Month: January 2019

After breakfast we booked a flight and a rental car. Then we headed north. In super summer weather we camp today in Kaiteriteri.

Silke

Today we spent the day with recheche, ESTA visa, sorting photos and laundry on and off. Must be. At Bouncing Lamb we hung on for a night.

In the evening there was quiche and tomato mozzarella.

Silke

At breakfast we had to hold our coffee cups, because otherwise they would have been blown away by the strong wind! Reiner has maintained our hiking boots. Then we drove further north. In the town of Havelock we took a coffee break. At the Pelorus Bridge we went swimming. The water was crystal clear and warm. You could jump in from the rocks.

With 100% rain forecast for tonight, we sleep today at the Bouncing Lamb in Nelson at Tahunanui Beach. In the countdown we bought a bit of salad and vegetables and cooked a delicious curry rice pan.

Silke

After a night in the jailhouse we left for Christchurch Airport at 4:00 in the morning. Janik and Melina unfortunately had to let us continue on our own, because their holiday is coming to an end. They fly to Germany via Auckland, China and France and arrive in Bremen and Frankfurt on Sunday morning. We are all a bit sad that the beautiful family road trip is now over, but in half a year we will see you again. Luckily, you can activate FaceTime in between.

We enjoyed the time with you both of you very much, and wish you a good flight home! In any case, a weird feeling is now so alone, as a couple! And without the fat camper and without discussion sit on which music to listen to now, etc. .

After we had ordered all our accumulated stuff in the jailhouse, Reiner and I were also "dismissed"!

Today our way took us back to the north of the south, to Blenheim on a Kiwi camp. We did a leftover dinner at a picnic table and slept in the tent.

Silke

This morning we did a wonderful Wildlife – Charter Cruise in Akaroa. We were absolutely thrilled and experienced penguins, albatrosses and dolphins in the wild. John, the guide, and his son Ollie have snipped us through the waves with their red sports boat and 300 hp Yamaha engine and showed us a lot. We have also learned a lot about the history of the country. The highlight of our tour came when a group of dolphins swam right next to our boat.

Akaroa is really worth a trip.

In the afternoon we had to give up our campervan, which accompanied us about 4000 km through the country. We have received a refund for the 2 days repair. Since the office closes at 5 PM, but we had assumed that we had 5 o'clock delivery time, we had to pack our things in a hurry and off the yard. Didn't fit everything right away into the small Toyota that we rented in the meantime. So Janik and I drove to the hostel and cleared the car, and then Made up for Reiner and Melina. Today we are "punched in" again and sleep in the Jailhouse Accommodation in Christchurch. After a pizza at Domino's, we sat together a bit in the foyer. By the way, the police came "in real" and arrested a rioter who had previously loudly threatened someone with a gun.

Silke

Today we went to Akaroa after a nice breakfast. There was a short tank and shopping top in Christchurch.

A beautiful summer day. In the Akaroa bay we went swimming in the sea. Janik and Reiner made Salto from the bathing island, Melina and I tested the swimming noodle.

We sleep on a campervan square right next to the harbour. There was spaghetti with cheese and tomato sauce and colorful salad. Today Melina won at the Carcassonne.

Silke

At our DOC campsite – Goldsborough Campsite, there were tame Wekas. They walked between the tents and campers in the early morning and ate bread crumbs out of their hands. After a "Poor Knight" breakfast we started a nice hike through the gold digging area. A few people have actually been looking for gold! The "German Gully Pack Track" and Goff's Track pass a riverbed, through a jungle forest, a mountain and some old gold mines.

After that we drove a few hours towards Timaru. On the way we drank coffee in a whimsical hotel at the train station in Otira. There, Gollum sat on the roof. There were groomed animals, old machines, a high wheel, artfully painted toilet bowls, and much more to marvel at.

Back on the coast we quickly fried something for dinner and then watched the local little blue penguins go. Unfortunately, very few couples breed here on the beach this summer. We could see a penguin coming in and a young penguin came to the barrier rope. I was horrified at how little respect some people have for the needs of small wildlife. There were two guides (nice older ladies) who pay attention to the animals and ask people to be quiet, keep their distance and take pictures without flashing, but some don't care at all. The little penguin has hurt us quite a bit. Perhaps it would be better if even more large-scale closures were to be made. Our current campsite is again a Top 10 Holiday Park.

Silke

In super summer weather we explored today the beautiful west coast of the South Island. After our night on the Haast River we drove towards the glacier along the coastal Highway 6. The Tasmanian Sea also offers wonderful viewpoints and great beaches. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to bathe. Our first track took us up to 450 m to the Fox Glacier. You can look at the ice, waterfalls and an ice cave from an elevated vantage point.

Our second track (20 km = about 1 h from the Fox) was the Franz Josef Glacier Walk and led to the spectacular viewpoint of this glacier of the same name. You can only get into the ice by helicopter, because the eternal ice unfortunately breaks due to climate change and the way on foot would be too dangerous. The helicopter buzz erupts a bit while hiking. Every day the glacier melts by 1.5 m to 7 m. Signs indicate the former limits of the ice with annual data, which have frightening dimensions.

Dinner we had with a view of the Tasman Sea at sunset in Hokitika. Our current campground is not far away in a forest.

Silke