Aoraki (Cloud Piercer)

Kia ora

The photo above is of the country's largest Marae, Nga Hau e Wha (Marae of the four winds) in Christchurch. It was closed on our visit but you can usually go inside to see carvings, weaving and paintings. We spent a little time in Christchurch before heading to Hanmer Springs.

Christchurch was a real mix, but the most obvious English influence of all the city's we have been in, particularly the buildings, cathedral, river Avon and the statue of Queen Victoria! There are still quirky parts to Christchurch and again a real connection to culture with its museums and lots of art galleries and high respect for the coffee culture! Markets in the square and the option of watching many buskers flash their talents during buskers month kept us entertained. We were lucky enough to catch the Chinese New Year celebrations. The lantern festival in Victoria Square was really cool, packed with people, food stalls and hundreds of lanterns which lit the park.

Lanterns were put on the gondola's taking people down the River Avon, high in trees, across the grass and in the fountains.

After dropping Georgina back at the Airport we spent most of our time in the Art centre and Christchurch Art Gallery. The Art Centre was formally Canterbury University and is now home to the arts (pottery, fabrics, jewelery, Maori art work, work studios and lots more!) Such a great space, based in the Gothic buildings and sculptures, food markets and live music outside. We spent the day eating great food, watching artists at work and listening to Jazz. The band were very funky, not sure if you can look them up but worth a go if you like some funky Jazz-Carmel Courtney.

Craig Potton's photography of New Zealand landscapes was beautiful and artist Mehrdad Tahan is well worth a look at if you can google search. He does a lot of portrait and human form paintings. Self taught artist and bloody brilliant! He did a painting of a juggler that I had met in Takaka at the Mardis Grass! The Art Gallery was also very cool, huge variety of art forms from crazy contemporary to old school. All forms of art were celebrated and made accessible. I loved an artist, Fiona (can't remember surname which is useful!) work. The exhibition was displaying a lot of her work over the last 20 years. She used so many mediums and blew away any preconceptions about 'what art is'. A lot of her work looked at the natural world and human connection and impact. One piece was a 10 minute video of a huge lilly floating on a river in complete silence, very moving.

Our next venture took us to Hanmer Springs (North of Christchurch) were we met our current travelling buddies, Rachael and Richard from York. Chilling at the springs was very needed. The weather calmed for a day for our day at the main thermal resort and local waterfall. So nice to sit in natural springs formed from the hot springs mixing with fresh water, some reached up to 42 degrees. The smell though, it was like someone was sitting next you with 30 egg rolls and farting a lot! That would be the sulphur then! Our skin was so soft afterwards. The Maori call the Springs Waitapu ( Sacred Waters).

With the lovely Richard and Rachel heading the same way back down the east coast we all headed together to our next destination, Aoraki/Mt Cook. Officially one of my favourite journey's yet. I was like a child completely blown away by the scenery. We were so lucky again to be given one day of clear sky's on our way to the big one (tallest peak in Australasia, 3755m). By the way it's been raining for 2 weeks now, bloody NZ summers!! The views of the Southern Alps was amazing and so clear.

The campsite was near the base of Mnt Cook. From going to sleep with the sound of the sea we were now nodding off to the sound of avalanches! It sounded like a crack of thunder which echoed around the site and whilst light you could see the snow and ice falling-awesome! On the way to Aoraki we stopped at the beautiful Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki with their beautiful views of Aoraki and surrounding peaks. The Lakes were stunning, fringed with forested mountains and trees and the water really still, reflecting the mountain ranges.

I have also seen my first ice bergs (be them little ones) at Tasman Lake. The Tasman Glacier, although retreating and covered in stone and debris is pretty impressive.

The weather turned over night and the clouds covered the mountains completely. If it was not for the day before you could be fooled that there were no mountains at all. The rain came in fast and we had to give up on our plan to walk to the summit of the Aoraki, ok not the summit, we were just planning to get to the base!)

Much more to catch up on. I'll be back soon. Sending much love xxxxx

I think you have a hole in your muffler love!

It's been so long and so much to tell you all, so grab yourselves a cuppa or glass of wine.

The week before last was a whirlwind of adventure with Angie's friend joining us just for the week. Before the update I want to tell you all about the gorgeous Takaka, on the stunning Golden Bay. Apparently this place is the business centre for Golden Bay! It's tiny, full of lovely little shops, gallery's, cafes, musty museum and very peaceful people. The Mardis Gras was great fun, held on the village green, there was live music, drumming, poetry readings, dancing and fire show. After a few beers Angie and I retired to the car park for a sleep.

Just a little on from Takaka we discovered a fresh water river where we camped the next night ( despite it saying no camping and flooding in wet weather!). It was the perfect place for our morning wash (bloody freezing) before venturing to Te Waikoropupu Springs, the largest fresh water Springs in New Zealand. The river we washed in came directly from the springs. Sadly we could not swim in the springs despite them being so inviting! The springs had its very own dancing sand created from the water being propelled upwards and apparently it is the clearest in the world.

So the hole in the Muffler was an interesting comment made to us while on our way collecting Georgina. We had to stop at some road works in the Tasman range when a guy approached the car and told me I had a hole in my muffler, looking a little perplexed and really wanting to laugh I just smiles and said thanks!!! Why thanks I don't know. So the word for exhaust in NZ is Muffler-brilliant. And yes we still have that hole in our muffler. I'm so easily pleased!

It was lovely to have Georgina with us for the week, much laughter and crazy moments had. We managed to actually plan some things which meant a lot of driving but we got to see loads of the South Island all in one week! After collecting Georgina and a whistle top tour of Nelson we headed back to the Abel Tasman National Park and Golden Bay. The weather started to turn at this point and Georgina was had her first experience of being in a tent in rain and wind! We camped at a beautiful site in Totaranui, right on the peninsula of Abel Tasman National Park. We camped a few meters from the beach. I have never seen sand so orange, it reminded us of the orange sherbet we got as kids! I paddled with a stingray before remembering they sting!

The next day we headed towards the West Coast, driving across the Island though some stunning mountain ranges including the Tasman Mountains. We were due to do some kayaking, however this no longer seemed appealing with the wind and rain! There was no stopping us when we reached the Buller Gorge area. Sheer faced rugged mountains and gorge, we had to try the Comet which looked far scarier than it was. We had adult sized nappy harness thing and zip wired over the gorge. It wasn't fast and the worse bit was trying to get off! The swing bridge was my favorite! This will be as adventurous as Angie and I get in the extreme sport of NZ. We like the tamer stuff!

We managed to visit some more seals at Cape Foul Wind (great name) but still no blue or yellow eyed penguins.....this is upsetting Angie now...

We stayed at another great campsite on the west coast at Punakaiki, next to another beach and walking distance from the Pancake Rocks and blow holes. The drive to the camp site was beautiful, coastal road from Westport ( the first town we got to the the west coast), with miles and mile of sandy, deserted beaches.

Clue in the title with the Pancake rocks, amazing rock formations that look like piled up pancakes. Some isolated by the sea and some attached to the headland. All crazy shapes and sizes from the sea continually eroding the limestone rocks. Luckily it was high tide and we were able to see the water being forced through the holes in some of the rocks, looking like a cloud of mist jetting towards the sky.

Our mission, to get to the Glaciers on the west coast before heading back through Central South Island for Georgina to fly out of Christchurch on the east coast. A lot of the towns we passed en route Angie and I will do again on our way North as we did not have time, but the drive was lovely and the most impressive, the Southern Alps on our way to the Franz Josef and Fox Glacier. I keep writing about the landscape but it really is amazing. One minute beautiful coastal roads and the next mountains piercing the sky with their snowy tops, awesome! The clouds came tumbling in and restricted the views of the Alps but still the clouds added their own mysterious feel as they blanketed the mountains, some from view at all.

I've never seen a glacier, it was a totally brilliant experience. We manged to camp at lake Mapourika which had view looking across at Franz Josef Glacier. The night was spent drinking wine in the car as the rain and cloud decided to stay. Georgina seemed to luck out on the good weather!



We were able to get much closer to Fox Glacier, just 80m from the terminal face, but still it enticed you to go closer. The hazard warning signs was enough of a hint for us while others climbed over the fence for a closer look. Angie and I hope to go back to the glaciers and do a guided tour so we can touch!

We travelled back to the east coast via the famous tramping track, Arther's Pass, which was stunning but again no clear views of the mountains as the clouds were still taking a rest close to earth.

With the weather being pretty rubbish, the tent soaking and Georgina's last night, we decided to treat ourselves to a motel in Durfield, just outside of Christchurch. What a treat.......Angie and tend to find some 'interesting' places to stay on our travels, this was no different. The motel seemed more for locals and the bar was deffo for the locals. The people were welcoming but not sure we helped ourselves when we decided to start our usual childish games of fake laughing which turned into hysterically laughing while in the bar......the locals seemed relieved when we retired to bed! Sleeping in a bed was lush but I missed the sound of the world outside.

I will love you and leave you for a short while, this can be the first installment, I have much more to share. I hope all is good at home for people. Miss you and sending lots of love xx

Tiaki

Hey Dudes!

Work has finished-Yey and we've hit the road. I thought you may like a photo of me in my fashionable work gear. After 4 weeks of befriending vines we thought it only right and proper that we actually went for some wine tasting and treated ourselves to a 'posh' lunch. The wine tasting at Montana winery was a little too touristy but worth it. I recommend the Montana Pinot Noir if you are a fan of the red or Pinot Gris (slightly sweeter than Pinot Grigio!) Why not try the whole range, we have.

Bit of a shock to the system moving from the stunning Marlborough Sounds to the city of Nelson (very small funky city!). We spent the start of the last week in the beautiful Queen Charlotte and Kenepuru Sounds (top of the South Island). The photo's here will do more justice to this beautiful place than my words. It felt like we were in the middle of nowhere. No local convenience stores, the odd couple of resorts tucked away but other than that it was Angie, me and the tent. It was so peaceful and the people we saw were those either camping nearby or on the famous Queen Charlotte Track that's a 4 day trek through the Sounds. We didn't have time to do the whole track so we struck a fine balance between chilled camping, some walking along the track and discovering tiny bays and coves which were completely isolated, clear turquoise water and the random water taxi dropping the next lot of trekkers into the wilderness!! OK not really the wilderness but it certainly felt more remote than the other places we have stayed. The camp areas were very rustic, my favorite, at Kenepuru Head, was amazing. We pitched up looking over Kenepuru Sounds, lush green mountains, islands and headlands. Tinned tomato's and pasta/noodles kept us alive!! No shower for 3 days, Yum!

This is Angie and I playing hard at Sandy Bay in the Queen Charlotte Sounds. I loved this rope swing, made me laugh and scream all at the same time! Angie looking a bit too cool for school in this one. The final day in the Sounds we walked from Te Mahia Cove to a gorgeous cove, Lockmara. We were told about this by a Kiwi couple we met en route. This seems to be how are travels is working. We have not done any major planning but the route we take has an organic process, mainly built on meeting others, Kiwi's and travellers who all have advise or recommendations. The Kiwi's are very proud of their country (who wouldn't be living here) and always keen to share their knowledge of areas. From this Angie and I pick and choose and venture to some places we like the look of and not forgetting the trusted Lonely Planet. Everyone has been so friendly along the way, we have also met some very odd people like our fine selves and those who never stop talking and by the time they have eventually taken a breath I've passed out from the sand flies draining my blood! Back to Locmara, a wildlife recovery resort and art gallery, very chilled afternoon spent looking across the Sounds, sitting in hammocks (despite it raining), looking at the art and trying to talk to the parrot things which were there (forgotten the name!). More people than Weka's at this this Bay.

I wrote about the Weka's before when we went over to Kapiti Island in the North Island. We were warned when camping out in the South and down the West coast, to keep your stuff locked away. These crazy, none flight birds, will try and take anything. The first night in the Sounds we woke to a Weka trying to the take the washing up bowl from under the car, earlier he had tried to get into the car. They are completely fearless and been at all the camping areas so far. Angie was chasing one the other day after the shit stole out dish cloth. Apparently they like anything silver, from our experience they just like anything. Angie did not win the battle with the cloth!

The last night before returning to civilization we dined with a possum in the dark. We were attempting to cook pasta in the dark when the dude scared the crap out of us and the stayed 5 m away while we ate and he/she ate from the ground. Possums are seen as a real pest here and most people want to cause them harm. Pest control in NZ basically means culling all the possums who destroy native forest! I liked this dude (after I knew it was not going to eat us), fearless and cute! Being in the great outdoors and surrounded by a 1001 different types of insects, the noise where we were camping was so loud. Insect orchestra's surrounding us. The first night in the sounds I have to be honest, I was a little scared by the unfamiliar noises but after a while you just become accustomed to them all, even when they are trying to get in your tent!

So arriving in Nelson was a little shock to the system. There was no freedom camping near so we stayed in the city centre in the garden of a hostel! Away from the Weka's and nearer to humans! Along the coast on a flat plain, Nelson looks out to the Tasman sea. There are lots of cute wooden Victorian houses, independent shops and lots of galleries, museums and arty cafes. I liked it a lot! It had, like so many places, a really chilled vibe. We managed to fit in loads despite being very chilled and having no plans we made it to a Bob Marley tribute night at a very funky, run down bar and drank the home Brew, visited the Nelson Museum, the cathederal, Queen's Park, Japenese Gardens just out of town, watched buskers (busker month) ate lush food at Zippy's cafe and visited two markets, the arts market and Saturday Market! The city is more like a large town!

The title of the blog is named after a sperm whale, Tiaki, who we met on a weekend trip in Kaikoura on the east coast. Kaikoura is again another beautiful place, such geological diversity all in one place from the stunning coast line, forested areas and amazing Kaikoura mountain range as the backdrop. The sun was beating down and in the distance snow topped peaks-cool ay! We took a early boat trip (slightly touristy) to Kaikoura peninsular, over one of the largest under water cannon and into the South Pacific where Whales migrate and some, such as Tiaki, make home. Really sorry Sarah, no Minky Whale. They have them but not around on this trip. The trip was awesome and we managed to share the waters with Tiaki who despite being young was huge! For such an amazingly large mammal he was so graceful and peaceful. The photo's are not the best but you can just make out his sausage head!

We have just arrived in a place I immediately fell in love with, Takaka. A small town on the way to Golden Bay. I will tell you all in the next blog but this place is truly the most chilled and bohemian place. Not seen so many dreadlocks in such a small area! We arrived for the local Mardi Grass on Saturday. These villages know how to party in style!

A bit of a whistle stop tour for you all of the last 2 weeks. We are just heading back into Nelson to collect one of Angie's friends, Georgina, who will be staying with us for the next few day :-)

Great to hear from you Brian. Glad you got the blog OK.

Dixie, I will send you a photo of the stars. I think of you while I look at them x

Lots and lots of love and hugs. Miss you dudes xx I cannot wait to see you Sarah, love you heaps xxx