The rain is not only in Spain

So again I am sitting down to write the blog.  Just like every other day on this trip.

As we arrived in Christchurch, so we come back.  The weather here at the moment is damp and cool.  Today was a top of 17⁰ but the wind made it feel much cooler.  Summer here, it seems, is about as warm as winter back home!  We are told that after New Year it

actually got into the mid 30's.  I know I was looking forward to the cooler weather here before we left, but now, I'm craving the warmer weather back home.  Just as well we are leaving tomorrow.  We began our day down at the bus terminus getting ready to travel up to Mt Cavendish via the Christchurch Gondola.  En-route we see more and more of the public art offerings that artists were asked to contribute straight after the 2011 earthquake when the Art Gallery was damaged.  There are all sorts of offerings from raspy graffiti styled works to extravagant offerings that have contemporary themes.

It was brunch time and the offerings were pretty slim.  We settled on Japanese - Pork and Garlic Chive dumplings and Chicken Yatsu to share.  Really fresh and prepared in front of our eyes.  Yummy as!

We had checked out the bus times and finish our meal just in time to get the bus as it pulls in to the bay.  The Bus Terminus is fairly newly finished and really well laid out.  All buses pull in to a bay meaning that no matter what the weather, passengers get to board in the dry.  Seems to work like a dream with 13 gates available and buses coming and going literally every couple of minutes.

We have had to plan our day a bit better as we are now relying on public transport.  The bus to Lyttelton ends up at the Christchurch Gondola station - very convenient and takes about 20 minutes from the centre of town. Its interesting to have the opportunity to travel through the suburbs and get a bit of an overview to life in the Christchurch residential areas.


The Christchurch Gondola has a route that rises 445 m above the base station over a route of 1 km - almost fully vertically up (or so it seems to me).  Not for the faint-hearted and by the time we actually reached the summit, I was starting to feel it!  Still, the views are certainly worth the little bit of acrophobia felt.


You look out over the Mount Cavendish Scenic Reserve, Lyttelton Scenic Reserve, Mount Pleasant Scenic Reserve and Tauhinu-Korokio Scenic Reserve down over Lyttelton Harbour and across to Otamahua (Quail) Island.  Down over Christchurch city and out to the Pacific Ocean.  It truly is quite a vista.

Michael indulges his sweet tooth with a Cookies n Cream cheesecake while I enjoyed a date scone with my coffee.
Following this little sustenance, Michael set out to walk one of the trails while I explored the Time Tunnel that explained the history of the region. Their souvenir shop was surprisingly affordable - too bad that I have already bought my fill.

The Canterbury Plains are stunning and we are told that on a clear day you can see across to the Southern Alps, but not today.  As we are leaving, the gondola operator tells us that yesterday the weather was so bad that you could not see Christchurch until after the fog lifted about 4 pm, so I guess it is better that we came today.

We followed our trip up the Mountain with a foot trip through the streets of Christchurch finding more of the artworks and some new buildings that are brave and bold in timber and metal and now limited to 6 stories to limit future problems with any more seismic activity.  Buildings now are rated for earthquakes and although we are only on the second floor, I'm grateful the Ramada has a A1 rating! 

The famous Container Mall has been all but totally dismantled now that the inner city Malls are again taking shape.  It is interesting as when you ask where the City Centre is, the common response is that it is changing day by day.

The last remnants of the Chinese New Year celebrations are still up - you need to understand the incredible number of Chinese people who came to New Zealand when gold was discovered.  And as we have found during our stay, NZ is a very popular destination for Chinese tourists these days.



Our last stop for the afternoon was the Transitional Cathedral otherwise known as the Cardboard Cathedral.  The Evensong Service was underway and so I sat in, allowing the choister boy voices to lift my spirit into the cavernous void above us. 

I calculate that the seating as set out can accommodate about 340 people - significantly less than the 1,000 that the former Anglican Cathedral could house. 
Although this building is 'temporary', there is definitely a feel of persistence and permanence. 

After the service, we are told that the decision has just taken to re-build the former Cathedral, although there is not yet an appeal underway.

And nearby is probably the most poignant art installation, the 185 Empty Chairs memorial dedicated to the number of lives lost in the 2011 earthquake.


Back to the hotel just a few blocks away - they have a combined washing machine / dryer so we can do all our washing before we leave for home. It is getting darker now and much cooler. Time to be indoors.

And now, if only the broader weather patterns will behave themselves - we arrived on the coat tails of TC Gita.  Not at all interested in being blown home by TC Hola currently out in the Pacific - or any other one that our home messages are warning of.

Flights of the imagination - the only ones taken today

Today we had a flight over the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers with views up to Mt Cook booked for Michael (and I was even seriously considering climbing into a small plane) and so we had travelled to Fairlie to the closest accommodation we could get to the the airport at Tepako.  

Rain came in overnight and this morning there was 8/8 cloud cover (I'll explain in my geography sessions back home 😀) and our phone call to the Air Safari's company confirmed just what I thought would be the answer - no flying this morning, there is a slight chance for a flight this afternoon, but as we need to return the car by 3 pm, we decline the offer to wait and see.

So we partially re-trace our steps and head for Christchurch.  But it is not all bad news - as this will give Michael time to 'properly' visit the Air Force Museum of New Zealand on the city outskirts.  I'll let him tell you all about it . . . 

New Zealander's certainly possess the moxy to develop page-turning and interactive museums, and the Air Force Museum of New Zealand is no exception. This museum is an aviation enthusiasts delight.

As with many of the museums which Maria and I have visited, such as the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, this Air Force Museum presents a chronological journey into the history of military aviation of New Zealand but highlights the human element.

One enters the museum via the main foyer (Wigram Hall) where suspended from the ceiling is a 1909 Bleriot XI monoplane, De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth and De Havilland DH.100 Vampire. To the left is the cafe, and a display hall with three presentation aircraft: A25 Airspeed Oxford, AESL Airtourer and Aermacchi MB-399. 

We have breakfast at the cafe 
before the scheduled 11 am free museum tour begins. Maria reneges on the tour.

The tour is conducted by Richard, who is one the many volunteers who power the Museum. An ex-RNZAF and retired Commercial Pilot, Richard imparts his knowledge together with an animated presentation as though he was a little boy showing you his collection of model aircraft. Included in the tour is a visit to the reserve 'hanger' where restorations and general maintenance is carried out on aircraft for eventual display. Some of the aircraft receiving attention include a Bristol Airfreighter, PBY Catalina and V1 "Kirschkern" Flying Bomb.

After the tour it was time to explore this museum. 

As I navigated the museum and its displays, I perceived that an element of humanity has been added. Whether you were looking at an aeroplane, medal group or uniform you were being introduced to the person relative to the exhibit - this is a 'living' foundation. The main exhibition hall displays various aeroplanes and far too many to mention here. I could have spent far more time at the museum, but time was at a premium today. So, should you visit New Zealand ensure that the Air Force Museum of New Zealand is on your list.

Genevieve hit the nail on the head with her comment on Messenger to Michael:

"I can hear your ooo's and ahhh's.  I can hear you muttering to yourself while you soil your pants with excitement and let's not forget the best, Yelling at Mum with outrageous excitement because a PLANE DID SOMETHING!!"

We leave the museum right on 2 pm, make a quick stop at a nearby Discount Outlet Mall to buy another backpack (for the souvenirs) and fill the car with fuel delivering it back to Apex Car Hire at 2:45 pm.  The young attendant gave us a lift into our accommodation at the Ramada Hotel and Suites, needing advice from his co-worker to get him around the many roadworks here as he has recently arrived from Invercargill.

As we book in, we are handed some important paperwork to be completed tonight please - ah yes, New Zealand's National Census is tonight - we have heard it advertised quite a bit over the past two weeks.

Pizza in the unit from a local pizzeria for dinner tonight and I am going to hit the sack now - at 9:10 pm.  Looking forward to a lo-o-ong night's sleep.  I'm knackered after the last two weeks of constant driving!

One last day and a half in Christchurch coming up.  Too bad it is still raining, as it was when we arrived here a fortnight ago.  And to top things off, we flew in on a cyclone and now another is forming out in the Pacific - jeez.

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!

Wind and wonder

Hello all.  Well, that was an arrival to beat most.  On the coat tails of TC Gita!


We left the Gold Coast about 1.5 hours late - mainly because the plane on the route had been initially delayed on a domestic flight in NZ.  Michael wasn't fazed by the wait though - tapped into free wifi and Netflicks while plugged into a port at the airport - happy as Larry! 


And I know that New Zealand, amongst other things, is known as the Land of the Long White Cloud, but seriously, did not expect to experience that as soon as we stepped on to the plane.  They were pumping the cabin full of some sickly-sweet white vapour (read condensation in the cooling system guys before you all think I need 'educating'!) that seriously filled the cabin from the top of the overhead bins!

The flight actually wasn't so bad.  Luckily I had a spare seat next to me as the lady in the aisle seat had booked a seat for her son also, who did not end up fling. She was telling me that Jetstar had maxed the flight out at 165 passengers instead of 180 passengers and had taken on extra fuel.  I managed to snooze a little as there was no entertainment system on the plane and the air turbulence made doing puzzles too much like hard work!  At one point, we hit pretty severe turbulence mid-flight and the poor lady went into a major panic attack.  NEVER thought I would be the one calming someone on a flight!  Fist pump, high five!  Managed to help her calm down.  Go me!!!!

We landed to rain and 9 degrees.  Didn't actually feel cold, but it was a wee bit breezy.  We landed late - about 11:45 pm local time.  A booked was going to cost $85 so I opted to book the shuttle bus at $31.  Only drawback (apart from the last person to get on still exhaling lungs filled with some carciogenic crap and the rest of us having to breath it) was that we went half way round Christchurch before being let out at the Breakfree on Cashel about 12:40 pm.
The plus was that check in was super fast!

Very interesting room layouts.  Economising on space provides maximum income I guess, and although the rooms were a little claustrophobic, everything fit neatly and compactly.  Bathroom in the room with glass sliding doors separating it from the sleeping space and another glass door separating the toilet and shower. The bed was super soft and the pillows lovely and firm - just what we needed as our heads fell to sleep after 1 am local time.

I has set the alarm for 7:30 am and by 8:30 we were having breakfast and watching wave after wave of blustery rain move through.  We only have until 3 pm today and had decided we would do the hop on hop off tram - a real tourist treat. There are 4 trams travelling a inner city loop of 17 stops that cover most of the main points of interest. We began on a full loop before deciding to head to the Museum and the Arts and Crafts Centre.  Both are indoor attractions and by the time we are done with both, the rain has cleared by Gita is finishing off blowing her fury just off the coast and the wind is ferocious and very icy (she is now dragging wind off the Southern Ocean!).

The Maori history is very interesting and while I knew that Europeans arrived in the Canterbury area around the same time that Maryborough was settled, I didn't know that the Maori peoples have only been in this area for about 800 - 900 years. Not sure why, but I assumed that they had a history similar to the first peoples on the Australian continent. Turns out that Polynesia was not the place to be then and some of them ventured out to find new homes.

The examples of their culture and art were fascinating and it is easy to imagine the terror that some of it created to those who found themselves in unfamiliar territory.

One of the final rooms we move through in the Museum is dedicated to the World Wars and the impact on New Zealand. All the more interesting due to the Gallipoli to Armistice project under development back home! And then we came upon the measures needed to enlist: Do You Measure Up?  Are you over 5' 4"? Do you weigh less than 12 stone.
So we measured Michael and my immediate, unplanned, reaction was to audibly utter "Only in your dreams" as he measures in at 5'6"!!  The lady walking past thought it was hilarious!  Michael topped out at just over 5'3" many years back and today is considerably less!  Guess the army was either not too fussy, or getting desperate, or both!

We are told that Christchurch prior to the big earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 was akin to Melbourne - hip and with a unique style that melded the old and the new effortlessly.  Now however, quite some years later, it is still a City in recovery.  Almost all the highrise is gone and new laws restrict new buildings to  a 6-7 storey limit with foundations that must go much deeper.  The City lost most of its impressive edifices - civic, commercial, domestic and cultural.  The art gallery was lost, so the City fathers invited artists to help brighten the street-scapes until a new gallery was finished.  As a result, the art of Christchurch is seen everywhere from the street sheep to new murals and street art.

The Anglican Cathedral was lost and although it partly stands, will most probably need to be completely reconstructed at some phenomenal cost.  A temporary Cardboard Cathedral nearby is amazing - we will get photos when we get back here - especially as the night photos are the most stunning. 

The Chalice is a stunning piece of public art that dominates the square in front of the damaged Cathedral.Designed by artist Neil Dawson, the steel sculpture was installed in 2001 to mark the new millennium and the 150th anniversary of Canterbury's foundation. The metal is cut into shapes of native plants indigenous to the area. 'Chalice' survived the Christchurch earthquake of February 2011, despite the severe damage to the nearby cathedral.


The Arts and Crafts Centre houses a myraid of operators and is housed in the former University complex. It is undergoing an almost complete restoration after being very badly damaged at a cost of more than $300 million.  It is hard to comprehend the scale of damage, and the work still to be done.  Streetworks are taking years as the number of contractors available are few and the trams have to pass through a number of streets that are 'gated' while the paving is being repaired.

The day is racing by and we have booked our hire car from 3 pm so about 2 pm we head back to the trams to return to a nearby stop to the accommodation where we have left our luggage, only to find the roads blocked with 3 of the 4 trams in the blocked area, so the tram we are on is not going the entire route.  We quickly bail out and walk the rest of the way. A phone call to Apex Hire brings their Michael in a car to come and collect us and paperwork done, off we set on another road trip!

The Canterbury area of southern NZ is stunning.  Unfortunately, you will have to wait until our return to see most of the photos.  
We arrive in Sheffield too late the sample the supposedly best pies in NZ according to Brian and Sally Jessett.

Despite the less than brilliant weather, every corner we round, every pass we top and every watercourse we cross brings reason a plenty for oohs and ahs.  The higher we climb off the Plains, the more spectacular the views.

One of the best off-shoots of the cyclone was that the rainfall it brought has resulted in lots of busy small waterfalls and added water rushing down the mountain streams and creeks.  The cloud is settling lower and lower as we climb into the Southern Alps | Ka Tiritiri O Te Moana, and to our night's destination of Arthur's Pass.

The scenery presents example after example of moraines, scree slopes, glacial and then river valleys. If all that is double dutch, then I'll provide a phew geography and geology lessons on my return!

And the Long White Cloud continues to develop, dropping into the tree tops and tumbling down gorges and ravines. Like the alps in Europe, these alps too are cloud factories - we can literally see clouds forming before our eyes - it is, as always, truly mesmerising.

We see interesting land formations off to our left with a sign pointing to Castle Hill. The soft limestone, exposed through wind and water weathering have developed into huge structural looking blocks that truly resemble a castle's ruins.  Lots of Japanese here taking selfies with this landscape behind them!

We finally pull in to Arthur's Pass - known for its winter skiing just after 7 pm.  When we ask our host Kristine what the dinner options are, she suggests that we hurry to the local Wonky Kea. Basic but good she says.  Good but expensive we say. And i'll call out the owner as someone who obviously thinks that his prices alone will bring sufficient income.  Wanted coffees to go, but as he had literally just closed (with about 5 groups still eating and drinking) he said no to selling us coffee.  So no link or +ve feedback here.

And the corker of a comment from Michael late this afternoon "Oh wow honey, you can see snow on the top of the peaks!"