NEW ZEALAND: PART II

Nugget Point Lighthouse

14 February to 1 March 2020

Months prior, a typhoon had hit Japan days after I’d arrived in Tokyo. And sometime later, I’d been gazing at smoke-filled skies from Australia’s devastating wildfires. In New Zealand, I was grateful for the calm days and mostly blue skies.

Road trip around the South Island beginning in Christchurch and a rail trip through the North Island ending in Auckland; Part I: Christchurch to (A) Otira (B) Puakaiki then continuing from(C) Glenorchy in Part II to (D) Te Anu (E) Bluff for ferry to Stewart Island/Rakiura (the small unmarked island at the very bottom.) (G) Oamaru (H) Christchurch.

While making my way around the South Island I had few destinations in mind, but one was Milford Sound. I was heading there when 39 inches (100 cms) of rain fell in 60 hours causing emergency evacuations and extensive damage. Franz Josef, where I’d been just days before, experienced landslides and major flooding. People in the hundreds were stranded during the height of the tourist season and tragically there was loss of life.

I was extremely lucky. I only had to rethink my travel plans.

Doubtful Sound, thought by some to be more beautiful than Milford Sound, had not been affected by the heavy rains. I booked an overnight cruise and a stay in Te Anu.

Te Anu is a popular town for tourists planning to take boat cruises of Milford and Doubtful Sound. I spent two very pleasant days there hiking and exploring the area before my overnight cruise.
In Te Anu I was treated to a magnificent sunset returning from another glow-worm tour. I am completely smitten with these creatures and sought them out whenever I could.
On a bus filled with tourists (another was just behind us), we made our way up then down a winding mountain road to the port where we’d embark on a two day cruise of Doubtful Sound.
People hoped for clear weather. Ours was mostly foggy. Fortunately the fjords still looked beautiful.
The sky eventually cleared…
revealing completely different vistas.

After the cruise I drove on mostly empty, scenic roads passing through Tuatapere.

I stopped to admire these sheep. Some looked at me with expectation.

And stopped for the night in Riverton, a small coastal town.

Riverton
Riverton is a sleepy, picturesque coastal town where I took long walks and spent a night before heading to Stewart Island.
Riverton

I’d read about Stewart Island/Rakiura, renown for its birdwatching and hiking trails, and wanted to go. But almost all of it is undeveloped, much of it is difficult to access, the only town is Oban on Halfmoon Bay, and accommodations are limited.

I’d hoped to rent a cabin, but the only place available was a bed in a hostel with two roommates. One never uttered a word and was completely absorbed by her telephone. The other was very friendly, but had a lot of catching up to do with all the members of her family and friends via video chats.

I spent little time in the room except for sleeping.

Stewart Island/Rakiura had few accommodations available. I was finally able to find a bed in a hostel.
Stewart Island’s pulse of life comes from the sea.
Ulva Island, a day trip from Stewart Island, is an uninhabited sanctuary for birds and plants. It’s predator/rat free. Although the passage is short, the seas can be quite rough. The ferry’s captain maneuvered his vessel with extreme skill, but his passengers got drenched anyway. His gruff appearance belied a kind and caring soul. Walking the trails on the island revealed natural wonders of all kinds.
The eeriest rainbow I’ve ever seen.
Residents of Ulva Island

Daphne, from the Netherlands, was looking for a ride from Stewart Island up the coast. I was driving that way. We spent two days exploring the route together. She was easy company and we hit it off well.

The southern most point of New Zealand and the photo that says “I was there.”
Curio Bay and a stump of petrified Jurassic forest.
The winds doth blow
A sign indicated a waterfall. It was worth the detour.
Nugget Point

After dropping Daphne off I continued on to Oamaru. You may recall this was going to be my first stop after arriving in Christchurch, but Elton John fans fully booked the town for his concert having me seek other options.

Oamaru is unique and I loved it.

It is NZ’s capital of Steampunk (think Brazil, the movie, during the Victorian Era) and Victoriana (a movement based on historical fact not fiction.) It was not unusual to see people donning imaginative attire including leather corsets, top hats and flying goggles (the Steampunkers) and classic 19th c. attire (the Victorianas).

Oamaru is home to the smallest variety of penguin. And no shortage of local characters. It is also a feast of striking buildings and structures.

Oamaru
Oamaru
Oamaru
Oamaru’s Steampunk Museum
Rappo had stepped out to smoke a cigarette when I walked by. Rappo’s dad bought this cavernous building to work on cars decades before. He inherited the space, remodeled, and moved in. The window with an Alice in Wonderland ala Freddy Krueger style was his creation. The poster says, “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” Rappo invites people to stay with him: a woman from Japan I’d met earlier that day was coincidentally there. He said his guests end up leaving their ghosts and demons behind. I believe him.
Oamaru is home to the smallest variety of penguins.
And a slew of seabirds.
Oamaru operates a steam engine train for tourists. It fits right in.
This is inside an exhibition at the Steampunk museum. It was remarkably similar to Yayaoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Rooms, but why quibble. It was still a great experience.

After Oamaru, I made my way back toward Christchurch via Lyttleton.

Lyttleton is just a short drive from Christchurch and possesses great views, intimidating hills, and considerable charm.

To see some of the North Island I decided to travel to Auckland from Christchurch by train, instead of flying. I had a chance to visit Christchurch before leaving.

Christchurch is still struggling after its devastating earthquakes.

This is the remains of the Price Waterhouse Cooper building on Armagh Street. It was the city’s tallest office tower.

But overall the city seemed to be meeting the challenge. And signs of resilience were abundant.

Christchurch Botanic Gardens

I spent a late afternoon wandering through the Christchurch Botanic Garden. I found exactly what I was hoping for, an oasis of beauty, peace, and calm.

Christchurch Botanic Gardens

I booked a private room in a woman’s immaculate home, walking distance to the train station. The train’s departure was 7 a.m. the following day. I’d had a long day and another ahead of me. That evening I retired to my room to read awhile. Around 10 p.m. my host unexpectedly stood in the hallway and asked through the closed door ” What person do you admire most?” I uttered, “Nelson Mandela” thinking it would put the conversation to rest. She quickly followed that with something else. It became clear she was hoping to have a conversation. As politely as possible, still through the closed door, I wished her a good night and shut off my light.

The following morning a spread of breakfast goodies were there for me to choose from. Apparently there were no hard feelings.

The train trip, and ferry, up north required a night in Wellington before arriving at my final destination, Auckland.

The views from the train were consistently splendid.
Traveling north to Auckland the train wove fields of horses, cows, sheep, and crops, sun kissed hills and mountains, a sea of dolphins, lounging seals, and waves crashing against the rocks into a beautiful tapestry.
I missed the announcement explaining this wondrous pink hue. It didn’t matter.

My time in Auckland was short, but I had time enough to wander along many streets, stop into a bookstore where I had a lengthy chat with the owner about Chrissie Hynde’s paintings and the time he’d met her, attend a poetry reading, and head over to Devonport, a bayside village, by ferry, for a walk along the beach.

Sunset from St Marys Bay, Auckland
Auckland

Next stop Chile.

to be continued…