new zealand by camper van: part two

Our New Zealand adventure continued as we travelled up the west coast.  The drive from Wanaka to Nelson, where we were spending New Year's Eve, is long and twisty.  The roads wind over mountain passes and through sheep pastures.  It's gorgeous, but so, so long.  To split up the drive, we made a few pit stops a long the way.  

First up, the Fox Glacier.  Touring companies will gladly take your money to give you an up close experience, but you can also make the short 30 minute hike to a pretty good view point.  It's steep, but worth the walk.  The glacier is large, blue, and very close to the trail.  

Fox Glacier

Just 40 minutes up the road lies the Franz Glacier.  Another 30 minute hike will get you to a meh view.  If you have to choose, go with Fox.  However, the ridiculous ranger cut out was good for a laugh.

Our new best friend

After a day and a half of driving, we finally made it to Abel Tasman sound.  The plan was to kayak, but pouring rain forced us to make a few change ups.  We rescheduled the kayak trip, and hit the trails for some rainy hiking.  The lush forest, and the steamy humidity made it feel like we were hiking in the depths of the Amazon.  

Post hike, Ryan and I made the hour long drive to Nelson, where we were staying for the next two nights...in a hotel!  I was beyond excited to sleep in a proper bed and take a proper shower.  Hotels in New Zealand are ludicrously expensive, but after a bit of research, I was able to find The Sails.  Affordable, clean, cute, cozy, and centrally located.  

Nelson, we discovered, is known for the microbrew scene.  We were given a few recommendations from the owner of the Sails, then hit the scene.  Our first stop was the Free House.  It's an old church that is living a new life as a bar.  With a dozen local beers on tap, tons of out door seating, and a small snack menu for munching, we were quite pleased with our first selection.  The best part, immediately adjacent is a yurt with live music.  As long as you buy a drink at the bar, chilling in the yurt and listening to the band are free.  We caught My Chameleon.  

My Chameleon

Next stop, dinner at Hopgood's.  Holy cow, my palate died and went to heaven.  Delicious New Zealand beers and wines, paired with fresh local ingredients and a friendly atmosphere.  It's a Nelson must do.  

Day two, New Year's Eve, in the northern region of the southern island, found us kayaking in the Abel Tasman sound.  The water is an unbelievable turquoise, and the waves are minimal.  While hugging the coast in the kayak, we were able to explore crazy rock formations, caves, and hard to reach beaches.  There are several kayak rental companies in the area.  Although Abel Tasman Kayaks, may seem like the way to go, given their name, they are actually the most expensive option.  We used Kahu Kayaks.  They had several different rental options, were friendly, and accommodating.  They were also the most affordable.  

We opted for some freedom kayaking (solo, no guide).  We also chose to kayak roundtrip, rather than kayak out and hike back, which most people did.  When booking, it's important to note that prices are per person.  Activities go from sounding relatively reasonably priced, to expensive.  Day rental was $60 per person, which means they are making money hand over fist.  All in all, it was a pretty amazing way to wrap up 2013.

The most exciting part about being in New Zealand for holiday was being able to ring in 2014 before the rest of the world.  We greeted the new year 21 hours before our friends and family on the US west coast.  Ryan and I continued our tour of the Nelson beer scene on NYE, visiting two more bars: The Vic and The Sprig & Fern.  Both were fun and worth a visit.  The Vic boasted fairly decent bar food paired with craft beers, and the Sprig & Fern offered free live music.  

My favorite part was the disorganization.  There's no ball to drop, that doesn't happen for another 18 hours.  The band held the power, and didn't start the countdown until 12:02, at which point there was a lack luster celebration and then Auld Lang Syne about 10 minutes too late.  It was amazing.  

NYE at the Sprig&Fern

Thunderstorms on New Year's day caused us to cancel our snorkeling with seals trip in Kaikoura.  This would be our biggest regret.  As it turned out, Kaikoura was the only place in New Zealand that was experiencing a gloriously sunny day.  We still made the trip, but then found we were shuffling about, feeling sad about no snorkel boat, and bumming about wasting our last day of honeymoon.  We tried to salvage the pieces by hiking around the peninsula.  It is beautiful, but it was no seal snorkel adventure.  This just means we have a reason to return.

The mountains shield Kaikoura from ever present rain showers

We were unintentionally dressing the same by the end of the trip.  Married!

Not wanting the fun to end, we squeezed in one last bike adventure in Christchurch just hours before our flight on the second.  We used City Cycle Hire, they brought the bikes to us while we had breakfast at the Pedal Pusher Cafe.  We planned on going to The Addington Coffee Co-Op, but, like most places, it was closed from December 24th-January 5th for holiday.

I knew that the city had been devastated after the 2011 earthquake, the third most expensive natural disaster in history, but your mind really can't comprehend such devastation until witnessing first hand.  The downtown area is a ghost town.  All the buildings are boarded up and in some phase of demolition or restoration.  The community has begun adding color to the area through whimsical parklets, murals, and fencing.  

The living wall and colorful fence surrounding the ruins of the Christchurch Cathedral

Sound garden created from post earthquake debris 

The Cardboard Cathedral, partially constructed from cardboard,
is the temporary cathedral substitute 

After our brief bike tour, it was time to say goodbye to New Zealand.  

The bottom line:  I'm moving to the South Island.  

Know before you go:

The West Coast:

• If you want to take a dip in the Tasman Sea, make sure to hit up an actual beach.  The waves break close to shore and isn't hospitable at just any pull off.  Also, the sandflies are heinous, so make it a quick dip.
• Skip the expensive glacial tours and do a self-guided 30 minute hike.  Fox is more impressive than Franz.

Abel Tasman National Park:

• Use Kahu Kayaks, the more affordable competitor to Abel Tasman Kayaks.
• Abel Tasman is home to the Coastal hut-to-hut track.  Although we did not partake, it looked amazing.  Book ahead.  

Nelson:

• Visit Nelson for their fresh seafood and microbrew scene.  

Kaikoura:

• Because of the mountain rain shadow, Kaikoura is the sunniest spot on the South Island.  
• Visit the i-Site to learn about the many outdoor activities available.  This is the best place to snorkel and whale watch.

Christchurch:

• The tourism scene was pretty much obliterated after the earthquake.  With fewer hotels, restaurants, and attractions, there just isn't as much here for a traveler.  That said, it is still worth a visit.

New Zealand:

• Every town, big or small, has an i-Site.  They often offer deals on activities, and will assist with all bookings.  It's a good place to start.  
• Many businesses close down between Christmas and New Year's.  Be warned.
• Kiwis call hiking trails, tracks.

Want to see the rest of our trip?  Check out part one.