Monday, 27 June 2022

Queens Birthday Weekend Marlborough

Sunday breakfast and bubbles

Queens Birthday Weekend rolled around quick enough after 12 days parked up at Tahunanui Dr and doing the gardens. So much more open now to let  the light in and return the view. There is still plenty more to do but we will wait till our return next February, when we will move back into the property.

Shannon adding a bit of colour
to our ride 😍

We were to meet Shannon and AC in Blenheim for Queens Birthday Weekend with our bikes and do some of the vineyards. They had crossed over from Wellington and travelled  down to Kekerengu for lunch and check out the lovely coastal road.

We parked up at the Blenheim Racecourse for the weekend, which was lovely each morning to watch the trainers take the horses for a trot around the course. Nice and handy to walk into town.

Lunch at Wither Hills

We woke to a beautiful but cold morning on the Saturday to ride amongst the Vineyards and have lunch at Wither Hills. But first (and only vineyard) call was Cloudy Bay Vineyard, where we did a wine tasting of their white wines with an explanation summary of the wine attributes. It was very informative and tasty.

Our Park Over Spot - Blenheim Racecourse

As I said the day was cold, even with riding, but thankfully stayed sunny. Which made it pleasant to be able to sit outside and look across the vineyards while we had lunch. An old colleague of Shannon's, now living in Marlborough,  joined us.

Sunday wasn't sunny but at least dry, good enough for a walk up around the Whither Hills with views back over Blenheim and across to the Richmond Ranges and down toward the Kaikoura ranges. A good work out, but not that happy coming down the shortcut through the Bulls (or were they Cows??)!😟. We finished the day with a lovely Indian meal at a local restaurant. Delicious. So apart from a small spat with SIL re the tab we all had a fabulous couple of days 😂

Cycle Trail along the Taylor Riverside

Monday we met for breakfast and bubbles by the river before we went our separate ways - us to Marfell's again and S&A back to Wellington.  It was a beautiful morning with a lot of people out and about. 

Sunday had also been our last Open Home for Tosswill Rd. This was our last day of marketing, so we will take the house of the market and look at renting it out till next February when we will try the market once again. And hope the market has improved for sellers once again. With nothing to rush back to Nelson for, we went and had three nights at Marfell's Beach, our favourite go to spot these days. Very few fellow campers around as the weather is cooling down. But the good news is Winter Solstice is almost upon us and with the days getting longer once again, Spring will be around the corner 💮⚘.

Bill happy with finding his balls!

 

Marfell's Beach 











 

Saturday, 11 June 2022

Central Otago in Autumn and the Dunstan Trail


Autumn skies late afternoon in Central Otago
After a few nights back in Nelson to pick up the Bus with bikes and drop off the car, we headed off south once again. This time Central Otago to do the highly talked about Dunstan Cycle Trail.
Marfell's Beach to Cape Campbell
But first a couple of nights at our favourite beach - Marfell's. The weather was perfect for the 14.5km return walk to Cape Campbell- 3hrs. Not too hot this time of year.
Marfell's Beach Doc camp was surprisingly quiet. So plenty of room to park up, but an important consideration this time of year is the amount of sun the solar panels will get. No trees!
 
Bill looking across to Shannon in Wellington
The next day was as beautiful but we needed to head south and had planned a ride in Kaikoura, so we needed to move on. Unfortunately we didn't know we were heading into fog! Hard to spot Kaikoura. Amazing how the fog can just come into a certain area and be beautiful and clear just north of it. The restoration of the Coastal Highway after  the 2016 earthquake has turned this road into a beautiful landscape, including the cultural artwork along the way, worth a stop. 
Thankfully the next day was clear, although cloudy. But that was ok as we were to ride to the far side of Kaikoura to The Pier for lunch so needed a good ride which would warm us up and build up an appetite for our lunch. It's probably been a year since we last rode here, so it was good to check out Kaikoura and along with most parts of  NZ, see all the building that was going on.
One of the Pou along
the Coastal Highway
in the fog
Lots of baches being renovated or new hotels/motels being built. We had forgotten it was Mother's Day! Everyone in Kaikoura must have decided to come to the Pier for lunch. 
A quick stop over on the way through Christchurch to catch up with an old school friend I haven't seen for 25 years after loosing touch. But unfortunately she wasn't well on our way through, so hopefully catch up on the way back through. But we did manage a couple of  good nights with Helen & Ralph and a little red of course.
Bill & Ralph babysitting - no child in sight 😃

It was beautiful heading through Geraldine/Fairlie with the last of the autumn colours.  By the time we arrived Lake Pukaki the sun had set and the fog was just starting to come in. By the morning it was hard to spot the lake! Thankfully we weren't after any photo's of Mt Aoraki - any tourists would have been disappointed. 

Lindis Pass
As the day warmed up and we travelled over the Lindis Pass into Central Otago, the fog was left behind and we were into sunshine once again. We parked up in Cromwell fairly central this time as we wanted to do the Dunstan Trail in the morning through to Clyde and organised a shuttle to return us to Cromwell. From what we read, we didn't think we would have enough time to ride there and back.
Bill at the start of the Dunstan Trail 
in the Historic Centre of Cromwell
Next morning, cloudy and cold but not foggy, we headed off just before 9am. We decided to ride on a weekday (Friday) as we thought the weekends may be too busy after reading an article on the trail.
The Trail developers had hoped for seven & half thousand  riders in the first year and were surprised with over eighty thousand! So from this we did expect weekends still to be quite busy! 
Just over an hour into the ride, we came around a corner and found the lovely coffee boat just waiting for customers. What a beautiful sight 😍. Bill didn't think so of course, so didn't bother.
Coffee anyone?
The 55km trail is certainly scenic through the Cromwell Gorge and the cantilevered platforms are amazing engineering feats. I was wondering how I was going to cope with my fear of heights, but the fencing makes you feel quite secure, so my mind didn't play it's games. Even over the 85m suspension bridge as you were surrounded by hills. 
We used our motors on our bikes for only small parts of the trail as we were conserving our power in case it was required further on. But we got through to Clyde after an easy 4.5 hour ride, including coffee stop and reading all the signage on the way through. We had time for a bite to eat, a look around Clyde that was buzzing with cyclists - all the cafes were busy which was great to see considering we were on the shoulder season.
The 85m Hugo Suspension Bridge 
We met up with the shuttle and got back into Cromwell in time to ride back to camp before dusk - remembering the days are getting quite short down here. If we were to do the ride again (and hopefully we will) and did it when the days are bit longer, you could easily ride through, have lunch and return.
Plenty of cantilevered platforms around
the granite cliffs. 
We had a loose plan to get back to Nelson, so started 
 the return trip. We weren't quite ready to say goodbye to Central Otago so took another couple of nights before heading back through the pass toward Christchurch.
Took a chance to contact friend Jane who we hoped still lived down this way - and sure enough she was  living in Geraldine. Next stop Geraldine. 
With a nice flat road outside her home, it was easy to park up and enjoy a lovely roast dinner with her and Stuart. Nice to catch up where the kids are these days too. Drew living locally was able to call in and catch up too. Lovely catch up Jane and a look around Geraldine in the morning before heading back to Christchurch. Barkers have a new shop and cafe there, an amazing array of foods far beyond jams and relishes that we knew of. We will return.
The photo doesn't do the view justice
Returning to Christchurch we finally caught up with Dianne and Steve after 25 years - so wonderful, especially after Dianne has had some serious health issues but good to see you coming out the otherside. And see your new home in Brighton - not the Red Light District, but the Red Zone 😂- good to see all the green spaces after the devastation of the Christchurch earthquakes back in 2011. And room for the Bus! Next time.
The Chapel of The Good Shepherd
(Great to get a photo without all the Tourists)
We also had a chance to drop in and see Michele & Nathan in their new home before baby arrives in September - it's all go you Two. Lovely to see you Both.
Then after a long day, it was time to park up with H&R once again,  share another little red. And maybe a little Covid! 
The next day we only got 26km's up the road to Kaiapoi - a place I had read about it's cycle ways and the NZMCA looking at a new camp site there. We were a few months early for the site, but the local Golf Course was convenient enough to park up. And as the weather wasn't looking great the next day, we decided to do the 15km Kaiapoi River Pathway that afternoon. The reflections were beautiful without a breath of wind and nice to see the Town thriving. We checked out the NZMCA site, which will be very handy to the central district. Will put this place on our list to return at a later date. 
The Kaiapoi River Pathway
It dawned wet and gloomy the next day, so we moved onto Kaikoura for the night, where it wasn't much better. And then onto Marfell's Beach for a couple of nights before returning to Nelson. Fortunately the weather improved. But unfortunately, Bill's health didn't with a head cold. Day 3 tested positive for Covid just as we were to return to Nelson and catch up with friends for dinner. Perfect timing for parking up at our old home for two weeks to get into the gardens while the Tenants were overseas. Thankfully Bill didn't get too sick and recovered after a few days. And somehow, miraculously, I didn't get it. Pretty amazing living in a Bus - a bit hard to isolate!
Our arrival at Marfell's Beach - just shot the mad
cow in time for Friday Night BBQ 😉
But great timing to work in the gardens. Bill enjoyed getting his chainsaw out again - a bit of firewood for our return next year. We didn't quite restore the views we once had, that will have to wait till we return. Thankfully the weather was great for the first week as the sun hasn't shone much since. 
Looking forward to our next break - Queens Birthday Weekend in Marlborough.























Thursday, 2 June 2022

Time for a Cuzie catch up on the West Coast

Deb, Kevin, Bill & I at Denniston Dog Café & Bar - Westport
Cousin Kevin (affectionately called Cousin It since our kids were little) had made plans to do a long overdue South Island trip with his wife Deb. They live in Napier so do have a beautiful coastline too but hard to beat the South Island, in particular the rugged West Coast. After a week in the Sounds with Family before we caught up, they had had the good weather. Well! We knew winter was just around the corner didn't we? And as we had issues with our Bus (Alternator), we hadn't got our COF. So I booked accommodation in Westport for the four of us - no problems this time of year.
Westport as we knew from our recent visit, was lovely and compact. Easy walking to restaurants. And Bill was on a mission not to miss the sunset from the harbour entrance where we had watched many cars come and park up when we were there previously. So after a quick catch up with drinks in our Unit, Bill took us down to the mouth of the Buller River (Kawateri) just in time. And luckily for two young Ladies who had been to a High Tea, to celebrate someone's birthday, they had driven down to the harbour entrance in their 1962 Wolseley and needed a photographer! Step up Kevin 😃
Westport Sunset and a Wolseley

 After sunset we went to the Denniston Dog Cafe & Bar for dinner (along with quite a few locals being a Saturday night) and had a lovely meal. 
Sunday with the weather not great, we headed off to Hokitika. Got to Punakaki and had time for a walk around the pancake rocks before lunch and the skies opened up! The West Coast has been hard hit with the lack of tourists in places like Punakaki but the few tourists that did stop weren't greeted with what I would call a warm West Coast welcome. Perhaps they are still practicing before the hoards return. 
Amazing pancake formations
We stopped here and there on our way down to Hokitika, Deb & I in one vehicle and Bill & Kevin in the other. In Greymouth the Girls lost the Boys. Hmmmmm did we spot the Monteith's Brewery on our way through! Yep. Found them. Kevin in his new cap, in disguise 😂. It was bucketing down at this stage, quite dark outside. So it was nice and cosy for a drink before heading onto Hokitika.
 
 
Amazing Couple 😉

After finding a hotel with Beach Front Views (we took the cheaper rooms with no view - but it didn't matter as it was  the West Coast and it was bucketing down and so dark you couldn't see anything anyway!), we headed out to a local bar for dinner. For a Sunday night it had a few patrons. It was all go though with everyone coming and going to the Pokies. There was a big one due to pay out.💰 
Very calm & misty at Lake Brunner
Deb & Kevin like a little flutter on the pokies, so went and joined the locals. Then Kevin comes out all smiles as he won the Jackpot! Deb also won a smaller pot. I thought the locals might have come and lynched us - Outsiders cleaning out the kitty! But I guess they're use to the Tourists coming in and doing this. Anyway, it made the night and Kevin shouted dinner - thanks Cuz 😘

The next day wasn't much better - dry enough for a quick walk around Hokitika township - will put this place on the list to return to again one day - preferably a sunny one. Lots of history here with the Gold discoveries of the 1860's and the resulting township that grew from those days.
As we were to head in different directions later in the day, we headed to Lake Brunner on the back gravel road in from Kumara for lunch. At least with the rain, there was no trouble with dust. It was still a very scenic drive through the bush - and wondering if Bill & Deb were going to make it as Bill's petrol tank was on empty! Of all the remote places to be low in fuel!! But in fairness to Bill he had tried to fill up in Kumara, but the Pay Machine was faulty and not letting anyone fill up. Kevin and I followed up the rear incase we had to tow them to Lake Brunner. Thankfully they did make it. Phew! And we enjoyed a lovely lunch at Hotel Lake Brunner - delicious.
We drove onto Reefton where we parted company as K&D were heading off to Hanmer and we returned to Nelson. Great catch up Guys - look forward to the next adventure.