The flight is not till early this evening. So we leave the motel and visit the International Antarctic Centre. It’s located right next to the airport. While you can’t visit it, here is also the base for the US Antarctic division and there are a couple of US air force cargo plane sitting on the tarmac.
Continue reading “Day 16 – Christchurch to Home”Day 15 – Christchurch
Today is Liam’s birthday, so some presents (lego) then over to the Cinema for a movie. Well, we actually visit two cinemas, as the first one didn’t have the movie playing that we wanted to see.
Continue reading “Day 15 – Christchurch”Day 14 – Hanmer Springs to Christchurch
We wake to find that snow has fallen overnight, not heaps but a few centimetres is over all the cars. The kids get on their jackets and have some fun in the street.
Continue reading “Day 14 – Hanmer Springs to Christchurch”Day 13 – Rakaia Gorge to Hanmer Springs
We return the van to Wilderness and pick up a hire car. We plan to head north of Christchurch. The coast road is still blocked north and south of Kaikoura due to the earthquake in November last year. So we head slightly inland to Hanmer Springs.
Continue reading “Day 13 – Rakaia Gorge to Hanmer Springs”Day 12 – Lake McGregor to Rakaia Gorge
That was a cold night, the van is reporting -7° in the morning and there is an icicle forming on the van where the gas vent is. We watch the other campers, whose kitchens are in the tailgate, so they need to outside at the open back door of their vans to boil the kettle while we’re nice and warm. It does feel a bit unfair, but I can live with that!
Continue reading “Day 12 – Lake McGregor to Rakaia Gorge”Day 11 – Mt Cook Village to Lake McGregor
What a special place to wake up in, well not the actual car park, that’s pretty average, but the overall location in the shadow of Mt Cook is amazing.
Continue reading “Day 11 – Mt Cook Village to Lake McGregor”Day 10 – Omaru to Mt Cook Village
Omaru’s an interesting town, lots of large old Victorian buildings. They’ve also got this “steampunk” museum/exhibition and have really taken it to theme the town. Next to the caravan park is this foreshore playground with some absolutely amazing play equipment, the kids have a ball playing while I empty the dunny and top up the water tanks.
Continue reading “Day 10 – Omaru to Mt Cook Village”Day 9 – Purakaunui Bay to Omaru
After a morning walk on the beach where we spot some more seals on the other side, it’s a short drive to a place called “The Nuggets”, that gets the kids attention! This whole area is known as “The Catlins” which of course we rename “The Caitlins!”
Continue reading “Day 9 – Purakaunui Bay to Omaru”Day 8 – Te Anau to Purakaunui Bay
We’re on the road not long after sun up, which this far south in winter is not that early! We take the back road due south of Te Anau directly to the south coast
There is heaps of frost and ice on the road so driving is a bit interesting. Everyone goes on about the Black Ice, apparently you can’t see it. So, as you can’t see it, I’m not sure we came across any of it. They say try not to drive until about an hour after sunrise so most of the ice will have melted. The frost is also bizarre, today it covers parts of the road where the trees or other shadows cross, but is gone in areas of direct sunlight.
Continue reading “Day 8 – Te Anau to Purakaunui Bay”Day 7 – Te Anau to Milford Sound and Return
Another big day
We’re picked up early from the van park by the tour bus, a 15 seater Merc minibus and it ends up being a full house, could be worse, we could be in a coach!
Continue reading “Day 7 – Te Anau to Milford Sound and Return”