Our Travel Blog

Still around Nelson in the North of South Island, just close to the Abel Tasman National Park, we drove from Mapua to the 5 star Resurgence Lodge, but dumped our bags to get back to Kaiteriteri beach (as I mentioned yesterday), where to confuse us, the tide went out about one hour later than yesterday. You have to ask, what happens in another 12 days then? Rhetorical question but if someone would care to comment that would be great.  The weather was not quite as good, but the plume appeared as expected and many enjoyed the ride. A word of warning though; I banged both legs on a rock as the water rushed down to the sea (made a big thing of the blood hoping for sympathy, but that was wasted) – nothing too bad really, but a warning none the less. Having said that – what a laugh and we were not the only grown up “kids”.

Our accommodationfeels high quality, with our room being in the main house, the balony though is tiny with just about enough room for 2 chairs. The 50 acres of mountainside owned by our hosts (to confuse things, another Peter and Clare), includes a number of cabins which takes the total number of rooms to 10 and 20 for supper in family style around or 3 tables. If you like meeting other travellers, this is the style for you.

Today though is Christmas Day; it really doesn’t feel like it as I look out of the window to the mountains on this gloriously Sunny day, though really quite windy with a chill in the air. We got up at a half sensible time and had breakfast with a family from Germany; the daughter Karherina, speaks such good English we thought for a moment she was perhaps from New Zealand and puts us (with our poor grasp of other languages) to shame. Ah, apart from Alex being fluent in Serbian of course (but we don’t count that) – oh! and I can order a coffee in Portuguese

I’ve spoken to my children and wished them Happy Christmas as well as Paul (Ashton) and Veronica who we hear are following the blog! Great fun and really nice to hear – lots of love to you all. I hear Adrian (Allen) would follow it but he can’t be bloomin bothered (in joke) and then there’s Briggsy who has worked so hard with us over the last few months on a number of projects and of course our staff back at Web on High in UK, thanks for your hard work throughout 2010 – here’s to a great 2011.

Ok so I’m rambling now, but what’s a blog for? You know, we met a lovely family whilst in Eden Villa, Eden. Jonathan is over here on holiday with his Vietnamese wife and their children and currently the whole family are living in Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam whilst Jonathan works there. Finding that we will be in Vietnam in the next couple of weeks they have offered to take us out to supper – really nice of them: We have exchanged contact details and are really excited at the thought of sampling some real Vietnamese food and being shown around by people with local knowledge.

Back to today and it is with some trepidation we will eat here this evening – more to come on that… sayonara! (don’t ask me where that came from)

We flew from Mount Eden Village to Nelson yesterday and after a bit of hassle with (amongst other things) hire cars, we arrived later than planned at our luxury (definitely) 5 star apartment in Mapua, just South of the Abel Tasman National Park. Our hosts Peter and Clare could not have been more welcoming and the apartment more spectacular. Had Claire have known about the World travel guide, I might have thought that the home baked bread, fruit bowl, wine and everything we needed for  breakfast was a misguided sweetener – but none of it, they are just a delightful couple who take a deal of pleasure sharing their wonderful home with guests.

With Peter and Clare’s recommendation we set off this morning early (yes we had to get up at 06.30hrs and that can’t be right) to  go sea kayaking in the Abel Tasman: After about a 45minute drive we went through the usual safety briefings as one might expect and were off paddling by about 09.00hrs. the steady paddle took us about 3 hours to reach Waterng grove from Marahua Bay and after a cup of coffee (provided) we went back by water taxi, then took ourselves off to Kaiteriteri for lunch and spent the afternoon on the beach.

However, this was no ordinary beach as when the tide began to go out the reason for the danger signs became clear as the water from the estuary continued to rush down to the sea forming a natural water plume and by 14.00hrs the warm rushing water was full of adults and giggling children that sped down the inlet to the sea on anything from boogie boards to beach balls to be dunked unceremoniously in the (much colder) sea and caught in the inflatable boom that separates the Southern end of Kaiteriteri beach from the rest, where water sports are allowed.  

Well I know what you’re thinking and yes! we did join in, but not until our lunch had gone down and a bit late to enjoy the experience to the full so… we’re going back tomorrow!

My goodness! Sunshine at last – after a lovely breakfast in our historic B and B we headed off to take a look at Mount Eden to appreciate the 360 degree views over Auckland from the rim of this extinct volcano.

Fired with enthusiasm (mainly due to the Sun!) and armed with towels and other beach paraphernalia leant to us by Christine, (who with husband Anthony runs the delightful Eden Villa bed and breakfast hotel) we decided to head West on the Scenic drive though Waitakere mountain ranges to KareKare beach – sweeping black volcanic sands, bordered by huge lava bluffs and lush rain forest made the visit both worthwhile and a little surreal.

Back at Mount Eden Village, we have chosen for the second night to eat locally rather than to head up to Ponsonby in Auckland as there is an array of eateries – Thai Eden restaurant which served us as good a Thai meal as we have eaten in any town or there is Frasers cafe bar or the “Circus Circus” Cafe, the later wining the Best Cafe awards New Zealand 2010, great fun for a late evening or breakfast.

On an equally rainy day, we head South again today, back to Auckland to catch the car ferry from Half Moon Bay (East of Auckland) over to Waiheke Island. Waiheke is World renowned for having a large range of wineries in what is effectively quite a small area, the Island has a number of micro climates which provide ideal conditions for a large variety of grapes and hence some wonderful wines.

Complimenting these wineries as one might expect are some fabulous opportunities to tour and partake of wine tastings and enjoy the signature restaurants that so often come hand in hand in New Zealand. One such renowned restaurant is the “Mud Brick”, but dinner there to be truthful was a disappointment. Nestled in between its vineyard’s the Mud Brick has all the hallmarks for something great, but completely lacks soul. Its spectacular views from the restaurant and magnetic and one can understand those who get married there, but poor service and mediocre food left us disappointed. Having said that, the views may just compel you to visit for a light lunch and a glass of wine.

But we were spoilt! The weather being poor did little to dampen our enthusiasm for the “The Boatshed”, the most wonderful Boutique hotel, run by Jonathan Scott, whose family have owned the property for some 30 years. Views from the hotel are just amazing;  even on a grey wet and windy day the bay of Little Onerua beckoned below and we took the short walk for a paddle in the rain and surprisingly warm sea.

 Jonathan smiles a wry smile when admitting to being somewhat obsessive about The Boatshed, but that obsession translates into fantastic interior design, beautiful accommodation, exquisite food and a very personal service – go stay there!

From Auckland we travelled North by car to the Bay of Islands; quite a long journey and worse still it was dull and raining, but the scenery is quite spectacular with undulating hills and valley’s through which we took or time.

The main road North from Auckland is called the “Twin Coast Discovery Route”, but given the rain we didn’t “discover” as much as we had looked forward to.

We stayed in Opua which is broadly the setting for the signing in The Treaty of Waitangi which now forms the basis of modern New Zealand’s society and takes its name from the place in the Bay of Islands where it was first signed, in 1840 (who’s been reading his history then) – but interesting stuff.

Our accommodation was the most wonderful  5 star apartments called “the Boat House” not to be confused with our planned accommodation on Waiheke Island – a fantastic 5 star boutique hotel  run by Jonathan Scott, called “The Boat Shed” (yes I’m confused too) enough of that though, we will write more and publish soon

The overnight flight from Honolulu to Auckland New Zealand was not a great one with turbulence pushing Alexandra’s dislike of flying to the edge again. I have though, to share my admiration for a woman who just won’t like such a simple issue as being simply petrified of flying, get in the way of her love for travel!

New Zealand Air are not the greatest in our experience – the plane a shiny new Airbus 760/300 (I think I’m right in saying) with probably the most leg room for economy class we have experienced. Having said all that, the food was rubbish, on demand films quite limited and air stewardesses efficient but brash.

We landed in Auckland at 06.30 am local time having crossed the dateline so left Friday and arrived Sunday after an 8.5 hr flight – still seems odd J.

Having arrived early in the morning, our room in the Westin Hotel Auckland (understandably) isn’t ready yet, but the staff have been wonderful and we settled for an early breakfast whilst they sort the room ASAP. The manager Greg (favourite past-time heavy metal poor sod) has been most accommodating and we might just grab a couple of hours sleep when the rooms ready.

The weather in Auckland New Zealand was dull and drizzling with rain when we landed this morning, but the Sun is coming out now and we look forward to a bit of exploration of the city later today.