Woke this morning to a glorious sight - and site- the mountains clear and blue skies. night we went looking for gloworms - but in the wrong place!though we saw some glowing things, not sure what they were. If you come to NZ you have to organise your trip round visiting the site, Jackson's Retreat - it's that good.
We went for a bushwalk, a truly natural on, this a.m. Beautiful plantlife, lots of incredible birdsong, though we only managed to see a few as the bush is so thick - cape pigeons , weta (bush hens) and bellbirds. The trail led to the pub, handily, and it was as good as the campsite.
then sadly it was time to move on, and we drove following thwe ice-blue river down to the coast. Jen with bad hayfever - great time to find I'm allergic to NZ pollen. We passed a lake where the picnic benches were half-submerged, looked like an English summer! We've been so lucky, they had an atrocious storm last weekend here, people are saying the worst they've ever seen Roads were washed away, a lot of damage done. But the sun's still hot for us!
We stopped off at Franz Josef and walked up to look at the glacier there - awesome, and an evil-looking grey river flowing from it. Then on to here - Fox - another lovely campsite, on the slopes of Mount Cook. It has its head in the clouds, but the forcast's good again for tomorrow when we're booked to do the helicopter flight landing on the glacier.
love to all of you following, it's great to see so many people taking an interest. We think of you all lots. But we don't want to come back yet!
Thursday, 27 November 2008
Thursday 26th November
We left Kaikoura earlty this morning and headed for Christchurch. We are still surprised at the difference between North and South Islands, though everyone warned us. South is generally much wilder, where North is mostly cultivated. South has mostly sheepfarming (lots of little lambs around today.) But the plains around Christchurch are very fertile. Christchurch itself is a lovely town, some beautiful old (or old-looking) buildings. We puffed our way to the top of the cathedral tower and went on the old tram which does a town-centre circuit. We really loved it and want to go back and become tramdrivers. We also drove through Hagley Park, named after Hagley Hall and funded by the Lyttletons.
Then we headed for Artur's Pass, only an hour or so away but like a different universe. As we began to climb into the high mountains, we stopped at Castle Hill - should have been a setting for Lord of the Rings, though it wasn't. Enormous limstone outcrops, in weird shapes, with a blackbird sitting on the top of the highest singing his heart out. One of my (Jen's) favourite places so far. Then Geoff had to employ all his rally-driving skills as we wove up and down massive passes, dropping into huge braided river-valleys full of golden broom and blue lupins. Finally we reached Arthur's Pass and stopped at a lookout where 2 of those naughty keas were waiting to strip the rubber off cars - we dissuaded them They are beautiful birds but with a very naughty glint in their eyes. Finally we arrived at our campsite, Jackson's Retreat - miles from anywhere (in the wop-wpops) but must be the best almost anywhere - or so all the visitors' comments in the feedback book say. Even the worms are looked after! The compost goes to a wormery. It's unbelievably eco-friendly (go for a walk, for instance, and scatter native plant seeds.) So Jen is in paradise. Add sumtuous views of snowcapped peaks and extreme comfort provided -it's perfect.
Then we headed for Artur's Pass, only an hour or so away but like a different universe. As we began to climb into the high mountains, we stopped at Castle Hill - should have been a setting for Lord of the Rings, though it wasn't. Enormous limstone outcrops, in weird shapes, with a blackbird sitting on the top of the highest singing his heart out. One of my (Jen's) favourite places so far. Then Geoff had to employ all his rally-driving skills as we wove up and down massive passes, dropping into huge braided river-valleys full of golden broom and blue lupins. Finally we reached Arthur's Pass and stopped at a lookout where 2 of those naughty keas were waiting to strip the rubber off cars - we dissuaded them They are beautiful birds but with a very naughty glint in their eyes. Finally we arrived at our campsite, Jackson's Retreat - miles from anywhere (in the wop-wpops) but must be the best almost anywhere - or so all the visitors' comments in the feedback book say. Even the worms are looked after! The compost goes to a wormery. It's unbelievably eco-friendly (go for a walk, for instance, and scatter native plant seeds.) So Jen is in paradise. Add sumtuous views of snowcapped peaks and extreme comfort provided -it's perfect.
Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Wed 26th Nov Take 2
Tue 25th Nov.
It was still blowing strongly this morning but the sun was breaking through and the ferry to South Island left on time (ish). The crossing was very choppy but superb with great coastal scenery and crashing waves. At south Island we sailed into a very narrow sound which was a cross between a fiord and and a cornish estuary absolutely beautiful. When we arrived in Picton we went to a maritime museum where they have preserved a sailing boat from 1853. This was brilliant, the boat had been in the Crimean war, transported tea, convicts and emigrants before becoming a refrigeration ship for meat.
We then drove south to Kaikoura. On the way we drove through incredible wine growing country in an area so hot and dry they were irrigating despite the storm of the past couple of days. in Blenheim we dropped off the postcard from post office bay in the Galapagos to a lady living there. We also drove past the turn off to Molesworth Station where our friends the Phoenixes have visited and even been to a wedding there. It seems to cover half of New Zealand, it has its own snow capped mountains and the road out of it to the south was declared closed on the road signs.
The run down the coast to Kaikoura was beautiful, the Pacific on one side, snow capped mountains on the other and irrigation sprays on the fields, oh and fur seals on the coast.
Wed 26 th Nov.
Spent the morning getting a little rest doing domestics and booking a few things ahead. Then came the afternoon. Whale watching. The boat was advertised as a high seasickness risk but we have already survived Galapagos. So we settled down to enjoy a 25 knot slap and crash across a huge swell in a very powerful catamaran. The set up was excellent , first they caught up with a dozing Sperm Whale on the surface which we watched for quite a time. then we chased another who was wide awake and dived as soon as we got close. They then stopped the boat and listened and located another one coming up from a deep dive. They slowly manouvered the boat until we were right over where they expexted him to come up. After about 10 mins boy did he come up . He broke the surface and cleared the water before falling back an astonishing sight . He then took a few breaths before diving with a flick of his tail - incredible! All this and Wandering Albatross too. Never a dull moment in 4 weeks on the road.
It was still blowing strongly this morning but the sun was breaking through and the ferry to South Island left on time (ish). The crossing was very choppy but superb with great coastal scenery and crashing waves. At south Island we sailed into a very narrow sound which was a cross between a fiord and and a cornish estuary absolutely beautiful. When we arrived in Picton we went to a maritime museum where they have preserved a sailing boat from 1853. This was brilliant, the boat had been in the Crimean war, transported tea, convicts and emigrants before becoming a refrigeration ship for meat.
We then drove south to Kaikoura. On the way we drove through incredible wine growing country in an area so hot and dry they were irrigating despite the storm of the past couple of days. in Blenheim we dropped off the postcard from post office bay in the Galapagos to a lady living there. We also drove past the turn off to Molesworth Station where our friends the Phoenixes have visited and even been to a wedding there. It seems to cover half of New Zealand, it has its own snow capped mountains and the road out of it to the south was declared closed on the road signs.
The run down the coast to Kaikoura was beautiful, the Pacific on one side, snow capped mountains on the other and irrigation sprays on the fields, oh and fur seals on the coast.
Wed 26 th Nov.
Spent the morning getting a little rest doing domestics and booking a few things ahead. Then came the afternoon. Whale watching. The boat was advertised as a high seasickness risk but we have already survived Galapagos. So we settled down to enjoy a 25 knot slap and crash across a huge swell in a very powerful catamaran. The set up was excellent , first they caught up with a dozing Sperm Whale on the surface which we watched for quite a time. then we chased another who was wide awake and dived as soon as we got close. They then stopped the boat and listened and located another one coming up from a deep dive. They slowly manouvered the boat until we were right over where they expexted him to come up. After about 10 mins boy did he come up . He broke the surface and cleared the water before falling back an astonishing sight . He then took a few breaths before diving with a flick of his tail - incredible! All this and Wandering Albatross too. Never a dull moment in 4 weeks on the road.
Wednesday 26th November
We've remembered something from the South American leg that we need to relate. We sampled that fine Peruvian cuisine Alpaca and guinea pig. We were so impressed that we have ordered a delivery to the parents for Christmas dinner.
Computer problems dictate that I must recommence blogging later
Computer problems dictate that I must recommence blogging later
Sunday, 23 November 2008
Monday 24th Nov
Sat 21st Nov.
Woke up in "Pong City" and went in search of the smell. The sulphur in the air is really strong. In the south of the city very strong! Here we went to Te puia, an active valley. There were hot bubbling mud pools with mud volcanos and the geyser Pohutu which erupted almost continuously while we were there throwing water up 10 to 20 metres. The mud pools are really eerie! We then went to the Buried village up in the hills to the south. There are many lovely lakes up here and this very well set out and poignant site where a village frequented by Victorian tourists was destroyed in an eruption in1886. It was very tranquil with the homes of Maori and the hotels dug out of 2 metres of ash and mud and well displayed. The Volcano still broods over the lake which it boiled and threw the mud down over the village.
In the evening we went to the night opening of a wildlife centre which was very bright and colourful and had a wonderful nocturnal house of the endangered Kiwi which are very shy but quite fascinating they are very retiring but one grew quite sociable and almost pecked
Jennifers hand. Here they also breed trout the size of small whales but apparently do not put them on menus? They are protected and can only be caught as game with a licence.
Sunday 23rd Nov.
Woke up and found we were very lucky as 7 cars and tents had been raided overnight on our site. They burned their way into the tents with a heat gun as people slept. We drove south to lake Taupo the site of a volcanic eruption bigger than Krakatoa by several times which has created the Caldera which has the biggest lake in NZ. We then went into the Tongarriro Park. This is the site of several 10,000 foot volcanos that are snow capped and still very much active. When we went for a walk we carried a card showing safe areas and the route of Lahars (mud Flows) in recent eruptions. One mountain is a classic cone shape and was the Mt. Doom in Lord of the Rings. The next Mt Ruapahu is a ski resort but also doubles as "Mordor" We drove up here in the evening and red sunlit snow with back rugged lava is Tolkienesque indeed.
Monday 24th Nov
Little to report today drove over 6 hours to reach Wellington for the boat to South Island tomorrow. The moutains from last night had changed character. Wreathed in strange cloud forms and with a howling cold gale pouring down the east side which blew us all over the road as we drove away. Strolling round a windy and wet Wellington tonight so we've dropped in here to blog.
Woke up in "Pong City" and went in search of the smell. The sulphur in the air is really strong. In the south of the city very strong! Here we went to Te puia, an active valley. There were hot bubbling mud pools with mud volcanos and the geyser Pohutu which erupted almost continuously while we were there throwing water up 10 to 20 metres. The mud pools are really eerie! We then went to the Buried village up in the hills to the south. There are many lovely lakes up here and this very well set out and poignant site where a village frequented by Victorian tourists was destroyed in an eruption in1886. It was very tranquil with the homes of Maori and the hotels dug out of 2 metres of ash and mud and well displayed. The Volcano still broods over the lake which it boiled and threw the mud down over the village.
In the evening we went to the night opening of a wildlife centre which was very bright and colourful and had a wonderful nocturnal house of the endangered Kiwi which are very shy but quite fascinating they are very retiring but one grew quite sociable and almost pecked
Jennifers hand. Here they also breed trout the size of small whales but apparently do not put them on menus? They are protected and can only be caught as game with a licence.
Sunday 23rd Nov.
Woke up and found we were very lucky as 7 cars and tents had been raided overnight on our site. They burned their way into the tents with a heat gun as people slept. We drove south to lake Taupo the site of a volcanic eruption bigger than Krakatoa by several times which has created the Caldera which has the biggest lake in NZ. We then went into the Tongarriro Park. This is the site of several 10,000 foot volcanos that are snow capped and still very much active. When we went for a walk we carried a card showing safe areas and the route of Lahars (mud Flows) in recent eruptions. One mountain is a classic cone shape and was the Mt. Doom in Lord of the Rings. The next Mt Ruapahu is a ski resort but also doubles as "Mordor" We drove up here in the evening and red sunlit snow with back rugged lava is Tolkienesque indeed.
Monday 24th Nov
Little to report today drove over 6 hours to reach Wellington for the boat to South Island tomorrow. The moutains from last night had changed character. Wreathed in strange cloud forms and with a howling cold gale pouring down the east side which blew us all over the road as we drove away. Strolling round a windy and wet Wellington tonight so we've dropped in here to blog.
Friday, 21 November 2008
Friday 21st November
Well, a couple of hours after we were last in touch, we were in an accident! No major harm to anybody, in fact no injury, but we now have a badly buckled back step to the van after a woman ran into us in a traffic queue - luckily at very low speed. But caused us a headache as, being just north of Auckland, the company wanted us to go back to the depot in SW Auckland to do the paperwork - which meant driving across the city and then eventually driving out through rush-hour, which was no more fun than rush hour in any big city. However, perhaps did us a favour as we ended up for the night on a beautiful site we might not have found otherwise, up in the hills above a brown coal mining area. Waingaro is a hot springs area, in the hills near Hobbiton from Lord of the Rings, so you can imagine the countryside. (Just like the Lickey Hills.) There were several beautifully warm pools(about 30 degrees), and we swam last night as the stars were coming out, and then again this morning as the maggies sang. Drove through amazing countryside then to Waitomo where the glow-worm caves are, another gorgeous area. We first went on the glow-worm tour, walking through limestone caves 30 million years old then riding a boat below thousands of twinkling glow-worms - a creature of fairly unpleasant habits but a beautiful experience. Like the Southern Hemisphere skies at night. We then toured another cave system, Ruarikiri. This started with an artificial entrance as the Maori have declared the original entrance a religious site, so they spent millions on a 60 metre spiral walkway and artificial tunnels to enter the system. The watercut channels were fantastic incredibley deep and narrow with very pale dripstone curtains as well as the usual stalactites and stalagmites. The gloworms here were reflected in the water in the bottom of the channels, heaven above and below. A quite stunning 2 hours finishing with seeing the bones of the extinct flightless Moai bird which stood 3.5 metres high a lot to get into your McChicken sandwich.
We then drove to Rotorua and selected a lakeside campsite. The lake has waves like the sea and is huge. The beach is made from ash and pumice and if you dig in the sand the water fills the hole and is then the temperature of a warm bath because the sands are hot. Within 50 metres of our camp pitch there is a hot pool steaming sulphur and a 6 foot bubbling mass of boiling mud. Fenced off of course. You can bathe in a choice of three free hot tubs and even practice cooking in the hot sands and mud. It's he weirdest city - steam drifting everwhere, and very smelly! So much to do here, on every known form of transport - we don't know where to start tomorrow. (Assuming there's no eruption...)
Just to give a general idea of NZ countryside up here in the north - imagine England in May, buttercups and daisies , blackbirds and thrushes singing - but with mad honeyeaters in sub-tropical vegetation above, and even more peculiar flightless birds, pukekos, rather like huge moorhens, falling over their own feet. Dairy cattle everywhere, up in the north the landscape a mixture of Scottish farmland and Victoria, down here the mountains are higher and volcanic cones scattered around. Weather like May too, can be very warm but also cold and blustery - and hay-fever-inducing!
We then drove to Rotorua and selected a lakeside campsite. The lake has waves like the sea and is huge. The beach is made from ash and pumice and if you dig in the sand the water fills the hole and is then the temperature of a warm bath because the sands are hot. Within 50 metres of our camp pitch there is a hot pool steaming sulphur and a 6 foot bubbling mass of boiling mud. Fenced off of course. You can bathe in a choice of three free hot tubs and even practice cooking in the hot sands and mud. It's he weirdest city - steam drifting everwhere, and very smelly! So much to do here, on every known form of transport - we don't know where to start tomorrow. (Assuming there's no eruption...)
Just to give a general idea of NZ countryside up here in the north - imagine England in May, buttercups and daisies , blackbirds and thrushes singing - but with mad honeyeaters in sub-tropical vegetation above, and even more peculiar flightless birds, pukekos, rather like huge moorhens, falling over their own feet. Dairy cattle everywhere, up in the north the landscape a mixture of Scottish farmland and Victoria, down here the mountains are higher and volcanic cones scattered around. Weather like May too, can be very warm but also cold and blustery - and hay-fever-inducing!
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
Thursday 20th November
Hi everyone. Sorry so long since we kept this up, we've been pretty much on the move and found internet access hard at times, so we'll just do a quick summary of the last week.
Tues 11th November
Macchu Pichu!! And everything you've heard is true. The setting is just indescribably beautiful. As for the site ...take the roofs off a Cotswold village, say Stow-on-the Wold, then surround it by 16,000 feet mountains, and you might get an idea. We saw chinchillas there too. It was a hard day, but the train journey was quite an experience, starting at 6am with zigzags up out of Cusco, then across the altiplano as all the villages were beginning the day, down through incredibly narrow gorges to the jungle. Nearly died on the bustrip up to Machu...well felt like it. Not for the fainthearted! The trip back not so much fun, largely in the dark, but enlivened by a fashion show put on by the carriage crew showing "quality alpaca products", most bizarre!
Wed 12th November
Shopping in Cusco and a last look around before we had to say goodbye, it was hard to leave. We flew to Lima then straight on to Santiago, arriving there just before midnight. Rebecca, think Hotel Moskva for our hotel! Very 70's. Our first impression of Santiago was like Birmingham - very messy, first litter we'd seen in S. America. Turned out they'd had a public service strike and rubbish hadn't been collected for a while. Next day they were clearing up and it was tidy again. (Bet Birmingham isn't)
Thursday 13th November
Big recommendation for anyone going to Chile - A) do - it's beautiful, b)if you only have one day go on a private tour with John Gottlieb. He is big mates with the head of the Cilean army so you should be safe!! Chile is more western-feeling that Peru & Ecuador. We had a greatr trip to Valparaiso, gorgeous town, plus wine-tasting and a few other side-trips as well. John insisted on taking us to the airport and took us up to see the sunset over Santiago first, it's a stunning city. He then got us priority boarding on the plane so we were first on! It was goodbye to the Andes then, they had been with us all the way for the last week and ...well, you just have to see them for yourselves. Hard to imagine anywhere more beautiful.
Friday 14th November
Nothing happened! We didn't get this day!!
Saturday 15th November
Arrived 4am in NZ after a typically awful night flight. (LAN a very good airline, just being in the dark for nearly 10 hours was vile.) Met by Sarah, who in 1981 was Sarah Lloyd and in my class in St Anne's. And thank goodness she was, she's grwon up to be a lovely wife and mum - as well as doing a compicated admin job in a primary school in Northshore Auckland). She and her husband Mike & daughter Catherine gave us a great weekend, variously providing travel, hotel, laundry, computer and anti- jetlag services, as well as answering an endless stream of questions.
One jetlag cure is apparently helping to move neighbours into their new house. We worked all morning shifting furniture in return for beer and bacon and egg pie It was great fun and What A house!! Then onto long beach and the busmans holiday visiting Sarah's school where Some staff also work on Saturdays doing reports!!
Sunday 16th Nov
Touring Auckland. Takepuna market, Devonport, wonderful harbour views. The spot where nothing happened in 1897 which is commemorated by a plaque. Lunch in a fine pub then the ferry to Auckland harbour to look at the amazing millionaires yachts.
Monday 17th Nov.
Pick up our camper, Sarah driving us back all the way to the airport. We then drove north in dull weather along a road with more roadworks than Kidderminster, but we reached Paihia which is beautiful and a great compensation. Like West coast scotland or Cornwall but usually warmer.
Stunning beachside campsite.
Tuesday 18th.
The thrill of NZ so far. Off at 7:00am in a 4wd coach to the northern tip of NZ. Morning coffee was taken in a place carving 50,000 year old trees into beautiful stuff. Thank heavens we could not carry it home let alone afford it. A $32,000 Mandoline!! Next came 90 mile beach. Driven at at 110 KPH by our "keen" coach diver who also sang Moari songs and laments. The other coach gave up as the tide was rising early driven by a storm the previous night, But not our man! this is despite the fact that few on the coach were under 60. We ploughed through the surf passing the last escape point until we turned and drove up a river bed at the end of the beach. We then stopped to sandboard down some huge 100ft. plus dunes (including the oldies). Exhilarating!!
We then drove to Cape Reinga and watched where the Pacific meets the Tasman sea with no Eastern landfall for 13,000 miles. Just for an encore we then went to one of the oldest forests in NZ at Puketi to walk aroung the boardwalk built for the Queen which she refused to use. This forest is of Kauri trees (the same as the ones at the morning stop but younger) , and they are massive.
Wednesday 19th Nov.
A glorious morning and off on a high speed catamaran to watch dolphins. And we did. Two pods that swam all around us. We also passed the boat through a natural rock arch barely wider than the boat. In the afternoon after lunch in the oldest colonial pub in NZ, in the town of Russell we visited the Waitangi Treaty grounds where the Maori signed a treaty with the British in 1840, a very beautiful place.
Feeling tired now heading off south of Auckland. Rotorua to morrow.
Tues 11th November
Macchu Pichu!! And everything you've heard is true. The setting is just indescribably beautiful. As for the site ...take the roofs off a Cotswold village, say Stow-on-the Wold, then surround it by 16,000 feet mountains, and you might get an idea. We saw chinchillas there too. It was a hard day, but the train journey was quite an experience, starting at 6am with zigzags up out of Cusco, then across the altiplano as all the villages were beginning the day, down through incredibly narrow gorges to the jungle. Nearly died on the bustrip up to Machu...well felt like it. Not for the fainthearted! The trip back not so much fun, largely in the dark, but enlivened by a fashion show put on by the carriage crew showing "quality alpaca products", most bizarre!
Wed 12th November
Shopping in Cusco and a last look around before we had to say goodbye, it was hard to leave. We flew to Lima then straight on to Santiago, arriving there just before midnight. Rebecca, think Hotel Moskva for our hotel! Very 70's. Our first impression of Santiago was like Birmingham - very messy, first litter we'd seen in S. America. Turned out they'd had a public service strike and rubbish hadn't been collected for a while. Next day they were clearing up and it was tidy again. (Bet Birmingham isn't)
Thursday 13th November
Big recommendation for anyone going to Chile - A) do - it's beautiful, b)if you only have one day go on a private tour with John Gottlieb. He is big mates with the head of the Cilean army so you should be safe!! Chile is more western-feeling that Peru & Ecuador. We had a greatr trip to Valparaiso, gorgeous town, plus wine-tasting and a few other side-trips as well. John insisted on taking us to the airport and took us up to see the sunset over Santiago first, it's a stunning city. He then got us priority boarding on the plane so we were first on! It was goodbye to the Andes then, they had been with us all the way for the last week and ...well, you just have to see them for yourselves. Hard to imagine anywhere more beautiful.
Friday 14th November
Nothing happened! We didn't get this day!!
Saturday 15th November
Arrived 4am in NZ after a typically awful night flight. (LAN a very good airline, just being in the dark for nearly 10 hours was vile.) Met by Sarah, who in 1981 was Sarah Lloyd and in my class in St Anne's. And thank goodness she was, she's grwon up to be a lovely wife and mum - as well as doing a compicated admin job in a primary school in Northshore Auckland). She and her husband Mike & daughter Catherine gave us a great weekend, variously providing travel, hotel, laundry, computer and anti- jetlag services, as well as answering an endless stream of questions.
One jetlag cure is apparently helping to move neighbours into their new house. We worked all morning shifting furniture in return for beer and bacon and egg pie It was great fun and What A house!! Then onto long beach and the busmans holiday visiting Sarah's school where Some staff also work on Saturdays doing reports!!
Sunday 16th Nov
Touring Auckland. Takepuna market, Devonport, wonderful harbour views. The spot where nothing happened in 1897 which is commemorated by a plaque. Lunch in a fine pub then the ferry to Auckland harbour to look at the amazing millionaires yachts.
Monday 17th Nov.
Pick up our camper, Sarah driving us back all the way to the airport. We then drove north in dull weather along a road with more roadworks than Kidderminster, but we reached Paihia which is beautiful and a great compensation. Like West coast scotland or Cornwall but usually warmer.
Stunning beachside campsite.
Tuesday 18th.
The thrill of NZ so far. Off at 7:00am in a 4wd coach to the northern tip of NZ. Morning coffee was taken in a place carving 50,000 year old trees into beautiful stuff. Thank heavens we could not carry it home let alone afford it. A $32,000 Mandoline!! Next came 90 mile beach. Driven at at 110 KPH by our "keen" coach diver who also sang Moari songs and laments. The other coach gave up as the tide was rising early driven by a storm the previous night, But not our man! this is despite the fact that few on the coach were under 60. We ploughed through the surf passing the last escape point until we turned and drove up a river bed at the end of the beach. We then stopped to sandboard down some huge 100ft. plus dunes (including the oldies). Exhilarating!!
We then drove to Cape Reinga and watched where the Pacific meets the Tasman sea with no Eastern landfall for 13,000 miles. Just for an encore we then went to one of the oldest forests in NZ at Puketi to walk aroung the boardwalk built for the Queen which she refused to use. This forest is of Kauri trees (the same as the ones at the morning stop but younger) , and they are massive.
Wednesday 19th Nov.
A glorious morning and off on a high speed catamaran to watch dolphins. And we did. Two pods that swam all around us. We also passed the boat through a natural rock arch barely wider than the boat. In the afternoon after lunch in the oldest colonial pub in NZ, in the town of Russell we visited the Waitangi Treaty grounds where the Maori signed a treaty with the British in 1840, a very beautiful place.
Feeling tired now heading off south of Auckland. Rotorua to morrow.
Monday, 10 November 2008
Mon 10th Nov
Sun Nov 9th
A long and very hot day exploring The Sacred Valley. This is the route to Machu Pichu North of Cusco. We were driven by a Peruvian Lewis Hamilton around precipitous mountain roads. We saw a wonderful local trading market in the town of Pisaq with incredible fruit and veg.drove on along a narrow valley in the mountains very desert like with snow peaks peering over the top.
Nice lunch, shared with Alaskans, nobody mentioned Sarah Palin.
Ollantaytambo, a place to go with its name. A huge Inca monument exhausting to climb in the thin air, but worth it for tremendous views and Inca history.
Drove back over the "Altiplano" High plains with red earth and a backdrop of snow peaks again. Very fertile land at 3,500 metres, every inch cultivated and ploughed by oxen. Spectacularly beautiful. "Lewis" got us back safely just! Geoff flaked out for 12 hours.
Mon Nov.10th
Got up late and strolled around Cusco. Watched teenagers practising a traditional dance in a town square. Visited a fascinating museum dedicated to teaching art in the remote indian communities and helping to preserve Andean culture quite brilliant!
Hot sunny morning then torrential rain.
We went on a city tour in the afternoon. Saw the Cathedral, churches and several Inca temples on a typical welsh afternoon. The key sight was SAQSAYWAMAN. Geoff had his photo taken with her and Jen was a magnet for local young men who wanted their photograph taken with her. Jen asumes they thought she was the ancient spirit of the mountains.
Up at 4:30 am tomorrow for Machu Pichu.
A long and very hot day exploring The Sacred Valley. This is the route to Machu Pichu North of Cusco. We were driven by a Peruvian Lewis Hamilton around precipitous mountain roads. We saw a wonderful local trading market in the town of Pisaq with incredible fruit and veg.drove on along a narrow valley in the mountains very desert like with snow peaks peering over the top.
Nice lunch, shared with Alaskans, nobody mentioned Sarah Palin.
Ollantaytambo, a place to go with its name. A huge Inca monument exhausting to climb in the thin air, but worth it for tremendous views and Inca history.
Drove back over the "Altiplano" High plains with red earth and a backdrop of snow peaks again. Very fertile land at 3,500 metres, every inch cultivated and ploughed by oxen. Spectacularly beautiful. "Lewis" got us back safely just! Geoff flaked out for 12 hours.
Mon Nov.10th
Got up late and strolled around Cusco. Watched teenagers practising a traditional dance in a town square. Visited a fascinating museum dedicated to teaching art in the remote indian communities and helping to preserve Andean culture quite brilliant!
Hot sunny morning then torrential rain.
We went on a city tour in the afternoon. Saw the Cathedral, churches and several Inca temples on a typical welsh afternoon. The key sight was SAQSAYWAMAN. Geoff had his photo taken with her and Jen was a magnet for local young men who wanted their photograph taken with her. Jen asumes they thought she was the ancient spirit of the mountains.
Up at 4:30 am tomorrow for Machu Pichu.
Saturday, 8 November 2008
Saturday 8th November
The sun has just gone down over the Andes in Peru, but back to Quito 2 days ago.
Thursday 6th November.
In glorious equatorial sunshine we did a city tour with our excellent guide Gloria, who gave us a very clear picture of Ecuador,s stormy political and economic history as well as showing us the stunning views and the old town -very beautiful and well-preserved. Rebecca, we saw what you meant about the "edge" in Quito though we didn,t have any problems, but armed guards for all the big shops, banks and hotels, even our own small B&B and Burger King! But most of the people we met over 2 days were very friendly and helpful.
In the afternoon we went up the telerifico to the Ruca Pinchincha Volcano at 4100 metres. 13,500 feet. The views were glorious. 4 or 5 snow peaks including Cotopaxi could be seen. We saw a condor flying . We even coped with the altitude but chests were tight going uphill. The sun apparently was at dangerous UV levels and Geoff got burned.
Nov 7th
Caught the bus to Mitad del Mundo. The bus was a real experience of ecuadorian life. Wild and crowded with street vendors jumping on and off selling things. We travellled some 10 or more miles and about an hour for 40 cents each insted of $40 for a taxi. Wild driving and wild music all the way. At M del M there are three equator museums each with a different version of the equator. One archaelogical, one done in the 17th century, and one by GPS. One had a series of crazy experiments about coriolis force . Very clever but dodgy science. Jennifer danced with an indian medicine man!!!! . Geoff tried to shoot her with a blow pipe, such fun!
We were drenched by a Thunderstorm on the way back walking through the city. Next we were on the 9:00pm plane to Lima Peru. Lima was a mad light show at Midnight with flashy bars and clubs and shopping centres but with very dark poor streets behind.
Nov 8th
After just 7 hour in the hotel we were driven back to the airport through a very different looking town with lots of battered painted mini-buses shuttling all over the place as the city woke up.
On the flight to Cusco we sat with happy americans celebrating the end of George Bush. and with stunning views of the snow capped Andes.
We spent the afternoon wandering around Cusco. we cannot compare this with anywhere else we have ever been. Grindingly poor suburbs and a beautiful town of grand squares and churches with the Andes at the end of every street. unfortunately there is a street seller every other step.
For the parents, Alpaca related products are everywhere even on the restaurant menus however we can only have chicken soup tonight because we must eat lightly to adapt to the 11,000 ft. altitude. Off to The Sacred Valley tomorrow.
Thursday 6th November.
In glorious equatorial sunshine we did a city tour with our excellent guide Gloria, who gave us a very clear picture of Ecuador,s stormy political and economic history as well as showing us the stunning views and the old town -very beautiful and well-preserved. Rebecca, we saw what you meant about the "edge" in Quito though we didn,t have any problems, but armed guards for all the big shops, banks and hotels, even our own small B&B and Burger King! But most of the people we met over 2 days were very friendly and helpful.
In the afternoon we went up the telerifico to the Ruca Pinchincha Volcano at 4100 metres. 13,500 feet. The views were glorious. 4 or 5 snow peaks including Cotopaxi could be seen. We saw a condor flying . We even coped with the altitude but chests were tight going uphill. The sun apparently was at dangerous UV levels and Geoff got burned.
Nov 7th
Caught the bus to Mitad del Mundo. The bus was a real experience of ecuadorian life. Wild and crowded with street vendors jumping on and off selling things. We travellled some 10 or more miles and about an hour for 40 cents each insted of $40 for a taxi. Wild driving and wild music all the way. At M del M there are three equator museums each with a different version of the equator. One archaelogical, one done in the 17th century, and one by GPS. One had a series of crazy experiments about coriolis force . Very clever but dodgy science. Jennifer danced with an indian medicine man!!!! . Geoff tried to shoot her with a blow pipe, such fun!
We were drenched by a Thunderstorm on the way back walking through the city. Next we were on the 9:00pm plane to Lima Peru. Lima was a mad light show at Midnight with flashy bars and clubs and shopping centres but with very dark poor streets behind.
Nov 8th
After just 7 hour in the hotel we were driven back to the airport through a very different looking town with lots of battered painted mini-buses shuttling all over the place as the city woke up.
On the flight to Cusco we sat with happy americans celebrating the end of George Bush. and with stunning views of the snow capped Andes.
We spent the afternoon wandering around Cusco. we cannot compare this with anywhere else we have ever been. Grindingly poor suburbs and a beautiful town of grand squares and churches with the Andes at the end of every street. unfortunately there is a street seller every other step.
For the parents, Alpaca related products are everywhere even on the restaurant menus however we can only have chicken soup tonight because we must eat lightly to adapt to the 11,000 ft. altitude. Off to The Sacred Valley tomorrow.
Thursday, 6 November 2008
Thursday 6th November
At last! Sorry no posts for so long, but we've been out of contact with computers since we left England. In fact we went for 5 days without even seeing a building of any kind! We had a magnificent trip to Galapagos, a place where you have to watch your step or you´re in grave danger of squashing a sealion, eradicating an iguana, battering a booby, or having an accident with an albatross chick...though we got nowhere near flattening a flamingo.
A brief catchup on the trip so far:
Tues Oct 28th
We spent all day flying to Quito in Ecuador, 14 and a half hours in the air, landing late at night in a storm to a huge round of applause for the pilot from the passengers...
Wed Oct 29th
Up at 5.30, to the airport at 6am for the flight to Galapagos. We met our boat, The Cachalote on a quay covered with sleeping sealions. Our boat was about 100ft. long about the size of Darwins Beagle but with motors as well as sails. We had a brilliant crew of Ecuadorians and passengers from Sweden,U.S.A., Canada, Germany, Czech Republic, and Kent, 12 in all. Sailled to our first Island South Plaza,and met seals and Iguanas face to face! LITERALLY. You have to learn to stepover the wild life. We then moored in Puerto Ayora on the main island Santa Cruz
Thur Oct. 30th
Spent this day on the island at the "Darwin" centre. We saw Breeding programs for the endangered Tortoise, this is too complex to explain but fantastic. We then went to the hills to see "Wild" Giant tortoise. The hills were like Wales on a drizzly August day but with Volcanic craters and Giant tortoise. That night we sailed for 10 hours in a pitching and rolling boat over the open Pacific Ocean. ROUGH!!!
Fri Oct 31st
Few people spoke at breakfast! B´fast 7:00 ashore by 8:00 in a small Zodiac boat called a "Panga" Island of Espinoza. A wet Landing!! Jumping onto the beach from the panga in high surf. Sea lions, Lava Lizards, Mocking birds and then a swim (cool, N. Wales again) from the white coral beach.
Lunch on board and then a dry landing we liked these but this one hsd the boat outrunning 6 to 10 foot surf to get into the landing, tricky!! Great sea-bird life. Nazca Booby, Blue -Footed Booby (Doing their mating dance, it might catch on) and Albatross, chicks and magnificently flying adults. We also saw a Rare Galapagos Hawk and a 25 metre blowhole. Jen enjoyed the next bit as we sailed again, using sails to stabalize us.
Sat 1st Nov.
8:00 am wet landing on Floreana. Perfect volcanic island with many old cones. Large flamingo lagoons with Greater Flamingos. Walked on to a coral beach with landing and launching Turtles and Stingrays in the surf. Many Turtle egg nests.
Another excellent lunch on board our chef was a genius meals several courses on time whatever the boat was doing. thes were served in style by a balletic waiter called Enrique. next a "Wet" landing in Post Office bay aplace of sailing ledgend where you leve postcards hopefully for later callers to deliver. We picked up 4 to deliver, one in Northfield Birmingham. Swam warm and comfortable until strong surf threw us back onto the beach. Sailed into a brilliant sunset but dinner needed Enriques balletic skills and our catching ability and sleep at 1:30 am when we anchored was welcome.
Sun 2nd Nov
We are now in the far west, the island of Isabella. BREATHTAKING. Huge gently sloping volcanos and blue skies. Only 2 tour boats left by now, us and a three masted schooner, others wimped out and returned to tamer waters. Dry Lava landing and a walk over a vast lava field only 100 years old. Interesting rock pools- Shark, Turtle, Porcupine fish as well as the pretty ones. Pools further inland linked to the sea by lava tunnels were brakish and had Flamingos, Stilts, Moorhens, Grebes and the rara Galapagos Martin. All surrounded by masses of black lava under a hot sun. Fantastic!
Lunch Fantastic also! Afternoon was a Panga ride in a Mangrove Swamp. Saw Pelicans diving, Flightless cormorants and Galapagos penguins on the rocks on the way in, Herons, swimming Penguins, Turtles and sealions (some sleeping in trees!!!) in the swamps. Rocky ride back in the Pangas. A night at anchor, for which we were all greatfull.
Mon 3rd Nov
Up anchor 5:30am. sailed to Urvina Bay. Wet landing walk through a dried mangrove lagoon. Dried because an earthquke raised it 16 feet in one night. Gient tortoise and large land iguanas. Superb warm swim on the beach at about 9:00am. Wonderful rock pools with bright coloured Moray eel.
Sailing for lunch to the island of Fernandina, throught the Bolivar Channel We sighted our second whale and later that day we saw more. Probably Brydes Whale but possibly Finback.
A dry landing on the youngest volcanic island. We saw vast numbers of marine iguanas and much again of the widlife previously seen. Most interesting was a "Beachmaster" male sealion who was guarding 4 cubs playing in the water. He was asleep on the job which brought comment but as soon as another young male sealion swam up the back he snapped into action and chased him ferociously and fast back to sea.
Evening saw us chasing whales and sailing past vast collapsed volcano cones into another glorious sunset, all on deck with beer and luxurious "nibbles". As the sun gave way to a brilliant starlit night and as the GPS recorder approached and reached zero degrees of Latitude we all drank Enriques cocktails with the Captain on the Bridgeto celebrate crosing the Equator.
We paid for this beauty with another rough passge south after dinner.
Tues 4th Nov
San Salvador island. James Bay. 7:15 Wet landing Walk to the Grottoes of the Fur Seals. These have much sillier ears than sealions and huge eyes for night fishing. Plenty of the usual wild life waders, iguanas, sealions.
Sailed at 11:00. The boat as usual was escorted by a squadron of the beautiful Frigate birds. Unfortunately this time their aim was good and Geoff was well and truly "pooped".
Afternoon saw us at Batolome Island. This is a stunning blasted volcanic Moonscape used inscenes from the movie Master and Commander. We took a panga ride to look at penguins, and watch blue-footed Boobies dive bombing people snorkling. It is possible that we made only the second ever sighting of a Green Heron in Galapagos, Monika our guide need to check with our pictures with the Darwin Foundation.
We then landed and climbed to the top of the island to see this sensational land of volcanic spatter cones and lava flows as the sun started setting.
We sailed for Santa Cruz having a cocktail farewaell dinner and anchored at 8:00.Phew!
Wed 5th Nov.
Panga ride BEFORE breakfast.6:00am. Mangrove swamp with all the usual birds but, baby sharks simming all around our panga in the lagoon and massive Spotted Manta Rays rising from the mud right next to us. It was nice. We´ve runout of superlatives . This made a magical ending to our cruise. By 9:00 we were onshore and off to the airport after saying very fond farewells to our crew and our brilliant guide Monika. All of us passengers had gelled well and we were all sorry to be going our separate ways. If any of you "shipmates read this when you are back home thanks for making it a great trip.
We are now in Quito with more amazing thing to report but we are all blogged out and must now pack. Peru tomorrow night. Will try to upload pictures when we get a faster computer.
A brief catchup on the trip so far:
Tues Oct 28th
We spent all day flying to Quito in Ecuador, 14 and a half hours in the air, landing late at night in a storm to a huge round of applause for the pilot from the passengers...
Wed Oct 29th
Up at 5.30, to the airport at 6am for the flight to Galapagos. We met our boat, The Cachalote on a quay covered with sleeping sealions. Our boat was about 100ft. long about the size of Darwins Beagle but with motors as well as sails. We had a brilliant crew of Ecuadorians and passengers from Sweden,U.S.A., Canada, Germany, Czech Republic, and Kent, 12 in all. Sailled to our first Island South Plaza,and met seals and Iguanas face to face! LITERALLY. You have to learn to stepover the wild life. We then moored in Puerto Ayora on the main island Santa Cruz
Thur Oct. 30th
Spent this day on the island at the "Darwin" centre. We saw Breeding programs for the endangered Tortoise, this is too complex to explain but fantastic. We then went to the hills to see "Wild" Giant tortoise. The hills were like Wales on a drizzly August day but with Volcanic craters and Giant tortoise. That night we sailed for 10 hours in a pitching and rolling boat over the open Pacific Ocean. ROUGH!!!
Fri Oct 31st
Few people spoke at breakfast! B´fast 7:00 ashore by 8:00 in a small Zodiac boat called a "Panga" Island of Espinoza. A wet Landing!! Jumping onto the beach from the panga in high surf. Sea lions, Lava Lizards, Mocking birds and then a swim (cool, N. Wales again) from the white coral beach.
Lunch on board and then a dry landing we liked these but this one hsd the boat outrunning 6 to 10 foot surf to get into the landing, tricky!! Great sea-bird life. Nazca Booby, Blue -Footed Booby (Doing their mating dance, it might catch on) and Albatross, chicks and magnificently flying adults. We also saw a Rare Galapagos Hawk and a 25 metre blowhole. Jen enjoyed the next bit as we sailed again, using sails to stabalize us.
Sat 1st Nov.
8:00 am wet landing on Floreana. Perfect volcanic island with many old cones. Large flamingo lagoons with Greater Flamingos. Walked on to a coral beach with landing and launching Turtles and Stingrays in the surf. Many Turtle egg nests.
Another excellent lunch on board our chef was a genius meals several courses on time whatever the boat was doing. thes were served in style by a balletic waiter called Enrique. next a "Wet" landing in Post Office bay aplace of sailing ledgend where you leve postcards hopefully for later callers to deliver. We picked up 4 to deliver, one in Northfield Birmingham. Swam warm and comfortable until strong surf threw us back onto the beach. Sailed into a brilliant sunset but dinner needed Enriques balletic skills and our catching ability and sleep at 1:30 am when we anchored was welcome.
Sun 2nd Nov
We are now in the far west, the island of Isabella. BREATHTAKING. Huge gently sloping volcanos and blue skies. Only 2 tour boats left by now, us and a three masted schooner, others wimped out and returned to tamer waters. Dry Lava landing and a walk over a vast lava field only 100 years old. Interesting rock pools- Shark, Turtle, Porcupine fish as well as the pretty ones. Pools further inland linked to the sea by lava tunnels were brakish and had Flamingos, Stilts, Moorhens, Grebes and the rara Galapagos Martin. All surrounded by masses of black lava under a hot sun. Fantastic!
Lunch Fantastic also! Afternoon was a Panga ride in a Mangrove Swamp. Saw Pelicans diving, Flightless cormorants and Galapagos penguins on the rocks on the way in, Herons, swimming Penguins, Turtles and sealions (some sleeping in trees!!!) in the swamps. Rocky ride back in the Pangas. A night at anchor, for which we were all greatfull.
Mon 3rd Nov
Up anchor 5:30am. sailed to Urvina Bay. Wet landing walk through a dried mangrove lagoon. Dried because an earthquke raised it 16 feet in one night. Gient tortoise and large land iguanas. Superb warm swim on the beach at about 9:00am. Wonderful rock pools with bright coloured Moray eel.
Sailing for lunch to the island of Fernandina, throught the Bolivar Channel We sighted our second whale and later that day we saw more. Probably Brydes Whale but possibly Finback.
A dry landing on the youngest volcanic island. We saw vast numbers of marine iguanas and much again of the widlife previously seen. Most interesting was a "Beachmaster" male sealion who was guarding 4 cubs playing in the water. He was asleep on the job which brought comment but as soon as another young male sealion swam up the back he snapped into action and chased him ferociously and fast back to sea.
Evening saw us chasing whales and sailing past vast collapsed volcano cones into another glorious sunset, all on deck with beer and luxurious "nibbles". As the sun gave way to a brilliant starlit night and as the GPS recorder approached and reached zero degrees of Latitude we all drank Enriques cocktails with the Captain on the Bridgeto celebrate crosing the Equator.
We paid for this beauty with another rough passge south after dinner.
Tues 4th Nov
San Salvador island. James Bay. 7:15 Wet landing Walk to the Grottoes of the Fur Seals. These have much sillier ears than sealions and huge eyes for night fishing. Plenty of the usual wild life waders, iguanas, sealions.
Sailed at 11:00. The boat as usual was escorted by a squadron of the beautiful Frigate birds. Unfortunately this time their aim was good and Geoff was well and truly "pooped".
Afternoon saw us at Batolome Island. This is a stunning blasted volcanic Moonscape used inscenes from the movie Master and Commander. We took a panga ride to look at penguins, and watch blue-footed Boobies dive bombing people snorkling. It is possible that we made only the second ever sighting of a Green Heron in Galapagos, Monika our guide need to check with our pictures with the Darwin Foundation.
We then landed and climbed to the top of the island to see this sensational land of volcanic spatter cones and lava flows as the sun started setting.
We sailed for Santa Cruz having a cocktail farewaell dinner and anchored at 8:00.Phew!
Wed 5th Nov.
Panga ride BEFORE breakfast.6:00am. Mangrove swamp with all the usual birds but, baby sharks simming all around our panga in the lagoon and massive Spotted Manta Rays rising from the mud right next to us. It was nice. We´ve runout of superlatives . This made a magical ending to our cruise. By 9:00 we were onshore and off to the airport after saying very fond farewells to our crew and our brilliant guide Monika. All of us passengers had gelled well and we were all sorry to be going our separate ways. If any of you "shipmates read this when you are back home thanks for making it a great trip.
We are now in Quito with more amazing thing to report but we are all blogged out and must now pack. Peru tomorrow night. Will try to upload pictures when we get a faster computer.
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