Monday 20 February 2023

We left Milford Sound, which sits at 14m above sea level, and climb up to the Homer Tunnel, to pass through again. The tunnel sits at 945m. It’s a steep hike up, obviously, a 931m hike up for those of you who don’t have a calculator at hand, and our thoughts were with those cyclists who we encountered riding the wrong way through this narrow and dark one way tunnel on our way in.

Although today the lights are on in the tunnel and there’s not as much water seeping through. Either the bodies have already been removed, or all got out alive.

About 2 hours out of Milford Sound is Te Anu. All travellers going into the Sound are warned to refuel here and purchase provisions, as there is nothing available at the Sound. We had a great coffee and sandwich here on Saturday and stopped again today for a coffee, and the obligatory refuel of course. It was busy and we shared an outdoor table with a charming man who was on a day trip from Queenstown on his motor bike. He just likes to feel the wind in his face and the thrum (I suppose) of the motor under him, from time to time. He had perfect conditions from Queenstown and was looking forward to continuing into Milford Sound. We were able to take some of wind from his sales by revealing that it was pissing with rain in the Sound. He laughed “It usually is” ! Having learned that we had stayed at the Lodge he told us that when his sister took his mother to the Lodge for two days of R&R, it was raining heavily. His sister asked about the possibility of the river rising to flood level and was assured by reception that this has never happened, and absolutely wouldn’t. The couple got to their cabin, and his sister turned the car around and unpacked just the absolutely necessaries. The river came up and Milford Sound flooded. They got the car out and drove the higher ground. The entire population of the day was evacuated to somewhere high and spent the next three days there, and were eventually helicoptered out. I’m not sure what happened to the car. As I think I have previously reported in this annal, we too noticed the river coming up, but nowhere near to the level as to cause us alarm.

We bid our charming coffee friend a fond farewell and continued our way to Wanaka via Queenstown. Everything looks so different when one is travelling in the opposite direction, and it’s all so beautiful. I mean, how much beauty can one take? (Not a question I ask myself often).

We do note a clear support for Ukraine in the countryside

We skirt around Queenstown, and take the slow route through the ski and distillery town of Cardona. We don’t ski or drink (uncharacteristially for some of us) but chew on our home made cheese sandwiches in order to make the five hour journey no longer than six hours, allowing for photo stops.

We are now driving through very different country than that which we have seen before on this trip.

What we have noticed throughout our travels here is that it is a very clean country. All the cities, towns and villages we have been through are pristine, and even the countryside. The Kiwi’s take cleanliness very seriously

We finally arrive at Wanaka, and are immediately taken by the beauty of this town. We check into the Bella Vista Motel, right in the centre of town. Who dreams up the names of these motels? Our bella vista is the back of the shops, and we all know what are at the back of shops don’t we? Bins. But this is just a transit stop, so we throw our bags in (did I mention we only had hand luggage) and head off to the lake. It’s glorious.

Cherrie gets a very warm welcome from an old hand

and the mix of cultures are very relaxed

Clearly this town offers a wonderful lifestyle, with a lakeside beach attracting sun bathers, walkers, swimmers, wind surfers and just those who choose to sit and watch

I suppose every town has its secrets, but why this piece of wood was so very very scared is unaccountable. But it clearly withstood the ordeal like a rock

After a long walk by the lake we stagger back to our bella vista and change for dinner. Of course, nothing has a table available – short staffed and lots of tourists. Not even this one could find a table for us

but we were lucky enough to charm the manager of a lakeside eatery called Trout. She took pity on us and gave us the table reserved for drinkers. Is it that obvious just by looking at me? Anyway, perched on stools as we were, we watched group after group turned away because the cafe was full. We were so lucky to have a stool, and happy because I love trout. But Cod is the only fish on the menu. My fishing friend Garry subsequently reports that trout aren’t eaten in NZ, just caught. Moana, the manager, looked after us brilliantly, clever gal that she is (got big tip). She ensured we were well covered in the wine and food department and reported that eggs were in very short supply in the South Island and that lemons were impossible to find. We had noticed the egg shortage – some breakfast restaurants have even had to take eggs off the menu. I mean, whoda thought it? Lemon shortages are due to the cyclone damage in Hawkes Bay, from where all NZ lemons come apparently. Moana was not sure of the reason for egg shortages but I had read in the no doubt very reliable Otago Daily Times that some years ago the government phased out battery eggs and soon after the two biggest supermarkets in NZ announced they would not be stocking cage eggs any longer. This all happened so quickly that the checken farmers didn’t have time to fully convert to free range and so only about 70% of full supply are available at any time. However, this current shortage is a mystery. At least to me and Moana. And it’s certainly no yolk for the breakfast cafes.

Having paid another exorbitant bill, but great food and wine and excellent service, we returned to our vista for a bella nights sleep. Tomorrow we plan to leave bright and early for Mount Cook.

Tuesday 21 February 2023

It’s about a 3 1/2 hr drive to Mt Cook, climbing and weaving all the way. We stopped at many lookouts, because those views are so gobsmacking that stops have to be made and looks must be out.

At one stage we were forcibly sent into a lookout by this fella

Now, that’s a curious sign surely? Until you see this

And here she is

What an operation. Several support vehicles and all other vehicles off the road so this house get past.

Continuing on, down the hill we see more extraordinary views, and this sign – which took us by surprise

Wallabies? In NZ? Truly?

Onward, there she is. Mt Cook, in all her glory.

And are we excited to see her?

The lake water really is that colour. Amazing. As we approach Mt Cook we see her beauty. A fabulous sunny day.

This is, of course, the highest mountain in NZ and was conquered by Edmund Hillary in 1946. That triumph inspired him to Everest. We had hoped to spend the night here (under cover) but all accommodation was booked out when we tried several months ago. So tonight we are staying at Lake Tepako, but it’s only an hour and half away so we want to spend as much time here as we can. But, actually, surprisingly for us, there’s not much to do here. Unless you’re up for a several hour mountain hike. We’re not. There’s no village of Mt Cook, just a very large and terribly ugly hotel and several cabins. And, of course, the Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre. I’m not sure he would have approved. But the surrounding country is lovely

and we have been advised by the woman at the Information Counter to do the Tasman Glacier walk. An easy 30 minute round trip with just a few steps. Sounds good, we’d love to see a glacier. So we drive to the parking area for that walk, and off we go. A few steps turns out to be 333. I make maybe 50 before piking. Cherrie makes the lot, and takes this photo on the way down. Of the simple steps

Meanwhile I have pulled off the track to see the blue lake. That’s it in her photo above. What’s blue about that lake?

Cherrie says that there is no way I could have made it to the top. A huge climb, and in 30 degree heat. Her face was red and her legs jelly when she got down. But she saw the Tasman Glacier

I was pretty pissed off with myself for not getting further. But then I thought, my hip replacement was only five months ago, my brain surgery eight months before that and my shoulder replacement four months before that. Maybe my body still has some recovering to do? That’s my excuse and I think red wine is good for recovery, don’t you?

Goodbye to Mt Cook, as the clouds come over. Here’s what she looked like as we drove in, and as we pull out

On to Lake Tepako. Mmm, not a patch on Wanaka. The lake is lovely but the town is very ordinary. Our accommodation for the night was the Godley Hotel. Anyway, we pottered around town and smugly thought we’d be smart and book a table for dinner so we wouldn’t be in the unenvious position of those we had witnessed last night, desperately looking for food. Could we get a table anywhere? Nada. But we eventually did get a booking at a saloubrious joint called McKenzies. 6.30pm. So we walked more and saw this

I questioned the three young men in the car, as to how often they see wallaby. “All the time, saw 30 today” So there you are. They were introduced into NZ in the 1800s for hunting and for those who had private zoos. Poor buggers.

A drive around the lake, which meant we had to travel through the extensive caravan park, showed lovely parts of the lake and gorgeous beaches. People were swimming and we wished we were too.

Dinner at McKenzies proved to be much as we thought it would, and so to bed at the ungodley hotel, as it proved to be.

Christchurch tomorrow.