Day 15: Milford beckons…

We’re up with the birds, hoping for good enough weather to attempt the day trip to Doubtful Sound. Te Anau is seriously socked in with fog and feeling very wintery, so I’m pretty, ahem, doubtful. We drive to Manapouri anyway, not optimistic, despite the tiny sliver of blue and a brief glimpse of a snow covered peak. Is it clearing up or just a tease? It doesn’t matter anyway, as we’re told when we arrive that today’s cruise is cancelled as only three people signed up. There are 29 people signed up for tomorrow and still plenty of space.

We pop into the DOC office to see if there’s any track damage we should know about; there isn’t, so we head out on the Milford Road. It’s still early, the road is icy, the sky overcast. Then…suddenly…sunshine! But the fog is back within minutes, the frost increasing as we progress, so thick that the wheat-colored landscape looks like it’s covered in opaque glass. Then suddenly we’re in the rainforest; no frost in sight. The abrupt and drastic difference between the microclimates is discombobulating.

The fog eventually dissipates, revealing glorious snow covered mountains and frost covered rocks alongside McKay Creek. It’s weird – one can almost draw a line between where the frost stops and starts again. We’re soon driving along the valley floor; I almost expect to see grazing bison.

Our loose plan is to explore some walks along the Lower Hollyford Road, but the sun convinces us to continue driving to Milford. The journey becomes considerably more interesting at The Divide; curvy, undulating and no shortage of narrow bridges. We stop for a photo and a kea (large alpine parrot) hops onto the hood and begins eating the molding around the window of our rental car, leaving behind a rather large beak hole. Oops.

I feel a bit claustrophobic as a snow plow going in the opposite direction passes us while we’re inside the Homer Tunnel. Long vicious looking icicles hang from the ceiling and sides of the tunnel as we begin the steep descent.

Once in Milford we walk to the cruise depot and follow the path along the foreshore to get some photos of Mitre Peak (the only walk in Milford, 20 minutes). We pop into Milford’s only café, the Blue Duck, for coffee and an order of chips big enough to feed an army. The sandflies are alive and well, but they’re much slower in the winter months, giving their potential blood donors a fair chance.

We leave Milford, thinking the visibility along Milford Road is the best we’ve seen, and happy we made the detour. We backtrack, next turning at West Hollyford Road, where we walk as far as the gantry on the Lake Marian Track. We both enjoy the waterfalls, feeling as if we’re somehow IN them.

We wander, we poke, we take snaps, we cross a few swing bridges, we walk to Humbolt Falls (incredible!). There’s a lot on offer back here, but June days are short, and as usual, we’re chasing daylight.

We see only four cars during the 87 km drive back to Te Anau. And what a difference from the frosty morning…we now have gobsmacking clear views of the towering snow capped peaks. Lake Te Anau, concealed by low fog earlier in the day, is now completely visible, although the sun is rapidly sinking. Another idea for our next SI trip begins to form.

Back in town we enjoy a pre-movie fireside drink at the Fiordland Cinema, where we watch Ata Whenua – Fiordland on Film – spectacular, even the second or third time around ($10 each, happy hour 5:30-6:30).

Dinner finds us at the deserted Olive Tree for a perfectly adequate meal; the Big Breakfast for Bill and a ham, cheese and onion toastie for me ($27).

Hi, Mel,

Not sure about whether or not the fish'n'chip place is open in winter, sorry, and can't find out at present. We were there in January.

I was very claustrophobic in the Homer Tunnel going through for the first time, but actually wasn't so bad coming back. It's an amazing tunnel, isn't it. Love the drive from Te Anau to Milford.

Keep posting. Just love your writings.
Dot

You're very kind dotty. I love the Milford Road too. Tunnels don't bother me, but sharing one with a big honking snowplow coming the opposite direction...well.

It's 98 degrees here today, so I am really enjoying reading about winter in New Zealand! Great trip report as always, Melnq8.

Lee Ann

Thank you Lee Ann!


Day 16: Doubtful on my mind

Yep, rain. There’s a reason NZ is so green. We put on our plastic wrap and drive to Manapouri. On this, our 11th (?) trip to the SI and our last day in the area, we’re finally going to take the Doubtful Sound cruise, no matter the weather ($198 each, low season).

Today’s cruise is different in that we’ll be aboard the Fiordland Navigator, the boat they normally use for the overnight cruise instead of the usual catamaran, which is in survey.

The boat that takes us across Manapouri is full to capacity. We meet two old guys on their way to do volunteer conservation work with the DOC on one of Lake Manapouri’s islands, where they’ll live on a boat for a week. They regale us with stories, give us some tips on tramping tracks, and we learn a heck of a lot about conservationists vs. the NZ government, and the frightening proposals to 1) build a tunnel between Glenorchy and Gunns camp (Stop the Ruteburn Tunnel!), and 2) build a monorail in Fiordland (say it ain’t so!).

We next board a bus and are soon descending into the Manapouri Underground Power Station, which sets Bill’s engineering bits all a twitter. We’re not given a lot of time; I have to practically drag him out by his ear; we’re the last to re-board the bus. The descent into the power station and turning the bus around in the tunnel is quite a thrill.

We forge on, embarking upon the 22 km drive over snow-covered Wilmot Pass, via New Zealand’s most expensive road. We stop at an overlook for what must be some glorious views on a clear day.

Once at Deep Cove, we board the Fiordland Navigator for our three hour cruise in Doubtful Sound, which is technically a fjord, misnamed by early explorers who were doubtful they’d find their way out of it, or so the story goes.

Much to my relief, it isn’t raining, and we can clearly see the tops of the surrounding mountains through the gloom. Doubtful Sound gets 200 days of rain a year (as does Milford), and the crew is well trained to say things like ‘it’s a beautiful day to be here’ and ‘you’re lucky to see all the waterfalls’, but personally, I’d much prefer clear skies and sunshine, although the scattered snowflakes whizzing past the boat are a bonus. One thought keeps running through my mind – Doubtful Sound must be SPECTACULAR on a rare sunny day.

And the highlight? The Sound of Silence, when they turn off the engines, ask everyone to be still and quiet and just bask in the serenity…no noise but the water lapping against the boat and rocks, an occasional bird, and of course the whisper of some fool who can’t follow directions. There’s always one.

It’s been a full and enjoyable day. We return to Te Anau and have dinner at The Ranch – a warming potato, chicken soup for me, lamb roast for the carnivore. A few pints and we’re good to go ($45 total).

Day 17: Te Anau to Glenorchy

We leave Te Anau under semi-gloomy skies, but we can see wisps of blue and snow capped peaks in the distance. We retrace our steps towards Lumsden via 94, once again through a ground fog, which suddenly clears and reveals much missed sunshine and blue skies. At Mossburn we turn towards Five Rivers where we caffeinate at a cute little café situated at the junction of SH 6, across the street from a cow paddock. The coffee is good, the views are lovely, but I’d hardly call the service friendly.

The fog is back as we work our way towards Queenstown via squiggly roads alongside mist shrouded Lake Wakatipu. We can’t bypass Queenstown without an Indian food fix, so naturally we seek out our old stand-by, Once upon a Time in India (previously Little India) , which has once again changed hands and is now The Spice Room. But they’re closed, as is our next choice, Tandoor Palace. We’re determined to find some Indian food, so next up is Bombay Palace which suits us nicely (Chicken Tikka Masala, Kadhi Paneer, naan and rice - $31). Dessert finds us at Patagonia for some decadent hot chocolate, thick, delicious and perfect for a cold Queenstown day ($12).

The town is preparing for tomorrow’s Winter Fest, but it doesn’t feel nearly as manic as this time last year…perhaps everyone is on the slopes.

We eventually pull ourselves away from Queenstown and continue to Glenorchy via the aptly named Queenstown-Glenorchy Road. We notice a new parking area for the Mt Crichton Loop, one of our favorite hikes from past visits, so we stop to explore for a bit. They’ve changed the trailhead access, extending the track somewhat. Minutes later we’re distracted again; we’re soon following a gravel road down to the lake to poke around and take a few snaps. We arrive in Glenorchy seven hours after leaving Te Anau, a drive that would normally take about three hours.

We settle into our favorite Glenorchy accommodation, a place we discovered last year and can’t seem to get enough of.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...th_Island.html

Day 18: The end of the road; literally

The morning brings more cold and mist. Armed with our waterproofs, we follow the road around the head of Lake Wakatipu, 11 km beyond the Kinloch Lodge, a lakeside wilderness retreat. Tree felling equipment blocks our way, but the crew is kind enough to move so we can pass. We cross four water-filled fords; the bumpy road eventually ending at a parking area where we ditch the car and embark upon the Greenstone/Caples Track.

These tracks, as well as the Routeburn, lead to The Divide, which is located between Te Anau and Milford Sound. It’s possible for energetic trampers to connect two of these tracks to make a circuit. The Greenstone and Caples share the same trailhead and also branch off to the Lake Rere Track.

Our plan is to walk the nine kilometers to the gorge (maybe), which has been described as ‘spectacular’. We cross the stock bridge and pick our way along the poop riddled track and spend the next four hours slogging through mud, crossing small streams and dodging slippery roots. We bail before we reach the gorge, wherever it may be. It’s an OK walk, not great (8.2 miles return). The track is undulating, not difficult; we find the effort of remaining upright challenge enough, this baby has worn us out.

As we pass Kinloch Lodge on our return, we see that it’s open for drop in casual meals and drinks (it was closed this time last year, bookings usually required), so we call in for some warm spiced wine and beer in front of the fire. We’re the only customers; we have a nice chat with the proprietor.

We retreat to our lovely digs, lamenting the fact that we didn’t see much of the sun today, but happy that it didn’t rain.

Day 19: “Sweet as”

The snow covered Humbolt Mountains and a clear blue winter sky greet us when we open the drapes. It’s magic; so begins the photo frenzy. We’re out the door early to take full advantage of the sunshine. Our B&B owner has given us directions to Paradise, a place we’ve sought out many times before, but today we have some insider tips. It’s cold and damp; the night has brought a good hard freeze.

We follow Paradise Road, turn off at Paradise Homestead, and spy the caretaker returning from a walk, accompanied by two dogs and a leashed goat. We tell her we’ve been promised some lovely views. She points us to the trailhead and we’re soon walking the most spectacular track we’ve seen in all our visits to the South Island. The day is cold and clear, the views stunning. The Kiwi saying “sweet as” springs to mind. How we’ve missed this on previous visits is a complete mystery. The dogs accompany us as we walk the easy loop track, which only takes about 35 minutes (1.25 miles). We’re so enchanted that we consider walking it again. When we return to the car park, we’re met by a young man who asks directions and tells us that he’s here to scout out the area for a movie. He lives in Queenstown, yet has never been to Paradise. Amazing.

We continue driving on Paradise Road, pleased to find that some of the usually rough, water filled fords have been leveled out and are suitable for our little Toyota…at first. There are plenty of cows on the road and that glorious yellow ball shines overhead. Never have I been so happy to see the sun.

We cross seven rocky and water-filled fords, somehow managing to not destroy our rental in the process. Snow appears as we reach the end of the road – literally. A sign tells us we’re at Muddy Creek; the snow right up to the water’s edge. We park the car and begin walking the Dart River Track. We walk up and over Chinaman’s Bluff, absolutely loving this track, but not liking the snow and ice so much. There’s a little bit of everything here; forest, open valley, river, spectacular mountains. We pass a waterfall that has formed ice at its base – a completely natural formation, but it almost looks as if someone has emptied their Esky. We walk for about 90 minutes (2.7 miles return). No doubt about it, this is definitely Paradise.

We backtrack, next seeking out Diamond Creek, a trout fishing stream on the Glenorchy-Routeburn Road. We walk to Reid Lake (90 minute return, 3.4 miles). The first 15 minutes gives one a sense of the entire track; it’s basically a narrow sheep trail, boggy in spots, and not particularly interesting, although the rapt attention we get from the cows in a neighboring paddock certainly is. The views from the track are the same as from the road, and let’s face it, we’ve been ruined by seeing Paradise in all its snow capped, sun- drenched glory. This track is seriously anti-climactic.

Glenorchy is tiny; there are only three places to eat, and two are closed on this winter’s evening; so it’s the Glenorchy Hotel or nothing. This is a bad choice even in a place where there is no other choice. The food is borderline dire, the service only slightly better, the value pitiful; fried cod and salad for Bill ($30!) seriously bland pumpkin soup for me ($61 total with two pints). Baaaad.

Paradise it is, Mel.

but i don't think we'll be staying in Glenorchy. [the lodgings sound good but they are booked for our dates, and I fancy some of the indian food in QT!]

What a great trip report! I rarely check this board and I am so glad that I did. Thanks for sharing.

Aloha from gorgeous Kauai. I've just begun posting my own NZ report (and pix) and I fear my report will be quite pitiful compared to your wonderful, detailed one. We had amazing luck with the weather. Only two rainy days out of six weeks down under--but we were there at the very beginning of winter.

Honestly, I think I would have grumbled my way through if I'd hit the kind of weather you had. As I'm getting more obsessed with photography I care more and more about the light being right--and I'm not a big fan of sloshing through mud when I hike. But it sounds like you had a wonderful trip to my favorite country.

Thanks for posting great report!

You're on Kauai again? Holy moly Songdoc, seems all I do these days is follow you from board to board reading about all your fabulous trips.

HA! Well ... I'm considering this one long trip (3 months): Kauai-Australia-New Zealand-Kauai.

Thank you willowjane!


Day 20: Glenorchy to Geraldine

We bid adieu to Vladka, the moggy and the terriers, and reluctantly leave Glenorchy. I’ve estimated the drive time to Geraldine at 5.5 hours, which means it’ll probably take us eight; we’ve got a 6:30 booking for dinner, so we get an early start.

It’s cold, but mostly clear; it looks to be a good day for the Winter Festival in Queenstown; parking is at a premium. As we drive through town, I gaze at the seemingly endless houses that climb up the hills; soon there won’t be any trees left. Queenstown has been loved to death.

We drive along SH 6 to 8A and work our way north, via the Kawarau Gorge, surrounded by naked grape vines and countryside that looks dry as a bone. We detour to Cromwell, making an encore visit at the Wooing Tree for one last bottle of their Blondie.

As we work our way north, I wonder for the millionth time why some people like Lindis Pass so much. Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, but to me, this route is the West Coast’s ugly sister. The hills are naked and brown, and I wonder if it’s ever green through here. Signs announce that this is a high crash area; maybe drivers fall asleep from boredom?

Shortly after Omarama gorgeous snow covered mountains appear, and we get a brief glimpse of Mt Cook poking its reclusive head out of the clouds in the far distance; low fog obscures its base and clouds that resemble flying saucers dance above. The spillway at Lake Ruataniwha makes the perfect stop for a photo. The mountains quickly vanish as the fog rolls in. We feel lucky to have captured such a surreal sight; enduring Lindis Pass has paid off. :)

Opaque glacial blue Lake Pukaki comes into view, the landscape returns to brown. Once in Lake Tekapo we drive up to Mt John Observatory for flat whites and a bite to eat. The views from the Astro Café are stunning, the food very good (salmon bagel, ½ chicken sandwich, two flat whites - $30).

We stop for obligatory snaps of the Church of the Good Shepherd; Lake Tekapo is quite the booming little town these days.

Back on the road, we cross Burkes Pass, its barren crunchiness reminding me of perpetually thirsty Colorado; just looking out the window dries out my nasal passages.

The landscape greens up nicely near Mt Dobson Ski Area. At Fairlie we pick up 79; the road becomes more winding, our surroundings much prettier.

The smell of cow plop permeates the air as we cruise into Geraldine, arriving in an unprecedented 6.5 hours.

We call into the Farm Shop for a look see, discover some unfamiliar round avocados (Reed, from the North Island), and then seek out our B&B for the night, which turns out to be absolutely lovely:

Review here: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...th_Island.html

We settle in, relax and have a glass of wine and a chat with one half of the B&B team, before we drive into town for our dinner booking at Taste, a restaurant so memorable that we’ve scheduled our itinerary around it.

http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowUs...d.html#REVIEWS

We share the Mediterranean Tortellini appetizer (or entrée depending on where you’re from) ...spinach & ricotta tortellini, Kalamata olives, sundried tomatoes & Italian Chorizo, with creamy rocket & cashew nut pesto. Lovely.

For a main I have the tomato, zucchini & basil chicken ($28.50), a filo pastry parcel filled with chicken, cream cheese & spinach, served on a zucchini & bacon cake, with roasted garlic, Roma tomato & basil cream sauce...every bit as good as it sounds.

Bill is equally impressed with his Carpet Bag Steak ($34), Angus prime rib eye stuffed with Pacific oysters and topped with bacon, on dauphinoise potatoes with oyster and chive mascarpone.

An affogato each and we’re fat, dumb and happy.

melnq - when I get the odd spare hour [or 6] I'm going to sit down with your TRs and a map, and look at your routes. so much great information.

Day 21: Geraldine to Christchurch

After a lovely breakfast with our hosts we tear ourselves away and leave Geraldine via 79/72, the inland scenic route. Our hiking boots have been cleaned for Australian quarantine, so we reluctantly give the Peel Forest a pass as we motor by. A day that began promising turns ugly in record time; a ferocious wind pushes our poor little Toyota all over the road, rain angrily slaps against the car windows.

This drive is normally scenic, today it’s just a wet obstacle course; downed limbs litter the highway, fierce wind makes it difficult to steer the car. The abysmal weather discourages us from stopping at Rakaia Gorge other than for a bathroom break. We forge on via 77, the weather slowly improving. And then, as quickly as it began, the storm is over, the sun is peeking out. We make the three kilometer detour to Whitecliffs, for no other reason than it’s there. We find a small community (population 117), but no white cliffs. I’ve just this minute discovered that the town is named for the terrace cliffs above the Selwyn River. We eventually join 73, still dodging debris on the road, including the tattered remains of a tree windbreak that couldn’t withstand the onset.

The sun is out and there’s barely a breeze by the time we arrive in Darfield, where we indulge in massive slices of lemon curd cake and carrot cake, washed down with flat whites ($22) at Express Yourself, a cute little café on the main drag.

The wind returns as we leave leave Darfield via 77. We know we’re getting close to the Big Smoke as gas prices drop ($1.99 per liter) and traffic picks up. It’s taken us three hours to reach Christchurch, a mere one hour overage from the travel distance/time calculators. Blame it on the weather.

We get settled into our accommodation for the night, Merivale Manor, yet another lovely spot. Review here:

http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Hotel_...th_Island.html

Note: Christchurch is suffering an accommodation shortage due to the February 2011 earthquake. It pays to book very early; expect high rates.

We’d normally avoid accommodation on Papanui Road; it’s a noisy location, we’re light sleepers. But, I’d done my homework, discovering that the units at the back of the complex are quiet. I’d requested one of these when we booked, and we had no noise issues. The motel’s location was ideal for us as it’s only a 30 minute walk to the Red Zone (the earthquake shattered CBD), and a stone’s throw from Little India, our favorite NZ eatery.

We head out on foot to explore. Long before we reach the Red Zone, the cordon area around the crippled city center, we begin to see the damage; the sad toppled spire of a church, the empty husks of buildings, chain link fences enclosing piles of rubble, missing and broken windows, structures that lean at odd angles. The back-up alarms of heavy equipment pierce the air. We’re soon in the midst of the hollow shell of a once lively and vibrant city, instantly reminded of the 185 people who were lost, and of the lives forever fractured by the 6.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Christchurch on February 22, 2011. It’s sobering and heartbreaking.

We’d watched the catastrophe unfold from our living room, tuning in to the round-the- clock coverage from Australia, but that did little to prepare us for what we witnessed 16 months later.

We encounter an old guy who joins us on our walk and gives us an impromptu tour; he’s a resident who has been documenting the recovery through his photography. We eventually break away and wander through the Restart Cashel Mall, a busy and vibrant shopping district that has risen from the remains. The shops are housed in brightly painted shipping containers. My mood lifts immediately. The Kiwi spirit is alive and well.

http://www.restart.org.nz/about-chri...al-restart.php

It should come as no surprise that our final dinner in New Zealand is at Little India. As expected, it’s very good, although my curry gets a touch of drive-by heat thanks to Bill ordering his extra spicy (two curries, rice and naan - $40).

Day 22: Time to go

We’re out the door at dark-thirty, and checked in at the Christchurch airport by 5:45 am for our 7 am flight to Auckland. Once in Auckland we chill in the Koru Lounge for six hours (!) awaiting our flight to Perth (darn those frequent flyer tickets!). Lucky us, the lounge has a coffee barista! What’s not to love?

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Accommodation costs:

Amberley: Teviot View, self-contained one bedroom unit, $127.30
Rai Valley: Mount Richmond Estate, self-contained two bedroom unit (Charlotte), $130
Murchison: Riversong Cottages (Tui), self-contained two bedroom cottage - $150
Hokitika: Shining Star, self-contained king waterfront unit - $149
Cromwell: River Rock Estate, self-contained vineyard accommodation, $165 (continental breakfast and bottle of wine included)
North Catlins: Mohua Park (Karearea), self-contained cottage, $150
Te Anau: Birchwood Cottages (#2), self contained one bedroom, $120
Glenorchy: Precipice Creek Station, self contained cottage inclusive of generous continental breakfast, $208 (return guest rate)
Geraldine: Richlyn Park B&B, inclusive of cooked breakfast - $130
Christchurch: Merivale Manor (Manor Studio, #210), self contained, $155

Total spent on gas: $541.20

$2.08-2.20 per liter

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Stay tuned for photos.

Here's the slideshow and a bit of Gin Wigmore:

http://tripwow.tripadvisor.com/tripw...1-3b9c-f9e8?ln

Haha you're a Gin Wigmore fan now!

I loved the slideshow!

Lee Ann

mlgb - only in small doses! Thanks Lee Ann.