Our last week in the van is spent meandering along the Catlins coast, on the south east corner of the south island, before heading inland to Mount Cook.
We stop at Waipapa point in the hope of seeing sea lions, but from the car park the beach looks empty except for a huge rock. Then the rock moves. "Surely that can't be a seal, its too big" I say. But we grab our cameras and run down the sand dunes, past the light house, to the water and there are two, huge, adult, male sea lions sun bathing. Even though think its cold, especially to have been swimming, the sea lions cover themselves with sand to cool down. I take photos of this one for a long time before he rears up and roars at me to back off.
Slope Point is the most southern point of New Zealand, but the walk through the fields to the headland is closed because of lambing. Alex and I spend the night in our van at a backpacker's farm stay. We get to feed the lambs, play with puppies and walk in the fields with the calves.
A lot of shops and museums are closed in the small towns along the coast because its winter, so we spend most of our time on beaches, sometimes parking right on the divide where the grass meets the sand as that’s where the road just ends.
The Catlins Coast is known for its rare 'yellow eyed ' penguins. The Department of Conservation is very strict about observing them and there are a lot of signs on the beaches where they nest - 'No dogs', 'No access to the beach after 4pm', 'Do not approach penguins'. At Roaring bay there is a hide where, at dawn and dusk, the public can observe the penguins leaving their nests for the sea and then coming back after a long day fishing. The hide is high on the cliff and the penguins make very slow progress from the sea and across the beach to their nests in the undergrowth. In an hour of watching (along with twenty five other people squished into the hide) I only spot one.
Dunedin (apparently pronounced 'Dun-eden', not 'Dune-din' as I've been saying it) is known as 'The Edinburgh of the South' despite the fact it's university is modelled on Glasgow's. We walk up and down the steepest street in the world, which is so steep I would be scared to drive up it. We also visit the Cadbury factory as we have a two-for-one voucher. I see chocolate buttons and Easter eggs being made, stock up on free samples of New Zealand's favourite chocolate (chocolate covered pineapple, chocolate covered marshmallow fish and 'jaffas' - orange flavoured chocolate balls) and, just in case I haven't got enough chocolate, buy four bars of dairy milk for $10 in the hugely discounted factory shop.
The drive inland to Mount Cook is long. It takes us 6 hours, but as usual the stunning scenery makes up for it. On the way we stop at the 'Moraki boulders' - huge spherical rocks scattered across the beach.
The approach to Mount Cook follows a huge, blue glacial lake surrounded by snowy peaks. We arrive late in the afternoon, around five-ish, and have a quick drive around the tiny village (which consists of several hotels, a pub, a cafe and homes for the people who work in the hotels, pub and cafe) before heading further up the valley to the campsite. It is freeezing so instead of sitting around in the van we make the most of the light and do a short walk to Kea Point, with views of the mountain and a small Hooker glacier. The glacier is hidden around a corner, and I'm tempted to walk further to see it until I hear the huge crashes of ice fall.
At 3,475 metres Mount Cook is the tallest mountain in New Zealand and was where Sir Edmund Hilary did lots of his training for climbing Everest. I think that Mount Cook is a fairly unoriginal name, considering that he already has so much named after him (the Cook straight, the Cook islands,the Cook peninsular). Perhaps they should rename it 'Mount Hilary', or stick to it Maori name - 'Aoraki' meaning ' cloud piercer'.
The next morning after a very cold night (we don't even cook dinner as its too cold to go outside) we attempt a walk. We get less than ten metres down the track before the biting wind forces us to turn around again. Its just too cold. We do some star jumps instead then head into town to look around the information centre, which has displays on the history of climbing, mountain rescue operations and geology. I particularly enjoy the photos of the first female mountaineers, who climbed in full length skirts.
After a coffee we make another attempt at a walk. This one is more successful and we make it to the Tasman glacier on the eastern side of the mountain.
Pleased with myself for bearing the cold we head to near by lake Taupo where, after a quick obligatory look at the lake, we spend the afternoon lozicking in the local hot pools as a reward for our efforts. I feel clean and warm for the first time in a month.
Above: Sea lions at Waipapa Point.
We stop at Waipapa point in the hope of seeing sea lions, but from the car park the beach looks empty except for a huge rock. Then the rock moves. "Surely that can't be a seal, its too big" I say. But we grab our cameras and run down the sand dunes, past the light house, to the water and there are two, huge, adult, male sea lions sun bathing. Even though think its cold, especially to have been swimming, the sea lions cover themselves with sand to cool down. I take photos of this one for a long time before he rears up and roars at me to back off.
Above: The light house at Waipapa Point
Slope Point is the most southern point of New Zealand, but the walk through the fields to the headland is closed because of lambing. Alex and I spend the night in our van at a backpacker's farm stay. We get to feed the lambs, play with puppies and walk in the fields with the calves.
Above: Slope Point Farm
Above: An afternoon on the beach reading, sleeping and eating pies
The Catlins Coast is known for its rare 'yellow eyed ' penguins. The Department of Conservation is very strict about observing them and there are a lot of signs on the beaches where they nest - 'No dogs', 'No access to the beach after 4pm', 'Do not approach penguins'. At Roaring bay there is a hide where, at dawn and dusk, the public can observe the penguins leaving their nests for the sea and then coming back after a long day fishing. The hide is high on the cliff and the penguins make very slow progress from the sea and across the beach to their nests in the undergrowth. In an hour of watching (along with twenty five other people squished into the hide) I only spot one.
Above: Yellow eyed penguin at Roaring bay
Dunedin (apparently pronounced 'Dun-eden', not 'Dune-din' as I've been saying it) is known as 'The Edinburgh of the South' despite the fact it's university is modelled on Glasgow's. We walk up and down the steepest street in the world, which is so steep I would be scared to drive up it. We also visit the Cadbury factory as we have a two-for-one voucher. I see chocolate buttons and Easter eggs being made, stock up on free samples of New Zealand's favourite chocolate (chocolate covered pineapple, chocolate covered marshmallow fish and 'jaffas' - orange flavoured chocolate balls) and, just in case I haven't got enough chocolate, buy four bars of dairy milk for $10 in the hugely discounted factory shop.
Above: Baldwin Street - The steepest street in the world.
Above: Cadbury World
The drive inland to Mount Cook is long. It takes us 6 hours, but as usual the stunning scenery makes up for it. On the way we stop at the 'Moraki boulders' - huge spherical rocks scattered across the beach.
Above; The Moraki boulders
The approach to Mount Cook follows a huge, blue glacial lake surrounded by snowy peaks. We arrive late in the afternoon, around five-ish, and have a quick drive around the tiny village (which consists of several hotels, a pub, a cafe and homes for the people who work in the hotels, pub and cafe) before heading further up the valley to the campsite. It is freeezing so instead of sitting around in the van we make the most of the light and do a short walk to Kea Point, with views of the mountain and a small Hooker glacier. The glacier is hidden around a corner, and I'm tempted to walk further to see it until I hear the huge crashes of ice fall.
Above: The drive up to Mount Cook
At 3,475 metres Mount Cook is the tallest mountain in New Zealand and was where Sir Edmund Hilary did lots of his training for climbing Everest. I think that Mount Cook is a fairly unoriginal name, considering that he already has so much named after him (the Cook straight, the Cook islands,the Cook peninsular). Perhaps they should rename it 'Mount Hilary', or stick to it Maori name - 'Aoraki' meaning ' cloud piercer'.
Above: Mount Cook & debris left by the retreating Hooker glacier
The next morning after a very cold night (we don't even cook dinner as its too cold to go outside) we attempt a walk. We get less than ten metres down the track before the biting wind forces us to turn around again. Its just too cold. We do some star jumps instead then head into town to look around the information centre, which has displays on the history of climbing, mountain rescue operations and geology. I particularly enjoy the photos of the first female mountaineers, who climbed in full length skirts.
After a coffee we make another attempt at a walk. This one is more successful and we make it to the Tasman glacier on the eastern side of the mountain.
Above: Tasman glacier
Pleased with myself for bearing the cold we head to near by lake Taupo where, after a quick obligatory look at the lake, we spend the afternoon lozicking in the local hot pools as a reward for our efforts. I feel clean and warm for the first time in a month.
Above: Lake Taupo
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