Westport,Murchisson,Nelson,Havelock Linkwater,Cowshed Bay
A last view at the West Coast and we're on our way to Nelson Bay, got to get some food at the supermarket in Westport to leave it behind us to take the road between Westport and Murchisson that winds it way through a number of sensationnaly gorges and the Bull Range some of New Zealand's roughest nature.
A first stop at the Bull River Swingbridge, New Zealand's longest wit 110 m, a walk over the bridge and down to Bull River , Dorine fears heights , so she stay's in the park reading a book instead....
The ride goes on to Nelson , we park the motorhomle and have a nice walk in the city, followed by a tough walk all the way up to the Central New Zealand Point where you have a stunning view overlooking Nelson and Nelson Bay.
With more sunshine hours than almost anywhere in the country, its whitesand and golden sand beaches, Nelson is a heaven for holidaymakers.
The region is famous for its seafood and fruit growing.
We decide to continue a liitle further to The Marlborough Sounds with hundreds of lovely coves and waterways, a dream for sailing,kayaking, fishing and camping and that is just what we are looking for....
It is also New Zealand's argest wine region with 75% wine production.
It is often mentioned that no wine in the world tastes like the Marlborough Wine( read they think they're the best), though I have another opinion...a very good wine , but....
Arriving at Havelock, best known as the Greenshell Mussel Capital, a large mussel and the best place in town "The Musselpot" guess what...is closed, so no mussels but pancakes made by me and approved by Luc, Martin and Dorine
Leaving the road at Linkwater on a small winding road along Makau Sound and Kenepuru Sound, it take's us to Cowshed Bay...our lovely camp
for the night.
We're only 50km away from Picton where we have to catch the ferry tomorrow at 14h30
Gillespie Beach, Fox Glacier,Franz Josef Glacier,Whatoroa,Harihari,Ross, Hokitika, Greymouth,Punakaiki,Westport
Waking up this morning with a clear blue sky I realize that Gillespie Beach must be a popular camp spot for youngsters, tents, vans, campingcars
filled up the entire camp spot...it seems a lot of people want to visit the fur seal colony point that can be reached after a 2 hours walk.
We brake up camp and drive back on a unsealed road to Fox Glacier with a nice view upon the glacier, coming down all the way from the mountain into the rainforest, it seems to be a one of a kind...
Some 50 km further a second glacier "the Franz Josef" and we're about to leave Glacierland.
Next village, Whatoroa what means "white heron" and a little bit further on the road 2 lovely Lake's , Lake Maporika and Lake Wahapi.
Time for a nice coffee in Harihari, the village got its name after the Australian Guy Menzie, the first pilot to fly from Sydney over the Tasman Sea, but crashed in the swamps nearby Harihari.
As we arrive in Ross, we follow the goldtrail and end up in Ross Museum of Gold, quite interesting and it must have been hard times those days
It is a historical Goldmine that started in 1860 with the Goldrush.
Lunch we have at the lovely Lake Makinapua...and back on our way to Hokitika, West Coast's most attractive city, since 1866, thanks to the Goldmines, it turned from no more than a settling to a commerce centre where the Gold was traded.
Many Australian mineworkers came by ship to Hokitika , but as it was a tricky harbour, between 1865 and 1866 every 10 weeks a ship didn't make it .
We had a visit to the National Kiwi Center and spotted a Kiwi, didn't know at all they were that big...
From there it goes to Punakaiki to visit the famous Pancake Rocks and blowholes, dramatically set on the West Coast.
We need to find a place to Camp and end up in Westport.
Queenstown,Arrowton,Wanaka,Haast, Fox Glacier, Gillespies Beach
Leaving Oueenstown behind us on Molaghan Road , on our way to Arrowton, a old golddigger's town where Chinese miners had a big influence in the history of Arrowton and still do. Today coaches full of Chinese visitors are brought to this little town to buy gold at the local jewelery.
On the road to Wanaka we take a look at the Bungy Jump Karawau bridge,43m height...some jump, others backup
Back on the road to Wanaka we take a look at the view point "The Neck" a small piece of land 35 km long between Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka
with some fantastic views on both lakes that are often't mentioned as Southern's most beautiful Lake's.
We were so spoiled to be able to have lunch with such a scene in front of us...life could be worser.
Meantime the clouds moved away and the sun is shining more and more...just the way I like it, so we even get to enjoy the game of colors even better.
Lake Wanaka is New Zealand's fourth largest lake and Wanaka sit's at the entrance to the Mount Aspiring National Park and is as Queenstown a adventure point .
After lunch we follow the road through the Southern Alps direction Haast with a short stop at Fantail fall's and once past Haast we finally hit the West Coast of New Zealand which is one of the most isolated places with a dramatic coastline and some of the best preserved rain forest through the years.
They say most of rain fall's here but when I ask the locals, it doesn't seem to be like this...as everything is so green I think the truth lay's somewhere in between.
Enjoying the coastal road with some stunning views we have another stop at Knights Point, it seems to be a point where around 1860 a lot of ships were rigged against the rocks.
Further stops at Lake Moeraki and Bruce Bay before we enter the land of glaciers with first glacier at Fox Glacier...it's time to look out for a camp spot and we find a very nice wild camp spot at Gillespie beach, that also used to be a goldmine.
During our evening walk we see some old rusted machine parts that witness the goldmines
Fortrose,Gore,Lumsden, Kingston, Lake Wakatipu,Queenstown
After a quite stormy night at Toetoe's Bay we brake up camp and leave Fortrose back North, direction Gore
Arriving in Gore our attention goes to a statue of a huge brown trout in the center of the city.
Apparently Gore is a good spot to catch a trot in the river Mataura... but somehow i'm not very interested ...lol...
fish and me are two things that don't go along...
Gore is also known for the illegal distillery of Moonshine(Whisky) during the bootleg from 1902 till 1953
The story is that the Scottish family Mc Rae , after a long journey from Scotland to New Zealand early 1870 , settled in the Hokunui hill's and it didn't take long before they started to distillate Whisky, at first for own consumption...but quickly they start selling the whisky so they were able to buy clothes and food.
During the bootlegging a lot of illegal distillery's were active and Gore was the city where they sold their Moonshine.
Nice museum
The ride goes on in between the Hokonui and Taringatura Hill's all the way to Lumsden and Kingston, where we want to visit "The Kingston flyer"
a old steam train that has been refurnished and is a great attraction today...but we're as lucky as with the wet weather...the locomotive is away for technical maintenance so only a photo from the railway station at Lake Wakatipu.
Long ago Kingston was the end station for travelers that came all the way South by boat or train , now it turned into a sleeping village.
Another 40km to go to our end station of the day...Queenstown, Capital of adventure, situated at the North East corner of Lake Wakatipu , surrounded by the Remarkables mountain ridge.With its dramatic landscapes and dynamic activities it ensures its position as New Zealand best lake and alpine resort...every adventure you can imagine is done here.
It is also loved by several Hollywood film producers for its stunning scenery.
Some activity's bungy jumping 134m, skydiving,canyon swinging,rafting,skiing,hiking,.....
After a walk in the town center we find a nice Holiday Park for the night...hopefully the sky clears up tomorrow
This morning after a quite cold night we left our camp spot hitting for Slope Point, the Southern-most point of the South Island.
First stop in Dunedin , known for its yearly piper festival what represents the Scottish influences.St Paul's Anglican Cathedral's two towers are rising out the skyline of Dunedin.
We continue our journey to Milton, Balclutha with a next stop at Nugett Point with it's lighthouse and a lot of fur seals, Penguins, Sea Lions and Sea Elephants to watch....although temperature outside has dropped to 10°...quite chilly and we have to put on our jeans and fleeces .
After a nice walk to the lighthouse and enjoyed the views we continue to Owaka , Purakaunui Falls,Cathedral Caves(entrance closed), Waikawa to have a stop at Curio Bay and Slope Point.
Another 35km drive on gravel roads through the Quarry Hill's arriving in Fortrose where we find a free camping spot at Toetoes Bay ...
I wander what Dorine, our cook of the day is going to serve us...
After a good shower and breakfast we brake up and leave direction Dunedin.
Driving along the summit road with lot's of nice bay's and hill's we get in the countryside , cows, sheep and a lot of farming going on.
The road goes on passing Ashburton,Timaru and a stop at Oamaru to visit the blue penguins, actually the littlest penguin specie
A nice coffee and we're on our way again, next stop in Moeraki to visit the Moeraki Boulders on the beach, Perfect round boulders laying all over the beach in front of the cliff's .
Our goal Dunedin is another 90 km away, to far away , so we decide to stay over the night at a Moeraki camperpark.
Our Chef Martin serves us a lovely Entrecote , approved by the butcher himself
After my passage in French Polynesia and a last day together with Mom and Claude it is time to get to the airport to catch my flight TN101 to
Auckland New Zealand.
It takes about 5,5 hours to get there , once landed , got to get through immigration...all goes well and some time later I'm boarded on the airplkane that goes to Christchurch, final destination in New Zealand.
Once I get out of the Domestic Airport the shuttle service is waiting for me to bring me to the Aarburg hotel where I booked a room for the night.
Some time left so I took a bus to the center and went for a walk through the heavy destructed town by a earthquake a few years ago....first thought...there's a lot of work here four a builder , but I also think about all the people that lost their homes...
I found a nice little pub where I was treated with a nice pint of mouteight beer and some lamchops...delicious
Deze morgen om 08h00 opgehaald door Luis voor een excursie in de lagunes van Bora Bora, tijdens de vaart naar het Pearl Beach resort waar nog 4 passagiers moeten opgehaald worden vertelt Luis me wat de plannen voor vandaag zijn.
Eerst alle passagiers ophalen in de diverse resorts, varieert van Amerikanen, Fransen en Japanezen , de één wat meer met zijn neus in de lucht als de andere maar uiteindelijk kom ik toch tot gesprek met een Fransman uit Strassbourg die hier is om een burnout op het werk te voorkomen.
Terwijl we de andere passagiers ophalen blijkt dat er heel wat meer aan de hand is met Guy, zijn dochter van 23 jaar blijkt te lijden aan wekelijks terugkomende epilepsieaanvallen en de behandelende dokters staan voor een raadsel, ze weten welke ziekte zij heeft maar weten niet hoe de ziekte te behandelen...na ons gesprek trekken we de rest van de dag verder samen op.
De eerste stop is het koraalrif +-/ 2 à 3m diep waar we een half uur naar hartelust mogen snorkelen...woorden schieten me hier wederom tekort.
Volgende stop in de lagune in water van+/- 1.5m diep en kristalhelder. Hier gaan we zwemmen tussen de roggen en zwartpunt haaien
Luis begint te dollen met de roggen, en wat later kunnen we elk op zijn beurt met de roggen spelen, ze zwemmen tussen ons , raken ons opzettelijk...wat een belevenis, de haaien +/- 1,5 tot 2 m groot zwemmen eveneens tussen ons door en in den beginne is dit wel even schrikken, maar eens je 5 minuten in het water bent let je er zelf niet meer op.
Wel eventjes stipuleren dat dit type haai ongevaarlijk is voor de mens, bij de derde stop is het wel duidelijk wanneer Luis de zwartpunt haaien gaat voeden en wij in het water het spektakel achter een koord kunnen volgen, dit wel degelijk jagers zijn en moest een mens op een dergelijk moment tussen die haaien zou terecht komen het wel eens slecht zou kunnen aflopen.
Tijd om de hongerige magen te spijzen op een prachtig privé motu, waar een traditionele polynesische tafel ons staat op te wachten , geserveerd in een gevlochten palmblad en onder muzikale begeleiding op de ukelele door Luis en de kok verorberen we onze lunch.Na de lunch nog wat luieren op de mooie stranden en wat verpozen in de lagune om vervolgens de passagiers opnieuw naar hun resorts te brengen.
Deze morgen om 11h30 geland te Bora Bora, dubbele pech , zat aan de verkeerde kant in het vliegtuig bij het overvliegen van Bora Bora en batterij fototoestel plat, om dan nog te zwijgen van mijn smartphone waar de camera het ook begeven heeft...het lijkt er sterk op dat ik geen foto souvenirs mag meenemen.
De airstrip waar we op landen werd destijds door de Amerikanen aagelegd tijdens de tweede wereldoorlog tijdens de Pacific war na de aanval op Pearl Harbour, dit ligt op een groot motu.
Van daaruit gaat het met een catamaran verder naar het eiland zelf, de meeste vakantiegangers zetten zelf nooit voet aan wal van het eiland zelf.
Zij worden door de diverse luxe hotels in stijl met privé boten afgehaald aan de luchthaven en onmiddellijk naar de resorts gebracht.
Daar is het de bedoeling dat ze daar terplaatse blijven en hun geld spenderen.
Eens aangekomen in Vaitape staat Jacques ons op te wachten om ons naar een appartement te brengen die we voor 2 dagen gehuurd hebben aan het water recht tegenover de Teavanui pas waar de cruiseschepen komen aanleggen.
Bij onze aankomst ligt er ééntje aangemeerd, vlak naast ons ligt de Yachtclub van Bora Bora met enkele fraaie catamarans en zeilschepen voor anker.
Nadat we onze intrek genomen hebben , willen we met de ter beschikking gestelde fietsen vertrekken, maar na 100m is het duidelijk dat dit voor moeder een onbegonnen parcour is...de baan is één put en bult en na navraag bij de inwoners blijkt dit rond het hele eiland( 32 km ) zo te zijn.
Dakar starts here... Dan maar te voet naar het centgrum van Vaitape, hier is het duidelijk dat handel de eerste prioriteit is.
We nemen een taxi naar Matira beach het bekendste strand van Bora Bora met parelwit zand en een zee waar je werkelijk doorkijkt, doch heeft het volgens Claude die hier al komt van 1966 met de cruiseschepen veel van zijn pluimen verloren.
Na een heerlijk zwemmertje gaan we een apero drinken in "Bloody Mary's"een bar restaurant open sinds 1979 en de legende wil dat als je tijdens je bezoek in Bora Bora niet in de Bloody Mary's geweest bent je Bora Bora niet gezien hebt.
Een lijst van alle vedetten die er geweest zijn hangt uit aan de ingang en er zijn geen vensters nog deuren en de grond bestaat uit parelwit zand .
Het staat gekend voor zijn uitstekende keuken en dan vooral vis en aan de bar de diverse cocktails.
Claude kent goed de uitbaatster en het onverwachts weerzien is hartelijk, nooit had zij gedacht nadat Claude met pensioen ging , Claude hier nog in Bora Bora te zien.
Na de aperetief worden we met de truckdienst van de bloody Mary's afgezet aan ons appartement, hier is het de gewoonte als je reserveert dat het restaurant je komt ophalen en terugbrengen.
Nog wat nagenieten van een heerlijke zonsondergang, bij een partijtje rammi bridge en een heerlijk glaasje wijn.
This morning we have an appointment at 08h00 with our guide Teiva for a excursion at the Taha'a lagoon.
After a delicious breakfast Jean Jacques drives us to Uturoa where the excursion starts.
Once boarded on a little boat we meet Teiva our guide and 4 other French passengers, it doesn't take long to get to know each other some better , so the excursion can start in best conditions.
Teiva brings us to Taha'a waters and a first stop is at the Taha'a resort , the only resort in French Polynesia that has a chateaux classification, but we didn't stop because of this, no no....just beside lay's following Teiva's words one of the most beautiful coral garden in the world and we would swim in it. Teiva pointed out some dangers and things not to do and on our way we were....amazing, no words for this...
One minor point, I lost my camera in the coral garden, tried to find it with help from all passengers but lost forever, a pity for all the nice pictures but there are worse things in life and this adventure will be printed forever in my memory...June don't worry , I'll buy you another one...
The other passengers felt sorry for me and asked my email adress so they could send me their pictures...how wonderful
Second stop at a motu where we had a lovely swim in the lagoon , third stop pearl farm, fourth stop vanilla farm to continue to another motu where we had a lovely lunch and Teiva introduced us to blackpointed sharks and other fish that are living in the lagoon.
Time to go back to Utuora, said goodbye to the other passengers and Teiva and good old Jean Jaques was waiting to pick us up and drive us to our hotel where we enjoyed another great dinner and tasted some marvelous wines...yummie
Tomorrow we are leaving for Bora Bora "The south sea's pearl"
Left Papeete this morning with heavy rain , it seems to be the wet season .
Destination Raiatea with Air Tahititi, +/- 30 minutes with a stop in Huaehin to pick up some passengers for Raiatea.
At 8h10 we arrive in Uturoa, Raiatea where Jean Jaques, the owner of the hotel Fare Vai Nui( The great house of water) is waiting for us
Arrived after an idyllic drive along the coastline of Raiatea we check in our bungalow Bali Concept at a few feet from a coral garden.
He proposed us to hire a car to drive around the island , so we did so and on our way we were...
Raiatea is located +/- 190 km west from Tahiti , Raiatea and the island just beside Taha'a once were connected to each other but were teared apart millions of years ago and now share the same lagoon, full of motu(little islands),each one more inviting than the other , with unbelievable white sand beaches.
The highest point at Raiatea is Mt Tefateaiti (1017m) and Raiatea means "soft skylight"
As we drove around the coastline we dicovered a few breathtaking bays that surely attracted our attention, Faaroa Bay on the Southeast to mention one.
There are nine passes around Raiatea and 2 arround Taha'a allow easy communication with the surrounding oceans .
Raiatea and Taha'a are well known for the black pearls and vanilla production, Taha'a is called the vanilla island.
Once back in Fare Vai Nui mother and Claude decided to do a bicycle tour while I chosed to kayak in the coral garden...wonderful !!!
Tomorrow we're going on a excursion in the Taha'a lagoon, time to sleep.
Don't know where to start about Moorea...it is totally different comparing to Tahiti. %%%FOTO1%%%
You almost could say Tahiti is the big city and Moorea is the countryside...arriving with the ferry AREMITE5 at Vaiare it's like the ferry is going in between the palm trees, so close are they all along the heart shaped island with its breathtaking scenery and warm Polynesian hospitality. %%%FOTO2%%%
As I set foot on Moorea land, Stéphane was on time with my rental scooter for the day. %%%FOTO4%%%
First stop at Temae with a nice view on the Sofitel resort and downhill a nice beach with palm trees and white sand %%%FOTO3%%%
My scooter is running well with tops peed 70 km/h , enough as the soeed limit on the island is 60 km/h.
Hitting for Cook Bay I get to print some lovely scenery's in my memory . %%%FOTO7%%%
Coming out of Cook Bay I take a left on the pinneaple road that leads me to the pineapple farms (actually forbidden for scooters but it was a 4x4 experience with a scooter, I can recommend this road to all motorcycle minded guys)the road goes on to the Belvedere point , where you normally have a stunning overview of Cook Bay and Opunohu Bay, but it was quite cloudy. %%%FOTO6%%% Back down to Opunohu Bay and further on to Papetoai where Stéphane recommended me a dive with dolphins at the Intercontinental Hilton Resort %%%FOTO8%%%
No luck, no diving today, so I hired a paddle board (first time) and paddled away, nice experience....some more snorkling in the reefs and it was time to hit the road again. %%%FOTO9%%%
Another stop at Tiki Theatre Village , a kind of a museum of old craft works, housing etc... and off course an exhibition of black pearls.
From here on I noticed the island is wilder and even more authentic. %%%FOTO5%%%
After 118 km I arrived back around 16h30 at Vaiare , time to turnover my bike at Stéphane and take the ferry back to Tahiti.
Deze morgen na het ontbijt naar de haven van Papeete gereden om een ticket te reserveren voor de ferry van Tahiti naar Moorea.
Morgen vertrek ik , moeder en Claude blijven in Mahina ( heb ze blijkbaar wat vermoeid gisteren met de 4x4 tocht..lol...), om 7h35 voor een overvaart van +/- 35 minuten naar Moorea, het tweede eiland op mijn programma.
Ook reeds een scooter gereserveerd die klaar zal staan om het eiland te verkennen .
Moorea is 134 km² groot , bevolkt door +/- 16000 inwoners en ligt slechts 17 km verwijderd ten westen van Tahiti.
De naam Moorea betekent "gele hagedis" en Moorea is vooral gekend als honeymoon bestemming voor jong gehuwde koppels, dus echt de plaats waar ik moet zijn...haha...
Vandaag verder nog een wandeling door het Parc de Bougainville, genaamd naar de eerste Franse navigator Louis Antoine de Bougainville die rond de wereld zeilde tussen 1766 en 1769 met het fregat "La Boudeuse"
Bij het aanmeren in 1768 te Papeete sprak hij de woorden" je me crois transporté dans le jardin d'Eden"
Papeete betekent trouwens het water die valt, vanwege de tientallen watervallen.
Nog even een zwemmertje in de Pacific en er verder een lazy day van gemaakt...uitrusten voor Moorea morgen
Gore huge brown trout
Gore Hokonui Moonshine Museum
Kingston, Kingston Flyer railway station
Queenstown at Lake Wakatipu
Hokonui Hill's
Taringatura Hill's
pearl beach resort
hilton resort
luis playing
rog
shark feeding
private motu
lunch
idyllic shgot
aankomst Bora Bora
bora bora gezien vanuit de luchthaven
sunset hill lodge
view
