Christmas cake and pud

Staying in luxury, for us, in a self catering unit with own bathroom, own kitchen and lounge, TV and bedroom. Here for 6 days in Te Anau - a wonderful little town right by the lake with mountains all around. The West Coast is just over the Divide and is one of the wettest places on earth - so naturally we had rain on our Milford Sound cruise on Christmas Eve. but it was very atmospheric and the waterfalls were in full flow.

Sheila had made a wonderful Christmas cake and posted it to our lodgings (thanks again) - so a lovely surprise on Christmas day - we had a slice for lunch with bubbly

sat by the lake then after various walks we had lunch of BBQ lamb + just a couple of veg and then another walk and Xmas pud and custard later on. A lovely relaxing day. We later rang Jen as she was in bed opening a few presents - it was great to hear a familiar voice - and good to know at least a couple of people are reading this! Hi, to all the Moodys and Christine!!

Today - Boxing Day is wet, wet again, so spending time catching up on internet things with the promise of sun on Monday and we will try again for a walking part of the Routeburn major trek to Key summit.

PHOTOS
Having dificulty getting pictures on the the blog today - but have at last managed to find a relatively fast internet cafe computer and so all our photos are now on my Picasa album - see the link on the photo bit on the right hand side of this blog. Clicking on that should take you to the photos that should be in date order so you can see some of the recent ones at the end. There are a few duplicates at the beginning - will have to sort out later! Just ignore.

Birds, animals, more Kendalians and Milnthorpe

Have been doing a lot of bird watching, even though there are not nearly enough of them due to the introduced possums and stoats - all this bush and forest and not much birdsong.  The Tui above is NZ's talisman bird along with the lovely bell bird - that surprisingly enough, sounds like a bell!  Probably clocked most of the common species but hope to see a few more unusual ones in Stewart Island at New Year.

Would you believe, out of the very few Brits we have encountered (loads of other Europeans - mainly German) we met yet another couple from Kendal - Tina and Richard.  She works at Banardos near Brockhole.  They stayed a few days with us at Motueka YHA just near Abel Tasman NP last week.

And couldn't resist stopping off here - a lovely beach area in the north in Golden Bay area - there was even a Kendal Road there (only about 10 houses in Milnthorpe) so obviously an immigrant from around our parts:

HOW TO VISIT NEW ZEALAND

A few tips for those following in our footsteps - do it your own way, of course, but here are some bits of info that might be useful:

• Get hold of the Rough Guide to NZ - the first few sections gives you all you need to know about where to go, what to see, how to travel, what price accommodation, what price car/campervan hire, trains, buses etc etc.  It is invaluable and not just for backpackers on the cheap - it includes boutique B&B's, upmarket motels and cheap options with everything in between.
• Other travellers we have met are doing it by car, campervan, train, buses and mixtures of all.  
• Will say it again, but first timers won't listen - you can't do it all in 3 weeks - choose your highlights from Rough Guide or other guides or us or other visitors depending on what your interests are.  To do both islands in 4 or less weeks means you will be on the road constantly.
• A popular option is to go from Christchurch to Greymouth (West Coast) by scenic train (brilliant route) and pick up a car there and go around south of South Island and drop off at Christchurch
• Loads of bus companies - many drop you off at door of hotel/hostel and you can stay as long as you want at each place
• Stop at the I-Centre in each town - they tell you all the info you will ever need to know about the area - + details on the wall and in folders and in leaflets of all walks from 10 minutes to 10 days - and then organise the bus, water taxi, extra hiking gear and accommodation - whatever you want.   And for the next town ahead.  Cumbria councillors should come here to see what a tourist office should be like - and they are closing ours down - incredible!
• You will pay about twice as much to come with a organised tour - and it is so easy to do it yourself you can stay twice as long for the same price!!
• Relocation deals - everyone comes into Auckland and takes car or camper Down via both islands to Christchurch in South Island - big problem for car hire companies in getting them back - so you can pick up great deals and take them back for free over several days - apparently there is a website that they all use (worldwide) - worth checking out - a couple we met was taking a campervan to Auckland free, free ferry etc for 4 days and paying for 2 to add a bit more time.
• Accommodation - anything you want.  It is all so customer orientated - Holidat parks with units with bedroom, kitchen, en-suite - units with room & kitchen share bathrooms, units with room and bathroom share kitchens, boutique B&Bs, hotels, motels, hostels (the smaller the better we are finding) - prices range from $65 a room in hostel to $130 for motel room to $200 posh B&B - or more.  
• Suggest if trying to do NZ in less than 3-4 weeks it is pointless paying the extra for anywhere with a nice view - you won't have time to see it as you will be on the road all the time.  Plenty of views as you drive around but distances take much longer than UK - see the Rough Guide and websites for time to travel anywhere.
• We are finding a lot of hostels are not full (although school holidays means then may fill up - but interestingly New Zealanders camp and don't hostel) - Japanese are terrified of germs anywhere else in the world at the moment, English are stuffed by the exchange rate (we reckon it is 20% more than when we were here 3 years ago) and Americans also thin on the ground.
• Immigration - they will take away your hiking or walking boots/shoes and clean them (Graham spent an hour cleaning ours and they still didn't like them) - so pack them on top of your cases.  Also - no food, spices at all - Kendal mintcake and shortbread were OK!
• Get a YHA card for car and other discounts - our car is $32 per day and a brilliant deal.
• If hiring a car - get an annual Excess policy before you come - it cost us 50 pounds and we have saved $10 a day ie $520 + our week in France and any other travels we do next year.
• Get a credit card and debit card that have minimal charges (see Moneysavingexpert.com) - Santander zero credit card is saving a fortune in charges.

The Wild West - and Japanese driving

This was taken in Abel Tasman NP on the East coast - golden sands and calm waters 

Then crossed over to West Coast to these windswept beaches and lots of rain - 265 days a year - we were so lucky last time to have unbroken sunshine.

But we get out for walks and nosing around old coal and gold mining sites in between time and make use of the wet gear at other times - but you will see from this photo that the views as per the main photo at the start of this blog of Lake Mathieson, are slightly different.  But a must do walk - the Tarn Hows of the West Coast.  It was well worth it even in the rain today - thats what rain forests do!

The car below drove into the viewpoint behind us and he pressed the accelerator instead of the brake - oh dear!  Just as well the bushes were there - a 300 ft drop to the ocean on the other side.  We were just about to take them to the nearest town when a saviour drew up with boat trailer and ropes to pull them out.  There is obviously a problem with all these people driving on the wrong side of the roads - there are arrows down the direction to go after all scenic pull outs and turnings!

Beaches and bush

After 6 days in the very north of South Island and then 3 days at Motueka near the wonderful Abel Tasman NP, we are leaving for the West Coast and mountains and more fantastic coastal walking.  It's just endless perfect days for us.

Have done some great walks from 10 minutes to 8 hours in the 2 areas (Golden Bay and Tasman), along windswept empty beaches and endless bush -  and taken a step back in time to the 1970's.  

If there is an art form or healing or type of massage that's not here, then it doesn't exist!  But then you see the scenery and the peace and isolation and it all makes sense.

But with such beautiful spots they are gradually getting pushed to the outer limits to retain the seclusion - unless you spot yet another way to make money out of tourists - but how many of us really want to go on a course "Feltmaking for the feet"?

Westport is our next stop - also reputed to be full of artists, potters and woodcarvers - and probably rain, so there may be more time to do a bit more blogging.

Eat your heart out

At least this is what this Harrier is doing! - A nice bit of roadkill - yum, yum

Or you could eat your heart out at this brilliant cafe (yet another one - Paddlecrab cafe) at the very northernmost tip of South Island - amazing views of the sand spit and some great walks nearby with more gorgeous beaches and an endless variety of walks

The piccie below is the garden at our YHA at Takaka - great for relaxing and eating our evening meals

71 km - 4 days - 5* walk

Just completed the Queen Charlotte Track hike over 4 days (can be done in less or parts of it in one day hikes.  Fantasic views every turn of the track and some wonderful places to stay along the way - + the water taxi takes you main bags from place to place for you - very civilised.

We did get to test out the rain gear on the first 2 days - (trousers and boots fine - jackets a bit damp by the end of the day).  Now spending today washing muddy trousers and boots in the very north of the South Island (Takaka) in between 2 National Parks.  The picture below is typical of the bush we walked through for 4 days but with open views of all the bays every turn and viewpoint.  A must see for all NZ visitors - if only for a day cruise and short walk along the shores.

Met up with two lovely couples from Perth along the way - good company and a final Indian meal together to celebrate in Picton.

Great cafe - On the way to Picton we stopped at probably the best ever cafe (and we have checked out a few in our time!) - The Store at Kekerengu - great food, coffee, log fires, overlooking outstanding coastline, decking, great music, lovely garden - perfect place.