In the UK once more and, alas, back to work. Along my morning walk, just outside the office's rear gate, some hefty beast has laid the biggest pile of dung I've ever seen. I thought it was a dead dog at first sight. It's seriously hard to imagine any of the usual local wildlife leaving it. A lesser and more pretentious man than myself might draw some sort of metaphor out of this, but I'll just leave it there and the reader can make whatever connections they choose.
Dunedin did turn out all right in the end. It's NZ's big student city and has that pleasant, artsy vibe about it. We made the most of our last full day in NZ, driving out along the Otago peninsula in the morning and wandering around town in the afternoon. Otago has probably the most terrifying roads in the whole country - taking hairpin bends around mountains at a cautious 30 kph is one thing, but the peninsular coast road has about six inches of crumbling tarmac verge and a sheer drop into the water, and no barrier, and it expects you to take it like a Southern Man at 60 kph. You big pussycat. This seems to be just another sign of Dunedin's Scots heritage, along with the disdain of anyone who complains about the bracing weather.
That's the other thing about Dunedin, besides the students and the All Blacks - the Southern Man. NZ has this romanticised image of the frontier farmer that's basically the same as America's mythic image of the cowboy, but with sheep instead of steers. No one has done more to perpetuate this image than Speight's, Dunedin's own brewery and apparently NZ's most successful brand of beer. Speight's, incidentally, was founded by a tubby bearded PR man and his two tubby bearded brewing friends. See, it was us hairy fatties that won the West, ha ha. Well, the South in this case.
The holiday was rounded off with a rousing concert from Mikelangelo and the Black Sea Gentlemen, then most of a day of driving back up to Christchurch and our flight home. I couldn't help noticing that, unlike the waterways of the North Island, all the South Island's rivers seemed to be running dry. (Again, a lesser and more pretentious man might read a metaphor into this...) The last thing we did in NZ, before handing back the campervan and heading for the airport, was to visit Mount Hutt, so we did at least get a close view of one of the South Island's mountains.
The Lovely Jo will be blogging about our holiday in much more detail. I'll just post a few links and leave it there.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
New Zealand, day 14
Much fun was had in Wellington, which is still the preferred destination once we start the emigration process in earnest. To be honest, I'm cheap and can be won over with a sufficiently large second hand bookshop and a nice inexpensive sushi bar, both of which Wellington offers. It also houses Te Papa, NZ's national museum, as well as some very nice looking suburbs, Weta's new visitor facility and the Karori wildlife park. The noble idea behind Karori - and an especially surprising one considering it's part of NZ's capital city - is to section off a large valley, remove all non-native animal and plant life, and restore it to the condition it is presumed to have been in before the settlers arrived. Apparently it'll take 500 years to get there, but it's already a very impressive place. Sadly we only discovered it an hour before closing time, so a full exploration will have to wait until we've moved out here.
The ferry crossing between islands wasn't much different from the ferry to Jersey or France - smoother, if anything, and obviously much shorter. And so here we are in the South Island. People have been telling us we'll love the South Island since we arrived in NZ. It got to the point where I was prepared to loathe it out of sheer stubbornness. But on sober reflection, having now been here for a few days, I think I can honestly say that the inhabited areas are better laid out and nicer to look at, the campsite amenities better, the tourist attractions more attractive, the shop and site staff more friendly, helpful and welcoming, the motorists less aggressive and the scenery no less enjoyable in the North Island. It's the North for me. The weather was nicer, the children happier, the recycling facilities more complete and the Wagon Wheels larger too, since you ask. But seriously, I prefer the North.
One thing that bothers me about the South is that it's been made to look so much more like the UK - the brick buildings, big stone municipal buildings, low brick garden walls, over-familiar trees and plants muscling out the bromeliads, tall hedges partitioning the countryside all over. I realise that was exactly the intention for the 19th century settlers, and maybe that was why people thought we might love the South Island, but we didn't come all this way to be reminded of home. We haven't come out here to look at fields and hills and villages that look just like bits of the Black Country - we've come out here to look at NZ.
Christchurch takes it slightly to extremes by having a River Avon along which one may punt. On the plus side, the city centre is peppered with diverting sculptures, and it does have its share of Art Deco and weatherboard, so it's not all Victorian homesickness made urban flesh. And just the other side of Christchurch's nearest mountain there's the attractive Lyttleton Harbour. On Monday we visited the Antarctic Centre, with its penguins, its Antarctic storm simulator and its surprisingly large entry price.
Now we're in Dunedin, where we're experiencing the first proper day of rain all holiday - we've done pretty well with the weather so far. The campsite is a jumble of brightly painted wood, with board games laid out on the bench tops, and blue and yellow wooden cubes scattered around the grounds like computer game furniture. In a small outdoor cage huddle some very ordinary budgerigars - I'm pretty sure they're not even native. Disappointment falls with the rain. Tomorrow we drive out of town to see NZ's biggest albatross sanctuary, then in the evening it's the Mikelangelo concert, so tomorrow should be a much better day all round.
The ferry crossing between islands wasn't much different from the ferry to Jersey or France - smoother, if anything, and obviously much shorter. And so here we are in the South Island. People have been telling us we'll love the South Island since we arrived in NZ. It got to the point where I was prepared to loathe it out of sheer stubbornness. But on sober reflection, having now been here for a few days, I think I can honestly say that the inhabited areas are better laid out and nicer to look at, the campsite amenities better, the tourist attractions more attractive, the shop and site staff more friendly, helpful and welcoming, the motorists less aggressive and the scenery no less enjoyable in the North Island. It's the North for me. The weather was nicer, the children happier, the recycling facilities more complete and the Wagon Wheels larger too, since you ask. But seriously, I prefer the North.
One thing that bothers me about the South is that it's been made to look so much more like the UK - the brick buildings, big stone municipal buildings, low brick garden walls, over-familiar trees and plants muscling out the bromeliads, tall hedges partitioning the countryside all over. I realise that was exactly the intention for the 19th century settlers, and maybe that was why people thought we might love the South Island, but we didn't come all this way to be reminded of home. We haven't come out here to look at fields and hills and villages that look just like bits of the Black Country - we've come out here to look at NZ.
Christchurch takes it slightly to extremes by having a River Avon along which one may punt. On the plus side, the city centre is peppered with diverting sculptures, and it does have its share of Art Deco and weatherboard, so it's not all Victorian homesickness made urban flesh. And just the other side of Christchurch's nearest mountain there's the attractive Lyttleton Harbour. On Monday we visited the Antarctic Centre, with its penguins, its Antarctic storm simulator and its surprisingly large entry price.
Now we're in Dunedin, where we're experiencing the first proper day of rain all holiday - we've done pretty well with the weather so far. The campsite is a jumble of brightly painted wood, with board games laid out on the bench tops, and blue and yellow wooden cubes scattered around the grounds like computer game furniture. In a small outdoor cage huddle some very ordinary budgerigars - I'm pretty sure they're not even native. Disappointment falls with the rain. Tomorrow we drive out of town to see NZ's biggest albatross sanctuary, then in the evening it's the Mikelangelo concert, so tomorrow should be a much better day all round.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
New Zealand, day 8
Ah, braindump at last. We've arrived in Wellington, city of wind and (intermittent) rain, home to the cheapest Internet facilities since Waitomo. Thoughts on the holiday so far follow.
Auckland
There's not much to be said about Auckland except that it's a city. Admittedly we only saw the central, most typically urban part of it, but general impressions are of blandness. Many non-Aucklanders seem to agree.
Pedestrian crossings in Auckland are a bit special (see, this is the level...). They bide their time making "Pong" noises - this effect is most noticeable at crossroads, where you get two competing sets playing against each other. And then, when the green man appears, they make a noise like a fruit machine being goosed.
There is one other special thing about Auckland, and that's the Skytower, its sole prominent architectural feature. It looks (and, with a name like "Skytower", sounds) as though Dr Hans Zarkoff had designed it. However, it had its own stall at the Auckland jobs fair, and from this we know that inside it's nothing but solid casinos.
We met some relatives here, wandered around a bit, had some coffee, left again.
Kawakawa
The furthest north we ventured, the midpoint of a day trip up Whangarei. With its exposed rail line running down the middle of the dusty high street and its worn verandas, Kawakawa looks like a small town in Mexico. (Mind you, so do some of the suburban parts of Auckland that we drove through.) But Kawakawa also has a lot of colourful tiling and some very ornate shop fronts, thanks to an Austrian artist by the name of Hundertwasser. Apparently he came and personally designed the town's public toilets, the most famous public toilets in NZ. Naturally we had to drive up and see them. And use them. Not every day you get to relieve yourself over a work of art. They were very nice lavs, too.
Waitomo
A halfway stop between Auckland and Taupo. The campsite is a small strip across the road from the Waitomo Cave Museum and next to a trendy cafe. Mere minutes down the road is the entrance (and gift shop) to Waitomo's Glowworm Caves, one of three well-publicised caves in the area. This was one of the things we'd vowed to see when arranging our holiday, and well worth it it was too.
Readers might think that there's nothing to Waitomo but caves, but that just isn't true - visitors can also indulge in extreme sports. In caves.
Otorohanga
Is not the home of, and has nothing particularly to do with, NZ's own favourite cartoon strip, Footrot Flats. We weren't the first people who'd asked, said the woman in the information office. She didn't know where we'd got the idea from. I'll tell you where - from the Lonely bloody Planet guide book. That thing has steered us wrong more than once this holiday.
What Otorohanga does have, besides a disturbing urge to crown itself the king-town of "Kiwiana" (i.e. of tourist tat), is a rather nice bird sanctuary. We were still seeing the birds in aviaries rather than in the wild, but at least we were seeing them. The chief attraction is the kiwi house, where the staff have tinkered with the poor nocturnal creatures' body clocks sufficiently to get them active at midday. If you were to draw yer most basic cartoon bird - big ball of feathers, feet and head - it'd look like these. They behave like basic cartoon birds too.
Taupo
A facade of false bonhomie fails to cover the campsite's drab, colourless features. Empty 300 sqm fields masquerade under absurd names like "Dinosaur Valley". The receptionist makes it implicitly clear that, through gritted teeth, he and you will have fun at all costs. The staff police the site in tiny motorised buggies. Happiness will prevail.
The Lake Taupo area has one fairly obvious feature of tourist interest, which it plies with scenic walks and spa resorts. It appears to be the school holiday destination of choice for the locals. Lake Taupo was caused by a large volcanic explosion mumble hundred years ago, and the area now boasts a selection of hot springs, bubbling mud pools and sulphurous smells. We spent a couple of hours strolling up to the Huka Falls and back, but that and a few bayside photos pretty much covered it.
Napier
Probably the nicest campsite so far, albeit stuck in the middle of suburbia. If you could put this campsite in the Taupo campsite's location, you'd have the perfect combo.
Napier has many things going for it. For a start it has the southern hemisphere's biggest collection of Art Deco architecture - thanks, 1931 earthquake! Smooth pastel-coloured buildings line the streets like block after block of elaborately decorated wedding cakes. If we'd had more time it might have been worth taking an organised tour, but a couple of hours with the camera and a glossy souvenir book will have to do.
Then, like the rest of Hawkes Bay, it has wineries and wine tours. A couple of friends recommended a particular tour to us, and it made for a very pleasant afternoon of mild alcoholic fug. Winery tasting notes follow:
Matariki. Looks exactly the way you'd imagine a wine ranch would look. You drive up the dust path to the wooden offices where a hearty fellow in a big straw hat bounds forth to greet you. Seems to specialise in fruity reds and red blends. Plenty of body.
Trinity Hill. Looks like a trendy wine bar, but don't be fooled. Specialises in whites, including a nice smooth Sauvignon and a cheeky dessert wine. We spent a little while in here.
Sileni. With its big metal triangle-in-circle logo out front, it looks rather like a sinister corporation of some sort. A very small one, obviously. Has an extensive shop. Good reds, but pricey.
Ngatarawa. Previously a racehorse stables, which gives the place a very homely look. Offers a range of wines in a range of prices. A nice end to the afternoon.
And so to Wellington, where we'll be spending a few days scoping the place out before hopping on the ferry to the South Island on Saturday. Further thoughts may follow.
Auckland
There's not much to be said about Auckland except that it's a city. Admittedly we only saw the central, most typically urban part of it, but general impressions are of blandness. Many non-Aucklanders seem to agree.
Pedestrian crossings in Auckland are a bit special (see, this is the level...). They bide their time making "Pong" noises - this effect is most noticeable at crossroads, where you get two competing sets playing against each other. And then, when the green man appears, they make a noise like a fruit machine being goosed.
There is one other special thing about Auckland, and that's the Skytower, its sole prominent architectural feature. It looks (and, with a name like "Skytower", sounds) as though Dr Hans Zarkoff had designed it. However, it had its own stall at the Auckland jobs fair, and from this we know that inside it's nothing but solid casinos.
We met some relatives here, wandered around a bit, had some coffee, left again.
Kawakawa
The furthest north we ventured, the midpoint of a day trip up Whangarei. With its exposed rail line running down the middle of the dusty high street and its worn verandas, Kawakawa looks like a small town in Mexico. (Mind you, so do some of the suburban parts of Auckland that we drove through.) But Kawakawa also has a lot of colourful tiling and some very ornate shop fronts, thanks to an Austrian artist by the name of Hundertwasser. Apparently he came and personally designed the town's public toilets, the most famous public toilets in NZ. Naturally we had to drive up and see them. And use them. Not every day you get to relieve yourself over a work of art. They were very nice lavs, too.
Waitomo
A halfway stop between Auckland and Taupo. The campsite is a small strip across the road from the Waitomo Cave Museum and next to a trendy cafe. Mere minutes down the road is the entrance (and gift shop) to Waitomo's Glowworm Caves, one of three well-publicised caves in the area. This was one of the things we'd vowed to see when arranging our holiday, and well worth it it was too.
Readers might think that there's nothing to Waitomo but caves, but that just isn't true - visitors can also indulge in extreme sports. In caves.
Otorohanga
Is not the home of, and has nothing particularly to do with, NZ's own favourite cartoon strip, Footrot Flats. We weren't the first people who'd asked, said the woman in the information office. She didn't know where we'd got the idea from. I'll tell you where - from the Lonely bloody Planet guide book. That thing has steered us wrong more than once this holiday.
What Otorohanga does have, besides a disturbing urge to crown itself the king-town of "Kiwiana" (i.e. of tourist tat), is a rather nice bird sanctuary. We were still seeing the birds in aviaries rather than in the wild, but at least we were seeing them. The chief attraction is the kiwi house, where the staff have tinkered with the poor nocturnal creatures' body clocks sufficiently to get them active at midday. If you were to draw yer most basic cartoon bird - big ball of feathers, feet and head - it'd look like these. They behave like basic cartoon birds too.
Taupo
A facade of false bonhomie fails to cover the campsite's drab, colourless features. Empty 300 sqm fields masquerade under absurd names like "Dinosaur Valley". The receptionist makes it implicitly clear that, through gritted teeth, he and you will have fun at all costs. The staff police the site in tiny motorised buggies. Happiness will prevail.
The Lake Taupo area has one fairly obvious feature of tourist interest, which it plies with scenic walks and spa resorts. It appears to be the school holiday destination of choice for the locals. Lake Taupo was caused by a large volcanic explosion mumble hundred years ago, and the area now boasts a selection of hot springs, bubbling mud pools and sulphurous smells. We spent a couple of hours strolling up to the Huka Falls and back, but that and a few bayside photos pretty much covered it.
Napier
Probably the nicest campsite so far, albeit stuck in the middle of suburbia. If you could put this campsite in the Taupo campsite's location, you'd have the perfect combo.
Napier has many things going for it. For a start it has the southern hemisphere's biggest collection of Art Deco architecture - thanks, 1931 earthquake! Smooth pastel-coloured buildings line the streets like block after block of elaborately decorated wedding cakes. If we'd had more time it might have been worth taking an organised tour, but a couple of hours with the camera and a glossy souvenir book will have to do.
Then, like the rest of Hawkes Bay, it has wineries and wine tours. A couple of friends recommended a particular tour to us, and it made for a very pleasant afternoon of mild alcoholic fug. Winery tasting notes follow:
Matariki. Looks exactly the way you'd imagine a wine ranch would look. You drive up the dust path to the wooden offices where a hearty fellow in a big straw hat bounds forth to greet you. Seems to specialise in fruity reds and red blends. Plenty of body.
Trinity Hill. Looks like a trendy wine bar, but don't be fooled. Specialises in whites, including a nice smooth Sauvignon and a cheeky dessert wine. We spent a little while in here.
Sileni. With its big metal triangle-in-circle logo out front, it looks rather like a sinister corporation of some sort. A very small one, obviously. Has an extensive shop. Good reds, but pricey.
Ngatarawa. Previously a racehorse stables, which gives the place a very homely look. Offers a range of wines in a range of prices. A nice end to the afternoon.
And so to Wellington, where we'll be spending a few days scoping the place out before hopping on the ferry to the South Island on Saturday. Further thoughts may follow.
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