Starting in Queenstown the idea was drive and camp a route north to Wellington. In the event of me being lazy or there being adverse weather motels would be my salvation. I flew into NZ on a sunny day. The plane came into town over Glenorchy low along lake Wakatipu. It looked wonderful. Gloriously clear and the landscape a lush green. I am an aficionado of 'green'. Like so many people being in a green space gives me a feeling of well being. With me this is quite a noticeable effect. Adelaide where I've been living is an oasis in the desert and the botanical garden is very lush. But South Australia is mostly desert and few places in the world are so green as the South Island of NZ. What can I say I love this place heaps. The green just helps. My last year has had a few personal hiccups so this was a welcome mood change. Baggage collection took almost 10 minutes to complete. I could have done it quicker but I spent 5 mins browsing the postcards in a shop. Inimitable NZ a breath of fresh air in so many ways.
Inside half an hour I was on the road in my rental, a sporty red mazda. I eyed it with a view to impromptu camping .... hmm not sleeping in the car then. Hell I had a tent and just needed to find places to pitch it. A trip to the airport business area equipped me with an additional blanket, a volumous towel , camping chair and plastic box (for food) and enough unhealthy supplies for a full week on the road. I have a new vice. Arnots mint slice. Oh dear.
The plan was day 1 in Queenstown, or rather 'general area'. So with the joy of new wheels I headed for a few spots that might yield a nice snap. First off I headed for lower Shotover River. Then I headed up to Coronet Peak and from there to Upper Shotover river. I knew the way. I've been to these spots before I was simply happy to drive and take a few snaps on my first day. I finished the day by taking the cable car up to the lookout. A new weather pattern was clearly coming. Impending rain dampened my idea of astrophotography atop of Queenstown Hill.
The Remarkables from Coronet Peak
upper Shotover River
Day two
I headed to the Bath House - A fantastic breakfast place. Bijou restaurant with enviable view and a welcoming log fire, nothing like it on a chill Fiordland morning. Ok so I wasn't on dawn photo patrol. This was my birthday thank you very much.
After breakfast I headed into town to the Dept of Conservation (DOC) to get a list of campsites. Then spent the rest of the morning whizzing around town. Finding that all the camping and tramping shops I remembered had become 'lifestyle' shops. The small bits of kit I sought were not available. I couldn't even find a gas canister for my trusty camping stove. I left Queenstown without this vital kit as I knew Te Anau would provide, happily it was en-route to my destination Milford Sound.
The road from Queenstown is a lane full of happy memories of touring with Kate. We did the Milford Track in 2009 and the Routeburn in 2014. I was in no hurry. I had room for the night and it was only a 90 minute journey if you don't stop repeatedly to take photos. ... Er guilty.
Red Tussock conservation area
On the road into TeAnau the weather began to look a tad grim ahead. I stopped had a coffee bought a few camping bits. On the road through Eglington Valley yielded two photographs i like very much. One of the Eglington Valley another of a raging river. Which I caught with great atmospherics. I think this maybe my favourite capture of the trip.
I was looking for a campsite at Milford Sound as I was intending to spend the next day here. I whizzed past some easy options. In favour of finding something actually at the sound. But there wasn't any .. blimey that was a shock. Light had left the day and Milford looked grim. I'd be back tomorrow. I headed back the same route. A few miles through the tunnel a sign indicated the head of the Hollyford Track, and thankfully offered camping. Great sign and wonderful luck. This turned out to be a private site run on lines similar to the DOC great walks. Camping was beside a gushing river and there was a communal rec room and a shower block with hot water. This is my number one camp site in NZ loved it. I stayed two nights. During the first rain battered the site. But I was snug enough to enjoy the patter of heavy rain.
Day Three
The following day I spent almost entirely at Milford Sound. I took an early cruise, which was dramatic sheathed in low clouds, none of my images captured the grandeur. The low light , depth of field and 100 ISO film (film camera) were not a good match.. I shot an entire reel of film which turned out to be blurry and valueless. Lesson learned use faster film if you're on a boat, especially if it's grim weather.
After lunch in the cafe I spent the afternoon on the foreshore. It may look like a lake but Milford Sound is linked to the sea and is tidal. The tide was out so i could venture quite far along the coast. I found some interesting compositions, but the clouds often lower than the peaks. Interesting for some no doubt, but on this occasion I was after something less oppressive. These were my better efforts that afternoon.
As light left the day I headed back to the camp at Hollyford stopping once or twice to try snaps of the raging watercourses. Water level was impressive, there really must have been a lot of rain that last night. As it happened that was only a prelude. I mean, that night it felt like a cyclone hit. Oh I forgot, it did. Rain hit my tent like bullets. Lightening made a convincing day of the night. High drama, I lay there convinced it was the end of the world. Kept was kept awake .... for not very long at all zzzzz.
Day Four
The morning clouds were a bit foreboding, but the weather report was encouraging. And so it proved, by the time I'd broken camp, showered and driven to Milford fluffy white clouds in the azure sky. The tide was in and I could even see the peaks. Yippee. I had a happy time paddling in the water finding my composition. Coffee then a leisurely drive to Te Anau.
The return journey yielded a gushing river.
I arrived back in Te Anau in the early afternoon Happily I easily secured all the things for the Kepler that I wanted, my pre hike meal being fish and chips from 'Mostly Seafood' in the High St. This used to be the national dish in England, I still love it. To me this was simply fantastic. The fish was five star, even if the formica decor was not.
Days Five Six and Seven
I spent on the Kepler Track. A separate blog covers those days (in excessive detail I'm told, oh well) So just some snaps. If you'd like to see / read more then a previous blog entry should be more than enough to scratch that itch.
Day Eight
Today was a driving day. I was in recovery from the hike and enjoyed a leisurely coffee before setting off. I had another stab at capturing the tussocks. Then made for Bluff. BTW the wind was quite gusty so this is film capture rathe than a stitch.
I passed through Invercargil. The only point of interest for me being Bert Munro's world record setting Indian motorcycle. Burt and his bike was the subject of the film 'The world's Fastest Indian'. I didn't stop this time. Onwards to Bluff and in the early afternoon took a snap dilapidated shack and boat. Somehow I knew that shot was going to come out well. The chap at the garage said I'd missed a real light show on the water earlier .. hmm not sure what that meant . Thunder and Lightening? Sadly there wasn't much else that peaked my interest. Onwards.
Next stop Purakauni Falls. A twisty windy road finishing along a stretch of gravel. A short walk to the falls Sadly despite being late Autumn the flow of water was slightly underwhelming. Hadn't it been raining in the Caitlins?
I just time to get to Nugget Point before sunset. At least there was if I didn't stop for any other snaps. I didn't and arrived in the carpark at the same time as a pair or Nikon toting Germans. Now there is a kit hierachy in the minds of some photographers. Not entirely sure but goes something like Nikon beats Canon, Lieca beats Nikon, Hassleblad beats Lieca. Or some such .. in fact there are some more exotic brands which would find merit at the top of the investment tree ... Alpa , Zeiss. Well these chaps immediately 'owned' the site. Ignoring such niceties as signs saying 'don't climb danger of death'. Up into the flax they went. As I left i could hear their excited chatter, fair do's but good luck getting down that slippery cliff chaps. ....
note Subsequent to returning from this trip I've found there is a much higher viewpoint from a meteorological station. Still I quite like this view ...
The drizzle then upgraded to big heavy droplets. Hmm .. not keen to camp tonight, it was already dark. Still I was heading towards Dunedin surely I'd find a motel with a vacancy .... The ones I passed enroute were dark and looked distinctly no go. When I rolled into Dunedin it was apparent there weren't many options. I chanced on the Mercure, and with rain thrashing down was happy to pay full whack for an ensuite that faced onto a main road. It was warm dry and had a wonderful shower and came supplied with lots and lots of towels.
Day Nine
The rain had set in and it was well and truly time to get some washing done. So that was my day, I did venture along the peninsula but the clouds were low and the rain was harsh. I parked in the albatross centre carpark and watched the birds glide overhead. No , no snaps my longest lens for this trip was a mighty 85mm no chance of a wildlife snap. I was tempted by a couple of opportunities to take snaps but mostly I stayed nice and dry in coffee shops, then cowered in the hotel for another night.
Day Ten
North to the Moteroki Boulders and beyond. Well the boulders are a feature of so many great photographs, I went once before and it was simply awful. This time I timed my visit to coincide with the tide and it was much more interesting. The main angst this time being so many kidults doing selfies whilst standing on the rocks. Still I came away with something far more pleasing than the first visit.
From the boulders I headed north, the idea being to head to Lake Tekapo, for a snap of the church of the holy lamb or some such. It's also a famed postcard view, although to my mind it was just a useful spot to stop on my way to Lake Wanaka. Well that journey was a bit dull, i passed a big hydro project but the landscape just didn't inspire me to stop. I made it to Tekapo camp ground where the air was distinctly wintery. Apparently snow fell last night. Oh wonderful I was in a tent. But a long drive meant another early night for me. In any event the overcast sky meant my idea of an astro among the mountains was just a pipe dream.
Day Twelve
I made an early pilgrimage to the Church of the Good Shepherd. It proved to be cordoned off by stakes and ropes. A sign asked visitors to keep off the grass. Low cloud base obscured the landscape, simply there was nothing to keep me there so I didn't hang about. Off to Mount Cook. Perhaps the cloud base would lift.
Enroute I stopped at the Tekapo Canal. Which is part of a hydro electric scheme. Mostly I was floored by the startling colour of the water. Which is caused by glacial 'flour.' The term flour is a misnomer as it is fine-grained, silt-sized particles of rock that is suspended in the water. The particles are created by mechanical grinding of bedrock by glacial action. I was quite surprised to see a fisherman there too.
Dave was fishing for Salmon. (Apparently there's a fishery several km downstream). But there's a lot of trout in there too. Perhaps the floating rock particles don't worry them.
Next - Mount aspiring National Park, home of Mount Cook which was cloaked by clouds as I drove up. I have been lucky here in the past but I'm not that keen on this spot so why did I make the very long side trip, truly I should have driven straight past.
The mountains were un’Aspiring for me, I did a short walk to see the retreating face of the Tasman Glacier on lake of the same name. Then had a pricey coffee in the Hermitage Hotel complex, a prestige part of the NZ tourist trail. Entirely missable is my only comment, even the Hillary museum was closed. To my mind this place may benefit from rethink at least in terms of casual visitors who aren't heading to the peaks, a burger bar might liven up the funereal atmosphere in the hotel.
As glacier retreat it leaves behind a boulder strewn field. A minor moonscape apart from the flourishing grass and moss.
The main route to Wanaka scythes a path through the Lindus pass. But from here Wanaka was still over an hour away, the rain was on and off. Mostly off but the sky wasn't looking great.
Getting to Wanaka I made getting a campsite the immediate priority. Having pitched my tent I headed to the lone tree. Just myself a wet tree and fifty of my closest photog friends that is. Well in the dying light we gave it whirl.
A chap with a very long lens on a tripod had effectively closed down options for where the rest of us could stand. In the end I put the camera low on sticks and hoped I wasn't in his shot. he didn't move, so either I'm photogenic or I wasn't in his picture. My evening shot is left below. I thought the cormorants in the tree were a distraction, so I knew I'd be back the next day.
Day Thirteen
Back for the early morning shot of the lone tree. Hi everyone from yesterday here we all are again. Well I did my best. Too many people to get a clear view so I chose to take off my shoes and wade upto my knees in the water to get a clear shot.
The light was far better, and well the cormorants had gone too. One chap was fascinated by my choice and when I had my shoes back on, we chatted. He and his wife were touring in a proper camper and were in NZ for three months REALLY those things are pricey. He had spent three nights at Lake Tekapo waiting for an astro shot. Which he showed me on his phone. (I think he'd processed it and uploaded it). It certainly wasn't created on the phone. Well there you go it is possible to get that shot in winter. Just not if you're on my itinerary, and not if you're unlucky with the weather. That said, I'd had some good opportunities over the past two weeks so I wasn't unhappy. Afterwards I had a slap up breakie in town, then headed out to the Hasst Pass
I had a very pleasant drive out between the two lakes, stopping to catch the view.
then carried onto the blue pools. Where I renewed my acquaintance with sandflies
... Hello old friends, from all those love bites on my ankles I take it you've missed me. Chemicals seem to have no effect on these beasties ... flame thrower next time I think.
The blue pools were ... blue. But not particularly so that day. I was much taken with the pebble cairns though.
I stopped at the Hasst Pass where the clouds were at eye height. I bashed away with great hopes of drama.But on this occasion I think the image suffers from the 3:1 ratio. There's a canyon here, it's just below the image.
The main event was still to come Bruce Bay. A place I have good cause to remember for a encounter with a swarm of sandfies.
I made it to Fox Glacier in short order, where a treat was in order. Kate had secured me an AirBnB for the night. Happy Birthday me Thx Sexy. xxx I also treated myself to a slap up meal at the Reflections Cafe. Be aware, don't do as I did just and blunder up expecting to be fed. Make a reservation. That said wonderful food, thank you chef!
Day Fourteen
I made a pilgrimage to the reflection lake and I sneaked a breakfast in the Cafe there again. The reflection lake wasn't. Reflecting that is. Owing to a steady breeze and anyway clouds obscured both Mt Cook main peaks. Oh well I headed NORTH on a mission.
I was heading to Oparara Basin, but that was in the far North. Not getting there in one day. But I could get a fair part of it. Especially if concentrated on driving rather than photographing. But as usual on the day I ignored my own rule and I stopped once or twice. The first scene to catch my eye were some clouds hugging the hills. Very very Aoteroa.
Once at pancake rocks.
and Hokita .
.. at this point I should have taken a day off, maybe stayed a day in Fox Glacier. But I drove on to Westport and camped. More rain ... Damn wet tents just aren't fun to pack up.
Day Fifteen
Karamea here I come .... further north and over the twisty winding road that traverses the Karemea bluffs. Top Gear did a show in NZ once. They really missed a trick with this road. Amazing. Just don't do it in a camper van!! Hairpin ... hairpin ... hairpin ... hairpin ... mmm I think you get my drift! By the time I'd got to Karamea the weather had turned in my favour. Bright sunshine. I made the Moria Gate well before midday and made merry with my camera kit.
The eagle eyed will have noticed that two of the pictures above are part of one larger picture. (Below)
I also tried some shots from inside the 'Moria Gate'. Sadly not so successfully
I camped at the head of the Heaphy track. More sandflies .... Nuff said I think.
Day Sixteen
I originally meant to stay and do a day walk here but a changing weather system suggested it was going to get grim very quickly. Besides my ferry was the day after next and I was keen to go to two places. Firstly Farewell Spit, the most Northerly Point of the South Island and Marlborough Sounds. Which in retrospect it seems to have been a startling omission in my NZ travels
This ended up being my longest day on the road. And one not relieved by many points of interest. Once for a set of beehives in a field. (A shot that I'm a tad disappointed with).
And once near Motueka, where I got caught in a traffic jam of trucks cars and caravans that wanted to get over Takaka Hill. Simply the roadworks were extensive. Traffic was alternating directions. I waited over an hour to cross. I did get to Farewell Spit. It was a desolate marsh area. A vile cold breeze and super cooled rain made leaving the car without coat gloves and hat a life threatening choice. I did one shot. It really is the spirit of that moment. ... I got back into the car. Damn lets get out of here it's cold. I turned tail and headed back the way I'd come.
Oh dear I arrived at the traffic control point ten minutes after it was closed for the night. It was ten pm, I certainly wasn't getting to Motueka for the night. So I parked up and found and innovative way to lie flat in a red coupe and spent the night there.
Day Seventeen
A lorry thundered past .. .The road was open !! I got going before a queue could develop. Then had breakfast the other side of Nelson. My next destination was Picton. Home the interislander , and bluebridge ferries.
I took the scenic route to Picton which took me through a chunk of the Marlborough Sounds. Where had NZ been hiding this place it was terrific. This was only a stones throw from Wellington and could have been a weekend trip. Oh well. Make the most of the day. So I did. Adding miles and miles to the odometer as I explored a tiny fraction of the sounds.
I ended the day atop a peak on the Queen Charlotte Walk after a steep 40 minute tramp uphill to catch the view. Sunset 'almost' happened for me. The view could have been so fine if only i was a few feet taller. What was I thinking, I should have brought my step ladder with me .... !
Day Eighteen
Wellington bound. I gave back the car, slumped into an armchair and watched the scenery go past. The camera stayed in the bag. I showered, scraped myself clean then started the process all over again. Two showers later I made a pilgrimage to Wagamama. Kate will understand. Katsu Curry anyone?
Day Nineteen Easter Friday
The hype says Wellington is the coolest little capital in the world ... The sunshine was glorious so maybe it is. I wandered the familiar city armed with my film camera. (Well I'd run out of memory cards) . I was suddenly homesick for all the fine times I'd enjoyed here.
That night I met up with old friends and had a good natter (Hi Andi and Bee). The next day I left the greenery and headed back to Adelaide. South Australia.