The Road Trip - South Island (Part 2)

Tuesday 23 January

Unfortunately we both had a really bad night’s sleep so not feeling great this morning. Never mind. We left the hotel by 7.30am after a light breakfast and headed out to the Interislander ferry terminal. This is pretty much in central Wellington and runs a twice daily ferry between the two islands, taking about four hours. We left the car in the allocated area and checked us and our luggage in for our four hour trip to the South island.

The boat was packed full of people and I mistakenly chose us some seats in what turned out to be the kiddies area so lots of squealers around which was a bit loud to say the least. Then the clown arrived to entertain them, oh my word, pass the ear plugs!! But regardless of that it was a lovely trip with amazing views from the boat. The scenery is just so spectacular.

We docked into Picton, now in the South island, picked up the second hire car (eventually after a massive queue) and Dan drove us down to Kaikoura on the east coast. Another lovely drive and already we could start to see the difference in scenery between North and South. More remote and broody somehow down here. Checked into a lovely motel right on the beach and walked into the town for beers and food. Another early night to try and catch up on no sleep last night!

Wednesday 24 January

We both had a much better night and so were far more refreshed this morning. We went off to the café for breakfast and had a delish hot sausage and egg roll. Very nice. We then headed out in the car to the seal colony and the peninsula and spent a lovely time on the beach and in the car, spotting and photographing the seals. It is quite amazing how close you can get to them as long as you don’t frighten them. Beautiful creatures.

We went back to the same bar later this afternoon and had some beers and deliciously spicy Italian pizza then back to the motel. On the road again tomorrow but much like when we were in Napier, I could definitely stay here longer. Maybe next time!

Thursday 25 January

This morning we checked out the motel and then went back down to the café for breakfast. Just as delicious as yesterday. We then set off in the car on our way to Christchurch, about four hours away in total. The drive took us along the east coast, very close to the beautifully turquoise clear waters. We encountered many sets of repairs works on the road south which were still being repaired from earthquake damage two years ago. We saw some amazing sights again along the way, even though it can become fairly similar in content when you are driving through these terrains, it is still breath-taking.

We arrived in Christchurch and found our hotel, modelled on Shakespeare and an English Cotswolds village! Not bad for couple originally from the Midlands in England! We had a big sparse room and old bathroom but it will be fine for two nights. We walked up to a bar locally (called the Brewers Arms, are we possibly in England after all?!) and had some drinks and a rather weird meal that you cooked yourself at the table. Yes, a hot stone block, and a lump of raw steak and raw lamb accompanied our salad and wedges and away we

went. The steak worked far better than that lamb, being cooked on a hot stone, but it was different and it’s always good to try these things, once anyway!

Friday 26 January

We went into Christchurch for breakfast then came back to the motel to sit down and plan/book our flights, hotels, cars etc. for the post-Australasia UK trip. We still have around three weeks left here in New Zealand but have made no reservations for our time in the UK after we land into Heathrow, as we are having a week there before heading home to Malta. Got it all done albeit with a sense of sadness (and reality of course) that this fantastic trip is coming towards an end. And we are really not ready for the end!

To cheer ourselves up (any excuse) we headed back out to the Brewers Arms to eat and drink again and chose better meals this time (nachos for hubby, pasta for me). We are on the road again tomorrow so back to the hotel fairly early and into our recently found nightly routine of doing the online cryptic crossword together before we sleep, trying to beat our completion time each night! However that bit that depends on how many beers and wines we have had! Not great tonight, enough said!

Saturday 27 January

We checked out early and hit the road from Christchurch to Oamaru, a lovely drive down the coast heading towards the south region of the island. We made a stop for breakfast after an hour or so and found a lovely coffee shop and had yet another delicious hot breakfast sandwich. Let’s not even think about the calories at this point.

We arrived at our motel early afternoon, very modern and somewhat sterile hotel units but entirely functional. Unpacked and set off for a walk into Oamaru which was a good stride, taking in the steam museum and historic buildings and on into the beach and harbour area. Had some drinks, of course, and ended up eating at a lovely Thai restaurant on the way back to the hotel, fab meal! Yet another lovely place in this part of the world, can there really be many more?!

Sunday 28 January

Just the one night in Oamaru (which we exchanged for the proposed trip to Mt Cook, far too far to travel to for one night only) so this morning we packed up again ready to drive on to Dunedin. As it’s only a short drive (circa 120km), we went down to the café on the beach for breakfast then drove round to the penguin colony where we walked for an hour watching the penguins and the seals on the beach. Beautiful.

We then drove on to Dunedin and checked into the Kingsgate Hotel. Hmmm. Not very impressive from the outside but the room was ok and had a balcony with a decent view. We are so used to living with balconies now after nearly nine years in Malta that we have missed having one over here! Had a walk into the centre and it looked pretty dire to be honest but Dan realised we had turned in the wrong direction so once we headed into the Octagon area things looked up considerably and we found a nice bar to eat and drink. It’s very hilly here so it’s a slow wander back up, up, up afterwards to the hotel and the battle of the crossword! Can we beat our best time tonight? Let’s see!

Monday 29 January

Today we had breakfast at a local café then drove to the Otago Peninsula. It was about 20km from our base and it was a wonderful drive right on the edge of the sea which was once again a fabulous turquoise blue colour (think Comino and the Blue Lagoon for the Maltese amongst you and you got it). Arrived at the peninsula and the views from the top were incredible. There was an albatross sanctuary there and more loitering seagulls than I have ever seen in my life! Literally thousands. But the views. I could have stayed there for hours just looking and watching, it was awesome.

We took lots of photos and then slowly drove back taking in more of the amazing views. I drove there and Dan drove back so we could both take full advantage of the views (and not trying to do what loads

of others were doing which was viewing whilst driving and nearly falling off the edge into the sea!). Dropped the car back at the hotel and went back into the Octagon area of Dunedin for drinks and eats. Lovely lovely day. Sorry cryptic crossword, too tired tonight!

Tuesday 30 January

We left the hotel this morning bright and early as we have a long drive ahead (circa 400km) to Te Anau. The start of the drive was coastal and then veered inland amidst some quite remote areas so when we came across a small township an hour or two later we decided to stop for some brunch whilst we had the chance. We found a café in a sort of Wild West drive through town and a lovely local woman who had no idea what a hot breakfast sandwich was when we asked if she could make one for us! After Dan described it she produced a pretty decent version and after an early start and over 100km behind us, it was very welcome.

Drove on arriving in Te Anau mid-afternoon. What a super place! Checked into the Distinction Luxmore Hotel and got an immediate

upgrade to a superior room, very nice indeed. We have two nights here so looking forward to that. Went for a walk around the area and then settled in a gastropub called the Fat Duck for drinks and eats. A Scottish girl served us and it turns out that not only was she from Paisley, as Dan’s father was, but her name was also Taggart!! Long lost family? Maybe.

Wednesday 31 January

Got up at 6am today as we were heading to Milford Sound to join the Nature Cruise and had to be at the check in for 10am and it was a 120km drive from our hotel! So we set off armed with fruit, chocolate and water for the trip and got there in good time. It was yet another amazing drive, the scenery and waterfalls that we passed by were incredible. The cruise was from 10.30am to 1.00pm.

To say we were disappointed, and dare I say a little bored, is an understatement. This cruise was hyped up by everyone to be one of the wonders of the world but Dan and I must have missed the point as it passed us by completely. In fairness it was a cold, misty day and pouring with rain but all we did was sail really slowly through choppy waters surrounded by misty mountains and the occasional small waterfall, which were not a patch on the ones we had seen on the drive in. No wildlife to be seen apart from two lonely male seals who if you squinted hard enough you could just about make out on a distant rock. Dolphins, whales? Not a bit of it. Completely oversold for tourist income purposes unfortunately and pretty much a waste of

time (in our opinion). Drove back in the rain, which took another two hours, and headed back to the Fat Duck for a well needed glass of wine, or three! Some you win, some you lose – and luckily we have won most of them!

Thursday 01 February

Packed up this morning, very sorry to be leaving Te Anau which has been lovely. However we are heading on the short drive to Queenstown now (circa 170km) which we have high hopes for and have three nights there so can relax a little hopefully! A rare treat on a road trip such as this. Had a nice breakfast omelette with olives and mushrooms at the local café before we set off then we were on our way. It was absolutely teeming down with rain and didn’t stop all day so the drive was challenging and the scenery quite obscured so for once we didn’t have chance to bask in its glory.

We arrived just before check in time of 2pm at a lovely looking hotel called Copthorne Hotel and Apartments which was situated on the edge of Lake Wakatipu and we had a lovely room with a balcony view directly over the lake. The rain and mist were relentless so there was no way we could tackle the fifteen minute hilly walk into the town centre so we decided to join the other tourists and stay put in the hotel for the rest of the day.

We went down to the bar for some pre dinner drinks (although they ran out of beer after Dan had only had two small bottles!) then headed up to the restaurant. The latter was a huge disappointment

for me, I ordered Lamb pie with ‘kumara’ (sweet potato) and Greek salad which sounded delicious but the pie was just overcooked shortcrust pastry with precooked dry lamb in the bottom of the dish (no kumara, no jus or sauce as promised) and the Greek salad was soggy rocket leaves with a tiny show of vegetable (not even olive) oil! I queried it and was told ‘this is how we always serve it’ so basically take it or leave it. You guessed it, the latter was always going to win. Dan had ordered a steak sandwich with chips but the latter were barely cooked so he left those and we shared the sandwich before leaving, vowing never to return! This hotel has so much potential but the management and organisation of it is incredibly poor. Such a shame.

Friday 02 February

We did some jobs in the room this morning (washing in the guest laundry room, ironing, blogging, emailing, banking etc.) then showered and headed out early afternoon to explore Queenstown centre as the rain had finally stopped and been replaced by a weak but determined sun.

And what a treat it was! It totally lived up to its reputation. It was a short walk from the hotel, downhill all the way so coming back up later should be fun! The centre and the area around the harbour were delightful and filled with lively restaurants, bars and cafés with a glorious view of the mountain range across the water.

We walked for a while and then had a few drinks before deciding to try the Thai restaurant overlooking the harbour called the Wild Rice. Great decision. We had sizzling fish with loads of veggies in a spicy Thai sauce and both of us loved it. Definitely coming back here again tomorrow – after all the deep fried, battered, stodgy bar food we have encountered so far, this meal was like being back home in our own kitchen and boy, were our bodies grateful for it! Queenstown is fast moving to the top of the list.

Saturday 03 February

We decided when we were down at the harbour yesterday to try a trip on the old steamer cruise boat (built circa 1910) whilst we were here in Queenstown, so we got ready after breakfast, and walked back down the hill around 1pm. Got the tickets and boarded the boat (TSS Earnslaw) and had a very relaxing 90 min cruise around the shores of Queensland.

We went for a short walk from there then off to find the Lone Star bar which we know sells the favoured Ned rosé wine. And sure enough it did! Had a nice few drinks in there then went next door for a few more before heading back to the Thai restaurant again. More or less the same meal though we substituted the white fish for salmon and added roti bread. Oh, and red wine! Like we hadn’t had enough already. Marvellous! Swayed gently up the hill back to the hotel and fell asleep whilst trying, unsuccessfully, to complete our friend, the cryptic crossword.

Sunday 04 February

Up early today for a long drive to Franz Josef, our final ‘new’ destination on the road trip. Yikes. It is circa 350km over slow terrain so could take quite some time. We packed the car up, had breakfast and headed out, Dan driving again, he has done the lion’s share of driving to be fair. Spectacular start to the drive across the Crown Range, the highest sealed road in New Zealand. And boy was it high up. Up and up we went until we could see for miles, I actually saw a plane flying beneath our view, it was surreal. Incredible drive. Once we had come down from the Range we entered into remote settlements, bush and native rainforests, following Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea for a lot of the drive.

Eventually we arrived into Franz Josef around 4pm. Checked into the Punga Grove motel and suites, basic but functional, unpacked then headed out to get a beer and some food. Despite being such a tiny township, there are some good places to eat and drink and we had a nice meal. Chicken and pumpkin salad for Dan, and lamb shanks with lots of veg for me, yum. Back to the motel and completed the cryptic in 44 minutes before lights out, yay!

Monday 05 February

Went down to the local café for breakfast today called Full of Beans.

Dan had our staple, a sausage and egg sandwich and I had poached eggs on toast, very tasty. We then drove down to the FJ glazier viewing area but by the time we got there it was pouring with rain again and we decided against doing the 30min walk to the viewing point in those conditions, completely pointless. So we went back to the village and pottered around the souvenir shops and went for another drive before returning to our motel. Dan repacked the cases and I did a bit more work on this blog. Can’t wait to get back on my laptop to format it properly which the iPad just won’t allow (or more likely the user isn’t clever enough to work it out!).

Headed out to The Landing bar late afternoon and couldn’t work out why it was so packed, until we realised they were watching the live Super Bowl final from the US. Moved on then to the Snakebite Café Bar and enjoyed some more drinks before going back round to Alice

May’s again for supper. Early night again as early drive in the morning. Sorry cryptic, no chance.

Tuesday 06 February

Up at around 6am and down to the Full of Beans café for hot breakfast sandwiches before hitting the road, once again on Highway 6, heading for Greymouth. After two days of rain and cloud, it is a cold and sunny morning today and the glazier can be clearly seen. Typical! Took about two and a half hours to drive to Greymouth and we dropped the car off for the last time outside the train station as instructed. Goodbye faithful friend, thanks for looking after us!
Once all the handover paperwork was completed, we then checked our cases in for the four+ hour train journey from Greymouth to Christchurch, marking the end of our road trip around the north and south islands of New Zealand.

However there was a delay on the train departure time by about an hour, so along with all the other waiting passengers, we headed over to the Speights bar on the opposite side of the street and waited it out in there. Not a bad way to kill an hour! Finally boarded around 2.45pm and off we went. We cut through the centre of all the valleys, fjords and forests so the views were amazing, apart from when we were in one of the many tunnels. One of them was 8km long and we needed an extra engine to push us along it as it was all uphill. All part of the fun!

Into Christchurch around 7pm and met by our chatty driver who despatched us efficiently to our hotel. Walked down to the Brewers Arms where we went last time, and had a couple of bar snacks and drinks before heading back to the hotel for some much needed sleep. So hard to believe it is almost over, thank heavens for a few more days in Christchurch, post road trip.

Wednesday 07 February

We were picked up this morning by our chatty driver again at the Heartlands hotel and taken to the motel that we chose to add on to the end of our trip now that the formal road trip itinerary has been achieved. We figured it would be good to have a few ‘free’ days here before heading back up to Auckland to get ready for the flight home. The motel was very nice, we settled into our own small flatlet on the edge of the park and adjacent to the town centre. Four days and nights to chill out before flying to Auckland on Sunday.

Went to a café for breakfast and had their special – pulled pork, fried egg and spicy slaw in a brioche bun. Different! Then walked around

the centre taking in some of the still devastating sights from the 2010/2011 earthquakes. It was interesting and this poor city certainly took one hell of a hit, amazing really that only 185 people lost their lives in total. Went for a few drinks in an Irish bar called ‘The Bog’ then over the road to an upmarket pizzeria and had spicy pizzas for supper, delish! Back to the motel, nailed the cryptic crossword and fell asleep.