Since their first trip together Erin & Craig have used a high-five and synchronized cheer of "Adventure!" to help keep their spirits up when the travel gods throw them a curve-ball. Now they will put it to the ultimate test as they embark on world-wide travel with an added team member: their child!
"The penguins have all gone out to sea today." Hmm... not the best start to the day. Aren't the little blues nocturnal??? We'd already driven two hours and this was supposed to be our big stop - knock off another penguin species (the smallest in the world), eat our packed lunch...the lack of penguins dampened our already wet moods from the persistant rain, and the head cold we were all fighting. Instead, we found a cute cafe in a restored barn to have lunch at, feeling like we'd earned a meal out from the money we'd just saved from the lack of penguin viewing. After lunch, we continued heading further south and enjoyed a brief stop and walk at the interesting spherical moeraki boulders.
We passed through the very nice looking town of Dunedin (the beautiful train station looks worthy of a stop for anyone not travelling with a tired baby ready to get OUT of her car seat for the day), and wove our way out onto the Otago Peninsula. Our bach was a quaint bungalo set right on the tidal shore. We enjoyed looking out at the wading birds and watching the tide come in and out. When we finally were ready to brave the brisk sea air, we hopped over to a gorgeous cliff that hosts the albatross colony and protected area. We debated going in but it was too rich for our blood. Instead, we stood on the cliff outside admiring the view and felt like petty criminals when an albatross would fly overhead before returning to its protected cliffside.
When the sun finally poked through on our last day, we hustled out the door in the direction of the terribly, and thankfully not too accurately, named Sandfly Bay. Craig had learned that it's possible to see penguins here on you own, if your lucky and with an expert spotter oh Erin. The thrill of looking for them also meant that we didn't have to shell out to a landowner for the privilege or have to wait until Baby gets upset later in the afternoon.
We approached the beach from above and used our snowshoeing skills to half run-half slide our way down the sand dune path. After a half kilometer walk down the pristine beach, Craig, wearing Baby, stopped to take a break. Erin continued on with the plan to motion to Craig if she saw something. She'd barely gone 20 m when there-shuffling between two sand dunes-was a yellow-eyed penguin! (It was having just as much trouble on the sand dunes) We enjoyed watching it for a few minutes, then continued on to give it space.
We walked the length of the beach and back without another sighting (unless you count a colony of lazy sea lions), and turned towards the path to the parking lot. Our sun was long gone at this point and we were getting wetter by the minute from a combination of rain and mist coming off the roaring waves. It was then that Erin spotted a second penguin coming in from the ocean. It waddled up the sand and began the laborious climb straight up the dune. We began to feel sorry for it before remembering that we had the same climb ahead of us. It was likely the most challenging hike we'd done thus far on the trip... two steps forward and we'd slide one back as we trudged straight up, up, up the sand. But it was all worth it to see not one, but two of the world most endangered penguins!
Our drive out the other side of the pass was not much better. Rain splattered the car windows, encouraging us to keep our stops short and purposeful. The lengthy walk we'd planned at Castle Mountain to explore the symbolic Maori boulders became a quick jaunt halfway up the path, then back to the warm glow of our car. We were forced to find a stick-in-the-woods café where Craig could keep dry while Erin nursed since Alexandra is too stuffed on driving days for him to be in there during feedings.
The rain subsided long enough for us to stroll a bit at Lake Tekapo. We took a look at one of the most photographed churches in the world. It's the perfect place to get a night sky picture because it's located inside a Dark Sky Reserve. We had high hopes for stargazing opportunities at our nearby accommodation. However, the rain gods had other plans as thick cloud cover put the idea of any nighttime viewings to rest.
With crossed fingers, we drove an hour to Mount Cook, the town at the bass of the tallest mountain in New Zealand. Alas, views were not to be found and our dreams of splurging on an airplane tour were dampened. We did two short hikes anyways, hoping things would clear as the day wore on.
Instead of a view of the mountain, we were rewarded with a close-up encounter with two keas (alpine parrots). They surprised us in their large size and colouring, and startled Baby with their aggressive cries. Our second hike was noteworthy for Erin because it was the first time she felt strong enough to baby-carry, something she'd been longing to do for over four months now.
A chilly wind blew us back to our home at Lake Ohau, and reminded us that winter is coming in New Zealand. Thankfully this NZ bach was well-prepared for fall weather and we were able to find a way to drown our rainy day blues away.
Sadly, not much had changed when we got up the next day. We decided we'd just laze about and enjoy what views we had from our cosy cabin.
Around 3pm, the sky suddenly brightened, and we felt compelled to get out for a short hike to see the local waterfall, The Devil's Punchbowl. Numerous stairs later, we arrived at its base and paused to take in the 131m drop. The quick jaunt, though exerting, was worth the effort. We headed home satisfied that we'd at least seen and done something in Arthur's Pass.
The next morning was spent driving along the coast, pulling off at every possible turnout to soak up the amazing views of the west. For once, we were in no big hurry because our drive to Arthur's Pass would be short and if anything, we wanted to delay things so we'd get to the Pancake Rocks as close to high tide as possible.
The Pancake Rocks are Punakaiki's big tourist attraction. These interesting formations coupled with a set of blowholes set against the wild backdrop of the relentless sea made for a spectacular stopping point. It's rare for us to go to something so touristy (and by New Zealand standards, overrun with people) and love it so much. If you're headed that way, we'd recommend allowing an hour to view this site even though you could walk the path in twenty minutes. If you're anything like us, you'll get addicted to one spot and want to watch it until a satisfyingly huge wave comes by. Keep an ear out, as well, for the thunderous roar you can hear as each chasm fills with frothy water.
When we finally tore ourselves away, we continued onwards. The drive took us longer than expected because not long after leaving Punakaiki, we arrived upon an accident on the highway. Most passengers and drivers from the long line ahead of us were out of their cars, milling about on the side of the road. We didn't get all of the details but we know it involved a motorcyclist and we saw an air ambulance fly in and out. Hopefully everyone involved was ok.
It had started drizzling by the time we turned off into Arthur's Pass and the cloud cover was low. One of our most scenic drives, though atmospheric, was hidden behind a wall of grey. A little disappointed, we arrived late at our cottage and hoped for sunny skies the next day.
Our next driving day took us from the known to the unimaginable. We started by taking the Interislander back across to the South Island. The ferry was different from the one we took previously: this one being larger, full of people, and surprisingly like a cruise ship. There were multiple cafés and bars and even two movie theaters on board. We opted to plunk down on the top deck (Deck 10) and wait for the beautiful views we knew were coming.
But first we had to cross the Cook Strait. It was windier than before and the waves quickly became choppier. We can handle this, we thought; we've braved the open waters of Antarctica and survived 45° sways. We checked on Baby who, although no longer sleeping, seemed happy. So we prided her on her adventurous spirit and stayed put. It didn't take long for us to be the only passengers left on our side of the observation deck. Salty spray ricocheted off8i our faces and wind gusted in our hair (well, in Erin's hair). At one point, the three of us made up one third of the people outside with the lower observation deck closed due to high winds (did they just forget about us up top?). We kept an eye on our daughter who seemed quite content in her stroller, then moved starboardside when we started to enter the sound and gained views. Everything changed almost immediately: the waters calmed, the wind died, and we were surrounded by the beautiful forested hills of Marlborough.
The next few hours were uneventful as we retraced our steps out of Picton, through the Marlborough vineyards, and out of the region. The only interesting thing of note was our nursing spot in St Arnaud where we enjoyed a lakeside stretch and snack. Baby got her first up close experience with ducks.
It was once we turned off into new territory that things got interesting. At first, we climbed a windy mountain route (again, with no other cars around). We followed a meandering river through a pass. Then, as we crested a hill while turning a corner, the west coast suddenly appeared before us.
It was an unbelievable sight... wave after wave came barreling forward, showering anything in its path with spray. Rocky outcrops provided the sea with canvases to make work out of, each creation unique from the one before. It was absolutely breathtaking. The road fell close to the ocean then rose above it, the mist a curtain creating an other-worldly feel.
With barely an hour before Baby's bedtime, there was no stopping now to enjoy. One look at each other shared the same thought: we're coming back tomorrow!
Next on the docket for us was a quick one-day stop in the nation's capital, Wellington. The weather was cool and rainy the evening we arrived so we had our fingers crossed that the forecast for the next day would be accurate. We kept our expectations low... We'd earmarked a few sights including the Parliament, the cable car, and the Te Papa National Museum, but really, Wellington for us was a place to enjoy going out for some food and drinks! We'd almost completely self-catered thus far (you remember the motel in Rotorua), and we'd heard that Wellington was known for its microbreweries. So this was the place to loosen the purse strings a little.
In the end, we got what we wished for: the rain cleared, the clouds lifted enough to go up the cable car, and Craig's beer was cold. Baby held on long enough for us to peek into the Maori exhibit before she had had enough for the day. Overall, Wellington seemed trendy and fun, active with pedestrians, runners, cyclists, etc, and a bright vibe despite the grey overhead.
Two relaxing days on the west coast followed. We took a few trips to the beaches in the area, enjoying walks in the surf at Oakura with views of the sugar loafs. We watched the surfers at New Zealand's famous Stent Beach, and were thrilled with our view of Mount Taranaki when we stopped at the island's oldest lighthouse.
Even with it being off-season, we again couldn't get over the lack of people on the roads and at these gorgeous spots. We were the only people strolling through the expansive Pukeiti gardens, adjacent to (or possibly in) the national park..
It's been interesting to find a pace that works for us on this trip as it's our first one with a child. We need to ensure we not only provide ourselves with the down time we need, but Baby the chance to stretch and roll and play and most importantly, be awake, as she normally sleeps in the car and stroller. When our usual downtime is taken up by nursing, burping, bathing, and entertaining a little one, we also need to find downtime that's for ourselves. As such, we've tried to make "creative time" a priority on this trip.
This has included our regular writing and photo/video editing to keep up our blog, but also sketching for Craig and quilting for Erin. It's all a part of the learning experience of being the parents we want to be. We feel so grateful to have this time together as a little family, discovering new things in the outside world, and right here at home.
