Today it’s around 2-3 hours on the road from Kaikoura to Picton heading north on the South Island and again it’s a great drive across the mountain ranges. Plenty of racers on the road that obviously know the mountain roads better than I do, so I do pull over and let them through when I get bored with the view in the rear view mirror.

Picton is an upcoming town and established port. Packed with accommodation and a lively port, there are plenty of restaurants and bars dotted around. We are staying at the Echo Lodge B&B and we are made to feel at home from the moment out hosts open their door. A real taste of local home life, absolutely charming.

In the afternoon we headed out on the mail boat which, yes, is delivering the mail to properties on the Queen Charlotte Sound. With about 30 people onboard accompanying the mail bags, we were sailing for around four hours wth a short stop at Ships Cove where, Capt. Cook landed three times during his voyages. A lovely afternoon accompanied by a bottle of Marlborough Cabernet Sauvignon. A celebratory Easter meal in a harbour restaurant in the evening was a treat.

Easter Sunday and breakfast is with the other guests at the B&B. All sharing the same table is a great ice breaker and leads to excellent breakfast conversations with added Hot Cross Buns.

The road trip from Picton to Nelson was around 2.5 hours with a stop at Pelorus Bridge which is currently famous as a lot of footage for Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit was filmed along the river. We had some really nice walks there but again, no Hobbits to be seen.

A brilliant drive up and down the mountains and stunning scenery all day. Nelson is our base for the Abel Tasman National Park tomorrow. It’s a big town and is very quiet on Easter Sunday. Self cooked pasta for tea tonight:) 

An early start as the bus picks us up at 07.20 for the ride to Kaiteriteri to pick up the boat for our trip into the Abel Tasman National Park. On the bus ride the driver stopped opposite some apple orchards. The point is to tell us about the farming industry of the area which now specialises in the production of Jazz Apple, Hops for the brewing industry, Kiwi fruit, plums etc, plus wineries. Not so many years ago the main crop of the area was Tobbaco and Rothmans had a massive factory just down the road from where we were sitting.

The Catamaran leaves the beach of Kaiteriteri at 9.15am and it takes 90 mins to hop around the coastline to various beaches before we get dropped off for our 9km hike back to our pick-up point at Medlands Beach at 3.15 pm So a good hike mainly through the bush was some well needed exercise!

Back in Nelson early evening and a very decent burger in town with some craft pale ale completes our great day.

Tuesday after the holiday weekend dawns and it’s back to work …. er, the road, so we head for Zumo and that early morning coffee. Zumo is a gem. A converted car showroom now a coffee house where they roast their own beans and have acres of space to sit and chill over a very decent cup of coffee.

Nelson is actually a city with a thriving port, a large farming community and timber industry. The place actually does grow on you after a couple of days and at the end of the day, the countryside is just a 30 minute drive away.

Today it’s a pretty solid day’s driving from Nelson to Punakaiki on the west coast. Rolling hills most of the way and a grand reminder of Lord of the Rings territory. 

We stopped at Lyell which was a gold rush community around 1870-1900. Heading up a narrow trail on the mountain you reach a small cemetery in the woods on the steep mountainside which was used at the time of the gold rush. A very touching place.

As we hit the coast the views are spectacular all along and the pancake rocks and blowholes at Punakaiki are just amazing. I think one thing we are really appreciating all through this trip is the power and beauty of the environment and nature around us, simply breathtaking.

Last day of NZ Road Trip 1 is 30th March and a short yet superb coastline hugging drive from Punakaiki to Greymouth.

Greymouth is our destination to drop off the car and catch the Trans Alpine Express train to Christchurch. With a couple of hours spare, we had time to wander around the 1970s time capsule that is Greymouth, architecture wise at least. The town is loaded with some very decent coffee shops.

There is a lovely track along the river bank that contains a memorial to those lost in the West Coast mining industry from 1890 to 2010. The memorial lists over 400 names including 29 from a mining accident in 2010. A very somber but effective tribute.

The train leaves Greymouth at 2pm for the four hour journey from West to East through the mountains via Arthur’s Pass National Park. 

The train itself has many windows including the roof to see all the scenery as it passes by. It also has a viewing carriage at the back which has no windows at all and is open to the elements. This is great, as you hang on to the handrail whilst taking photos.

Some points of the trip though, the mountain ranges are so spectacular that my camera could not really replicate truly what the eye is recording, so, it just time to admire.

The train actually gets into Christchurch around 6.30pm and that’s Road trip one completed. Tomorrow we pick up a camper van!!!

Pete & Jules

  

  

We arrived in Christchurch just after midnight on 24th March. A shuttle bus service saw us at the hotel by 1am and another two hours forward on the clocks.
It was back to the Airport after breakfast to pick up the hire car to start our next road trip. The temperature has dropped considerably after overnight rain but we are soon on the road. By the time we stop for coffee an hour or so later, the sun is out.

Spectacular mountains (full of Goblins, Dwarfs and Orcs?) on our drive but no lookouts so you can’t stop for photos, which is a shame. An hour or so from Kaikoura we start driving up through the mountains which is as special as any alpine road in Europe. Heading down the other side of the mountain and we are on the coast and the sea is raging with tremendous waves piling into the shore. It’s much the same in Kaikoura as we start to explore. 

We are due to be heading out on the Whale Watch boats on Good Friday but the sea is so rough today that all trips have been cancelled, so our fingers are firmly crossed! We get in some supplies, take a walk in the late afternoon sunshine before settling down for a home cooked meal in our accommodation. This was a great decision as the heavens opened around 6pm and continued into the night.

Easter dawns with Good Friday and this side of the world, this Bank Holiday is dry and the sea is calm. Sweatshirts are required as the temperature are on the cool side but the catamarans are sailing!

Our first stop of the day is the Ohau Waterfall, where seal pups head to each year for general socialising and messing about. The young seals seem precisely in that frame of mind as we walk through the forest.

On the coast side of the road, the rocks are full of older seals resting on the rocks and the youngsters messing about. It’s a fabulous sight.

Our Whale Watch boat heads off at 1pm and travels 15 kms out to sea at high speed with plenty of ‘bouncing off the water’ which keeps everyone in their seats.

 There is an hilarious moment when our host explains that there is a toilet on the boat if anyone one REALLY needs it. If anyone does, please raise your hand and let a crew member know, they will then let the captain know and he will slow down the boat, so that you can walk to the toilet safely. NOBODY needs the toilet during our trip!!!

Sonar helps the captain locate any whales in the vicinity of the boat. We are searching for male sperm whales. These magnificent creatures surface for around 40 minutes to digest their food so, once located the boat heads in that direction with care on the approach. 

End result is that you then sit by the side of a whale whilst he blows water and after a time, raises his tail to descend back to the depths. The encounters (we had two) are just humbling. Such magnificent creatures there right in front of your eyes. 

The Kaikoura coastline is so special for marine life because it sits at the point where the Indo-Australia plate and Pacific Plate meet, pushing nutrients into the path of the inhabitants, which means there’s more to come when the boat stops by a shoal of Dusky Dolphins who are jumping all over the place on the way back to port, brilliant!

Back onshore its traditional fish and chips for tea before we head to the end of the peninsula where again there are seals within touching distance. Quite an amazing day and it’s only day two in New Zealand.

  

We head back to Sydney from Bali for a stop-over before our fight to Christchurch.

Leaving Bali we are quite shocked to see the mega terminal they have built at the airport, all high end shops and restaurants etc. Once you enter the terminal you follow signs for check-in but, you actually can’t access the check-in desks until you and your baggage go through the electronic security scanning. This seemed a bit strange until 24 hours later when the sad news filtered through from Brussels. The way all Airports will go perhaps? 

Our stop-over in Sydney was nearly two days, arriving at breakfast time on Tuesday and departing on Wednesday evening. This time we stayed in the Surry Hills area, the leafy side of the city. Coffee bars, restaurants and bars prevail.

Julie got her first Aussie hair-do and we also found out that Emily Barker was playing at a venue just up the road from our Hotel, so that’s day one sorted!

We spent Wednesday morning strolling around the city on a warm summer morning. Great to meet up with Ammadeep from work who was on holiday in Sydney as well. 

I think we are now pretty much Sydney Vets. I think we have covered 90% of the city on foot so, anyone needing any tourist tips just shout 🙂 

It’s been a blast in Australia and we are so grateful to all the people who showed us so much kindness during our stay. Thank you all so much. …. New Zealand next!

  

This is a holiday week for us well, I mean a week we are not on the road or going to look at something everyday, just a time to draw breath as we reach the half way point of our trip. A six hour flight from Sydney and we are into the humid tropical air of Bali. It’s a warm welcome to all.

Coming to the end of the low season, the hotel we stayed in on Sanur Beach has been pretty quiet throughout the week as has the town in general, with many restaurants pretty empty and the t-shirt sellers desperate for a sale. The hotel is a very nice place to chill even though there is is fair bit of building work going on. 

Bali is known as the “Paradise of the Gods” and it is certainly unique however, I am not sure this title fits modern tourist Bali and certainly the sea and beach in our area are a disappointment. Look beneath the commercial and scooter mayhem though and there is undoubted beauty and culture here. The islanders themselves seem genuinely friendly. 

The one day that we left poolside, we headed up though the centre of Bali to explore temples, rice fields, coffee plantations and to admire Mt. Batur and it’s lake below. The views are quite spectacular. The green of the island really comes home as you climb into the mountains, the rice fields glisten in the sunshine.

We get a taste of Lowak coffee (that’s the one where the Lowak cat eats the beans, digests them and then the red beans are washed, peeled, roasted and made into coffee) £45 a small bag but £3 a cup gives us a taste. I’ll stick to Columbian! 

Lunch at Mt Batur is excellent as is the view of the volcano and lake. Final stop is the Goa Gajah temple famous for its ritual bathing and cleansing in it’s natural spring waters. We don’t partake to avoid the wet ride home but many people do. 

I think to really enjoy this island therefore, it’s really a case of travelling around it. 

Food out on the street is fantastic and there is plenty of choice. Meals are generally washed down with bottles of Bintang. It’s nice to meet up with Suzi and Kevin most nights for those late night beers and to share travelling tales. 

Our own travelling continues with a couple of days back in Sydney then it’s off to New Zealand next week.

Pete & Jules

  

It’s a Holden we pick up in Sydney and head off for the Blue Mountains which are just a couple of hours drive out of the City. We do seem to get stuck in the middle of a 3 Road Train race at one point which focuses the attention but soon, we are on the A roads and heading for the hills. 

We are staying for a couple of nights in a motel in Katoomba which is in the heart of the Blues Mountains. We can walk to the Three Sisters lookout which is quite breathtaking as are the next 24 hours in these hills. Soaring mountains and rainforest, it’s quite an incredible sight. 

Thursday and we head for a 9am start at Scenic World which, over the past 70 years has been providing tourists with cable car and train views of the mountains from the site of an old mine.

9am is the time to beat the tourists who coach in everyday from Sydney and arrive around 10.30 am. The actual attraction has also changed considerably over the years and now boasts the highest cable car in Australia as well as the steepest railway, both of which we enjoy straight away.

We then head into the National park and into the rainforest itself on one of the trails. Two hours of walking takes us deep into the forest and we are on our own. All you can hear are the birds singing. We retrace our steps out and head back up the mountain on a cable car. 

Back in the car we drive to Evans Lookout and a magnificent view and one that seems off the main tourist circuit, just 4kms off the main road. We then follow the road around some towns and lookouts ending up in Blackheath for a coffee and no cake, yes you read it right no cake :).

That evening loading the camera picture card contents to my iPad, I mange to wipe all the photos off the picture card. Backup lost and two days worth of camera pictures lost. Let’s pray the iCloud thingy works otherwise we will have to do this Australian trip all over again!!!!

So Friday, it’s a quick walk back to the three sisters to re-take some photos only to be greeted by some very low cloud which initially obscures all views but makes for some great photos.

The sun starts to break through so we head back to the honeymoon bridge and onto one of the pillars, where we get our photos retaken. Back over the bridge we head to another lookout on the opposite side of the stairs and watch the birds swooping onto the rocks opposite. One parquet takes off from the rock, lands on the rail where we are standing and sits there while we take some pictures. A real rock star!!

Back on the road for a longer than expected drive to Port Macquarie around five hours, does see us lunching in Swansea, which is a town on the road just before Cardiff after which you come to a much bigger town called Newcastle.

We went into the information centre in Swansea to ask the young lady if there was a town sign anywhere so that Julie could have her picture taken as she comes from near Swansea in Wales. I don’t think that this was the first time she had been asked this question so, she expertly directs us to the town sign.

Swansea she described as a place where people come fishing and for a chilled time. It does seem a nice town.

We arrived in Port Macquarie in time for a very nice sunset and fish & chips for dinner. The place itself is not really the small fishing town we expected, more like a bustling seaside town full of holidaymakers, should be fun.

Saturday and we find a nice place for coffee and toast for breakfast before we head off on our walk along the coastal trail which is just stunning. Glorious bay after glorious bay. The beaches are wonderful. Three hours walking and we are back in time for a well deserved ice lolly!

We are also back in time for a 3pm visit to the Koala hospital for the talk and feed session with these cuddly creatures. 

There is also the Roto House, Victorian architecture, high ceilings, slash windows, fan lights and fireplaces with a verandah all around the house. A historic building indeed and fascinating family history.

That evening we sit on the hill at Tacking lighthouse to watch the sun go down on another lovely day.

Sunday we head back down the Pacific Highway. Stuck in our first traffic hold up on the way down, for what looked liked a horrific accident, we change our plans and head for a nice little town on the river called Tea Garden for a stop.

We get to Wahroonga early afternoon to stay with a couple of friends Serena and Brent. Another excellent Aussie Barbecue and fine hospitality which is much appreciated by us both.

It’s Bali next!

Pete & Jules 
  

  

WOW what a shock to the system, a BIG City with LOTS of people and cars. We landed in time for a Friday rush hour drive to the hotel. Our next 5 nights are in a hotel and a time when we can actually unpack our bags for a while.

We step out onto Darling Harbour to experience the bright lights of Sydney and we find out that this is Mardi Gras weekend so, as you would expect the place is absolutely Friday night buzzing.

We choose the Ferry as our transport for the day on Saturday. It’s a really great way to see Sydney from the harbour and no more than $15 per day. The ride from Darling Harbour to Circular Quay is spectacular because it takes you right under Sydney Harbour bridge so, the excitement as you wait to turn the corner and see the bridge and the world famous Opera House for the first time is brilliant.

We change ferries and head across to Manly for the day. As soon as you get off the ferry you can tell Manly is a place for the locals and the young locals at that. The Australian Open Surfing Championships are underway and the beautiful beach bodies are everywhere to been seen. Blimey we feel old!!

It’s a beautiful & hot day, as we stroll around, eventually finding some shade and chilling out. Lunch and an ice cream then it’s a 30 minute return journey on the ferry which, shares the waterways with hundreds of yachts. A glorious sight indeed. Back into Sydney Harbour we head for the Opera Bar which extends from the Opera House along the harbour wall, so you end up having a beer looking at the Sydney Harbour Bridge.  

Evening in Sydney post Mardi Gras parade and the place is packed to bursting. Great atmosphere and a great place for people watching is found on a pavement restaurant! 

Sunday and we meet up with old friend Zoe who very kindly takes us on a walk-a-bout of the city, we walk by the river and over the Harbour bridge for a marvellous view looking back on the city. After lunch in the Rocks we cover more of the city, it’s brilliant having a local to show you around. Thanks Zoe!

That evening it is our first gig at the Sydney Opera House. A beer in the fabulous long bar watching the sunset. Sleater Kinney are on fine form but are not Julie’s cup of tea. Still, we do have that Sydney Opera House gig under our belts! 
We hang around for the last ferry which is the cheapest way to see the night lights of Sydney!

Monday Morning again but not the same feeling as 12 months ago! Pete’s first Aussie haircut is a success and we wander the shops in search of shorts for Julie and a post office so that Pete can send home the leaflets that he has been collecting on the trip so far.

Coffee with another old friend Serena is lovely and we then meet up with Kim who is visiting her son Nick so perfect timing!! It’s a hot and humid day and we have a melting stroll around the botanical gardens relived by cold drinks in the park! A few beers and a Thai for dinner and we are really to hit Bondi beach tomorrow.

Next morning we get the bus from the city and 30 minutes later with the temperature reaching 30 we are at Bondi beach. Most of the kids must be in college this Tuesday morning because the beach has plenty of space, aaah, they are out on the waves, surfing!! 

We spend the day on the magnificent coastal walk from Bondi to Coogee and back. 12 kms stopping off for swims at different bays, coffee and ice cream. Our friend Kim sets the pace so we end up with a cracking day’s exercise.

We spend our final Sydney evening (before the end of the month) on Darling Harbour enjoying a steak and Ice cream before its time to pack our bags again and hit the road.

Pete & Jules 

  
 

A quiet night in Alice as it’s an early start for our four hour coach ride to our Base Camp for the next few days at the Yulara, Ayers Rock Resort. Our transfer involves a few stops, most impressive being the Mt. Conner lookout, with the rock on one side of the road and a massive salt lake over the red sand dune, on the other side of the road.

We are using a coach company over the next few days called AAT Kings. The big boys on the block but, as is evident from this first trip, drivers and guides are very knowledgeable and respectful of the roads they drive and give an enormous amount of time to educating their passengers about the local people and history.

We learn about the Aboriginal nation, past and present. The Anangu people in particular whose land we will be spending our time on over the next few days. Also a lot of information flows on the geology of the area. 

We are now in the middle of Australia, there or thereabouts, known as ‘The Red Centre’ and the heat does not disappoint (we remain well into the forties everyday). The sand is also deep red and being where we are, a fly net is essential.

Our first excursion is dubbed ‘The Sounds of Silence Dinner’ on our first evening in the resort. This takes us out to the edge of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. We spent a very enjoyable evening with a group of Australians from Perth and Americans from Salt Lake City.

The undoubted highlight was when they turned off the lights in our compound and we turn our heads skywards. The stars were completely amazing. There are few words that can describe the wonder of what we saw above our heads that night. Pluto, The Southern Cross, Orion’s Belt, a shooting star, just a sky full of stars, it was all truly unforgettable (we surely can’t be alone?).

Next morning it’s a gentle start and we are back in hotel breakfast mode. A wander around the resort as the temperature climbs, we settle down to a talk from some modern day Indigenous guys on hunting weapons used by their ancestors. 

A couple of really interesting facts also come out; it’s the Grandparents who teach the Grandchildren whilst, the parents are out hunting and gathering. Also, many areas of the national park are absolutely sacred to the Anangu and photographs are not allowed. 

In the afternoon with a temperature of 43 degrees we head out to the magnificent Kata Tjuta range. Millions of years ago this was underwater and joined to Uluru, which can been seen to its right many kilometres away from our current viewing platform. 

Both Rocks are incredibly tall and vast, and both extend 5 to 6 kms back into the earth. It is easy to be humbled again, that’s twice after the sky the night before, in under 24 hours.

There are three walks on this trip, the second and third around 2-3 kms which in the extreme heat were challenging but walkable. Both walks take you into one end of the mountain into the gorges. Another walk is closed because of the heat. 

The coach carries a massive supply of ice cold water and as it turns out ice cold beer for the sunset potion of the trip. A small group of 17 with a few Brits and some nice young folk from South Korea who were having a real ball (particularly when the wine & beer appeared).

Our last full day is Julie’s birthday and what better way to celebrate than by watching the sunrise at Uluru. An awe inspiring site close up and watching the colours change as the sun rises is magical.

The rest of the day is chilling around the pool, and visiting the Kulata Academy Cafe ( run by students) for another cool milkshake. A nice Birthday dinner and then it’s off to Sydney tomorrow!

The last few days have been amazing. 
Pete & Jules