So, our second week in New Zealand. We arrived on a grey misty moisty morning in Picton, South Island and set off for Nelson. The weather luckily turned warm again and we arrived at lunchtime in this lovely little town with lots of nice restaurants. Our lunch was outside in a cafe and I had green tipped mussels - absolutely tremendous.
Then a walk around the churchyard where I had to get a photo of these flowers. I have no idea what they are called but they have been everywhere in New Zealand so far - a lovely mix of blue and white. 
Once we were settled into our next "unit" we set off for a bit of R and R on the beach - Rabbit Island no less. Lovely stretch of beach with Nelson in the background.
Then next day - Sunday - we headed for Kaiteriteri to pick up a water taxi to take us north up the coast of the Abel Tasman National Park. A nice trip up the coast with views of the split apple rock (I'm sure they just dream these names up for the tourists!) and fur seals along the way.
and finally a bay to wade across at low water
Monday morning - an early start as we had a drive to Blenhiem - an hour and a half away. We had booked a wine tour by bike. Got checked into our next accommodation (so as not to have to move the car, you understand) and then were picked up by minibus and taken to the heart of the wine fields, assigned our route and our bikes to have our first drink of the morning at about 11am! Felt very strange tucking into glasses of wine at that time of the morning. 6 hours later or so we cycled back to the bike hire place having had a brilliant day sampling wines and food and (very occassionally) buying a bottle or two. I know feel confident I might be able to recognise a Sauv Blanc if it came up and bit me!
Tuesday - Whale Watching at Kikoura
A drive down from Blenheim in the morning (super coastal scenery) and a 12.15pm check in for the whale trip at Kaikoura. There are 5 resident young male sperm whales in the deep sound close by so there was a good chance we would see a whale. This was the boat we were on...
..and this is the one whale we saw - the largest of the 5, called Taika. He stayed on the surface for about 10 minutes and then he dived, giving us a good look at his tail.
The boat then went in search of dolphins and found not only Dusty Dolphins which are quite numerous but these fabulous little guys called Hectors Dolphins. Very small and very endangered.
We stayed just one night in Greymouth and then headed for Franz Josef Glacier, hoping that the rain might stop and we might get a flight over the glacier and up to Mt Cook.
We had fun at the Bushman's cafe on the way - still raining but the crack was good. We didn't have the possum pie but we could have...!
Once we were settled into our next "unit" we set off for a bit of R and R on the beach - Rabbit Island no less. Lovely stretch of beach with Nelson in the background.
Then next day - Sunday - we headed for Kaiteriteri to pick up a water taxi to take us north up the coast of the Abel Tasman National Park. A nice trip up the coast with views of the split apple rock (I'm sure they just dream these names up for the tourists!) and fur seals along the way.
We were dropped off in Bark Bay and then made our way back south along the coast walk. We have 4 hours or so to walk back to Anchorage where we would be picked up by the boat. The walk was absolutely beautiful - in the cool of the trees but with glimspses of turquoise water and stunning seascapes. A bridge or two to cross......
and finally a bay to wade across at low water
Monday morning - an early start as we had a drive to Blenhiem - an hour and a half away. We had booked a wine tour by bike. Got checked into our next accommodation (so as not to have to move the car, you understand) and then were picked up by minibus and taken to the heart of the wine fields, assigned our route and our bikes to have our first drink of the morning at about 11am! Felt very strange tucking into glasses of wine at that time of the morning. 6 hours later or so we cycled back to the bike hire place having had a brilliant day sampling wines and food and (very occassionally) buying a bottle or two. I know feel confident I might be able to recognise a Sauv Blanc if it came up and bit me!
Tuesday - Whale Watching at Kikoura
A drive down from Blenheim in the morning (super coastal scenery) and a 12.15pm check in for the whale trip at Kaikoura. There are 5 resident young male sperm whales in the deep sound close by so there was a good chance we would see a whale. This was the boat we were on...
..and this is the one whale we saw - the largest of the 5, called Taika. He stayed on the surface for about 10 minutes and then he dived, giving us a good look at his tail.
The boat then went in search of dolphins and found not only Dusty Dolphins which are quite numerous but these fabulous little guys called Hectors Dolphins. Very small and very endangered.
The beach at Kaikoura
We left Kaikoura at about 4.30 and drove to Hanmer Springs in the mountains, on our way to the West Coast. A lovely late afternoon drive through low hills and sheep country. This is the bridge just before Hanmer Springs itself.
We left Kaikoura at about 4.30 and drove to Hanmer Springs in the mountains, on our way to the West Coast. A lovely late afternoon drive through low hills and sheep country. This is the bridge just before Hanmer Springs itself.
After a night at Hanmer Springs and a good walk up Conical Hill in the morning we set off the next day for Greymouth on the West Coast. Stopped for a picnic on the way and this was the last spell of dry weather for a while.....Greymouth was certainly grey and it rained and rained!
We took refuge on a tour of the local Montieth's brewery!
We took refuge on a tour of the local Montieth's brewery!
We stayed just one night in Greymouth and then headed for Franz Josef Glacier, hoping that the rain might stop and we might get a flight over the glacier and up to Mt Cook.
This was an interesting bridge - single file and train tracks - not sure what you would do if a train came!
We had fun at the Bushman's cafe on the way - still raining but the crack was good. We didn't have the possum pie but we could have...!
The pub next door was run by the same folk - they tell me you don't pronouce Puke as Puke but it seemed to be a pretty good name for a pub anyway.
Finally to Franz Josef Glacier, the town, to go and have a look at Franz Josef Glacier, the glacier. Still raining.
Finally to Franz Josef Glacier, the town, to go and have a look at Franz Josef Glacier, the glacier. Still raining.
We thought that might be the end of our glacier exploration as the next day the weather hadn't improved to the extent we could see the mountains - and the helicopters won't fly in poor visibility. HOWEVER just as we were crossing a bridge a few km out of town we looked back up the valley to see a clear view of the mountain tops, the clouds seemed to be lifting so we turned round, headed for the nearest helicopter shop and got on the next flight. Just 3 of us - the pilot and us! However we had to fly back to Franz Josef Glacier, the town, to pick up another couple. Poor things, they sat in the back and saw only out the window. We were in the front and had a fantastic view - possibly too good a view on occasions!
This is Franz Josef Glacier, the glacier, from the air this time
And this is the fantastic scenery that awaited us over the mountains and Mt Cook
This is us at the landing spot, with Mt Cook in the background.
With a couple to pick up and drop off at Franz Josef Glacier, the town, while we and the pilot were based at Fox Glacier, the town, we had an extra trip back and forth between the 2 villages. All in all what a fabulous adventure.
Coming through the Haast Pass the scenery was tremendous but......
...the drive down past Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea was just out of this world.
This is us at the landing spot, with Mt Cook in the background.
With a couple to pick up and drop off at Franz Josef Glacier, the town, while we and the pilot were based at Fox Glacier, the town, we had an extra trip back and forth between the 2 villages. All in all what a fabulous adventure.
Back in the car we headed south along the coast heading for Wanaka. Bruce Bay was a lovely spot with the waves rolling in and this fabulous beach stretching away. Not sure why folks had started building little cairns of rock and wood but they were everywhere.
The West Coast scenery south of Bruce Bay was lovely, although you had to stop at the lookout points to really appreciate it.
The West Coast scenery south of Bruce Bay was lovely, although you had to stop at the lookout points to really appreciate it.
Coming through the Haast Pass the scenery was tremendous but......
...the drive down past Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea was just out of this world.
Finally we arrived in Wanaka in the late afternoon. A (very long) stroll into town for dinner and we found a BJ40 sitting lakeside - a nostalgic moment for Howard as he has just sold his, back in Miri!
Evening over the lake and so ended our second week in New Zealand. What a week.
