T H E    M I c h e l s e n ‘s in

South Island, New Zealand,

The highlight for us in New Zealand began in Akaroa midway down the East coast of the South Island. 

Many guests traveled from Akaroa by bus or car to Christchurch, probably the best known and largest city of the South Island.  It was hit by a disastrous earthquake in September 4 2010 a powerful 7.6 on the Richter scale but the epicenter was deep in the earth and outside the city.  The second was in February 22 2011 and 6.4 on the Richter scale but was very close the earth’s surface and struck the center of the city – hence the great loss of life and property destruction, see animation on :  http://www.christchurchquakemap.co.nz/all ).  Christchurch is still in midst of rebuilding.

We chose to go on a spectacular land adventure which took us away from the boat for 2 days.  We (12 people) left Akaroa driving through the beautiful coastal hills to the Canterbury Plains in the center of the Island.  If you did not know better, you would be in Kansas, Iowa etc.

                                   

Miles upon miles of beautiful pastures, called "Paddocks" in New Zealand. They are filled with cattle, sheep and crops.        

We stopped in Geraldine, a small village and had lunch at a private home, a farm with beautiful gardens.  The owners had taken a weekend retreat that belonged to his parents and created a Shangri-la, much like my nephew David has done with the old family house in     Annisquam.                                                  

The luncheon meat was lamb (I guess you could assume this).

                                               

After we left, all of a sudden the Southern Alps (they stretch over 500 km) arose in the background over the water of a huge lake, lake Tekapo

On the shores of Lake Tekapo - the country's highest large lake (710m above sea level) We could see our destination, the towering peak of Mount Cook, 12,500 feet high and a beautiful snow covered summit.

During our drive we noticed the famous: line cloud formation, the area is called "the cloud line".

Then we arrived at the Mount Cook airport in the Mt. Cook National Park. Seven of us (Anči and I included) climbed in the ski plane for our flight up the mountain to the glacier – just spectacular.  

We tramped around the snow, the air was warm and after photos, we climbed in a helicopter for our flight back.

The view from Our ride back in the Helicopter :

                                                                 

We spent the night, after a beautiful dinner at the Mt. Cook Hotel where every room looks at the glacier and the mountains.  Even all the elevators have a wall of glass

 This was the view from our hotel window.

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We left early the next morning for our ultimate destination, the ship, which was in Port Chalmers, near Dunedin (south of Akaroa). Our driver took us past a series of 5 reservoirs created by dams in the large river flowing out of the mountains – 50% of the South Island’s power comes from these hydroelectric stations.  The lakes provide great recreational spots.  New Zealand does not allow nuclear plants

We also stopped at a charming café, the site of the Moeraki Boulders, large stones on the beach, thought to have been formed 60 million years ago. 

Jost had a light lunch ! The sticks are in fact shrimps rolled inside a crepe.

 

could not resist this  strange looking stone, almost human

This beautiful Merino ram

made us choose a name for our group

We also bought some items made out of Possum and Merino, interesting combination.  See explanation :

http://www.merinopossum.co.nz/

On to Dunedin called the “Edinburgh” of the South.  The largest University of the South Island is here as well as many beautiful buildings and a very old and beautiful train station.

                                                   

                                                                                 

                                          

WALKING AROUND TOWN, WE DISCOVERED INTERESTING SIGNS AND SHOPS

  

 AND NEW TRANSPORTATION FOR OUR NEXT TRIP AROUND THE WORLD.

When experiencing a new country it is important to learn to speak like the natives.

Kiwi accent is very easy to pick up, the trick is in the vowels :

A becomes E - "now thet I hev your ettention let's get beck to                         the lesson, ay!"  
I becomes U   - "  Lets go get some fush and chups bro"                                                                                            
Etc..  we had a lot of fun listening to our guide/driver.

We then rejoined the ship in Port Chalmers and found a wonderful welcome treat in our room.  What a great butler, Gabrielle, you are the best.

Back on our Silver Whisper we spent the next two days cruising the Milford and Dusky Sounds, beautiful beyond belief, filled with spectacular waterfalls and fjords, with a backdrop of high mountain peaks.  It reminded both of us of our trip through the Chilean Fjords that we experienced two years ago.

 This rock is called the elephant

As we set sail for Sydney, Australia.  We were suddenly struck with an overwhelming feeling that we had just departed one of the most beautiful spots on earth, and we so grateful that we had an opportunity to visit this wonderful small nation, so close to Antartica.

NEW ZEALAND : AUCKLAND TO NAPIER

Our wonderful journey continues across the South Pacific until we docked in Auckland New Zealand on Monday January 27 (actually January 26 2014, New York time and date)

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Briefly, New Zealand is a country of 2 islands, the North Island, which has a population of 3 million people and the larger South Island that has 1 million residents. Auckland, the capital city, has 1,400.00 inhabitants.

The country was first inhabited by the Maori people who arrived from Polynesia 1400 years ago.  They were and are a warlike culture.  The great British explorer and map make, James Cook, sailed through around 1788.  

Abel Tasman, a Dutch explorer discovered the islands in the 17^th century but did not land. The Tasman Sea and Tasmania to the north and west ere named after him.

Soon after Cook, British settlers arrived and almost immediately conflicts with natives arose as the settlers took more and more land.  In 1840 when Maori chiefs and the Crown signed the Treaty of Waitangi that dealt with land issued, the treaty, as you might imagine, gave all the advantages to the British. By 1939, almost 100 years after the Treaty was signed, Maori retained just 1 percent of the South Island and 9 percent of the North Island.

New Zealand remained a sleepy outpost of 1 million or so people until WWI.  As member of the British Commonwealth, the country joined the war effort. 100,000 men (10% of the total population) joined the armed forces.  At the end of the war, 18,500 had been killed, and 50,000 wounded.  So, almost 7% of the nation’s population, and 14% of the men, were affected.  The majority of these casualties occurred at the Battle of Gallipoli, one of Winston Churchill’s prime acts of stupidity.

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/gallipoli.htm

The nation sank into a depression starting in 1921, as its major export partner, Britain was unable to pay for timber or meat products as they had run out of money.  

The nation was slowly recovering, when WWII arrived and again New Zealand soldiers played an outsized role.  After the war New Zealand grew as more immigrants arrived from Europe and Asia, many from war torn countries.

The country grew and prospered as international travel expanded.

Today, New Zealand may be one of the cleanest places on our planet, the public, totally clean toilets all over the cities and country side impressed us. 

New Zealand has an extremely friendly and courteous population, and remarkably beautiful vistas, beautiful harbors, magnificent plains, fjords, and the Southern Alps

Auckland the capital city has the highest percentage of boat ownership in the world (around 1 for 4 person, incredible) and New Zealand’s skillful sailors have taken a major role in the America’s cup sailing races.

Unfortunately, the enmity between the “white settlers” and the Maori remains. The Maori are spectacular players on the championship Rugby team which has helped their integration. They are feared by the British players, particularly since they use their war call and facial display to frighten their opponents.

Our first day in Queensland, New Zealand is in Auckland, we spent it on a " hop on hop off” bus. 

We first visited an aquarium built by Kelly Tarlton, a New Zealander who became wealthy thru “wreck salvage diving”. He built the 

“ UnderWater World Sea Life Aquarium

This fabulous place, a huge Penguin colony as well as a large underwater walkway enclosed by glass that has large fish swimming beside and over you.  This was the first aquarium constructed like this in the world and has been copied since like in Malta. The museum also contains Admiral Scott’s rooms and equipment that he took to the South Pole.

                                                         

The second day, our visit to the Auckland Museum, a beautiful building, where we were first entertained by a group of Maori singers, dancers and warriors was very impressive

                                                                 

   
                                                                               

We then had a 2 ½ hour tour of the Museum with a docent which was wonderful, viewing mostly Maori artifacts including an 85 foot war canoe, 5 feet wide carved out of a since tree trunk.  The top floor of the museum is a tribute to the New Zealanders lost in WWI, all the names are etched in granite. The flags of the allied nations fly in the atrium.  Strangely enough on this floor, there is also an unscratched Japanese Zero from WWII as well as a beautiful British Spitfire (only 1 of 4 remaining. One is in the Smithsonian in Washington, I do not know where the others are).  Beside the Spitfire is the Rolls Royce 12 cylinder engine which you can fire up by pushing a button

                                                 

Then back to the boat for the short sail to Tauranga, the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty, really a large working port just south of Auckland.  Many people visited Hobbiton, the movie set for the Lord of the Ring trilogy – a fabulous movie as you might know. Peter Jackson who directed these films is from New Zealand. WE just relaxed on the boat.

                                                         

New Zealand, as so many of you know is a country filled with Vineyards.  The most popular grape is Sauvignon Blanc but all varieties are produced.  We did not visit any vineyards as time didn’t permit to take land tour to good ones.

After leaving Napier, we celebrated Anči’s 70^th BD with a group of our new friends and Vicky Van Tassel’s birthday too. (she is one of our Whisper performers). The Chef Jerome prepared the menu that Anči set up and the dessert was a copy of our wedding cake: Croquembouche. 

                                                                    

                                         

Next Blog will deal with the South Island land excursions to Mount Cook.

Remember that your comments are welcome.