Roadtrip New Zealand

We woke yesterday morning to steady drizzle, as forecast. We were not worried though because our plan for a late checkout to catch the fine periods in the afternoon looked like it was coming to fruition. One thing I’d like to ask the Sherwood Manor and all other hotels that close breakfast at 9am, is why? I cannot fathom why places think no one will want breakfast after this time, especially when on holiday! The drizzle lightened considerably and at 11:30 we left and headed into Queenstown for a look.

Queenstown is a stunning city, very compact and set at the base of some magical hills. There is a very impressive gondola heading straight up the middle of one of the nearest, which looks like a scar up the centre of its forest lined slope. It would be a very enjoyable ride. We had other things on our mind however, and popped into the Pig & Whistle for an early lunch. I purchased the most value for money meal we’ve had the entire trip, a Bangers & Mash for $7.00! Myra stuck with the full English, and both were brilliant. The service is great and the food spot on. After that we sent some items home via the very busy post shop, then restocked on some toiletries from the local chemist before it was time to head off.

It was a very slow trip out of Queenstown because of an accident up ahead. It was our first mishap we’ve seen this whole time, and it looked rather minor so fingers crossed we stay clear of anymore. Once past this the traffic evaporated and it was open roads again. Initially we thought we were in for another decent beating from the wind, but after roughly thirty minutes it had either disappeared or we were riding through the local mountain ranges where it was unable to get to us in force. By this time the rain had fully disappeared, the roads were dry and we were in for a fantastic treat up the hill on one of the best rides yet to Coronet Peak. I hadn’t really heard about this ride before so was completely unaware of what we would encounter, it really has to be ridden to be believed. You travel up some steep countryside through several 15km/h switchbacks, there are no side rails so a mistake will see you at the bottom again in a hurry, and this adds greatly to the experience. Once you get to the apex you travel at pace through magnificent rolling roads that are laced between massive vertical faces of rock that could give the claustrophobics among us some cause for concern. I loved every minute of this ride, and unfortunately was very reluctant to stop so we again missed some magical photo ops.

On to Lake Wanaka and I was still having a great time. Myra reminded me we should stop soon so we pulled into a rest stop that was bustled right up to the shore. This is another southern scenic gem; the rock lined coast was bearing the brunt of a lake whipped into a raging froth by a gale that was apparent down here. The wind was fierce at the waters edge, and we were very happy it was not being funneled up to the road.

We could see further on the weather looked like it was going to pack up, the clouds were very heavy and low, but with misplaced optimism I kept my summer gloves on and neglected to do up all my zips. This would mean some wrinkled hands and damp neck by the time we pulled into Haast, but it was of no significance when compared to the scenery we were subjected to as we rode through Mt Aspiring National Park in teeming rain. After the struggles of yesterday we were not fazed by the rain, and the tree lined roads with waterfalls overhead and many river crossing bridges to go through, we were both in awe. It really is a special place here where you would have to be blind to not find something along the journey to not help you put your place in this universe into perspective. To be honest the rain may have been a blessing, I really think it added to the route through the forest, even though it completely ruined the effectiveness of our late checkout plan!

We arrived in Haast in one piece, and fairly dry. After checking in and a hot shower, which I have to rate as second only to the one in Blenheim, we were all ready for a relaxing beer in the bar watching local favourite Coronation St on the 50” television. After this was a three course meal in the restaurant which was fairly expensive and only average food wise, but filled the spot and was just what we needed after a long day on the road.

We slept well last night too, the bed nice and comfortable. The weather today was stunning, hardly a cloud in the sky and I started the day taking some photographs of the magnificent Stags I discovered in the paddock next door. They had a full head of antlers and looked like they could deal to me with a flick of a head, so it was with great respect I treaded, and I made sure I stayed on my own side of the fence.

We had overestimated the size of Haast, so were at a loss of what to do after breakfast in the café at the lodge. We went for a ride to the Haast Township but this is misleading, as the town is maybe two eating establishments and a large dairy masquerading as a supermarket. We’d finished the tour in about two minutes, so decided to head the 7kms to Haast Beach. Once we arrived here the road looked so inviting we just kept on going to Jackson Bay. The trees encroach so much onto the road on this trip that you feel you are riding through a tunnel at times. There are kilometers of dead straight road and finally you break through to some coastal turns that lead you to the end of the road, Jackson Bay. This is a great place to stop, and only half an hour before we were there some yellow eyed penguins had been on shore we were told. The view is peaceful and we spent some time just relaxing and sitting on the pancake shaped rocks that litter the bay.

I had been very optimistic in my fuel watching and it was with some concern we headed the 50 kilometers back to the nearest petrol station. We were well into the reserve by the time we pulled into the Caltex with some relief, and paid nearly $2 a litre for the privilege.

A quick jug of Macs Gold at the Antler Bar and then with the sun still shining we picked up a six pack at the local shop and headed back to the lodge to enjoy the last hour of cricket on the telly and to relax while we waited for tea. It’s been a lovely day, and we’ve been treated again to some of the south islands wonderful rides. I will have to wait until we’ve finished the trip and spent some time reflecting on the various legs before I can truly call a favourite, but Queenstown to Haast has to be a strong contender. It really is a ride that puts to rest any doubt as to why you ride a bike. You would enjoy it in any vehicle, but the roads here seem tailor made for the motorcylist, with a little bit of everything to keep you honest and hone your craft. Pure bliss really.

Tomorrow we are up to Hokitika. I know nothing about this place apart from a vague recollection it was in the McDonalds song a few years ago. It looks great in the accommodation guide we have, and we’ve found a place with free high speed internet and motorbike garaging for the night, 5 minutes from the beach. If the weather is like today, an ocean swim could even be in order.

We left Dunedin with another beautiful day looming, glad to be away from the Top 10. We’d made great time yesterday so weren’t too worried about the length of trip planned for the route down to Bluff. The roads were dry and we were going to make it to land’s end for New Years Eve.

The handling problem I noticed yesterday was identified today as a slow rear leak. We checked the pressure at the petrol station on the outskirts of Dunedin, and while we normally run 42psi it had drained overnight to 6! We inflated it and could not find any apparent leak, so made the decision to monitor it throughout the trip. This was definitely my second mistake, the first being the cardinal sin of not checking pressures every morning.

We headed off south down the coast, the bike felt great, and we stuck to our planned scenic route down through Owaka instead of taking the more direct State Highway 1. Ninety minutes into the trip we pulled over at a rest stop and I checked the pressure again, I had just started to notice traces of the handling issue. Unfortunately, on investigation of the rear tyre we found it had worsened and now there was an audible hissing of expelling air and the psi was down to 27. We were miles from anywhere so decided to bunny hop petrol stations to Invercargill, and get it repaired there. A slow limp through the stunning roads, and the next amenities station we found were camp grounds. There was a multi use air compressor out back they let us use for a gold coin donation to Search & Rescue. I was happy to pay I can tell you. We stopped at every station after this on our way to Invercargill and while most were closed, the rest had no air! I’m not sure how but we managed to scrape our way to central Invercargill arriving with just 12psi to the local Mobil. After this it was a desperate search of all the local bike shops until we came to one that was open, and the good old Honda shop it was! The guy there wouldn’t do motorbike puncture repairs, but did sell me the only one that had in stock that would fit for $300. It isn’t a match to the front and normally this is not the kind of uninformed thing I would do, without reading up on the tyre, but we were in a jam and needed it fixed on the spot, so agreed to it. It’s a new Dunlop Qualifier, to go with the Bridgestone on the front. Hopefully it’s a decent tyre and I wasn’t ripped off, it feels fine so far.

The people in Invercargill are extremely friendly, the Honda shop owner’s wife even ran us into town in her car so we could pick some late lunch up while we waited for the bike. Even the staff that waited on us at the Speights Ale House had something extra; it’s just a really nice feeling around here. They do call it The Friendly City and from the little hospitality we experienced we’re happy to agree.

After repairs were complete and with the steed back at full capacity, the bags were reloaded and we carried on to Bluff. I have been warned about the sand flies in the South, and I am noticing much more visor debris as we descend the island. It’s not just sand flies though, there are some quite solid bugs I’ve been collecting that feel like small bullets in the chest. They leave a wonderful rainbow of colors smeared across my helmet and jacket, and the front of the bike looks like a special effect in a B-Grade horror show. These things bleed in Technicolor.

For our Bluff excursion we booked two nights at the Foveaux Hotel. It was a random pick we made via the internet, and we lucked in here because from the limited choice you see as you roll into this isolated town, the Foveaux stacks up favourably. The place really is exactly what I expected from Bluff. It has fake marble walls in the bathroom, antique floral wallpaper, old white towels with the texture of sandpaper and a 12 inch bubble TV. The room we had is shaped like a shoe box, and the owner casually wanders around in his socks. This might sound like I’m disappointed with the place, but that could not be so further from the truth. Everything here is how it should be, and is Bluff. They could not give you a more authentic experience.

Right from our check-in it has been fabulous, we even received a flyer under the door inviting us to spend New Years with the hosts, their friends and their family, and while we are at it partake in some lethal home made punch at the special price of $2.50 a glass. They cook fabulous food, have a secret mashed potato recipe and even play French music on the wireless in the dining room while you eat! New Years Eve was a wonderful night spent on sofas in the bar laughing and talking to the small group assembled there for the occasion. The punch was handed out freely and had a nice kick to it, and while nothing would have been better than spending this night with our close friends, the Foveaux couldn’t have put on a better shin dig for us.

New Year’s Day was another absolutely perfect day, with temperatures in the late 20s and the sun beating down fiercely. We traveled up to Bluff hill where visibility was horizon to horizon, to enjoy the panorama of Stewart Island and its nearby siblings, and the view back down into Bluff. The photos we took will never do this viewing point justice; and it really is something that my vocabulary fails to explain. After we took in the vista we made the short trip back into Invercargill to check out the beach where scenes were filmed for The World’s Fastest Indian. I wasn’t too keen to take the Sprint on the sand and there is no car park so it was a very quick stop.  The Southland Museum was next on the agenda, and this place was great, very worthy of a detour and the limited Burt Munro display was a special treat. After that we spent some time just lazing in the sun in the beautiful park outside, and then headed back into Bluff to the maritime museum they have there. It really was a memorable and thoroughly enjoyable start to 2008, much more so than the usual hangover we greet the New Year with. I can’t remember a more productive start to the year.

So as I write this on the night before we leave, I have to say that it is with a great sense of achievement that we’ve made it to the end of our journey’s southern leg. For us it really has been a totally different type of holiday than we’re used to, and a fantastic way to meet the East coast of New Zealand. It will be with some sadness and poignancy we point the bike north tomorrow, but we have run out of road.

Bluff itself has been a true highlight, it is the epitome of a small town, and you can feel a wonderful kind of loneliness here. Not the kind to avoid, but the kind many seek. It is a mixture of contradictions, a short stroll along main street will show you this, several shops boarded up and vacant, dust thick on the floors, the main factories closed, and the streets deathly quiet on this public holiday. Amongst all of these however are a sprinkling of vibrant community shops and taverns each with a very unique character. The people here are friendly too, they love Bluff, and if you give them five minutes of your day they’d have you love it too. It’s not for everyone; I imagine people are leaving for the very same reasons people are arriving. I feel we have only but scratched the surface here, and there is a depth to Bluff we have not seen. I would love to spend more time here and get to know this old girl a whole lot better, I think I would love Bluff. I’m not sure why, perhaps it’s the perfect city for only children! I don’t think she would give up all her secrets easily though, you’d probably have to at least survive a winter here before you could hope to be part of the community. What a wonderful town. The only thing missing was Marcus Lush, I would have loved to have had a beer with him!

So Happy New Year to you all. Thanks for sticking with us this far. Tomorrow we’re off to beautiful Queenstown where Myra is adamant she wants to bungy jump, so that will be fantastic! Hopefully we pick up some decent internet service soon too so we can upload some of the great shots we got here in Southland.

Leaving Kaikoura behind us we set out for a place that holds great memories for us, Akaroa. Our last stop here was on a mystery weekend tour in 2004, and we had a blast, so it is definitely a highlight of this tour.

Heading south in fine weather, we were in pretty good spirits. The route to Akaroa took us down the coast to Christchurch, then out onto the Banks Peninsula on a very challenging road for motorcyclists. The 3.5 hour ride saw us in some extremely technical roads, which were good fun for the most part. We did encounter our first complete idiots on the road since leaving Auckland, but apart from that found the ride quite good but nothing like the last few days have been. The view from the top of the hill before descending into Akaroa though deserves special mention, it is breathtaking.

The wind chill down here is something you definitely notice, so I was glad I had put the inner linings of my gear back in for the ride. Myra and I are both getting better at the longer stints, and we managed to make it all the way to Christchurch without a stop. We pulled up and parked in the central city and found a lovely café for our lunch called Café Bleu. We had skipped breakfast so with the hunger we’d built and the blue lips Myra had managed to work up it was a damn fine hour we spent in that café by the fire watching the cricket and eating a fantastic couple of meals.

After the blood was circulating again and we’d sated our appetite, it was out to Akaroa. It’s been four years now since we were last here but the place looks exactly the same. This is a tiny slice of paradise, unknown to many, and I think they like it that way. The town is immaculate, its French heritage displayed proudly. The bay glistens and the yachts moored here are all from a movie scene. We love it.

We spent Friday night in utter joy at the thought that the next day was a non riding day. We watched the end of the cricket sipping Corona, then went to La Hotel next to our room, which is the same place we dined last time we were here. I had a completely decadent pork belly, and had a chuckle with the owner as we discussed the last time we were here. It was great he remembered, we had quite an impromptu party that night after hours with whiskey and tequilas after the place closed, and it was a laugh to reminisce. A bottle of wine disappeared almost criminally quickly with our meal, and then it was back to the Village Inn Apartments where we are staying for some nightcaps and to watch a movie on the laptop. All in all, a great wind down after several days of riding.

Today was spent just relaxing, and getting ready for the next two days. We went for a stroll through Akaroa, through the city streets past several memorial buildings, and then up to the lighthouse to try and retake the same photo we took when here last. After that we spent some time in the local graveyard of all things, which is superbly kept and a wonderful resting place for the deceased.

Myra cooked us a wonderful meal tonight and we are heading to bed early. Tomorrow sees us take our longest leg of the tour down to Dunedin, were we are booked in the Top Ten. This trip will take about 6 hours riding time, which we know will be very uncomfortable. I think we have worked out 3 hours is a good day, anything after that starts to become tedious, so 6 will be a very long day. The weather is also forecast for rain and maybe even some thunderstorms, so we know we’re in for a tough time. We’re adamant that we want to reach Bluff for New Years though, and that’s what we’re going to do.

So Akaroa was again a sweet friend to us, and we will miss it. I see us coming here again in our near future; it really is a beautiful place to be. Scarfie town tomorrow, although we’ll probably be too tired to care!