Travel Story «2 weeks, 2 islands, 2 people!»

New Zealand | 0 Comments 03 January 2007 - Last Update 29 January 2007

Well we knew that this day was coming for a while but did never prepare us for it! So we decided the best way to go our separate ways was on a full stomach so we went for that last supper or in our case the last breakfast. So after a fine feed we hugged and said goodbye to Emily and Aisling for two weeks and said goodbye to Benny for six weeks. It was a little emotional but in my case the over eating numbed the pain. So Gra and I headed off in our trusty stead Dory the station wagon for Invercargill. Now this is the most southerly city in New Zealand when we arrived we checked into our accommodation and we a little subdued due to our recent loss so decided on a little retail therapy followed by a trip to the cinema. This helped fill the void left by the two ladies but in the words of Brad Pitt in Friends “….you can eat and eat but you will never fill that void!” Now just so everyone knows New Zealand can be a very tiring place and we have fitted in a hell of a lot on our travels here so Gra and i decided that over our last two weeks we would do stuff and travel but that there was to be a lot of chilling out, napping and reading. So please don't judge us as we were very tired!
So the next day we booked ourselves on the ferry to Stewart Island which according to Maori legend is the anchor of New Zealand as the south island is the boat and the north island the large fish! The crossing to the island was rough to say the least but gra and I seasoned traveler were fine. Once on Stewart Island what I like to call my island but they bloody miss spelled it the idiots! W had some breakfast and booked a tour of the town and surrounding areas. Now I have to say it was a little village and that was it but Stewart Island was really nice an 85% of the island is national park, they only got electricity in the late 90’s and they have a population of just over 300. It was the idyllic island life like when we were in the shop everyone was chatting and knew everyone and the tourists stuck out like sore thumbs! The tour around was lovely got to see great views and beaches which some times double up as runways if a plane needs to land. So after lunch we headed for the ferry back where we were offered to stay longer as the ferry was over booked but gra and I had enough of what the island had to offer. We were put on a fishing charter boat really comfortable but not as fast as the normal ferry. About twenty minutes into another rough crossing I opened my eyes to vomiting! Yes the lady beside me being sick not pretty and that was jus the start they dropped like flies after that. Now we were a little sadistic at this stage as we were quiet enjoying the crossing a little like a rollercoaster ride with lots of water. We eventually arrived back in Bluff where we went to the start of the route one, which is a national road in New Zealand that starts in Bluff and ends in Cape Regina now we remembered that at the start of our new Zealand tour we got pictures taken at a similar sign in Cape Regina so we have actually traveled the full length of New Zealand!
So that night we chilled out in the hostel and the next day headed for Dunedin and our trip back to Auckland starts as we are north bound from here on. Now having read the lonely planet the only thing I really wanted to do in Dunedin was head for the Cadbury’s chocolate factory. But Dunedin really surprised I think as I didn’t have any expectations but it was a really nice town mainly an university town so was quiet when we were there. The weather on the other hand was bucketing down the day we arrived which was not great so just chilled out in the town. That night we were sleeping in separate dorms I got crap night sleep I am still very bitter about this as the five other girls in room came in a two in the morning turned on the lights and had a huge argument about crap as they were drunk Americans. After about ten minutes I sat up which was I could imagine a bit of a scare for them asked where they taking the piss which they replied to with blank faces so I tired can you keep it down and go to bed! I made what some might consider a loud exit the next morning as we had to change rooms. On Sunday we headed for Larnach castle which claim to fame is that it’s the only Castle in New Zealand now I know we come from a country with an old history and are spoiled for castle but really this wasn’t a castle if was a large country house or Mansion not a real castle. It had really nice gardens and some lovely décor inside and quiet a sad family history behind it. It was nice to visit as it something different to what we having been seeing all year on out sightseeing. After we decided to head for a Sunday drive nad went out the where there is an albatross colony to have a look really there was a lot of birds have to say not a huge bird lover so got out of the car had a look and then back in. That evening was spent chilling out in the tv room as we got there when no one was there so had control of the remote ha ha ha ha the power!!!! And got to see Miss Crowley’s future husband in the not so great Reign of Fire. The next day we checked out and headed for the Cadbury factory or what I consider a little slice of heaven on earth. We go the limited tour around the factory, got free chocolate, say a chocolate water fall and then I spent a small fortune in the factory shop! So Dunedin was a nice little surprise to me really liked it. 
Next stop on the road trip back to Auckland was Timaru now in hindsight we would not have stopped here it was not the nicest of places but we read that it was a good spot to go to LOTR Eldoras from there so said we would stop. The hostel was a little dodgy bit like the bates motel I have to say and we where the only ones staying here in what seemed like someone’s house rather than hostel! Anyway Gra made her grandmother potatoes for me that evening and I have to say I didn’t care where I slept after them! The next day we headed for the town of Gearldine and Eldoras only to discover that Eldoras site was on private land so we drove out and the scenery was lovely but we were a bit wary of going on to private land sop headed back to Temuka where we had dinner in Rose and Ken Tarrants house. Rose and Ken are friends of my parents who lived in Athlone for bit. They gave us a lovely meal Kiwi steak on the bbq and loads of advice on traveling it was lovely catching up with them and of course being in a real home. 
The next day say us on the road again heading north to Hamner Springs now the reason you go here is literally just to soak in spa pools so that’s what we did for about two hours on the evening we arrived. No the spa complex was lovely not as crowded as Rotoura and a lot less smelly as only three natural sulfur pools. Apart from that there is little less to say about Hamner Springs nice little town was wet when we were there! The next day on Ken’s advice we took the inland road as we had come down the coast so we went through Lewis Pass He he he he Emily we went through your pass! kinda funny and headed for Picton where we got the ferry to Wellington that evening and said goodbye to the South Island. 
So we arrived in Wellington and had decided that we would spend a few days here as we both argreed it was the nicest of the cities and we wanted to stop somewhere for more than one night. After a well deserved lie we went our separte ways and basiclaly wandered around, drank coffee, went on the net and meet up for dinner. The next day was much of the same i have to say we did get to fit in a rerun of MacGvyer they are showing reruns on saturdays over here its great cheesy as hell but brings back fond childhood memories. That evening though for something different went bowling in what i can say was the most classy bowling alley i have ever been in very grown up with bar service. Now after our many rounds of mini golf in which i usually come at the end of the table i wasn't holding out much hope for my bowling skills. But i surprised myself and didn't suck as badly as i thought at one point gra trying to hide the competive streak said well done as i got a strike. Now i still lost both games but thats not really the point now, is it?! 
So the next day we where on the road again well we tried but the car was dead so after a recharge from AA we where on the road and headed for New Plymouth on the west coast. Now the drive was fine usual kiwi landscape of pretty stuff (seriously you get so used to it and take it totally for granted) until we got near New Plymouth and saw Mount Egmont which rises out of now where in this flat plain of land was really cool. Actually it was around here that the last samurai was filmed! So once we checked into hostel which the lonely planet raved about it, we don't know why room smelled of pee! Anyway we were starved so treated ourselves to a fab italian very romantic!!!!!! Then wander around the town but we were tried so headed back to hostel and read, chatted to room mates and slept. 
The next day saw us heading for Raglan now since i arrived in New Zealand i have heard reports of Raglan beach so was dying to go there but on our way down the weather was crap so we skipped it. We checked into the cutest hostel had a central courtyard with hammocks around it and right on the harbour front. So after we settled in we hit the black sand harbour beach. Now you know how they say sand get everywhere weel it really does and you notice it a hell of a lot more when its bloody black! After a hour or so of lying out and paddling we headed back for a lie down in the hammock which was lovely. That evening we headed for Raglan beach and it was lovely really nice long beach a little packed at the entrance, loads of surfers but the main thing for me was that the water was warm it was lovely. So backed and showers, dinner and chilling infront of the tv.
That brings us to our last stop which was Hahei on the Cornmandel Pennisula now this was a whim of mine and i just dragged gra along as it is the nearest place to Hot water beach where at low tide you dig a hole and it fills up with hot water like a mini spa so i wanted to go and do it. So when we arrived on tuesday we had missed low tide so we went for a drive around the area got lunch and headed for Haei beach which was a really nice beach with sandy sand none of that black stuff and went for a dip. Not sure if i mentioned it but the weather has been really good the last week in New Zealand hitting the mid twenties which is nice for a change. That evening was once again spent lounging around the hostel reading and lying in hammocks. It was great weather and lovely really relaxing i have to say at one point thought life really doiesn't get much better than this! (In hindsight it does if i had used bloody insect repellent as we got eaten alive). The next day we headed for hot water beach only to discover low tide was at 12  and we really wanted to be on the road before that so after a little breakfast we hired our spade and went on the lonely planets advice of two hours either side of low tide is good. Now the place you dig is around this head land and as we approached it following other people looked fine until you went around the other side and there is this swarm oof people all frantically digging in the sand was a pretty funny sight i have to say and that was before we was the speedos or budgie summglers as they call them over here! Well i can tell you after our own diggin it was not hot water beach to us, we only got bloody cold water in our spa hole! i actually believe the sea was warmer. So we had to cut our loses and hit the road back to Auckland but we did step in some other peoples pits on our way back to the car and felt warm water was really weird was you have this warm water under and at your feet than a freezing cold wave comes in! So a little dampen hearted we headed off.
Once in Auckland we checked into our hostel not the nicest of places we had stayed but central none the less. We basically took our rucksacks apart and started making mental lists of stuff we needed who am i kidding i wrote out a list. Then dividing into piles stuff to send home, stuff to throw out, clothes for charity and then there was the "how do i have so much stuff and how is it going to fit into my rucksack pile". So we went out picked up bits and pieces, oh gra and i have developed a little bit of an addiction in New Zealand to Sushi so after a fix of that we headed for the cinema to see Apocalyto which i have to say was a really good movie had me on edge of my seat would recommend it but not for the faint hearted as i couldn't finish my popcorn! So thursday was spent picking up stuff and last bits of shopping. Thursday evening we meet up with David English again for a few drinks great to see him again sure we bored the ass off them with travel talk. Then Friday after another lovely lie on we went about posting stuff home, internet, exchanging books and the last bits and pieces so to treat ourselves after a busy day we went to the cinema again. But seriously there is some really good movies in at the moment nad not sure if we will get to go for another month in South America! Saw blood diamond really good film as well. 
Well that brings us right up to date as it is now Saturday morning and we have checked out of hostel and are killing time till our airport shuttle comes so here i am updating the blog. Well have to say i am little sad to be leaving New Zealand but i fell we have covered most of it and i am looking forward to meeting back up with the girls and chilling out in South America for a while and then of course heading home really feels like we are on the homeward trip already really weird. Anyway enough thoughts from Lorna. Hope everyone is well be seeing some of ye in a month!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

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