The Travelling Trio NZ - Part 4 - Wanaka River Journeys and to Manapouri

Day 5 - Tuesday 25th June

Since having to cancel our helihike I’ve been mulling over potential opportunities to take some sort of heliflight so on arrival yesterday evening I had a look through the information provided in the motel and came across the Wanaka River Journeys tour which has an optional flight with snow landing up in Mt Aspiring National Park. The brochure says it’s a four hour tour departing at 10 am, so return at about 2 o’clock. That should give us JUST enough time to get down to Manapouri by dark.  I strike out boldly, or perhaps foolishly, and give them a call. They can fit us in tomorrow and provide detailed instructions for where to meet…. But the scheduled departure time for tomorrow is 10.50. Hmm.  Oh well, we might spend the last little bit of the drive to Manapouri crawling along at a very slow speed. Not ideal but it might just be worth it.

I’m restless this morning and fancy a walk. I’m out and about before I realise that what I really feel like doing is explore around to Eely point or even out towards Lake Hawea. I head back to the motel and ask if anyone is interested in joining me. Nah. They’re lying in.  Righto, I won’t be long. Haha. Yeah.

It’s only a short drive around the point and I park and walk a loop around the headland. A few people are out exercising their dogs. One guy driving as his dog runs along. A white-faced Heron takes its ease on a rock by the shore of the lake.

I become compelled to go exploring in the brief time we have in Wanaka and hop back in the car and make for Lake Hawea. I become compelled to go exploring in the brief time we have in Wanaka and hop back in the car and make for Lake Hawea. It’s a hair brained scheme, but at least I get far enough towards the west coast to wish I could keep going. Then I wrestle with the wanderer in me and turn the car for home. I arrive back at about 5 minutes to 10. Lucky I’m a very fast in the shower! The room servicing people are snapping at our heels as I take my final leave at about 10 mins past ten. Worth it and now I’m all psyched up for our day’s adventure.

Hubby has arranged with the managers for us to leave our car here until our return from the tour. So packed up we head over the Doughbin bakery to pick up something to eat. I was thinking of some sort of healthy roll or something, but Hubby and son are quite intent on the pie cabinet which is self serve, as is apparently the norm in NZ.  I succumb to the temptation of a couple of what the Kiwis call “savouries” and Aussies call “party pies”.  They bring to mind the delicious savouries we had at Russell up on the Bay of Islands. It’s an unfortunate association to have because these ones aren’t in the running.  I also decide to get some survival rations for after our tour. We won’t have a minute to lose getting away this afternoon. We will NOT be stopping for lunch. Just need to make that clear to my companions. Having done so, I enquire “Do you want to pick up something you can eat on the way to Manapouri?”  Hubby picks up a ham and cheese roll but Son replies “Nah. That’s OK.” Right. I’d better make sure I’ve got enough to share then, because he WILL want something. I’ve done enough driving around with young people who work out or are in training to know they get HUNGRY! Son is training up for going in Tough Mudder… again.. he’s planning to do it every year… people surprise you. Our other Son is the one known as action man… Son1 is more the indoor type, but he clearly got a lot out of the Tough Mudder challenge last time. I pick up a savoury scroll thingy and decide to also try of the enormous Chelsea buns. We won’t win a prize for healthy diet on this holiday but at least it’s only for a week or so!

As it turns out we’re the only patrons for Wanaka River Journeys today, but we waste a bit of time waiting for a family whose booking has got a bit mixed up. The calm, clear weather allows a start in the jet boat from Glendhu Bay which is not usually possible in the warmer months. There's nothing wrong with the scenery as our driver (Sue) escorts us round the Lake. 
We’ve dressed as warmly as we can and this is supplemented by a wind and waterproof coat and life jacket provided for us. Life jackets are really thick and warm. As we dress we discuss the weather. We’re lucky today. There’s some low cloud, but we should get some clear sky when it burns off a bit. We can hear occasional loud bangs from the Treble Cone ski field which is nearby. They’re dislodging lose snow before opening in a few days.

The snow fields are beside themselves with glee at the huge dump of snow. Well… perhaps not Mt Hutt, whose snow dislodging before opening resulting in some significant infrastructure damage. Apparently here in Wanaka at this time of year they can suffer from temperature inversions which trap the cloud low. It can be pretty cold and miserable when it happens and can last for days or even weeks during which you don’t see the sun. Our gloves are supplemented by some nice windproof ones. 

We’re all looking rather a lot like the Michelin Man as we climb aboard the jetboat for a run down on what’s ahead and the obligatory safety briefing, Then we’re off. It’s a pleasant run across Lake Wanaka and around to the Matukituki River.  

We do occasional 360s in the jet boat, because we can, and they’re fun. We stop every now and again for short periods of commentary about the area. At one spot our attention is directed to some interestingly formed rocky hills where hobbits enjoyed a cooked breakfast and brought down the enemy upon them leading to Frodo being stabbed in the shoulder. Rivendell is located nearby. There’s a fair bit of post production on the Lord of the Rings movies, and our guide, James, reports that it took him several viewings to recognize the terrain.  The rocky braided river is a gull rookery in the warmer months. There’s no plants growing in the gravel and apparently they do get lupins. It’s interesting to see the river without those beautiful, destructive weeds. The regular stops give us opportunity to take photographs, but I’m snapping things as we travel as well. The scenery is beautiful. As jetboat trips go, this one is reasonably tame, so we’re allowed to bring the camera at our own risk. We get extra warning for spins to give us time to put the camera away.  At this time of year the rivers are generally flowing at their lowest, because there’s no snow melt. The jet boats don’t need much depth to operate, but to spin they need about a metre.  The journey upstream is very pleasant and the handrail on the boat is toasty warm and radiates heat through our gloves. It makes such a difference and I don’t feel the least bit cold along the way. We’re glad we decided to take this tour.

Eventually we tie the boat up near a large flat where our heliflight departs. We climb carefully up the little path, I’m distracted by the frost which has created a tracery of sparkling crystals all over the grass. I’ve never seen anything like this before. We have a little while to just be here quietly enjoying the spectacular scenery. Our chopper coming from Cattle Flat Station and our pilot today is Charlie, a very experienced search and rescue pilot. It’s a sweet little chopper just big enough for the four of us and with wonderful visibility. It looks quite new. Very nice! This is Son's first time in a chopper. Hubby and I know the drill. We wave Son into the front seat climb in ourselves and get organized with our headsets and seatbelts and we’re away.

There’s nothing like the thrill off rising up and seeing the earth shrink below us. The shadow of the chopper mimes our journey over the grey rubble of the braided river. Blue and grey becomes brown and white as we admire a homestead embraced by the garden of the home paddock.
The valley branches off in an invitation for exploration we don't accept. As we reach the head of this branch of the valley we come up close against the forested mountainside. The wind is blowing snow plumes off the top of the range. I long to go higher and see the distant ranges but we stay low and protected.  In no time we’re buzzing along the edge of a glacier. It’s got a deep fluffy layer of snow over it, but we can see the deep blue of the thick, fissured ice. Son is loving it. “This is worth the price of admission!” He exclaims.  

The snow is traced with the tracks of Chamois.  There’s cattle up here in the heights which gives us a bit of a surprise. Charlie takes the opportunity to check on them for their owner and we do a couple of circuits checking them over carefully. The snow this week is causing some serious problems for livestock. Volunteers have been called for snow raking to help rescue stranded sheep.

We make our snow landing near the cattle. Watch out for the cow pats, but the walking is easier if you use the cattle tracks. Charlie hops on the radio once he has promises that we won’t go any closer to the edge than where he’s leaving us, then it’s time for a group photo, using our camera. We move to get the sun in a more photo friendly position and in the process I step on some fresh snow and sink down to above the knee and overbalance. We squeal and laugh. 

Soon it’s time to reboard for a more direct flight back to the flat. Son insists I go in the front this time. It's all over too soon. We thank Charlie and walk with James across the flat and up into the forest. 

Beds of spongey moss carpet the ground under the trees. A perfect bed for hobbits or elves, or us if we had the time. NZ really is middle earth. Little toadstools emerge from dank earth. Across a gully through a veil of trees, a waterfall clatters onto rocks.  We pause and listen.

 Reluctantly we turn to crunch back to the boat. Across the river flats the sun sparkles on crystalline jewels of ice.     

As we near the river, I am grateful for the cold as we pick our way along a path that in warmer times has obviously been muddy but is now frozen. We clamber down the riverbank and into our seats. Soon we are zipping back down the river with the sun behind us. On the way up river the low northern sun, and sunstrike on the water was an issue, so having the sun at our backs is a relief. Nothing to do but soak up the glorious scenery. The day is still very calm and still and the lake is still. Barely a ruffle disturbs the mirror surface. A ripple rent between the worlds of a novel.

With only the three of us on the tour we make a pretty speedy get away back at Glendhu Bay and Sue drops us at Bella Vista where after a brief review of our wonderful adventure we dive into the car and ask Tommie to take the most direct route he can to Manapouri, so long as its via Cardona! Not a moment to lose. I don’t really need the advice people have provided that they’d take Crown Range Road.  At Cardrona the temperature plummets and it is a magical fairyland of white. There’s some light fog and all the trees are frosted. Bright red berries provide a contrast and cute little cabins sit with snowy roofs. It’s absolutely gorgeous. 

I'm driving and chastise my front passenger for not being on the ready with the camera. Such a scene to miss! The snow is quite deep and we see no obvious places that look safe to stop and anyhow we’re in a hurry. We live in the moment for a change. 

As we travel down Crown Range Road the scenery is simply breathtaking. WOW! OMG. I’ve been along here before but in the snow this scenery comes into its own. A lookout is provided. YES! I’m glad I’m driving and pull in. We’re not missing this one! The busy traffic here has compacted the ground to ice. It’s very slippery to walk on. I employ the tripod for a group shot against the view. In the photo the view looks completely ordinary and doesn’t remotely convey the spectacle before us. How frustrating! People will just have to trust us on this one.  
The red on the trees ahead are dense clusters of berries. Once again I am struck by the beauty of the bare winter trees. I guess the planting of exotics give an opportunity for artistry.
We skirt around Queenstown again and take the beautiful drive down along Lake Wakatipu. It's difficult to capture from the passenger side when heading south and it's clear that I'm the one with experience photography from a moving car.  

The red on the trees ahead are dense clusters of berries

We stop to change drivers

We’re just through the snowiest areas as it’s getting dark, but we’ve still got about 45 minutes to go and we note the warnings along the way, taking our time, driving carefully. We switch drivers. We can’t afford to not be on top of the game and anyway I need to call Fiordland Expeditions, so Hubby takes over the wheel. We encounter no problems and easily find Acheron Cottages where the rooms and the welcome are warm. 

Acheron Cottages are wonderful value and really comfortable. Many of the reviewers on TA comment that they wish they were staying longer here. So do we.

For dinner we head on over to Te Anau and the Redcliff Café.  It's a bit of a hike after such a long drive.  It's pretty quiet tonight. Not many patrons. First up Hubby orders a Montieths Raddler, while Son goes for a glass of riesling.
We start with some grilled bread and dips.  All the dips were nice but the smokey semi dried tomato dip was sensational ($16). Hubby is adventurous with a starter of Roasted Fresh Titi  (Muttonbird) from the Titi Islands off Rakiura. It comes served with a pallet cleansing citrus & rocket salad & potato matchsticks ($20.50). Well, where else can you try that! He enjoyed it. I sampled and it tasted like fish oil, I guess not surprising given their diet.
Our mains are more standard fare. Fish of the day for me - Blue Cod on roast capsicum risotto with cargrilled zucchini. Son opted for NZ Prime Hereford ribeye steak with smokey duck fat roasted potatoes, buttered seasonal vegetables and flame grilled green capsicum chutney ($39). Hubby goes with a guaranteed success - slow roasted pork belly & pan seared scallops served with watercress and marscarpone crushed potatoes & a pineapple chilli salsa ($34).
We shouldn't. But we do. Hubby leads the way with a Menage A trois of house made cheesecake. Son concedes and has a trilogy of home made ice cream. I indulge in the warm deconstructed fruit crumble. All were $12.50. Son won the dessert round easily. Hubby takes a break from routine and orders a latte (which looks like it's served in a jar) rather than the usual capuccino. A very nice meal. Research pays off. 

The Travelling Trio NZ - Part 3 - Otago Settler's Museum and on to Wanaka

Monday 24th June

Today we have decided that we will resume our original plan, so we’re heading up to Wanaka. The roads are now open but with some active warnings of snow and ice. The drive won’t take all day so before we drag ourselves away from Dunedin we’ll make a quick visit to Toitu, The Otago Settler’s Museum which has been recently redeveloped. I had actually intended to take the Dunedin walking tour, but we’re running a little bit late so we decide to explore the museum and see what we can find there about the ancestors. 

 The building is impressive, with a large new entry area that complements the reuse of a string of heritage properties along Queen’s Gardens. Pay and display parking doesn’t give us very long, but we have to make this a quick visit in any case. I take my time adding my life force to the large pounamu boulder at the entry way which is smooth with the caresses of those who visit. I encourage Son to do the same and explain that you should only receive pounamu things as a gift, not buy it for yourself so it would make a great souvenir to take to someone special as a present.

I then concentrate my attention on the early European settlement period noting that the gold rush occurred in the early 1860s. Like gold rushes everywhere, the influx of people from all over the world had a profound impact on the Otago region. There’s lots of great displays, but in the short time I have today I need to get a sense of what I can find on the family. To the research rooms I go. The attendant directs me to the computer bank and gives me a quick run down on the resources arrayed on the tables. I have no joy finding any reference to James or William Russell in either text or the volumes of photograph indexes. James died in 1885, William in 1908. Gosh my forebears were good at flying under the radar. Matthew Russell died in the 1930s and the only reference to him is a short note at a meeting of the Early Settlers Association noting that he had died and stating that he had emigrated to Port Chalmers in 1866. 

The attendant at the research rooms gives me a few leads I could follow if I had time. Unfortunately I don’t have time. Oh damn. I might just have to come back again some time and devote a few days to the research. How will I ever bear it? Before we leave we do a wander through the remaining galleries. Truly impressive. My goodness Kiwis pull a good museum together.

The cemetery website says that the Southern Heritage Trust accepts submissions about people who are buried in the Northern Cemetery. When I get home I’d better get some information together and send it in. I’m proud to have a connection to this lovely city.

It's nearly midday and we’ve got just one more essential errand here before we set off. Brunch. We're following TripAdvisor advice and heading to The Good Oil Cafe. We find a metred parking spot on George St and make our way across the road, only slightly delayed by Hubby pointing out the restaurant he'd liked the look of - The Reef Steak and Seafood. They had seafood chowder on the menu and that is always  a lure for Hubby. The reviews of the Good Oil have made a big deal of the sticky cinnamon buns so that was a big drawcard for me but I add Potato and feta rosti with bacon and poached eggs. Hubby can't resist Penne with chicken, bacon and mushrooms, while Son indulges in a Big Breakfast. This has kransky, bacon, poached eggs, tomato, and mushrooms on toasted ciabatta. The cinnamon swirls are totally delicious. I had bought one to take away and have later, but after a little nibble we decide we'll get one warm to share now. Soooo good. I really must learn to make sticky cinnamon buns.
Amply fortified for the journey, we’re off to Wanaka. 

Our car has a dashboard display showing the outside temperature. We find this very useful for assessing the risk of ice on the road, adjusting our speed to the temperature. Generally we are keeping at least 10 kph below the limit, but when the temperature is down around freezing we drop the speed back further to about 80, taking particular care to slow down before bends and so forth. It’s a bit like driving on dirt. 
Just expect a loose slippery surface and drive cautiously. No drama. 

Our route is out through Mosgiel and Milton. We pass a lot of standing water.

Then the turn up towards Lawrence. Here’s where my curiosity pays off because it turns out that the bloke who wrote the lovely tune to God Defend New Zealand was from Lawrence! How lucky to be passing through. He wrote the tune to complement the lyric in one sitting in response to a competition. His name was John Joseph Woods and he was originally from Tasmania. Bracken (who wrote the lyric) was raised in Victoria. Both these places were, like NZ, simply colonies of Empire in those days, but it illustrates the depth of the connection between Australia and NZ. So many important figures had an interest and/or influence in both countries.

It’s not long before we get into the higher country where there is widespread snow. This, our first real experience of snowy landscapes and is both fascinating and beautiful. At times the scenes we're passing illicit a gasp "Oh look at that!"

A rainbow makes a stop at the Clutha River irresistable. 
We follow the river upstream and are very interested to find stops at lookouts over its various dams and hydro power stations. The first and most informative is at Roxburgh. We hunch our shoulders and snuggle into our jackets in response to the wind chill but we can't stand still for long.

At Alexandra we make a brief stop to get a picture of the clock on the mountainside. I wonder who has these ideas. Getting that enormous clock up there must have taken some doing! I wonder if it was controversial. It reminds me of the Saint on Castle Hill in Townsville hanging over the town like that. It's no hardship to be passenger travelling beside The Clutha River. 

At one point we stop so I can get a look at a memorial to the discoverers of gold in the area. The men aren't interested and wait in the car. I fuss about getting the shot right and admiring the scene upstream. I turn around to  go back to the car and gasp. Looking down the river I am presented with a beautiful scene. Bright pale sky blue water snaking back and forth in a serpentine effect amongst the brown hillsides. Wow. “Come and see this.” I call. None of us expected that! We’re starting to get into the sort of scenery that gives us a hint of what NZ is capable of. Awesome.           

A quick snap of the cluster of fruit announcing the communities pride at Cromwell. As we get nearer to the snowfields and Wanaka the mountains, covered in the huge 
dump of snow last week present as a huge white wall rising suddenly out of tranquil green pastures, hidden in shadow. The snow shines in the late afternoon sun. A contrast to the heavy bank of grey cloud obscuring the bright blue of the sky. 
Before long we’re checking in to Bella Vista Motel which is very conveniently located right in the heart of Wanaka. Our room is cold. The standard is basic. It's a bit disappointing.
It’s still light, but will soon be dark. We turn on the heaters and make our way to the lake to enjoy the fading light, silhouettes and whatever sunset appears. Our breath hangs in the air and we jiggle and shuffle our feet in the cold, but the beauty keeps us captive until night claims the lake and dims the golden glow of the trees lining the water.

We've organised a tour for tomorrow so we explore the street and make sure we know where we need to be in the morning. It takes a while before we finally locate the Wanaka River Journeys sign in a prominent position, precisely where we were told to look for it. We head back to our room hoping that the heaters running in our absence have made a dent in the cold.
Marginally.

Dinner is at Francesca’s Italian Kitchen. My research tells me this is the place to eat in Wanaka at the moment so I have booked us a table for 7pm.  We rest in our rooms for a while and wander across the street for dinner. Bella Vista may be colder than I'd prefer but you certainly can't complain about the location. 
Francesca's has a great atmostphere and too many tempting things on the menu. There's a burley young fellow manning a wood fired pizza oven over in the corner and the menu is offering a special on imported truffles that were only able to be acquired through personal connections. 
Everything about Francesca's is brilliant other than the table service, which is indifferent. As has become the habitual practice, I capture the progress of our meal on my phone. Arancini filled with tallegio cheese is delicious. I know some people who I can torture with thoughts of those delightful little morsels. They come in a serve of four. There are three of us eating. Oh how tragic, someone will have to have Tommie’s share. Crumbed buffalo mozzarella. Mmm.  Hubby has to have the Ribolitta with caolo nero and reggiano (a rustic vegetable bean soup) served with grilled ciabatta. Our mains: braised duck ragu with pappardelle, porcini and pancetta - Son; Beef lasagne with salad -Hubby; House made potato gnocchi with braised beef cheek ragu, pecorino and gremolata - me. Yes, everthing tasted as good as it looks and sounds!

The Travelling Trio NZ - Part 2 - Dunedin Northern Cemetery, Larnach Castle and Orokonui Eco Sanctuary.

Day 3 - Sunday 23rd June

It's a spectacular sunrise today. The sun rises late and sets early here at this time of year so it’s hard to miss it.
I’ve been busy on the internet making up for my lack of preparation for a visit to Dunedin. The typical tourist things I’m familiar with, but I have discovered that my great great grandfather is buried in the Northern Cemetery and I’ve not come prepared to go looking for him. Luckily the Northern Cemetery has an excellent website that includes a map to show us exactly where he is. With this information we instruct Tommie to take us over there. Easy.

We park by the entrance gate and wander in. We’re not the only ones who’ve decided to walk here today. The cemetery is a lovely place for a walk and is well maintained. It’s impressive. Dunedin was a city founded to be a “new Edinburgh”. It was and is proud of its Scottish roots. The website has explained that many of the immigrants were seeking a more egalitarian society where opportunity was not stifled by a rigid class system. Unfortunately that is not what they found and the cemetery reflects this. There are various grades of real estate in the cemetery. The more affluent folk could afford level grave sites on high ground. Middle class plots were less expensive and the cheapest plots were down in the gully.

We easily find the grave of Matthew Russell, my great great grandfather’s brother. It’s a high level plot and has a fairly standard grave site cover with RUSSELL on it. James Russell was the eldest of three brothers who emigrated from Auchinleck, Scotland, and his grave too is on high level ground. So the family could clearly afford a good cemetery plot. But there is no headstone or name marking James’s plot at all, just a couple of old roses planted in a neatly tended patch of earth.Puzzling. 

James’s widow, Susan, and their children moved to Sydney after his death, leaving the surviving brothers and their families behind. The only record of arrival I have found may suggest that Susan worked her passage to Sydney. I am convinced they were not fond of James Russell or his family. 

My Great Great Grandmother Susan Morton

My great grandmother had six sons all named for family, and in one case named comprehensively after her mother’s second husband. She was very proud to have been born and raised in Dunedin and of being Scottish, but she didn’t remember her own father in her sons names at all. Got to be a reason for that!

My Great Grandmother Jessie Aird Russell

 Who knows, perhaps they helped pay for the memorial that was erected by James’s father in Scotland.

What’s equally puzzling is that James’s brother William and his wife and daughter in law were interred in this plot years later, they also have not been given a memorial on the grave. Perhaps whatever gravestone was erected has since been removed. Son and I pose for photos at our forefather's grave and we do our best to capture the scene with its snatches of views over the water.
Nearby we stop to admire the ornate tomb of the Larnachs and read the interesting information board outside. The sun is at an inconveniently low northern position making photography difficult at this time of year. We walk what the map suggests is a loop back to the car and get a bit confused so end up back tracking. The Northern Cemetery is one of Dunedin’s hidden gems. We’re glad we had reason to stop by. The cemetery website also has a number of self guided trails you can take on various themes. I very much enjoyed learning something about Thomas Bracken, the poet who wrote the lyric to NZ’s beautiful national anthem, God Defend New Zealand. He was also the first to use the term God’s own country, as applied to NZ. He has a memorial just outside the cemetery gates.

Our next stop is Taiaroa Head and the Albatross Centre. Ah. The road has been closed. I guess it is probably due to rock falls or a slip. That puts paid to that idea. We turn up Allens Beach Road and take a quick look at Hoopers Inlet and Papanui Inlet. 

It’s coming on for midday by now. Never mind, Larnach Castle gets promoted up the day’s list. Finding our way to Larnach Castle involves meandering around the high roads with their glorious views down across the water and back to Dunedin and Port Chalmers and the snow.

Let’s be clear, Larnach Castle is NOT a castle! It’s an ornate house with a small castellated roof top tower. It’s well worth the visit but it isn’t a castle. We ring the doorbell as the signage directs and are greeted by a young woman in a tartan pleated skirt. She supplements the garden guides we were provided at the ticket gate and gives us directions as to the route to take to view the house. Downstairs is a small museum room that tells the story of the house and the family which is unexpectedly dramatic with some soap opera features. It would make a good TV miniseries perhaps. Next door is a little video room which presents a short video about the family who fell in love with the neglected property back in the 1960s and who have devoted their lives to restoring and sharing this piece of NZ heritage. I so admire people who do this. I’m glad we’ve come and contributed to its upkeep and improvement. Gradually the new custodians have collected items from the original family. Some pieces have been donated by the original family too. It’s very well done and we enjoy exploring the various rooms but it doesn’t take long. Not quite an hour to have a good look around the house and admire the beautiful craftsmanship of the carved ceilings and Minton tiled floors etc and of course admire the views from the rooftop.

Predictably Hubby goes for the seafood chowder ($14.50). He also pigs out on another serve of lovely battered Blue Cod ($22.50). Blue Cod is SO good. Son has creamy chicken pie, which is quite spicy with beautiful pastry ($12.50).  Both washed down with cappucino. I opted for the Smoked salmon and caper pasta with zesty lemon creamy sauce ($14.50). Too much sauce. Way too much sauce. The pasta is a bit too soft. It’s a bit soupy. Not nice. Apple and feijoa juice an indulgence. A cosy meal.

We make a half hearted attempt at a wander in the garden, but end up giving it a miss and heading over to Orokonui Eco Sanctuary. So much snow!! So Cold. What a view!! They have built a nice big (warm) education centre just outside the predator proof fencing with huge glass walls overlooking the valley. Great spot for a coffee break!! We trudge carefully through the snow down to the entrance. Son's face is a picture as he exclaims "That guy's wearing SHORTS!"

No sooner do we step inside than the weather takes a turn for the worse and rain drives across the landscape. We stall for time by browsing the gift shop. Then noting the rain has stopped, we pay $16 each and wander out into the snow. 

We have been advised by the friendly lady taking our money that it’s about 15 minutes of snow covered ground before we reach the protection of the forest where it should be quite sheltered and pleasant. We trudge through a few inches of snow up past the statue of Tane Mahuta to an open area where we understand the Takahe have tended to hang out. Not easy sign of them. The wind is bitter and we soon lose any inclination to persevere. Hubby and I have seen takahe at Tiri Tiri Matangi, so this is no biggie.

 We head back down along the Kaka track. In the cold the feeder stations have been very active and this is proven when we reach the first of three and find it seems to be empty. Not a bird in sight. The forest is pleasant as predicted. It’s attractive, but not as beautiful as the forest at Purukaunui Falls in the Catlins, or around Lake Matheson in Westland if you’re heading to those areas.
The second feeder station is still well stocked and bellbirds are busily availing themselves of the nectar from the bottles. We watch for a few minutes hoping that the Tuis calling in the trees nearby come down to show themselves. Tuis are my favourite NZ bird….closely followed by Kea.  Sure enough a Tui bullies the smaller bellbirds out of the action. A second Tui joins in briefly and then they are gone. But at least Son has seen these special birds. We know we are very short of time here before closing so we can’t hang about long. Son runs off down the hill and back… there’s a fork in the path. He does a lot of running back and forth during our visit. Along the way I see a lovely little tomtit.. and there’s a few other birds around too, but my companions aren’t really birders and are walking ahead of me, making plenty of noise. I concentrate on the exercise as we climb back up the hill to the visitor centre. I slip further behind as I find a lovely little fungus. New Zealand is great for spotting cool varieties of fungi.

Nearing the gate I realize I’ve lost my watch. Too late to do anything about it. Que sera sera. Orokonui is a fairly new sanctuary. Millions have been invested on the fencing alone. Although this time of year presents it’s challenges, we are very glad to have allocated time here today and glad to have supported this important project.

We have one last family errand here and go in search of the address shown on some family documentation. I have no idea whether the house we find is original. It's probably been clad at the very least. Can't say I find it all that enticing, but we see what is currently on that plot of land. I imagine my forebears wandering up and down this street. Spirits drifting in and out.
I've had a real struggle trying to decide where we should eat tonight. We don't really want high end this time. Something a bit more mid-range would be more appropriate. The reviews indicate that most people think the Speight's Ale House is pretty good so in the end we decide to do that. We parked around the corner after circling the block a couple of times before figuring the bit of a walk down a steep hill in the cold was actually our best option. At first when we arrived we puzzled about where the actual door was to be found. It was pretty simple in the end and we felt a bit stupid. It's a nice ambience and cosy warm despite the huge space. I had slow braised prime steak, Porter beer gravy with (far too peppery) mash and peas topped with bacon and carameslised onions . Hubby had  Shearer's Shanks, oven roasted with thyme and garlic, Ale House gravy and mint sauce with mash and vege. I think Son had Chicken Parcels. The bacon used was superb. 

The Travelling Trio NZ - Part 1 - Getting to Christchurch and on to Dunedin

Hubby and I are travelling with our Son who is 27. So there’s three of us…. Well four actually. We have brought Tommie our indispensible travel companion (aka  ourTomTom World).  People will tell you that you don’t need one. NZ is easy to navigate. This is true. I also have my SI Road Atlas as back up. But gosh, Tommie proves handy throughout the trip. So much easier than trying to read the tiny print in the road atlas and Hubby values being able to glance over and see what the road ahead will be doing. I was a reluctant convert to satnav but that TomTom World has been worth every penny.

Having had a very positive result from relying on TripAdvisor ratings in the past, I have continued to do so this time.

This is my second trip to the South Island. Hubby and Son have not been to the South Island before. I think it is fair to say that Son is a Kiwi sceptic.

 Day 1 - Friday 21st June - Sydney to Christchurch

Our flight departs just after 9 am so that requires getting the train at about 5:30. Before we head to get our boarding passes we try calling Son. No answer. Finally in desperation we go through security and make our way to the gate after grabbing a pretty ordinary and uninspiring breakfast from one of the little cafes. Son eventually calls. He’d set his alarm and fell asleep again after it went off. He asks our advice about whether to get a taxi or the train. He opts for the train. He’s pretty confident he’ll be here in ample time. Son travels internationally pretty regularly for work and he obviously knows what he’s doing. He times it well and rocks up to the departure gate before they start boarding. Boarding is a bit delayed. The weather has been wild in New Zealand over the last day or so and there are no flights at all into Wellington because the capital is suffering the onslaught of a big storm. We talk about IT, no jobs and 457 visas. Son feels no threat. Competent software engineers are rare in any country.

Our flight is uneventful and we’re not all seated together.  As we cross the coast the conditions are fairly clear, but we are flying into wet. Our approach gives views of a lot of standing water and the Waimakariri River is running with pale brown run off. Touch down in Christchurch is just after 2 pm.
Before we leave the airport we pick up local SIM cards. Vodafone has a bundle that gives us phone and 500M of data for $30. Son decides to get that. I just do what he’s doing. He’s a better judge of such things than me. We also took advice at Avis and upgraded from the luggage space deficient hybrid Camry to a brand new RAV 4. Excellent choice. Lovely car. Felt nice and secure in AWD under the challenging conditions. Worth the extra $15 a day.
When I get to questioning them, I discovered that Son and Hubby haven’t really come suitably equipped for the conditions we’re expecting to encounter and instructions from planned tours, so the afternoon was spent shopping at Westfield in Riccarton Road. There’s a special on at Macpac and we pick up a range of warmth inducing clothing including geothermals 3 pieces for $50. I grab a couple of extra layers of beanie and a neck warmth thingy which I figure someone will want despite their protestations at the moment about not needing any such thing. Hubby picked up a couple of pairs of trackies for NZ $10 each in Kmart. Clothes seem much cheaper here than at home. We also pick up a few supplies in PaknSave: cereal and Kiwi snack varieties. We admire fresh produce which includes things that aren't common at home.
The essentials completed we check into Lorenzo Motor Lodge and find they have upgraded us to the two bedroom apartment. It’s cosy and warm when we walk in. It’s an excellent standard and an excellent welcome. Same room I was in 2009. Still immaculate. The Lorenzo is great.
I’ve done a bit of research about where to have dinner. Options were provided to my companions and Son liked the idea of dinner at Kinji so I made a booking for 7 pm. This is Japanese and the top rated restaurant on TripAdvisor. We’re really glad we’ve got the TomTom and though we have to make a couple of passes to spot the restaurant, our navigation over to Greers Road is just so much easier being able to set the destination and leave Tommie to it.
We wander into the restaurant and are greeted by a friendly young Japanese woman and shown to a table by the front window. Son leads the ordering and we start with 3 pieces of Nigiri Sushi (Tokyo Style) $. This is followed by Kinji’s Fried Chicken (KFC) ($18) at Hubby's insistence; Soft Shell Crab & Cauliflower Tempura with salad ($18) at my insistence; and Son requested some balls. I think they were octopus balls. I didn’t notice them on the menu but the restaurant was happy to provide them.  The food is delicious and a great success for the opening meal of our trip. Dessert is irresistible. Son had the Match Affogato (Vanilla ice cream with Matcha Green Tea Sauce) $8. Hubby opted for the Green Tea Tiramisu $10, and I opted for the more conservative Crème Brulee which was also $10. Everything was great. Fabulous quality and value. All inclusive $113 NZ for the three of us including drinks. No wonder Kinji is  rated number 1.
The return to Lorenzo is just as easy with Tommie leading the way. We quickly dart upstairs to the warmth of our room and a rest. Arthur’s Pass is blocked by record snowfalls. It’s not looking good for tomorrow but we’ll see what’s going on when we get up tomorrow. Meanwhile we’re considering our options for an alternative approach to the next couple of days. The only absolute essential is to be in position in Manapouri for our overnight on Doubtful sound.

PS: Son says, "Gee these geothermals make a big difference." Uh huh. No such thing as bad weather only the wrong clothes.

Day 2 - Saturday 22nd June - Christchurch to Dunedin

We’re supposed to head across to the West Coast, but the weather has mistimed by a day and Arthurs Pass and numerous other roads around the South Island are still closed when I check the highways website again this morning. This is no minor situation and the news is reporting that this is record snow falls for the first week in the season – over a metre and a half and more is forecast. Luckily, booking conditions allow me to cancel our helihike and accommodation at Fox Glacier without penalty. It’s time to implement the back up plan. However, I discover that conditions don’t make my back up plan very appealing. We had thought we would head to Akaroa if the pass was blocked, but it is still bucketing down rain and there’s flooding and landslips around the place. We can drive an hour and a half in steep winding terrain to Akaroa and explore that in pouring rain, or we can spend the whole day driving to Dunedin. There is only one not negotiable thing on our trip. We leave for overnight on Doubtful Sound on Wednesday. All things considered Dunedin seems to be the best option and gives us greatest flexibility no matter what the weather does. Dunedin it is.
It’s a pretty purposeful drive through heavy rain. I’m a bit surprised to find that the bare trees are really lovely, especially along the rivers. They present a tracery of gold and as we travel over coming days the various colours of the bare branches are a real feature in the gorgeous landscapes. The warnings for the highways heading to Dunedin include areas where there is water over the road. Luckily this is not too much drama, but we need to drive carefully.

We pause to admire the big trout at Rakaia.

 We stop in Timaru for lunch. We like Timaru. It’s hillier than I expected. I do a quick internet search on TripAdvisor. What’s good around here? There’s no trouble getting a convenient parking spot on Bay Hill and admire the views over to the water before retreating indoors to Fusion restaurant. On our way in I’ve been rather taken by the daily fish special – Pan fried Gurnard on a pumpkin spaetzle with tomato salsa & hollandaise sauce. The full menu doesn’t offer me anything to tempt me more so I stick with it. Hubby has the Paella styled rice with chicken, vegetables, chorizo sausage, greenshell mussels, squid and prawns, cooked and served in the pan with tomato salsa, olives and fresh lemon. He’s always tempted by seafood paella or pasta. Son decides he will try the Hot and spicy Cajun chicken breast with tomato salsa and minted cucumber yoghurt dressed salad of lettuce, parmesan, bacon, boiled egg and sweet corn croutons. Each of our meals is very satisfying and tasty. I threw caution to the wind and accompanied my meal with a delicious Ginger Kiss mocktail - gingerbread syrup in apple juice. Yum! Among the cappuccino options was to have cinnamon sprinkled on the top instead of chocolate. Son is surprised and hasn’t come across that option before. He decides to discover why. Ew. Not very nice!

We've realised more things we've forgotten, and Son takes a wander down the street a bit to see if he can see somewhere nearby that sells toothbrushes and save us another trip to the supermarket.  He's back soon having had no joy and we end up at the local New World Supermarket. I love the clever use of the silver fern in the company logo.

It’s fairly late in the day and the rain is taking a break as we’re passing the Moeraki Boulders. We decide to check out the café and its closer access. $2 for members of the public to use the well graveled track this private enterprise has provided for patrons. That’s a reasonable charge we think, but they decline our offer of payment because they are closing up. We wander down among the boulders and they are worth the effort we have taken to stop. We have the place to ourselves. We spend a while hanging out on the sand. Just soaking up the place. Watching the local Oystercatchers feeding among the rocks. 

The rocks along the beach are REALLY slippery. Hubby slips on the stairs too leaving a long dirty strip of sand down his back.  It’s treacherous in the wet, but good to stretch our legs. We clean our boots on the scrubber station provided and flick sand up into our faces and we laugh and have a joke.

Onward to Dunedin. We pass an area with lots of snow all around. We pass Orokonui Bird Sanctuary in as we pass through a snowy area. Ah yes. That’s somewhere I’d like to go while we’re here. We have booked rooms at Bluestone on George. This is a fairly new and immaculately maintained block of self contained apartments with additional communal lounge area and a gym. Our tariff is $165 NZ for each double room which translates as $138 AU or thereabouts. We think it's great value for the standard.

Dinner is had at Fish Hook, which is a few hundred metres down the road. Between us we got crumbed blue cod; battered blue cod, a serve of seafood chowder, a couple of scallops and Hubby fed his spring roll addiction. Well. The blue cod is a must of course. We preferred the crumbed to the battered option, but both were good. Our table has a fish hook embedded in it.
It’s a brisk walk back to Bluestone on George in the chilly conditions. Temperatures have been only about 4C and as darkness falls it gets even colder, but the exercise is welcome. Bluestone on George has a long steep driveway and it’s quite steep even from the car parking spaces. No problem for us, but people who are less mobile would find it challenging. Our accommodation is excellent. They have even provided a selection of pillows and told us what they are filled with. One is filled with feathers and we can call reception to have it removed from the room if feathers are a problem. Ample free internet is provided in our room, but we can buy more if we need. It’s so nice to be back in Dunedin.

Oh, I should have noted, internet is free at Lorenzo in Christchurch too.