Today must begin with an attempt to see the famous reflection of Aoraki Mt Cook in Lake Matheson and with a photo of Fox Glacier.
A glacier! Hundreds of years worth of ice and snow, compacted into a morphing ice cube.
I decided to start with the Lake Matheson/Aoraki Mt Cook view, because ‘the jetty is just a short walk from the carpark’ <friendly smile>.
45 minute round trip, admittedly. But it was HOT in there!“Sparrowfart”, he may have called it.I had hoped for much less than what I got in the end 👌😉 And then I saw a troll!
Lake Matheson was a delight, as you could see. I had a good time. But it’s not called Fox Glacier township for Lake Matheson now, is it?
Just glacial things
I’ll just cut straight to it. I saw Fox Glacier from the lookout. I lost my stuff. Why? I don’t rightly know.
Because it is a big block of ice that’s persisting through all this decidedly non-freezing weather. Because there could be so many fascinating things buried inside it. Because it doesn’t just sit still, but rather expands, cracks and moves under its own weight.
It was just beautiful.
All of that took me over two hours to explore, starting barely 5 minutes away from Fox Glacier township.
I made my way out of town and headed for Franz Josef.
Short story shorter, I made my way up a side road marked by a smallish sign that read ‘Franz Josef Access’ in standard font, as if it’s unimportant. Access? A glacier? I’d have put it in neon and hired a person to don a puffy glacier mascot suit and spin a ‘hOnk iF yoU likE Ice’ sign.
Eat at Tak’s cafe…
I stopped briefly in Greymouth on the way to Punakaiki.
Boy, do the pancake rocks at Punakaiki deserve their own page… 😉
Ah, the calming sound of rain that’s not going anywhere any time soon.
Looks like it’ll be a wet one all day, too.
I was planning on doing some walking today, but now I’m more keen on getting to Fox Glacier or Franz Josef.
Cabin 26B
And theeeeen?
I’ve stopped an hour out of Wanaka at a little petrol station cum cafe cum lodge cum info centre (‘best coffee in town!’) called the Wonderland Makarora Lodge.
Note to past self:
The ride was… look, it was absolutely unreal. Plenty of winding and twisting, mountainside roads to blast along (a little damp, but no less fun) and rain in varying intensities interspersed with rejuvenating bursts of sunshine.
Every time I turn my head to look out the window at this ‘lodgecafe’, the weather is entirely different from the last time. Sometimes it’s clear and I can make out the mountains in the background. Other times, it’s foggy and raining again.
Just a heads up
Heh. An elderly couple and an absolutely drenched motorcyclist informed me, about 30 minutes apart, that I’ll be passing through a waterfall on my way to Fox.
Through.
A waterfall.
… as in ‘under’, right?
🤨
Eventually
‘Pass under a waterfall’ my backside.
I mean, okay, there’s one section where the road is particularly wet because of a lot of water gushing down a rock face very close to the road… but that’s it!
I was bracing for Watermageddon™️.
8pm
The ride into Fox Glacier was utterly magical. I mean ‘unicorns and imaginary trucks‘ magical.
There was heavy rain. There were severe gusts of wind. There was fog so thick I could barely see 15 metres ahead. There was an inescapable chill. There was a beach with crashing waves, not two metres to the side of the road. There was water on the insides of my waterproof boots and gloves and nearing the end, there were imaginary trucks, blocks of ice in streams and busses full of tourists that was actually a 4WD towing a boat.
That hardly illustrates how difficult it all was. I was as highly strung as a penthouse clothesline. I was pushing the limits of the tyres on some hairpin turns in the wet. I was entrusting my wellbeing to a bike I’m only just getting used to and Ruby’s trusting me to not send both of us into a tree, down a ravine or into the rushing water below a rickety old single lane bridge.
I had a really great time!
The first thing I did after I checked in to the Bella Vista Motel in Fox Glacier, was record this:
Unedited goodness. Witness my relief at having stopped somewhere dry!
The hot shower had me feeling so much better, but as you can see in this next clip, I’m a bit spaced out.
I had a great meal from a pub up the way. The whole town is about 500m long and after all my efforts, apparently you can’t see Fox Glacier from Fox Glacier 😂
Tomorrow, I’m going to venture to a nearby lookout where I’m told I’ll be able to look back towards the town and see the glacier beyond.
That is, if the weather is fine 😏
CURSE YOU SONY!
Frustratingly, I cannot seem to get Sony’s action cam app to make a highlights reel.
Actually, I can hardly get it to do anything. Versus what I see from GoPro and what I’ve experienced with DJI’s app, this is very disappointing indeed 😑
This morning, I’m taking the hobbits to Isengard. Sorry no, I’m riding to Glenorchy, just 45 minutes away. Parts of Glenorchy were used for scenes in the Lord of the Rings, namely Isengard, Lothlórien and Amon Hen, if that means anything to you 😉
After that, I’ll pass through Queenstown again on my way to Wanaka, just an hour and a half away, where I’ll be staying the night.
Weather warning from the Met Service:
Heavy rain for western parts of the South Island
A series of fronts are expected to move onto the South Island from the Tasman Sea during Friday and Saturday, bringing periods of heavy rain to the west of the South Island.
No, no, NO! The hobbitses mustn’t get wet! 😭
10am
Oh, Glenorchy. What am I ever going to do with you? So charming.
I’ve stopped for a croissant and a coffee at the Trading Post.
Peace up, A-town!
I saw an Audi 4WD with the number plate ATOWN just as I was rolling into Arrowtown 😏
I stopped very briefly and took pics of the chapel, which was close and pretty in the afternoon sun 🤷♀️
Wanaka
View from the street next to the YHA.From the park below.Facing the other way. ‘When pano goes right.’
I’m hoping to be able to see some stars tonight. It’s been eight days. I’ve been patient. Today was unexpectedly fine, so surely…
Left Te Anau around 10:15. I’ve spent about four hours on the road and I’ve just arrived in… Te Anau.
The road to Milford sound starts and ends at Te Anau, basically.
Had yet another coffee and a vege stir fry with udon at a local cafe.
9pm
I’m in Queenstown!
Oh, heck no. My day was waaay longer than that. Give me some time.
Re-e-wind, when crowd say ‘bo’, selecta!
(Thank you, Mr Craig David).
Here’s my morning video in three parts:
Act I – Salutations and plan.Act II – The ‘anxiety, or mere preference?’ paradox. Act III – The jester, the bird and the high horse.
Droned out
New Zealand’s most gorgeous locations are not particularly drone friendly. After my experience last night, I can’t really blame people for distrusting inconsiderate and potentially dangerous pilots, either.
I’m guessing the ban around these sightseeing locations (especially in the mountains) is due to the possibility that a rescue helicopter or the like may have to be flown in anywhere at any time… but still.
How about paid temporary passes from the Civil Aviation Authority of NZ as a solution? A kind of drone licence that can be purchased with the passing of an online multiple choice exam?
Glacial valley – on the way to Milford Sound
Aside from some cropping to remove a crowd of people, the following images have not been altered.
Eventually, it was like I was back in the highlands.
Angle 1Angle 2
Then I finally arrived at Milford Sound. It was… okay. The ride and the sights leading up to the place made my day. The destination was just a pretty bonus.
I also happened to meet Greg, a Canuck (from British Columbia eh?) who’s on a similar journey with Maisie, one of the other bikes from South Pacific Motorcycle Tours! 😍
Greg and Maisie.
As per the original post for today, after Milford Sound, I got back to Te Anau, had something to eat and then moved one towards Queenstown.
No, that wasn’t it either. More to come!
Have another Roadside Rant™️.
In this particular edition, what I’m desperately trying to say is that this trip has reignited my adventurous spirit.
I have familial ties to Tasmania (my paternal grandmother was born there), so I owe it to myself to see whether the answer to why my innards delight in the crisp air and amongst mountain ranges lies down there.
“Flat plain”. Yeah, I said it.
Have an outtake.
Fatigue is a surreptitious little enemy. I’m in the habit of taking breaks, but sometimes I’m a little far gone.
Thankfully, the ensuing video clips can be quite entertaining 👌😉
🤦♀️
Queenstown
Not long after that effort, I rolled into my destination and eventually located my accommodation at the Reaver’s Lodge (any Firefly fans?!) at the top of a very steep road.
The view from the balcony was quite nice.
I wandered around a bit and was surprised at how very Surfers Paradise the centre of town is.
People dress up in Queenstown. People wear perfume and cologne by the litre. Though, after a week of rain, road and nature, it could be that my nose had become a little more sensitive.
It’s a very good looking place with that strong tourism vibe.
Fergburger
At 10pm, I remembered that I was supposed to try something. Something (allegedly) amazing.
I donned my thermals, grabbed a jacket and sauntered back into town.
There was still a bit of a queue at 10:15pm for this Fergburger joint.
Another 15 minutes later, with burger and onion rings in hand, I made my way to the wharf where I was instructed to sit on a bench seat to enjoy the view.
Whaddaya expect? It’s 10:30pm 🤣
The burger was great as were the onion rings.
My view was of a floating pub with a bunch of drunk tourist on board, singing 90s pop music… and not a star in the sky 😑
Back at Reaver’s Lodge, I climbed the treacherously steep and tiny stairs up to the loft, settled in to the comfortable double b- wait, this is two singles pushed together! Oh whatever. G’night.
Whilst having lunch at the Classic Motorcycle Mecca, I decided to book two nights at a motel that looked as though it had a private bathroom. That was my only requirement.
It seems I scored with the Anchorage Motel. The first thing I noticed was their URL – ‘teanaumotel.co.nz’. Somebody got in quick.
Right now, I’m sipping on a coffee in a mug from the fully stocked kitchenette. They even supplied a little bottle of milk 😍
It’s the simple things…
The bed is warm thanks to the heated mattress liner.
The tiles in the bathroom are heated, as is the towel rack.
There are coin operated laundry facilities on premises, just a few steps away. They supply the washing powder.
As already mentioned, they have a fully stocked kitchenette with pots and pans and cutlery and crockery just ready to go.
Ohhh yeah. They also have a freaking hot tub out the back.
What do?
It’s raining quite heavily, on and off. Ruby is parked undercover, just outside the front door.
I understand the road to Milford Sound is quite entertaining, with multiple slow speed switchbacks, which seems like something better enjoyed in the dry.
Bah, I’m just making excuses because I don’t want to say that I just want to laze about for a while and recharge.
You know what I’m going to do? I’m going to go shopping. I’m going to buy some veges and eggs and spaghetti, make myself a breakfast, edit some videos, do some laundry, update yesterday’s post, recharge my drone batteries (because you never know when that may come in handy 😤) and listen to the rain.
More later…
11:00am
I can’t help but feel that a person with some local knowledge, a car decent enough for Uber and with drone photography skills could make a killing in places like this.
🤔
I’ve also just noticed that ING is refunding my overseas transaction fees AND the ATM fees on my Orange Everyday account. ING being amazing, as always.
1pm
I went shopping.
I made a hearty lunch.
See, this is another thing I didn’t consider. Accommodation with cooking facilities 🤔
Cart whatever leftover ingredients I have from point to point. It’s camping without the tent.
Do people do this all the time? This is brilliant.
Yeah, nah
I did this instead:
PG version. The original cut contained gratuitous scenes of extreme relaxation that would’ve been completely NSFW.
Oh, for the determination that graffiti artist had, to restore their work at the top of that building…
12:30pm
I spent two and a half hours gawking at the astonishing collection of motorcycles and memorabilia at the Classic Motorcycle Mecca, which was updated just this year.
They had tradies working throughout the building to improve its earthquake protection specifications, but the work didn’t really disrupt the experience.
It’s a marvellous collection indeed, with vehicles from 1902 through to the present day.
I took plenty of photos and I fear none of them could possibly do the place justice, but I’ll give it a go.
I’m currently chowing down on a late brunch (😏) and topping up on coffee. Once that’s done, it’s back to the riding.
Today, I’m heading towards Fiordland. I’ve booked two nights in Te Anau as well so I can unwind a bit without the rush of having to move on immediately.
I’m looking forward to Milford Sound. I believe I have to consider a tour boat ride on the water 🤔
Aparima Riverton
By chance, I saw a pamphlet (at the Classic Motorcycle Mecca) for the Aparima Riverton Te Hikoi museum that promised a bit of a cultural learning experience.
I took a detour off the main route to check it out and I wasn’t disappointed.
For the $9 entry fee, I got to see a 15 minute movie based on the founding of the area, then enjoyed a walk through museum with several life sized displays depicting various scenes from various times in Aparima/Riverton’s history.
Most interesting was the story of James Caddell, then a 16 year old lad who was part of a seal hunting crew. His companions were killed for hunting on Māori land without permission and he was captured. He ended up adopting Māori culture, married a Maori woman, Tokitoki, and eventually grew to become an important figure due to his ability to translate and forge trade deals with the Europeans.
I also spoke to the ladies on the counter at length. They’re just getting in to using augmented and virtual reality technology to scan and display fragile items that are becoming increasingly more damaged. Long story short, I might apply for a job here and move.
Thanks for reading, bye. The end.
… I told them I’d be back in a yeah, anyway.
The road to Te Anau
By the time I left Aparima Riverton, the sky was overcast again. Nevertheless, the temperature remained relatively high, especially in comparison to previous days.
That is, until I started to see the Southern Alps again and the air turned crisp once more.
Then the wind started to pick up, becoming gustier. Ruby and I had to fight to stay in our lane on some corners.
Throughout that, I noticed something. I was smiling. Beaming, in fact.
Eventually, I found a little spot to stop, because I felt a soliloquy coming on 😏
Curio Bay is my hero destination. It’s the whole reason I’m down here in the South Island.
That’s right. I’m not even here for the penguins – of which I saw exactly none, by the way. Not that I was looking that hard, to be honest.
This was another Mt James cum Aoraki/Mt Cook event for me – I was so enamoured with this ancient, fossilised forest that I spent a good hour and a half taking photos and touching the ancient tree stumps.
Touching an old or ancient object makes me feel connected to its history. I may have been touching the very tree stump that an Ankylosaur scratched its butt on once.
Curio Bay! CURIO BAY!CURI- okay, you get it.A petrified tree stump Articulation went out the window. I was honoured to be there and to be able to touch these rare and ancient objects.Branches? Fronds?
After seeing them up close, it became easier to spot the fallen trees from the walkway above.
I went to check out around 9:40am and ended up standing around and chatting with the people who run the Sahara Guesthouse and Motel.
It turns out that one of the ladies who cleans the place is originally from Mooloolaba.
Her sister and niece are both working in libraries in or near to Brisbane. Hashtag smallworld, hashtag coincidence.
But now I’m off!
11:30am – Parked my bike at the dairy. Nek minute…
It’s cold. This time I’m dry, but it’s still cold.
I’ve stopped at a dairy in Milton. I ordered a pie off the rack and a flat white, because it’s all they make.
To be honest, I did this just to be able to use the ‘nek minute’ line.
The pie was like any run of the mill servo pie. It’ll do. The flat white? It’s something else.
The first flavour to hit me is the subtle hint of chocolate. No doubt left behind from the last beverage made using whatever machine is behind that roughly plastered, hand finished wall. In fact, there’s a swirl of brown in the froth on top 👌😂
As far as instant coffees go, it’s not so bad. It’s no Nescafé pod, but then this is dairy in Milton that apparently specialises in deep fried chicken combo meals. It’s warming me up and I’m grateful for that.
Ambient temperature is currently 9°C, with a 48kph southerly blowing some serious chill up from the Antarctic.
Time to move on!
I haven’t seen him since he went to…
1pm – Owaka feeling.
Stopped in Owaka because I simply couldn’t miss the famous Teapotland!
I’ve got an hour and 10 yet, until the destination I’m most keen to reach – Curio Bay!
Florence Hill Lookout
As you can tell from this next clip, I really needed a break.
I pulled into a lookout that reminded me of the Point Danger lighthouse area, complete with a Duranbah looking bit of beach down the way.
I promise you there were sheep and ducks in the area, too. You just can’t see any of these things in the video 😬
Waikawa – Museum and information centre.
The day before, I had read about the Waikawa museum and information centre being the place to go to ask about Curio Bay.
What I discovered was a pleasant hub of local knowledge, managed by volunteers from the area on a rotating schedule. Today’s attendant (I really must record names on the spot – I’m so sorry to the wonderful person there, but I’ve forgotten her name 🤦♀️) was filling in for her grandmother who had chosen to go off and walk her dog.
I learned about the disruption that introduced pest species like wallabies and ferrets cause and about the government’s plan to eradicate them all by 2050.
I learned about ‘1080’, still in use in the area, in an attempt to eradicate these creatures and the side effects it has on the local wildlife such as native birds.
I also learned about the men and women from the area who served in various wars. Names and faces of those who returned and those who didn’t.
I didn’t stay in Dunedin for the 11am memorial service that was in town. As a half Japanese, half Aussie kid, such services were always awkward for me. I hoped then as I do now, that people bow their heads for the fallen on all sides of conflict.
In the silence of a tiny local museum at the southern end of New Zealand, I stood for a moment, wishing the departed some peace.
Kanakana
Finally, I learned about the kanakana and the steadily decreasing number of this culturally significant fish.
There’s quite often a kanakana frenzy, apparently. Not of the creatures themselves, but rather, people dashing out at midnight to catch them.
When the moon is out in full, somebody may spot a plentiful batch of kanakana stuck to the rocks in a stream nearby. That person will ring (by landline, because ‘we get no cell reception out here’) somebody and that person will ring another until the stream is filled with people catching these lamprey.
I hear they’re quite delicious. Sadly, I couldn’t stick around until the next full moon…
Apologies, this is a long post – it was a long day!
My day started with a great coffee and a breakfast burger that was absolutely what I needed to get moving. Yes, it was from Our Dog Friday downstairs.
Do you want to see an absolutely cringeworthy clip of me acting like some sort of Instagram influencer wannabe? 🤦♀️
Yeah bros and broettes, come check it out 🤙
The coffee is fantastic, the food is delicious and… let’s just leave it at that.
Once breakfast was done (I ate it standing in my room whilst shoving clothes and gear into the side panniers), I checked out, then took one last look around.
Did you notice how I said ‘thermals’ in that clip? I Just had a single long sleeved thermal top on.
I had all the liners in my riding gear as well, but it’s just not the same.
I stopped briefly at a lookout near Lake Pukaki, which was just another blue lake, as I predicted 😉
Snow capped mountains. Blue lake. Still gorgeous. Lake Pukaki.
To Aoraki or not to Aoraki
Long story short, I Aoraki’d and I’m extremely glad that I did.
The ride in was wet and windy, but the end result was a prize I couldn’t possibly have imagined in my wildest dreams.
My reaction after riding past the turnoff was actually far more dramatic. ‘You’re in NZ. You’ve hired a bike for the ride, not the destination. You’re seriously going to skip this opportunity? Turn around and go up that road, son!’
I spent an hour and a half up there, at least.
It started with a coffee at the beautiful little cafe that was made up to look like a chalet. There was a signed letter to the establishment from sir Edmund Hillary. It’s sitting over the fireplace in this next photo:
I took photos of rocks and grass and of yet more mountains.
After my coffee, I took a quite ride to the Hooker Valley hiking area.
I didn’t go far in my full riding gear, but I felt as though I was walking in the Scottish highlands.
I found a spot slightly off the gravel walking track, sat down in the grass and stared in awe at the sheer majesty of the scene. The rain came and went in a moment, as so often seems to be the way here.
The wind however, was always present.
And… that’s it.
Well, it’s not. Not in real time and not by a long shot.
I stopped for a bagel and a hot chocolate in Twizel (again, tWHYzel, not Twizzel or Tweezel)…
Sorry, it’s a terrible photo. It was taken for a message to family 🤷♀️
By this stage I was cold and concerned that I wouldn’t make it to Dunedin in time to check in by 8pm. I was right about that.
Lindis Pass
Utterly determined to witness the majesty that is Lindis Pass, I rushed (at the speed limit, mind) to Omarama, fuelled up again and headed for the pass.
Unfortunately, the pass was completely fogged up and I couldn’t see much at all.
Fortunately, what I could see was still utterly stunning.
I don’t have any pics or footage from my phone, because at no point along the trip from Omarama to Dunedin did I feel like stopping.
I should have amazing 4K footage on the Sony action cam that I’ll process once I’m able to.
Time pressure
I pulled over by the side of the road in Tarras, some 3 hours away yet, from Dunedin. I called the office of the accommodation I had booked earlier in the day, to let them know I’d be running much later than stated. It was already past 5pm.
I ended up calling a few times after that, with updates.
In the end, they kindly agreed to leave the key under the front doormat as the office was closing at 8pm.
I stopped once again for fuel which is when I put on the second layer.
When I got off the bike, I was shivering like mad. I filled Ruby, then pulled into a parking spot to throw on the spare thermal top. It was a tiny improvement, but enough to stop the shivering.
It took me 50 more minutes to roll into Dunedin and then find the accommodation. Once again, I was shivering uncontrollably when I stopped.
I felt utterly brutalised by the end of the day, which is what caused me to post version 1 of this day’s events. Still, I’m glad I took the time to revise, because I wouldn’t trade any moment of the day for anything.
It was Ruby and I against the the world as the rain, fog and cold closed in… and we loved it.
… then it all went downhill. At least, compared to yesterday.
Overall, today’s trip was the most taxing ride I’ve ever undertaken.
I’ve ridden for hundreds of kilometres in a day before. I’ve ridden in strong winds. I’ve ridden whilst shivering in chilly conditions and I’m not afraid of rain. Still, I wasn’t at all prepared for the bone chilling, mind numbing, tooth grinding effect of it all coming together at once, in spades, over and over again.
I’m extremely happy to have completed today’s leg. This is invaluable experience that will make subsequent rides easier to handle.
I’m a believer in ‘the balance’; that good and bad must follow in turn. The challenges make the good times better. The good times make the bad bearable. The second leg of today’s journey especially, was the yin to yesterday’s yang.
Regardless, I only just checked in to my room for the night. It’s a set straight out of a slasher film.
And I need a shower…
8am, Day 4 – HOLD UP
I wrote all of that last night absolutely wreck tired from a difficult ride. With the clarity of hindsight, I made the trip difficult by having booked accommodation in Dunedin ahead of time.
I did so, because I knew I’d be having a long ride.
I went against my original plan of just wandering into town and finding a place to stay, which probably would’ve had me staying somewhere like Twizel.
It’s pronounced twy-zel, by the way. I had a local gent chuckling when I pronounced it twee-zel.
When I reread this post this morning, it sounds like a had a bad day and I need to rectify that. I had a freaking awesome day. Pff… yin and yang. Seriously?
