I recall our family on a winter’s evening sitting around the open fire, and when the soot in the back of the fireplace sparkled as it caught fire, we were always told it was the Japs and Germans fighting.

Decades later a longed-for encounter with modern Japan, with its Mt Fuji, Cherry Blossoms and the Shinkansen (Bullet train), somehow found a place on my bucket list. And Teddy’s fascination with Japan also stretches back many years.

Every year he visits Japan Day on the Auckland waterfront, so the decision to visit Tokyo for a game of Super rugby between The Auckland Blues  and the Japanese Sunwolves in the 2018 season was a no-brainer.

After leaving Hong Kong for our second week of our Asian adventure, we arrived at Narita Airport, about an hour’s shuttle away from downtown Tokyo. My first thoughts as we travelled towards the city was the enormity of the expansive roading network. I envisioned Auckland’s Spaghetti Junction on a ginormous dose of concrete and steel steroids!

Our travel agent had booked us into the  Shibuya Tokyu REI Hotel which we were pleased to find was only a five minute walk to Shibuya Station. (We did find out quite soon that the trains in Tokyo are a breeze to navigate!)

But I never realised that I would be so fascinated with a pedestrian crossing. Shibuya is a trendy shopping district in Tokyo and plonk in the middle and in front of the Shibuya Station is reportedly the world’s busiest intersection, the Shibuya Crossing.

We joined the throngs navigating the crossing a number of times as we headed off on our many train and subway journeys.  

Sensoji Temple – Asakusa

The day we arrived we ventured out on our first train excursion. It was a dwarfing experience negotiating the vast Shibuya Station, most of which covered several blocks of underground Shibuya, but we eventually found the Ginza Line and were transported to Asakusa Station where we’d been told we would find the Sensoji Temple.

We were feeling really travel-brave by this time!  

The Kaminarimon Gate offers a welcome to the Nakamise shopping street filled with shops offering an extensive range of Japanese craft items, food stalls and street food. The street frames the Sensoji Buddhist Temple in the distance. 

The atmosphere surrounding the Temple oozed its own character with the smoke filled Jokoro, a large earthenware incense burner, where visitors embrace the smoke’s healing powers; learning your fortune or Omikuji which is written on a rolled up strip of paper; flowering cherry blossom trees; groups of Japanese ladies clad in traditional dress; and the never-ending throng of tourists with their cameras, clicking, posing, and basking in the ambience of the moment in time.

Mt Fuji

The top of our list of things to do in Japan was to visit Mt Fuji. A two hour bus trip saw us journey through the countryside and head towards the majestic mountain. In my mind I felt the warmth of the sun warming my face while breathing the rarified mountain air, and observing a view to behold.

But nope, not at all.

The mountain was covered from top to treeline in dense cloud with a snow storm raging at the summit. We shrugged off our bitter disappointment with a short cruise on nearby Lake Ashi, and a ride on the Mt Komagatake Ropeway which spoiled us with sweeping views across the Haukone National Park.

The journey back to Tokyo fulfilled one of my greatest wishes; the chance to travel on the Shinkansen (bullet train).

The train was luxurious, quiet and very very fast.

Disneyland Tokyo

If there is a Disneyland, Teddy has to go.

Thursday was our opportunity to compare Disneyland Tokyo with the real McCoy in California. We’d been to Annaheim in 2009 so there was a nine year gap from one to the other.

Now confident in our well honed navigating skills, finding our way to our destination was a breeze.  I was struck immediately with physical presentation of the complex, fresh in appearance, the Japanese quest for perfection flooded from every building, every street, every garden. Although Tokyo Disneyland has been operating since 1983, it oozed a certain sparkle of polished perfection. 

The Imperial Family’s Gardens

The next day was our chance to visit the centre of Tokyo and explore the expansive East Gardens of the Imperial Palace. With just a ten minute stroll from the Tokyo Station, the gardens offered a degree of serenity and tradition against a backdrop of high rise cityscape.

The Imperial Palace itself, which is surrounded by moats and massive stone walls, is not open to the public as it remains the residence of Japan’s Imperial family. But there is full access to the historic grounds of the East Gardens.

It felt surreal as I wandered around the magical gardens filled with Cherry Blossoms, Japanese Maples, and a raft of other colourful and well maintained vegetation.

It was a tiring afternoon but well worth the visit and all the walking that we did.

The Rugby finale – Blues vs Sunwolves

After a week of tripping and trekking, walking  and clicking, we gathered our cameras, flags, Blues attire and boarded the train on the Ginza line and started our journey from Shibuya to Gaienmae. Our destination, Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium.

Walking along the street to the stadium, Teddy and I melded with a crowd of Sunwolves supporters making their way to the game. Dressed in our own supporters gear, we were a wavelet of “blue” in a giant sea of “red”.

We were immediately struck by the friendliness of the Sunwolves supporters. We felt a bit like Rock Stars with all the smiles and waves aimed at us.

Even in the stadium, we proudly waved the New Zealand flag as our Blues ground out an eventual win.

Homeward Bound

Our holiday was soon over. We had both fulfilled a secret wish to visit Japan and would spend many hours reflecting on the experience.

As we departed Narita Airport and headed homewards, Teddy pointed towards the window of the plane. I looked below to see the summit of Mt Fuji peeping through a bed of cloud. I felt that the mountain was trying to bid us farewell but I’m sure I also sensed its call for us to return again one day.

  END

So here goes…

It was back in April when Teddy and I took off from Auckland on our journey to Hong Kong and the 2018 HK Rugby Sevens.

I remember back in the late 90’s when I was working in Fiji, the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens was a big event where the Fiji Sevens team would inevitably go into battle with the New Zealanders, creating a great rivalry. My memories take me back to living in Suva and heading to the gym in the mornings where the Fiji Sevens team would be in training in the next room. (A sigh of nostalgia!) Those were the days when Waisale Serevi was in his prime as scrum half for Fiji and known as ‘The King of Sevens’.

But back to our trip!

We were a tad disoriented during our early morning arrival in Hong Kong.  Our flight from Auckland on Hong Kong Airlines was uneventful but at the arrival gate we were directed down an escalator to a subway platform where a rapid train transported us to the main arrivals building. Our processing through Immigration was a breeze, but then we were knocked for a six. 

Our pre-booked hotel transfer was no more. The tour company who accepted our booking no longer serviced the hotels on Hong Kong Island, so we were up for an unexpected taxi fare to our hotel. The company did give us a letter on our arrival at the airport suggesting we make our own way to the hotel and also to make alternative arrangements for our transfer back to the airport in 5 days time!!!

I definitely recorded a black mark against you Buffalo Tours Hong Kong. After all it was 7 months earlier that you took our booking!

We eventually arrived at our hotel (about NZ$95.00 poorer from the taxi fare) to be told that our room would not be ready until after 2pm. It was only around 9.30 in the morning at this stage. But surprise, surprise, if we wanted to upgrade, there was a room we could have immediately. I was surprised to see that they had a pre-printed information sheet showing the additional rates for upgraded rooms and I figured that this was a strategy to score a few extra dollars from the tourist.

We bit the bullet and paid the extra dollars and were able to rest up for an hour or so to catch our breath.

Our Hotel, the Regal Hong Kong Hotel in Causeway Bay was a comfortable resting place. A thought initially crossed my mind that it was a bit Trump-ish, all gold, marble and chandeliers, but realistically, that was an unfair criticism.  Although the rooms were small, it  was only a 10 minute walk from the stadium which we could actually see from our hotel window. We spent the afternoon wandering around the streets and looking for somewhere I could find some food for Teddy. Luckily there was a Seven-Eleven just around the corner so it was easy to find something to satisfy him. I had one of my few meals of local food which was just delish.

The next day we decided to check out the stadium and on the way, we stumbled upon the Women’s Rugby Sevens being played at a neighbouring sports ground. Needless to say, we spent the rest of the day watching the women’s qualifying rounds.

The following day, the tournament started in earnest as the women’s finals were played, along with the opening round of the men’s tournament. The New Zealand women’s team didn’t compete, opting instead to travel to the Gold Coast in preparation for the Commonwealth Games due to start a week later.

For three days, we drowned ourselves in sevens rugby. The crowds (the stadium was packed), the costumes (I can’t even start to describe some of these), the entertainment (music, solo singers, lives bands) was everything we thought it would be. The stadium certainly had its own amazing and very memorable vibe.

Our Kiwi boys played okay considering the team was minus a few top players. But they did well. It was of course the Fiji team that took away the tournament. They had decided to field their top team, praying that they wouldn’t suffer any injuries and jeopardise their chances in the Commonwealth Games the next week.

On the last day of our stay in Hong Kong when the tournament finished, we again joined the throngs of people winding their way down the narrow streets away from the stadium. This was an experience on its own. Bedraggled costumes, alcohol-soaked punters, cars a-tooting, police whistles a-whistling, traffic jams, mouth-watering spicy foodie smells from the rows of restaurants lining the route back to the city. An experience to behold!

The tournament experience was a tiring but extremely enjoyable three days, but we needed sleep. We had to catch a flight in the morning and be ready when our re-arranged transfer arrived to pick us up. At least the new transfer arrangement was on time and all set to shuttle us back to the airport.

It only seemed like we had just arrived in Hong Kong, but no, we were soon back at the airport and heading to our next destination, Tokyo.

I’m now prepared to have a different view on this.

The Sevens have got their own unique buzz that can’t be found at any other time or place. These tournaments consist of two consecutive days of around ten hours where you’re mixing with crowds of punters – in varying stages of increasing inebriation, weird and wonderful costumes, expensive food and of course, the weather – be it rain, hail or sunshine. And to add to the pleasure, you spend hours each day moulding your bum into a numb moon-shaped human frisbee from those hard, unforgiving plastic seats.

I’d thought for many years that I’d like to do the Wellington Sevens tournament in early February. But I was never seriously tempted to pay the “through the roof” price that scammers were asking for tickets.

When I saw the venue was changing to Hamilton I sounded Teddy out to see if he wanted to go. Of course, a ridiculous question for sure. Anything “rugby” and he’s a sure starter.

So, finally we had the “Sevens” in our sights. 

It was a no-brainer to buy tickets and book some accommodation early in the piece.

So, it was then that Saturday morning, 3rd February finally arrived. Hamilton, here we come!

The streets surrounding the stadium were pulsing with people heading to the stadium: White-haired wizards, tacky sailors, faux Hawaiian dancers, French street vendors and pot-bellied ballet dancers in gasping tutus.

There was no doubt that the culture of the sevens had transferred well to Hamilton.

Before we even reached the stadium, we were wide-eyed at some of the punters weird and whacky costume choices. Our weekend neighbours at the motel were well prepared for their version of fun.

We never gave any thought to costumes for ourselves as Teddy is always, and without fail, a dedicated All Black supporter so anything that would detract from his Kiwi loyalty would be out of the question.

We didn’t know what the weather would do on the day. Both rain and sun would become very uncomfortable if we didn’t get our gear right. The thought of sweltering in some full body costume didn’t appeal at all. Nor did I want to feel the chill in something flimsy if the weather turned to custard.

I’m stoked that we’ll have a better handle on the “what to wear” conundrum next time!

As the games got underway, we were entertained with a festival of great rugby, continuous music at every “whistle blow”, and an inspiring assortment of entertainment at various times throughout the day. And the weather held up a treat.

There’s always some things that stand out in your mind. Some are opportunities for a good laugh, others can give you goose bumps and it was a music interlude that did that for me.

Poi-E

At every break in play, music booms out across the stadium. And the music choices are extensive and range from one end of the music spectrum to the other.

The one tune that sent tingles down my spine was the famous kiwi hit  Poi-E by the Patea Maori Club.  It’s always a fantastic way to involve the public in the mood of the surroundings, however this song always seems to stir up a healthy dose local patriotism. 

Another thing that tickled my fancy was to see how much Teddy was enjoying the music. He even enjoyed it enough to start knocking out a few moves to “Twist and Shout”.

Teams’ Lap of Honour

Teams progress through the “round robin” to find their position in the play-offs. Top qualifiers progress to the Cup play-offs and the rest are sectioned into the Plate, Bowl or Shield play-offs dependent on what each tournament has on offer. Once a country’s team is finally eliminated from the tournament, they wander around the field perimeter waving to the crowd in their own lap of honor.  During these walk arounds (which incidentally were not mandatory), I was heartened by the support the New Zealand crowd gave to these international teams.  I felt proud as the crowd applauded the players as they stopped for selfies, signed kids tee shirts, flags or anything else that would serve as a cherished piece of memorabilia.

Win for Fiji Team

A win for New Zealand is always the end goal but sometimes it doesn’t happen as we’d like. This was one of the times that the win got away from us. But if I had to pick another team to win, it had to be Fiji. Having lived in Suva for over two years, I know how much Rugby means to the Fijians. The fact that the crowd had as many Fijian supporters as Kiwis, I still felt it was a bit of a home grown win anyway.

…and there is Huntly

Exhaustion wasn’t really on the menu, but we were a couple of tired old buggars by the time the weekend was over. In fact, I didn’t see daylight until 9 o’clock on Monday morning. 

As we’d intended getting away early on the homeward trek, Teddy had already sorted his weetbix, toast and coffee, (standard breakfast for the best part of fifty odd years). All I wanted was a flat white so figured I’d pick one up on the way home. We’d got as far as Huntly before I spotted a roadside coffee truck and not only was the coffee a delight. We were parked on the banks of the Waikato River, just opposite the Huntly Power Station. I realized that the view from the car window was a scene for a “must have” photo. 

Let me know if you agree.

Our next trip is to the Hong Kong Sevens next month. We are well into the planning and I look forward to sharing a few photos along the way.

Please “Like” and “Share” if you enjoyed this post.

For centuries there has been different interpretations of what Christmas means to different people from different lands.

But there’s one theme that seems to run true to whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever you see as your idea of Christmas.

And that theme is the colors of red and green.

A Christmas tree sits proudly in a corner, green and decorated with baubles, tinsel, little ornamental reindeer, chocolate Santas, colored balloons and all sorts of trinkets and sparkles.

Father Christmas is everywhere. And he is a red suited emblem of Christmas past, Christmas present and he’ll be bounding around in the his jolly suit for generations to come. 

But it doesn’t matter where you are, what the climate, what the customs are that you live by, Christmas trees will always be green and Santa’s suit will always be red.

So, how do you reconcile the standard image of Christmas of sleighs and reindeer, snow covered chalets in the mountains, shoppers wrapped in their winter woollies as they search for last minute gifts, with a summer of barbeques, sandy beaches and holidays in the sun.

New Zealand in the summer is full of  red and green images and for those of you who need some reminders of a Christmas in the sun, here’s a few red and greens to feast your eyes on: 

1. Pohutukawa Trees

Every morning when I wake up I can look out the window and see a row of Pohutukawa trees in full flower.

Known as the New Zealand Christmas tree, I’m surprised that kiwis haven’t caught on to the craze of decorating them with fairy lights and shiny baubles.

2. Hobbiton – Behind the red door.

As I begin a fanciful journey around the country I can imagine the sights and sounds that would greet me.

At Hobbiton, I hear the jingle of bells and the rhythm of Christmas carols as the Hobbits cover their pine trees with tinsel and trinkets, prepare the Xmas ham for the oven and wrap gifts for their little hobbits.

3. Rotorua Geyser

A journey to sulphur city is never without a Christmas reminder.

You would never want to cook your Christmas dinner in that steam. Although tender, it wouldn’t taste the best!

4. Wellington Cable Car

The red cable car, set against a backdrop of green ferns, parkland and hills. 

A Christmas view for 365 days of the year.

5. Flags of the World

What can I say? Countries across the world come together in a show of unity with their splattering of Reds and Greens and everything in between.

6. Queenstown

Summer in the winter wonderland of skiing and snow-capped mountains.

Our beautiful Queenstown oozes summer with a touch of Christmas color.

7. Walter Peak Station

Why not cruise across Lake Wakatipu aboard the TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak Station.

Red roof, red flowers, green lawns and green trees… 

It’s a view, typical of a Christmas picture postcard.

8. Greymouth

I could be tempted to stop of for a piece of Christmas cake and a glass of Christmas cheer as I pass this delightful little West Coast treasure.

9. Akaroa

And say a wee prayer to help me on my way.

10. Avon River

What a way to spend a blissful Christmas afternoon. Basking in the glory of a river bank worthy of an artist’s easel. 

11. House and Flags

Take a detour down any side street and you’ll be surprised at what you will find.

A mix of French and Kiwi?

12.  Mercury Bay Winery

Beautiful!

Food, wine and a view to die for!

13. Pukeko

Even a red beak and a green lawn backdrop.

Christmas colors everywhere!

14. Strawberries…

Yummy… All I need is some vanilla icecream and a dusting of icing sugar.

15. …and Cherries

On their own, they are a delight.

A Christmas experience to behold!

16. Swing Bridge

A single red bauble in a sea of green.

I’m in heaven!

17. Sunset

At the end of the day, the sun goes down. Redish beams filter through the trees to cast the final light of the day on the green pastures below.

***Merry Christmas Everyone***

End

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…and that’s not the only thing going up.

The mercury’s inching up and that summer feeling is certainly in the air. And, the biggie…Christmas is just around the corner.

It’s time to brush off the barbie, lock in a stock of Christmas cheer and prepare to relegate 2017 to the rear view mirror.

It also means it’s time to climb on board the holiday travel train. To join the hordes of holiday makers heading to the beaches for their annual fix of summer sun.

Popular tourist hang-outs will be overrun with jandal-footed, scantily clad bodies. And the smell of a hundred SPF 50’s will clog your nostrils for weeks to come. 

But it doesn’t have to be that way. And just maybe you don’t have any annual holidays left to let you escape for a week or two.

Often it can be better to plan the odd day trip or overnighter, from your base at home.  It doesn’t have to be to places that are high-traffic tourist locations.

Every year I make a point of visiting at least one new location, and that can be either at home here in New Zealand or to some overseas destination.

So, now I’ll share a few of the more out-of-the-way places that Teddy and I have visited over the years. Places that have provided us with a wider lens from which to view this beautiful country. And it’s not always in the popular touristy places where you find these precious gems.

Our challenge to you is to find just one little treasure of your own and let us know back here on this post; where it was, what you did and how you can encourage others to visit that place.  On the other hand, if you already have a trove of “special” destinations in your travel pack, let us know where they are, then share the post with your friends and family.

To help you on your way, I’ve complied a short list of just a few of the “out of the way” places that Teddy or I, or both of us have visited over the years.

At the time of our visits, some of the places seemed very isolated and today with advances in infrastructure and communications, it may not be the case now. But the value we find in visiting remote locations, is that it gives us the chance to see for ourselves, the treasures that our beautiful country has to offer.

So, are you wondering what to do over the holiday break? Then maybe this will give you enough of that “holiday feeling” to get yourself, your family and friends together and climb  on board your own starship Enterprise and go “where no man has gone before”.

Well, maybe not quite that remote. There will be a reasonably well trodden path to many of these locations, but it is great to have that feeling that you’re a little bit “off the grid” when travelling to remote places.

Teddy and I have still got a few places to explore and we’ll be trying our darnedest to get there some time in the not too distant future.

Here is our own starter pack of remote(ish) places to visit. We’ll start in the Far North and head south:

1. Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach – Far North

It’s a powerful feeling to stand at the top of the country and gaze out to the blue horizon. It must have been around twenty years ago when I visited the lighthouse at Cape Reinga. This is New Zealand’s (almost) northern most point where you can watch as the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean merge with the warmer waters of the Tasman Sea.

In fact Cape Reinga is second only to the Surville Cliffs, 30 kilometres further east as taking the trophy for the country’s most northern point. Nevertheless, its a great feeling to stand at the lighthouse and watch in awe as the two oceans come together. Sometimes the waters are calm and the merging of the two bodies is gentle and serene. At other times the water and waves swirl and agitate as if powered by a giant underwater washing machine.

To get there, one option is to self-drive, preferably in a 4WD so you can travel the return journey along the sands of ninety mile beach. 

Alternatively, full-day coach tours leave daily from Paihia and Kerikeri. This was the option I chose so I could sit back and be guided though the region. The driver/guide provides a great historic commentary as you pass through kauri forests, dunes and beaches. The full day-trip takes about 11 hours from pick-up to drop-off.  

2. Waitomo Caves – “Wai” – Water; “Tomo” – Entrance or Hole – Southern Waikato

You may wonder why anyone would want to venture underground to go hunting little worms. Well that’s not quite what you find once you’ve descended into what seems like the bowels of the Earth. Teddy and I both, at different times in our lives, have visited the famous glowworms caves in South Waikato.

Generally the beauty of this country is found above the ground in it’s mountains, lakes and beaches, but the Waitomo Caves present the opportunity to see that the land is more than skin deep. Its subterranean landscape of unique limestone formations and cave systems is like another world. And the ultimate goal is to get close up and personal with those “glowing little worms“. 

To get there, is an easy hour long drive south from Hamilton. Several tour companies operate coach tours out of Rotorua, Hamilton and Auckland. If you leave from Auckland, the full day trip is about 8 hours long.

3. Cape Kidnappers – Hawkes Bay

Back in the 1960’s I went on a school trip to Cape Kidnappers to visit the remote gannet colony. At the time I knew very little about the gannets and the significance of that particular colony.

The colony consists of the Australasian gannet (Takapu) which is one of three species of gannet belonging to the booby family.  Over 20,000 gannets at peak time, are spread over four main nesting sites. And these sites now form four separate colonies: The Plateau, Saddle, Whalebone Reef and Black Reef colonies.

Although gannets are found in other areas of New Zealand and around the world, Cape Kidnappers is the largest mainland nesting site in the world.

Our school group travelled to Hastings by bus and then on to the beachside settlement of Clifton. This is the starting point of the 8 kilometre  walking track along the picturesque coastline to Cape Kidnappers.

It’s recommended to start the walk, 3 hours after high tide and for the return journey, no more that an hour and a half after low tide. I remember that long walk along the beach and at one stage we had to clamber over some rocks to avoid the lapping tide below.

At that time, the beach walk was the only way to reach the gannet colony. Now there is the additional option of a tractor safari operating every day (except the occasional days when the tides are not playing ball). Each tractor excursion lasts approximately 4 hours.

There is also the slightly more up-market (more expensive) 4WD overland safari departing twice daily. 

Apart from the extremely chaffed inner thighs (which cleared up in a couple of days) suffered from the six-hour trek through sand and salt water, the fun and learning experience has stayed with me for decades. 

4. Cape Palliser and Lighthouse – Wairarapa

A favourite place for our holidays in the 60’s and 70’s was the tiny oceanside settlement of Lake Ferry which lies at the mouth of Lake Onoke on the southern Wairarapa coast.

From the camping ground at Lake Ferry, we’d travel the 50 kilometer drive along the rugged coastline to the Cape Palliser Lighthouse.

The journey was amazing and the views, breathtaking. I remember Dad taking my sister and I on the journey and I was captivated by the ruggedness, and windswept outlook towards the Cook Strait. 

Along the way, we stopped off at a seal colony to watch the adult and young seals, lazing on the warm rocks. I remember during my early writing career, I wrote a travel article in which I focused on the memorial gravesite of a group of seafarers from the Zuleika, a ship that ran aground in Palliser Bay in April 1897.

Of the 21 sailors on board, 12 perished. Of the dead, 8 were buried in the grave, one was taken to Port Chalmers to be buried in a family plot, and the remaining three bodies were never found. For some reason, the memory of visiting that grave site has stayed with me. 

I’d like to go back along that piece of coastline one day, but in the meantime, there’s a lot more places to go, people to see and things to do.

To get there, head south from Martinborough and follow the signs to direct you to Palliser Bay. Tour companies currently operate coach excursions from Martinborough and Wellington. 

5. Moeraki Boulders – Otago

I found these boulders fascinating. 

The Moeraki Boulders are large spherical stones that have fallen away from the hillside as the bank recedes. Some of these “little stones” weigh up to several tons and are over 2 metres in diameter. 

Aside from the pure pleasure of wandering along the beach and seeing and touching these huge monsters, I’ve since spent many hours researching the various theories surrounding their existence. 

There is much folklore surrounding their origin and many theories have been suggested as to how the boulders were formed. From Maori legends of washed up remains of calabashes and kumera, to theories of being alien eggs or giant egg shells of sea-born dragons and on to a raft of scientific theories on their creation some 60 million years ago. 

Regardless of where they came from, I was fascinated to see such huge boulders lying across the beach, being partially covered by the incoming tides, and then fully exposed during the receding tides.  They now have legal protection and it is no longer permitted to damage, graffiti or remove them.

To get to the Moeraki Boulders, travel south from Oamaru along SH1 for about 20 minutes and the turnoff to the beach, café and carpark are well signposted. 

6. Stewart Island – Southland and Beyond.

As a teenager, Teddy travelled with Mum and Dad down to the country’s southern-most point; Stewart Island. Our Dad, a worker on the railways during those years, and would make the most of his annual “free rail pass” to cart the family around the country.

I recall both Mum and Dad telling me what a great experience it was to see so much of the countryside that they’d never seen before. It also helped that some  “rellie” would somehow come out of the woodwork on the journey, either an “uncle” who worked on the Cook Strait Ferry and give them access to a few extra perks than they’d be afforded as regular travellers.  Occasionally it would be some “old town boy” who used to know someone who was related to someone. And so it went on.

Teddy clearly remembers the day back in the summer of ’65 (a tad early than Bryan Adams Summer of 69), and their cruise across the Foveaux Strait on the ferry from Bluff to Oban, the major township of the Island. The population of the island still sits around the 400 mark and has seen little movement in population for the last few decades.

This has to be one of my bucket list entries in the future.

 Flights and Ferry Services run regularly every day. Ferries sail between Bluff and Oban (Stewart Island) and travel time is 1 hour each way. Flights operate between Invercargill Airport and Oban and flight time is 20 minutes.

As I have said, I still have some places that I want to visit. Neither of us have travelled the South Island’s West Coast, and that is high on both of our lists. I plan to visit Bluff one day and maybe too, take the trip across the Strait to Stewart Island. 

End.

Remember, let us know of any of your special “out of the way places” that you have visited and maybe we will add them to our bucket list as well. 

Feel free to comment below and Like and Share if you enjoyed this post.

Some people have “firsts” of a magnitude that Teddy and I could never achieve (and frankly, nor would we want to), such as climbing to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, or maybe something slightly more subdued yet achievable, like a ‘stroll’ along the Great Wall of China or arching to kiss the Blarney Stone in Ireland.

Our “firsts” are unlikely to appear in any famous bucket lists, but for Teddy, whose life is a chronicle of well-photographed milestones, our journey will become etched into his memory. 

 So, as we start out braving the 30^o plus temperatures here is our list of Perth “firsts”:

1:  The Big Dry in 36^o Temperatures

 Our first and lasting impression of Perth was the parched landscape.

Not only was the air dry, but so was everything that I associate with the colour green. Brown wisps of vegetation marched like grass imposters across the lawns, verges lay unkempt and vast parklands find little relief from the fringes of protecting gum trees.

And I wept for the trees as their skeletal branches hung lifeless, their tiny parchment-like leaves wilting in the blazing sun.

And then there was sand. Lots of sand. In fact, the city of Perth was built on sand. My idea of sand is that castle-building stuff on the beach that burns your feet and finds its way into every crevice of your body.

In contrast, I am used to the ground in my back-yard resembling concrete. In the Auckland summer at least. Not that it’s rock-like at all, it is just dense dry clay that takes more than an ounce or two of effort to break through when I get the tree-planting urge.

But not in Perth. Sand is everywhere. Walking along a footpath, it’s easy to spot the sand blown from the parks and lawns as it forms a grainy layer across the concrete.

It had never occurred to me why Perth lawns consist of overgrown wiry grass. It’s because of the sand and it’s the wiry grass that helps to anchor it down.  Apparently, Perthites (or is that Perthinians) leave their lawn grasses long when they cut them. If they don’t, the sun burns away everything that’s left and it turns a lawn into a desert before your eyes.

Long live Auckland with its lush green berms and the ongoing battle with the Council’s “berm control”.

2:  “I get off on a 57 Chevy” (Eric Clapton)

 Eric Clapton certainly knew what he liked when he sang this song.

We had a blast from the past as we cruised the highways of Perth in an old ’57 Chevy!

On our first full day in Perth, our host and son-in-law chauffeured us through the city streets to Fremantle in his pride and joy: A purple 1957 Chevrolet (pillarless) BelAire Coupe.

Not only does it have more grunt than a yard full of pigs but you get the feeling you need your own servo hooked up just to keep feeding engine.

Teddy and I felt like a couple of 60’s hippies, waving to motorists and pedestrians who’d toot or wave their appreciation of the shiny beast.

Climbing in and out of the rear seat was a bit of a mission. But once we mastered the ‘slither and slide technique’, it was a breeze!

So, there we were; windows down, elbows on the chrome, the wind in our hair as we roared off into the distance.

Achievement: One sun-tanned arm from resting it on the sill and the other, a gentle shade of kiwi-white. 

3:  A Quick Stop in Old Fremantle

The port city of Fremantle is an area that was due much more of our time to go exploring. Sadly, for us to spend any length of time out in the open, we’d have required a tad more ‘kiwified’ temperatures.

But we did get a sneak peek as we drove through the older part of the city. From what we could see, it’s obvious that Fremantle has been around a lot longer than the modern centre of Perth City.

The streets tempted and beckoned with their abundance of old buildings to explore. And a number of self-walk Heritage Trails weave through this historic area. These range from the 4.76 km Freo’s Street Art Tail to the 3.48 km Fremantle Vintage Shopping Trail. Also included is the 5.72km Heritage Highlight Trail.

But in 33^oC temperatures and rising, we weren’t tempted to return later in the week to pound the hot pavements. At least another week of acclimatizing would have been a must to avoid behaving like a sloth on steroids getting from one end of a trail to the other.

4:  Our Touch of the Indian Ocean

“Our memories of the ocean will linger on, long after our footprints in the sand are gone” Anonymous

My daughter’s experience of a few years ago, convinced me to walk in her shadow. But only for this one time.

On her first visit to Perth, she photographed her feet as she stood in the waters of the Indian Ocean for the first time. Now, I had to do the same thing, didn’t I?

Well of course I did. And I did, with Teddy by my side we stood in the water at the edge of the Indian Ocean and gazed out to the horizon. I said to Teddy, if we left the land and just kept heading west, the next stop would be Africa.

Well, you don’t say that to a ‘geography genius’ without a comeback. “Nope, we’d hit Madagascar first,” he reminded me. Silly me! I knew that!!

5:  The Weekend, and It’s Markets Time!

Almost everywhere you look in Fremantle you are reminded of its rich maritime history, its Victorian architecture and the old buildings that provide a glimpse of its British Penal Colony background. And its location at the mouth of the Swan River, made it a perfect settlement place for the Swan River Colonists in 1829. 

But, for Teddy and me on a hot Sunday afternoon, it was more about the Weekend Markets. And we couldn’t leave until we’d at least had a wander around a couple of these and satisfied another “first”. 

Our first stop was the  E Shed Markets which can be found on Victoria Quay.

The original large timber-framed building served the Port of Fremantle for more than 100 years as a cargo handling facility. In 1966, it was dismantled and relocated from its wharf-side location to where it now rests.

As a marketplace, the variety and origin of the souvenirs, bric a brac and food outlets were as you’d expect from any weekend market. Stallholders touting their wares, showed off their “best” and “cheapest” while trying to extract every last dollar from the unconvinced tourists. Shelves were crammed with fake souvenirs of everything Australian. Stuffed koalas and kangaroos, wallabies and wombats. And green and gold tee shirts were everywhere.

I did try to convince Teddy that he should buy a replica Wallabies jersey but his response was a resounding “Nooooooo”. I couldn’t even encourage him to wear the Aussie favorite, an Akubra hat.

While we were enjoying the air-conditioned cool of the hall, we thought we’d stop for a snack. And although the food hall’s dining offering was basically standard fare, Teddy was able to track down some food he’d eat. Crispy golden fries, baked potato and pumpkin, staples of his diet, were readily available.

The pursuit of finding any food he’ll eat is always a challenge so when it’s there, you grab it when you can.

But as we left the markets, I was overcome by a cloak of sadness. The giant hall was dotted with gaping black spaces, shops whose owners had closed up and gone. Whole areas were cordoned off from the public and were perhaps an indicator that the E Shed Markets are fighting a losing battle with the more popular Fremantle Markets.  

I did find the Fremantle Markets had a more vibrant hum.

Along a tree-sheltered laneway I spotted a lone busker singing country, playing magic on his guitar as he closed out the world around him. Diners paid him little heed, and continued with their social interludes.

It would have been relaxing to sit and people-watch for an hour or so, but my tender gurgling tummy was telling me it was time to head homeward.

Maybe we’ll return another time. And just maybe in the winter. 

 6:  Kings Park / Botanic Gardens

I always relish the idea of wandering around a beautiful garden. 

We had the opportunity to do just that on our visit to Kings Park and Botanic Gardens overlooking the City of Perth.

The first thing that caught my attention was the hill. Perth is so flat and suddenly out of nowhere, there was this hill that rose up beside the city. It’s called Mt Eliza but at its highest point it only rises up to just over 60 meters above sea level. So it really isn’t a mountain as such.

The road to the top is a gentle tree-lined ascent to the ample parking area which even on a week day, was about half full. And once again the heat is there to greet you.

The mercury had already reached 36^oC so we were quick to find the grassed areas and shelter under the large trees and gazebos. These were strategically located to provide some much needed respite. 

The many gardens were well maintained and the grasslands lay lush and green (obviously well-watered); and all offering an extensive selection of Australia’s native flora.

The park itself covers an area in excess of 400 hectares, with about one third of that developed into grassland, walkways and gardens. The remaining 270 odd hectares is mostly covered in natural vegetation which is home to a reported 450 species of native plants and around 80 species of birdlife.

To be able to drive around and take in a typical Australian landscape within the city’s boundaries was a treat.

The other thing that fascinated me about this park was the vantage point that it offered to gain a true perspective of the city and the geography of the Western Australian coast. The expansive view from the winding pathways looked down on the inner city, across the Swan River and out to the hills in the East.

From this vantage point was easy to see why the city itself stretches forever along the coastline and can take a couple of hours to drive from one end to the other.

I began to daydream as I thought about the size of the country and could see a narrow ribbon of civilization clinging to the coastline by its fingertips. The city appeared to be crawling out of the ocean and clamoring up towards the plateau in the East.

But that final step was just a tad bigger than anticipated so civilization decided to take a small break until it had the strength to pull itself up over the top and continue its easterly spread. But I guess that last step was just too great so the city has lain in repose where it rested.

And that’s not such a bad thing. The city is unique, it is hot, it is beautiful. And Kings Park and Botanic Gardens offer up the most amazing views from which to dream your own fanciful ideas of the city’s growth and development.

7:  Fusion Festival

We didn’t have to venture far from home to visit the Fusion Festival (food and culture) in Beckenham on a Friday evening. More than a dozen performers and cultural groups, danced, sang and played in whatever style was their forte. And I was even entertained by a Perth based Maori cultural group, Manawa Mai Tawhiti  (“Yearning from afar”). 

Teddy and I posed for a pic with Surya, (Goddess of fire, warmth, light, sunshine and summer), and I would have to say she provided all of those in spades on that occasion.

The festival has been held in Langford Oval for the last 16 years but the organizers decided to change venue to cater for the ever-increasing crowds.

But I think they forgot to tell the food stall holders!

The catering extended to over 30 food trucks, but unless you were there extremely early, or were prepared to queue for a good 45 minutes or more, you went hungry.

I chose to queue for some traditional food of the Iberian Peninsula and was well-rewarded with some genuine Valencian Chicken and Chorizo Paella. And of course, Teddy managed to buy some chips.

But sadly, by the time many people reached the front of the queue, the food had run out. 

Half of our party went home hungry but my daughter decided on KFC to quell her hunger. I trust the organizers will get it right next year!

And now for a couple of Jaw Droppers.

My Biggest Gripe:  The Supermarket Trolley

Australian supermarket trollies have a mind of their own. In Kiwiland, the rear wheels on our trollies are fixed. Not so in Australia. Pushing a trolley down a supermarket aisle is like walking a horse on an ice rink. Each wheel is independent of all the others and in my effort to control the darned thing, I kicked the wheel with my jandal-uncovered toes. A big purple and painful OUCH!

My Biggest Head Shaker:  Fish & Chips… and Gravy!

I’m not sure if it is an Aussie thing or it’s just that tomato sauce hasn’t yet reached Western Australia. But everywhere, and I mean EVERYWHERE, people are eating good ol’ Fish & Chips covered in Gravy. One vendor was extremely upset because I wouldn’t try his gravy. Maybe, just maybe, their fish isn’t as good as ours and they feel the need to disguise it with gravy!!

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Teddy & June

Rain on the plane’s windows speckled the view of Nelson’s water-soaked tarmac. But Nelson is supposed to be sunny, I hear you say. Doesn’t it have the highest number of sunshine hours per year across New Zealand?  That maybe so, but that’s not the welcome that greeted Teddy & Me today. Our plane was forced to circle for a few minutes while the a backlog of flights negotiated the misty conditions. We touched down with no drama and only a few minutes later than scheduled. And the rain persisted. 

But it’s only water. And water will dampen the air but it takes more than a few raindrops to dampen our spirits. We didn’t come all the way from Auckland for the rugby just to be wussy about the weather. On the other hand however, I was still a tad tentative about my decision to book a B&B for our two-day stay.

Collingwood Manor – A Grand Old Lady

I discovered this B&B by accident as I was looking to book some weekend accommodation. We wanted something close to Nelson’s Trafalgar Park as that’s where the rugby was to be played. Collingwood Manor was the closest to the Park that offered excellent overnight rates. But I’d never stayed in a B&B before and I had no idea what to expect.

I’d booked a twin room, (which is usual when Teddy and I travel) but when the hosts were forced to juggle the rooms prior to our arrival, we were upgraded to a king-sized room each. I guess the other guests had a greater need for the twin room than we did. I mean, who objects to an upgrade? Not us that’s for sure.

But we still had no idea what would greet us on our arrival.

As we pulled into the driveway, I was entranced by the grand stature of a century old villa.

I sensed a journey to another time, but my t/shirt and cord jeans were no substitute for the flowing dresses that would have once adorned the veranda ahead. Its grandeur demanded my brief acknowledgment to the history and stories that lay within the sturdy walls.

I felt like an intruder as I approached the large wooden door that greeted me. We were met by Jules, the lady half of the hosting couple who ushered us inside. I’m sure I could hear the whispering walls unveiling their secrets as we were shown through the home and given the ancient keys to our rooms. I was surprised by the warmth exuding from every nook and cranny of the home. I could feel it wrap around and protect me from the cold chill of the flash-back winter outside.

Old and Traditional meets New and Quirky

Our rooms were a homely blend of old and new. Heat pumps in each room had replaced crackling wood fires, but it didn’t detract from the olde charm. The modern touches throughout the establishment melded well with the solid wooden archways, high ceilings, dado strips and stained glass windows gazing out onto the verandah. The ensuites in every room proudly displayed their old kauri floors and old style plumbing fixtures. It was perfect. The large sash windows framed the garden scenery beyond, but in the evening, modern roller blinds blocked out any intruding night. Their subtlety in no way detracted from the early twentieth century ambiance in the rooms. The guests dining come family room sat radiantly at the front of the home. With its bay window and stained glass panels above, I was reminded of scenes from early movies where the family would gather around the fireplace and tell stories recounting their adventures of the day.

Art and Artisans

Nelson is a city rich in the arts, and Ray & Jules have adorned so much of this home with local treasures. Ray’s insights into some of the pieces in the home is fascinating. Paintings and prints, ornaments and figurines, glassware and pottery. My head was filled with the visions of many artisans, toiling over their lathes, easels, and pottery wheels. And evidence of his search for the home’s history hangs in the grand entrance hallway where framed newspaper articles show details dating back to the late 19th Century when the home was built. 

Snuggle Down in Modern Comfort 

In the bedrooms, a modern stand-alone wardrobe provides a hanging place for clothes but lying on their tops sit old battered suitcases with stories they could tell from times long passed. Each room was like a history lesson but without the head ma’am at the front of the room. At each turn I could take myself back to earlier generations and wonder at their daily lives. I didn’t get to sit on the enveloping verandah as the rain and cool air persisted. But that can wait till another day when the sun will allow me to experience the delight of the home in summer.

A Bonus Find

The purpose of our journey was to attend a rugby match and the park was just a five minute walk away. But little did we know at the time, that enroute to the game we would be spoiled by a stroll along historic Elliott Street, a street of picket fences, fences protecting creeping wisteria, framing plots of standard roses and clumps of bright blue hydrangeas. Elliott Street is registered with the Historic Places Trust because of the row of restored century old homes standing at attention along the narrow street. Thirtyone of the homes are listed as heritage buildings. The homes have been restored to their original charm and my historic journey continued as I wandered past fences draped with clinging vines of delicate flowers in picks and whites. How beautiful this all looked and not in the least dampened by the persisting drizzle throughout the day. 

We’ll Be Back!

Our little sojourn to Nelson was a journey of discovery. Even when your rugby team loses, a warm welcome and comfortable surroundings are a great magnet to draw you back. Not only to hear Ray’s history lessons of a place that oozes its own personality but also to wander at leisure along Elliott Street on a sunny day. Will we return? Most definitely!  And the answer to the question…it’s a thumbs up for the B&B. 

(Disclosure: Several of the photographs used here, have been “borrowed” from the Collingwood Manor website. The rest I have taken myself.)

Gallery

[See image gallery at teddyandmetravel.com]

Thanks for reading.

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We’d be honoured to hear from you.

Cheers,

Teddy & June