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Day 18 + 19 – Traveling Home
The start of a very sad day as we have to say our goodbyes to Chris, Manny and the gorgeous little Reilly. We start the day by all going out for breakfast then they drive us to the Airport where there is inevitably lots of tears. Its never easy saying goodbye but when there is a grandson involved that you can only see every few years it makes it harder. Then there’s the country itself which also makes leaving very difficult.
We wave goodbye and get on to the first of 3 flights back to England. The first is a 7 hr 50m flight to the island of Bali, unfortunately we don’t stay there long before we rebound the same plane to take us the 9 hours on to Dubai. The journey is tough, not helped by some u]young babies crying for a lot of it but eventually we get to Dubai and board the final flight to Manchester. This flight takes 7h 30 m but is only half full so we have plenty of room and its very quiet so get some sleep.
So here we are at the end of an amazing holiday and truly the best experience of my life. I knew it would be good but it far exceeded what I could ever imagine. We have both fallen in love with this country and we are already planning the next trip here which really will be as soon as we can. If you’ve never been, do everything you can to make it happen as it really is something very special.
Day 17 – Parkrun, Beach and a Special Meal
Last full day in New Zealand and its up bright and early again as me and Linda went and took on the Western Springs Parkrun again. Linda wasn’t up for pushing it and was quite happy to plod round again enjoying the beauty of the park. For me I thought id try and push it a bit seeing as id not run for two weeks. Started well but faded badly on the 3rd lap but happy with a time of 26 minutes. We went to the cafe again and had a catch up with our New Zealand Parkrun friends promising to revisit this run when we come back.
After jogging back to Chris’s we quickly got showered and changed and all went out west to Piha beach. Another black sand beach that is known for its strong tide and waves with many people getting into trouble here. A walk along the beach though as perfectly safe and really enjoyable with Reilly. We got some stranger to take some group photos of us and had lunch at a bistro nearby. We head back and let Reilly have a nap while me and Linda get some supplies in at the supermarket for the long journey home tomorrow.
This evening its time to get dressed up a bit as Chris has booked the four of us in for a special farewell meal. It turned out to be in the amazing Auckland Sky Tower. It stands at 328m tall, bigger than the Eiffel Tower. Level 50 is the Sky Cafe followed on level 51 by the main observation area where most people who visit go to for unrivalled 360 degree views of the city and a scary glass floor. The next level though is where we went, level 52, the Orbit revolving restaurant. All the tables are on a circular section that revolves slowly around covering a full circle of the city each hour. I can honestly say I’ve never eaten at a more stunning venue in my life. There are two more accessible levels, level 53 which is where the Skyjump and Skywalk are if adrenaline rushes are your thing. Finally there is Level 60, the Sky Deck. This is another restaurant but only for the rich and famous as this comes at a mega cost. We were more than happy with pour meal on level 52, something we will never forget.
Tomorrow is the day we must say goodbye to Chris, Manny and Reilly and start our journey back home, something neither of us want to do.
Day 16 – Volcano walk and trip to the park
After yesterdays disappointment missing the ferry to Rangitoto we made sure we were up and at the ferry terminal in plenty of time today for the 10-30am crossing. The journey was only short but as soon as we got there it was clear this was a special place. It literally is just tons and tons of dried lava with new trees and shrubs growing from it. There are lots of paths around the island but we plumped for a 7 mile walk along the coast then up to the summit and straight back down the main path. Immediately we see the black lava flow frozen in time and you realise the force and destruction this will have caused. Rangitoto is thought to have erupted from the sea 600 years ago so its relatively new and that would explain why there is so much black rock on show. As we walked along the beach we also got great views of Auckland city and then we came across the Rangitoto Beacon lighthouse and McKenzie bay which is a lovely tranquil corner of the island with black sand.
We take lunch here then head off up the track. The higher we get the more dense the shrubs and trees become. At 5 miles there is a turn off for the summit which is a wooden boardwalk with 300 steps to the top. It seems to go on forever but then we arrive at the edge of the crater which is now just full of trees and bushes. The birdlife is also quite prominent up here too with green Kakapo and quite a few Tui’s with their distinctive call. Another 20 steps further up is the highest point on the island with a trig point and this is a truly amazing viewpoint with 360 degree views of the rest of the island, Auckland itself and the many other islands around here.
I could stay here all day looking at this especially with the clear blue skies. But we have to get back for the ferry or we will be stuck on the island for the night, not good when there is nowhere to shelter here as its unpopulated. The path down is a little more direct and rough and soon we are at the harbour. A short wait for the boat and we are on our way back to the city. This has been a real treat and we will come back here on our next trip down under to walk the rest of the island.
After catching the train back we then meet up with Manny and take little Reilly down to the park for an hour. Its the same park where we did the parkrun on that first Saturday and is teaming with ducks, Takahe, sparrows and black swans. After throwing some bread down for them we are soon bombarded by them all and it actually got a bit scary. Reilly loved it watching everything move, he really is very inquisitive and can’t take his eyes off anything that moves. Linda’s face is again lit up with joy as she plays with him and carry’s him around. Precious moments that she can treasure forever.
After Manny made us tea, Chris then took us to a bar that served nothing but beer and desserts and wow what a choice. A great way to end another fabulous day.
Day 15 – Back in Auckland & Trip to Waiheke
Day 15 starts with the lovely sound of Reilly laughing while eating his breakfast, something we’ve both missed while on the road. Out of all the amazing sights we have seen on this trip my favourite is Linda’s face lighting up when she sets eyes on this amazing little man. Priceless.
We spend a few hours with Manni and Reilly (Chris is at work) then me and Linda head off to take . a boat trip to one of the islands. The plan was to go to Rangitoto but we missed the ferry by just 5 minutes and so had to change to short day in Waiheke which you would normally go for a full day. The ferry journey is around 50 mins and as we arrive the heavens open, something we had to get used to today. Despite this we head on up the hill to Oneroa and get views of one of the many amazing beaches here. The sun comes out so its off with the coats and down onto the beach for a superb stroll. Because the weather is so changeable today we have the beach almost to ourselves which is great. We then head back on to the roads and on the map it shows a village called Blackpool which has its own beach. This has got to be seen. When we get there it couldn’t be more different from the Blackpool we know. A sleep row of houses that sit on a very quiet secluded beach with absolutely no lights or rides and to be honest, nothing going on. We continued our walk around the island dodging showers with coats on then off then on again, it was exhausting just swapping and changing the clothing but well worth it for the beauty of this place.
Then our short time on the island was over and we set off back on the ferry to Auckland where we had arranged to meet up with my cousin Kay. I hadn’t seen Kay in around 20 years, 11 of which she has spent here in Auckland. She has the same mindset as Linda’s son Chris, that this is the best place on earth and no way will they ever go back to living in the UK again. We can both see exactly why they think that, its such a stunning country with a very easy going lifestyle that would suit me and Linda down to the ground. A very quick hour went by catching up with Kay and i wish now id arranged to spend more time with her. The next time we come we definitely will though.
Day 14 – Penguins, Seals and Flying back North
Today was the last day of our road trip and we woke early for breakfast. The couple who owned the homestay we were in had asked us if we would like a tour of their house as it doubled up as an art gallery. We thought it would be best to be polite and we were given the guided tour. Trish was clearly a talented artist although it wasn’t really to our taste. There were a lot of paintings and also clothing and hats that she had made for the Steampunk festivals. Once shown round we got chatting with them and found them to be really interesting people especially Gary who was a local school principle and hobby musician who also made wooden furniture. he played me some of the music his band plays and then showed my the drums he had made and were used in the music he’d just played. A very talented couple who at first appeared to weird and a bit scary but turned out to be really nice people.
We finished packing and hit the road heading back to Dunedin for our flight at 2pm. On the way the rain which had come down almost all night, started to ease and we saw the signs for Moeraki and its famous boulders. These are rocks that have been moulded by the soil and the sea into perfect spheres that rest all along the beach. Some have cracked open and look like prehistoric dinosaur eggs, it really is a surreal sight and one we really enjoyed. Just down the road we saw signs for a lighthouse so turned off to see that. As we walked up to the lighthouse we saw some people all walking around the headland and a lady told us that there were seals and penguins. Highly doubtful we made our way down and to our amazement there were 2 Yellow Eyed Penguins outside a small hide. Down on the beach to the side of them were 3 large seals basking in the sun. We continued down the path and there right in front of us and i mean just 4 or 5 feet in front, were 3 other seals showing off for people with cameras. I started clicking away and the seals really did appear to be posing for us. The rain then came back and totally soaked us meaning we were drenched as we headed for the airport but what a treat and definitely worth the soaking.
All we had to do now was get to the airport, drop the car off and get on the plane for another nervous flight back up to Auckland. I really don’t like flying so this has been really tough coming here. But as hard as it is I would do it again in a flash as this country is amazing. The flight is just a short one but a very windy one so a bit bumpy on take off and landing. Other than that it wasn’t too bad and we enjoyed some amazing views up above the clouds.
Day 13 – Weird & Wonderful South
The plan for the next 2 days was to go to Oamaru today then tomorrow spend the morning in Dunedin before getting our flight to Auckland. However Linda was reading some travel guides and it looked like Dunedin would be a better shout for today as there seems much more to do. So off we went on a 3 hour trip south east to the Edinburgh of New Zealand. For the first time this trip we had bad rain and i mean really bad with it lashing against the windscreen for almost all of the journey. There were no sightseeing stops today except for a quick toilet and coffee stop in Alexandria. The landscape on the route was very different to the volcanic or tree laden views we had been used to and reminded us of home with limestone fields and open views. As we entered into the city of Dunedin the rain suddenly stopped and the clouds departed almost as if it new we were about to stop driving. By the time we had walked from the car park into the centre it was baking hot sunshine.
We were looking at a map and trying to work out a route of things to see when a lady came up to us and asked us if she could help. We explained we didn’t know what was goo to see and she started telling us what to visit and how to get there. This is something we have seen all through New Zealand, the people here just cant wait to help you out and make sure you see there amazing towns and cities. Its a very refreshing attitude and something sadly we have lost back home. So armed with new information the first stop was down to the train station which is a beautiful black and white stone Victorian building with great gardens to the front. We went inside to find the station still looked like something from years ago with all its old tiling and ticket booths just as they were when it was built. We watched as the Taieri Gorge train left the station taking passengers on what is said to be one of the best train journeys in the world. Maybe one for next time we come here.
Across from the station is the Cadbury’s factory complete with huge purple vat where we presume all the chocolate is stored. From here we took a walk around passing the Chinese gardens, St Pauls cathedral and also following a trail of street art. There is a big list of exhibits all around the central area of Dunedin mostly on the side of huge buildings but some are more hidden and take a while to reveal. We ticked off about 15 which was a lame effort really but all we had time for. We eventually ended up in the centre of the Octagan which is the actual centre of Dunedin filled with bars and cafes and a huge Christmas Tree. We grabbed lunch and tried to make sense of having xmas stuff up while it was 25 degrees and wall to wall sunshine. We just cant get in to the feel of xmas at all, maybe it will hit when we get home.
We the started to make our way back out of the city and up to Oamaru for our next nights stay. On the way we stopped at Baldwin Street which is the steepest street in the world. Stood at the bottom it was insanely steep and when i decided we were going to drive up Linda got a bit nervous. But our crappy little hire car got us up no problem although it never left 1st gear. Linda then had another wobble as i turned around and started driving back down. She was convinced the brakes were going to fail but they didn’t and we made it safely down.
The journey to Oamaru took around an hour and we got ourselves booked in to our accommodation. This was a little weird as the owner was an artist and steampunk enthusiast and so there were strange clothes and hats everywhere and all the walls in our room were paintings. I don’t mean hung paintings, the actual walls were canvas and looked very weird. The couple themselves though were really nice but eccentric people. We had tea at a great pub called The Last Post and it was really good. We decided to walk it off by going to see how much it was to see Penguins at the Penguin Colony. As we got there we learned that it was approx £17 each and we weren’t guaranteed to see any. What happens is that normally the penguins swim in to a private beach and make thier way up the land to their hide where at this time of year they are looking after their young chicks. We noticed that some people had walked on to the beach and on to the harbour wall where they hoped to catch a glimpse. We followed and as we arrived i noticed a group of black objects in the sea. It turned out to be 31 penguins all swimming to the hide. Unfortunately i hadn’t got my camera so tried very hard to take pics with my iPhone. What an absolute treat to see even if it was at a distance. To add to this there was also the amazing sight of an old pier with hundreds of Cormorants all stood on it trying to sleep. A great end to another amazing part of this adventure. This part of the country isnt wowing us like the rest has but it is still great.