Marahau

We've just completed a quick 5 day stay in Marahau near Abel Tasman Park. Stayed in a place we originally stayed in about 5 years ago during our first trip to New Zealand. They're Ocean View Chalets and are cozy 1 bedroom, self-contained cottages perched on a hillside with nice panoramic views of the sea.

Here's a photo of ours.


The Park has numerous "Great Walks" as they're called in New Zealand, including the Coastal Route that runs for about 50 kilometers from the south entrance where we are now around the coast to Golden Bay where we were the previous 2 weeks. We did little bits of it along the way - covered maybe 2/3rds of the whole thing, including some side trips along the "Inland Track" which is where we were today. While the Coastal Track is more of a long stroll, and is technically categorized as a Walking Track, the Inland Track is a real Tramping Track (as they call them here). The trail isn't as well maintained, entails a lot more hill climbing, requires boots instead of running shoes or sandals, and generally is a lot more arduous than the walks. The one we did today ascended about 700 meters, or 2200 ft - pretty mellow by Columbia Gorge standards but I can tell you it really took it out of us - we're pretty pooped tonight and will probably be a bit sore tomorrow. We were at it for about 6 hours all total, with about 30-40 minutes of sitting time for lunch & breaks.


Here are some views as we headed up the trail.


Looking back at Marahau


Looking down on the Anchorage - one of the stops along the water taxi route. Note all of the boats in the harbor for the holiday weekend

We celebrated New Year's a day earlier than all of you in the US - thanks to the magic of the international date line. Rita took the photo above to show you what New Years Eve looked like from the other side of the earth.

Heading for Hanmer Springs tomorrow morning for a couple of nights - maybe to soak our aching legs in the thermal baths while we're at it. Then on to the Banks Peninsula near Christchurch, where we'll be staying on a working cattle, sheep and deer farm.

One final shot from the hike today. This is a picture of the south end of a north-bound goat (big one) that we flushed out while on the trail. He was in the brush just to the right of the track, and obscured by the vegetation, until we were right next to him when he decided to bolt. Recalibrated our startle reflex it's safe to say...and resulted in the "going away" shot you see here.

Odds and Ends

Finally checked into a place that actually has wireless internet connectivity so thought I'd update the blog. Strange that a country as modern in other respects as New Zealand isn't better wired. We've stayed at a couple of places where the only connectivity was dialup, and one of our hosts didn't know what wireless was...oh well.




This is a good view from the decking of our B&B at Collingwood in Golden Bay. We had originally visited this place in 2005 and liked it so much that we returned. Our hosts were a couple who originally emigrated to NZ from Holland in 1983 - just packed up, left everything behind and relocated to a place they had never been to. Thing is - they've never regretted their decision for a moment, even in the difficult first years when they both had to scramble to get by. Extremely nice & personable people - Maggie and Adrian Veenvliet. We very much enjoyed our time with them - they were more like old friends than B&B hosts. We joined them for Christmas dinner in their home which turned out to be one of our most memorable experiences in this beautiful and most hospitable country.




Our last day in Golden Bay was strictly a "chill out" day. Returned to the Whaririki Beach area, which we had already been to a couple of times before, and just meandered along the grassy hills, sheep paddocks and beaches. Stopped on a grassy hillside just to flake out and read our books, then continued to this stretch of beach, kicked off our hiking boots and explored the bay. As usual there was no one there - had the place all to ourselves except for a basking fur seal in one of the caves.Relaxing & reading a book on a deserted beach. Trust me - being retired is a good thing.


After leaving Golden Bay we drove to Marahau, which is located at the southern entrance to Abel Tasman Park - surely one of the prettiest National Parks in New Zealand. Lots of great hikes along a stretch of coastline dotted with one gorgeous beach after another. This isn't one of the prettier beaches but the angle of the photo will give an idea of the clarity of the water and the golden color of the sand.
Our first day we caught a water taxi to one of the landing areas in the park and then walked back to Marahau - still a 10 mile hike but at least it was only one-way. If the weather cooperates tomorrow we plan to take the water taxi to one of the more remote beaches further north, then walk back south for 8-10 miles before catching another one for the return trip to Marahau. The Kiwis really have this down to a science.

Our walks in the Whaririki beach area took us thru an area of working sheep paddocks. Hiking thru them is no big deal here in NZ. The farmers routinely allow casual hikers to pass thru their property - you just have to be sure to close and lock the gates behind you as you go. These two were eyeballing us as we made our way along part of the grassy track. Rita's comment was "they're cute, but not as cute as our Grand Daughter Makenna looked in her sheep costume at her school Christmas program."

Leaving Golden Bay

After a thoroughly delightful week in the Golden Bay area we depart today for Marahau, on the southern border of Abel Tasman Park. It's about a 1+30 drive thru the hills to get to the other side.

Been hiking up a storm and generally taking advantage of a week of Chamber of Commerce weather - each day more pretty than the last.

Here are a few more photos to give you an idea what we've been up to.


At the top of the Coastal Walk with Farewell Spit in the background

Stopped on this hillside to just stretch out and read a book for an hour or so


It's difficult to pick the prettiest beach in New Zealand but this one in Abel Tasman Park has to be on the Top Ten list - and there was nobody here.


Met some locals on the trail hiking one day. Although these were wild goats they weren't too skittish as you can see, but rather approached us to see what we were.



The wind does kick up here a bit in the Winter months

Golden Bay

A panoramic spot for lunch while tramping thru the bush


Spending the week in Collingwood - a small town at the extreme northern tip of the South Island in an area known as Golden Bay. Apparently, when Kiwi prospectors returned from the California gold rush around 1853 (empty handed) they noticed the similarities between this area and the gold fields of central California. So they started digging and soon struck a pretty good seam of gold, which lasted for nearly 10 years before it played out. The area grew so fast and was so prosperous for a while that Collingwood became a leading candidate to become the capital of the country. Once the gold played out it reverted back to a sleepy rural area, however, and any thoughts of grandeur faded. What's left today is one of the most scenic areas in New Zealand.

For Naval history buffs, the town is named for Nelson's second in command at the naval battle of Trafalgar in 1805, and the man who took over after Nelson was killed there. The streets of the town are all named for his Lieutenants and other naval themes. Another reminder that New Zealand is still part of the British Commonwealth.



This is the Rock Bridge area of Whaririki Beach - near Farewell Spit

We've talked before about how beautiful the walking tracks are here, but this area is also known for it's beaches. Farewell Spit is a 25 Km stretch of sand dunes that reach into Cook Strait. It's a National Scenic area and popular with bird colonies and visiting fur seals - which seem to be everywhere at low tide. They seem to interact well with the human population though - the surfers just ignore them and the tourists don't seem to harass them too much. Unlike Hawaii it's apparently no big deal to approach them - hard not to since they're all over the place. Am told they'll only get upset if you get close during calving season. Otherwise they act as though they could care less.

One small section of Whaririki Beach - it actually goes for miles like this


Lots of Sandstone arches and caves along this section of coastline


One of the locals sunning on the beach

Am told that the abundance of seals and other critters have drawn some interest from White Pointers (Great White Sharks) which have started showing up from Australian waters, where before they were unknown here. So far no horror stories from surfers or divers though.

We're here until Sunday when we drive around to the southern end of Abel Tasman Park. We were here 3 years ago and like it so much we opted for a longer stay this time. Hope to get in the water in the protected beaches of the park and do some snorkeling if the weather cooperates.

Abel Tasman Park

One of the scenic stops along the way to Wainui Falls

On Monday it rained in sheets all day so we weren't able to get out at all - just poked around the quaint local town of Takaka for a while. The weather finally broke on Tuesday afternoon and we had several days of truly glorious, sunny weather. The trails appear to be sandy loam and dried out very quickly so we didn't have to worry about a muddy track anywhere.

Went on short hikes to Wainui Falls and along the coast initially, but later in the week we did some more serious walking along the Abel Tasman Coastal Track thru the park - some of the prettiest scenery in New Zealand. And the good news was that we had it pretty much to ourselves. Guess the big holiday rush of local people taking vacation doesn't start until after Christmas, so it wasn't crowded at all.

The trails were uniformly terrific - in typical New Zealand fashion. Smooth, well-groomed, and even the hills were gradual and easy on the legs - much easier than hiking in the Gorge anyway. Rita developed some blisters from her new boots on day two so we took it a little easy, but it was a real pleasure to be out and about in this particular area - one of our favorites in this beautiful country.



Just another stop for lunch

And another one

Pretty vistas around every turn in the trail

On Sunday we move about 30 miles up the road to Collingwood, on Golden Bay, another place we've been before but liked so much we opted to return for a longer stay. We'll be there for a week.
Best wishes to all for a Merry Christmas.

Interislander

On December 14th we jumped on the Interislander ferry to Picton on the South Island where we'll be for the next 10 weeks or so. The ferry ride is one of the most beautiful in the world, taking about 3 hours to transit from Wellington to Picton Harbor across the Cook Strait. As you can see from the photos we got lucky and had a gorgeous day for the crossing. Guess it can get pretty rough in the open sea but this particular day it was as calm as a lake.

The ferry heading around the point from Wellington


Not all of the passengers are people
On deck in Queen Charlotte Sound



The trip took about three hours end to end. The last 45 minutes it works its way thru Queen Charlotte Sound - protected waters that are especially scenic. Reminded us of the Washington State ferries in Puget Sound.

After docking we drove about three hours to our next stop - Ligar Bay near the northern entrance to Abel Tasman National Park. We've been here before but only for a few days. The hikes are exceptional and we look forward to stretching our legs these next several days.

Some of the scenery passing thru the sound -really a pretty ride

Rivendell

Yesterday we took another day trip out of the city - this time north about 45 minutes to Kaitoke Regional Park, which served as the filming location for Rivendell in the Lord of the Rings movies. A little windy but sunny and with several extremely scenic walks through the forest.

Had mini-buses from 3 different tour companies there when we arrived - all of them specializing in LOTR tours, but once they left we pretty much had the place all to ourselves.

Rita among the elves


In the middle of Rivendell


The forest walks were quite scenic - spectacular in places, and the trails were in great shape. Rita calls them Disneyland trails because they're so well groomed and maintained that they call to mind the ones on Tom Sawyers Island in the Disney Parks. It's Springtime here and the beech leaves are falling. They covered the trail with a soft layer that made it even more of a pleasure to walk on.

On the trail

As always the forests here are full of the various kinds of tree ferns which make every walk exotic - like tramping thru Jurassic Park. The country is getting to be popular with other film makers because of that and, aside from the LOTR trilogy, New Zealand forests have served as the backdrop for other movies such as the most recent version of King Kong and the prequel to LOTR now filming here - the Hobbit. Wellington is the center for the movie industry in NZ. The production studios are here and apparently the big shots (Peter Jackson and the rest) all live on Oriental Bay and the Owhiro peninsula south of the city...the scenic area we drove around just the other day.

AS they open the ferns sort of spiral out from a fist - a natural design that figures prominently in Maori art going back several centuries.

Wellington

Arrived in Wellington Sunday afternoon, and are staying in a serviced apartment downtown. The weather has cooperated so far with several sunny days - although the temperature hardly ever gets above 70 deg. Being back in a city again - even if it is Wellington - is a bit of culture shock after the rural places we've been staying.
Been exploring the pretty city on foot. Took the cable car up to the botanical gardens the first day and then meandered downhill back into the city. The city straddles a range of hills which makes it both scenic and a challenge for walkers. There don't appear to be many level stretches of road - it's either uphill or downhill.

Rita among the roses

In the Botanical Gardens

Today we took advantage of the beautuful weather and jumped in the rental car for a scenic drive around the seaside peninsula just south of the city. The coastline was quite dramatic in places - reminded us of the California coast near Monterey but without the development.
As you can see from the photo below, there are some rather unique local road hazards to be aware of. Seems that along about sunset every evening blue penguins come ashore, cross the beachside road, and nest under the houses across the street. Guess they make quite a racket when there are chicks in the nest.

Local Course Rules - in Maori as well




Along the way we stopped at a Marine Reserve Park to hike around the point. Between May and August this stretch of beach hosts a colony of around 250 seals, but today as you can see we had it pretty much to ourselves.

Tongariro

Teranaki Falls

Spent a couple of days in Tongariro National Park on the way from Coromandel to Wellington, mainly just to break up the long drive - it's about 9 hours total so it was a lot easier breaking it up into two shorter days. Plus, we lucked out with the weather and had a couple of spectacular days in the park for hiking. We had been here a few years ago but it was raining so hard that we just packed it in early and returned to Singapore, where we were living at the time.

Heading up towards Mt. Ruapehu

This time, as you can see, it was clear skies and sunshine which made a real pleasure to be out & about. The centerpiece of Tongariro is Mt. Ruapehu - an active volcano that last erupted about 15 years ago, and which is sacred to the Maoris.

Over the River and Thru the Woods

There are several great hikes in the area. One, the Tongariro Crossing, is considered to be the best one-day hike in New Zealand, which is saying plenty for a country full of great walks.
We covered a portion of that one on the way to Teranaki Falls, and then further up the mountain to a couple of high lakes (Upper & Lower Tama). Took about 5 hours round trip - but mostly over level ground so it was a fairly easy tramp.
Lots of pretty scenery as you can see.
Next stop is Wellington where we'll be for a week.

Coromandel Peninsula

The Silver Fern (or Ponga in Maori) - symbol of New Zealand

Tairua

Spent 5 days on the Coromandel Peninsula (the little town of Tairua) from Nov. 30 until Dec. 5. Another extremely pretty place. Lots of terrific scenery combined with a couple of challenging bush walks. Our rental place was elevated with a panoramic view of the Tairua estuary - gorgeous views, especially in the late afternoon.

The view from the back porch

One of the hikes took us thru the old gold mining area in Coromandel Forest Park. The walk wasn't that long, but there was a LOT of climbing and descending along old stone steps carved into the face of the mountain to provide secure footing for the pack horses and mules when the diggings were active around 1852. The return leg downhill took us along an old train line, some of the trestles still in place after nearly 150 years. We were both a little sore the next day.


One particularly scenic excursion took us to the ferry landing near Whitianga - another of the old gold mining towns that now makes its living off of tourists thanks to its history and scenery. Coromandel is only about 2 hours from Auckland and so is a popular weekend retreat for families. We caught a ride on the ferry, which lasted all of 90 seconds to get over to the town where we had lunch. Cost : $2 NZ, or about $1.10 US based on the current exchange rate.
One of the unusual attractions in the area is Hot Water Beach, where at low tide you can scoop out the sand and create your own little hot tub. Seems that there's a natural hot spring just below ground level there and you can adjust the temperature depending upon how deep you dig.

Ferry Landing at Whitianga

Next stop is Tongariro National Park, as we continue the trip down the coast towards Wellington.

The Road to Whangerei

Old Stone Store and Mission House in Kerikeri



Finally arrived here on the morning of Nov. 26 after the all-night flight from Honolulu. Picked up the car and drove up the coast of the North Island to Kerikeri, where we had our first stop.

Spent a relaxing 4 nights in a River cottage on Takou Bay - in the Bay of Islands district north of Auckland. The setting was idyllic. Even the weather cooperated for the most part - sunny and warm except for one rainy day. The countryside here is as beautiful as we remembered it, and no probs so far with driving on the left.
The view behind our cottage

Front door of our cottage on the river

Had a chance to take a couple of short, scenic hikes in the surrounding hills and on the beach near our cottage. The place we rented came equipped with a canoe & 2 person kayak, so we made use of those to paddle down river to the mouth of the river where it empties into the Pacific. Lots of critters, and even a couple of waterfalls along one of the hikes.
The view across the river from the front of the cottage

We departed on the 30th for the Coromandel Peninsula near Auckland - which is where we are at the moment. The Falls at Kerikeri

On Our Way

First Stop: Kauai

Well, our long-awaited trip to New Zealand is finally underway. We departed Vancouver yesterday morning and flew to Kauai to spend a few days with Kevin before he relocates back to the mainland in a month or two. We'll finish up with a few days on Oahu before we actually leave for Auckland the evening of the 24th.

The trip has gotten off to a rather soggy start. We were greeted at Lihue airport with heavy showers which continued all across the island as we drove to Kalaheo - near where we used to live from '94-'98 - to stay at a local B&B. Was raining about as hard as we've seen it do here...which is saying plenty for Kauai. Started to clear up a bit last night though, and there's actually sun today although it's still very windy. Forecast is for it to stay unsettled for the next several days. We're hoping for it to clear enough to be able to hike up at Kokee and head over to Mahaulepu while we're here.

No pictures yet, but here are a few from previous visits to NZ.


Hiking in Able Tasman National Park - South Island


Pretty Scenery Everywhere

Hiking Near Farewell Spit - South Island