Adventures in life, travel and teaching

Auckland Again.

Posted on March 27, 2015 by racheldennisotr

I had a night in Auckland before meeting up with Mum and Dad again for our journey back to Sydney. I’d been a little laid back in booking my accommodation and all the places that I wanted to stay were all fully booked. I hadn’t realised what a busy weekend in Auckland it was as the boats from the Volvo Ocean Race were due in and New Zealand were playing Australia in the Cricket World Cup! The only place that had any availability was a backpackers just off Queen Street in the city. The place had some pretty terrible reviews on all the hostel sites and I set my expectations extremely low! I was greeted in the room by a sign that actually acknowledged that the rooms were unhygienic! The room was stinkingly hot and noisy. The sports bar next door was already full of loud, pissed and pissed off Australians who had just lost the cricket to the NZ Black Caps! There were beer bottles and empty pizza boxes in the hallway and the carpets were slightly sticky. I changed quickly, stashed my stuff and got out of there.

I made my way down to the Viaduct and found a really lovely restaurant on the quieter side of the Viaduct. After dinner I walked over to the Volo Ocean Race village to watch the boats come in. I’d missed the first boat to arrive, the Spanish boat MAPFE, but stayed for a good couple of hours and saw the second, third and fourth boats arrive. There was a great atmosphere in the race village and it was a really well produced event with interviews with the crew and their families and lots of loud music and cheering to welcome the boats when they arrived.

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing arrives at the Viaduct in 2nd place.

The Dongfeng Race team arrives at the Viaduct in 3rd place

Auckland skyline from the Viaduct.

The Dongfeng Race Team are greeted at the Viaduct in third place.

Team Alvimedica are greeted at the Viaduct after coming in 4th place.

With some trepidation I headed to the backpackers sometime after midnight. I was on the top bunk, which is always a nightmare especially if you want to go for a pee in the middle of the night. I still haven’t found an elegant and quiet way of getting down from the top bunk and those little ladders never seem to be that practical. This bunk was also unbelievably unstable, even the tiniest of movements resulted in the whole thing wobbling and squeaking. Obviously I didn’t get a great night’s sleep even with earplugs, but I did get some sleep, which considering everything was pretty good!

The next morning I made my way back down to the Viaduct to see the remaining boats that came in overnight and headed to the Art Gallery to see a cool interactive instillation. Finally I jumped on the bus and headed out to meet Mum and Dad and to get our flight to Sydney.

The Volo Ocean Race boats the next morning.

Digital exhibition at the Auckland Art Gallery.

Posted in New Zealand | Tagged Auckland, Backpacking, New Zealand, Volvo Ocean Race | Leave a comment

Puzzling Walks in Wanaka

Posted on March 25, 2015 by racheldennisotr

It didn’t seem right that I was spending a month in NZ and would only see my dear friend Ali for such a short period of time. So I headed back to Wanaka to spend more time with her and her delightful family.

We had a great time hanging out with the kids which included a very fun few hours getting lost in the maze at Puzzling World as well as some wonderful walks and lunch at Rippon Wines overlooking Lake Wanaka.

Puzzling World in Wanaka.

The maze at Puzzling World in Wanaka.

Hmmm…which way now? Puzzled in the maze at Puzzling Word.

The view over the vines to Lake Wanaka at Rippon Wines.

Lunch at Rippon Wines overlooking Lake Wanaka.

It is such a beautiful part of the country, beyond comprehension sometimes. As we were driving to one of our walks a thought popped into my head about whether I should throw all my plans in the air and stay in NZ for another couple of months, do some more mountain biking, explore more walking tracks. It was more than a fleeting idea, but on further reflection I decided to stay true to my plans. There are a lots of other countries to explore and other adventures to be had.

Riverside walk along the Clutha River.

More breath taking scenery near Wanaka.

Looking towards Wanaka.

Posted in New Zealand | Tagged New Zealand, Puzzling World, Rippon Wines, Wanaka | Leave a comment

And Back Down Again – Saddle Sore in Queenstown!

Posted on March 25, 2015 by racheldennisotr

Mum and Dad were continuing north to The Bay of Islands and the Coromandel however I had decided that I wanted to spend more time in the South Island mountain biking and visiting Ali again. I took an early flight on Sunday morning back to Queenstown and checked into Bumbles Backpackers on the lake. No more campervan, back to dorm living!

I had booked a 2 hour downhill mountain bike skills session with Vertigo bikes on the Skyline Mountain Bike Park. I was the only person that had booked so got a one on one lesson with Johnny the head of training. Being a newbie to downhill I was a little nervous as we set off for the top of the mountain in the gondola, I’d seen some of the guys and girls riding the trails earlier and they looked hardcore!

Skyline Mountain Bike Park – https://www.skyline.co.nz/queenstown/mountain-biking/

Vertigo Bikes – http://vertigobikes.co.nz/

We started on a green trail (MTB trails are classified in the same way as ski runs) and Johnny shot off at a cracking pace which caught me slightly by surprise and was left struggling to catch up which was a little embarrassing. We focused on basic skills such as neutral bike posture, braking (always useful) and how to ride a switchback. We’d ride a piece of the trail, stop for some instruction and then ride the next piece of trail. I was pretty happy with how quickly I got comfortable and was soon riding switchbacks confidently at some speed and happily careering over roots and rocks – if only I had a GoPro! It was a total blast and a massive adrenalin rush. It did take a lot of concentration however and I talked to myself constantly about what I needed to do, trying to convince myself that I was in total control!

Downhill at Skyline MTB Park in Queenstown.

We did two runs together and then Johnny left me on the trails. I stuck to the trails that I’d ridden with Johnny and did another run on my own, grabbed a bit of lunch and then another 3 runs in the afternoon. I was very tempted to do a 6^th run but I was so happy with how my 5^th run went I decided to leave it there, I knew I was getting tired and that last thing I needed was to stack it and break my wrist!

Happy after a successful and injury free day at Skyline MTB Park in Queenstown.

I wandered back to the backpackers via the bar on the wharf for a very well deserved beer and then crashed out on my bunk for an hour or so. That night, I somehow managed to muster the energy to head out for drinks with one of my dorm mates, Kathleen from Kentish Town. We started at the Bar on the Wharf for a couple of beers and finished there drinking rum and putting the world to rights!

The next day I hired a mountain bike and headed out on the bike trails around Queenstown and up to Arrowtown. It was another beautiful and hot day, and I have to say that I did struggle on some of the hills, but the views were worth it! I recouped in Arrowtown with lunch and a couple of glasses of wine before riding back to Queenstown.

I was a little saddle sore the next day!

Riding the Queenstown Trail to Arrowtown.

The Kawarau River on the Queenstown Trail to Arrowtown.

Above the Kawarau River riding the Queenstown Trail to Arrowtown.

Hot and sweaty on the Queenstown Trail to Arrowtown.

Riding the Queenstown Trail to Arrowtown.

Alongside Lake Wakatipu on the Queenstown Trail to Arrowtown.

Posted in New Zealand | Tagged Arrowtown, MTB, New Zealand, Queenstown, Queenstown Trail, Skyline MTB | Leave a comment

Up to Auckland

Posted on March 25, 2015 by racheldennisotr

The next day we left the South Island for a speedy drive up to Auckland to see some friends for the weekend. We were up early to catch the Interislander ferry from Picton to Wellington and then a non-stop drive up to Taupo for a night before continuing up to Auckland the next day.

View from the Interslander Ferry leaving Picton.

The campsite in Taupo was a few kilometers away from the lake but it was close to Huka Falls and Hot Spring Park. In the morning I went for a rather hot, sweaty and hilly run along the Huka Falls Walkway to the falls and back again. It was good to get moving after the prior full day of driving and the views were amazing.

Early morning at the Springs Park Taupo.

The Waikato river from the Huka Falls Walkway.

Huka Falls in Taupo.

The drive up to Auckland was rather slow going especially around Hamilton but we finally arrived at our friend’s house late in the late afternoon. On Saturday we spent the morning pottering around Titirangi and visited the relatively new art gallery before heading to Piha beach for a surf carnival. Unfortunately the carnival had finished early and we didn’t get to see any of the racing but instead sat of the beach whilst the kids swam and surfed. After lunch we drove into central Auckland and had a bit of a wander around the Viaduct checking out the Volvo Ocean Race village and all the new restaurants and bars that had opened since we were last there.

Piha Beach.

Checking out the Viaduct in Auckland with friends.

Posted in New Zealand | Tagged Auckland, Huka Falls, New Zealand, Piha Beach, Taupo | Leave a comment

Boozy in Blenhiem!

Posted on March 25, 2015 by racheldennisotr

The next morning we headed out on our wine tour. It was a super day shared with a fun and eclectic group of people. Dad decided that we should buy a bottle from each winery and I wasn’t going to argue with that! Here’s a quick assessment:

Drylands: Had the best sticky that we tasted but the woman running the cellar door was a little unenthusiastic. http://drylands.co.nz/
Hunters: Best cellar door experience, generous tasting, great stories to go with the wines, family run winery. We bought a fabulous Riesling and sauvignon blanc. http://www.hunters.co.nz/
Wairau River Wines: Another family run winery with a good restaurant where we had lunch. Pretty quaffable rose and a rather tasty pinot noir. http://wairauriverwines.com/
Nautilus: A really busy cellar door but the guy running it was very patient and spent time answering all our questions – which were now quite slurred and loud after our lunch! We bought a delicious sauvignon blanc. https://www.nautilusestate.com/
The Vines Village: A little complex of shops with a small cellar door as well as a gin distillery and fudge shop. Obviously decided that it was a good idea to buy a bottle of gin from a Blenheim distillers. http://www.thevinesvillage.co.nz/

Vines at Wairau River Wines.

Pre lunch wine tasting at Wairau River Wines.

Lunch at Wairau River Wines.

That evening we headed out to a German beer garden close to the campsite to round off our day with a couple of beers and a few more glasses of sauv!

Overall it was a good day….not quite as boozy as Patsy and Eddie’s trip to France, but I do recall at one stage Mum saying ‘Oh, this is the one’!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwBAI5wcuLw

Posted in New Zealand | Tagged Blenheim, Marlborough, New Zealand, Wairau River Wines, Wine | Leave a comment

Kicking Back in Kaikoura.

Posted on March 24, 2015 by racheldennisotr

We left Hanmer Springs early as we wanted to get to Kaikoura by lunchtime to give us enough time to walk around the peninsular in the afternoon and visit the seal colony. Kaikoura is on the east coast of the South Island and attracts thousands of visitors each year for its wildlife, especially marine wildlife. Mum and Dad had booked a whale watching trip the next day and I was going to head off mountain biking.

Coffee break on the drive to Kaikoura.

We spent the afternoon on a wonderful walk around the Kikoura Peninsular a total of about 12 miles in the end. Unfortunately due to the timing of the tides we were unable to get close to the seal colony but managed to get a good view through Dad’s most excellent binoculars.

Peninsular walk in Kaikoura.

If you look very very closely you might see a seal!

Peninsular walk in Kaikoura.

We were pretty shattered by the time we got back to the van and decided that we’d eat out in town. On our way into town we walked passed a fish and chip shop and randomly met two of Mum and Dad’s friends, Malcom and Mary, who they had been on a sailing holiday with a couple of years ago. Small world! After a quick catch up and an invitation for post dinner drinks in their van (they were staying in the same campsite) we headed off to the pub for dinner. We spent a lovely evening chatting to a Dutch couple who asked us to explain the rules of cricket and rugby to them. I don’t think we enlightened them that well especially after Dad tried to explain the ten ways a batsman can be out! The evening ended with drinks at Malcom and Mary’s very modern and new van which confirmed our suspicions that our van was the tattiest on the road!

Pre dinner gin and tonics.

Our adventures the next day were met with mixed success. Mum and Dad had a very enjoyable whale watching trip, successfully seeing a number of whales and dolphins as well as an albatross. My mountain biking trip was less successful due the fact that the main mountain bike rental shop was closed and the only other place that rented them didn’t have any left! A little disappointing, however I took the gentler option of a swim in a cute 25m art deco pool followed by a stroll on the beach.

Swim time in Kaikoura.

Kaikoura.

We left Kaikoura early the next day for our next destination, Blenheim in the Marlborough Region home to some of the best sauvignon blancs in the world – well in my opinion anyway!

Posted in New Zealand | Tagged Kaikoura, New Zealand | Leave a comment

Hot and Cold in Hanmer Springs.

Posted on March 24, 2015 by racheldennisotr

We left Franz Josef on a very misty morning rather pleased with our decision to take the flight over the glaciers the day before when the weather had been glorious. We journeyed up the Westland coast alongside beautiful and deserted beaches through Haas and across Arthurs Pass on Highway 73. We were planning on staying at Arthurs Pass for a night stop but we didn’t like the look of the campsite as it was very close to the busy state highway and so decided to continue to another site about half an hour out of town.

Unbeknown to us it was the weekend of the ‘Speights Coast to Coast’ a multi-disciplinary race (cycle, run and kayak) from Kumara Beach on the west coast to Brighton Beach on the east*. The roads were really busy with competitors driving to the start line, their cars laden down with kayaks and bikes. We did a fly-by of the campsite, it was heaving and so we decided to wing it and continued east to get out of the main rush of competitors driving west to the start line.

We ended up in the little town of Springfield a few hours east of Arthurs Pass. The top attraction in the town seemed to be a garish pink Simpson’s style donut in the kids play park, that and the pub of course! We found the campsite, a basic but well maintained site run by a charming man with one leg and a cat.

The view from the campsite at Springfield

Springfield’s main tourist attraction.

Springfield’s second tourist attraction.

*The race looks challenging but achievable. Registration for 2016 is now open….I am tempted, but maybe 2017 would be more realistic, any takers?! http://www.coasttocoast.co.nz/

We left Springfield early for the drive north on Highway 1 around Christchurch and onto Highway 7 to the thermal spa town of Hanmer Springs. We arrived under grey skies and with a bit of a chill in the air and after a quick lunch we donned jumpers and waterproofs and headed out to explore the town.

A rather wet walk in Hanmer Springs.

Hanmer Springs is a pretty town with a wide thoroughfare lined with large pines and a great selection of cafes and restaurants. The Thermal Pools and Spa complex is in the center of the town and the next morning we spent a number of very relaxing hours lounging around in the various different heated pools. The weather was rather chilly and overcast but it made us appreciate the heat of the water even more as we nipped between pools trying not to get too many goosebumps on the way!

Posted in New Zealand | Tagged Coast to Coast, Hanmer Springs, New Zealand, Springfield | Leave a comment

Flying High in Franz Josef.

Posted on March 23, 2015 by racheldennisotr

We left Milford Sound for Franz Josef in the Westland with a quick night stop in Queenstown on the way through.

Dad and I were still getting used to driving the van and although it had its faults, gutless and with a crunchy gearbox, some interesting situations were due to driver rather than campervan error. These included the time that ‘someone’ forgot to lock the fridge which resulted in a gooey mix of yogurt and breakfast cereal spread across the campervan floor and the time I bounced the van off the curb going round a steep hairpin bend. Mum wasn’t impressed by that move very much! Dad however wasn’t entirely faultless and somehow managed to put the van into reverse when trying to pull away from some traffic lights which gave the driver of the car behind us a bit of a shock!

An impromptu stop on the way to Franz Josef to clean up the van after the yogurt incident!

One of the spectacular views on the drive to Franz Josef.

Riverbed cairns on the drive to Franz Josef.

We arrived safely in Franz Josef however late in the afternoon. We were staying at a Top 10 Caravan Park with a pretty good view of the glacier at Franz Josef and the surrounding peaks.

Top 10 Campsite a Franz Josef.

The view towards the Franz Josef glacier from the campsite.

I’d been to Franz Josef with Ali back in 1993 when we were on our gap year and we had been on a really great guided walk on the glacier. I had imagined that we would do something similar this time round. We found out however that due to the glacier being in a period of retreat its snout was too unstable and walks on the ice had been stopped 3 years ago. We decided to do a 2 hour guided walk in the morning that would take us up alongside the glacier and slightly off the main tourist track. The walk was led by Tim a strapping Yorkshire man, ex British Army and head of the volunteer ambulance service for Franz Josef. Mum and I felt we were in very safe hands! We were also happy to find that we were the only people in the group so we got to ask lots of questions.

The view up the valley to the Franz Josef glacier.

Studying ice with Tim!

The Franz Josef glacier viewed from the valley floor.

I’d been told by someone I’d been chatting to in Queenstown that due to climate change the glacier would be gone within ten years. When we arrived I was pretty shocked at how far it had retreated since I was last there – by about 80 meters. I asked Tim whether this was due to climate change and he was clear and confident in his opinion that this was just a natural phase of glacial retreat, one of many in the history of this glacier. After a few hours of walking, scrambling across scree, looking at different types of ice and asking heaps of questions we headed back to the town for lunch and to reflect on our morning.

Although it was an interesting and informative few hours I was a little disappointed and felt that we hadn’t really been able to really experience the beauty and wonder of the glacier fully. We discussed taking one of the helicopter or fixed wing flights to help us get our full glacial fix. There were a number of helicopter operators that provided tours and we walked up the main street checking out their prices and pitches. The helicopter tours generally included flying up along the glacier and landing on the ice where you could wander about for about 20mins taking photos (and lots of glacial selfies probably!). The other option was a fixed wing flight that didn’t land on the ice but took in a greater number of glaciers and mountains at a higher altitude. After some deliberation we decided that we’d all prefer the fixed wing flight.

We headed off to Air Safaris to check out the various flight options and timings. We decided to take their ‘Grand Traverse’ scenic flight at 4:30 that afternoon. The Grand Traverse was advertised as a 40 minute flight taking in views of the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers, the Westland National Park and Mount Cook. We however had the added bonus of landing at Mount Cook airport as one of the other passengers and his bike was getting off there.

Home

The Air Safaris GA8 Airvan one of four on their fleet.

It was expensive, NZD$340 but I can honestly say it was one of the best travel experiences I’ve had. I grinned for the whole hour of the flight, the views were amazing. We circled between the peaks and flew along the glaciers. As we were at a higher altitude than the helicopters you really got to appreciate the full magnitude and beauty of the landscape. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

Franz Josef Glacier.

The Grand Traverse scenic flight with Air Safaris in Franz Josef.

The Fox Glacier.

Enjoying the view with Air Safaris.

The top of the Franz Josef glacier.

The top of the Franz Josef glacier.

Dad with the best view in the right hand seat.

Very overexcited to be flying over the glaciers!

Posted in New Zealand | Tagged Air Safaris, Franz Joseph, Glaciers, New Zealand, Road Trips | Leave a comment

Majesty at Milford Sound

Posted on March 17, 2015 by racheldennisotr

We left Wanaka and started towards Milford Sound via the Crown Pass. We were slightly apprehensive about heading over the pass due to the fact that it had snowed overnight and it would be our first real test of the van on NZ roads. It was slow going but, other than squeaky windscreen wipers battling with a shower of snow, we made it without any dramas. We had a celebratory stop at the top of the pass to take in the amazing view down the valley towards Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown.

The view from the top of the Crown Pass on the way to Milford Sound via Queenstown.

Relief that the van made it across the Crown Pass!

Snow at the top of the Crown Pass.

We continued through Queenstown on Highway 6 via the lakeside town of Te Anau and deep into the Fiordland National Park. The final stage of the journey was along The Milford Road a spectacular drive with some exciting hairpin bends and the 1.2km long Homer Tunnel. Around every corner and through every pass the scenery became more and more stunning with terminal moraines and scree-slopes to U shaped and hanging valleys, waterfalls and snow-peaked mountains. It was a glacial geographer’s delight!

Milford Sound

Sunshine on Milford Sound.

We arrived at the beautifully appointed Milford Sound Lodge at about 4pm. The lodge is nestled on the banks of the Cleddau River and overlooked by rainforests and mountains. Keas, a curious, persistent and large species of parrot wandered around the carpark and campsites trying to steal food from unsuspecting guests. We had a great pitch for the campervan surrounded by beautiful trees and ferns and with a view up to the mountain peaks. The only downside were the sandflies – pesky little things that deliver very itchy little bites.

http://www.milfordlodge.com/

‘Crunchy’ the van at Milford Sound Lodge.

Milford Sound Lodge.

We headed off for a bit of a wander and to check out where we were getting our boat trip from the next morning. The weather was glorious, hot and sunny with clear skies and due to stay fair for the duration of our stay. This was great news, Milford Sound receives more rain annually than the Amazon, about 7m and on average rains every 3 days! Another interesting fact, Milford Sound isn’t actually a sound but a fjord. The difference being a fjord is created by the actions of glaciers whereas a sound is a larger and wider body of water. So now you know.

There are a number of cruise firms operating at Milford Sound and in all honesty there didn’t seem to be much difference between them from the reviews and advertising material. We chose Southern Discoveries cruises partly due to the timing of their morning cruise which left at 10:15am for 2 hours and 15mins.

The boat was busy but not so full that you couldn’t get a good view of the peaks, waterfalls, seals and vegetation as we cruised up to the mouth of the fjord and peaked out to the Tasman Sea. The resident ‘Nature Guide’ on board provided an interesting and pretty comprehensive commentary throughout the journey and we stopped fairly frequently to view particular geographic features or wildlife.

Seals at Milford Sound.

Getting up close with one of the Waterfalls at Milford Sound.

One of the temporary waterfalls at Milford Sound and a geographic fault in the mountain face.

It was a wonderful trip and a beautiful day. My descriptions and photos, however, won’t do justice to the truly awe inspiring majesty of the place that Rudyard Kipling called the eighth wonder of the World.

Stirling Falls at Milford Sound.

Milford Sound with Southern Discoveries.

Milford Sound.

Mum and Dad enjoying the amazing scenery and sunshine.

View across Milford Sound to Mitre Peak.

Milford Sound.

Posted in New Zealand | Tagged Milford Sound, New Zealand | Leave a comment

The Transport & Toy Museum

Posted on February 21, 2015 by racheldennisotr

One wet and windy morning we decided to take the kids to the Transport and Toy Museum just on the outskirts of Wanaka. The Museum claims to be the largest private museum collection in the southern hemisphere and after a number of hours wandering around the various rather eclectic exhibits I can well believe it!

The Transport & Toy Museum on the outskirts of Wanaka.

Tank at the Transport & Toy Museum.

The collection was amassed by a Mr. Gerald Rhodes from Christchurch, who began collecting in the early 1950s. The museum opened in 1996 with just 100 vehicles and a few thousand toys. Since then the collection has grown significantly. I’m not certain what the criteria for curation is, or whether there is actually one, however I believe the curator must have a bit of a dark sense of humour as some of the photos indicate!

We had a very amusing and sometimes bewildering few hours checking out the exhibits and reminiscing about toys and cars from our youth. Dad found an Austin A30 which was the same make of car that his Mum and Dad used to own and I was rather fond of Mr. Rhodes’ Smurf collection.