Honeymoon: End of the most amazing year of my life

I didn’t realise how much of a nightmare the weather is to the New Zealand tourist industry, but when we woke we still couldn’t see Mount Cook. I’ve never had to drive to get breakfast, so this morning was a first. The Hermitage really caters for it’s Asian guests with tofu and rice or breakfast. If I didn’t know I was in New Zealand, I’d guess Asia, every guest is Asian. 

We called the ski plane but sadly because of winds, we had to call back at 11am. Instead, we were to go on the glacial explorer trip, postponed from yesterday. We boarded the bus, had a great trip out to the Tasman glacier car park, only to be told that due to winds, they had to cancel. So back on the bus to the hermitage. We did get to pass a gorgeous waterfall though. It’s so strange to see a waterfall that doesn’t have a river beneath it, it goes straight into the moraine.

Back at the hermitage, we picked up the car and drove back to the Tasman glacier car park and did the blue water (more like green pond) and glacier walks. The glacier viewpoint walk was trickier than anticpated as we were clambering over rocks to get to the top. The viewpoint overlooks the lake with it’s distinctive blue glow, and the dirty glacier in the distance, covered in rocks. 

Back to the Hermitage for lunch, then on the road to Twizel. The road from Mount Cook really is quite stunning, especially the view over Lake Pukkaki. At Twizel we visited the black stilt aviary. Until a few years ago when the Department of Conservation took over to stop the extinction of the black stilt, there were only a few left. We were able to go into the pen with the captive birds, we looked through binoculars at the black stilts due to be reintroduced into the wild and saw an excellent DVD on the life of a black stilt and why they were almost extinct. 

Onto Kurow and the most eccentric B&B I’ve ever stayed in. We are in the old milking shed which has been decorated with reto furniture, a compost toilet, old doors on the walls. It’s like sleeping in an art gallery, it’s amazing, although a little scary at first. The B&B is situated in a winery, the products we enjoyed over our new years dinner in the house of smoked salmon, steak and gooseberry fool, all grown on the land. 

So, what an end to an amazing year. Last year we welcomed the New Year with a trip punting in Cambridge, in February we were trundling around country parks with sailor in the deep snow, in March we visited Paris with Brigitte, in April we swam the swimathon, in May I was invited to the Queen’s garden party and we took Sailor on his first B&B holiday while we walked the Brighton Equality walk, in June Ali cycled the Essex Countryside bike ride and we celebrated the Queen’s jubilee, in July we saw the Olympic torch in Bedford and attended London Pride, in August I joined windband camping and we saw lots of Olympic events, in September we saw Paralympic events and the closing ceremony, also in September, Ali ran the great north run, in October Ali ran the Peterborough half marathon and we went on holiday with Sailor to Norfolk, in November we had our hens do, and I had my stag do. Then in December, I married the love of my life, and now my wife. What a year.  

Honeymoon: NZ Christmas 2012 family reunion on Mount John

I forget how noisy backpackers places can be, people were having showers from 6am. Not good for Ali who sleeps very lightly. Breakfast in the room, then on the road. We visited the Mount John observatory in the daytime to take a look at the view over Lake Tekapo. It was quite staggering, especially how quickly the weather changed from full visibility to nothing. We had breakfast in the astro café, then back on the road. As we left the car park, who should we see, Matthew, Andy, Andy’s mum and Elphaba! Little catch up and then onto Lake Alexandrina with the binoculars. We saw grebes, dragon flies but alas no stilts. 

Back on the road, we then visited Lake Pukaki for lunch, much bigger than Lake Tekapo but just as bright. We had lunch at the Mount Cook look out point but alas, it was covered in rain. We did see a lot of Thai tourists and watched them take pictures of each other, all 3 bus loads of them. Onto Mount Cook in the rain and checked into The Hermitage. 

The Hermitage and Mount Cook reminds me of Everest base camp, but with a road to get there, lots of cars, houses…so maybe not base camp. But the mixture of nationalities and display of outdoor clothing walking around, reminds me of base camp. Sadly, the glacier tour was cancelled due to bad weather, so we decided to take a look around the Edmund Hilary alpine centre instead. It was fascinating and surprisingly free. I loved reading about Edmund, his ascent of Everest and crossing Antarctica. The exhibition also includes information on Mount Cook, including the first lady to climb it, who was gay it transpired. 

Dinner looking at Mount Cook, or Mount Cook behind cloud would be more appropriate. Been a long day again, but looking forward to tomorrow, just gotta hope the weather clears for us to see Mount Cook it all its splendour.

Honeymoon: Swimming with dolphins, spa and stargazing

Our very long day started with a lovely breakfast with Rosemary at ‘A room with a view’. Rosemary is everyone’s grandma, so positive and happy. I think the most random conversation is when we were discussing marijuana is wasted on the young, their have their whole lives and it might mess up their brains, best save it for the older people. She could be on her rocking chair on the verrandah looking out to the bay. I cracked up when she mentioned she wouldn’t know where to get her supply from. 

Off to our first excursion, swimming with Hectors dolphins, the smallest dolphin in the world. Wet suits on with boots which shows just how cold the water was as after a short boat journey, we were instructed to get in the water and gosh did it take your breath away. So much so that the hosts threw Ali a noodle, it really took her breath away. But after a couple of minutes, Ali and I had 3 dolphins swimming straight towards us and then dodging to the side. It really made me jump!

We spent 30 minutes in the water, I couldn’t believe how many dolphins we had with us. We had to sing down our snorkels to attract them, so Ali and I sang a mixture of Christmas carols  to them. It seemed to work. They are so graceful, but so small! They kept poking their heads out of the water to have a look, and you knew where they were by their blow hold sound. It really was an immense trip, to swim with dolphins on our honeymoon. Something we will never forget. 

Back at the car, next we had a 5 hour drive to Lake Tekapo, en route we stopped for breakfast at the side of a lake. It was a long drive, mainly because the roads are so straight, so the ‘my fair lady’ track kept me occupied. We arrived at Lake Tekapo and you can’t miss it, because of the glacial water, it’s turquoise! We checked into ‘Tailor made backpackers’ and then ate in a Thai restaurant before going to the Alpine Springs hot pools bought for us by Fran and Kat. There are 3 pools of different temperatures, then a sauna that we paid extra for. However, the Blue Lagoon has spoiled us. 

Next trip was to Earth and Sky stargazing. We boarded the bus to go to the top of Mount John, without head lights because it interferes with the telescope. Driving without headlights is odd. At the observatory, we were shown around the library, the 1m telescope, then the clouds cleared and we were able to use the outside telescopes to view Jupiter, the moon so clearly that you could see the craters, the Southern Cross, the tarantula nebula…so so many. Orion was really clear. I absolutely loved it, I like stargazing, it’s just so much for your head to comprehend how far away they are. Bed at 1am, but the most amazing day of all.

Honeymoon: Postman Pat and the Shackell-Smith’s

All day I was singing “Postman Pat and his black and white cat”. Tickets were bought by Sally, Olivia, Caitlin, Grandad, Norma and Alex for the Eastern Bays scenic mail run…in a red bus too. Robin picked us up, mail, groceries, newspapers in the back and off we went. The journey was amazing, shear drops each side, down to the turquoise sea. We saw small villages, earthquake damaged buildings that were closed. There are 140 mailboxes on Robin’s run, and no two were the same. 

Robin spoke all the way around the route, we spoke about the rural schools closing down. Le Bon’s school only had 4 children for the last few years, the community are now looking to turn it into an outdoor education centre. The bays are so remote, with long drives between mailboxes. Often people had to drive to get to their mailboxes. Robin picks up the mail from the box, as well as delivering mail. 

I think Robin knew everyone on the trip, their all wanted a quick chat. Some of the mailboxes are incredibly ornate. Mid-morning we had morning tea of cheese and biscuits with gorgeous chutney made by Robin’s wife. We had coffee and Christmas biscuits, on a bench, next to the beach…including a table cloth. 

We dropped groceries at the local grocery store and had an ice cream. It’s the longest running shop in the whole of New Zealand, from the 1800’s. There was an ornate telephone box, a machine arcade gam, old TV, old petrol pumps and post office. We walked on the beach at Le Bon, then back to Akaroa, a little shaken and feeling like we were still moving on the mail run. An amazingly quirky tour.

Honeymoon: Antarctic storm at -25, bird bath, and visiting pinguini

Sad to say goodbye to our New Zealand Christmas 2012 family, but we will be back. We were on the road, our first stop was the International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch. Outside the centre you could see the Hercules that flies to Antarctica, next to the US Antarctic Programme base. I was in heaven. The first room in the centre focuses on four seasons, and even snows while you are there. We had an audio guide, but really we didn’t need it, the centre is very interactive. We then went into the snow room, with real snow, an igloo, an ice slide…at -8. You are given overshoes and a coat to go in. Thank goodness, I was wearing a dress, leggings ad sandals! Further around, we saw the blue penguins have their breakfast, then it was time for a storm in the snow room. While Ali sat outside, I was blasted by a storm and -25 degree wind-chill. I couldn’t feel my face. It was interesting that at the start, people were moving, but as the temperature plummeted, we all acting as penguins, just stood there. 

Lunch with Vica (LM), the 4^th university of hers I’ve visited her at. Cardiff, Houston, Szeged and now Christchurch. I wonder where is next. We had a gorgeous vegan dinner of sloppy joes, with walnut macaroons. We walked in the garden, LM touched a bird on the bird bath, which then fell into the bird bath which shook us to fits of laughter. 

We drove to Akaroa, although I can’t tell you what it was like because I woke up when we arrived. I’m such a devoted map reader. We arrived at ‘Room with a view’ and met our host Rosemary, a lovely lady who gave us tea and Christmas cake on the verrandah. No keys, all doors are just left open. We took a wander to the wharf and the bay, luckily walking past a bust of Worsley from Shackleton’s infamous trip. Akaroa was founded originally by the French, but then the English caught wind of this, and planted their flag in akaroa, so it has a mixture of French and English, with flags flying, Rue Jolie etc. 

The evening trip was paid for by Sally, Olivia, Caitlin, Grandad, Norma, Shane and John. We were picked up in the bus and went vertical up the hill to Flea Bay. On route, April, our guide spotted ‘Baba’, a pet black sheep of her Aunty and Uncles, so in the van he went and we took him on our journey. Our trip was to see white flippered penguins. We saw some in rehab, some were blind, some injured. The farmers have 300 penguin hides with their chicks around their farm. We walked from hide to hide in our camouflage gear.  The penguins are currently malting, which meant many were out to see, but we still got to see many of the chicks, and saw some on the water from the hide. Apparently, Little penguins are the smallest in the world.

A full moon and a gorgeous sunset were on our way back to the B&B, what a day.