...and down the west coast to Auckland

Thursday 28th March

Mangonui, a one time whaling port, has the most beautiful, tranquil bay and there was nothing better than having breakfast overlooking this sun drenched panorama.  Over our coffee, we planned the day's route which seemed to intrigue other holidaymakers and they added their recommendations. We then input the route into the TomTom and set off, looking wistfully back over the bay, with its yachts and fishing boats bobbing peacefully on their moorings.

Striking inland, we followed the state highway (which really means a good road with one lane in each direction) for a few miles. The resplendent forest-topped hills and mountains with lush vegetation, rise steeply from river valleys and dominate the gorgeous panoramic views. Ian said that the terrain reminds him of the north of Scotland with the fir clad peaks and steep valleys in every direction.






Leaving the state highway, we meandered along the peninsular, drinking in the breathtaking views where sea touched land. Photographs just don't do it any justice. One thing that I cannot deny and that is New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries I have visited


Our meandering brought us to Kerikeri, one of the first places to be settled by Europeans in the early 19th century. Here we found two of New Zealand's oldest buildings. The restored Kemp House, built as a mission house in 1822 and the Stone Store, originally built as a grain store for the mission house. The only way to see both buildings was to pay for the guided tour which we did. Our guide was extremely enthusiastic if not always accurate as she wove the tales of the two buildings. New Zealanders are fiercely proud of their history albeit only 200 years.

The main attraction to Kerikeri, however, is not historical but rather the arts and crafts with many outlets. The sand of time were running out for us and we weren't able to do justice to this town, but we did manage to stop at Wharepuke, the subtropical gardens, for afternoon tea.

We reset Mrs TomTom and pointed our nose across country to our final destination for the day,  Opononi. Driving along State Highway 12 we were reminded of our drive through the Transkei in South Africa. All that was missing were the rondavaals, long drops and black pigs! Many of the villages that we passed through seem to be forgotten by time and progress.

Not surprisingly, the vegetation changed quickly from farmland to dense natural forest as we skirted the Northland Forest Park, traversed the foothills of the Tutamoe Range and dropped down to Opononi in the Hokianga Bay. The motel that we were staying in for the night was called the Opononi Lighthouse Motel and it transpired that the only lighthouse in Hokianga bay was the miniature at the front of the motel. Anyway, the room was clean and comfortable and the motel owners, Brent and Deborah were very friendly and helpful.
Hokianga an abbreviation for Hokianga nui a Kupe - the returning place of Kupe , was named after a Polynesian navigator, Kupe, said to be the founding father of Maori lore, legends and landscape-bearing names. I never did find out where he went and why he returned.



Friday 29th March
Heading south towards Auckland, we drove through the Waipoua forest, home to the kauri trees. The two largest kauri trees in New Zealand,  Tane Mahuta (Lord of the Forest) and Te Matua Ngahere (Father of the Forest) are believed to be over 2000 years old. Tane Mahuta has a trunk girth of nearly 14m.

We stopped to admire these extraordinary trees and while we were taking photos, we noticed a lady scrabbling in the ground under the walkway. Triumphantly, she pulled out a  plastic envelope and handed it to her husband. He saw us looking quizzically and them both and he introduced himself and his wife and told us their story.  Bob and Adina are from Oregon USA. They told us of a friend and his wife who for many years had been living a parallel life to theirs. Apparently Bob went to the same school as the friend and Adina worked in the same hospital without ever meeting. Years later they met while on a hiking trip and after swapping stories discovered how their lives had followed similar paths. They also discovered that both couples had plans to visit New Zealand - at different times and when it was discovered that they intended to visit the same places, the friend set up a treasure hunt, leaving clues for Bob and Adina to follow. We saw Adina in the throws of unearthing a clue prize (snickers bar) at the big tree.

We continued driving through the Waipoua. Not only is it the home of the kauri trees but also the New Zealand national symbol, the silver fern tree.

The road wound through the forest  and at one point even narrowed to a single lane so that the trees wouldn't be disturbed.

Leaving the forest behind, we stopped at Dargaville and spent a few fascinating hours at the museum. In there was a room devoted to the Kauri Gum and the Gum-diggers (the men who collected it). We had seen the tree, now we had a chance to learn about the Kauri Gum, the fossilised resin, sometimes known as New Zealand amber. In the 1800's kauri gum was used as a base for wood varnish and the resource was exploited but as the resource dwindled so did the Gum-diggers. Now the fossilised resin is mostly used for jewellery.

Dolphins, a Bus Tour and Ninety Mile Beach

Tuesday 26th March
Our drive today was from Whangarei to Mangonui which is a little over two hours, with a stop in Paihia,in the Bay of Islands, about half way. With more than 144 islands to explore, the Bay of Islands is a favourite aquatic playground for holidaymakers and boaters as well as marine life - we heard that the dolphins love to play there so we wanted to play with them.

We left Whangarei at about 10:00ish after getting Ian's glasses fixed - he had a screw loose and almost lost an eye uhh lens. We were scheduled to meet the dolphin boat (to go swimming with the dolphins) at 12:30 so it was a leisurely start. As with any leisurely start, we overestimated the amount of time we had and left ourselves barely 15 minutes to grab a brunch before meeting the boat.  Because it is at the end of the season and mid-week at that, the boat was not fully booked. Leaving Paihia pier, we headed straight across the bay to Russell where more passengers were picked up.
A pod of dolphins were feeding in the bay so we were able to get fairly close but not get into the water with them (swimming with dolphins is strictly controlled so as not to upset the wildlife). As dolphins are known to play with their food, we saw then doing just that. A large half eaten mullet was being tossed between two dolphins.

When they had finished feeding, they headed out of the bay and we followed. In clearer water, we were able to get into the water with them. I hadn't appreciated just how fit you have to be because the dolphins don't hang around, you have to SWIM with them. I couldn't keep up but then neither could any of the other swimmers. Back on board, we followed them again and again got into the water with them. They swam around us and under us but the water wasn't as clear as it could have been so most swimmers, too intent on finding them didn't see them. They are wild after all.

Once again, we clambered on board the boat and headed after them. This time however, the dolphins were fed up and vanished. Heading out to sea, we followed the Albert Channel and caught up with a pod of dolphins with babies. we couldn't swim with them if there are young in the pod, so we were content to play with them from the boat. They loved to surf the bow waves of the catamaran and as we lay on the deck we could almost touch them. Even the baby joined in the frolicking. We managed to get some really good close up pictures and even a bit of movie footage of these delightful creatures. Ian said "I looked right into the eye of a dolphin and he looked right back". It was an amazing experience.

Later in the afternoon, we set off for Mangonui within Doubtless bay where we were booked into The Old Oak Hotel.
The hotel had a definite colonial style to it. Built in 1861 by a Scottish boatbuilder and landholder, its enduring survival is no doubt attributed to his craftsmanship. In 2009, the current hosts, Jean Gardner and Gary Jones, undertook a complete remodel and restoration of the building keep much of its colonial heritage. One could almost imagine people such as Earnest Hemmingway sauntering out onto the veranda, dressed on long cotton shorts, sandals and a cable knit jumper thrown over his shoulder as he gazed across the tranquil bay.


Wednesday 27th March
Leaving the hotel at a respectable hour, we drove to the Ancient Kauri Kingdom where we met the Sand Safari bus tour. Our adventure today was to be a drive to Cape Reinga, almost the North Islands most northern point. Here the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea dramatically merge with waves breaking in all directions.

In Maori legend, Cape Reinga is where the spirits of the deceased leave the land and return home to the Hawaiian lands of their  ancestors.



Our driver and guide was most entertaining. At the beginning of the tour, he greeted us with a story about how he was an unemployed Maori. Each day he would return to the employment centre to be given his next day's assignment. The day before he had been told that there was a bus load of tourists who wanted to go to Cape Reinga and the Ninety Mile Beach. Would he like to do the job. He said that he would except that he didn't have a bus drivers licence and was told that no one would ask him anyway so he was not to worried. He went on to say that he spent the night in the pub trying to learn his commentary until he had had so much to drink that he forgot it all anyway. By the time he got this far in the story, the passengers on the bus were all laughing so much you could hardly hear the rest of his story. He then got into the drivers seat and set off with the bus lurching in kangaroo leaps just to underline his point. This set the scene nicely for a very entertaining trip. Needless to say, his driving skills were demonstrated properly as we went along.

Senny's commentary was very good, giving place names and meanings as well as some unusual historic stories such as the history Bill Evans  a Tree Gum buyer who also ran the supply store, was the post master, the publican, the local policeman and Justice of Peace in a tiny hamlet. As a hobby, he also owned a race horse and was the race course owner (and bookie) so people could place their bets while doing their business.

Toni and John had given Ian a Hei Matau (fish hook). Since the Maori people are primerily fishermen, the fish hook symbolises prosperity, abundance, health and is a good luck charm for safe journeys over water. Toni says that Ian had to get a Maori to bless the Hei Matau so Ian asked Senny, our Maori guide to do just that. He started with a prayer to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit....

From Cape Reinga, we went down to Ninety Mile Beach which runs from almost the top of North Island, down the west coast for 103km. To get to the beach, the bus followed a shallow riverbed with tall dunes to one side. We stopped along the way for passengers to do some sand tobogganing.

Then it was out onto the beach where the bus drove most of the 103km stopping at various points along the way to allow for photos.

Mission Estate Winery, Lake Taupo, and Rotorua

Thursday 21st March (Autumn Equinox) The sun peeped through the clouds this morning and we could feel its warming effect on the window of our motel room. There was still a lot of cloud around but with the promise of a better day, we checked out of the motel in Napier, Hawke's Bay. At the reception, Ken told us about Mission Estate Winery on the outskirts of Napier and as it was only a two hour drive to Lake Taupo (our next destination) we decided to pay the winery a visit.

Mission Estate Winery is New Zealand's oldest winery and the birthplace of New Zealand wine and was established in 1851 by the French Marist religious order. We had a cup of coffee on the beautiful terrace while we waited for the (free) historical tour and all this time, the clouds were thinning and the sun was strengthening.

It will be difficult to give a potted history of this fascinating Winery but we were so intrigued by the things we heard, that I feel I must try. Trevor, our guide told a compelling story as he related a history that include surviving floods, earthquakes and even cutting the building into 11 pieces to relocate it to firmer ground.

A group of French Missionaries sailed to New Zealand in 1838 (two years before the country became a British Colony) with little more than their faith and a few vines. As was the way of many settlers, the Fathers needed to sustain themselves and by 1851 they were running a balanced farm property of fruit trees, cattle and a vineyard.

Since the religious order was a training order, there had to be accommodation for older retiring Fathers and new students and so in 1880 the two story house that is still the heart of the estate today was built. It was known as La Grande Maison or the "big house" and became the home for the early French Marists for more than thirty years. As time went on more frequent floods were experienced and following a disastrous flood in 1897, the Fathers decided that the house should be moved to higher ground, so they set about purchasing land and making arrangements. In 1910 the Mission Building was cut into eleven sections  and rolled on logs and pulled by traction engines into its present position. The journey took two days.

The driveway is marked by 57 London Plane Trees which were planted in 1911.

On 3rd February 1931 the earthquake that struck Hawke's Bay and reduced the city of Napier to rubble, caused serious damage to the entire mission. Two priests and seven students were killed when the stone chapel collapsed.
The story of the Mission is told on a wood carving that hangs in the main hall.
More information can be found at www.missionestate.co.nz/our_story/history

We rounded off the morning with lunch at the Mission restaurant before leaving for Lake Taupo, New Zealand's largest fresh water lake surrounded by stunning volcanoes and bush-clad mountains, at the epicentre of geothermal activity.
Lake Taupo was formed by a massive volcanic eruption some 26 500 years ago. The bang blew a 660 sq km hole in the earth and sent ash flying all over the world - even China felt the blast. Almost every 1000 years since there has been volcanic activity with the last eruption occurring 1800 years ago. Therefore the next eruption is 800 years overdue.

Later in the afternoon, we went sailing (what a juxtaposition) on board Barbary, a beautifully restored 1926 classic yacht allegedly once owned by the Hollywood actor Errol Flynn. Barbary, with owner Jamie Looner at the helm, took us across the lake to the Maori rock carvings. We had a lovely BBQ on board as the sun set behind the hills and later returned to Barbary's berth.
A perfect end to another perfect day - and thankfully no eruption.

Friday 22nd March
The sun and warm weather has returned. A slight morning chill was the only reminder that Autumn is approaching in this part of the world.

After the domestic chore of washing was done, Ian and I went off to explore the Huka falls, Aratiatia Rapids and surrounding area. Huka falls are to be found on the Waikato River, the only river that flows out of Lake Taupo. Although they do not fall from a dramatic height, the waters of the river are forced through a 15m wide chasm and leap over an 11m ledge to form a deep semi-circular basin. A bridge crosses the chasm just above the falls and a number of viewing points that gives public access to nature's beauty.

Below the falls, the river has been damned in order to harness its energy to provide hydro-electric power at eight power stations down river. Several times a day, for a period of 15 to 20 minutes, water is released from the Aratiatia dam at a rate of 80 000 litres per second. What a resplendent spectacle to watch the sluice gates open to release a torrent of water that rages down the natural path along which the river once flowed, creating the impressive Fuljames Rapids.

Twenty minutes later, the gates closed and the river was returned to a tranquil stream, as if it had never happened. We overheard a conversation where a local said that this part of the river had been used to film a scene in The Lord of the Rings.
Later, we returned to the motel after visiting the prawn park where we bought prawns for our supper.

Saturday 23rd March
Packing up again, we left Tarpo behind and headed for Orakei Korako, the hidden valley. Along the road we could see fumaroles steaming out of the ground, some of them sending plumes of stream into the air while others released mere wisps. It was a reminder that the middle of the North Island is the epicentre of volcanic activity.
Orakei Korako is an unspoilt geothermal wonderland, one of natures true gifts. We took the little boat across the Waikato river, into a world of boiling mud pools and huge silica terraces. There are also active (gushing) geysers and while we saw them bubbling, we were not lucky enough to see them gush.
Rianna and Michelle surprised us by meeting us in Rotorua and we spent the afternoon on the waterfront. The Lady Janes did the most sumptuous range of ice cream so we all indulged. With over 50 flavours to choose from it was a difficult choice. With melting ice cream dripping between our fingers, we sat on a bench and lazily watched a sea plane taking off and landing on the lake.

Later, Ian and I went off to a Maori experience while Rianna and Michele (who had seen it all before) remained behind. Glen and Toni (the motel owners) had gone out of their way to secure us a place (at a discounted rate) on the tour. Toni had run out of booking vouchers and rather than simply say "sorry, I can't help you" she obtained vouchers from another motel.

We were collected from the motel and taken to a venue in a natural bush setting where we met the Mitai, descendants of the ancient people of the land. The  Maori warriors, in traditional dress, arrived paddling a waka (ancient war canoe) down the Wai-o-whiro stream. The stream is fed by crystal clear water that flows directly from a sacred spring, which releases over twenty four million litres of pure spring water every day.

We were then treated to a fascinating cultural performance. Through song and dance, the performers told the tales of how the Mitai people interacted with European settlers, they explained their customs and traditions, their carvings and ta moko (tattooing). There was a display of weaponry and combat where each piece was explained and its use demonstrated. This was balanced by the grace of the poi dance, the dance of love. We heard stories of the land which culminated in the well known, spine tingling Haka. At the end of the performance we were treated to a hangi dinner (a dinner of lamb, chicken and sweet potato that was cooked in a pit) and finished the evening with a guided bush walk that ended in a glow worm del beside the sacred spring.

On returning to the motel, we found Rianna and Michelle in the company of Glen and Toni and we were invited in for a night cap which we accepted. It was a lovely end to a very full day.

Sunday 24th March
Tourism is one of Rotorua's key economic drivers and that much was evident. Rianna called it
Rotor-Vagas.

We were not quite prepared for this after the tranquil Lake Taupo and so we insisted on visiting geothermal places of interest rather than the commercially orientated theme parks.

We walked through the municipal park where we were able to feel the hot water, watch pukekos (a native New Zealand bird) in the reeds and dip our feet in thermally heated pools as well witness the bubbling mud pools.

Later, we indulged the younger people and took the gondola ride to the best views of Rotorua and surrounds. Rianna and Michele went on the rides while Ian and I enjoyed a cuppa on the terrace overlooking Rotorua Lake and enjoyed a quiet moment of relaxation.

The evening was rounded off with the setting sun and a friendly glass of wine with the motel owners, Glen and Toni.








Monday 25th March
Rianna and Michelle had to be at the airport by 6:30 and I had offered to take them. It was a rude awakening to a new day; a day where we move on to another part of North Island New Zealand.
Today would be all about driving as we went from Rotorua to Whangarei. On route was the town Matamata where one might find the Hobbiton movie set that was featured in Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. The information centre was constructed on similar lines to a Hobbit house so it was not difficult to find.We parked the car and went to find out where and how we could visit the movie set. Suffice to say, we chocked at the exorbitant fee that was being charged for a 2 hour guided tour - the only way to gain entry. The tour included a drive through a picturesque 1250 acre sheep farm so just how much time you would spend being whisked through the movie set and ejected out of the other side was anyone's guess. Needless to say, we declined the tour and had a delicious brunch in a coffee shop facing the Hobbit like information centre. We look forward to seeing the movie!

Back in Time

Monday 18th March
Before we bid Wellington farewell, we went to Te Papa the national museum and spent a few enjoyable hours learning about the Colossal squid, the heaviest, bulkiest squid in the world and the Awesome Forces among other interesting exhibits.
The colossal squid, originally thought to be between 8 and 10 meters in length (which include the tentacles) but when it was thawed out they found it was a mere 4.2 meters. It was believed that the shrinkage was due to dehydration after the squid had died. Whatever the reason, the squid was gigantic and truly awesome. To think that there are cephalopods (a class of mollusc) that freely prowl the oceans of the Antarctic today.
The Awesome forces exhibit shows how the plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and erosion have shaped a dynamic landscape. We experienced a small taste of the powerful geological forces in the earthquake house that simulated a minor quake.

Leaving a sodden Wellington behind, we drove through the rain towards the wine lands and the town of Martinborough where we spent a lovely afternoon and a quiet evening at the beautifully restored country style Martinborough Connection, a B&B run by Dave and Lorraine.
The town was a small, quaint 1950s style settlement that seemed to be stuck in time, but the B&B was comfortable and homely. Martinborough was founded by John Martin, an Irish immigrant who purchased farmland and planned and developed the town. The street layout is in the form of a Union Jack and the streets are named after places he visited in the 1870s such as New York, Cologne, Venice, Suez, Strasbourg, Kansas, Texas and more. Following World War I the residents decided to rename three streets, Kitchener, Jellicoe and Roberts, after the English War Lords.

Tuesday 19th March
After a hearty breakfast, we left Martinborough behind and set off for Napier on the coastline of Hawke's Bay. A drive of 3 1/2 hours through diverse countryside. The rain hadn't let up and after the torrential rain of the night before, most rivers were flowing strongly. The locals welcomed the rain since they had not had any since mid-February and it was badly needed, however, we were starting to be fed up with it as we had had it non-stop since we arrived in Wellington.

Wednesday 20th March
The days certainly have an autumnal feel here. The sun is getting up later (about 7:40) and the temperatures are dropping. Although there has not been much rain today - just the odd shower here and there, the temperatures stayed around 17 degrees and the wind was blowing so it felt a lot cooler. Still, not as cold as you all have it in England!
We spent the morning at the National Aquarium of New Zealand. The day started with the feeding of the penguins but as the day was quite a bit colder than it has been of late, the little birds didn't want to get out of their warm beds, not even for a feed. Can't say I blame them.

After watching the penguins being fed we went to the main tank where a diver was feeding the fish. A school group was there and the children interacted with the diver as he played to the crowd. It was great to watch all the antics and I bet the children won't forget their day in a hurry.









Feeding finished, we started at the beginning and followed the route though the aquarium. The little seahorses were so cute and the huge parrot beak turtle seemed to revel in the attention that Ian was giving him.

Much to our surprise, the aquarium had a kiwi section. Since these funny birds are nocturnal, the enclosure is kept very dark to simulate the night time but we were able to see the birds rooting around looking for worms and grubs. Unfortunately we were not able to get a picture of them as you cannot use a flash in the enclosure, so Ian took a picture of a display bird

Leaving the aquarium behind we went into the city of Napier, reported to have over 2200 hours of sunshine per year. Well we must just have been unlucky because we didn't see much of that, however we did enjoy the Art Deco design of the city.
On 3rd February 1931 the city was reduced to rubble by a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake and subsequent fire. Rising like a Phoenix from the ashes, the city was rebuilt within 2 years and is now known as the Art Deco Capital. Thousands of visitors come to Napier each year to take a guided Art Deco Walk and experience a fascinating trip down memory lane.

Hello North Island

Our welcome to North Island started with a bang. The ferry slid easily into its berth after a 3 hour, beautiful yet uneventful crossing. Because we were essentially foot passengers we were almost the last to leave. Rianna and Michelle had been waiting anxiously for us at the terminal and as you might expect it was an extremely emotional greeting. Ian and Michelle stood patiently to one side as mother and daughter clung to each other in a joyful yet tearful embrace.
While waiting for our bags, Ian went to find our hire car. It was to be conveniently delivered to the ferry terminal only it wasn't. Although it was fully paid, the company had no  knowledge of it. Fortunately Ian had printed out the paperwork and confirmation so there could be no dispute. Rianna and Michelle took us to the hire car office and we were all soon on our way.
On checking into our hotel, we discovered that Rianna and Michelle had been there earlier. A lovely bunch of flowers (for me) and a large bar of dark chocolate for Ian had been put on the table alongside a welcoming note. In addition, coffee mugs had been set out with exactly the right amount of sugar sachets for each of us. Lovely thoughts.

Sunday 17th March.  
Rianna and Michelle invited us for breakfast - not too early I might add. The weather was closing in while we drank out coffee but we wouldn't let that deter us. Braving the driving rain, we went to the market where we bought fruit and veg but we soon had to admit defeat.
Michelle's parents expressed a desire to meet us so afternoon tea at a convivial coffee shop was the order of the day.
Later in the evening Michelle cooked dinner (with input from Ian, Rianna and I) and a lovely evening was had by all. Later, we talked to James and Phoebe on Skype which was a perfect end to a lovely day.

Goodbye to the Haddows and South Island

Friday 15th March
Leaving Fox Glacier town behind, we drove north once again on our way back to Christchurch and Prebbleton. It was an overcast morning but we still managed to get magnificent glimpses of the Franz Josef glacier. The winding narrow roads and single lane bridges of State Highway 6 gives passengers (me) a lingering view of the majestic mountain scenery. The lush vegetation of the west coast owes its existence to an average annual rainfall of over 10m (yes, I do mean 10 meters - compare that to the UK average of 750mm or 0.75m). In recent times, Franz Josef suffered great losses when a torrential 1.83m of rain was recorded in 72 hours. More rain fell but the gauge overflowed so it wasn't recorded. The numerous wide, dry riverbeds and rocky creeks are testimony to the amount of rainfall in the summer.

The town of Hokitika was an interesting place to stop and it was here in the National Kiwi Centre that we saw the elusive kiwi. This nocturnal bird is difficult enough to see even if you know where it is, so to see it in the wild was not something that we were privileged enough to do.  However we did arrive at the centre at feeding time so we were able to watch with fascination as the shy birds were drawn out of their hiding place.
We arrived back in Prebbleton just minutes before John and while Ian unpacked the car, I availed myself of the washing machine (thank you Toni) to get the laundry up to date again. It wasn't long beforeToni arrived home then it was a just enough time for a quick change before we (Toni, John, Ryan, Ian and I) were off to meet up with Kathryn and her partner, Dan for a sumptuous farewell dinner.

Saturday 16th March
Another early start! After a tearful goodbye to Toni and John, we climbed into the car at 6:00am and headed for the train station in Christchurch. Here we boarded the Costal Pacific bound for Picton. At precisely 7:00am the train pulled out of the station and we were at the start of a new adventure. It was still dark at that time in the morning but a mere 20 minutes later dawn had pierced the sky. By the time the sun had shot golden streaks through the clouds and it was light enough to see, the train was swaying rhythmically across the North Canterbury Plains. As the sun climbed above the mountains and just before it hid its face behind a thick bank of cloud, we found a ourselves rolling through the Marlborough vineyards. The row after row of vines were cocooned in protective fabric to guard against frost and/or pests. It looked as if a giant spider had woven its web across the countryside, while In the distance the brown and parched hills, dotted with sheep, presented a contrast to the lushness of the irrigated vineyards.
Unlike the West Coast, the Canterbury Plains are formed from moraine gravels deposited by glaciers over 3 million years ago and this porous material, combined with the drying north-westerly winds make the area prone to drought.
The terrain slowly changed after we crossed the Waiau River. The plains gave way to more hilly countryside as we drew closer to the Kaikoura mountain ranges and we saw more cattle among the sheep. The dry grasslands gave way to a greener landscape with more trees until we reached forested areas alongside river valleys. The train started to wind more as we climbed higher into the mountains and our pace slowed as the engine tugged up the inclines, then increased speed on the downward slopes.

The train driver announced that we would soon be alongside the Pacific Ocean and invited passengers to go out onto the trains viewing platforms which we did. He said that we may be lucky enough to see Hectors dolphins. Suddenly, as we came out of a tunnel, we found ourselves alongside the sea and right on queue we saw a few dolphins then a few more. After a series of tunnels we saw literally hundreds of dolphins frolicking in the sea, jumping and tumbling.

With the wind rushing in my hair and the clickity clack of the wheels on the segmented tracks, I was reminded of why I love train journeys so much. Tears of pure childlike joy welled up and spilled unashamedly down my cheek as I waved to fishermen and campers along the coastline and pointed out the gymnastics of the dolphins. I was reluctant to return to my seat (and an adult composure) as we pulled into Kiakoura station.
Leaving Kiakoura behind, the sun attempted to shine through but soon gave up and we continued under a cover of cloud.

The train snaked its way along the coast line ducking in and out of tunnels and crisscrossing the road, but mostly hugging the shore. It wasn't long before we knew why Kiakoura got its name Kia meaning food and Koura meaning crayfish. We saw people in wetsuits with hands full of freshly caught crayfish. Pity we couldn't stop and buy one. Tanya would have been really jealous!
We continued north and Ian pointed out a rocky outcrop along the beach where we had seen seals on our drive with Toni and John. As we looked closer we saw the seals on the rocks and their pups playing in the kelp, their flippers raised in the air like tiny waving hands. The train clattered on and we saw more and more seals warming themselves on the rocky outcrops.

With the coastline on one side of the railway and the mountains on the other the vegetation changed again. The salt tolerant grasses and sedges covered the dunes that followed the tracks while inland there was a peppering of conifers; tops permanently bent over, clearly indicating the direction of prevailing winds.

The train rattled an swayed on its north bound journey striking inland towards Seddon, Blenheim and ultimately, Picton. The salt tolerant vegetation gave way to straw-like grasses that sustained flocks of sheep and herds of cattle.
Near Seddon is Lake Grassmere, a shallow lagoon sheltered from the open sea by a barrier beach and sand dunes. Its high salinity and the warm prevailing wind makes it ideal for natural salt extraction. The train rattled slowly along the edge of the lake and the driver pointed out the mounds of harvested salt ready for market. Nearly all of New Zealand's domestic salt is extracted from here.

Leaving Blenheim behind the vegetation changed once again. The forested mountain slopes with their felled trees amid replanted new growth and the valley floor carpeted with black wattle. Here and there tracts of land were cleared for pasture and some farm houses could be seen partially hidden behind lush gardens, while most farm houses were hidden behind rusting and derelict sheds. Pastureland gave way to commercial buildings which in turn gave way to housing. We snaked our way through the mountain cuttings and had glorious views of the bustling coastal town and port of Picton.
There was just a short walk from the train to the ferry terminal and they were boarding when we got there. After checking in we simply walked on to the ferry and went straight to the sun deck to watch our departure from South Island.

Glacier Country

Tuesday 12th March
A Glacier is defined as a body of ice larger than 1 hectare, surviving more than 2 decades.
NewZealand has more than 3000 glaciers and we were determined to experience at least one of them; the Fox Glacier.
We left John and Toni a little after 9:30 for our adventure on the Glacier. Ian had picked up our hire car yesterday so all we had to do was pack it up. While we were doing that John had packed us a lovely picnic and Toni had picked strawberries fresh from her garden.
Leaving Prebbleton and Christchurch behind we drove along the State Highway 73 which took us over  Arthur's Pass, and is the highest of only three roads crossing the Southern Alps. Arthur's pass, is a  mountain pass in the Southern Alps of the South Island of New Zealand. It marks part of the boundary between Westland and Canterbury and lies in a saddle between the valleys of the Otira River, a tributary of the Taramakau, in the west and the Bealey River in the east.

We stopped at Bealey Hotel which as it names suggests overlooks the Bealey River. it was here that we stopped only a week before with John and Toni on our way to Punakaiki. Toni had told us about the wild Kea, a parrot like bird, that love to peck the windscreen wipers off the parked cars but we hadn't seen any at the time. This time was different. a pair of Kea tried their luck, unsuccessfully, on our car.

We continued over the Southern Alps and turned south along the coast road towards Fox Glacier, arriving in the early afternoon. After booking our glacier tour, we were told about stunning sunsets and we were not disappointed that evening.

We were also told about the glowworms in the rain forest so after dinner we took a stroll along the glowworm trail. Pity that we couldn't photograph them but it was like walking through a fairy city with twinkling lights by their thousand.

Wednesday 13th March
The tour bus  left from their offices just a stone's throw from the motel we were booked into so after I made a breakfast of scrambled eggs on toast, we wandered over to the office to meet our tour guide. Here we were kitted out with leather walking boots and crampons to ensure that we had suitable gear for our walk.
Fox Glacier is 13 km long making it the longest glacier in the Westland National Park (and just before you ask, no, we didn't walk the entire 13km). At its head, the peaks of Mt Cook and Mt Tasman soar over 3000m
This mighty moving river of ice falls 2600m on its journey from the base of the Southern Alps to the west coast. The unique combination of climate and shape means that the Fox Glacier moves at approximately 10 times the speed of other valley glaciers around the world.
The bus took us, along with the other visitors, the 8km south of the village to the glacier car park where we were all given our safety talk and split between two guides.
From the car park, it was a 20 minute walk to the front of the glacier, and along the way, our guide, Joe, pointed out interesting features and told us how a glacier works. For instance, the delicate balance of the accumulation of snow gained in the upper area and the melting ice in the lower part. An increase in the accumulation of snow will result in the glacier advancing and correspondingly, a faster melt will result in the glacier retreating. Although the glacier is at present retreating, it was only a few years ago that it was advancing.

At the face of the glacier, where the terminal moraine (rocks and sediment pushed along at the front of the glacier) is deposited, we branched off and walked along the glacier edge to a point were it was safe to climb onto the ice.

It was amazing to see the ice formations, and even climb into one.

In places, we could see where the ice was melting and also we could hear the rock falls from along the ice edge. This is truly experiencing the might of nature.

The shear size is breath-taking, as you can see from the photo. There are three groups of 15 to 20 people in this photo.

Thursday 14th March
The town of Fox Glacier has a lovely outlook across surrounding farms, and the view of Mt Tasman, Mt Cook and the Fox Glacier are stunning from Lake Matheson.

We had breakfast while admiring this wonderful vista, before setting off for a drive along the  State Highway 6 towards Haast. Joe, the guide from the glacier walk, had recommended this drive. We drove down a green corridors of temperate rain forest, the tall tree ferns reaching skyward and competing for the sun with the conifers and broad leaf evergreens, while the low level ferns and mosses covered the forest floor.

The sea views at Ships Creek and Knights Point Lookout were spectacular, just as we had been told, but it was the whitebait patties that we had to find out about. Whitebait are tiny transparent young of some of New Zealand's native fish. The Curley tree Whitebait company, run by Tony and Moana Kerr, nestles on the Waita river about 10km north of Haast and it was here that we met Tony. He told us about the whitebait industry that he and his wife are now running and while he was talking, he made us the delicious whitebait patties that his family are renowned for. The whitebait is quite different from the whitebait that we know in England, but the patties were delicious anyway.
On our return from Haast, we took a slight detour and viewed the Fox Glacier once more but from a different perspective.