Nathan's Insights

World Traveller: 7 Continents, 90 Countries, 871 Days Overseas

World Trip 1999-2000: Day 12 – Kaikoura, New Zealand

November 22, 1999

Monday 22 November 1999
Highlights: Kaikoura Museum.

The whale watching was cancelled again today. We have a back up booking for to or row at 5.30 am which should let us easily get back for our train that leaves at 4.08 pm. This is a major disappointment. Kaikoura has almost nothing else to do. We did visit the small local museum which was mildly interesting which includes some bones from whales and sharks.

We got so bored we even cooked a frozen pizza for tea. Later to ignore will play UNO to determine who gets up at 5 am and finds out if the whale watching is on. Luckily our hostel is pretty good since we are sending so many days here.

World Trip 1999-2000 Facebook Photos

Kaikoura, NewZealand
World Trip 1999-2000: Day 11 – Wellington to Picton to Kaikoura, New Zealand

November 21, 1999

Sunday 21 November 1999
Highlights: Ferry crossing, Scenic train journey Picton to Kaikoura.

We travelled from rainy Wellington to sunny Picton via the ‘Top Cat’ ferry which took about 1 3/4 hours.

Picton seems to be a lovely place. We ate lunch on the shore and caught some sun sitting and laying on the glass. A nice small town to start our South Island experience.

Our next transportation mode was a train to Kiakoura though some fantastic country. Kaikoura is a very small town. We are here for the whale watching tour which costs about $95NZD. Unfortunately today’s boats were cancelled due to the rough conditions, hopefully tomorrow will be better.

BTW Queenstown, the south islands major tourist attraction is underwater. New Zealand is getting very bad weather at present.

World Trip 1999-2000 Facebook Photos

NewZealand, Picton, Wellington
World Trip 1999-2000: Day 10 – Wellington, New Zealand

November 20, 1999

Saturday 20 November 1999
Highlights: Wellington Museum, Cable Car Ride, New Zealand Parliament.

Today we were still tired from the events of the Turangi walk from two days ago however with this being our only full day here we had to get out and about.

Among the places we visited was the Wellington Museum (which is free) and had displays on the make up of the earth’s crust and why New Zealand has so many earthquakes at about 1,5000 per year. The Maori display was interesting as well, a war like people who the British never really beat.

We then went on the cable car to the Wellington gardens which offered some great views. After this Kara went shopping leaving Jon and myself to head to the Federal Parliament.

The Parliament offered and informative tour. It covered the history of New Zealand politics, how they are currently setup and possible future changes. I learnt that they used to have Premiers not Prime Ministers and almost become part of Australia. We also got to go onto the floor of the House of Representatives but they didn’t allow cameras 😦

World Trip 1999-2000 Facebook Photos

NewZealand, Wellington
World Trip 1999-2000: Day 9 – Turangi to Wellington, New Zealand

November 19, 1999

Friday 19 November 1999
Highlights: Snow capped mountains.

We spent about about 4 hours travelling to the windy city that is the New Zealand capital of Wellington. A good part of this journey was seeing snow on a couple of mountains, I really want a white Christmas this year when we are in New York City.

We return the rental car a little earlier than planned due to the driving conditions on Wellington being very difficult ie one way street. I took the opportunity to change so more money at a worse conversion rate than I expected 😦

For the first time on this this trip we shared our hostel room with a stranger. Jon thought he could do with a bath. The town offered almost nothing to do at night.

World Trip 1999-2000 Facebook Photos

NewZealand, Turangi, Wellington
World Trip 1999-2000: Day 8 – Turangi, New Zealand

November 18, 1999

Thursday 18 November 1999
Highlights: Rescued by retirees in the Tongario National Park.

We got up around 6.30 am in order to catch the early bus to Tongario National Park. We were forewarned that it might rain but ignored that little piece of advise.

In the end it did rain and I’m sure a cold is in our future as a result. We only managed a 5 hour walk. We turned back when the conditions got to hazardous. There were Rangers advising people to turn back and we later heard that a couple got airlifted out. New Zealand weather can turn on you very fast.

Before the rain however Kara was finding it very difficult after she was the fastest one out of the blocks. At one point she asked Jon and me to leave her, I didn’t really want to explain that one to Mum so we kept waiting for her. To be fair it was a lot harder than either Jon or myself expected although if we hadn’t of waited I tank we could have made it to the end.

After we turned back we waited in the rain without inappropriate clothing for the weather. Luckily a retiree group came to our rescue (Walking with Joy) and offered us a much appreciated lift to their cabin. We spent 2 1/2 hours around a firing trying to dry out, we were that drenched. Without their help we would have likely waited those hours in the rain with very little cover. We we don’t get sick we know we should thank this group of retires or as I saw them angels 🙂

World Trip 1999-2000 Facebook Photos

NewZealand, Turangi
World Trip 1999-2000: Day 7 – Rotorua to Turangi, New Zealand

November 17, 1999

Wednesday 17 November 1999
Highlights: Hot bubbling mud.

After waking up very late at 9.50 am we had to rush to check out by 10 am and not get charged for an extra night, I think an alarm clock is needed.

I haven’t received any replies to the email I send on 13 November from the Bay of Islands. To remind the family I’m still alive I posted my first postcards.

We stopped at Lake Taupo on the way to Taupo on the way to Turangi. The sights were supposed to be great but it turns out the weren’t that good. We also saw a mud pool. The mud is boiling hot and bubbling due to all the volcanic activity in the area.

We arrived early in Turangi and we found little to do until tomorrow. Turangi is our base for a 7 hour hike over 17 kms in the Tongario National Park which should be great. Finished the day drinking home brew and shooting pool which Jon won. I later got revenge by winning at UNO, that is 5 out of 6 times, I should turn professional 🙂

1999-2000 Photos (Facebook)

NewZealand, Rotorua, Turangi
World Trip 1999-2000: Day 6 – Rotorua, New Zealand

November 16, 1999

Tuesday 16 November 1999
Highlights: White water rafting, Kiwi Paka Spa

Today was the first wash day, something that will become a regular task on this world tour from this point onwards 😦

We went white water rafting today on a grade 4 river. The grade 5 rapids was unfortunately (fortunately??) shut because of recent rains making it too dangerous. We put on the wetsuits and away we went for 1 ½ hours of fun. Jon ended up in the water, although I believe the guide did this on purpose for our amusement.

We purchased a set of photos without seeing them. Kara will have them at her house by the time we return. We had a really good time, the food was also very nice, very good actively, well worth the price. We finished the day in the Kiwi Paka Spa, nice and relaxing.

World Trip 1999-2000 Facebook Photos

NewZealand, Rotorua
World Trip 1999-2000: Day 5 – Rotorua, New Zealand

November 15, 1999

Monday 15 November 1999
Highlights: Hot springs, Tamaki Maori Village, the Buried Village of Te Wairoa

Had three beers in the pool last night, two Lion Reds and one Export Gold Ice, later watching Billy Connelly ‘live in Auckland’. Kara matched to get drunk off 3 glasses of wine. These NZ beers aren’t bad.

Saw the “Buried Village – Te Wairoa”. This village was buried after an eruption in 1886 (the most recent one in NZ) Rotorua being classed as an active volcano area (and why there is so much sulphur in the air) . The 1886 eruption destroyed the Pink and White Terraces (hot springs) which were considered a wonder of the world at the time.

Rotorua is very active still, no lava, but heaps of hot springs and mud. It will erupt again, but luckily enough for me not today. We also visited the Rotorua Museum which complimented the “Buried Village’ tour nicely.

The highlight however was easily the “Tamaki Maori Village”. We had an evening of fun and entertainment. Learnt a few Maori words and saw lots and lots of dancing and for dinner was specially cooked underground!

World Trip 1999-2000 Facebook Photos

NewZealand, Rotorua
World Trip 1999-2000: Day 4 – Auckland, Cambridge and Rotorua, New Zealand

November 14, 1999

Sunday 14 November 1999
Highlights: Waitomo Caves Glow Worms

We left Auckland today, will be back hopefully by the 26^th to fly to Honolulu for the next stage of the trip. First stop today was at Cambridge for lunch with John & Shirley Stormont (a friends of Kevin Dagg, Jon’s dad). Very nice people.

The next stop was Waitomo Caves, famous for their ‘Glow Worms’ cost $20 NZ which was too much. Couldn’t take photos still they were good at with an interesting history.

Then we arrived at Rotorua. Very smelly with the ‘sulphur’ in the air. This time our hostel had us in a five bed dorm but at present only Kara, Jon and myself are using it so more space for us all!

You’d expect a hostel to be basic but this one has a stream pool with a bar, I’m looking forward to using it. We have two full days here with white water rafting and a Maori experience on the agenda, should be fun.

World Trip 1999-2000 Facebook Photos

Auckland, CambridgeNZ, NewZealand, Rotorua, Waitomo Caves
World Trip 1999-2000: Day 3 – Auckland and Bay of Islands, New Zealand

November 13, 1999

Saturday 13 November 1999
Highlights: Russell and Maiki (Flagstaff Hill)

Today we hired a car and went up to the Bay of Islands. Also we decided that we will ditch the car in Wellington and instead of driving catch from Picton to Kaikoura to Christchurch only costing $35 NZ which seems like a bargain.

Unfortunately by the time we got to the Bay of Islands we were too late for the major ferries. But we did manage to catch a ferry from Paihia to Russell which was fantastic. We went on a walk up to the Maiki (Flagstaff Hill) which took about 20 minutes to climb on foot. Great views, there were quite a few wars and battles between the Maori’s and the British over this flag pole. We were in the car for about 6 hours today which was a small preview of the US bus trips later on.

A disappointing day as we missed out on what we really wanted to do i.e. the Bay cruises however we must expect this to happen occasionally.

World Trip 1999-2000 Facebook Photos

Auckland, Bay of Islands, NewZealand