Don Roese reports on New Zealand trip

Don Roese, wife Mary Ann at Milford Sound in New Zealand

Retired BJ photographer Don Roese reports on his still-ongoing trip to New Zealand:

Here is more than you would like to know about our trip to New Zealand so far.

Saturday, February 24, 2013

Arrived in Christchurch just before noon.  Arranged for auto, a Ford, and drew out 500 NZ dollars from Visa at an ATM.  Had a latte at the Long White Cafe, small coffee and treat shop at the airport. Stopped at the iSITE for directions to the Airport Gateway Motel.  Motel has bedroom, large sitting room, bathroom and full kitchen.  One queen and one single bed in bedroom, comfortable sleeping.  Room was a bit cool in the morning and there was a space heater.  Hotel clerk was very friendly and helpful.  Took a walk, about a mile to Countdown Shopping Center were we bought cereal, milk, croissants, jam, etc.  Also, had small quiche and bottled drink at a small cafe in center staffed by Asians.  Back to the motel for a nap.  Very tired after more than 24 hours of travel.  Woke up from nap to find hotel restaurant closed, ate what we bought.  Went back to bed for a good night’s sleep. The day was sunny and bright, 67 degrees and hot in the sun.   Was no trouble at all getting used to walking upside down; it sort of comes naturally.

Sunday, February 25

Woke up, after a good night’s sleep, to a somewhat cool room, space heater came in handy.  Now off to breakfast where we shared a continental meal with a very friendly couple from Vancouver, Canada, who had also flown in yesterday. 

Drove south to Dunedin and checked into the Bella Vista Motel (425 km since getting the car) at the airport in Christchurch.  Good flat road with traffic until Oamaru where the traffic lessened and the terrain became hilly. 100 km maximum speed limit and lots of passing lanes.   Farms, cattle and sheep ranches (lots of sheep).  Stopped at the Lagonda Milk Bar in Omaru for lunch, meat pie for me and fish for Mary Ann.  About halfway between Oamaru and Dunedin we stopped at the Moeraki Boulders, large round boulders that sit on the sandy beach and are washed by the incoming waves.  Lodging at the Bella Vista was very small, bedroom with kitchenette and bathroom.  It was here that we found out that the electric adapter we bought at AAA does not fit NZ receptacles.  Host and hostess were very helpful in arranging a reservation at the Penguin Place, a private conservation reserve, dedicated to helping the endangered Yellow Eyed Penguin. They also arranged  a motel reservation for us in Te Anau and a trip to Milford Sound.  The drive to the Penguin Place on Otago Peninsula was a nightmare, winding two-lane road with no berm that dropped off into the Otago Harbour.  I have -driven some hair raising, white-knuckle roads and this was right up there on top.  Our penguin guide was a delightful young NZ girl who was very helpful and informative.  The penguins where, well, penguins.......  Back to the motel and, of all things, dinner at McDonald's.  Getting a little more relaxed in driving on the left.

Tuesday, February 26

Checked out of the motel and headed for Te Anau at 9:15 am and had no problem with driving out of Dunedin.  Drove through suburbs for half an hour or so before finding ourselves in farm country.  Cattle, sheep, dairy and what looked like crops of some sort.  Traffic lessened and driving was not bad at all.  Stopped for petrol (gas, to you uneducated) in the small crossroads town of Waihola that was operated by a very friendly local gentleman who seemed really taken in by American autos.  Said he still owned and drove a 1958 Chevy and that there were 16 U.S. cars in the small town of 250 residents.   He seemed very proud of this.......  Stopped in the town of Gore for lunch, Opa had a meat pie and Oma had small veggie quiche in a local cafeteria.  The rest room was unisex, five stalls, with doors, and a handicapped stall. Talked with the local parking enforcement officer who filled us in on the local farming scene, charming lady.  As we neared Te Anau we saw several White Tailed Deer farms.  Checked into the motel and had dinner in a restaurant called The Moose Bar and Restaurant, we had spare ribs.    Moose were brought to South Island and after a few years the thought was there were enough for a hunting season.  After one season there were no moose left.  Walked on the walkway on the lake shore, Lake Te Anau, and now it is time to say........ Good night.

Wednesday, February 27

Up early, ate a little breakfast, packed the car, checked out of the motel and waited for the bus to Milford Sound.  Bus was a twenty seater but there were only six others going with us.  A couple from The Netherlands, a couple from Australia and a young couple from NZ.  The driver, Ray, was a sixty-some year old Kiwi who lives in Te Atau and grew up on a farm in Southland, NZ.  Ray was also a pilot in his younger days and regaled us with tales of early NZ life and history, both true and I think a bit stretched.   Ride to the Sound was through some lovely scenery, mountains, rivers, waterfalls and forest.  Because of the ongoing drought the rivers were very short of water.   Stopped many time for photo ops. The road was good but there was some very narrow one-lane bridges and a dark one-lane tunnel.  On arriving at the dock we were given our box lunch and boarded our boat.  Cruise on the Sound was on a smallish boat where we sat on the top deck in the open where the view and photo-taking were best.  Water had very little chop and we cruised close to the shore and at one time under a waterfall.  Was a good two hours and then back to the dock. Ride back to the motel in Te Anau was alright and everyone seemed tired.  Back at the motel we said goodbye to our hosts and started the drive to Queenstown, about three hours away.  Arriving in Queenstown we had a bit of trouble finding the motel but with the help of a young lady in a petrol station we did get there.  

Be sure to try the whitebait.  We had it cooked with egg and served on a slice of buttered bread.  Oh yeah, it is little fish eaten whole.  Cathy strong highly recommends it.

Don

Cathy is Cathy Strong, BJ reporter in the 1970s who has been three decades in New Zealand. Cathy will meet Don and Mary Ann will be staying with Cathy in Wellington on Monday and again at her beach house in Te Horo.  The Roeses will leave New Zealand on March 14.  

The next day Cathy will be flying from Wellington, which is near her Te Horo seaside home, to Auckland to meet John Olesky and Paula Tucker, another pair of former BJ newsroom folks who will be visiting New Zealand and Australia for three weeks.