Dunedin to Queenstown to Fox Glacier to Nelson to Picton to Rotorua

We’ve been on the move! The change of pace was somewhat initiated by our Car Rental Company, which refused to authorize yet another extension to our contract. They wanted their car back! We wanted another 10 days. Eventually they agreed to our request, but it made us realize that perhaps it was time to move on. And so as I write, we are on the ferry, returning to the North Island.

A few observations and highlights from the past week.
Queenstown
We went to Queenstown, in the heart of the skiing region, because it was described as a must see, and New Zealand’s St. Moritz. It was also the departure point for a trip to Milford Sound, recently voted New Zealand’s number one destination for Kiwis. When we arrived, we were a bit disappointed. It seemed that every tourist in NZ had decided to assemble in Queenstown for the afternoon. While it had a lot of buzz and excitement, we are spoilt by Whistler, which is so much better. But one good thing did happen in Queenstown; we finally found The Lord of the Rings on video.

















We watched it in an apartment that I booked because of a web photo of the living room. It opened onto a balcony. However, rather than a conventional sliding door, the entire double-glazed glass wall folded open. It’s a detail that would work nicely in Vancouver.

We had a very enjoyable round of golf at the Kelvin Heights Golf Club. The only problem occurred when we played the 18th hole instead of the 4th hole. We discovered this when Sally asked a lady near the clubhouse “Where’s the next hole?” She thought we were mad.
That evening we experienced our first wine tasting machines. It seemed like a party going on in a downtown wine store. Then it was explained to us. You purchase a card, insert it in a slot, and then choose amongst hundreds of different wines. You can have a taste, a half, or full glass, with the cost automatically added to your card.
The next day, we had planned to go to Milford Sound. Rather than drive ourselves, the choices were a coach trip, followed by a cruise and return coach, (13 hour day) or a helicopter or fixed wing flight and cruise. After some research, we decided to take a flight on Air Milford, but the weather wasn’t cooperating and there were no flights. We didn’t want to wait another day and so we headed off. (In a discussion with Hank Sproull of Air Milford, we learned that last year they were only able to fly 118 out of 365 days. It’s a shame, because I know we missed a wonderful trip, but next time…)
Historic ArrowtownArrowtown started in the 1860’s during New Zealand’s gold rush. Today, many of its original wood buildings have been renovated, and the town has become a tourist destination. While some find it a bit too cute, we really liked it, especially the early housing. Coincidentally, the day after I took these pictures, there was a story in the newspaper about a developer who had become a local hero as a result of these properties. They had been slated for redevelopment by an off-shore owner. However, he had purchased them, and agreed to sell them to a Heritage Trust at his cost, so that they could be saved. There was also a lovely golf course there, but we had to move on. It’s a shame, but next time...

The drive to Wanaka, past Mt. Aspiring, was literally breathtaking. Every 15 kilometres there was a different landscape, and it was all the more impressive because we were the only car on the road for over an hour! To give you an idea of the road, although the posted limit was 100 km/hour, many of the hairpin turns were restricted to 15 km/hour, and I was afraid to drive that fast!
Fox GlacierWe spent the evening at Fox Glacier. The next morning we walked past all the people assembling their ropes and picks for a climb up the glacier, and instead headed off to Lake Matheson to join busloads of German and Japanese tourists for a hike around the lake to a special spot, from which you can take one of the most spectacular photographs in New Zealand. It’s a shot of Mt. Cook and Mt. Tasman reflected in the waters. My shot is not as impressive as it might have been because of a loutish Brit who decided to dive into the perfectly still water to make some ripples, just before I took the picture!
The West Coast
We should have stopped at Franz Joseph Glacier, and climbed to the base, but we didn’t. Instead, we drove off to Greymouth, in search of more whitebait, which although just out of season, is quite good. (The fish are so small, they are served as a patty, or in an omelette.) We ate at the 124 Café which was described in our guidebook as having some rare Greymouth commodities: outdoor tables and vegetarian options.
After lunch we set off for one of the most remarkable places in a remarkable country, Punakaiki, to see the Pancake Rocks and blowholes. As noted in our guidebook, ‘Through a layering-weathering process called stylo-bedding, the limestone has formed into what looks like piles of thick pancakes’. While I questioned the reference to pancakes, it was an impressive place; especially the sound of the water surging through the rocks. When we get home, you are all invited over to watch the video!
The drive up the coast reminded us of the Oregon Coast with miles of beautiful and deserted beaches. However, the vegetation is much more varied: in places it is wild and tropical; in others it is very colourful with the road lined with lupins, agapanthas, wild hydrangeas, and bright red flowers.
Nelson
After driving just over 500 km, which is a long way in New Zealand, we arrived in sunny Nelson, which the Lonely Planet described as ‘the home of an enthusiastic and progressive community of artists, craftspeople, winemakers and entrepreneurs.’ Furthermore, there were two golf courses. We checked into The Rutherford, a large hotel in the centre of town, with all the ‘mod cons’, because it was very different from where we had slept the night before.
The next morning, I set off for the Nelson Golf Club where I met an engaging couple from Toronto, who had discovered New Zealand two years ago, and were back for an extended golfing holiday. Over drinks in the clubhouse, we agreed that this country is a relatively undiscovered treasure, especially for golfers. They had joined the Nelson Golf Club, with annual dues of $700 a year. This entitled them to unlimited golf at the club, plus free golf at many of its reciprocal clubs around the country, and membership in the New Zealand Golf Association which entitled them to significant discounts at most of the other courses in NZ. Next time, I’m joining the Waahi Taakaro Club. There the annual dues are $350, with similar privileges!
That evening, we had one of our best meals in NZ at the Boat Shed. We heartily recommend the roasted whole fish with fresh herbs and shellfish.
Green Shelled Mussel Capital of the World
On the advice of my new Canadian friends, the next day we set off for Havelock, the green shelled….There we had, what else? After having to limit the number of glasses of different local sauvignon blancs, we set off for Picton for an evening cruise on Marlborough Sound. But it wasn’t to be. It was too cold and wet; just the third time in over four weeks, when the weather had forced us to change our plans. So we ended up in an Irish Pub with a couple of dozen motorcyclists who were touring the country on bikes. I tried to tell them about the book ‘Investment Biker’, but they really weren’t that interested. Instead they were downing pints of Guinness, while the local fisherman were downing shooters made with vodka, grand marnier, and an equal amount of Tabasco sauce. It hurts, just to think about them.
And that brings us to the present. We plan to stay until the 18th. We’re now off to Rotorua for more golf, thermal pools & massage, and a Maori Concert and Hangi. More later.