Aotearoa, Owaka, The Catlins, Travel, Wild Horses

Tunnel Hill Near Owaka

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Tunnel Hill railway at McDonald’s Saddle

I had spent the day walking the Catlins River Track near Tawanui in the Owaka Valley and by the time I arrived back at my car, it was mid afternoon. Leaving Tawanui, I arrived in Owaka where I stopped for a bite to eat before continuing on to Tunnel Hill, the location of a disused 250 m long railway tunnel. Built between 1879 and 1915, the Catlins River Branch railway formed part of New Zealand’s national rail network which was constructed to provide access to the local timber industries. The tunnel was finished in 1896.

Aotearoa, Bluff, Southland, Travel, Wild Horses

Stirling Point in Bluff

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Stirling Point in Bluff

I was greatly taken by Bluff. Despite the fact that when I was there, it was a bracing 5 degrees, the afternoon swell that was hitting the nearby rocks was only getting larger and I was struggling to stay upright in the wind surges. However, there was something about the town that seemed quite appealing in a confusing sort of way. There’s the Motupōhue Scenic Reserve to explore that includes the Tōpuni track to the top of Bluff Hill which provides spectacular views over Foveaux Strait and the Southland Plains. Close by there’s also the Glory track through dense bush and the Foveaux Walkway looking out at Foveaux Strait to Ruapuku and Rakiura Islands. Along these tracks you can also see the World War II gun emplacements while the shoreline was home to a whaling station at one point in history. Of course, you can always do what I did and park at the famous Stirling Point signpost which marks the end of State Highway 1 to see how far away you are from places like London, New York or Sydney.

Aotearoa, Bay of Islands, Kororareka, Russell, Travel, Wild Horses

Kororareka Bay in The Bay of Islands

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Russell in The Bay of Islands

Russell in the Bay of Islands has many places like this, partly obscured views of the Kororareka Bay and they are all lovely. There’s something rather tranquil, serene and relaxing about the whole place. Particularly during summer! Back in the 1800’s, the bay must have been a sight for sore eyes for weary sailors who’d spent many months at sea and were ready for some rest and relaxation.

Aotearoa, Christchurch, Christchurch CBD, Travel, Wild Horses

Three Things I Discovered In Christchurch

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Cashel Street In Christchurch

I spent three days in Christchurch filling in time and not having to be anywhere at all if I didn’t want to. So, I spent my time walking the city streets, as well as exploring the Port Hills and discovering suburbs like Lyttelton and Sumner.  It was while walking through Christchurch’s city centre that I decided upon three things. 

Firstly, I only have a very vague idea of what Christchurch looked like before the 2011 earthquake. I wish I could say I know the city well, but the truth is I haven’t really spent enough time in it to really have much knowledge of its keys features. Unless of course you count being able to find Hagley Park, the former Lancaster Park and the Avon River! 

Secondly, I have completely no idea how’d you go about rebuilding a city. Honestly, where do you start? Is it similar to Monopoly where you divide the streets into colour-groups before you allow people to buy houses from the Bank? 

Lastly, I really like cities that have trams! Or, to be more accurate, I really like the idea of trams! In Christchurch it used to be an extensive network with steam and horse trams operating from 1882 which were then replaced with electric trams that ran from 1905 to 1954. In 1995, the central city loop heritage tram was reopened in the central city as a tourist attraction.

Aotearoa, North Otago, Oamaru, Travel, Wild Horses

The Criterion Hotel In Oamaru

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The Criterion Hotel in Oamaru

Strolling through the streets of Oamaru, I came to the corner of Tyne and Harbour Street which is home to the Criterion Hotel. Its grand and elaborate Italianate façade showing the magnificence of the time it was built. Set on a prominent corner site and opening in 1877, it was described in the local paper as ‘the most ornamental of the recent additions to our street architecture.’ Whereas these days it’s described as ‘a true treasure and institution in Ōamaru’

Aotearoa, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, The Haunting of, Travel, Wild Horses

The Haunting of Larnach’s Castle

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Evening at Larnach’s Castle

If you google haunted places in Aotearoa, on almost every list you’ll find Larnach’s Castle mentioned. The tale of William Larnach really is rather tragic and in case you don’t know the story, here’s a quick recap. Arriving in Dunedin at the time of the gold rush from the Australian gold fields as a banker, William Larnach quickly grew a reputation as a businessman. He amassed a fortune through business investments, went into politics, was involved in shipping, farming and landholdings. He had six children with his first wife Eliza Guise before she died at the age of 38. He then married Eliza’s half sister Mary Alleyne who after 5 years of marriage died at the age of 38. Larnach then married Constance de Bathe Brandon, a lady who was more than 20 years younger than him. Unfortunately Larnachs businesses started failing, his properties lost money, and his favourite daughter Kate died in her early 20s. As he started to spiral towards bankruptcy, he finally discovered his third wife was having an affair with his eldest son Donald. Soon after, he committed suicide in Parliament in Wellington via a gun in 1898.

So, when it comes to ghosts there are rumours the local spirits are his first wife Eliza, or his favourite daughter Kate, or even William Larnach himself. There are all sorts of stories of people witnessing supernatural activity however the most famous of the paranormal events to happen at the castle happened in 1994. A new play about the Larnach family called Castle of Lies was being premiered in the grand ballroom. While the guests came in and were seated, a ferocious gale came up across the peninsula and ripped through the grounds of the castle. As the evening went on and the wind got more intense, smoke from the fireplaces blew back down the chimneys sending fine white white soot right through the ballroom. That was followed by heavy rain and hail while the drapes inside went flying in every direction possible. Then, at the part in the play where William Larnach was about to kill himself, a flash of lightning shot through the room. So dramatic was the event, many of the guests mistook it for a very impressive stage effect.

Aotearoa, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Travel, Wild Horses

A Revamped George Street

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A revamped George Street

In an attempt to create a more people-friendly space where both business, shoppers, scooters, skateboarders (and whatever other mode of transport you wish to add) can coexist, the local city council spent over $100 million redeveloping the main street. I was pondering this as I walked along Dunedin’s George Street passing well-known places such as Knox Church. It was when I arrived at a crossing that I noticed a number of shops across the road that were empty and out of business. So, now everyone has a shiny new footpath to walk on as they pass empty shops that are boarded-up and covered in graffiti. At that moment I hoped that one-day eventually the buildings will once again be full of shops with businesses that are thriving.

Aotearoa, Timaru, Travel, Wild Horses

More From Timaru

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Stafford Street in Timaru

The last time I wrote about Timaru I felt I was a wee bit harsh on the place. In fact, I was sent an email from a resident who kindly listed all the lovely things there are to do. His list included visiting the Māori Rock Art, spending time at Caroline Bay and going on some of the wildlife tours. There were a number of other things that were included which was very kind of him. However, I did note that most of them required me to leave the city which seems to negate the point of visiting the city rather than the area. Now, I don’t know about you but suggesting I “drive to Twizel and stay the night” doesn’t really sound like something to do in Timaru. It seems more like a suggestion to visit Twizel. Anyway, I digress. My point is that having been a bit harsh on the place, I might have to revisit the city and give it a decent chance. 

Aotearoa, Bluff, Southland, Travel, Wild Horses

Bluff

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The famous Bluff signpost

It wasn’t the worst weather I’d ever been out photographing in, however it was pretty bloody miserable. At that moment, as another intensely heavy rain shower thundered past, I realised I was the only one stupid enough to not stay in their car. So there I was, all alone in the driving rain as a furious southerly roared across Foveaux Strait, standing at the southern tip of the country. It was a bracing 5 degrees, inland somewhere it was snowing heavily, the afternoon swell that was hitting the nearby rocks was only getting larger and I was struggling to stay upright in the wind surges that buffeted the coastline. Yet, I couldn’t be happier. 

Aotearoa, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Travel, Wild Horses

The Stillness of Dusk on the Pineapple Track

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The stillness of dusk on the Pineapple Track.

In the stillness of dusk, the world seemed to pause as the sun slipped below the horizon, leaving behind a mesmerising hue of deep blue and fiery orange. The sky, vast, unyielding and endless with the last sunlight stretching upwards. Below, silhouetted against the glow, plants swayed gently, their outlines adding a ruggedness to the serenity. Far off in the distance, tiny pinpricks of light hinted at civilization. But here, above the hills of Dunedin, quiet, solemn, and captivating nature was in command.

Aotearoa, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Travel, Wild Horses

Olveston Historic Home

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The billiard room at Olveston

It’s only in recent years I’ve grown to love the 120 year old stately home of Olveston. Like so many locals, for years I both ignored it and simply forgot it was there. However, last year I decided to reconnect with the place and went on a tour of the grand house. When construction of the house was completed in 1907, the four storey building featured reception rooms, a library, a kitchen, downstairs guest rooms, a galleried hall rising from the ground and to the upper floors which also served as a ballroom. There was a billiard room, a card room, numerous bedrooms, with the top floor being servants’ quarters and the basement serving as a large laundry.

However, the entire time I was there, I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why on earth the billiard room had been placed on the second floor. This seemed a little strange to me. If for no other reason than it seemed completely impractical. If we speculate for a moment that on a lovely Dunedin evening, when his family were entertaining guests with a fine meal with music, all the activities would be taking place on the ground floor. After a while, if for example the men wanted to retire to a separate room for brandy, billiards and cigars as was the custom, they would have then needed to head upstairs to the billiard and card room which is located right beside the bedrooms. Keeping this in mind, doesn’t the proximity of the billiard room to the main bedrooms seem a little close? Personally, and this is just me, I would have thought it would have been much more practical to have the billiard and card room on the ground floor of the house and as far away from the bedrooms as possible. At the very least this would have avoided the need to place extremely large steel girders beneath the floorboards to take the weight of the Olympic size billiard table which weighed over an impressive two tonnes. But I’m not an architect, so what would I know! 

Aotearoa, Tawanui, The Catlins, The Catlins River, Travel, Wild Horses

The Catlins River Near Tawanui

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The Catlins River near Tawanui

After arriving in Owaka, I continued south on the Southern Scenic Route, State Highway 92. I turned right onto Catlins Valley Road, right onto Morris Saddle Road, then left which eventually brought me to the Tawanui Camping in the Owaka Valley. From there, I found the beginning of a walk along The Catlins River. Like everywhere in The Catlins, it’s an amazing place that’s incredibly peaceful and serene. All spots in The Catlins seem that way, they hold a majestic quality that’s hard to describe. While walking along The Catlins River, I passed through an exotic forest that’s filled with all sorts of amazing ferns and silver beech trees right beside the wonderful river.

Aotearoa, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Spring, Travel, Wild Horses

Spring In The Octagon

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Spring in the Octagon

Doesn’t the Octagon in Dunedin look lovely on a bright spring day? Yet, not long after it was first laid out in 1846, the site sat largely derelict for a long time. During that period the large Bell Hill separated the city to the north and south of the Octagon. It wasn’t until Bell Hill was substantially excavated that the two major early settlements to the north and south of the Octagon were linked that the area rose to prominence as the city’s central area.

Creativity, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Travel, Wild Horses

Stain-glass Window At Dunedin Railway Station

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Stain-glass window at Dunedin Railway Station

Aren’t stain-glass windows amazing? To think, we can thank both the Romans and Egyptians for   becoming experts at creating objects made from coloured glass. While looking at this one in Dunedin at the Railway Station, I began to speculate about the person who had the idea of making a window out of it. I like to think their thought process went something like: ‘You know what, if we put that see-through coloured stuff in that empty space where the wind comes through, we might really have something.’ I wonder if they knew it would catch-on as much as it has!

australasia, Australia, Melbourne, Travel, Wild Horses

Fun At The NGV In Melbourne

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The NGV in Melbourne

Whoever designed the National Gallery of Victorian (NGV) in Melbourne sure had a lot of fun. It has, what is quite possibly the most outstanding floor I’ve ever seen, a stain-glass ceiling in the Great Hall (which I didn’t get to see due to not being invited to the Christian Dior event that was on, how rude!) and a wall that contains a waterfall at the entrance. How crazy is that! I had such a blast photographing inside the building, it was so cool. The place was so busy that no-one minded that I sat on the floor and photographed people walking past. I still want to return to photograph the stain-glass ceiling, one day I will!

Dublin, Howth, Ireland, Travel, Wild Horses

Howth & The Baily Lighthouse

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Howth Peninsula and the Baily Lighthouse

In Ireland, while making my way around various points, I stopped off at Howth Head. Located northeast of Dublin, Howth sits on a peninsula and has some wonderful coastal walking trails. One of which takes you past The Baily Lighthouse which has had a signal light shining from it in some way shape or form for over three hundred and fifty years. Just think about that for a second – three hundred and fifty years, that’s an awfully long time! In fact, the first light signal was built on the point near Howth in 1667 and was replaced by the Baily Lighthouse 1814. With multiple tracks to choose from, I spent a few hours strolling some of the various coastal paths which certainly have impressive views. I only wish I had more time to explore them. However, as the afternoon ran on and I became short of time, I realised I hadn’t allowed myself enough time to actually make it to the lighthouse, so I returned to Howth in search of a pint of Guinness to imagine what it might look like.

australasia, Australia, Melbourne, Travel, Wild Horses

The Melbourne Skyline

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The Melbourne Skyline

The wonderful thing about Melbourne is how walkable the city is alongside the river. Much like Brisbane which has the Brisbane River running through it with South Bank looking across to the CBD, Melbourne has the Yarra River. If you’re into walking and cityscapes, then you can have a great time walking along the River Esplanade beside the Yarra River getting all sorts of photo opportunities of Melbourne’s skyline. One day I’ll return and photograph it at night, which will present a completely different set of challenges.

Asia, China, Hong Kong, Travel, Wild Horses

Hong Kong’s Jumbo Floating Restaurant Sinks

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Hong Kong’s Jumbo restaurant in Aberdeen harbour

It’s always interesting to read news articles about places you’ve been to. So it was with interest that I recently read about the sinking of Hong Kong’s famous Jumbo restaurant back in 2022. 

Having been an icon and major tourist attraction of Hong Kong’s Aberdeen harbour since it opened in 1976, the famous floating restaurant has entertained Kings, Queens, Presidents and been the location for many major movies. Sitting at nearly 80 metres in length and with a  capacity of more than 2,000 the restaurant was the main feature of the Jumbo Kingdom which also featured the Tai Pak Floating Restaurant and the Sea Place. Styled in the form of an ancient Chinese imperial palace, the Jumbo restaurant sat in Aberdeen harbour for 44 years. However, despite its place in Hong Kong’s culinary history, the floating restaurant had been unprofitable since 2013. Then, when Covid hit the region in early 2020, the restaurant was forced to close and by 2022 it had accumulated losses exceeding HK$100 million. As the future of Jumbo’s looked bleak, several proposals were put forward to save the famous restaurant, all of which came to nothing as potential investors were deterred by the high maintenance cost and a potential government bailout also failed. So, it was announced in May of 2022 that the  restaurant would move away from Hong Kong for repairs and storage in an unspecified destination until a new owner took possession of the vessel. In June of that year, the Jumbo floating restaurant was towed out of Hong Kong where some time after it hit rough weather in the South China Sea, started taking on water, eventually sinking near the Paracel Islands to a depth of over 1,000 metres [3,300 feet]. 

The oddest thing about discovering that the famous Jumbo restaurant had sunk was realising I had photographed it only two months before it closed in March of 2020. What a curious thing it is to know that only two months after taking this photo it was closed to the public and then two years later it would be at the button of the South China Sea. 

Asia, China, Hong Kong, Travel, Wild Horses

Saigon Street, Hong Kong

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Saigon Street in Hong Kong

Hong Kong really is an interesting place, particularly if you’ve never been there before. Just wandering the streets can be an overload for the senses with all the sights and sounds that greet you from being in the world’s fourth most densely populated region in the world with over 7.4 million residents. Once you’ve spent the day ambling the city streets or visited the wonderful contrast between old and new in the Aberdeen Floating Village you can head into the numerous night markets that awaken after dark and become a hive of people. Of course, then there’s also the Symphony of Lights show that luminates Victoria Harbour each evening. But, then again just navigating the airport can be an interesting experience in itself.

Asia, China, Hong Kong, Travel, Wild Horses

The Sampan Boats of Hong Kong

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The Sampan boats of Aberdeen in Hong Kong

While I was in Hong Kong I visited Aberdeen Harbour which is famous to both locals and tourists. The area is incredibly well known for its floating village and seafood restaurants that are located within the harbour. It’s also home to the Tanka people, who used to live on boats in the harbour and are closely linked to the fishing industry. During my time there, we travelled around on a traditional sampan, which is a flat bottomed fishing boat that originated from China. The Tanka people lived on them and while they were used on the rivers and coasts to transport people during the day, they also doubled as shelter at night. Nowadays, most are used to ferrying curious tourists on tours like myself. Although I passed on the seafood restaurants.

Aotearoa, Haast Past, Lake Wanaka, Makarora, Travel, Wild Horses

Lake Wanaka Towards The Haast Pass

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Lake Wanaka towards the Haast Pass

Is it possible to take a black and white landscape photo without channelling a wee bit of American photographer Ansel Adams? He truly is one the great’s of landscape photography and forever changed the way we view the world around us. If you’ve never heard of him you should look him up, you won’t be disappointed! This image I took on route to Makarora, beyond the northern tip of Lake Wanaka which leads into the Haast Pass and later on the West Coast.

Alexandra, Central Otago, Travel, Wild Horses

Alexandra

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Alexandra in winter

I was heading to the Lindis Pass via Tarras. However, as I wanted to capture the early morning light through the pass, I decided to spend the night in Alexandra as this would allow me to get there in the morning light. Rising early, I ventured up to the Alexandra lookout that sits on the hill overlooking the town. It was a typical winter’s morning with the temperature sitting below zero and smoke from early morning fire’s drifting across the valley. In the distance, the first rays of sunlight took hold of the surrounding hillside. I spent a few moments taking in the silence before heading in the direction of Bendigo and later on the Lindis Pass.

Aotearoa, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Travel, Wild Horses

Speight’s Brewery on Rattray Street

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Morning light hits Speight’s Brewery

The historic Speight’s Brewery on Rattray Street, Central Dunedin is about to get a lot busier. The usual summer cruise ship season is due to get underway next month and Speight’s Brewery is always a popular location. Developed in 1876 when James Speight, while feeling a little thirsty, decided to see what would happen if he mixed a few malt and hops together. He then set-up a brewery with friends Charles Greenslade and William Dawson on Dunedin’s Rattray Street where it has been based ever since.

Aotearoa, Picton, Travel, Wellington, Wild Horses

Of Boats & Roads

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The Bluebridge’s Straitsman Ferry.

Back in June while scrolling through the latest news bulletins, I came across a rather perplexing story that captured my attention for several minutes. That’s fairly hard to do these days, but occasionally there are headlines that make you intrigued to find out the backstory. After all, it’s not every day you read the headline ‘Interislander ferry runs aground.’ Succumbing to click bait and curious to discover what caused the ship to park in Titoki Bay in the Marlborough Sounds instead of Wellington wharf, I began following the story. I later went on to read that the ferry Aratere ran aground after a crew member pressed the wrong button and engaged the autopilot, sending the ship off course. Eventually, with the lifespan of news not being more than several days, I forgot about the wrong turn taken by the Aratere and moved on. As did the rest of the country.

So, recently when I awoke to news that a Bluebridge ferry lost power and was adrift in Cook Strait I wasn’t really surprised. On this occasion the lights went out on the Connemara having departed Wellington for Picton at 9.38pm. Making it as far as Ōwhiro Bay on Wellington’s south coast, it then lost power shortly before 10.30pm and only by sheer luck, the wind pushed it in a southwest direction away from land. It was then picked up by tug ships shortly before 1am Friday morning and taken back to port. Now, is it just me or are problems with Cook Strait ferries seeming to become an all too regular feature in the daily news cycle. A quick look back over the breakdowns of the Cook Strait ferries over the past two years makes for shocking reading.

In January 2023, while sailing in large swells and high winds the Interislander Ferry Kaitaki lost power off Wellington’s south coast. The next month the sailing of the Interislander Ferry Kaiarahi was cancelled due to engineering issues as was a crossing of Bluebridge’s Connemara for the same reasons. Then, in March the Interislander Ferry Kaitaki was taken out of service due to engineering faults which was followed in April with the cancellation of several crossings by Bluebridge’s Strait Feronia. A few months later in August, the Interislander Ferry Kaitaki suffered steering issues and anchored in Wellington Harbour overnight while in November both Bluebridge’s Connemara and the Interislander’s Kaiarahi were damaged after hitting Wellington Wharf. Moving to this year and back in March all sailings of the Interislander Ferry Kaiarahi were cancelled for several days due to mechanical faults. In May, Bluebridge’s Strait Feronia lost power coming into Wellington Harbour and in June as previously mentioned, the Interislander Ferry Aratere ran aground in Titoki Bay in the Marlborough Sounds. 

Intrigued by the rather appalling recent record of ferries crossing the Cook Strait, I decided to conduct a little investigation where I found that the maritime history of the Cook Strait is littered with ship and boating accidents. As far back as 1836, a barque called Maria sank near Wellington’s Cape Terawhiti. The ship City of Dunedin was also wrecked near Cape Terawhiti in 1865 while the SS Penguin sank off the southwest coast of Wellington 1909. In 1952 when the TSS Arahura was decommissioned it was used for target practice in the waters of the Cook Strait, as was the HMNZS Wellington in 2005. The MS Mikhail Lermontov collided with rocks near Port Gore in the Marlborough Sounds and sank in 1972. Then of course there’s the famous Wahine disaster of 1968. 

While not wanting to start widespread panic, I would like to start a completely fictitious rumour based on nothing more than complete speculation and my own vivid imagination that the Cook Strait is cursed. After all, if we can have wild conspiracy theories about JFK’s assassination, the moon landing or that Elvis Preseley is alive and well, living in Cherry Springs State Park in Pennsylvania, then why not one about the Cook Strait ferry service. 

Consider the first Interisland ferry operated by New Zealand Railway between Wellington and Picton called the Aramoana. In 1962, while going into berth at Picton it was caught by strong winds, became tangled with a spectator boat and hit the wharf. Hurried repairs were made, just in time for its first commercial sailing on the 13th August 1962.  

Once, some years ago needing to travel from the South Island to the North Island, for something different I decided to drive. Just for a change. It had been a few years since I’d ventured onto a Cook Strait ferry so like an eager child who can’t wait for Christmas I happily booked myself and my vehicle and on a crossing. When the day of my voyage came, the weather appeared fine, a little windy and cloudy, but otherwise pleasant. Once aboard I found a seat near a window towards the rear of the ship and comfortably settled in. It wasn’t long before we were slipping out of Picton for a leisurely 3 hour trip to Wellington. That was as serene as the trip got because from that point on the voyage can best be described as hell! First we were informed that due to the extreme weather conditions ours would be the last crossing of the day. Next they advised anyone who suffers from seasickness to sit at the stern of the ship. Finally, they started dispensing sick bags. Now I don’t know about you, but when you’re on board a ship and they start handing out sick bags and you’ve only just left the port, you know it’s going to be rough. It’s like getting on a plane and being told to put your life jacket on while taking off! Our leisurely 3 hour trip to Wellington turned into over 7 hours of suffering and torment on the mountainous seas of the Cook strait. Upon arrival in Wellington, I was green, nauseous and couldn’t get off the boat fast enough! 

All of this leads me to the very clear and inarguably conclusion that not only is the Cook Strait cursed, but we must find a better way to cross the strait. I have a friend who is in favour of a bridge running between Picton and Wellington that could rise in the middle to let passing ships through. I however am a believer in the idea of having a tunnel to connect Picton to Wellington. It could have conveniently placed petrol stations and outlet stores along the way for weary travellers who need to rest. Also, needing to be in excess of 100km in length, it would have the added benefit of being the longest road tunnel in the world, thus being a major tourist attraction. 

Back in the 1990’s the Interislander ferry service ran an ad campaign with the slogan, ‘what a way to start holiday!’ Maybe they should bring it back, after all it’s a statement no-one can argue with.

Aotearoa, Otago Harbour, Ōtepoti, Travel, Wild Horses

Port Chalmers

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Carey’s Bay Towards Aramoana 

As I arrived in Waitati, a settlement just north of Dunedin, I decided to detour off the main highway. Instead, I turned onto Mount Cargill Road, which used to be the main route north from Dunedin until the Dunedin–Waitati Highway (SH 1) was opened in 1957. After around 4 kilometres, I made the decision to take another diversion and ventured off Mount Cargill Road and onto Blueskin Road, eventually arriving at the harbour village of Port Chalmers and later on Dunedin.

Aotearoa, Oamaru, South Island, Travel, Wild Horses

Oamaru

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The Waitaki District Council in Oamaru

The drive from Christchurch to Dunedin was uneventful. Which is just what you want to be able to say when you are travelling on part of the national state highway network. I detoured around the towns of Ashburton and Timaru, past Temuka, Makikihi and Winchester, but by the time I reached Oamaru I was ready for a break. A place that is able to boast the country’s oldest public garden, stunning Victorian architecture, two penguin colonies and having been home to human habitation since around AD 1100. Oamaru is a very nice place. It has its own delightful charm that makes you feel relaxed. It’s also full of surprises. You feel like you’re driving through any other typical New Zealand town, but then you turn a corner and everything changes. Suddenly you’re faced with a splendid collection of Victorian buildings near the harbour that are constructed from local limestone which tell the story of how the town grew on the prosperity of exploring goods of  wool, grain and frozen meat from the 1860s and 1870s onwards. On this occasion, it was a quiet Sunday afternoon so I parked near the old colonial bank buildings near the harbour. I walked up one side of the street and back down the other before returning to my car and continuing the drive home.

Aotearoa, Christchurch, South Island, Sumner, Travel, Wild Horses

Niche Coffee + Eatery in Sumner

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Niche Coffee + Eatery in Sumner

The next morning I made my way to a small cafe called Niche. I spotted it the previous afternoon while ambling around Sumner and had bookmarked it was worth having a closer look. Promoting itself as being nestled in Sumner and all about great brews, great eats and great times, after I had finished my coffee and breakfast I was left a very satisfied customer. Thus, having completed everything I wanted to do, I made my way back to my car, checked the fuel gauge and started the five hour  journey home.

Aotearoa, Christchurch, South Island, Travel, Wild Horses

The Theatre Royal In Christchurch

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The Theatre Royal in Christchurch

I was in Christchurch to attend a Jimmy Barnes concert, something I had been looking forward to for some time. The concert was being held at the Theatre Royal in the heart of Christchurch’s CBD. Arriving earlier than expected, I took the opportunity to go for a stroll around some of the recently developed streets that make up central Christchurch. For the next hour I made my way through Victoria Square, ambled next to the Avon River, visited Cathedral Square, dined on Thai food and generally tried to remember what the place looked like before the massive 2011 earthquake. Eventually I made my way back to the Theatre where the rest of the evening was spent enjoying the iconic Jimmy Barnes, which I have to say was quite outstanding. Made more impressive by the fact that at 68 years, a mere seven months ago he was in hospital for emergency open heart surgery. About half way through the concert, a group of people which seemed to involve four ladies and three men, forgot they weren’t in their own living room and proceeded to have a full on argument in the middle of the concert! It was rather entertaining to watch and it all started when three very drunk ladies started dancing in the middle of their row.  The couple directly behind the three ladies took exception to this and requested them to sit down. A man accompanying the three ladies didn’t seem to appreciate this intervention and took matters into his own hands. The whole thing then collapsed into a mash of finger pointing, pushing and yelling until security arrived and everyone involved was escorted out of the arena. Afterwards, I considered finding a bar and having a beer but I was tired and in need of sleep so with the evening pressing on, I headed back to Sumner.

Aotearoa, Christchurch, South Island, Sumner, Travel, Wild Horses

Afternoon in Sumner

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Kebab on the beach

I shuffled up from the beach and back along the Esplanade before making my way back to the main shopping district, only to find that most places had either closed or were in the process of ending business for the day. So I contented myself with weaving in and around the Sumner area. I passed the time wandering various streets peering in windows imagining what I would buy, looking at house prices and reading menus. The appeal of the whole area was easy to see. It wasn’t hard to imagine the place bustling with people in the late summer sun, dining al fresco, enjoying a bottle of red wine with a serving of linguine and clams or downing a cold beer while eating pizza in the heat of a summer evening. I was almost tempted to book accommodation for a summer stay right there and then, however not having the faintest idea whether I’d already made plans for summer and not wanting to have to pay another cancellation fee for double booking myself due to rash and impulsive decisions, I decided to keep walking. Plus, the time was getting on and I was due to head into Christchurch and the Theatre Royal.

Aotearoa, Christchurch, South Island, Sumner, Travel, Wild Horses

Sumner

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Sumner Beach

Having navigated my way out of Timaru and while driving through the town of Ashburton, I came across a mad lady in a Suzuki Swift. Finding myself in a line of traffic and after passing through a set of traffic lights, I came to a point where the lanes merged. It was there that I came across a bright yellow Suzuki Swift, driven by a little old lady who could hardly see over the steering wheel. Her idea of merging lanes was to simply drive straight and let the traffic around her scatter like pins in a bowling alley. Now, having arrived in Christchurch’s seaside suburb of Sumner, I dumped my belongings at my motel and immediately headed straight to Sumner beach to wander in the setting sun.