After three days of rain, woke Wednesday to SUNSHINE.
Skipped my morning run, opting for an afternoon harbor trek in nearby Oamaru. Easy coastal drive on New Zealand’s Highway 1. Cool morning temps. Rural, flat. No traffic, landscape void of the Island’s Southern Alps.
right, Moeraki Boulders. left, Trotters Gorge. 1030am – how ‘bout both?
One hour rainforest jaunt toward the Gorge. After multiple days in ‘civilization’, GREAT to be outside again & hiking. Sounds of cicada, giant ferns wet with moisture – LOVE LOVED this morning. Cave explored, then rental car’d another 2 miles north to the Boulders. $5 in an ‘honest’ jar, then descended on Koekohe Beach using stairs created by the gift shop.
The Moeraki Boulders are unusually large and spherical boulders lying along a stretch of Koekohe Beach on the wave-cut Otago coast of New Zealand between Moeraki and Hampden. They occur scattered either as isolated or clusters of boulders within a stretch of beach where they have been protected in a scientific reserve.
Local Māori legends explained the boulders as the remains of eel baskets, calabashes, and kumara washed ashore from the wreck of Arai-te-uru, a large sailing canoe.
Wonder of nature. Like giant fossilized sea turtle eggs, pushed up/eroded from the sand. Precisely spherical, randomly dropped/isolated on NZ’s Pacific shore. Walked an hour up & down the beach – enjoying the ocean breeze, soaking up Vitamin D.
whatta sunrise – WOW!
Lunch & an ice cream bar, then road-warrior’d 45 minutes further to Oamaru.
Hotel check-in, harbour-walked past old rotting bridges covered with sea birds – to tonite’s adventure destination: Oamaru’s Blue Penguin Colony. Purchased our VIP tickets (worth every dime) – laced up/got my afternoon run on.
Penguin Crossing sign (don’t see THAT every day), then switchback’d UP, UP, UP. Climbed Cape Wanbrow Reserve, trail-ran high above Oamaru – WOW views of the mighty Pacific below. Last long run before Saturday’s Kirikiriroa Marathon.
Dusk. Nature guides kept eyes on the ocean while ‘paying customers’ quietly huddled in a small outdoor amphitheatre (unfortunately, no pics allowed). Pods of 6, 10, 15 small penguins banded together, beached, then waddled uphill past our premium seats. Man-made boxes constructed on shore would act as the birds’ evening home – returning back to the ocean early pre-dawn. WOW WOW WOW!
South Island, super sad to say goodbye. Glaciers, waterfalls, rainforest. Jetboated the Waimakariri, cruised Doubtful Sound, climbed to the top of Larnach Castle & witnessed magic – the world’s smallest penguins returning home after day-fishing the Pacific.
Next up: Hamilton, on New Zealand’s tropical North.
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- hiking & caving
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- wonder of nature
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- don’t see THIS every day 🙂
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- Penguin Capital of New Zealand
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- pods of 6, 10, 15 small penguins banded together, beached, then waddled uphill past our premium seats
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- Cape Wanbrow Reserve
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- Suhler Hütte?
Koekohe Beach, NZ
Oompa Loompa doompadee doo
I’ve got another puzzle for you
Oompa Loompa doompadah dee
If you are wise you’ll listen to me
Never got to meet Willy Wonka – but I did get my ‘Augustus Gloop’ on at Cadbury’s Chocolate Factory.
Early morning start. 9 mile trek on Frankton Track, mix of trail & bike path, east alongside Lake Wakatipu. Shower, apartment check-out, last day in Queenstown – goodbyes to my fave New Zealand town. 3 ½ hour drive, south & far far east today. After a half-week shouldering NZ’s Tasman Sea, would spend the next three days bumped up against the vast Pacific.
Arrived in South Island’s 2nd largest city, Dunedin, early afternoon. First hotel stay since Auckland. Grabbed a map & a rain jacket – CHOCOLATE! Walked past high steeple churches & historic city buildings in Dunedin Central ‘the Octagon’, then continued south toward the water, past Anzac Square to Cadbury World on Cumberland Street.
2 large lumbering storage tanks invade the landscape – one white, one purple, ‘Cadbury’ emblazoned in script. Tour ticket purchased, quick pass thru the factory museum, iconic Cadbury bunny photo shot. Sadly no other pics to share. Cell phones, purses, backpacks all confiscated before eyeing the company’s chocolate making process. No joking with Chocolatiers – take their business mighty seriously.
[Gotta/hafta/must sneak out an everlasting gobstopper (remember creepy Slugworth?) — another Wonka reference 🙂 ]
Inside, pulled a lever, filled my cup with liquid chocolate. How much is too much? Anything more than half a cup…live & learn. Heart racing, sugar-shook remainder of the tour. Oh to be a kid again. Went home with a satchel of marshmallow candy bars.
Return walked thru Dunedin’s historic Railway Station in Anzac Square. Train love.
Inclement weather, one more day. Boardwalk strolled on St Clair Beach, site of the South Island Surf Championships. Stormy day, HUGE waves. Rain or shine – vacation continues. Tomorrow’s quest? To the top of Larnachs Castle!
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- Ford Model A: one of Cadbury’s original delivery vehicles
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- Chocolate Lovers dream day
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- St Paul’s Cathedral
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- Knox Church, George Street
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- Anzac Square
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- Dunedin Railway Station
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- stormy day, HUGE waves
St Clair Beach
Up early but unfortunately, outta town late. Morning run just got away from me – 10 miles. One left when I should’ve turned right, long morning on Christchurch city streets. Run highlights: EIGHT city parks, morning sunrise. G’day New Zealand!
10am rental pickup (sorry Dawn). 2 hours west, couple days ‘til our next cityscape. First stop: Arthur’s Pass National Park. Easy short hike UP to Devils Punchbowl Waterfall. Purchased 2 apples, hung a ½ hour near the railroad tracks. Sunshiny day.
UP & over the Southern Alps (another 2 hours west), lunched in Hokitika. Afternoon adventure: swinging bridge over Hokitika Gorge. Travelling one-lane farm roads 30-35 minutes, ultimately located the Gorge. Hiked a mile, mile-half thru a mix of deciduous & tropical vegetation. Slender wooden bridge ‘cross the mighty Hokitika, stunning turquoise blue below. Not for the faint of heart. Creaky swinging structure, 6-person weight limit…truly a hidden gem 🙂 WOW, WOW, WOW!
The Hokitika River is in the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is about 64 kilometers (40 mi) long, beginning in the Southern Alps, emerging from the narrow Hokitika Gorge after merging with the Whitcombe River, and flowing into the Tasman Sea just south of the town of Hokitika.
Hugged the Hokitika for 2 days, ending our river journey Friday. Stopped briefly in Bruce Bay & touched the Tasman Sea. Having travelled all the way to New Zealand’s western coastline, over the next week would work our way east & up its Pacific shore.
But first…tomorrow morning: Franz Josef GLACIER
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- Devils Punchbowl Waterfall
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- another sunshiny day
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- mix of deciduous & tropical vegetation
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- swinging wooden bridge over the Hokitika River
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- 6-person weight limit…not for the faint of heart
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- stunning turquoise blue
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- New Zealand’s western coastline
…meanwhile, far far away — sent flowers & a tier of cupcakes, 70 mini cakes in all. Love ya Mom, Happy Happy Birthday! ❤
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- flowers & a cupcake tier
Arthur’s Pass
Hokitika Gorge swinging bridge
the Tasman Sea
