We move to Wynyard in the North

A late night following the trip to Strahan for the day has well and truly taken its toll today and this afternoon I hit the wall big time. I've just re-surfaced after a couple of hours sleeping to have dinner. We are presently watching Magical Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald while sitting under a blanket at the foot of the air-conditioner draught. You forget how cold it can be on the Coast and what a different cold it is to the cold of the mountains. It is a little 'damper' As though the cold air is carried on the droplets of the air.

Snippets of the show 'The Ship That Never Was" last night come back unbidden. I swear I will never look at a vegetable steamer the same way again - it became a jellyfish flittering open and closed and when directed to sit, the audience cast member with the steamer became a box jellyfish. Get it? Sit. On a box. Box Jellyfish!

This play at one glance is full of fun and nonsense, but in reality, it is so much more. There is so much wit, social comment and references to current and past opinions, stances and stories that you really need to hold Richard Davey (the writer) and his actor daughter, Kiah is quite some esteem. I would have loved to spend some time with her after the play, but the light was fading fast and Gen wanted to be closer to our accommodation in Queenstown 45 minutes away before dark hit. It still feels a little strange that at after 7pm it is still light - daylight saving finishes here on Sunday, so we can take advantage of that extra hour for more sleep!

Our stay at the Gold Rush Inn has been unexpectedly comfortable. At the time of booking, we were having so much trouble finding accommodation that we took their last room, which just happened to be the Executive Suite. To be honest, it was a little more expensive than what we were hoping to pay, but believe me, it was worth every penny. We get the feeling that it must have, at one time, been the manager's residence. It is adjacent to the Reception and is the only room with undercover parking. There was a king-sized bed, a full lounge with a smart TV (and streaming service access!!) plus a full-sized kitchen with full-sized fridge, microwave, stove (not that we needed it) and a pod coffee machine! The table and chairs comfortably sat 4mpeople. We have had the space to bring e v e r y t h i n g out of the car to try to sort out what is being posted home, and what we will continue to carry, knowing full well that we will probably buy more souvenirs!

After checking out we head into town to have a look around Queenstown. The Mining Museum is very comprehensive. Its like the Military Museum back home, while the title refers predominantly to the mining activity and history, the Museum also has an amazing collection of the social past of Queenstown. There are surely a number of people here who have collected every little item that relates to the living of lives in Queenstown - there are rooms and rooms and rooms devoted to it!

Some displays are indeed very unique - there is a whole room dedicated to the Mining Disaster of 1912 where a fire broke out, killing 42 men. Amongst all the memorabilia was a list of the miners, their personal status (single, married, family man etc) and what compensation was paid. While the average appeared to be around 200 pound, some were as low as 10 pound and the largest was 700 pound. It seems that where a bereaved widow with children to support negotiated, she was taken advantage of, whilst the lawyer father of another single miner negotiated that highest figure. Seems that enterprise has changed little over the years, with the powerful taking advantage of those with less or no power.

We walked through the 7 rooms on the ground floor and there are another 16 floors on the two stories above us. There is no lift, and when I asked Gen if she wanted to go and take a look, she said no, that museums are not really her 'thing'. "Why then did we come here?," I asked to which she said, "I know you  like them!" Ain't that love!! She did however, find some of their geology collection of crystal specimens quite interesting.

From here we drive into the Town Centre sand walk the couple of blocks. Oh good, there is the Post Office - we buy post bags and boxes to pack for home. And although is cost a tidy sum, it is still cheaper than excess baggage fees will be! And it gives us a chance to take a photo of the orange shop. It is not open, and with black plastic dropsheets hiding everything behind the window display, we will never know if in fact it every traded. It is bizarre and quaint and unusual and quirky all at once.

We are headed back over the mountain ranges through to the north coast. In readiness for our side trip to King Island on Monday, we have decided to stay in Wynyard for the next couple of days, and do a few day trips from here. We have a cabin at the LeisureVille Caravan Park, on the Old Bass Highway here in Wynyard, right across the from Freestone Cove looking out across the bay and the mouth of the Inglis River to Table Cape - an imposing plateau jutting into the waters of the Tasman Strait. It is nice to have beach views again after all those majestic mountains.

The drive over began in the mountains and I think that Gen is well and truly over the hairpins and ups and downs for the minute. One minute we are looking skywards at the dominant Dolerite Crags, the next we are travelling though dark tree'd tunnels through the rainforests. As I peer deep into the blackness, there are occasional shafts of light piercing the dense foliage and illuminating a single tree or fern, or at best, a glade. The closer we get to the coast, the thinner the trees become. No longer are they the lush growth of the ages, but are now the ordered, geometric, linear plantings of hardwood forests. No matter how clever man might be in growing timber for use, we can never match the beauty and mighty strength of mother nature with her trees of immense girth and ageless wisdom. 

We take a side detour to visit Zeehan - how many towns in Australia can claim to begin with a 'Z'? Dr Google (using the Austpost site) tells me there are 11! There are a number of small disparate museums here, and we again run into the hot rod cars towing vintage caravans that we saw at The Wall the other day. However, you could only buy a combined ticket at $25 per person - that explains why people were looking over the colourbond fence at the Railway museum. They would do better to offer a ticket to a single museum and discount tickets to multiple museums, so they did not lose all funds. I mean $50 for two of us to see the one museum we wanted to visi?! Nope. Not wanting to leave without spending any money, we stopped at the coffee cart outside the museum and bought coffees and pies - they are really good here.  

Back to the main road, we pass through Rosebery where there is supposed to be a good bakery - well, there might have been one. Not any more, it is closed and the shop marked For Sale in the window. There is an IGA with a post office franchise. Every other shop in the town is closed. This is an area in serious economic decline. I guess that even mining has an end-date.

So we push on. Closer to the coast, we now return to those idyllic pastoral scenes - cattle being fatted in green fields, hay stock-piled for the winter, wrapped tightly in green or lilac wrappings. And the roadwork. Yep, kilometres and kilometres at 40 kph. we pass over newly laid bitumen and the smell takes me back to memories of my father-in-law who carried bitupave for the last of his working years. High above Burnie, we again see the sea as diamonds sparkling in the afternoon sun. Its a sight for tired eyes.

In recognition of our return to the coast, we decide on Fish 'n' Chips for dinner. Needing milk, once we check in we head into the town centre, passing a seafood outlet - right on the beach! Gen will come back later for our order. Turns out seafood is expensive all over the country - they have Trevalla for $50/kg fresh and as a meal combo, it is $23 per serve which turns out to be battered. However, that batter was so light - think tempura batter - and the fish so fresh, so white. It is a truly delicious dinner.

A quiet night in watching some telly (supposed we really should go out late to try to see the Aurora Australis, but seriously we are too tired). Night all. we plan a sleep in tomorrow before a trip over to Stanley 45 minutes away so Gen can show me The Nut! Hope the chairlift is working - that'll be the only way I will be going up it!!

Hope you are all well. Avagoodweekend as the saying goes. 

Food Glorious Food

Today we had a quiet day. We could have taken a walking tour of Trondheim, but instead had decided to just do our own thing. Trouble was,when we docked we then learned that it is a 20 minute walk into the centre of town. Bugger that after such a full day yesterday. We rolled over and went back to sleep. Missed breakfast - but believe us, that is no problem- all some people seem to do is eat!

Had a lazy morning, washed hair etc. Last night Donna had taken the clothes to the laundry and didn't actually get into bed until late.

Lots of people were off boat today,so it was easy for us to make the first sitting for lunch just after 12 noon. The food on board is really good. Even the smorgasbord would rate a mention in a foodie mag.

Lunch today consisted of fresh tomato soup - the sort that still has colour and substance and taste, followed by salads, salmon, pork neck and smoked ham, didn't have hot dishes, desert was lemon sago cream pudding, lots of berries and brownie.
As we leave the bistro, we decide to upgrade to the a la carte restaurant option tonight, a decision that we later are pleased to have made!

This afternoon we spent a bit of quiet time up on one of the viewing decks, learned that we were soon to pass one of Norway's more unique lighthouses and for the first time, leave the safe waters of the fjords and the island channels and head out into the open water of the North Sea.  And yes,you could tell the difference!  The swell increased almost immediately that we cleared the last bit of land.  Good time for a nanna nap before dinner. The lulling and rocking a little more determined than before!

Tonight we have booked dinner for 8 pm. We get down to the Kysten Restaurant which only has a few diners left inside. We are shown to our table by the very attentive Malin - wow, this girl knows how to provide excellent service.

We are given a menu to peruse. Choices, choices, choices, although Malin provides guidance as needed thankfully.

So, these were our choices:

Starter - Maria - King Crab Ravioli in Reindeer bouillon with root vegetables.

A combination of clear, cold waters, a cold climate and careful,individual handling, provide Norway with outstanding King Crab all year round. The giant red King Crab was discovered for the first time in Norway in the Varanger Fjord in 1977 and today, it is a permanent part of the marine ecosystem in norther parts of Norway. Even though it's invasive and tends to displace other species, it has become a highly-appreciated element of modern Norwegian cuisine and an important export product. Consuming it supports the fishing industry and helps to keep the stock and its spread somewhat reduced.

This dish was originally created for the re-opening of the renovated Svalbard Hotel "Funken Lodge", located in one of the world's most remote populated areas. This small but ambitious Arctic hotel was originally built as an accommodation and dining area for employees of the Store Norske Spitsbergen Coal Company. Today, Funken Lodge is a small but ambitious hotel with modern comfort in historic surroundings.

Starter - Donna - Norwegian Scallops from Frøya with Cauliflower variation with fennel and chorizo from Tind in Stranda.

Given a solid green light from the World Wildlife Fund's list of endangered species, the Norwegian Scallop is a perfect combination of exclusivity and sustainability.  the delicious mollusc, with its tender texture and mild oceanic flavour, can be found along the vast stretches of the Norwegian coast, where they thrive tremendously well in the fresh, cold clear-blue water. Norwegian scallops are fished by hand by divers directly in their natural habitat and the environment footprint is therefore negligible.

The cautious, agile mollusc is, for many, regarded as the utmost delicacy of the sea. You really should try them!

Main - Maria - Tenderloin Beef from Trøndelag with fried savoy cabbage, tomato confit, tender mushroom, red wine sauce and victory onion pesto.

Cattle are of great socio-economic importance, but not only for their milk and meat. Grazing cattle also guarantee versatile habitats. Ecological diversity and a varied  ecosystem is a prerequisite for a nature in balance.
Norway has a vast coast and impressive mountains, but it is also a grassy country.  Grass that is left to grow without interference slowly loses its ability to bind carbon dioxide and after a while becomes a hostile environment for important insects such as pollinating bumblebees, as well as their coexisting plants. Cows grazing the green fields of Norway ensure open and thriving landscapes.
In Norway, legislation decrees that every cow, without exception, must be assured a minimum of eight weeks of free grazing every summer, with each cow having its own personal health certificate card. It is a fact that Norway has the lowest rate of antibiotic use in livestock production in Europe. These laws were created to ensure that every cow is recognized for its natural need for movement, and that the general stock stay healthy and sound in a sustainable long-term perspective.

Main - Donna - Arctic Char from Sigerfjord with cabbage, asparagus, raw marinated fennel and white wine sauce.

The Artic Char is only found in Arctic waters and was one of the first fish to populate Norwegian waters after the last Ice Age. Through its lifecycle, it migrates from fresh water to sea water, giving the meat a unique taste, texture and colour.  While most of you are sleeping, we dock at Sortland every time we pass by and pick up fresh Arctic Char from Sigerfjord.  The water systems of Vesterålen, with their cold, deep waters and rivers, are perfect for these diadromous fish.

While we wait for our meal, we get a chance to look around. The ambiance is discreet and very tasteful - timber abounds including the lightshades and carvings of driftwood on show. Starched white tablecloths and really nice cutlery and glassware set the standard.

Dessert - Maria - Plum and Rhubarb Tarte with vanilla ice cream from Gangstad Gård

Up here in the north, winter is a long, dark and cold affair. Naturally, any sign of winter's end, no matter how small and discrete it may be, is welcome. Rhubarb is one of those fortuitous bringers of good news. When small, pinkish-coloured rhubarb starts to sprout in the garden, just as the snow melts away, things speed up.  Before you know it, the first harvest is possible and a home-made pie, tarte,marmalade or 'krem' can be enjoyed, that is if you don't choose to freeze them to enjoy them during the dark season as a sweet reminder of a long-lost summer. Another advantage of rhubarb is that it is full of vitamins and minerals.

Dessert - Donna - Chocolate Terrine with white chocolate creme made from Nýr from Grøndalen Gård

Nýr is made from cultured, organic whole-milk from well-treated cows (owned by the family of Grøndalen Olsen, who have received prizes for their focus on animal welfare and who claim that the cows are humourous, whatever they mean by that!)  The production is traditional. Cultured and pasteurised milk is carefully heated up and then left to drain on large filtration sheets.  When the consistency has become somewhat firm and creamy, the Nýr is ready. The result is a low-fat, sugar-free cream cheese with a high level of healthy protein. Hurtigruten is proud to say that we can base our terrine on such a sustainable and leading locally sourced product.

The meal was everything that is sounds and then some. We drank a Pinot Grigio from Veneto region (Italy) and finished with Norwegian coffee. Sublime.

And before we left tonight, we made sure to book in for the King Crab dinner in two days time!

The day's forecast depends on which window you look out of

The skies are clear! Hallelujah!

Here at The Nook at Arthur's Pass, what you can expect from the day very much depends 

on which window you first look from. From the bed, a small window high in the wall offers an enticing view of snow capped peaks dazzling in the early morning light.  On the other hand, the view from the bathroom, while just as lovely, brings clouds slipping down the mountainside towards the stream that bubbles along behind the railway line. Until last night, that rail line was closed due to the cyclone, so overnight a number of freight trains crept through town, trying to make up lost time. Today the Alpine Express, the tourist train from Christchurch, recommences.  Not sure that I would want to bathe outside - although you are screened from the direct view of the road and rail below, I still think that I would be a nervous nellie!

Spent about 45 minutes searching for accommodation for tonight - finally settled on an Airbnb listing in Whataroa about 3 hours away. We set out right on 9 am.

Down to the National Parks Visitor Centre just down the road where we get the low down on the walks through the Arthur's Pass National Park.  One of the walk sections is closed after a metre of snow fell at the beginning of the week, coupled with rain and wind from the cyclone has caused a slip along the path.

Michael sets off to do the Devil's Punchbowl walk to the falls.  Gentle slope but a lot of stairs. Supposedly a 30 minute return walk.  He make it back just inside the hour.  He can't believe the number of Koreans and Chinese walking the path.  Of course, it is Chinese New Year, so they are here on holiday!

The next stage of the walk is the actual Arthur's Pass Walk and from the carpark where he leaves me, it is about 1.5 hours walk one way  to Jack's Hut a little higher up the mountain.  Thank goodness I didn't wait the 1.5 hours to drive up there.  Within 45 minutes of leaving the bottom, he is at the Hut car park!

The walk passes through a range of forest types with remnant antarctic beech forests that are heavily laden with mosses, to the start of the fir forests to dry scherophyll forests and even to the pampas grasses.  Once Michael arrives back to me he is filled with stories of the vistas and the snow capped peaks that are close even to touch.  The air is filled with a thousand new smells - many of them as old as the trees - literally. There is that wonderful earthy, truffley smell that is just so enticing!

From Jack's Hut we continue up and over the Pass, pausing to take a look at the Obelisk to Arthur Dobson - one of the two brothers who pioneered this country.  And then it is on to the Otira Viaduct which was completed in 1999 following the crash of a bus and the death of a child while travelling the switchbacks down the mountain.  Leading in to the bridge and to the south of it, the road is a very decent 16% slope - so it is down to second gear behind a cattle truck.

Once we are 'over the top', the vegetation changes quite dramatically - and quite quickly.  The more regular and heavier rainfall to the west of the mountains means that the forests are denser with more firs and eucalpyts and lots and lots of ferns including large, lush tree ferns and may that we have never seen.  It amazes me that whole walls of ferns grow up the cliff faces above vehicle height, and yet at car or truck height, where they would be brushed against all the time, there are the smallest of petite little varieties that hug the cliff face away from the danger of being scraped off!

We head for Hokitaki, pausing at an interesting homage to bridges in NZ and part of the first Arahura Bridge.  Of course Michael is thrilled that he can again see those snow capped peaks!

We finally arrive in Hokitaki quite famished about 3:10 pm.  We head straight for a bank as NZ eftpos points do not like our Australia debit card!  Then just a few shops away we spy the Stone Oven Bakery and Cafe.  Man o man were we in for a treat.  Their sign says that they specialise in Butter Chicken Pies.  And they were right. Those pies were some of the best that we have ever tasted and the coffee was strong and hot. 

We needed fuel and almost had a coronary when we saw how much the price of fuel is here - it might explain the number of cyclists that we are seeing - making fun of them as they climb crazy slopes!  And yes, the photo is not a mistake, it DOES say $2.07 per litre. And of course the hire car company insists on us using U95 which is $2.23 litre.

There is nothing worse than not having a water supply in the car, so we stock up with water, fruit and crackers at the local supermarket - again, can't believe the cost of living.

Hokitaki is right on the ocean so a quick trip to the beach and we see lots of driftwood piled high with local artists making the most of the ready resource.  Quirky and fun.  A stop at the local Greenstone store and a stone painter is also in order before we again turn the car south to head for Whataroa where we are staying in an Airbnb with Joan.  

She cautions us that there are not too many places for a meal here, and suggests that we eat before we get here.  But with those scrummy pies not long eaten, we take a chance on finding something open.  

Luckily the Whataroa Pub is still open and cooking.  We feast on freshly battered Gurnard with chips and salad.  SO good.  Finally at Joans with Roger the Poodle and Sumi the cat.  Just like being at home!