South Island Road Trip * day thirteen * Wellington to Rotorua

On our last day of "The South Island Road Trip", we woke up at the Downtown Backpackers and made breakfast in the shared kitchen. It is a very convenient location for anyone that takes the late ferry out of Picton (picture of the Bluebridge ferry from our window). Our family of six occupied an entire dorm room, so we weren't too concerned with the age/stage of the typical clientele. I will say that the bar was "rocking" when we arrived. I imagine there some drunken charades going on down the hall in the community rooms. It would probably pay to book a private room... if you are concerned with things like "quiet" and "sleep". We have stayed their twice and love it. They have a really comfortable dining room and a nice cafe if you don't bring your own food.   

The last leg of our journey included a majestic view of Mount Ruapehu and peanut butter, M&M crackers.

And we are done...

Thanks for traveling with us.

South Island Road Trip * day twelve * Kaikoura, Picton and Wellington (part two)

We left "baby seal paradise" and drove through the beautiful town of Blenheim - renowned as New Zealand's wine hub. We arrived in Picton well past lunchtime and decided to drive along the coast to find a picnic destination. Queen Charlotte Drive was a worthwhile diversion. Steep cliffs, with magnificent views of several boat filled Bay's (Shakespeare, Beck, Governors and Ngakuta).

We stopped for lunch at the Governors Bay Scenic Reserve and then took a ten minute hike down to the water. There were hundreds of jellyfish glittering on the beach. The kids spent thirty minutes rescuing them from a dry and sandy death and then erected the bare bones of a hut (that would perhaps be completed by another curious child). 

After "lunch" we headed back into the quaint town of Picton. Last year for Christmas we spent a week at an isolated house on Erie Bay. It was a great experience - but getting there was an exhausting process. A process that ended up included a six hour "layover" in the ferry terminal town of Picton. We loved it (despite our semi-conscious state). So when we were making plans for our South Island road trip, we arranged to be there quite a bit ahead of our scheduled departure back to Wellington.

The ferry ride in and out of Picton Harbor is idyllic. Both the Bluebridge and Interislander make the trek through the Marlborough Sound. The Queen Charlotte Track (in the Marlborough Sound region) is a popular destination for people who like to "tramp". It is actually not listed among New Zealand's "Great Walks" - which tells you a little bit about how beautiful New Zealand is.

The Picton wharf was very quiet on the afternoon we arrived. It was a perfect place to utilize the skateboard, balance bike and scooters that we brought.
 

The enormous pirate ship playground nearly saved our exhausted lives when we were there at Christmas time.
It was great to have another visit.

We put a to-go order in at a local restaurant and the kids had fun running to the top of the harbor bridge while we waited.

Right before we left, someone spotted AND caught an enormous starfish. Perfect way to wrap up the day.

We picked up food, ate dinner on the ferry and put the kids to bed for a few hours. We drove off the boat in Wellington at 11:30 pm and checked into the youth hostel right across the street. We had everyone tucked into our dorm room bunk beds by midnight.

 

South Island Road Trip * day twelve * Kaikoura to Picton (part one)

On our last morning in Kaikoura Jude found a hedgehog. BIG news for a three year old. The three big kids were playing hide and seek outside while Ben and I cleanup up the rental house. Jude was hiding in the shed next to a pile of old fishing nets - the hedgehog was caught in one of the nets. Max and Maggie helped get him untangled and they all worked hard to make a nice comfortable home for their new friend. They accommodated him for about an hour and then said their goodbyes. We got in the car for the final stretch of our South Island road trip.

We left the house around 10:00 am and didn't need to be at the Picton ferry until 7:00pm. We started driving out of town and stopped at a roadside seal viewing area to take a few more pictures of the cute little guys. A young family overheard our kids talking about how cute they thought the babies were... and they started RAVING about a short waterfall hike that was just up the road. They made it sound like baby seal paradise... so we decided to stop for a quick look.

Hundreds of baby seals frolicking in a waterfall. No words to describe what an amazing natural wildlife experience it was for all of us. Actually... no time to formulate the words to describe what an amazing natural wildlife experience it was. Trust me... it was awesome. Baby seal paradise. We could hardly tear ourselves away. Be sure to watch the video at the bottom of the page. PLEASE NOTE: this is a seasonal attraction. Best time to see them is between May and October.

Side note for family... if any of you have still have the email I sent from Tanzania WAY BACK in 2005 (regarding our time at Gombe Stream National Park) please be in touch. That was the only animal encounter I have had that rivaled this and I don't have it documented.

Every time the kids complain about something "not being fair... so and so always gets to (fill in the blank) " we have a running seal baby joke. But did so and so get to see HUNDREDS OF BABY SEALS FROLICKING IN A WATERFALL?! They usually quiet down...

South Island Road Trip * day eleven * Kaikoura

Way back in April we took a twelve day road trip across New Zealand's South Island. It was remarkable.
I have been struggling to finish up the blog series... possibly because I am still not ready for it to be over. 

Kaikoura was a little bit of an "add on" to our road trip. We hadn't planned to be here, but though it would be a good idea to find a destination a little bit closer to Picton (and the ferry terminal) for our last two nights on the South Island. It ended up being (debatably) the favorite stop on our whole trip. I was without questions the place where we saw the coolest display of wildlife - perhaps ever (more on that tomorrow). The landscape was breathtaking oceans, mountains, cliffs, greens, browns, blues, greys ... beauty everywhere.

We woke up and had breakfast with a view. At "the point" and saw seals playing in a lagoon... two thousand photos later, we took a nice hike and got a glorious view of the peninsula (and another seal colony). We would have limited the number of seal photos, had we know what the following day would hold (more on that next time).

We went home for lunch and then hopped in the car for "another drive". Ben dropped Max, Maggie and me off for a whale watching excursion. It was quite an exciting surprise for our animal loving big kids. For the past ten days (as we discussed our itinerary for the remainder of the trip) we had been emphatically reassuring the kids that we would NOT be seeing whales on this trip. But as we read more about Kaikoura, we had a last minute change of heart. It was a good decision.

We had the most informative and well educated guide who taught us about lots of different kinds of whales (most of which I didn't know existed). But the most interesting part of the trip was the video they showed about why Kaikoura is one of the best places in the world to see whales. Whales thrive close to Kaikoura because of its unusual submarine landscape. The continental shelf drops quickly into a number of extremely deep underwater canyons. In addition, a warm current from the north meets a colder one from the south. This causes nutrients from deep within the ocean to be carried upward, a phenomenon that helps to support all types of marine life from plankton and krill to dolphins and whales (source).

I wish I had a copy of the video... it was so cool. They hypothetically drained out all the water and then took the viewer on a tour through the canyon... showing different recognizable landmarks (like the Eiffel Tower, Sydney Opera House) to show the depth and breadth... also showing the vastly diverse sea life and the depths where they were capable of diving. It was fascinating. There was a lively discussion with our guide after the video. Everyone had lot of questions that he easily and enthusiastically answered.

We were in the front row and once the questions died down, I complemented our guide on his "mad skills". He was a humble, youngish guy who knew a lot about his vocation. You could tell that he was passionate about whales and had a deep respect for their habitat and history. I imagine the industry can get a bit tiresome... tourists with the same questions, day in and day out. But this guy was a real professional. He took his responsibility seriously... and as a result me and my kids have a new found appreciation for whales and their habitat. Well done Te Auhia Solomon.

As we talked I learned that Te Auhia is the son of Bill Solomon, the visionary founder of Whale Watch Kaikoura. In 1987 he and his wife mortgaged their house and subsequently revived the local economy with the introduction of the whale watching industry. Amazing story. I would highly recommend Whale Watch Kaikoura to anyone considering a trip to the South Island. Good people.

The best meal I have had in New Zealand was from THIS little seafood stand on the last official night of our South Island road trip. It was a perfect evening filled with sunset seafood and hut building family time. We loved you Kaikoura!

South Island Road Trip * day ten * The Catlins to Kaikoura

Day ten was an incredibly long day of driving (9 hours). Here is our route from The Catlins to Kaikoura. We left relatively early and made very few stops. There were lots of things in Dunedin that I would have liked to have seen - but there was no time. We did stop for an early lunch break at Moeraki Boulders.

The drive into Kaikoura was more beautiful than I imagined. It was a little bit of afterthought add on to our trip and I didn't expect it to rank so high on our list of favorites... maybe the top. (but more on that in day 11). The view from our holiday home at sunset... mountains to the west and ocean to the east - breathtaking. The kids watched Harry Potter as we made dinner. Nice to be out of the car.

South Island Road Trip * day nine * The Catlins

Day nine felt like this photo... uphill... both ways... with two kids on your back. We started the day with a great breakfast of fresh eggs, bacon and toast and got out the door around 7:00... but missed our window of opportunity to see the Cathedral Caves (a series of enormous beachside caverns that can only be seen at low tide). By the time we got there we realized we were nearly out of gas and had to go 30 minutes back to town... and then turn around and go about back about 20 minutes PAST the Cathedral Caves to our next destination Curio Bay... home to an 18 million year old petrified forest. The petrified forest was cool... but by the time we go there everyone had been in the car for about 2 hours and it was a MAJOR let down for the kids. "We came all the way here to see THIS???!!!" Fortunately on the way back to town we took a very redemptive hike up to McLean Falls. The bush hike was unbelievably lush... thick layers of moss, unusual ferns, beautiful trees, uniquely colors stream running from the falls. Everyone was very thankful to be out of the car and excited to be seeing something beautiful.

We decided that we hadn't quite pushed the limits far enough and took a trip Jack's Blowhole (which was about 20 minutes past our home on the other side of town. It was cool... but we probably should have called it a day after McLean Falls. We made it - but just barely (Ben carried the babies and I bribed the kids with promised of special and delicious foods). Got home, played with chickens, ate dinner and watched a movie. DONE.

South Island Road Trip * day eight * Arrowtown to The Catlins (part two)

The Nugget Point Light House was very high on my list of all time favorite short walks. A narrow ridge winds out to the light house, exposing an unbelievably rugged coast line with astonishing views in every direction. Check out some of these arial shots to get a better perspective on the remarkable beauty of this place. Right around the corner at Roaring Bay we saw a yellow-eyed penguin coming up to nest. It is considered one of the worlds rarest penguin species with an estimated population of 4000.

After Nugget Point and Roaring Bay we went to Surats Bay for an unsuccessful Sea Lions hunt. The boys had a seaweed fight with the enormous strings of bull kelp. It was a nice walk on a beautiful beach... great way to wrap up the day. Back home for a big pasta dinner and toasted marshmallows by they fire.

South Island Road Trip * day eight * Arrowtown to The Catlins (part one)

Day eight felt particularly long, and we saw so many lovely things that I decided to break it up into two posts.

The kids were up at 5:30am and we were out the door by 7:00. The Catlins was the area I had most looked forward to seeing and I wanted to get an early start on the day. Being so far south, it lacks a bit of the bus and tourist traffic.

The drive from Arrowtown to Owaka was breathtaking. The area south of Alexandra was particularly unique and beautiful (again... the colors... I can't get enough of New Zealand's heavenly hues). Dull and sharp greens, mustard yellow trees, dirty white sheep sheep, sandy hilltops capped with snow, grey skies and a heavy haze all around.

The Teviot Valley and Lake Roxburg would have been a nice place to explore it we had more time. Lots of bike trails, fruit stalls, orchards and fresh fruit ice cream for sale. Beautiful scenery.

We drove past The Speargrass Inn and didn't stop... because we would have immediately altered its peaceful ambiance. Places like this are better suited for people that don't throw tantrums. It looked perfectly at home in this part of the country. A former/or future version of myself would love to have stayed the night and had a meal.

We walked to the end of Tunnel Hill - a 250 meter rail tunnel that was constructed (with pick and shovel) on the Balclutha–Tahakopa railway line in 1891–93. The railway closed in 1971, and the tunnel is now part of a historic reserve. The kids are always keen to hike anywhere that requires headlamps.




... and then we arrived at THE HOUSE. The Catlins River Station House was a immediate favorite, even before we walked in the door. Chickens and eggs = hours of entertainment. Despite the 1970's shag carpet and "vintage" wall paper, this house felt like home. My kids are always dirty... and I like it that way. They take their shoes off when they come in and I encourage a certain measure of cleanliness... but maintaining a spotless house and squeaky clean kids will never be top on the to-do list. This farmhouse was designed for my people - laundry room at the back door for immediate removal of chicken poop covered clothing, bathroom directly across the hall for easy transfer to the tub. Hot, wood burning stove, lots of stacked wood, bean bag chairs, quality kids movies, large sturdy farm table in the kitchen, and weighty warm bedding (which largely inspired my recent sewing rampage). I love when blanket are so heavy that feel like an x-ray vest. Every bed had about four layers of wonderful thick, soft bedding.

Ben's aunt and uncle own a ranch style home on a piece of property in East Texas. It has a very similar charm (and decor). Before we had kids we spent many weekends with a special group of friends at that house. I have some very fond memories from those times and that place... and because of that, shag carpet under my feet always makes me smile.

South Island Road Trip * day seven * Arrowtown and Glenorchy

Watching the bungy jumpers at Kawara River Bridge

South Island fish

Day seven we all slept in and recovered from our marathon of a day. Jonah took a morning nap, Ben went to the river with the big boys and Maggie and I stayed home and did some coloring and drawing. We had a roast for lunch and got out of the house a little after noon.

We drove a few minutes down the road to watch people jump off the Kawara River Bridge... home to the first commercial bungy site (established in 1988). The AJ Hackett Bungy museum was housed in architecturally interesting building overlooking the beautiful river. There was a short (and thrilling) video on a huge screen about the history of bungy jumping. I suppose if I were ever going to jump off a bridge this would have been the place to do it... no go.

Next we went back to the Genorchy Road... because we just couldn't get enough of it. We stopped at Bob's Cove for a short hike and some fishing. This random, unplanned, excursion ended up being a holiday memory maker. The few hours we spent at Bob's Cove were a little bit magical - encompassing so many of the things I love about our family.

Ben caught a fish... and even though it was a little guy, he made all of us smile. Jonah toddled along the waters edge (and didn't fall in) picking up little bits and pieces, throwing rocks, eating sand. Max, Maggie were fully engaged in an elaborate castle making project... gathering and dispersing - rocks, leaves, berries, flowers, moss and driftwood. The photos don't do justice - it was so creative and beautiful. There was a chapel in the town center and since it was Sunday they lead the family in a little worship service. Jude (in his typical three year old fashion) popped between all of us... checking on the fishing progress, attending the church service and throwing rocks with Jonah.

On the way home we stopped at the grocery store for a few things and then headed back for an early dinner and bedtime. Ben and I cleaned the house and packed the car so that we could get an early start in the morning.

The rock castle...

South Island Road Trip * day six * Glenorchy, Arrowtown and Wanaka

I was pretty quick to knock Arrowtown, but if we had chosen to stay in Wanaka we wouldn't have driven the Road to Glenorchy, and that would have been a shame. This is a South Island drive not to be missed.

The scenery was magnificent. The road winds along the icy blue Lake Wakatipu. Stretching up from the shore are snow-capped mountains. Remarkable colors... golden rod, muted purples and greys, rusty reds, dark mossy greens... light and shadows everywhere. Delightful sights in every direction.

Glenorchy town is charming. We stopped in at the cafe for morning tea. There was a warm fire burning, simple yet elegant mission style furniture, a beautiful stain glass window, mustard color walls, a grandfather clock and creative art all about... it felt cozy and warm and reminded me a bit of my parents home. After tea, we got the skateboard, scooters and bike out and had a bit of a play on the sidewalks in "town".

We were on a tight schedule - heading back to Arrowtown for the 2pm Autumn Festival Parade. But on the way we made a quick stop at Moke Lake. The kids loved the parade and the craft market. Ben loved the coffee.

Sometimes we don't know when to quit... after Glenorchy and the Arrowtown parade, we got back in the car and drove to Wanaka for a burger picnic at sunset. We transferred all of our sleeping children into bed when we got home.

After we got everyone tucked into bed, Ben went for a night fish at Lake Haze while I edited photos and watched a movie. It was a full day... lots of special memories made.