in the fog this was an extremely tricky thing to do.  Luckily there was not much fog when we were there. Some of the trees which fell had the orange triangle on them!!

Just under 3 hours walking through fog and some mud. 30 crossings 2 total foot immersions including one mud immersion by all of us - poor Ronnie immersed hands, knees and feet in mud which you.can pay big bucks for in some places in New Zealand!

Total creek crossings 126
Total full foot immersions 38
We made it! Spectacular waterfalls and landscapes. Would be best to do it as New Zul-unders do it- in 2 days carrying tiny sleeping bag, freeze dried mashed potato, surprise peas and 4 muesli bars. Not with tents, changes of clothes, stoves & food for 4 days as we did.

Back to Christchurch to luxury dinner at Buddha Stix Thai and stayed at Ashleigh Court again for New Year's Eve!!!

Day 5 - Arthur's Pass

Arthurs Pass "tramp" Cass to Cora Lynn Road.

Day 4 of the walk: West Harper hut to Lagoon saddle hut 4 hours walking. The miriad 300mm step ups while carrying a pack are getting to my knees and thigh muscles!  44 crossings 17 full foot immersions.

A view of the slopes and one of the creeks.

Lagoon saddle has two little huts.  One A frame on the edge of the trail which we stayed in because I just couldn't walk another step.  John and Steph had to use the one across the river for which I am eternally grateful.  We pitched our tents inside the huts incase the sandflies decided they wanted a meal.  This was a great opportunity to dry the tents off. 

Day 04 - Arthur's Pass

Day 2 Hamilton Hut- West Harper Hut. Including side trip to mirror tarn (lake)  6 and a half hours actual walking. 10 creek crossings including 3 full foot immersions. Swing bridge and wire bridge to negotiate 2 crossings.

Incredible beech forest with cushion of beech leaves beneath.  Rivers are wild and it is summer!  Can't imagine what they are like when the snow first melts. Lots of steep scree slopes to negotiate.

That's me with the Deuter pack cover!

 The orange triangle marks the trail. Sometimes it is like where's wally to find them.

The West Harper Hut was very cute.  The photo doesn't do it justice.  It started to rain as we arrived and it was lovely and warm in the hut after we built a warming fire. (I wanted to say roaring fire but beech just doesn't burn that way.) We camped in our tents as we were a bit worried by the evidence of rodents' previous visits but the hut was perfect to satisfy my pyromaniac tendencies and to eat dinner and to relax.  The extra (admittedly huge-thank you John) effort required to carry the 1kg of wine and scotch was very worthwhile (in my opinion) and much appreciated at the end of the day.

Day 03 - Arthur's Pass

Arthurs Pass "tramp" Cass to Lagoon Saddle ending on the Cora Lynn Road.

First day: Cass-Cass hut  33 river and creek crossings  including 11 total foot immersion excluding puddles.  Method for counting river crossings: I didn't count it as a crossing unless the water was moving under foot, even if I could hear trickling water I didn't count it.  I also excluded bridges, mud puddles (some 4m long) unless all 4 of us had total foot immersion in same mud puddle.

A grueling "tramp" up hill and down dale in spectacular incredibly steep mountains in NZ alpine area through fast moving rocky rivers, tiny 200 mm wide path across 60 degree scree slopes and over the exposed roots of beech tree forests. No snow where we climbed but some remnants around the area.  The only animals we saw were 3 hares and a ver few birds. Very quiet away from the river. We were going to stay at Cass Hut but the trip proved too much for one man we met along the way & his group took it over for the night prior to turning back the next day. We pushed on to Hamilton Hut.

Cass Hut - Hamilton hut This section had 11 river crossings including 5 total foot immersions. After 8 hours actual walking we were pleased to see a fantastic hut with kitchen facilities (a sink), bunks and a long drop toilet out the back. Had dinner and collapsed.

One of the river crossings:

Day 02 - Arthur's Pass

Arthur’s Pass is 920m. Annual rainfall 4500 mm and it rains 200 days a year.  Last January there was 600mm of snow in the village.  This year there is snow but only on the peaks – starting at 1833m.  Last night’s wind of 145km per hour probably blew most of it away!! Yesterday’s temperatures in the Village were 3º > 25º on the peaks -4º > 16º.  Glad it is summer!

We are staying in a very nice cottage for the first night - Mountain House Cottage - then venturing out into the elements with tent, sleeping bag and billy.  Wish me luck.

             Arthur's Pass from the Village

                                   
             Devil's Punchbowl Arthur's Pass

Day 01 - Christchurch

             Christchurch - Avon River

Flew Air New Zealand and arrived Boxing Day.  Christchurch suffered another earthquake just before we arrived and there are still a lot of damaged buildings especially in the city and to the east of the city. 
Most people seem optimistic about the recovery but a few have decided to leave Christchurch for good or at least move to the outskirts. The whole of New Zealand is prone to earthquakes though.
Stayed at Ashleigh Court Motel, Riccarton, Christchurch. 

New Zealand

This time we are going to New Zealand - land of the long white cloud, which is particularly true of New Zealand at the moment where it has been raining practically non stop for 3 weeks.  It is also home of Ron’s forefathers.  He is descendant from the Maori Princess Irihapeti Te Paea which means he and the boys can kill as many mutton birds as they want.  I am taking a 0.22.  

The plan is: Leaving on Boxing Day to go to the South Island landing in Christchurch. Then Arthur’s Pass, Christchurch for New Year’s day, Dunedin, bicycling on the Otago rail trail for 5 days then Queenstown and Milford Sound.

Not at all sure about internet availability in the places we are staying because they are off the beaten track so will give you some info now.

Greetings: