Category: New Zealand (Page 3 of 4)

Dolphin Encounter Kaikoura

January 14, 2017 / Jenny Jordan / 1 Comment

Encounter Kaikoura

This was one of the highlights of the trip so far, which we booked with Encounter Kaikoura. Despite being utterly amazing, it came with some significant seasickness drawbacks! Booking on the early 5.30am tour was perfect for us at it meant we could also make it to church “later” in the day. We arrived bleary eyed at ten past five ready to get suited up and were provided with a long john wetsuit, additional wetsuit jacket, neoprene hood, fins, face mask and snorkel. We chose to wear a rashy underneath in addition to our swimsuits. After a short video briefing we headed onto a bus for a short drive round the coast to the harbour, where we hopped on board our boat.

After reading plenty of reviews we had purchased some seasickness tablets and taken them ahead of time. Although the weather was fine, the sea was choppy and had a large swell. The dolphins in Kaikoura are completely wild, and aren’t enticed in any way, which means the first part of the trip is spent looking for them. We passed a small pod of dolphins, but continued on as our guides decided they weren’t in a playful mood. A few minutes later another group was spotted, and after donning our hoods and masks we were ushered into the water. Continue reading

Half way point on Mueller Hut hike — Mount Cook reflects in Sealy Tarns

Aoraki/Mt.Cook – Mueller Hut Overnight Hike

January 12, 2017 / Jenny Jordan / 0 Comments

Back Country Huts

New Zealand’s back country is filled with huts used by trampers (hikers), mountaineers and climbers throughout the year. Ran by the Department of Conservation (DOC), each hut varies in its provision, with some little more than some bunks and a platform to cook on, with others offering larger kitchens with gas and water. Mueller Hut is one of the most accessible huts in New Zealand’s back country, being just 3-4 hours walk from the car park at the bottom of the mountain. In summer months it is also staffed by a volunteer warden. This makes it an ideal “first time” Hut for many adventurers!

We were going to do this as a long day hike, but we managed to grab some last minute cancelled spots, so after a mad dash over from Tekapo we started up at around four in the afternoon. If you can get a spot overnight then do – the sunset and stars are worth it. If you can’t and the weather is good go for a day hike anyway, the views are stunning. When the weather is really poor, it probably isn’t worth it as you won’t see anything!

White Horse Hill Campsite

The Mueller walk starts by following the Key Point and Sealy Tarns route up the mountain. The tracks set off from the White Horse Hill Campsite, or if you wish, you can start at the visitor centre in town, but this adds a significant chunk of time onto your journey! Continue reading

Extreme Heli Hike on Fox Glacier

January 9, 2017 / Jenny Jordan / 0 Comments

Fox Glacier/Te Moeka o Tuawe

The Fox Glacier sits within the Southern Alps on New Zealand West Coast. From it’s nevé plummets steeply towards its terminal face, dropping 2,600m over 13 kilometres. This steep incline means that the glacier is incredibly fast moving, covering up to 5m in a single day – distances other glaciers struggle to reach in a year. The fast pace of the glacier and the amount of ice forced into the valley from the nevé means that features such as ice caves, pressure ridges are often seen.

Its Maori name, Te Moeka o Tuawe, means the final resting place of the ancestor Tuawe. He fell to his death whilst exploring the area, and his lover Hine Hukatere wept tears which formed the nearby Franz Joseph Glacier – also know as Kia Roimata o Hine Hukatere. Both glaciers are also unique because they end amidst rain forest which is considered unusual.

In recent years the glaciers in this region have begun to retreat, meaning hiking onto the ice from the terminal face is not safe, and instead tourists must be flown up onto the glacier itself. Despite this, it is one of the most accessible glaciers in the world, and local company Fox Glacier Guiding, takes several hundred people up onto the face each day. Continue reading

Hokitika and Pounamu – The Jewels of the West Coast

December 30, 2016 / Jenny Jordan / 0 Comments

Pounamu

Pounamu is the Maori name for greenstone or jade. It is found in abundance along the West Coast, both in the rivers and on the coast. Pounamu is highly prized by the Maori, both for its strength and beauty. Control over Pounamu in its natural state has been vested to the Maori tribe Ngāi Tahu. There are strict limitations on where Pounamu may be taken from. A symbol of status, Pounamu still holds sacred meaning to the Maori.
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Knife Making in Barrytown

December 28, 2016 / Ian / 1 Comment

A chance to learn new skills

We had the opportunity to try something new whilst on the west coast of the south island; Knife making. This is something that Jenny and I have been interested in for a while. A good quality bushcraft knife can cost £100’s. There are lots of different styles of knife and we weren’t sure exactly what we were in for with the course, but it came highly rated. So we booked in a few months before we left. Incidentally this was our first ‘hard’ date. Up until this point we’d given ourselves plenty of flexibility to allow for buying a van. Continue reading

Buying a car or camper van in New Zealand

December 21, 2016 / Ian / 0 Comments

There are a few differences with buying vehicles than in the UK and it’s a pretty easy task, but with a few more steps.

Warrant of Fitness (WOF)

Vehicles in New Zealand must have a WOF. These are similar to Brits MOT, but less stringent. Typically these last for either 3 or 6 months, although on newer vehicles this is 12 months. A valid WOF does not mean the vehicle is in good running order, it just checks that it is “safe”. When you buy a vehicle, the WOF should have been completed within one month of the sale.

For further details check out New Zealand Transport Agency website on the subject. Continue reading