Unspeakably unique, thundering quite, magically real, this is the Jungle, my Jungle, my Nature where I was creeping, I was tearing of joy, I was feeling alive as never been in my life in this timeless Nirvana!
13.11.2016 New Zealand / 12.11.2016 Rarotonga – 12,4km
International date line
We left Christchurch with a 11:00 flight to Auckland.
The drop off at ACE was perfect, no problem, fast and the shuttle to the airport last just few minutes.
Arrived in Auckland we decided to send another bag direct to Rarotonga and to leave mine at Ibis hotel, where I will sleep at my return.
In the international you could find the yellow bus that would drop you to the hotels close to the airport for 6NZ$ only. The bus is regular every 30 minutes.
Ibis Hotel is really close to the international and you could even walk 15 minutes (880 m)
Crossing the International Date line, even if it’s an imaginary line on the surface of the earth let you feel really strange…
I will arrive yesterday night and I will live twice the 13th November!
Our new time zone is -23 hours Auckland time, -11 hours Zulu Time
The Catlins are marvellous, even with a grey sky, the rainforest you find all around you will make you alive… and more than this!!!
Rainforest in the Catlins
The lake Wilkie is dark and give you the opportunity to see the different stage of the forest that will decrease until the sea border. Really amazing!
Then on the way the most photographed waterfalls of New Zealand.
The most photographed waterfall in New Zealand
At Owaka we had breakfast. The lady of the shop on the move told us that she would come in April 2017 in Italy, from Sicily to Valentino Rossi’s town to have a pizza. She is a fan!!!
Valentini Rossi’s fan
We arrived at Dunedin with a grey sky, no sun, so we had just a quick look of this beautiful city,
Marvelous Dunedin
a drive in Baldwin street, the Wrold’s steepest street
Baldwin street
and just drive in the Otago Peninsula until Portobello. I guess that Dunedin will worth at least a day, but we must move and we drive then to Oamaru.
Otago Peninsula
When we arrive to our family, we were really happy about our choice. Amazing location, warm welcome, great children, delicious Shefferd pie and lovely cats and dog. Then we started to play with the children. It made everybody laugh!with the pillow war, one shot total exploded one muffin! 😂😂😂
Our family in Dunedin
But we booked the Penguins view in the Blue colony and after dinner we just move to the show…
Time with children
Yes, the show, this is the right word. NEVER EVER IN MY LIFE AGAIN!!! The commentary was too loud and was completely scaring the penguins, people all over, too close with the animals that was waiting too long to come back to the nest. The tunnels that drive the penguins to the tourists!!! Please do not go!!! Better to wait and to see just one or none, in the wild and not scaring them like in this terrible touristic show!
We met then 2 scared penguins in the road to home… the road should be closed! Those are animals!!!
Today is a relaxing day. Just spent few hours with our great and amazing family. Springhill Farmstay
We had a walk around the garden, milked the goat, saw the chickens, the baby goats and the sheep that think to be a goat… amazing!
Animals!
Then after seeing the two children cooking, we drove through Oamaru, to see the artist street, with plenty of rare books and artists selling their products.
Artist in Oamaru
Then drive to Christchurch.
Christchurch
Now, I was expecting an active city, full of people outside in the road, like Wellington, even better. It could be the lazy Saturday around 17:00, the fry of the sky, but I could feel the sadness in the eyes of the people. Frankly speeking, not so much to see, not so much to do… just few shops, all around Chinese.
Christchurch historic tram tour
The owner of the house where we sleep, Chinese as well, live here since 16 years. She is happy, she would not change Christchurch with Wellington, never with Auckland. She told us that the reconstruction started with people’s houses, then, just last year, with the building in center…
Waking in Christchurch city center
Anyhow, everything is an open construction site and leave the ineluctable sadness…
We decided to buy a full package with a cruise in the Milford Sound from Te Anau.
Waterfalls is everywhere after a rainy day
I do suggest to do the same thing:
The way to Milford Sound
1. You will have finally a day off from your drive and this is a great and amazing think
The “highway”
2. With many rental cars you would not be allowed to drive in this road. It is not so dramatic, but too busy, really narrow
Amazing waterfall
3. You would see everything with the right pace, and you would arrive “just in time” to get the best place in your boat!!!
Just on the “highway”
The “highway” to the Milford sound is amazing, breathtaking, the Sounds itself gorgeous!
Reflection lake
When we came back we had just a walk across Te Anau, really beautiful with the sunshine.
Starting point of the Milford Track
We decided to eat something with a good wine in a great pick nick area in front of the lake.
Drinking wine @ Te Anau lake
And then we saw the sunset with a little girl that was swimming with her dog while her mother was caressing their home sheep!
And when you wake up in the morning and you see the sun after the heavy rain, your day could be only a great one!!!
An easy walk of about 2,5 km to arrive directly at 750m from the Franz Josef Glacier… Amazing!!!
Walking to the Franz Josef GlacierFranz Josef Glacier
The road to the Fox Glacier Town is really beautiful and we drove directly to the lake Matheson to see the reflection of the Mount Cook. You can see the amount Cook while you are driving!!!
Mount CookAnd now we are deep in the rainforest and then the sea, at Bruce Bay. Tasman sea, the ocean with big breakers.
Bruce bay
Then again rainforest, until lake Paringa, a breathtaking lake where people fish the Whitebait. The season last only 2,5 month, until the 14 of November. So we are lucky and the whitebaits really delicious!!!
Whitebait capital
After Haast, we will start a winding road to theHaast Pass (a little more than 500m height) to arrive in the Lake District!
Wanaka lake
Marvelous! I tried to make some shot, but the panorama are so beautiful and unique!!!
Lake Hawea
We spent the night in Wanaka, just relaxing and having some beer and wine.
Technology is all over! Self check in, self baggage drop off… I would really wonder why do we need to be so early for the flight, as I spent only 15 minute total with passport and security check!!!
My flight is at 17:15, so still some time remaining to eat and relax….
Today was a rainy day, but this is the west coast and the South Island…
We start from Cape Foulwind to see the Seal Colony; just few of them, but agai, a must to see. The panorama is breathtaking, with a long sandy beach and the rocks that are popping up from the sea.
Cape Foulwind
Two gulls are in the mating season and the male is dancing in front of the female. So cute!
Mating gulls
We had a stop over in Charleston, I guess 2 people city, not more, for a egg and bacon and then we drove through the coastal highway, the sea on the right, rainforest on the left… the perfect daydream
Driving trough the coastal highway
We visit the Pancake rock with a miserable stormy weather… the tide was low, so no splash inside the multiple holes, but the rocks itself were incredible. It really seams a multiple layers of pancakes!!!
Pancakes rocks
Hokitika is the city of the jade and the whitebait… nothing more.
Along the road to Franz Joseph there was raining cats and dogs!!! We also stopped because we were not able to see.
“Beautiful” weather
We just decided to spend our time just relaxing in the hot pools having a dinner and planning for the day after…
Relaxing at Glacier hot Pools
And then, as if by magic, the Franz Josef Glacier appears!
Takaka is an hippie town and the organic market is every Saturday. You can find really great and delicious product, people are peaceful, happy and smart and worth for sure a visit!
Takaka Saturday market
The same I should say about Pupu spring, the cleanest spring in the world. A short track drove us through the bush full of fern until the spring. The water is so pure and crystal clear!
Pupu spring
When we arrived to Westport, after 270km, we were quite depressed about the weather and the ugliness of the city… so we decided to leave our luggage at the hotel, where you can feel as being in Biennale
At “Biennale” hotel
and to drive 100km more in the north to visit Karamea… the end of the world!
Driving to Karamea…
The road to Karamea is winding, with plenty of house to sell and a great spectacular path through the rainforest,
Inside the rainforest
then appear an improbable city, where there should have been a petrol station… but closed!!! So tank before!
Petrol? Available in 100km
All the people wear plastic boots and should remove their shoes to enter into the supermarket…
Take off your shoes at Supermarket
Close to the beach of Oparara, a men with his child on a Quad, driving like crazy taking the dog out for a run through the beach…
Dog walking
We drove to the end of the road, with a foggy and variable weather, with the complete feeling to be close to the end of the world…
Driving to the end of the world
Just few people, some houses, and the magic of being at the end of the world…
Driving around Napier is really strange, it seems to be arrived in a Charlestown movie!!! The city was completely destroyed by an earthquake and rebuild in the 30es. Worth a visit!
Napier city center
The road between Napier and Wellington is simply gorgeous, full of vineyard and pasture… every corner should be immortalized, but then you need really to spend your whole life in New Zealand… sounds good, isn’t it?
On the highway to Wellington
I was thinking that Wellington was a terrible city, basically because of the weather… but we found a beautiful sun, with blue sky, lovely temperature and wind. I love Wellington, I guess that is my favorite city until now… the one that I would choose if I ever decide to move in New Zealand. Great shops, full of life, pub and I would have love to see the great explosion of night life… unfortunately I plan to move on, passing through the Cook strait… next time then!
City center harborWellington
I must say that if you have a car and you will travel with Interislander ferry, you should arrive 2 hours before the departure, in any case not later that 1 hour before! Unbelievable!!! A waste of time, but the cruise it’s magic, spectacular, fabulous! We did it around 17:00 and we arrived in Picton at 20:30 just few minutes after the sun set. Really amazing!!!
Picton is a little town that seems to be painted on a rock.
Picton
From here you can drive the beautiful and winding Queen Charlotte Drive. A must to to and see, as this 30 km that drives you to Havelock, are full of scenic lookout on the Sounds.
Queen Charlotte Drive
I do suggest ask to drive a part of the road to French Pass. Very demanding, but with spectacular view. We just drove until Okiwi Bay.
Okiwi Bay
Then we continue until Nelson. I do not know why, it could be the weather or other, I did not like at all Nelson. It is a flat city with some industry and wineyard. If you need to stop, don’t choose Nelson!
Havelock, the world Capital of the green mussel!
And then we start driving thorough the “Hell” to arrive to the Golden Coast… magic!!! Takaka, where we slept, is an hippy town.
The “Hell”
We spent the full afternoon visiting the north part to Wharakaiki beach. Spectacular, breathtaking! And if you have more time, I do suggest a walk to discover the tongue of sand of Cape Farewell. We just saw it from Puponga. Amazing!
driving to PupongaWharariki beachFarewell splitWharariki beachThe red sunset along the way to Takaka
Then we are at the Mussel inn, to try the green mussels, homemade beer and the pavlova cake. Everything completely organic!
wherever traveler 