Calling My Bluff

See what I did there? No? Ah well never mind.

The next port of call on our trip around the bottom of the South Island was literally the bottom. Well almost. Close enough to not matter.

If our destination of Invercargill gives you the impression of a Scottish themed location, that’s nothing compared to the journey from Lake Manapouri. Empty roads, towering mountains and lonely glens for all the world look and feel like Scotland. 

As for Invercargill, many streets in the city, especially in the centre and main shopping district, are named after rivers in Scotland. These include the main streets Dee and Tay, as well as those named after the Tweed, Forth, Tyne, Esk, Don, Ness, Yarrow, Spey, Eye and Ythan rivers, amongst others.

It will be no surprise then to learn that this part of New Zealand was inhabited by Scots - to the extent that traces of Scottish speech can still be heard in the local dialects. 

But it wasn’t the connection with northern Britain that brought us here. Nope, it was for the most southerly parkrun in New Zealand and arguably the world. Arguably because there is now a weekly event in the Falkland Isles. I’m not convinced that one should count. But I would say that though. It is probably one of most beautiful courses in New Zealand, short sections of paths and gravel trails all surrounded by trees and flower beds. And a nice and straight final 1km. Nothing like a simple and potentially fast finish. 

The other reason to come down this way was to head out to Bluff, the most southerly town in Aotearoa. There isn’t a lot to see in Bluff, although it is the centre on the New Zealand oyster industry. If that’s your thing. Yuk I say! I honestly don’t see the attraction in swallowing slimy gloop. Whoever convinced the general public to consider these to be such a delicacy should get an award. 

Passing by the few shops that constitute Bluff’s town centre and very soon you arrive at Stirling Point. Although this is it the most southerly part of New Zealand, it is the start (or end depending on your preference) of the long distance Te Araroa hiking trail. 

Stretching around 3,000 kilometres along the length of the country's two main islands between Cape Reinga in the north and Bluff in the south, it’s quite some undertaking and normally takes around three to four months to complete. Some years ago we visited Cape Reinga so with having visited the two end points, there’s only the bits in between to complete!

The scenery here is stunning, albeit somewhat cooler than we are used to. Deep blue ocean, white rocks and greenery combine to create a perfect coastal scene.

It’s one of those places that I am pleased to say we have visited, but there’s no real reason to reprint, unless of course one of us loses their senses and decides to take in the Te Araroa trail. Hmm, maybe next year. 

Doubtful Cruise

I’ve always held the view, rightly or wrongly, that cruises were the preserve of the über rich or the retired and on that basis they weren’t for me. But plans change and so, with the intention to give up regular paid employment on the horizon, I arguably fall into the latter category. 

So maybe, that is how I found myself onboard a vessel in Deep Cove dock in Doubtful Sound about to set sail on an overnight trip through Fiordland.

For those unfamiliar with the geography of New Zealand, Fiordland is a national park located on the southwestern coast of the South Island. Fiordland National Paek was created in 1952 and covering 4,868 square miles is by far the largest in New Zealand..

There are fourteen sounds within Fiordland and whilst at 25 miles long Doubtful Sound is not the longest, it is the deepest. At over 420m deep, be mindful not to drop your mobile phone because it’ll be a struggle to get it back.

Ahh, I know what you’re wondering….why is it called Doubtful Sound when it’s in Fiordland? That’s a really good question. Well, Doubtful Sound is actually a Fjord so it should really be called Doubtful Fjord. Why? Whilst a sound is usually formed by the action of the sea flooding a river valley, a fjord is formed by the action of a glacier - and that is what we have here. Or so we were told.. 

And why Doubtful. Like a lot of things around New Zealand, Captain James Cook had an influence in the name, or rather re-naming because it already has a name but that wasn’t European enough for the celebrated explorer. On his journey around the western coastline of the southern island of New Zealand, sometime around 1770, he observed what appeared to be a passage into the interior. As the prevailing wind direction was westerly, he determined that whilst he could sail the ship into the passage, he was doubtful he would be able to get back out again. The opportunity to explore inland was passed and the name Doubtful Sound allocated to the inlet. So there you go.

Righty-ho, back to the trip. It’s fair to say Doubtful Sound is not that easy to get to. Compared to the most popular excursion in Fiordland, Milford Sound, where a road takes travellers right to the dockside, Doubtful is a little trickier. First up you have to drive to the oddly named Pearl Harbour on the shore of Lake Manapouri. From there a ferry will take you across the lake to the imaginatively named Western Arm. This 45 minute trip would be worth the entrance fee alone. Surrounded by snowcapped mountains and deep green forest, the lake crossing is breathtaking. 

Once docked, it’s another hour by an unsealed road over Wilmott Pass to Deep Cove dock. Finally we’re in Doubtful Sound. And of course, you get to do it all again on the way back. At least it can be accessed by the general public. There are many others that are so remote that can be accessed only from the sea -  no roads or even footpaths So, with the amount of effort it takes, it’s no surprise that this is an overnight cruise. 

Not wanting to share with other people, we’ve got a private cabin for the trip. A lovely refuge from the hubbub with a private, albeit small, bathroom. And a great view of the outside world. We could, should the need arise, sit in our little space and watch the world go by. But where would the fun be in that - we’d miss the chance to take in the spectacular panaoramas and remark on just how odd other people are! Not like us, we’re normal!

The cruise is amazing, and definitely worth the effort in getting here, even if that is part of the fun. The remoteness means that there is less boat traffic and that in turn means there is less noise. And with it being overnight, there is no rush. After an hour or so we were at the Tasman Sea. Just in time to watch some seals lazing on a rock, and then turn around and head back to explore some more. For a place with the highest annual rainfall in New Zealand, we were treated to bright sunshine and calm seas. Wow!

We anchored overnight in Precipice Bay, enjoyed a three course meal before heading to our cabin.

Waking up in such a unique location was something special. Although the weather has changed to that more keeping with the region - yes it was raining - the fjords took had taken on a more gloomy but magnetic look. After another fabulous meal, we lifted anchor and started our journey back to Deep Cove.

There was just time for perhaps the highlight of the trip. The sound of silence. For a few moments, the ship engines were silenced and we just drifted down the fjord. The only sound was that of the waterfalls, the wind in the trees and morning birdsong. Words fail to describe the feeling. 

A few hours later we were docked back a Deep Cove and began our return journey to the main land. What an unforgettable trip with memories that are unlikely to be dimmed by the passing of time -  that would be impossible given the amount of photographs I took. 

Hahei Hi Campers!

The less charitable might call it a lack of imagination, but I prefer to call it tradition. Or at least it is now. Ever since our first visit to these shores we’ve made Hahei our pre-Christmas destination. 

Who would have thought that after our visit here on holiday in 2013, we would have returned five of the following nine years. Of the missing years, one time we were in the Galapagos and the others we had visitors. So, given free rein, Hahei is our pre-Christmas holiday destination. Something that we would never have contemplated in the UK. I’m shivering at the thought!

Saying this from the relative comfort of knowing that the forecast is for settled weather, we’ve had a fantastic time every single year we’ve visited. And what a way to unwind into Christmas.

New Zealand’s campsites, or campgrounds as they are known here, make a holiday under canvas very easy. Almost all of them have a kitchen space to make cooking a doddle, barbecue areas complete with barbecues come as standard and all have defined pitches. None of this cram-in-as-many-as-we-can approach that afflicts some UK camp sites. Yes, looking at you Coniston Hall!

Hahei Beach Resort takes comfort and convenience one step further - there is a bar, pizza place and burger joint on the premises. It really couldn’t be easier.

As this is our last summer at Christmas - we’re returning to the UK next year - we’ve pushed the boat out. Not only do we have a nice new tent, but we’ve also gone for an electrical hook up. Posh I know. Whilst being able to charge gadgets is a convenience, the real game changer is having an electric kettle. Astonishing that such a common household appliance can have such a groundbreaking impact. Tea practically on tap!

Our other move towards luxury is the addition of camping beds. My word what a difference. Aching backs from sleeping on the floor are no more and climbing into bed takes camping to another level. It’s almost glamping. It’s almost like being at home even.

And the tent? It’s wonderful. With it being inflatable, gone are the days of messing around with poles, a few pumps and it’s up. Admittedly we were worried that a strong wind might propel us into the air and carry us off to Fiji, so it’s well anchored to the ground. We hope. Not that there is any sign of strong winds. 

Yes the outlook is for a fantastic week of relaxation, sun, swimming and perhaps the occasional visit to the bar.

The End of the Line

Avid readers of this admittedly increasingly sporadic blog will know that I am somewhat dismissive of New Zealand’s attempt at a passenger rail service. 

In fact calling it a service is as far from the truth as one could possibly get. So what is there? As far as the main urban areas go, there is a little bit of a passenger service in the Wellington region and obviously Auckland had a reasonable network - when it is running that is. Quite how Auckland Transport and KiwiRail get away with cancelling train services almost every weekend and during most of the public holidays is beyond me. I can’t think of anywhere else in the world where the transport operators would be allowed to curtail passengers services of the country’s most populous city on such a regular basis. But they are and they do. Frequently. So a city of around 1.5 million people is without a train service each and every weekend and over the four week holiday period..

And what about inter-city services? Well there aren’t any. Not at a frequency that you could call a service. The nearest city to Auckland is Hamilton and admittedly there is a train ‘service’ that connects the two metropolises. It runs twice a day but only once on a Saturday, if you’re lucky. And speed? Well it is some way off a high-speed service. The 120km trip takes just under two hours. An average speed of a little over 60kph.  

There is another service in the north island but that is geared more towards tourists and the terminally patient. A trip from Auckland, the largest city, to Wellington, the capital, can be completed by train. But only on a Monday and a Wednesday, taking over 11 hours to complete and costs around $300. Time and cost aside, it is worth doing once, as we have, but it’s not a commuter service. Not by a long shot.

The other two long distance services are in the South Island and, with us finding a free weekend at the start of the summer, we decided to try them out; the Coastal Pacific and the Tranz Alpine. Or to put it in geographical terms, Picton to Christchurch along the east coast, then Christchurch to Greymouth via the southern alps.

 If time and budget was unlimited one could, in theory, jump on a train in Auckand and travel the length of the North Island to Wellington. Catch the Inter-Islander ferry and continue the journey southward by rail from Picton.

We didn’t have the time so we took a flight from Auckland to Blenheim in Malborough to pick up the Coastal Pacific scenic train. Relying on a flight connection to catch the only train of the day was a gamble but we needn’t have worried…..the flight was on time and the train was late. Ah well. Quite how a train could be late only one hour into a six hour journey is a question for another day.

Grumbles aside, it was well worth the effort. It was a glorious day with great views out across the ocean as the train wound its way down the coast, often so close that sea spray would douse the windows. 

If the first day was stunning then superlatives wouldn’t be adequate for the second day of the train. The train westward out of Christchurch is unassuming - mostly light industrial buildings on the outskirts of the city and then the expanses of flat farmland as the train crossed the Canterbury Plain. So far, so-so. 

Then, once the train entered the foothills of the alps…oh my word! What a dramatic change. Snow-capped mountain peaks towered over narrow glacial valleys. Bridges crossed steep ravines, with tumultuous turquoise rivers hundreds of metres below. Staring transfixed out of the carriage window I never wanted it to end. 

But end it must because Greymouth in the west coast is where the line ends, at least for rail passengers. Another victim of New Zealand’s ever shrinking rail network. So the only thing to do was to grab a bite to eat, get some provisions for the return journey and head back the way we came. 

And, if I was feeling particularly introspective, that could be a metaphor for life. Time to turn around and go home. The end of one journey and the start of another. Maybe I’ll write about it one day!