The Glacier Country

Queenstown was also the setting for some of the “Lord of the Rings” films. We drove along a scenic road carved on the edge of the mountains and along the Lake ( second biggest in NZ and hundreds of meters deep) to Glenorchy. All along the way were signposts saying that this was the setting for a scene from the movie....no wonder. The mountains had a majestic Otherworld quality, suggesting lost kingdoms in the far distance, and the trees were bent and gnarled and dripping with moss and ferns...all very mystical! Queenstown has a friendly and young atmosphere with backpackers gathering in sidewalk cafe’s and all discussing which amazing adventure ride they were going to do next!

From Queenstown we drove over a steep mountain pass to Wanaka, another lovely town on a turquoise glacial lake surrounded by snow capped peaks...and NO, we were not getting Ho Hum about the scenery...I could not get enough! As we took our last look back at Queenstown we saw the panoramic view of the mountain backdrop that they used for the opening scenes of so many movies.

We stayed at a small campsite on the edge of a rushing glacier river and forest that night only a few kms from Wanaka...run by the council, the payment was by Honesty Box. The town has a lot of fun things to do and includes a very unusual “puzzle world” with rooms full of puzzles , optical illusions and double decker maze..spot the optical illusion with Paul!! Once we had explored the pretty town we left in thick mist to cross the famous Haas Pass which wound its way to the West Coast through treacherous hairpin bends and steep gradients. On the way we stopped at numerous waterfalls along the way, the dripping ferns and beech trees made all the more otherworldly with tendrils of mist wrapping around them. Everywhere there were waterfalls gushing over rocks and down ditches, fast flowing rivers, and thick rainforest vegetation. The Blue Pools were carved out of a river bed with the bluest water and from the swing bridge we could see fat rainbow and brown trout swimming below. We drove along the West coastline of NZ which reminded us very much of the coast of Oregon...steep cliffs with jagged pieces of land jutting from the surf. There were numerous lookouts of the spectacular coastal scenery.

Once again we stayed at a Dept of Conservation Camp on the edge of a pretty lake surrounded by mossy ferny rainforest...very scenic and pretty and only marred by a cloud of sandflies which inflicted very itchy bites!

Our first view of the Fox Glacier was breathtaking. These are the most accessible glaciers in the world and the only ones that come down to rainforest. From the car park you walk along the long rock strewn flat valley floor toward the icy mountain river gushing out of the glacier. The moraine is so interesting when you think of the awesome force of nature and the steep almost 90 degree angle of the valley sides are evidence of the glaciers retreat in the not so distant past. The walk is about an hour, and all the way the path is carefully laid out between barriers because rock falls, ice falls and avalanches are daily occurrences ...in fact a young tourist died not so long ago because he ignored the signs and walked up to the glacier face where a huge chunk of ice fell on him. The following day we drove to the Franz Joseph Glacier and did a similar walk along the boulder strewn valley floor for an hour and half with these towering cliffs dwarfing us at the bottom. The word awesome does not do it justice. Of course Paul, being Paul, could not resist climbing over the barrier for a better photo.....

The drive further along the West Coast beaches saw some wild surf and lots of rain and mist...that region gets 5 meters of rain annually!!!! No wonder the vegetation is so lush. We drove over the mountains to see Arthurs Pass , another steep pass with precipices on each side of the road and some amazing engineering as can be seen by the photos. We camped again in a Doc campsite with an Honesty box..the site was along side a bubbling river surrounded by forest...and we were the only ones there!!

As we emerged from the dripping, lush and misty West Coast via the Lewis pass back to the East coast we had to blink and get accustomed to the bright sunshine again...something we had not seen since crossing to the other side of the Island! It was not as lush, and the mountains not as high or snow covered, but very pretty and rural. The first stop was a Hanmer Thermal Springs...a resort where they had made a wonderful set of baths from the natural Thermal springs of the area. There were rocky pools of all temperatures, spa pools with therapeutic jets, waterslides for the kiddies, lounging chairs in the pools to just lie back and relax in the wonderful hot water while the chilly air around us made clouds of steam...bliss. Talking of Thermal springs, we had been doing some reading about the various fault lines crisscrossing NZ and how they, like the San Andreas fault, were anticipating the BIG one. We actually drove over the main fault line a couple of times.

From here we head up the West coastal and along the top of South Island. The weather is lovely sunny days of 13 deg, but the nights are minus 2 and lots of frost.

Fjordland..

After we left Invercargill we drove northwards along the Eastern side of lower South Island known as Fjordland..with good reason. Ancient glaciers have left huge fjords and rugged mountains in their wake, and much of the area isn’t even accessible. As we left the grey clouds of the south behind we were surrounded by mountains which got higher as we drove along. Because of the recent cold snap the mountains were topped with snow, and the scenery became more and more majestic. That night we stopped on the edge of a huge glacial lake at Te Anau, which is ringed with mountains and forests. It is the gateway to the majestic Fjordland National Park and a very pretty village.

Next day we did the awesome drive to the famous Millford Sound. En route we stopped and did a strenuous hike up a steep ascent to Key Summit for 3 hours. It was also the beginning of the famous Routeburn Track which takes several days to do. There were amazing views all the way up to top, but as we go to the very top, thick cloud covered the mountains and we could not see anything else. We drove through the mist and drizzle along the steep and winding road to the very heart of the mountains, at times with steep, sheer cliffs soaring above us covered with snow. The twisty road with hairpin bends was scary with lots of ice on the side of the road. Also there is a tunnel and Paul had to drive the Campervan through with a huge tour bus coming the other way...we each had inches to spare in the dark.That night we slept at Milford Sound camp, and in the morning the mist and rain had cleared!! We did the famous Boat cruise up the Sound with near perfect weather, and saw the amazing glacial mountains with their distinctive sheer rock formations, wonderful glaciers, dolphins etc. Rarely do things you dream about not only meet your expectations, but EXCEED them!!! This was one of them. Doing the Milford Sound was one of the top things in our “bucket list” and it is a MUST DO!!

That night we drove back still gobsmacked. We decided to stop and camp at the edge of a stunning lake surrounded by snow capped peaks and forest. It was a Parks Board Camp site with an honesty box costing $10.00 per night..it was so lovely.Because it was still early Paul tried to make a fire with soggy wood, and I sat and painted a picture with the lake, forests and relflections...what a treat.

We are now in Queentown..the adventure capital of the world....It is also incredibly beautiful built along the huge glacial lake and surrounded by the snow topped peaks called the Remarkable Range.

Something Paul has ALWAYS wanted to do was Hang-glide, so he talked me into joining him on a flight.We drove high up Coronet Peak (see picture) which is also a ski field area, and both did an amazing flight down. I was so scared at first, but once we were airborne it was so peaceful and lovely that I relaxed. The scariest part is running down the edge of a steep cliff and then launching yourself upwards. Paul was thrilled to bits, especially when the pilot did a few “stalls” and sharp swings up and down for good measure. After that we took a Gondola Ride up the main mountain in the city and did a Luge trip around the top. What a day. Tomorrow we will do some scenic drives because all these exciting activities like Bungy , Jet boat etc etc costs the earth!

It has been a fantastic trip so far and we are so Blessed to see this lovely country and its awesome scenery.

New Zealand

We decided to go to New Zealand because it was always a dream of ours to visit this beautiful country and we got some amazing deals with air and campervan hire. The time was also right because there was nothing more we could do while our home was being built and we had no garden etc to have to look after. We were so excited to be going on another adventure and had lots of advice about itinerary and clothing from our good friends Pat and Des!

Finally, after I resigned from my job of 18 years and signed the last papers on the house we were ready to go.

As we arrived in NZ we flew over Mt Cook in bright sunlight and were able to get a birds eye view of the Frans Joseph , Fox and other Glaciers...how lucky to see them from the air! We arrived in Christchurch and collected our campervan in the late afternoon. The day after we did some shopping and sorted out things we would need for the 60 days on the road. We found the traffic unbelievably busy because the city centre had been closed off and many of the businesses and people had to move to the suburbs..it was like 5 o’clock traffic all day. The folk of Christchurch were looking stressed and edgy..with good reason . They were still in shock from the recent biggest earthquake in the city which destroyed much of the centre of Christchurch and killed many. Many of the buildings were damaged even in the suburbs, even our camp site.

We left Christchurch and drove south in the drizzle and mist to the Akaroa peninsula..we could hardly see the mountainous cliffs of this amazing place. However the next morning the sun came out and we drove into the quaint French style village to see the museum. We were enchanted with the views as well as the pretty French style architecture. What a surprise when we found that the first Frenchman landed there BEFORE the British and had hoped to establish a settlement..and his name was Francois Langlois! He also had his family with him and the museum is in the little cottage that Louis Langlois lived in...we were able to peruse the documents telling about these early settlers. The drive back was wonderful because we could see the views that were hidden the day before.

We then drove to a little town called Fairlie which was so pretty with all the winter colours on the trees. From there to Lake Tekapo which is a glacial lake that glows a luminous green because of the “rock flour” of ground pebbles coming down from the glaciers. Normally the snow capped mountains frame the lake to add to its beauty, but it was misty and drizzly that day so we could not see them..but what a lovely spot.

We then drove to Mt Cook where we stayed at the Forestry dept campsite right at the base of the mountains two nights. Because we arrived in thick mist we had no idea where the mountains were, so imagine our surprise when we woke up in the morning to see that we were surrounded by snow capped towering mountains..what a sight!! That day we hiked 3 hours to the glacier along a rushing mountain river and crossed 3 suspension bridges over rapids .The final lake had icebergs floating on it and the glacier right in front of us. The sun shone the whole day and it was the highlight so far of the trip! We even saw two avalanches ( in the photos ) which was so interesting. There was an excellent museum there with an Edmund Hillary exhibition and statue because he lived nearby and trained on Mt Cook for his accent of Everest.

We left the next day in sunshine and drove to a place near Dunedin for the night. We awoke to find that a huge gale was battering the coast and our drive to Dunedin was in 110 km winds that blew trees and roofs onto the road. We were diverted along a mountain Rd and had to travel with the van swaying dangerously along the narrow rd being passed by busses and trucks! We saw the wonderful Otago peninsular with its awesome views, all the time climbing those narrow precarious roads in the howling gales. At the end of the peninsular is the world Heritage Albatross preservation centre which is perched high on a headland with commanding views of the dramatic coast and estuary.

Next day we did the touristy things in Dunedin because it was pouring with rain. It has an excellent museum and art gallery...and the Cadbury Chocolate factory!

From Dunedin we drove round the bottom end of South Island in an area called the Catlins. It is forested, steep hills, rural and awesome coast. Along the coast there are penguin colonies and sea lions, steep walks to light houses and wonderful views. For two glorious days we had sunlight and were able to enjoy the waterfalls and fern forests. However the afternoon of the second day a huge cold front blew in covering most of the Island. That night in Invercargill our van rocked and swayed in the wind and it was FA-REEZING, with ice and snow on the slopes. We were cosy with our thermals and van, but even so it looked bleak. The fact that we had to take our van in because of drive shaft bearing trouble did not help the grey day. There was an interesting museum here with the actual motor bike of Burt Munroe of the “Worlds Fastest Indian” fame...he was a local here and used to practice on the beach.

While we wait for the part to come we will tour the coast line around here, with winds coming directly from Antarctica , and then onto the Millford Sound area.

The Final Chapter

Sadly we packed up at Quobba and started the long drive through Carnarvon and down the Great Northern Highway, at this time of year edged with lovely wildflowers. Towards evening we realized we would not make Geraldton so decided to stop over at Kalbarri. Although 60 kms off the Highway we knew it was an attractive seaside town from previous visits over the years. Set at the mouth of the great Murchison River it is surrounded by National Park as the river cuts an impressive gorge through the surrounding countryside. There are also spectacular cliffs plunging into the sea with wonderful view points, and whales and dolphins are often seen swimming by. We stayed 2 nights at Kalbarri doing some sightseeing and dodging the showers...and getting used to the lower temperatures! From then we drove inland and stopped the night at a little wheat belt town Moora en route to stop over with Michelle. The countryside was lush and green from all the rain they had had and we could not believe how far away we still were even though we were technically almost home!
Shelly and the children were thrilled to see us and vica versa..they had grown and so had the dogs, chickens, lamb and other members of her household. We had a lovely day catching up with them all, and went to school with both the grandchildren as part of their “show and tell” to the class. The classmates could not believe we had driven all the way round the country, or the stories of the huge crocs! Lots of fun and it was lovely to re connect with the family. Our arrival home was quiet and thoughtful..both of us were sorry that the adventure was over, yet looking forward to seeing how the new garden had grown and having our own bathroom and chairs. The next day we went and saw our new grandson and the girls and had a wonderful reunion with the family, and started the unpacking and rearranging of our home.

Would we do it again...DEFINATELY! In fact we can’t wait to see the stuff we missed this time. Both of us had a wonderful time and it was an adventure a day. Nine months was not long enough to see and do it all..but far too long to be away from family.
We did 29,135 kms and had almost no problems with our Commodore or Caravan. We ate mostly wonderful home cooked meals (fresh fish!) so our living expenses were low. Petrol was higher than we had hoped, and we did a few tours and rides which were an added enhancement to the area.
We came back fit and well, and Paul’s blood pressure is the lowest it’s ever been 113,68,61
All our planning and equipment worked perfectly and the route and weather planning also went according to plan with a few small surprises. Would we use the same rig again? Probably not, but we are not sure what changes we would make yet. A 4x4 would have been good in the northern reaches of WA where it was so remote and undeveloped, but we are not sure if it warranted the extra costs. We would like a small bathroom/loo in the next van, and are not even sure whether next time we would take a campervan because it’s so much easier to just stop somewhere..although there are disadvantages too. These are all plans we are going to make after a lot more homework.
Advice to those thinking of this trip? DO IT WHILE YOU STILL CAN. As we get older we will obviously be able to do less and camping becomes harder when knees and backs are not as supple. So many people we spoke to knew of someone who had planned a trip like this but their partner died or became incapacitated, or they had a heart attack or something. DO YOUR HOMEWORK. It really paid off that we did loads of research before we left, and preparation with the house/finances/equipment etc.
Best buys: Wireless Internet (kept us up to date with family and we could access it most places except most remote)
Sat Dish. Meant we could get clear TV anywhere and watch the news, cricket etc
Small 12V/140V freezer. Meant that we could have fresh bread/meat etc as well as store all the fish we caught.
GPS. The marriage saver. In urban areas was worth its weight in gold to have the little lady say...”take second exit at roundabout;!
Air con: we had some really hot days and it was really essential for my mood and well being that we could be cool.
Have your entire dental up to date before you leave because two appointments 2 weeks apart cost a month in a place that may not be the best place to spend a month.
These are just a few items that stand out, but there were many more little things that we have found useful over the many years we have caravanned.
Paul and I thank all of you who have read and commented on the blog. We hope you have enjoyed hearing about our journey and we would love to hear your comments.
Picture Kalbarri – Free like a bird oh! what a feeling!!!!!!!

A Whale of a time at the Coral Coast

From the Pilbara we headed west to the Exmouth peninsula, and turned north again to Exmouth at the tip of the narrow land mass. The west side of the coast has the famous Ningaloo Coral reef, which is one of the few rare coral reefs on the WEST side of a continent. Here the coral comes virtually to the shore and is so easily accessible..unlike the Barrier Reef which is sometimes 90 kms out to sea. It is also the place where the famous Whale Sharks swim up and down the coast. These are the biggest creatures on earth ..huge gentle giants which eat plankton and cruise along the edge of the reef with their gaping mouths open like funnels. Many whale watching cruises take people out to snorkel with these beautiful creatures..but they cost a fortune so we did not do it. However, we saw many other whales swim by, dolphins, turtles and a giant Potatoe Cod which was about 6 foot long with a girth of a couple of meters. ..probably weighing well over 200 kg. Unfortunately when we got to Exmouth we realized that it was school holidays, and since this is such a wonderful family place and also warm in the winter, all 5 if its Caravan Parks were booked out. For a while we thought the 300 kms journey was wasted, but finally managed to get 4 days in one park, and another 4 at a park on the west side nearest the Coral. We had a few wonderful days snorkelling at Turquoise Bay and Oyster Stacks beaches, and also tried our hands at fishing the rugged coast. It is still an area that is very remote and treacherous despite the crowds in the parks. Going south again we had wanted to spend a week or so at Coral Bay, our favourite holiday spot from years ago. Here the Coral comes into shore in an idyllic azure bay with pure white sand and gentle waves. The coral and fish are wonderful and it’s like swimming in a giant aquarium. Once again we knew we would have trouble getting a place since the school hols were still in full swing, so had resigned ourselves to having a swim and driving to the next town. Somehow there was ONE spot left for a couple of nights for which we were grateful, and managed to get in some nice snorkelling despite the windy and miserable weather. Disappointed, we drove 300 kms south to Carnarvon where we restocked and decided our next destination.
We re- evaluated and decided to explore a remote area along the lower WEST side of the peninsula which had only one dirt road going up through a couple of Sheep stations and then ending abruptly. We had heard that the fishing was good along that coast, but it was difficult to get information..people we asked seemed evasive and mumbled..”Yes, the fishing is good, but it’s VERY dangerous”. There was no real accommodation except for a bush camp where the campers were allowed to camp on the edge of a lovely bay, but there were NO facilities...one had to be self sufficient with everything. power, water, food etc. Since we had our little freezer full of fish, we opted for the only other place..a sheep station that had turned its shearing sheds into basic Fishermans cabins, and cleared some bits of bush for caravans...VERY remote and basic. There was borehole (salty) water, a wood fired hot water for the dingy showers, generator power for 8 hours a day, and nothing else. Only windswept salt bushes, sheep, and the pounding of the huge ocean nearby. We wondered WHY people came here..the coast was spectacular, but surely it was more than that? Well, we soon found out..here fishing is an EXTREME SPORT, and fishermen come from all over and risk their lives fishing on this very dangerous coast.
This is the world’s premier Balloon fishing region, and many people have lost their lives along this savage coast. Balloon fishing is basically land based big game fishing. The fisherman stands on the edge of a high cliff and releases a large helium balloon into the wind and it floats out to sea, dangling a large fish with coloured tassles just onto the surface of the waves. They need large rods, 700 metres strong tackle..but more than that..nerves of steel! In this area the cliffs are 40 meters high covered with large jagged rocks which extend to a shelf out to sea. The sea is wild and has huge swells which foam up and dash 20 meters or so up the rocks, often washing right over them. Add to that, this is the area of the King Wave..extra large waves that come from nowhere and engulf the whole cliff face. Enthusiasts come here for weeks/months at a time, getting up before dawn to get the best vantage point..often on precarious ledges or rock stacks out to sea..reached by scrambling along wave swept ridges. Sadly, the whole coast is testomy to this obsession for the fighting fish...cliffs are studded with crosses, memorials and warnings. Only last year, we were told, someone was swept to sea at this ledge, or that high rock. The fish they catch are Tuna, Spanish mackerel, Cobia, huge sharks, Sail Fish ,and other game fish. Once a ‘strike’ has been made, the fish has to be brought up to the cliff which often involves scrambling down the cliff face with many different kinds of gaffe arrangements..only to have the catch chomped in half as it leaps out of the water by a huge shark!
Yes....We DID go fishing here..how could we not at least give it a go? Since we don’t have the balloon gear needed for that type of fishing we decided to just put our ordinary rods into the water and see what happened. We chose a high rock (the highest we could find to hopefully be out of range of the swell) which had a steel cable running along the edge so that fishermen could tie themselves to the cable, and the rods to shackles. (Even so there had been people washed over at that same place the year before).The sea crashed onto hidden ledges below, and anyone with vertigo would feel seasick immediately. To get to this place one had to traverse half a km across sharp rocks of moonscape, and there was nowhere to stand or sit comfortably. Paul immediately tied me to the cable with a cord (it’s not that I am clumsy or foolhardy you understand, it’s just that he was afraid that a big fish would jerk me suddenly into the drink!) We spent an exhilarating day fishing and Paul caught enough for dinner. Dolphins swam just below, and the highlight for me was watching the whales swim by, diving and leaping with their tails flapping in the waves. At one stage we looked behind us at a little bay and there were two whales swimming only meters away...so close we could see their eyes and hear the swoosh as they spurted the water...huge and wonderful creatures. The dedicated fishermen at the station were quite a clique..they all knew each other and watched balloons bobbing around along the cliffs and could tell who had caught what. They were also very generous and we came away with large pieces of tuna, mackerel and other fish which we sliced to take home. On our last day we went to the big rock we had fished from before and pitched our bait into the swirling maelstrom below us. From our high vantage point we had a view of the whole coast and the whales and dolphins swimming past. We also had good day fishing with Paul catching a large Spangled Emperor and I caught a huge Rankin Cod (well, huge for me..he was about 3 kg and 53 cms). Since this was the best fish I had ever caught (they are wonderful to eat) I was so thrilled and did a dance on the top of the sharp rocks..for a minute or so!
Before we realized it a week had slipped by, and it was time to start the final journey home. We are nearly home now, even though it is still 1300 kms away!!
Photos
Coral Bay
Fishermen on rock stack ballooning
Quobba Coast
Huge waves crashing over high cliffs
Fishing from cliff
Colleens cod