KIA ORA! - Second and last update from New Zealand
KIA ORA from AOTEAROA! Welcome to New Zealand. Hahaha. We have finally arrived at the South Island and are about to continue on our whirlwind tour of New Zealand. Brrr! It sure is bloody cold down south! The InterIsland ferry was interesting but it was damn expensive! $220 just to get us both and the car across! One interesting aspect during the ferry was that as we approached the South Island harbor of Picton, the dolphins swam out and welcomed the ferry! Hahaha. It was a sight to behold and they even accompanied the ferry till it was close to port where it then swam off to the outer bays.
24 May 06
After we arrived at Picton, our marathon drive of 7.5 hours non-stop began! Arriving with only half a tank of petrol from Wellington was a mistake we made. We were only half way through our journey when we were pushing empty. The fuel station that we first came to was selling petrol at 10 cents more per liter. Thinking that we would see a cheaper station along the way later, we decided to go with only 15 liters of fuel only. Horror was about to await us as the rout from here on was not only mountainous but there was no petrol station for the next 120km! We were on fuel conservation mode and praying that we will see a petrol station soon. Along the way we saw stopped at the Puanakaiki Pancake Rocks & Blowhole Park to see the natural beauty there. The rocks were shaped by years of erosion of the waves and by the wind and turned into very interesting formations.
After the park, we were still praying for the petrol station as the fuel needle was about to touch E with the low fuel warning light on and the sky was turning dark! Thankfully, just as the needle touched E, a petrol station appeared. Although the fuel was pricier than that of North Island by 10 cents per liter, we decided not to risk it anymore and topped up the tank full! By the time we arrived at our hostel at Franz Josef, it was already dark but it was still only 6.30pm! The temperature though was very cold! It was 10°C! We quickly settled in and proceeded to cook our dinner of fettuccini in creamy chicken gravy. Yummm!
25 May 06
Waking early, we checked out of the hostel and proceeded over to the Franz Josef Glacier. It was a real beauty! The trek in from the car park was long but it was well worth the effort to see the glacier up close. Pity that we were not able to join the guided tour, which included a hike up the glacier, as we were pressed for time. Haiz. We tried the water from the glacier and it was cold and exceedingly refreshing!
Our next stop was further South to another glacier, the Fox Glacier. The trek into the Fox Glacier was even longer but we got to get even closer to the glacier itself! It was of course done at our own risk as the rope markings were placed a distance away from the base of the glacier but with a sign that said that inexperienced trekkers should not proceed further. Hmmm..Us both have trekked mountains and various jungles previously, this should be ok. Hahaha. I even went as close as to the mouth of the Ice Cave at the base of the Glacier. I would have gone in but for the lack of proper equipment. Being so close to the Glacier, you could feel the cold wind channeling out of the Ice Cave. Not being able to resist it, I again took a swig of the water from the glacier and it was equally cold and refreshing! Yummm! Hahaha.
Bidding farewell to the glacier, we then proceeded to Arthur's Pass, our pit stop for the day. We had to reach Arthur’s Pass before night fall as it was smack right in the middle of the Southern Alps and we did not want to be driving on mountain passes without sufficient lighting. While driving through the Trans-Alpine highway, we saw evidence of landslide that have occurred on the mountains. We sure do not want to be caught in any.
By the time we arrived at our hostel in Arthur's Pass, the weather there was 6°C! COLD! This was the only hostel that we were staying at without an attached bathroom and toilet. The bathroom and toilets were communal but were within the same building. The most surprising thing to happen to us at Arthur's Pass was that the staff on duty was actually a former Singaporean! Imagine meeting a fellow Singaporean (ok, ex-Singaporean) in such an ulu place! While we were placing our food out to prepare to cook our dinner, it was to our horror when we realized that our packet of rice was missing. Damn! We must have left it at one of the previous hostel! Arggg. Thankfully we had some instant noodles with us and we substituted our curry mutton and rice with curry mutton and noodles. We talked to Traver, the ex-Singaporean hostel staff, and talked about the differences in lifestyles between New Zealand and Singapore and how things have changed back home.
26 May 06
When we woke in the morning, the temperature had fallen to 4°C! Brrr! For the first time in my life, while I was taking my early morning dump, I had frosty breath! Hahahaha! Traver introduced to us a nearby waterfall to visit while we were having our breakfast. It was only a short distance from the hostel and was only a 40 minutes return trek to the waterfall known as the Devil’s Punchbowl. Although we had done quite a sufficient among of trekking in New Zealand thus far, the gradient of the trekking route to the waterfall was really steep. Both Eric and I were panting at certain points during the trek. However, when we laid eyes on the waterfall, it was well worth the effort!
Getting back into the car, we headed straight on to Christchurch, our final pit stop in New Zealand. While driving along the Trans-Alpine highway, we saw various strange formations of rocks on some hills. Nothing like the Stonehenge but strange still. Again we had taken a gamble with our fuel and were lucky to reach a petrol station just as the extreme low fuel warning bell came on! Phew!
Seeing that we were early, we decided to head over to the Banks Peninsula to see the dolphins. However, we must have taken a wrong turn after passing the town or Akaroa and decided to head back to visit the town of Akaroa. This was a French settlement with the street names all in French. According to history, the British had landed on New Zealand 10 hours prior to the French and had laid claim to New Zealand then. I wonder what New Zealand would have been like if the French were 11 hours earlier?
Returning to town, we settled into our hostel and then went about looking for dinner. Deciding that since this was our last pit stop, we might as well eat out for dinner but still kept preparing our own breakfast. We walked around town looking for a place to eat but the prices were all very pricey. In the end we settled on a place serving buffet. Ah well, it was the place that served the most food at the lowest amount of money possible! What more could we ask for? While we were having dinner, 2 Korean gals came in and were sitting at the table just behind us. One of them looked cute but as always, I only see. Haha! Shortly after we began having our first round of food, a whole entourage of Japanese tourists came and filled up the restaurant! We both laughed and said that we just had to wait till they were done before beginning our second round. Dinner was filling but the seafood was lacking. Ah well, that is the way with seafood at such buffets.
27 May 06
Our mission for today was to head over to Kaikoura Peninsula to view the seal colony. The weather in Christchurch was cool when we began but as we drove north on the state highway, we started encountering a heavy and thick fog. Thankfully by the time we arrived at the mountain passes before Kaikoura, the fog had cleared. Although, it has to be noted that while driving down the mountain passes, Eric was so engrossed in discussing the intricacies of the Initial D anime, that he momentarily lost control of the vehicle and it started skidding. Luckily there were no cars coming up or going down at that period and he soon regain control. It was a very harrowing experience. Phew!
When we arrived at Kaikoura Peninsula, we were lucky that there were some seals at the seal colony. Ok, there were only 2 seals but it was still 1 better than the single seal at Cape Palliser. However, the seals here were fiercer and more territorial. When we attempted to approach to take photos, they growled and bared their tusks! Yikes!
Our next stop was to the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum. For airplanes buffs such as us 2, it was a place that allowed us to view the restored World War 2 planes. Again, it was a much better museum than the one at Paya Lebar but we had to pay admission charges. At least here they honored our student status we only paid the student tariff, which was NZD$4 cheaper! The exhibits here were all well maintained with detailed documentation of the evolution of the RNZAF from its inception till its disarmament in 2001.
Today also happened to be the finals of the Super 14 Rugby League and was between the Hurricanes from Wellington and the Crusaders of Canterbury. It could be termed as the battle between the North & South Island teams. We tried to get our hands on the tickets to the match as it was held in Christchurch but they were sold out within 20 minutes of going on sale the previous week while we were still in the North Island! We then chose the next best alternative and set ourselves up for dinner and some beer at one of the local sports bar. As there were no seats left within the pub, we took up the seats at the outdoor smoking area. Even with a nearby heater, my body was feeling exceedingly cold on the side exposed to the cool 12°C temperature and it was not helped that the entire Christchurch area was covered in a wet fog, making it a very chilly night. The fog also greatly hampered the match as the players had difficulty in seeing the ball and viewers had difficulty seeing anything on the television! The atmosphere was pretty similar to the atmosphere back home at the local watering holes when a big match such as Liverpool vs Manchester United is on but the supporters here were much more passionate about their support. I was quietly supporting the Hurricanes as my favorite New Zealand rugby player, Tana Umaga, happened to be playing for them. However, seeing that we were in Christchurch, which was the home town of the Crusaders and the supporters at the pub were mostly Crusaders supporters, it was prudent to keep my emotions in check when the Hurricanes went on forays into the Crusaders territory and scored. Alas, the Crusaders ultimately won the match 19 to 12, thanks to a try scored in the second half.
28 May 06
Our last day in New Zealand today. Tomorrow we will be flying back home to hot and humid Singapore! The temperature in the morning was 11°C. First stop today was to the extinct volcano off Christchurch. The Gondola ride was similar to our Cable Car ride to Sentosa, ok it is the same cabin, but this ride gives a much better view. Unfortunately, the entire bay area was fogged in and we could not get a good view of the Bank's Peninsula when we reached the top. We tried taking the crater rim walk too but after 20 minutes into the walk, we turned around as we had other attractions we wanted to see back in the city and the walk was taking too long. By the time we reached back to the Gondola station, the fog had lifted some and we finally were able to see the Peninsula. YES!
Back in town we headed to take the local Tram ride. This trams were restored trams last used during the 1950's! The tram ride took us through the cutrual precint of the area and we saw many hitorical landmarks along the way. The tram driver, better known as the motorman, was really a funny bloke. When we past a road sign indicating that the temperature was 13°C, he said it was a bloody joke that it felt more like 5°C! He also claimed the fog to be the secret weapon which helped the Crusaders win the Super 14 final last night! Hahaha!
After taking a round trip, we alighted at the Cathedral Centre and it was beautiful. We went into the cathedral to visit but were not allowed to take photos as we decided not to buy the tourist package of NZD$5 each, cheapskates we are! Haha! There was a tomb of the First Bishop of Canterburry within the curch and I felt my hair stand when I looked at the Marble staue lying above the Marble casket. I must have really done too many bad things to fear even in the house of god!
We next visited the Caterburry Art Museum and the works there were beautiful. I am no arty-farty type but I still enjoyed viewing the different art works within the museum. Our final touristy stop was at the Canerburry Museum. Again, it was a well maintained museum, really puts the musuems back home to shame! The museum chartered the history of the Canterburry region of which Christchurch is one of the City within. There were also exhibits of some dinosaur and moa fossils. You will NEVER get to view such exhibits for free back home. NEVER! Hahaha.
Since it was our final night in New Zealand, we deicide to splurge some on food and we went to a local steakhouse for steak, All I can say about the meal is that, it was worth every cent spent! It was really good and not too exhorbitant. Only NZD$30 for my steak meal shown below! Great food and great value!
Well, that just about wraps up my whirlwind 12-day backpacking trip of new Zealand. Tomorrow morning I will be bidding farewell to Aoretoa, land of the Kiwis, and be back in sunny Singapore. I sure am going to miss this place. I will definately return in future but definitely for more days, maybe a month. However, I got to save up again, most likely in the regions of $7000. This trip blew a big $2650 in my bank account and just abouts dries it up. NOW, I really need to go get a job! Hahaha. See everyone when I get back! It was so foggy this morning that Chirstchuch International Airport grounded all planes till 11am. If this happened tomorrow, I am going to miss my connecting flight at Auckland! Let us see if the sky gods will be kind to us tomorrow.
KIA ORA!
24 May 06
After we arrived at Picton, our marathon drive of 7.5 hours non-stop began! Arriving with only half a tank of petrol from Wellington was a mistake we made. We were only half way through our journey when we were pushing empty. The fuel station that we first came to was selling petrol at 10 cents more per liter. Thinking that we would see a cheaper station along the way later, we decided to go with only 15 liters of fuel only. Horror was about to await us as the rout from here on was not only mountainous but there was no petrol station for the next 120km! We were on fuel conservation mode and praying that we will see a petrol station soon. Along the way we saw stopped at the Puanakaiki Pancake Rocks & Blowhole Park to see the natural beauty there. The rocks were shaped by years of erosion of the waves and by the wind and turned into very interesting formations.
After the park, we were still praying for the petrol station as the fuel needle was about to touch E with the low fuel warning light on and the sky was turning dark! Thankfully, just as the needle touched E, a petrol station appeared. Although the fuel was pricier than that of North Island by 10 cents per liter, we decided not to risk it anymore and topped up the tank full! By the time we arrived at our hostel at Franz Josef, it was already dark but it was still only 6.30pm! The temperature though was very cold! It was 10°C! We quickly settled in and proceeded to cook our dinner of fettuccini in creamy chicken gravy. Yummm!
25 May 06
Waking early, we checked out of the hostel and proceeded over to the Franz Josef Glacier. It was a real beauty! The trek in from the car park was long but it was well worth the effort to see the glacier up close. Pity that we were not able to join the guided tour, which included a hike up the glacier, as we were pressed for time. Haiz. We tried the water from the glacier and it was cold and exceedingly refreshing!
Our next stop was further South to another glacier, the Fox Glacier. The trek into the Fox Glacier was even longer but we got to get even closer to the glacier itself! It was of course done at our own risk as the rope markings were placed a distance away from the base of the glacier but with a sign that said that inexperienced trekkers should not proceed further. Hmmm..Us both have trekked mountains and various jungles previously, this should be ok. Hahaha. I even went as close as to the mouth of the Ice Cave at the base of the Glacier. I would have gone in but for the lack of proper equipment. Being so close to the Glacier, you could feel the cold wind channeling out of the Ice Cave. Not being able to resist it, I again took a swig of the water from the glacier and it was equally cold and refreshing! Yummm! Hahaha.
Bidding farewell to the glacier, we then proceeded to Arthur's Pass, our pit stop for the day. We had to reach Arthur’s Pass before night fall as it was smack right in the middle of the Southern Alps and we did not want to be driving on mountain passes without sufficient lighting. While driving through the Trans-Alpine highway, we saw evidence of landslide that have occurred on the mountains. We sure do not want to be caught in any.
By the time we arrived at our hostel in Arthur's Pass, the weather there was 6°C! COLD! This was the only hostel that we were staying at without an attached bathroom and toilet. The bathroom and toilets were communal but were within the same building. The most surprising thing to happen to us at Arthur's Pass was that the staff on duty was actually a former Singaporean! Imagine meeting a fellow Singaporean (ok, ex-Singaporean) in such an ulu place! While we were placing our food out to prepare to cook our dinner, it was to our horror when we realized that our packet of rice was missing. Damn! We must have left it at one of the previous hostel! Arggg. Thankfully we had some instant noodles with us and we substituted our curry mutton and rice with curry mutton and noodles. We talked to Traver, the ex-Singaporean hostel staff, and talked about the differences in lifestyles between New Zealand and Singapore and how things have changed back home.
26 May 06
When we woke in the morning, the temperature had fallen to 4°C! Brrr! For the first time in my life, while I was taking my early morning dump, I had frosty breath! Hahahaha! Traver introduced to us a nearby waterfall to visit while we were having our breakfast. It was only a short distance from the hostel and was only a 40 minutes return trek to the waterfall known as the Devil’s Punchbowl. Although we had done quite a sufficient among of trekking in New Zealand thus far, the gradient of the trekking route to the waterfall was really steep. Both Eric and I were panting at certain points during the trek. However, when we laid eyes on the waterfall, it was well worth the effort!
Getting back into the car, we headed straight on to Christchurch, our final pit stop in New Zealand. While driving along the Trans-Alpine highway, we saw various strange formations of rocks on some hills. Nothing like the Stonehenge but strange still. Again we had taken a gamble with our fuel and were lucky to reach a petrol station just as the extreme low fuel warning bell came on! Phew!
Seeing that we were early, we decided to head over to the Banks Peninsula to see the dolphins. However, we must have taken a wrong turn after passing the town or Akaroa and decided to head back to visit the town of Akaroa. This was a French settlement with the street names all in French. According to history, the British had landed on New Zealand 10 hours prior to the French and had laid claim to New Zealand then. I wonder what New Zealand would have been like if the French were 11 hours earlier?
Returning to town, we settled into our hostel and then went about looking for dinner. Deciding that since this was our last pit stop, we might as well eat out for dinner but still kept preparing our own breakfast. We walked around town looking for a place to eat but the prices were all very pricey. In the end we settled on a place serving buffet. Ah well, it was the place that served the most food at the lowest amount of money possible! What more could we ask for? While we were having dinner, 2 Korean gals came in and were sitting at the table just behind us. One of them looked cute but as always, I only see. Haha! Shortly after we began having our first round of food, a whole entourage of Japanese tourists came and filled up the restaurant! We both laughed and said that we just had to wait till they were done before beginning our second round. Dinner was filling but the seafood was lacking. Ah well, that is the way with seafood at such buffets.
27 May 06
Our mission for today was to head over to Kaikoura Peninsula to view the seal colony. The weather in Christchurch was cool when we began but as we drove north on the state highway, we started encountering a heavy and thick fog. Thankfully by the time we arrived at the mountain passes before Kaikoura, the fog had cleared. Although, it has to be noted that while driving down the mountain passes, Eric was so engrossed in discussing the intricacies of the Initial D anime, that he momentarily lost control of the vehicle and it started skidding. Luckily there were no cars coming up or going down at that period and he soon regain control. It was a very harrowing experience. Phew!
When we arrived at Kaikoura Peninsula, we were lucky that there were some seals at the seal colony. Ok, there were only 2 seals but it was still 1 better than the single seal at Cape Palliser. However, the seals here were fiercer and more territorial. When we attempted to approach to take photos, they growled and bared their tusks! Yikes!
Our next stop was to the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum. For airplanes buffs such as us 2, it was a place that allowed us to view the restored World War 2 planes. Again, it was a much better museum than the one at Paya Lebar but we had to pay admission charges. At least here they honored our student status we only paid the student tariff, which was NZD$4 cheaper! The exhibits here were all well maintained with detailed documentation of the evolution of the RNZAF from its inception till its disarmament in 2001.
Today also happened to be the finals of the Super 14 Rugby League and was between the Hurricanes from Wellington and the Crusaders of Canterbury. It could be termed as the battle between the North & South Island teams. We tried to get our hands on the tickets to the match as it was held in Christchurch but they were sold out within 20 minutes of going on sale the previous week while we were still in the North Island! We then chose the next best alternative and set ourselves up for dinner and some beer at one of the local sports bar. As there were no seats left within the pub, we took up the seats at the outdoor smoking area. Even with a nearby heater, my body was feeling exceedingly cold on the side exposed to the cool 12°C temperature and it was not helped that the entire Christchurch area was covered in a wet fog, making it a very chilly night. The fog also greatly hampered the match as the players had difficulty in seeing the ball and viewers had difficulty seeing anything on the television! The atmosphere was pretty similar to the atmosphere back home at the local watering holes when a big match such as Liverpool vs Manchester United is on but the supporters here were much more passionate about their support. I was quietly supporting the Hurricanes as my favorite New Zealand rugby player, Tana Umaga, happened to be playing for them. However, seeing that we were in Christchurch, which was the home town of the Crusaders and the supporters at the pub were mostly Crusaders supporters, it was prudent to keep my emotions in check when the Hurricanes went on forays into the Crusaders territory and scored. Alas, the Crusaders ultimately won the match 19 to 12, thanks to a try scored in the second half.
28 May 06
Our last day in New Zealand today. Tomorrow we will be flying back home to hot and humid Singapore! The temperature in the morning was 11°C. First stop today was to the extinct volcano off Christchurch. The Gondola ride was similar to our Cable Car ride to Sentosa, ok it is the same cabin, but this ride gives a much better view. Unfortunately, the entire bay area was fogged in and we could not get a good view of the Bank's Peninsula when we reached the top. We tried taking the crater rim walk too but after 20 minutes into the walk, we turned around as we had other attractions we wanted to see back in the city and the walk was taking too long. By the time we reached back to the Gondola station, the fog had lifted some and we finally were able to see the Peninsula. YES!
Back in town we headed to take the local Tram ride. This trams were restored trams last used during the 1950's! The tram ride took us through the cutrual precint of the area and we saw many hitorical landmarks along the way. The tram driver, better known as the motorman, was really a funny bloke. When we past a road sign indicating that the temperature was 13°C, he said it was a bloody joke that it felt more like 5°C! He also claimed the fog to be the secret weapon which helped the Crusaders win the Super 14 final last night! Hahaha!
After taking a round trip, we alighted at the Cathedral Centre and it was beautiful. We went into the cathedral to visit but were not allowed to take photos as we decided not to buy the tourist package of NZD$5 each, cheapskates we are! Haha! There was a tomb of the First Bishop of Canterburry within the curch and I felt my hair stand when I looked at the Marble staue lying above the Marble casket. I must have really done too many bad things to fear even in the house of god!
We next visited the Caterburry Art Museum and the works there were beautiful. I am no arty-farty type but I still enjoyed viewing the different art works within the museum. Our final touristy stop was at the Canerburry Museum. Again, it was a well maintained museum, really puts the musuems back home to shame! The museum chartered the history of the Canterburry region of which Christchurch is one of the City within. There were also exhibits of some dinosaur and moa fossils. You will NEVER get to view such exhibits for free back home. NEVER! Hahaha.
Since it was our final night in New Zealand, we deicide to splurge some on food and we went to a local steakhouse for steak, All I can say about the meal is that, it was worth every cent spent! It was really good and not too exhorbitant. Only NZD$30 for my steak meal shown below! Great food and great value!
Well, that just about wraps up my whirlwind 12-day backpacking trip of new Zealand. Tomorrow morning I will be bidding farewell to Aoretoa, land of the Kiwis, and be back in sunny Singapore. I sure am going to miss this place. I will definately return in future but definitely for more days, maybe a month. However, I got to save up again, most likely in the regions of $7000. This trip blew a big $2650 in my bank account and just abouts dries it up. NOW, I really need to go get a job! Hahaha. See everyone when I get back! It was so foggy this morning that Chirstchuch International Airport grounded all planes till 11am. If this happened tomorrow, I am going to miss my connecting flight at Auckland! Let us see if the sky gods will be kind to us tomorrow.
KIA ORA!
posted by Prosage at 15:50
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