Middle Earth

Waiheke Island

Last Saturday I woke up before my alarm, which was set to 7:15 am. I know it is unlike me to wake up so early, but I was anxious so I got showered and Zach and I prepared to go car hunting. We had to check out of our hostel by 11:30 am and then we had no plan. We actually had a flight to Wellington that day already booked and paid for, but we decided to skip it and gamble on finding a car to buy and drive down the two islands to Queenstown. I know that it is good to try and take risks and live a little plan-free, but neither of us are used to that lifestyle. We had read, in the ever true and trusty Lonely Planet, that there was a car fair Saturdays and upon further research it appeared to be especially geared towards travelers and back-packers.

We planned to arrive an hour before the fair started so we would have the biggest selection. Unfortunately it somehow did not occur to either of us that we would probably have to pay for said car in cash until that morning. Frantically we went to ATM’s only to get repeatedly rejected from pulling out any money at all. Knowing this car fair only happens once a week, having already missed the chance to catch our connecting flight, and time ticking away we tried not to panic. Luckily there is an international number on our Wells Fargo cards and the very kind Wells Fargo operator not only fixed our ATM issue, but also did his best to reassure me along the way. Off we went to the car fair still managing to be over a half an hour early.

When we arrived we discovered all sellers and no buyers. Perhaps the other travelers were still hung-over in their hostels or perhaps it was just our returning luck but we were the only ones shopping amongst a good 20 vehicles. We found Simone, a Mitsubishi V3000 station wagon. Her two female Canadian owners named her that because the cozy bed made up in the back reminded them of Simmons mattress commercials back home in Montreal. Zach and I shortened it to Moaners, a nick-name of one of his old sous chefs named Simone at SPQR.

Before we knew it we were on the road south out of the city headed on an adventure. With no real itinerary in mind we picked a couple of Lonely Planet recommendations to hit along our route and otherwise kept the plans light and flexible. The scenery once out of the city was incredible. It was endless drastic rolling hills, which the road hugged and followed. It was also incredibly green, like a modernized Shire in all directions. The roads in New Zealand live up to their reputation in the guidebooks. Don’t expect freeways. Instead you will find lots of winding, hilly roads many of which barely count as two lanes. I find the drivers to be a bit insane as they don’t seem to mind if they come around a blind curve hugging a hill and happen to be in your lane. They just swerve abruptly and continue on. Many bridges are one-lane as well as many of the roads we’ve explored. At first it was tough to get used to, but we drove cautiously and have stayed clear of the crazies.


A sunset from our first campsite

Our first destination was a spot called Waitomo Caves where we discovered there was no cheap camping only cool looking cave tours we could not afford so we continued on the road. We found, via a DOC brochure (Department of Conservation – campsite brochure), a campground not far south, or so we thought. Directions on the maps and in the brochures leave much to be desired and road signs are all but absent. Thus we made our turn on to a gravel road with much apprehension, but its an adventure so we went for it. The road was another incredibly scenic route showcasing distant volcanos and lush forests, however the road itself seemed to be barely holding on to the side of the hills with big gravels slides and ruts popping up after blind turns. After hours, literally, we found our road to the campsite. They did not list how many kilometers in it would be so again we went on a one lane gravel road for an hour before finally finding the campground. There, in the freezing cold already night, we set up camp. Too cold and tired to deal with cooking we ate beans out of a can and admired the incredible, clear night sky. It may sound like we had a stressful journey but with no real plan the adventure and views were well worth the uncertainty. In the end we were camped amongst several hunters so we weren’t even as isolated as we felt.

In the crisp morning we set off south and took another planned detour. Whanganui River Road winds for about 80 kilometers or more along the Whanganui River. Lonely Planet describes it as “impossibly scenic” and I can think of no better description. The road was, once again, one lane and mostly gravel, but it didn’t matter. We were stopping constantly to take pictures and gasp anyway. Once we met back up with the main road our day felt complete, but we still had a ways to drive and had yet to figure out a stopping place for the night. We ended up in Wellington camping at a suburb holiday park, which is similar to our KOA style campground except these often have hostels and campsites as well as game-rooms with computers for checking email.


Whananui River

The next morning we boarded an 8 am ferry to Picton on the South Island. The ferry takes over 3 hours and I will tell all of you I do NOT recommend it if you get motion sick. I survived thanks to my wristbands, ginger beer, and thankfully mostly calm waters.

We drove off the ferry ready to travel a couple hundred kilometers and head to an already pre-planned DOC campground. About 40 kilometers past Picton we hit road construction, which is when Zach noticed the heat fluctuate on Moaners gage. Nervously we pulled over and found a radiator host spewing steam. Of course we had no tape. The radiator fluid was empty. The only tape-like substance I could find was a tin of fashion tape I use on button-up shirts to keep them from opening at my boobs. Zach taped the hose with my fashion tape and we filled the radiator with water. Each 15 kilometers we pulled over filling more water in the radiator and checking the split in the hose. Amazingly the fashion tape did the job; it’s a letter to Cosmo in the making ;) When we found a phone the New Zealand version of AAA, known as AA here, directed us to a service station in a coastal town called Kaikoura, which was about 80 kilometers south.

Of course during all this the road we were on turned onto the eastern coast of the south island, which was so breathtaking we couldn’t even get upset. We were stressed, of course. We’d already spent massive amounts more than we planned on the vehicle, traveling, and on gas alone, which is roughly $10 / gallon here. Campsites were hard to find and holiday parks were expensive. Food was incredibly expensive and forget about the cost of things like beer. Now we were in for some amount of repair on our car in a town we knew nothing about. Yet, somehow, we were laughing. We were stressed and then immediately stunned by the crystal blue seas growing more beautiful around each bend. It is as though the Ocean just wanted to remind how small a radiator hose was relative to what this world has to show us.

We arrived in Kaikoura and the mechanic was immediately friendly and helpful. The fix plus a radiator flush and fill was less expensive than we thought the catch being he couldn’t do it until the morning. With only hostels and holiday parks nearby we found a cute little cabin in a cheap holiday park. It was just a bed, no bedding, and electricity, but it was a nice. The town sits on a little peninsula surrounded by the impressively crystal water and behind it, past the valley, there were hills blanketed in clouds. To calm ourselves we walked to a café where we indulged in potato wedges and a meat and cheese plate, which turned out to be the best meal we’d had in ages. They made everything in house sharing all our beliefs in real food made by real people. We then took advantage of our time by reorganizing Moaners and all of our stuff before watching movies in our cozy little cabin.


Moaners in front of our little cabin

When we awoke at 7:45 am to take Moaners to the mechanic we both were shocked at the scene out our window. The clouds had lifted and revealed jetting, snow-capped mountains just inland from the town’s valley. A place like this exhists?! Snow and surf right here?! The whole scene took both our breaths away. So, this minor car tragedy brought us nothing but good things despite a bit of unwanted spending.
On the mechanic’s recommendation we took the inland road down the coast. Much to my delight we came around one hilly curve to find a huge flock of sheep making their way up the road. The shepherd told us to keep driving so we coaxed them along with the car giggling and taking pictures. I jokingly asked the shepherd if this was a tourist attraction to which he replied with a smile, “somethin’ like that.” We drove for many hours through hills and valleys and watched the Southern Alps appear majestically in the distance, otherwise known as the Misty Mountains to those of us who are LOTR geeks. We headed inland past Christchurch and passed mountain-ringed lakes with a sediment that makes them a bright, fairy-tale blue. We then found a campground along a quiet river where friendly locals and travelers alike stopped to say hi and share a story or a laugh or both. Most of these types we’ve encountered have been quite a bit older than us, and have an easy friendliness that is quickly becoming addictive. Everyone is happy to hear our plan and encourages us on our road.


In front of one of the jaw-droppingly beautiful lakes

We awoke to a hot morning near the river. After a quick breakfast we hit the road to Queenstown via another jaw dropping road through mountain passes. We arrived just after 1 pm to an almost overwhelmingly bustling downtown. I would imagine it is a bit what Aspen is like though I’ve never been there. It is a lot like Sun Valley, Idaho except busier. Immediately nervous squirrels hit both of our stomachs. Oh yeah, we have to job and house hunt now! We found another cabin in a holiday park nearby to spend a couple nights and get our heads screwed on strait. Evidently the “season” hasn’t started yet though you would think it was in full swing downtown. We found a paper that had about 30 or so rooms or apartments for rent that are walking distance from town and within our budget. We also saw a few help wanted signs in restaurant windows. Now it is just calling, applying, and deciding and hoping it all somehow comes together.

Though we are anxious we are also happy. Looking out of our cheap holiday park window mountain peaks my brain still doesn’t believe are real cut the sky behind a strikingly blue lake. The air smells of jasmine and birds sing endless songs. I know, I sound like I’m describing a classic Disney cartoon, but this is real. I have no idea how things will turn out over the next couple weeks but regardless the journey thus far has been well worth it.