Currently Roaming the Pacific Northwest
Ever since leaving the capital city in early December, we (especially I) have been looking forward to our return. It is vibrant, quirky, energizing, filled with international culture and set in a striking harbour amongst the hills – offering so much to explore and absorb. We chose to stay even closer to the city center this time for easier access.
Every wine drinker knows about the Marlborough Region, whose exceptional Sauvignon Blancs brought New Zealand to fame as a wine producer. NZ skyrocketed in recognition, production and export quickly in the 90s and many people still only know its Sauvignon Blancs. While they are wonderful, especially the ones produced here in this valley, this region and the rest of the country have really branched out into more styles of SB, more varietals and a focus on sustainable vineyards and bottling.
We’re in the heart of it this week in the small city of Blenheim…not a particularly charming town in and of itself, but with views of the mountains surrounding the Marlborough Sounds, easy access to the beach, hills with scenic vineyard views for walking and of course the wine cellars, it makes a great base for a relaxing week.
Continue ReadingKaikoura, an area on the east coast between Marlborough and Christchurch, is known for being where the mountains meet the sea and for its abundant marine wildlife. Sadly, it is also known for the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that occurred two minutes after midnight on 14 November 2016. Ruptures occurred on multiple faults and the earthquake has been described as the “most complex earthquake ever studied.”
The coastal stretch of the South Island between Christchurch and Dunedin is mostly empty, dotted with small cities and smaller towns, yet blessed with long sandy white beaches and a quiet rural beauty that we quickly came to love during our too short time here.
A tourist town well worth visiting for its panorama of stunning vistas
This is where all the missing people are! Remember all those times we have been amazed at the lack of tourists everywhere we go? We found them…and they are all milling around the shopping malls, bar eateries and adventure activity stands in downtown Queenstown.
There is a reason this town became popular – the setting for all this madness is breathtaking. A massive, lightning bolt shaped lake surrounded by mountain ranges on all sides with blue rivers carrying their flows from the higher glaciers down and out to the sea.
Aoraki National Park has so much to offer that it is wise to get there early and to take advantage of any day of fine weather to do so. Therefore, we went back for the second day in a row – this time to tackle the Mueller Hut Track and we are infinitely glad we did.
Up, up, up to the ridge and into the alpine terrain, to a ridge surrounded by hanging glaciers and looking down on the Mueller Valley Glacier.
Continue ReadingA quiet town with access to a plethora of Aotearoa’s picturesque wonders
This is our week to see Aoraki/Mt Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain, and also the much photographed Lake Tekapo. There’s very little in Omarama proper (unless you are into gliding), but it gave us access to both the most acclaimed natural wonders and to several quieter beauties set in this dry landscape of pale hills and strikingly blue lakes.
Another week in a supremely enjoyable lake town surrounded by unbelievably stunning hiking
We were glad to revisit this pretty little town set amongst mountains on the shores of a beautiful lake. We spent our second week in Wanaka finding yet more delightful trails and sights.
Striking it rich with a week of biking, hiking and pinot in high desert country
Alexandra is in the heart of Central Otago, which is the most arid part of NZ (very like a desert) and was the main gold mining area in the gold rush days. There are rivers, gorges, miners’ ruins, wineries and orchards, all on top of what drew us – loads of bike trails and hiking paths. It is strangely beautiful – more reds and golds than the greens and blues that we are accustomed to in this magnificent country.
An assault on the senses
As we arrived home in the late evening, Hale perfectly described the eastern half of the drive to Milford Sound and the fjord cruise as “an assault on the senses.” The beauty was truly overwhelming – out of this world, bigger than life, stupendous.
