Bryans Big Trip

I'm going to begin todays update with a bit of post-blog news from yesterday, and a lost temporary filling that was inserted during Covid. I had a Chinese meal last night, and on ending used a harp to clean between the teeth as they felt a bit odd. It got a bit stuck, so I wriggled it (just a little bit) and out popped a filling. Perhaps that's why it was feeling odd. Anyway, that means at some stage I'll need to find a dentist. It's a tooth my dentist told me was dead, so it's not causing any pain, but it does have a few sharp edges that feel odd against my cheek. Anyway, onto today and something far more interesting than my dental inadequacies.  Awake with the alarm at 06:00, and totally ready to leave by 07:00 ... the problem was that I had a pickup at 08:00 only a 10 minute walk from my hotel, so I was ready far too early! I left at 07:30 and picked up a coffee next door before wandering down to Christ Church St Laurence on George Street where I was being picked...

I've moved two more time zones over, so was wide awake this morning at around 04:00. I formulated a plan for today, and left the hotel at 08:00 in search of breakfast as there is no restaurant here and I've not yet found a supermarket. I'd done a search locally, and Paramount Coffee Project was only a few minutes away and came highly recommended. A large latte, and bacon, garlic scrambled egg and kale roll later (yes, green stuff for breakfast!) were really excellent; once finished I left and walked for a bit. I must have gotten completely turned around as I was heading in totally the wrong direction. Google maps came to the rescue, and I was soon heading in the general direction of the Royal Botanic Gardens, although I did go wrong again when I was closer and had to ask for directions! The Botanic gardens were a wonderful oasis of calm in the middle of the bustle of the big city. I headed for Mrs Macquarie's Point, and had to detour around a site where they are putting...

Awake with the alarm, and up and at 'em to get ready for leaving New Zealand today. First job of the day was to repack my bag to include the things that I've left in the car. To my surprise it all fitted, including the cheap bag that I bought so that I don't have to buy another in Australia. I did jettison a couple of sun creams that I've not used as I've been using the Factor 50 stuff I bought here. With the bags all packed and loaded into the car, it was then a case of waiting for the 10:00 checkout time to arrive, after which I checked that it was OK to leave the car there while I went for the final coffee in New Zealand.  Away from the motel at 10:40, I made my way to the airport where I filled the car with fuel as required, and parked it up at the rental car park. Keys left, I made my way into the departures. I'd already checked in online, but found an Air New Zealand person and told them that I'd probably need to pay for excess baggage; I did so that w...

Today is very much an admin and preparation day. The only plan that I had for this day in Christchurch was a contingency in case I'd not been able to visit Mount Sunday on my first stay a few weeks ago, and as I was able to do that as planned then the contingency became redundant. So, when the alarm went of at 06:00 this morning, I rolled over and went back to sleep. I finally arose at 08:00 and started making a bit of a plan for today. At the moment the contents of my luggage are strewn across the room, and I needed to get some laundry done, so just after 09:00 the laundry went in, and at 11:00 it was all clean and folded on the bed. While this was being done, I sorted out the rail tickets back to Norwich on my return in a couple of months. This feels wrong on so many levels, but if the rest of the trip is anything to go by it'll be happening before I know it. I then decided that I should really get out of the room, so wandered along Columbo Street to a barber and had a haircu...

Awake at 06:00 with the alarm, and my mojo has returned this morning. Hurrah! All packed away again, and I left my cabin at 08:00. I backtracked into Franz Josef village for coffee, and I was going to resist cake ..... until I spotted Strawberry and White Chocolate muffins ..... possibly the best muffin I've ever had. Must find a recipe! Away from the coffee shop at 08:30, and onto the road for a long day of driving. Well, long by New Zealand standards; it'll seem insignificant compared to some of the Aussie days to come! I had a number of points of interest planned, but none on the west coast. First stop was almost two hours later when I stopped at Hokitika on the west coast for a leg stretch and call of nature. It looked like a nice little town, and just to the north I turned away from the coast road to cross the Southern Alps by way of Arthurs Pass. The next stop was at The Devils Punchbowl; a waterfall and a good 'un at that! Across a bridge and up a path, then the step...

Well, I guess it had to happen at some stage of my big trip, but this morning I woke up with no enthusiasm for the day ahead. The alarm went off at 06:00, and I finally made a move at 07:00. Today I have the Franz Josef and Fox Glacier eco walk planned, and I was due to be picked up from my accommodation at 09:05. My legs ached and I found myself quietly hoping that they'd forget to pick me up. Picked up spot on schedule, we made our way into Franz Josef village where I completed their waiver form, and we then made the short drive to where I'd visited yesterday at Franz Josef glacier. We started walking along the path I took yesterday to the lookout, and then took a left onto the path to Sentinel Rock. This was a fairly comfortable start; an uphill path to a scenic lookout of the valley the retreating glacier left behind, and what's left of the glacier now. We learned that in the late nineteenth century the glacier reached to where we were standing, and would have towered a...

Awake well before the alarm this morning, I was all packed away and ready to depart well before 08:00 and before I had my weekly video chat with Mum. Multiple checks of the room as usual to ensure that I'd not forgotten anything .... and this time I had. The teabags rescued (can't be leaving them!) and away just after 08:00. A stop off for fuel before leaving town, and then onto State Highway 6 which I'll be following today.  I have a long list of potential stops, and the first of these was for the Lake Hawea Lookout just a few kilometres up the road. The lookout provided some fantastic views of the lake and the southern alps beyond. Then onwards to the first waterfall of the day at Neck Creek waterfall; a bit disappointing this one after pulling off the state highway and onto a gravel road for two kilometres. The waterfall was a little way back in a gorge with no way of getting closer. After rejoining the state highway, the road ran along the side of the top of Lake Wanaka...