Feb 19th-21st: the journey
But First a bit of history.
I am a bit of an obsessive when it comes to fighter planes, & will gawp at the Red Arrows whenever they fly over. Years back I found out you could have a "fast-jet experience", so I set it at number 1 on the bucket list to do before I was 50.
Fast forward 8 or 9 years, & I looked into it. Unfortunately the choice was Russia, Russia or Russia, & it was £6 grand a flight. Eeek!
At £6k, plus mine & Rob's travel & accom., it wasn't feasible without a 2nd mortgage :-(, so I deferred it to before I was 60.
It was still top of the bucket list, but by quite a margin now as I'd done no. 2 in Jan 2010 at KL & in the rain-forest ~ the blogs are on here.
In late 2014 I started to plan again, & made enquiries with Google which told me I could do it in Russia, the States or SA. I preferred the SA option, so sent them an E.
While awaiting a reply (which I never got), AA tourism sent me a newsletter in July 2015 which mentioned flying in a fast-jet out of Christchurch.
Well, decision made :-)))
Any excuse for another trip to NZ, eh? ;-p
I sent the operator an E, & we scheduled a flight during the week beginning Feb. 22nd 2016. Given it would be weather dependent, I planned the first week's activities with the idea that if the flight was a Go, then I should be able to drive back to Christchurch from wherever I was the day before & go up for a whizz round the skies over the Canterbury plains.
At that point (Sept '15), everything was going swimmingly:
~ Car hire for 6 days on SI booked & paid
~ Accom at Christchurch, Tekapo, Akaroa, & Waipara booked & paid
~ Itinerary & maps prepared
~ 3 weeks extra activity on SI & NI booked & mostly paid.
Then in October 2015 I realised I'd had no reply to a question I'd asked to the Christchurch operator, & after Es between me & NZ tourism, Christchurch Airport, & AA, it turned out the operator was no longer operating.
Given the whole trip was to do my bucket list flight, & all the other stuff was icing on the cake, I was a bit miffed, to say the least.
Happily, NZ tourism provided another option: I could do it in Auckland. The pilot would be ex NZAF who currently worked for AirNZ, & the flight would be from Ardmore in the Auckland area.
Es to & fro ensued, & I revamped my NI itinerary, removing my 3 days at Moana Lodge in Plimmerton (which were scheduled in so I could chill a bit after all the rushing about I'd be doing!), & adding 2 days in Wellington & 1 in Paraparaumu. The to-ing & fro-ing will become clear in subsequent blogs (I hope ;-p )
Phew!
I really hoped the weather would be kind after all that jiggling around with my itinerary %0 & I would finally get to do number 1 on my bucket list.
Having made my plans for a 4th NZ visit specifically for the fast-jet flight, I'd decided to try & do everything else I'd missed in the previous 3, so I wouldn't feel the need to go again.
Harhar: that was a case of famous last words, Shirl ;-) ~ I have trip 5 in the pipeline for 2019, & would hope to have finished blogging NZ16 by then!
Anyway, here goes for the 1st of the NZ16 blogs - I spent >1/2 hour this morning trying to find my notes, so I hope the search proves worth it.
Watch this space.
Feb 19th
I got the train to Gatwick at 1321. I'd had to work from 0700 that morning as it was day 5 of half-term, & there were too many already off for me to have a full day's leave.
My notes tell me I met 2 ladies on the train, one of whom had a daughter who lived in Geraldine. I told her I'd been there in 2009, 2011 & 2014, even if some visits were for petrol, loo etc. I didn't know then that I'd meet a couple of Yanks there this time round - but you'll have to wait a little while for that story.
I was to pick up my NZ$ at Gatwick's MoneyCorp ~ opposite Jamie Oliver's, & that done, I checked in ~ hiding my 3 bum-bags under my coat which I tied round my waist expressly for that purpose, & showing her my hand luggage ~ a small ruckie.
Yes.
I had carry-on for a month in NZ!
WRT this, having done a dry-run during the Svalbard fortnight, I figured that, if I could do 2 weeks where it was cold with a small bag, I could do 4 during an NZ summer. I had bought a slightly bigger ruckie for NZ than I'd used for the Aurora trip, & I'd weighed everything. I'd only be allowed 7Kg on my internal AirNZ flights, & there were quite a few of those scheduled to save time driving overland.
I had also bought a 'handbag' just big enough for my Samsung, & had heavy things like chargers, toiletries etc. in pockets & bum-bags hidden from view ;-)
Security didn't say anything about the 3 bum-bags & the handbag in addition to the ruckie, & the only problem was beeping due to my metal THR.
I always beep; they always tell me to take everything out of my pockets; & I always get a pat-down.
My notes say take-off was on time at 2035 from Terminal North, & I was looking forward to flying Emirates ~ hoping the on-board fare was better than most airlines.
The flight was via Dubai & Melbourne, & on the 1st leg I watched Goosebumps ~ a fairly new release. During the film dinner arrived, & I had the lamb & a merlot. IRO the latter, my notes say "= yuk" so I guess it wasn't a nice merlot!
I watched a Jackie Chan called Dragonblade next. It also had John Cusack in it. Having looked it up on Google to refresh my memory, I guess it wasn't that memorable ;-p However, I see I'd scrawled Regum & Silk Rd at some point, so I guess that was me trying to remind myself??
My notes say I saw Big Game next, & that it was "good unusual". I do remember that, & it is worth looking up.
Feb 20th
We arrived in Dubai around 7am, & I mooched for 2 hours, spraying myself copiously with my favourite Kenzo. At >£30 I wasn't for buying any, & with carry-on, there was little space left anywhere, anyway.
Dubai airport was heaving, & I was quite glad to get aboard for leg 2. At least there hadn't been any problem getting a brew (like there had been during the layover in China in 2014).
Leg 2 was due for take-off at 1015, & I had the usual beep/pockets/pat-down thing at Security.
Bridge of Spies was my 1st film on this part of the journey, with a break in it for an unspecified lunch, then it was the 2nd ~ Thor. Not particularly keen on Hemsworth, but Hiddleston always gives a great show & his voice is awesome. After that I watched some Emirates documentaries about orangs, elephants & giraffes, & then put some music on & slept.
During this flight, we flew backwards (forwards?) into:~
Feb 21st
We arrived early doors, & had about an hour in Melbourne Airport. I remember it being strangely quiet ~ perhaps because it was early Sunday morning in February??
I caught up on some Es with the free wifi, then Leg 3 came & my notes show I noted the screens showed it was 1691 miles to Auckland.
We got breakfast quite quickly, with nearly another 6 hours to go. Apparently, I had an omelette. The 1st film was Room. This had been recommended by the Odeon magazine I'd read during the journey, so I watched that. Then it was a "shark thing". Well that's all my notes say, & I have no idea what it was: probably a documentary.
We may have had lunch as well, as landing was due at 1345, but maybe not, as my notes don't mention it?
I'd brought back the NZ mobile I'd bought when I arrived in Nov '14, so the first job ~ once through bio-security & customs (no waiting for my bags :-D ), was to get it reactivated at the Vodafone shop. I had a couple of hours before my Christchurch flight, so I charged everything I could before putting extra clothes on prior to the 7Kg weigh-in for my domestic flight. Consequently, by the time I had walked through the afternoon sun to the domestic terminal I was sweating buckets! ! !
Weigh-in was OK at 6.9Kg, but once through Security again - with the inevitable beep/pocket/pat-down, I repaired to the Ladies & took some clothes off!
As it was a domestic flight, & as I had carry-on, the time between last check-in & take-off was about 20 minutes, & it was a short flight of about 75min.
The main job on landing was to find my digs for the night which turned out to be a bit of a palaver! My Prompt Sheet for the trip said it was about an hour from the airport, but the AirBnB digs I'd booked as being the closest/cheapest option, was in a maze of Christchurch suburbia. I rang James on the number he'd given me while I was walking, as despite my Gmap printout, his house wasn't easy to find. I walked for an hour & a quarter before finally finding it.
I was pretty knacked. What with no bed for 2 nights, not the best food for >48 hours, & losing a day in the air, my systems were complaining a bit. I was dying for a brew, but James didn't have 'normal' tea ~ he was Chinese.
However, when I asked him about the nearest takeaway for some grub, he lent me his car! Gollygosh! ! ! Even if he was Chinese, the NZ helpfulness had clearly rubbed off :-D.
His directions to a fish & chip shop were clear, & I ended up ordering a paua patty, a mussel patty, & large chips.
Bloody hell ~ talk about a pile of potatoes!
Good job I was hungry ;-q
I also got some provisions like a bottle of F&C & some chocolate for my journey to Tekapo the next day, & had an orange ice-cream while I waited for them to do my fry-up.
Back at James', I ate the patties, & about 1/2 of the chips. The rest would do for tomorrow's journey/tea at Tekapo.
Then I had a shower to discover I'd forgotten to pack a towel ~ Oops
Just before 2100, another couple arrived. They were Chinese as well, so they all gossed away while I got ready for next day.
I was too tired for crosswords, so I sudoku'd, set the alarm for 0730 & put the light out at about 2130.
Feb 22nd: Christchurch to Tekapo & Mt John
I woke at 0720, & there were no sounds, but 1 of the cars had gone when I left the house at 0845, so I guess James & gf had gone to work.
Leaving my bags at James', I walked back to the airport, noticing all the nice trees on Hawthornden Rd. It only took 35 min this time.
Unfortunately, I'd left the name of the car hire place back at the digs, so it took me a while to find the number & sort out a lift to the office. A nice lady at the help desk did just that :-)
A mini-bus arrived with a UAE bloke driving it. He'd been in NZ 6 months. He took me back to the Lucky office, & I got my car.
Back I went to James' to collect my stuff, left the keys in my little room, & set off to Tekapo at just before 10.
I remember having the radio on & hearing on the 10 o'clock news that it was the 5th anniversary of the earthquake which decimated Christchurch city centre. That was sad, but I still managed a small smile at the DJ who told me, just as I crossed the lights on the SH1 at Hornby, that it was Sivin past Tin (ie 7 minutes past 10 ;-p).
I'd only had a few Graze chocolate buttons while I walked to the airport, so I pulled off at the Rollaston MacDonalds for a long black & a lemon slab, & did some note writing & route checking.
When I restarted at 1045, the mileage was 3306K.
5 minutes later, & unscheduled, I pulled into the Straight 8 Estate for a wine tasting/purchase, & the nice lady behind the counter told me about a shortcut which would avoid going through Ashburton & save me nearly 20K. The shortcut went down Thompson Track, a very long, mostly straight, road heading almost due west from Rakaia to Ashburton Forks, before curving to the SW & Mayfield.
While driving along, the radio kept reminding me about the earthquake, & there were messages from listeners read out by the DJ. It was very moving.
Then he played 'It's A Beautiful Day' & that got me weeping!
As I had done driving out of Christchurch previously, I entertained myself by noting the mileage to see how long the straight bits were. Unfortunately I forgot to check when I hit the curve, so I'd have to do it on the way back.
At Mayfield I stopped at the Udder Dairy, intending to get a brew & loo, but smelt the bacon, so had a bacon butty for lunch as well, taking an extra one for later ;-q
Setting off again at 1300 ~ having done about 90K, I headed down the SH72 towards Arundel & Geraldine. At the Orari Bridge the 72 ended at the 79, & I took the right leg towards the south.
At Geraldine, metres after I turned right towards Fairlie, I saw a couple of hitch-hikers with their thumbs out & a sign for Tekapo, so pulled over.
They were Kevin from Fort Worth, Texas & Eric from Tampa, Florida.
As usual when I pick-up/get picked-up, I mentioned doing martial arts, just in case ;-)
These were lovely lads, tho, & we had a good chat for the remaining 90-ish K to Tekapo.
We arrived at just before 3, & I'd done about 210K since about Sivin past Tin ;-)
When they got out at Tekapo Springs, Eric & Kevin gave me 3 huge apricots as a thanks for the ride - aahh :-D
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| Eric &Kevin Or it may be Kevin & Eric?? |
I was booked into the Tekapo Budget Accommodation, which was a hostel, so I checked in, found tea & coffee were free, net access was free, & there was towel on my bed.
Hey :-D
Then I off-loaded the ruckie, & went shopping for grub. At the supermarket virtually next door, I got oats for breakfast, milk & tea-bags, & went back to the office to borrow an adapter for the UK plugs. The bloke in the office had a heap of left-behind ones in a box! I have a vague recollection he was called Michael??
I was right by a lake ~ Lake Tekapo, so clearly (me being me) the next job was a swim.
I changed in the dorm, wandered across the scrub to the shore, & found a big flat-ish rock to sleep on. It probably began its life as a bit of glacial morraine.
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| The view from the rock, containing ~ bum-bag, cryptic crossword, hostel towel, sun cream & boots |
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| One of the blokes |
I started the crossword, but lack of sleep caught up with me & my eyes shut for about 1/2 an hour. I was awoken by some blokes near a rock further along having a loud splashabout.
Awake now, I decided to swim out to a rock a little way off shore.
Awake now, I decided to swim out to a rock a little way off shore.
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| The aforesaid rock target |
It was a bit cold, but nothing like Loch Ossian, so a swim round the rock was no prob. Despite it being summer, it wasn't right warm - well I was quite high in the hills, so I wrapped myself in the borrowed towel to dry off before heading back to the hostel for a brew & some food.
Back at the hostel, I had 2 mugs of their coffee, heated up the 2nd Mayfield bacon butty, the paua patty (not great) & the rest of the chips in the microwave, & finished tea with an apricot & some Graze chocolate raisins.
The bloke in the office (Michael?) had told me the road up to Mt John closed at 6pm, but that there was a track up from the Tekapo Springs hot pools about 2K further along the shore. As sunset was due at 2037, I started off in plenty of time, parked the car by the pools, & found the track. It turned out (after I'd read the bumf on the notice boards) that the pools weren't hot springs, but normal heated water. Still, I guess it would be nice when the weather was a bit colder.
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| The Mt John track |
My notes say I started up at 2005, & I remember the track was lovely, winding up through the trees at the bottom, & opening out near the top. I headed for the south summit, & reached there at 2035 ~ having taken a shortcut straight up, rather than follow the track which meandered about westwards a bit.
At the top, I found a little windbreak of rocks currently occupied by 2 girls: 1 from near Zurich, & 1 from East London, & we sat chatting & taking photos for about 1/2 an hour.
There was also a seat looking out over the lake below.
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| My sunset companions & our pile of rocks Lake Tekapo is below |
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| I think this one looks south from Mt John's South Summit |
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| Looking more or less south with a nice inversion on the left |
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| Sadly, there was no orange sunset this time ~ as there had been when I chased the sunset in 2009 |
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| Moon rise. Possibly over Mt Dobson? |
Once the moon had made an appearance, but there was still light, the 2 girls set off back down, but I stayed up on top a while, fiddling with the camera settings in the hope of getting a decent pic.
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The moon gets interesting
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At 2130 I headed back down to Tekapo, following the track this time.
It was pale grey in the moonlight, & not hard to see, so I strode out downhill.
Once I hit the trees, it was harder to see, but I'd eaten plenty of carrots over the years, & the trees were side-lit by the moon on my left.
tbh, because I was virtually running, & letting gravity do most of the work, I was down again in 17 minutes.
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| A bell-shaped moon & a glitter on the lake |
Back in the car, I noticed the moon-path on the lake, so pulled over almost immediately, & spent another 1/2 an hour or so trying to get some interesting photos.
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| Moon halo |
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| I think this is my favourite from lake level |
Judging by the number of binned pics later on, laying on the grass didn't help much, but I hung around trying to get the moon when it peeked out of the clouds, & taking loads of moon photos.
Only these 4 survived the cut!
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| The last of the photos which made the cut |
Eventually, I called it a night at 2215, & went back to the hostel.
I knew there'd be heaps of rubbishy photos to delete, & reviewing photos eats battery life, so once I'd checked over the photos in the kitchen over a late brew, I recharged the camera battery while I had a shower & went online in bed.
I was off to Akaroa in the morning & expected lots of photo opportunities, so I wanted a 'full to bursting' battery ;-)
There'd been peeps already asleep when I got back to the dorm, so I was a considerate hosteller, & finally turned off & over at 2320.
OAO
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