The Earthquake City

Sun 27 Dec 2015 - Christchurch

Awoken by noisy Japanese neighbours we breakfasted and set off exploring Christchurch, or Chch as the locals refer to it. The streets were once again quiet and we were unsure if there was a general emptiness following the devastation or because it was a holiday Sunday.

Our first target was the transitional cathedral, better known as the cardboard cathedral due to it's cheap and cheerful construction. As the name suggests it is a temporary home for the C of E until a decision can be made on what to do with the original damaged building - a source of some controversy and conflicting views. As it was Sunday we could hear the Sunday service taking place through the thin polycarbonate roof.

Next up was the Re-Start mall - a shopping mall comprising of stores housed in shipping containers - that was hastily erected to allow businesses to re-start as soon as possible after the quake. It has become a trendy and thriving area of shops and cafes that we would not be surprised to see continue after permanent premises are available. 

After soaking up the atmosphere and making a couple of purchases in the sales we headed to the Quake City exhibition - a museum come presentation of the earthquake and its aftermath. Although not very large we spent over two hours looking at the exhibits of damaged parts of buildings, films of personal accounts of the quake, scientific explanations of what happened and why, and plans for a new quake proof centre. It was both harrowing and inspirational to hear the individual tales of loss, rescue and reunion and made us appreciate how stable an environment living in the UK is.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent wandering around the botanical gardens - a large park with a VERY English feel to it, with trees, gardens and punts gliding tranquilly along the meandering river Avon, which is later flanked by Cambridge terrace and Oxford terrace.

A final wander back through the quietening streets and a quick dinner found us back at the apartment preparing for the collection of our camper van tomorrow - home for the next 7 weeks.

One day will there be something behind this Victorian frontage? 

The transitional, or cardboard, cathedral.

Over three years on and there is still evidence of the destruction. 

Yvonne at the re-start mall. 

Tram

Punting Cambridge style on the river Avon.

From one set of deserted streets to another.

Sat 26 Dec 2015 - To Christchurch

Boxing Day is, allegedly, the busiest travel day for New Zealanders so we set off early from the hotel to give us plenty of time to catch the flight to Christchurch. In reality the roads were almost deserted and the airport not busy at all so we were at the gate with plenty of time to spare. Jet Star, the airline we'd booked on, has the reputation for being cheap, cheerful with poor service (UK readers - think Ryan Air) but we were pleasantly impressed with the ease of check in and the overall flight, which is a relief as we will be travelling with them from Tasmania to Thailand.

Once we'd collected our bags we wandered outside to find the bus and met the friendliest, most helpful driver ever. He asked all passengers where they were staying and either directed them to a more suitable bus or took a note of their name so he could call them at the appropriate stop and direct them to their hotel. What an introduction to Christchurch.

The walk to our small but well equipped studio apartment and the check in process went smoothly and we were soon out exploring the city on foot. As you will doubtless remember, in 2010/11 Christchurch was hit by two earthquakes in close succession that virtually wiped out the city centre and rendered much of the surrounding suburbs inhabitable. Consequently it is a bizarre experience to walk between Victorian façades propped up with old shipping containers, bare patches of ground where buildings had been demolished or building sites where their replacements were being constructed, all interspersed by the odd building that had somehow escaped damage. Despite all this many of the empty spaces have been converted to impromptu artistic features, playgrounds or local projects. All signs of a community working hard to make a fresh start.

Being boxing day and the start of the kiwi holiday season the city centre was very quiet with very little open, but we found a small Thai restaurant for our dinner and then wandered back to our hotel for the night.

Old building façade propped up with shipping containers. 

An ad hoc community art space - the coloured wooden sheep are all over the city centre.

The remains of the cathedral following the collapse of the bell tower and spire.

Glenn knocks out a tune on a plastic pipe marimba in a sound park.

A Kiwi Christmas

From 25 Dec 2015 - Christmas with the Thompsons

With a lovely bathroom available to us and a reason to get dressed up a bit Yvonne took the opportunity to give her hair some attention and then it was off to the far reaches of west Auckland to the house of James's mother - James is the guy Glenn worked with a while ago and who collected us from the airport on our arrival.

She lives in a very large old house in a large plot on the side of a hillside. Her partner and her moved in 5 yrs ago and have transformed the garden into something the National Trust would be proud of. Terraces down the hillside, ponds, bridges, woodland walks and plants of every description. Yvonne spent a long while walking around identifying various flowers, marvelling at the way some of them grew in the fairer climate here.

After the garden tour we were introduced to all the family, James has 4 sisters - 3 of them here with there families, 18 people in all - before sitting on the patio with tea and Christmas cake retelling all our adventures. Soon it was time for a traditional turkey dinner with a host of vegs and salads prepared by the three sisters. With kids at one table and adults at another it was a brilliant family affair with great conversation - even the cracker jokes were funny. 

We were having such a good time we really didn't want to leave but packing for an early departure in the morning forced us away. Back at the hotel we crammed all our stuff back into just the rucsacks in preparation for tomorrow's flight to Christchurch and the south island.

We have been so lucky to meet such lovely people here in the north and we leave with a tinge a sadness and a determination to return.

The amazing garden. Before they arrived it was just a grassy slope.

Yvonne admires the flowers 

Glenn recounts adventures to Sandy and James 

The adults table - kids were in the room behind. 

Yes, even flaming Christmas pudding! 

Lily (James and Sandy's daughter) making marzipan fruit with her cousin.

From hypodermic needle to hyperdrive on the millennium falcon

Thursday 24th December 2015 - Auckland

Sadly we had to say goodbye to Lynda and Lloyd this morning. Considering only 4 weeks ago we didn't know what each other even looked like we left them today feeling like old friends who we'd known for years. Hopefully that will happen.

Today was our final appointment at the Travelwise centre to finish off our course of vaccinations also enabling us to return the cool boxes that they had so kindly lent us. They have all been so helpful and also seem like old friends now.

Not being able to check in to the Takapuna Oaks, where we will be staying the next two nights, until 1400 we popped to Devonport and had lunch of Steak pie in Guinness at The Patriot pub, served by a Welsh guy and a Scouse guy! After checking in we headed off to NZ's only IMAX cinema in Auckland City to watch the new Star Wars film in 3D.

Eerily the ferry both ways was totally empty except for a handful of travellers and the city centre was quiet, only the tourists about.

We were looking forward to a Christmas Day in the sun!

Yvonne with the helpful staff at Travelwise. Dr Claire (on the right) has been sticking needles in us for a month now.

Lynda's West Coast tour

Wed 23 Dec 2015 - The west coast of Auckland

With much on the agenda for today we arose and were ready to go by 0900 this morning.

Setting off in Lynda's car our first stop was the Arataki visitor centre, which has several viewpoints with stunning views of the bush and surrounding coast, and lots of information on the local flora and fauna. We then wound through the hills, frequently stopping at viewpoints to admire the amazing views of the city and the east coast that we are now familiar with. On reaching the far side we rounded a corner and were presented with a beautiful view of Piha, a small but famous surfing town with a wonderful black sand beach and our next stop.

Shedding our shoes we spent the next hour ambling along the soft sand, enjoying the sun, watching the surfers and discussing the joys of children - this had been a regular spot for Lynda to bring her two boys. Walking along the waterline had been wonderfully refreshing but after several hours of sunshine the dry black sand had become incredibly hot resulting in us sprinting the last few metres back to the car.

The next stop was another favourite spot for Lynda's boys - Fairy falls. We set off on a trail through the bush and after crossing several small streams over slippery rocks we reached a very pretty waterfall spilling down the moss covered rocks. A wooden staircase zig zagged up the side of the fall bringing us to the top, where we discovered it was the lowest of a series each plunging into a small pool, some with children splashing around. Such a beautiful spot we could see why it had been so popular with Lynda's family. The trail home wound up the hillside via a series of the now familiar wooden steps with occasional breaks in the bush for more spectacular views. On our return to the car Lynda produced some mince pies to replenish our energy. Merry Christmas to that!

Then it was onto the last destination of our mini tour, the gannet colony at Muriwai. Leaving the cliff top car park we could smell the birds before we could see them but as we crested the clifftop we were greeted with an amazing site. Thousands of gannets tightly nestled onto every flat spot keenly defending their territory and nurturing either an egg or a chick. We spent a long while watching the skies congested with birds either departing to fish or returning to share their catch with their lifelong mate and their offspring. Scenes of conflict, mutual grooming and parenting provided a fascinating insight to lives of these fascinating creatures.

By now it was getting late so we returned home, stopping off at a fish shop to get some Hoki for one of Lynda's 'quick' meals. This delicious fish dish was enjoyed by us all before spending our last evening enjoying sharing photos of our travels. Lynda and Lloyd gave us some more tips of must see places for when we visit South Island soon. The perfect end to a perfect day.

Beautiful Piha

A great surf beach

One the many views over the city

Fairy falls

Just one ledge of the vast gannet colony 

A couple embrace

Lloyd & Lynda revisited

Tue 22 Dec 2015 - Return to Auckland

Despite the unusual surroundings of the earthship we both slept really well, not waking until 0900 - unheard of for Glenn. We made our escape from mother earthship, skipping ablutions, having a brief breakfast and conversation with our hosts, Brian and Karen. We set off for Auckland with all speed and soon found a McDonalds, where we stopped to visit a proper toilet, clean our teeth and have a large cup of tea. 

The journey around the Auckland motorways took us close to the Icebreaker (a famous brand of Merino wool performance clothing) outlet store so we couldn't resist. Despite Yvonne's initial reluctance to make this visit it was her that came out with three small items courtesy of a 3 for 2 offer.

Our destination tonight was the home of Lloyd and Lynda, the parents of the flotilla skipper from our May sailing trip, who we had dined with during our first stay in Auckland. They had very kindly offered to put us up for a couple of nights so that on Wed Lynda could show us the Waitakere Ranges and the coast west of Auckland, near where they live.

On arrival we immediately jumped in the shower then sat with a nice cup of tea while Yvonne relived her whole experience of mother earthship to Lynda.

When Lloyd arrived home from work we sat on the deck and ate an amazing meal of bbq roast lamb with all the veg based on Christmas colours; gold, red and green, drinking wine and exchanging travel experiences (Lloyd and Lynda, are also well travelled).

Al fresco dining at its best

Forgotten World Highway to Mother Earthship B&B

Mon 21 Dec 2015 - Forgotten World Highway

It was with great regret we bade farewell to Bill and Margaret - and New Plymouth. They had been fantastic hosts and looked after us so well and New Plymouth had been such a lovely surprise with its mountain, lovely parks and variety of things to do. But after the now customary super breakfast we said our goodbyes to explore the forgotten world highway.

This road is so called because it follows the course of a railway driven through the bush in the late 1800's to open up a large patch of the interior that prospered for a time but, apart from a few farms, has since become largely deserted. The road itself started off as a dirt track and crosses four 'saddles' (cols or passes). It was notoriously muddy and difficult after rain and there are many information boards along the route telling of cars getting stuck and prime ministers being tipped out of carriages but in true kiwi pioneering spirit life continued and it was eventually metalled then sealed. Even now, however, the were several places along the way where the side had collapsed into the valley and were coned off awaiting repair.

Starting off from Stratford, where we just missed the town clock performing one of its Shakespearean scenes, we meandered through lovely rolling countryside until the first saddle. Pulling over we looked back for our final view of the lovely snow topped Mt Taranaki framed by rolling green hills and a bright blue sky and said goodbye to this special mountain.

Three subsequent saddles presented equally stunning view of the endless open countryside and we could see the mountains of Tongariro and Ruapehu on the horizon, where we'd been a week before. Slow but steady progress along the narrow twists and turns brought us to famous Republic of Whangamomona. This small former frontier town looks like something from a cowboy film with it hotel, that is still open, and other former shops along its single high street. Apparently the residents objected from being re-allocated from one district to another so declared themselves a republic. They have erected border signs and suggest you acquire a passport from the hotel to ensure a safe crossing - all good stuff for the tourist trade. One activity you can do, unique to this area, is rent a golf buggy that has been converted to run on the disused railway line. We chose not to but it would have been fun trundling up the line through some of the many tunnels.

Talking of tunnels, a highlight was a 200m single track road tunnel known locally as the hobbit hole. You have to approach carefully, to ensure nobody is coming from the other end, then pass through the narrow passage with its wooden gabled roof hewn through the bare rock.

Shortly after the tunnel we took a small detour to visit the Mt Damper falls. An 85m waterfall that plunges into a larger canyon in the middle of the bush. We wondered how some of these places were ever discovered.

Some way further the road becomes unsealed for the final highlight of the journey the Tangarakau Gorge. With forested walls around 70m high and a meandering river at its base it was a spectacular finale to the highway.

As we were heading north we turned off a few miles from the highway's end and passed through the much less famous pioneer town of Ohura. Larger and much more complete and dilapidated than Whangamomona we wondered why it attracted few visitors. Maybe it's all in a name!

An uneventful journey north, now on main highways, brought us to the BnB for the night. Advertised as an 'earthship' it was an eco house made of clay filled tyres set into the hillside of a remote piece of bush and completely 'off grid' - no mains electricity, gas, water or sewage. From the photos on AirBnB it looked intriguing, and it was, but it was also a Heath Robinson place made from recycled (old scrap) everything. To get to the front door we passed a wood fire under a barrel, an old washing machine with a mangle full of clothes and a chaotic wood workshop. When asked about the toilet we were directed to an outside drop toilet (you can visualise) made of corrugated iron and surrounded by chickens. Inside was equally full of stuff with food plants growing everywhere. Brian and Karen were lovely people with stories to tell of the 5 year construction with their 5 young children helping and clearly loved their lifestyle but the mess and lack of cleanliness was not for us so we hastily ate dinner and went to bed having decided not to drink anything so as to avoid the long trek to the outside loo during the night. And never shared a bedroom with giant cactus growing in soil before.

Farewell view of Mt Taranaki

The capital of the republic of Whangamomona

Neither round nor cosy but the tunnel known as 'the hobbit hole'.

Mt Damper falls

Tangarakau Gorge 

Front door of the Earthship - portal to another world. And one we didn't want to belong to.

Beer on the rocks.

Sunday 20th December - About New Plymouth & Strictly final

We decided to stay a further day with Bill and Margaret in New Plymouth as there was still much for us to see here and we love being here. After an Ibuprofen breakfast had kicked in for Yvonne and catching up with stuff, we left to have a leisurely day around New Plymouth.  

First stop was the Te Rewa Rewa Bridge which is a pedestrian bridge shaped like a breaking wave and positioned in such a way across the river it frames Mt Taranaki.  There were some beautiful wooden seating areas so Yvonne lay out on one getting some sun whilst Glenn massaged her calves back to life.

Hobbling back to the car we drove to Mikes organic brewery where we anticipated tasty craft real ales. Funnily enough a young girl from Manchester served us and helped us with our pick of four beers to taste. Indoors, we found a comfortable sofa next to their traditional pine Christmas tree as the wind was getting very strong. Thank goodness we weren't up the mountain today. Same as last Sunday's visit to the brewery in Napier, there were Christmas do's on here and it had a lively atmosphere.

We drove back along the coast road passing through the central part of New Plymouth to the Harbour where we climbed one of the volcanic plugs, Paritutu
to see the Sugar Loaf Islands just offshore, these being volcanic plugs too, all remnants of a very large volcano that was the millions of years ago. The climb up started with a sedate wooden staircase which then turned to high rise staircase and then the last part of the climb involved scrambling up rocks using a chain to lug yourself up. Yvonne made it to the top cursing under her breathe about how much her calves hurt. The view back to Mt Taranaki from this height showed the level land between the sea and the start of the mountain where much of the city is.

We planned an early dinner back home so we could get back in to the city to get to see the Christmas lights in the park and there were a couple of bands playing. However, Bill informed us he had managed to get the Strictly Final in the TC via the internet. It was no brainer. We had dinner then nestled down to watch the SCD Final with Margaret popping in with a welcomed cuppa tea. Made Yvonne's Christmas out here!

We are gonna miss these guys!

The Te Rewa Rewa bridge frames MT Taranaki 

Which one first? It's a tough job but someone has to do it. 

Mt Taranaki oversees New Plymouth 

Yvonne hauls herself up Paritutu

Super hosts - Margaret and Bill

Mt Taranaki - the climb up lonely mountain.

Sat 19 Dec 2015 - Mt Taranaki

The forecast for today was 'fine' but with wind chill at the summit to -5 deg C so we packed plenty of spare clothes and ate a hearty breakfast - a bit too hearty in Glenn's case.

On arrival at the visitor centre the sun was shining and the snow capped mountain was glistening against a bright blue sky. It looked very inviting and not that far away (it is only 4.5 miles but with 1600m of ascent).

We set off in the warm sunshine and immediately began climbing up a wide track, which was steep in places, and wound steadily up the mountainside to a radio mast then deteriorated into a broken footpath to a private hut owned by the local alpine club. We stopped for a bite to eat and admired the views. Clear bands of vegetation could be seen around the mountain at different altitudes, like contour lines, intersected by gulleys that became small canyons through the bush lower down. Very strange to see flat ground all around this isolated viewpoint.

With some of the weight from our rucksacs gone we set off up a rocky valley, one of many in the mountainside eroded by the draining water, and met some of the first loose ground - much more of that ahead. The exit from the head of the valley was up some steep, rather precarious looking wooden staircases installed by the park, that seemed to go on forever.

Once off the stairs we hit the band of scoria (loose rocks and sand) that we had been dreading - with good cause it transpired. This was a long, rather soul destroying stage of the climb that drained the energy and the spirit. The band of rock, known as The Lizard, we were heading for never seemed to get any closer.

At the base of The Lizard we stopped for food, realising this final scramble would bring us to the crater entrance. The forecast had been for 30mph winds at the summit and park wardens and some descending climbers warned us of snow and ice so we were unsure how far up we'd be able to get but we packed our walking poles away and set off using hands and feet on the sharp rocks.

With the winds much lighter than forecast and only the occasional whirl of cloud breaking the sunshine it was hot gruelling work and almost finished Yvonne but she stuck to it and was relieved to be informed by a descending Japanese guy that the summit was only 20 mins away.

The Lizard peters out into a thin ledge that works along and above a large cutting in the crater lip, presumably where the lava flowed out. When we got there we could see others in the the crater snow so Glenn investigated the access and found the snow soft enough to kick steps into so we too worked our way down the short slope and into the sun softened snow. We plodded through ankle deep snow, getting plenty in the tops of our boots, working our way to a small col in the opposite side of the crater lip hoping for views from the other side but when we got there the mountain extended further out obstructing the view down. Tiredness, snow filled boots and an ominous looking cloud forming around The Lizard encouraged us to start our our descent.

We scrambled down The Lizard in the late afternoon sun using a combination of hands, poles, feet and bottoms being overtaken by the youngsters that had been gallivanting in the crater with us. The scoria proved an easy descent to our tired legs, similar to the screes of Mt Ngauruhoe a few days ago, and we swiftly made it to the top of the wooden stairs. A brief stop to empty the stones and sand from our boots and it was onwards and downwards. The weary tramp home was steady with little conversation only interspersed by Yvonne stumbling and falling over a couple of times (An elderly Kiwi lady even offered to carry Yvonne's rucksack for her!) - both of us feeling the exertion of the day in our tired legs. 

Once home a shower and meal restored our spirits and we reflected on a great, if arduous, day.

We approach the lonely mountain.

The early track

Through the boulders of the valley

The amazing staircase. 

Yvonne slogs up the scoria...

... and scrambles up the lizard.

In the summit crater

It's all too much!

Lakes and Lillies

Fri 18 Dec 2015 - Around New Plymouth

Following a lovely evening with Bill And Margaret we had a lazy breakfast chatting with them once more. The weather forecast for Mt Taranaki, the main reason for our presence in New Plymouth, was poor so we set for a short walk around Lake Mangamohoe, the town reservoir that had also been made a park. The kiwis really do an excellent job of providing open spaces for their people.

Bill had told us of a viewing spot part way around the lake circuit walk that afforded a view of the lake with the mountain - Mt Taranaki is an isolated volcano that dominates the landscape and was used as 'The Lonely Mountain' in the The Hobbit. Well sure enough the view was spectacular but the mountain top was shrouded in cloud - good job we hadn't climbed it today.

After the 45min loop through native bush, Redwoods and pretty flowers around the lake shore we set off for the Egmont Park, home of Mt Taranaki, visitor centre to check on summit conditions. The visitor centre had lots of displays and information so we spent a while eventually visiting the cafe for a nice pot of tea. The cakes looked good but managed to resist as eaten so much the previous day.

On the way home we just had time to call in at Pukeiti Park that is famed for its Rhododendron collection. Nestled in the hills above the city it was a long and windy road to the entrance and we got there 40 mins before closing. As we walked through the entrance one of the gardeners stopped his truck and recommended a walk with the most colour. Although we'd missed the main season, think late June in the UK, there was still the odd Azalea in flower and some pretty flowers we later learned were Himalayan mountain lilies. One again the park was beautifully presented in a lovely setting of trees and had the feel of a Nation Trust garden back home - except admission was free.

We couldn't dawdle too long as we'd promised to cook Bill and Margaret dinner in return for the meal they'd prepared for us yesterday. After a short stop for ingredients, and plenty of sugary things for tomorrow's walk, we returned to the house and Yvonne knocked up one of her go to dishes - Chicken and Chorizo in beans. The chorizo turned out to be very spicy but the meal was accompanied by a lovely bottle of wine from the vineyard we'd dined at in Napier a few days ago and was enjoyed by everyone.

Sandwiches made, rucksacs packed and early to bed in readiness for tomorrow's assault on the mountain.

Lake Mangmoahoe

Mt Taranaki and Lake Mangamohoe 

A rare break in the cloud shows summit of Mt Taranaki from the visitor centre

Pukeiti park 

Himalayan lily

The last vestiges of spring colour

Shepherds Pie in New Plymouth

Thursday 17th December 2015 - Mt Taranaki - New Plymouth

Last night we had a good evening with Kristen with the conversation flowing her improving our understanding of Maori cultural issues. It was lovely to meet such an amazing, young woman. This morning as we left she confirmed her employment papers were now authorised and she was off to Australia at the beginning of January.

We popped back to the Museum in Whanganui that gave us an insight to the land issues which have plagued the people in NZ since settlement times. The many historical photos showed what the new settlers had to encounter when they left their homelands to seek a new life here. Nothing changes...

Our homestay hosts tonight are in New Plymouth city, which is north of Mt Taranaki yet a good access point to the National Park for our tramping in the next few days. On leaving Whanganui we headed to a Kai Iwi beach, a Lonely Planet recommendation famous for its black sands and driftwood. Glenn took a cloudy, windy walk to beach and, yes - it was black and covered with driftwood. A couple of photos and it was back to the car to continue the journey.

Some miles further we pulled off the road for lunch and parked up at picnic spot facing a railway line. Whilst sitting in the sunshine a flat back truck sped past us - on the railway track!

The route took us past Mt Taranaki, with its summit lost in the clouds, and through the largest dairy area in NZ with huge herds of up to 500 cattle. These apparently supply cheese for McDonalds  throughout the pacific region.

Mid afternoon we arrived in New Plymouth and promptly went to the tourist info centre to get the full weather report on the mountain summit. The weather here is much wetter than the rest of the country so it is possible for snow to fall on the summit and lower slopes even during summer months. Unfortunately with the El Nino influence on the weather this year, more rain is forecast for today and Friday and with freezing temperatures bringing snow and ice higher up. This means we won't be able to tackle the full mountain until at least a couple of days time when the weather is due to perk up. We've now planned a couple of options for hikes on the lower slopes, found the cinema times and details of other indoor activities such as museums, art galleries etc..

As we were walking along the promenade, black clouds loomed and then heavy rain set in so we dashed back to the car and headed off to meet our homestay hosts, Bill and Margaret. Arriving there looking like drowned rats, Bill immediately put the kettle on and produced a Christmas cake, which we could not resist. Furthermore he extended an invitation to dinner this evening - Shepherds Pie, what a welcome! Margaret was flying in from Auckland and Bill went off to collect her from the local airport leaving us in charge of making sure the potatoes didn't burn. Our first responsibility for weeks.

Kai Iwi beach - black sands, driftwood and not much else.

The sea front walk at New Plymouth