South of Rotorua was the charming coastal community, Napier. British overtones permeated this classic little seaside village. The entire city was demolished in the 1931 earthquake and rebuilt in fine Art Deco style. I appeared at their most delightful yearly event, Art Deco Weekend. I had no knowledge of this event until I landed in Napier. Some would call this serendipitous, but for me, I always thank the Goddess for putting me in the right place at the right time.
I enjoyed a full day of watching hundreds of Kiwis dressed in their finest “Gatsby” clothing. They descended on Napier in their perfectly refurbished, vintage automobiles. A couple were dressed as Charles and Camilla and appeared surprisingly similar. Even children enjoyed the festivities in period dress.
It was in Napier that I met Hamish, the travel agent who was instrumental in getting me on my first freighter. Freighter travel appeared on my radar when I was touring Africa the previous year. I’d thought I could catch one from South Africa to Kenya, but nothing materialized at the time. The Goddess was gently reminding me about traveling by ship throughout New Zealand so I wasn’t surprised to see an ad for freighter travel in the local paper. When I met with Hamish, he told me there were ships leaving the various ports, but I wouldn’t be able to book passage on such short notice. I listened, but I had a feeling I would be hearing from Hamish again and just two weeks later he called me to say a booking was available on a freighter to Singapore. Another week and then I could meet a ship sailing on to China.
Wellington, the Capitol is the southern most important city on the north island and was truly one of my favorite cities in all of New Zealand. Victoria University gave the city an academic flair and the Parliament buildings declared its importance. Walking along the Oriental Parade or strolling down Cuba Street were both delightful adventures as was partaking in all of the cultural festivals.
I stopped in Eketahuna, a small, rural community, for coffee solely for the purpose of meeting three local women who were perched on chairs outside the general store. Inside the mercantile was the local café and the best coffee in town. I ordered my favorite “Long Black” and enjoyed sipping coffee with my new friends. We chatted amicably and stared at the giant Kiwi bird billboard attached to the information center across the street. A young woman rode her horse up to us just then and offered me a ride. Even though I had horses in my childhood and would have loved a ride, I took a rain check. I walked with her to the golf course and took a great photo of the sheep grazing on the 9th hole. It is this experience that reminds me we all create our own travel adventures. The guidebooks and online ratings can only do so much.
I tended to avoid touristy destinations, but Waitomo caves was one that I would visit a second time. It’s called the “Glow Worm Caves” and was awe inspiring. For me, the word “cave” is synonymous with claustrophobia, but I was pleasantly surprised at the grandeur of this particular space. Because the acoustics were extraordinary, festival concerts were held inside, but this wasn’t the main attraction here. Tiny insects lived on the ceiling and walls of the caves. In the darkness they acquired this star-like quality. Thousands of tiny fluorescent lights twinkled above as the vessel floated silently through the waters. In the buoyant boat, I felt suspended in the dark surrounded by little tiny stars. For just a moment, I was in outer space as I marveled at the twinkling lights.
The Bay of Islands was a spectacular part of New Zealand and likely photographed more than other scenic vistas. I booked a brief tour through the islands on a small sailboat and experienced the quintessential sailing adventure. I’d heard this sport is either terrifying or boring. I experienced both in my two hour tour. Never having been on a sailboat before, but always wanting to feel the exhilaration of the wind in the sails, I had no idea this particular vessel would be vertical in the water for a great deal of tour. It began peacefully enough, but as the wind caught our sails, the serene sailing adventure changed instantly. I watched other passengers move to the other side of the boat as it slowly shifted to be perpendicular to the water. I had two options: hold on or swim. The novice sailor I was, I held on, but surrendered abruptly and finally joined the other passengers. During the peaceful return to port, I struggled to remain awake. I enjoyed my time on the water and was happy to get a few lovely photos.
Christchurch is a formidable city on the northeast side of the south island. A charming community with a cathedral in the square and a cable car that goes throughout the city. It was pleasant enough with the Botanical Gardens, museums and art galleries throughout, but the best part is its location. From there, the TranzAlpine train traveled across the island, through Arthur’s pass to Greymouth in just a few short hours. It was a lovely day trip and it would be interesting to ride the train at different times of year to photograph the changes in color of each season.
Queenstown is the adrenaline rush capitol and rightly so, as it is the birthplace of Bungee Jumping. I didn’t do it here however because I’d already jumped off a bridge over the Zambezi river near Victoria Falls in Africa the year before. Queenstown is another charming community built around the gigantic lake, Wakatipu and offers a variety of outdoor tourist activities. I rode the gondola through the sky and this time, parasailed down to the schoolyard below. I flew in a helicopter to Milford Sound and rode the ferry through the fjords. I flew back over the glaciers and landed briefly for a quick photo opportunity in the snow. I was exhausted by the day’s travel, but energized enough to enjoy the local nightlife.
My last adventure and one of my best was zipping up the Dart river in a speedboat that thought it was a jet ski. We flew over the water at breakneck speed and when we arrived at our destination. I inflated my canoe and floated back down through the glacier water. I filled my bottle frequently from the pristine waters.
I’d been traveling the north and south islands for two months by car and public transport, taking hundreds of photos and enjoying every moment of this sweet corner of the universe. I preferred to drive myself having the most freedom, but occasionally I opted for a change and booked public transport. One of my most delightful memories was sitting next to a ninety-three year old Catholic nun, Sister Imelda on the bus to Dunedin. She was a delightful travel partner and as always, I am fascinated with people whose lives vastly differ from mine.
