Happy New Year

As the year comes to a close, and we say our goodbyes to people at work 'until next year', I realise that we have been in one place for over one year. This is a new experience for me, as for the five Decembers prior to this one I'd been living in a new house/location. I had grown to expect goodbyes, but in the sense that I was moving on to something new. This December, I find myself in the same home and the same job as last year at this time. As a result of staying put for over a year, I'm also learning another new experience - outlasting people and things. Since we've moved into this neighbourhood, I've seen a Burger King turn into a Mexicali Fresh, an old apartment building torn down and replaced by a modern, taller block. I've adapted to the kiwi way of spelling words such as neighbour and colour and programme, and have to go back to delete the extra letters if I'm writing a blog post or a letter back home. I've said goodbye to 6 close coworkers who have moved on to other jobs and/or cities.

This New Year's Eve we stayed put in our little city of Auckland and headed down the street a few kilometres to see the fireworks shot from the Sky Tower. A great way to end a full year in Auckland, and to kick start the next one. It was nice to be home and not have to say any more 'goodbyes' for the year. Here's hoping that 2015 will be the best year yet, and without too many goodbyes (or at least if there are any, it's because I chose to move one, I don't think I can take yet another coworker leaving!).

Christchurch

Shipping Container Market

Under Construction

The Old Cathedral

We finally made it to Christchurch, and with it the end of our South Island adventure. It's a bit of a sad way to end the week, as the earthquake damage is still very prevalent throughout the downtown area. They have tried to bring some color and artwork to the city and construction sites, but it is still very much a work in progress. As it has been over 3 years since the earthquake, the city itself has lost a lot of the life it must've had. There are 'temporary' structures built to replace what was destroyed and to try to keep a stream of people coming into the town for entertainment. Unfortunately, these temporary structures seem to be becoming more permanent fixtures in the city.

Recycled Music

I must admit, these temporary structures and all the construction art give the city a bit of charm and culture of their own. I quite enjoyed the shipping container market. It was popular and well laid out and had a nice vibe to it. A nice place to go on a beautiful day for some lunch and browsing with friends. 

One of the key things we wanted to see in Christchurch was the Cardboard Cathedral. Since we had plenty of time before our flight and had a beautiful day, we took a scenic route to get there. I was hoping we could walk along the river, but the construction made that more difficult than anticipated, so we had to double back.

The trolley is up and running!

We stopped briefly in a square to try our hand at some musical instruments made from recycled construction materials, but as everyone seemed anxious to get to the Cardboard Cathedral we didn't stay long.

One part of the city that seemed remarkably in tact was New Regent St. It had the trolley restored and some quirky shops and cafes to stop in. Even the store fronts were beautiful.

Cardboard Cathedral

Cardboard Cathedral

Finally, we made it to the Cardboard Cathedral. It was in a beautiful green square, and even had a floating art sculpture in the center. The outside of the building looked decidedly less cardboard than I was expecting. The entire front was almost entirely stained glass. Once inside, the cardboard name became more apparent.

Arthur's Pass

After a big morning on the heli-hike, we refueled at the same local watering hole we had found for dinner. We liked it so much, and after our (bad) fish & chips experience in Haast Pass, we weren't sure when our next good meal would be. We had a long drive ahead of us to get to Arthur's Pass, where after much searching I had finally found a suitable place to lay our heads and break up the journey to Christchurch.

We stopped at Franz Joseph glacier on our way through and walked 30min to get some nice views of it. This hike is much easier and more accessible (and flatter!) than the Fox Glacier view hike. It's also remarkably beautiful with waterfalls and a stream running along part of it. Unfortunately, I was growing tired and getting nervous about the long drive ahead, so we rounded everyone up and climbed back in the people mover to continue our journey.

I knew the drive would contain steep grades, possible drop offs and cliffs, and windy roads. However, I wasn't expecting to see railroad tracks cutting through the middle of roundabouts! Luckily there were no trains in sight, otherwise I don't know if I'd have known what to do. The second time we came across this, it was a bit easier to navigate. If I come across a third one ever, I'll be a pro!

I was expecting a steep climb for this part of the journey, but the sign for Otira Gorge was not a welcome sight. My passengers with vertigo and the knowledge that there could be a slip or rock fall around any bend was making me tense. I was responsible for 5 other lives and had heard too many stories of accidents caused by things outside my control. All I could do was breathe and focus on making it as safe a journey as possible given the things within my control. Fortunately, the weather was in our favor again and we did not encounter any ice, snow, rock fall or other hazard.

There was however a waterfall diverted over the highway via a concrete channel. Another first for me in driving. We stopped just past it so I could stretch my legs and P made a pile of sticks to entertain the resident kea.

Five more minutes drive and we finally made it to our destination. It was a lovely little 'crib' (NZ South Island vernacular) seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Thankfully we had our resident fire minder, P's dad, to keep us warm and cozy. We arrived too late to dine at the local cafe, so we rummaged through the cupboards to find some pasta, beans, corn, diced tomatos and a few limited spices to add to our cheese and lettuce to make a make-shift dinner. It didn't turn out too bad in the end, and everyone was tired and hungry enough that there were no complaints, and no leftovers.

The next morning, we took advantage of the fact that we were situated at the trail head for Punchbowl Falls, and went for an early morning hike. The endless stairs were a challenge so early in the morning, but we made it in the end and the views were impressive. P scurried back to get a closer view of the falls, and ended up getting an unexpected shower in the process.

Fox Glacier Heli-hike

Fox Glacier - one of two glaciers on New Zealand's west coast. It's relatively easy to access due to its low altitude and proximity to the coast. This also makes it unique in that it's surrounded by jungle-like forest. Unfortunately, the glacier is receding and quite quickly. On one of our hikes we saw a sign marking where the glacier was 20 years ago and it was almost at the parking lot. Now you have to walk 40 minutes to get to a viewpoint where you're still not even at the glacier. A HUGE difference in a short time. If I remember correctly, our heli-hike guide told us the glacier can move up to 3 metres a day! You do not want to be stuck in a crevasse when that happens.

But I am getting ahead of myself. We booked a spot on the Fox Glacier Guides 'Flying Fox' Heli-hike days in advance, hoping for good weather. Apparently 60% of the helicopter flights get cancelled due to weather. We were all excited and a bit nervous about the day. According to reviews the hike was easy enough, with the guides having made steps and easy paths for you to cross, but none of us had ever seen a glacier, let alone walked on one, before and so we were a bit apprehensive. And that's not even accounting for the helicopter ride itself. I was excited for that part of the journey, but had to keep P from reminding me how helicopters work and how remarkable it is that they can fly in any weather conditions. If the weather changes suddenly and there are too many clouds, the helicopter might not be able to fly and we could be stuck on the glacier. Luckily, everything worked perfectly and the weather continued to cooperate with us as it had for the rest of the trip so far.

We landed on the middle of the 13 km long glacier, in a circle of rocks that had been placed there by Fox Glacier Guides before we arrived. There was a path outlined by stones that we followed to a roped off waiting area. We were load #1, so we waited on the ice as 4 more helicopters (the last containing our hike guides) landed and unloaded.

When everyone had landed, we put on our crampons - spiky things you can strap to the bottom of your boots to help you walk on ice, and got another safety briefing. Our group of 22 split into two groups. It's supposed to be a ratio of 1 guide to 11 people, but they were training new guides for the high season rush so we each got 2 guides for 11 people, which was really nice. The newbie was in front leading the way, and the experienced guide in back, chatting, answering questions, and making sure everything was okay.

The reviews were right, the hike was easy. The company had done an excellent job of making sure there were well formed steps to get us down into the crevasse or caves, and filling in the deep cracks with lots of ice so that we could walk through the crevasse. One thing I did notice, is that the ice was much softer and there was much more water and puddles we had to jump over on our way back. We were on the morning tour so landed on the glacier around 10am and left it around 12. The sun had been busy in that time.

It's really hard to capture the beauty of it all on camera or in words, but I'll try my best. I'm really glad we decided to do the heli-hike. The helicopter ride was smooth and breathtaking, and the pilot did a great job of showing us up and down the glacier. However, there is nothing like seeing the glacier up close. Walking into the crevasses, through the tunnels and inside the caves- all made of ice! Some of the ice was rock solid and smooth. Some of it was like a lattice of crystals. It seemed like you could break it apart, but it was very strong. I managed to get a small piece to taste.

Fortunately, we were able to explore an ice cave. We came out of it a bit wet as there was water flowing down both sides at one point and it was very narrow. I'm not sure it was going to be fit for exploring for much longer. The neat thing about the cave was that you could see the light shining through the ice above you and all the different shades of blue it created. What a fantastic day! I highly recommend the heli-hike tour to anyone. Well worth it!

Hunting for Glow-worms

Glow worms are funny little creatures that like cool, damp, dark places. You often find them in caves, but can also find them under mossy canopies or the undersides of upturned trees.

There are a few places in New Zealand where you can pay upwards of $50 to go and see some, or you can keep your eyes peeled and your flashlights off and find them yourself for free.

After settling into our hotel of the day and refueling at the local watering hole (actually had surprisingly delicious food), we went for an evening walk through the woods (or the bush as they call it here). The moon was helpful in allowing us to turn our phones and lights off without straying from the path. In caves you typically look up to find the glow-worms and it looks as though it's a night sky, full of stars. Here, we looked down and straight ahead. At times, it felt a bit like cruising through Space Mounain at Universal Studios. With the different dimensions and sizes of the trees that the glow-worms rest on, they created quite a cool scene.

They're a bit tricky to photograph, but the photo above shows what they actually look like in their stringy form. If I understand them correctly, the light they emit is actually some form of waste bundled up in a web-like string. The light fades and brightens based on how much oxygen they give it (bioluminescence). When they're hungry, the light gets brighter, thereby attracting more bugs into their web-like string. When they're well fed (or scared) the light fades and you can't see them anymore.

The photo below is a long exposure to show the glow-worms and what they're sitting on. To the naked eye it just looks like a bunch of little lights or stars, but with the long exposure you can see that they're actually on the bottom of an uprooted tree.

Penguins! @MonroBeach

We saw penguins! Toward the end of a long drive through Haast Pass, we stopped at Monro Beach to get out and stretch our legs, go for a 40 minute one way hike, and hopefully sneak a peak at some penguins. I really wasn't expecting to see any penguins, as we had no idea what time they normally come in. All we knew was that they nest nearby the beach and go out into the sea to find food that they bring back to their young. It must've been our lucky day, because we saw some within 5 minutes of arriving. Then about 5-10 minutes later, another two came ashore. They're funny little critters the way they hop and wobble on land. It looks quite rough the way they wash themselves ashore, but I guess they're designed for such things.

Queenstown

Queenstown is known as the adventure capital of the world. People come here from all over to do sky diving, bungee jumping, jet boating, paragliding, skiing and more. After all, it's said to be the place that invented bunging, New Zealand invented the jet boat and who could think of a more scenic location to do any of these things?

We decided the scenery was better enjoyed with both feet planted firmly on the ground. Or maybe we just weren't adventurous enough to try anything after watching other people go. I can honestly say, the jet boat didn't look all that exciting and seemed a bit like a waste of money. However, I also have to admit that after watching bungee jumping from the bridge itself, I don't know if I ever want to try it myself. I highly recommend NOT watching it first if you ever want to try it yourself.

I was quite content enjoying the town on foot. We walked up the nearby Queenstown hill to get beautiful views over the city and surrounds. I was most enthralled by the pine trees. It was a nice change from the ferns and rainforest type scenery we're so used to seeing on the North Island.

In the evening, we walked around the gardens on the lakeside, then picked up some delicious Fergburgers to eat at home.

Milford Sound

We have been living in New Zealand for over a year, but it took visitors coming for two weeks to finally get us to the South Island. The famous, scenic South Island.

We flew into Queenstown and visited the town for brunch and a bit of a stroll before heading down to Te Anau. We couldn't stop taking pictures from the moment our feet touched the ground. It would have started earlier, but we had a bit of a cloudy landing. 

We arrived in Te Anau to some snow advisories for the tunnel and snow chain restrictions for all vehicles travelling to Milford Sound. Since none of us have had any experience with snow chains, we decided it was best not to take our chances, on the off chance that we'd actually have to use them. So we joined a bus tour instead. 

We weren't thrilled with this option at first because we were worried it would be too rushed and we wouldn't get to stop and take photos when we wanted and see the things we wanted to see. However, we went with EcoTours and our driver/guide Simon was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating. We had a schedule on the way there as we didn't want to miss the 11a ferry, so we only stopped at Mirror Lakes. Definitely worthwhile and beautifully calm in the morning. 

It was a pleasant surprise to arrive at the ferry terminal to find our boat waiting and that our small busload of about 25 people made up half the passengers. It was not crowded at all and there was plenty of room to move about all the decks, and fresh Pita Pit on board. 

It was a very calm, scenic boat ride. Past waterfalls, mountain lions (not really, but apparently one of the hills looks like a lion and is so named), seals and more beautiful scenery through the 'sound'. Simon told us it's actually not a sound, but a fjord. However, since it was wrongfully named a sound all those years ago, the name has just stuck and it's too hard to shake it. 

On the return back down the fjord toward the docking point, we came right up underneath the waterfall. It was pretty cool to see it from so close. I stayed at the front of the boat, thinking it would be a quick sprinkle. It didn't seem like much at the time, but I came away pretty wet, and we had some camera lenses to dry off. 

On bus home we stopped at all the good places and Simon let us call out requests to stop whenever we wanted. 

kea

introduced plant

Snow lillies

Had we driven ourselves, I wouldn't have learned about the 'snow lillies' (as I call them), the history of Te Anau (the lake used to be the sea, that's why it has some hybrid critters that have adapted to fresh water living in it), and that the yellow flowers you see everywhere are actually introduced 'weeds'. He also gave us plenty of time to play with the apline parrot- kea. 

harvesting spring water

One of our stops was to 'harvest' fresh spring water. It was fresh and cool, and still tasted alright the second day too!

We stopped at least twice for some longer 20 minute hikes/walks, and never did he rush anyone to get back on the bus.

I got to explore off the trail a bit on the first hike to see this beautiful blue water coming out of a cave. On the second hike, we made a miniature snow man. Never had any need for snow chains though (thankfully).

koru

look closely- there's a snowman

 


We arrived back to Te Anau satisfied and tired. It was a good idea to take the bus tour. We had some grilled sandwiches and soup for dinner, and then set out to explore the nearby bird sanctuary. We saw some neat birds in cages, but the most fun was trying to capture the wild ones on film. Between the three cameras we had with us, we managed to snap some good shots of the New Zealand tui bird. He makes a very unique and pretty sound, so you always know when to look for him.

Tui

And, later in the evening we had a visitor- a beautiful cat came to say hello and of course was warmly welcomed. We had to shoo it away though before it got too comfortable, as it had a collar and surely someone would be looking for it before too long.