Our trip of South Island New Zealand @donblog007 - Tumblr Blog

More Hokitika

We spent the afternoon at the house and should've gone out. The next morning we did the tree tops walk. Don wasn't feeling so great so I climbed the 107 to the top of the tower. Really interesting walk with information boards about the flora and area all along the way.

In the afternoon we went to the Kiwi place and saw a kiwi in captivity. As we couldn't get accommodation on Kapiti (predator free island) that is the only way one gets to see them as they're nocturnal.

After that we took a drive out to Lake Kaniere. Lovely place for recreation. Took a drive and came across the Dorothy Falls. An unexpected scene we never expected. Didn't get to Hokitika Gorge which is apparently beautiful, but maybe next time.

Giant eels at the Hokitika Kiwi experience

Feeding the eels

Kiwi. One of a pair

I climbed that

Creativity from driftwood

More creativity

The walkways from the tower

The Dorothy falls

Hokitika

Hokitika is a quaint little town and every year it hosts the wild food festival which is this weekend. You can get everything from sheep's testicles to all sorts of weird and wonderful? food. Not my cup of tea but certain it's great fun.

We booked into a tiny house on the outskirts of town. That was an experience. The place is really a bed, a double cupboard and draws with a sink, a table and chairs (small) and a bathroom with a lovely shower and a loo like in the porta loos. There was a lovely area off the tiny house with a barbecue and we took out our camping table and chairs to eat off. The kitchen was equipped with all the essentials like microwave, toaster, kettle etc. As there is no insulation under the house the first night was very cold and needed to sleep with the aircon on to heat the place.

Our tiny home

Kitchen area

Shower

Basin and loo

Bed. This gives you an idea how small a tiny home can be

So after doing the Nikua Palm walk we headed to the Oparara Arch. This was 15 km of dirt road on low profile tyres. We did not go very fast but the drive through the Kahurangi National Park was so beautiful one didn't mind going slowly. Once we arrived at the car park, there was a whole wall of the history of logging in the area that was stopped in 1946. The road we drove on was initially created by the logging company at a cost of $25 for 20 metres - so an expensive exercise back then. it has since been upgraded. Since logging has stopped the area has regenerated.

We walked to the Oparara arch but of course their 25 minute 1 way took me considerably longer - lots of uphill and down dale. well worth the walk though. I'm afraid my pictures do not do it justice. There are other walks but we didn't have the time to do them. Hence me wanting to go back to Karamea.

River on route to the Arch

Lichen hanging off the trees

Crossed a small waterfall

More lichen and mushrooms growing on and our of a log

Unfortunately the picture doesn't do the tree any justice. It's just covered in lichen and ferns

The Oparara Arch

The back end of the cave

A snail on the way back below the stairs. Was about 5 cm in diameter

Part of the track we walked. I'm not supposed to appear at the end

The road home

The next day we were heading south to Hokitika, but I read about this Rimu tree that escaped the logging and was a 1000years old so had to go and see it. Don stayed in the car and read and I did the walk to the Old Rimu Tree. It's 36 m high and 2m in diameter. Well what an anticlimax.

Nothing to write home about. Only way I knew I was there was because the road had been closed off and I couldn't walk further

Don & I decided to do a road trip round South Island but more leisurely and spending 2 nights at most places.

Our first stop was Karamea and we could've spent at least 4 nights there. Just the most beautiful area and so much to see. Sometimes quite long walks to get to where the sights are. Only negative were the sand flies and Don got chewed to bits. The bugs really like him and although we had bug repellent with us, we didn't put it on until it was too late. He really suffered throughout our trip as these bites are not like mossie bites but way more vicious and every time you sweat they flare up.

The drive was quite challenging to get there.

View of the road below

View to the other side

The forest you drive next to. Sea on the other side

This is where we started our first walk to the suspension bridge. It is part of the Heaphy Trail which goes 74km to Nelson and people actually do this walk. There are huts to sleep in on the way. It is through the national forest

The water here is brown because of all the tannins in the water from the plants. Suspension bridge to get to the long and short trails depending how you feel.

Don Taking pics

Plant growth on the trees and ferns.

Dead leaves left to go back to the earth

The river mouth

This is part of Queen Charlotte drive.

sorry I'm going back to before we arrived in NZ.

We had a layover of 16 hours in Singapore and took the bus laid on by the airport for a tour of the city.

One of our stops were the Gardens of the Bay. Really interesting trip. They have over 2000 plants of the Mediterranean there and the super trees. I've seen them before from the road but up close they're enormous. Some harvest water and their lights are run from the power produced. the gardens were being prepared for the Chinese New Year hence the dragon.

Working clock garden

Plants grown up the base of the super tree

The dragon being put up

The dragon

Just look at the colour of the water

South Island New Zealand

The Saturday after we arrived we went car shopping and bought a lovely Honda Fit RS with all the bells and whistles. It even has speed control and is a hybrid. We get about 6lt to 100kms. Wish I could bring it home. So this is our run about whilst we're here.

So the next Saturday we went for a drive round Queen Charlotte drive. It's between Havelock and Picton and one drives along the sounds all the time. Road was bad in places but the drive as beautiful as ever. Did it just in time as the following they were closing it for repairs. Lots of places to stop and swim, picnic or just chill.

The town of Picton

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Nossob

Our time in Nossob was very quiet and we did not see a lot of game except of course buck and the goshawks.

We spent 3 nights there - they have a lit water hole, but only 1 night Don saw jackal.

The treat was that there was a barn owl that slept in the roof next door to our chalet and also one outside reception in a tree. another tree had a Scops owl in it. The camp and surrounds had many owls and that’s almost all we saw on our night drive as well as bat eared foxes. Also saw a spring hare - has a wonderful bushy tail. Otherwise, uneventful.

Also saw a Garbar goshawk and Lanner falcon. Even though we didn’t see the big game, we certainly were kept busy with the birds.

The game warden that took us on our game drive said that the bark of the camel thorn contained a mega city of activity. Will post a picture and you can clearly see what he means.

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Nossob

Our time in Nossob was very quiet and we did not see a lot of game except of course buck and the goshawks.

We spent 3 nights there - they have a lit water hole, but only 1 night Don saw jackal.

Also saw a Garbar goshawk and Lanner falcon. Even though we didn’t see the big game, we certainly were kept busy with the birds.

The game warden that took us on our game drive said that the bark of the camel thorn contained a mega city of activity. Will post a picture and you can clearly see what he means.

Still on route to Nossob.

The tree was interesting as it looked like the roots were growing uup out of the ground - it is just broken branches of the camel thorn tree.

Just some pics of the regulars in the park as well as the leopard lazing in the midday sun.

Lots of the lion but they were just fabulous to watch and enjoy

Road to Nossob

It may only be 162kms between camps but believe me it takes a long time to get to Nossob, especially when 20kms from Twee Rivieren a black maned lion walks across the road in front of us to drink from the water hole and boy was he thirsty.

While he was drinking I scanned the horizon and under a tree in the distance was another male. Thought we may be in for a fight but they met up like long lost friends and nudged each other. Were the only people there for about 45 minutes and just had the best viewing until they went off to lie in the grass. What a wonderful early birthday present.

Of course we saw the regulars - springbuck, gemsbok and wildebeest with the occasional hartebeest. Lots of pale and dark chanting goshawks and an ostrich or 2. Also saw black backed jackal and don’t forget the leopard sleeping in a tree.

Not a bad first day in the park!!!!

Upington

From Kleinzee we took the dirt road to Kammagas. Mostly straight and as it was still cold very few flowers were open but saw lots on route. Tar from Kammagas to Springbok going through 2 beautiful passes. Did not know there was such mountain ranges in the area.

From Springbok to Upington to sleep. Passed a solar farm. The light is harvesting the sun with solar mirrors. Stopped at The Pink Padstal for coffee. Very quaint with big quiver tree outside. Stayed at River Bank lapa on the Orange river that was still running strongly. Lovely quiet spot.

Did grocery shopping and off to Kgalagadi Lodge which is 5 kms from the park. We'll equipped and comfortable chalet. No pictures as not much to see and didn't get a photo of the emu that was in front of us before it vanished.

Spent today in the park. Saw leopard - pics on Don's camera and then just buck and birds. Twee Rivieren rest camp is very basic but big and all we need. Off to Nossob tomorrow and won't post for 5 days as no cell going further into the park.

Had meerkats right in front of our chalet. Came right up to us hoping for a treat. So cute

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Our trip of South Island New Zealand