After a cold night sat next to the woodburner in Arthur’s Pass, we scraped the snow off the car the following morning so we could head back up to the summit of the pass and go for a walk. There was still a biting wind but the snow of the night before had not been heavy - there was only a dusting as we walked around a nature trail to get some better views. We started making our way east again toward Christchurch, and spent the day stopping at an array of waterfalls, caves and impressive weather-sculpted limestone rocks en route.
Christchurch is South Island’s main city, and sits on the coast surrounded by pretty hills. It is a very scenic place to live and has most of the “big city” delights you could want in what is really an averagely sized town. Pekwor and I checked in to a friendly hostel somewhere on the outskirts where the manager was a former employee of Halifax, for whom Pekwor now works. After they caught up on old times we settled in with a DVD and a takeaway, and watched the first instalment of Lord of the Rings (LOTR), which Pekwor had promised herself to watch whilst we were in the land where it was filmed.
The following day we toured the city by foot and on rollerblades – the latter being a slightly painful experience but also miraculous in that I was neither in, or caused, a road traffic accident. The centre was pretty with a mix of old and new buildings, and has a quiet, laid-back atmosphere that is remains just upbeat enough to have a city feel (some may disagree with this!).
That afternoon we headed up to Kaikoura, a small town further north up the coast that was to be our first proper stop since we had left Queenstown. We had booked 3 nights there to try and go swimming with dolphins – something that many people I had met described as their best experience in New Zealand.
Kaikoura lies in a picturesque spot on the coast at the foot of a small peninsula. Inland are two large mountain ranges, whilst offshore is an ocean trench that comes close enough to the shore supplies plentiful seafood within easy reach. In times gone by the main industry in the town was based on whaling and crayfishing; nowadays the whalers are gone but the crayfish industry supplies huge, fresh lobsters to Japan and other parts of the world. In the early ‘90s a scientific study group from the USA visited and identified several species of whales permanently resident off the coast. They recommended to the town council that whale-watching trips be started for the general public, as it was unusual to have so many different types of whale so close to shore. The council ignored their suggestion but another local family did not – they are now Whale Watch Kaikoura, and have exclusive rights to view whales in their 6 purpose-built ships; they pull in some NZ$70m a year in turnover.
The ocean trench means an upwelling of cold, nutrient rich water that allows marine life to flourish – hence the crayfish, large numbers of pelagic fish, whales, and several species of dolphin. The only downside to seeing all these animals that Kaikoura is exposed to some serious south-easterly swells, and trips to see dolphins, whales, albatross and seals are regularly cancelled. We found this out the day after we arrived, when our 8am trip to go dolphin swimming was cancelled for the day. After a morning spent relaxing, we headed out to see the New Zealand fur seal colony that lives around the head of Kaikoura peninsula.
New Zealand fur seals are by and large pretty amenable creatures, but don't like having their personal space invaded - and woebetide anyone who gets betwwen them and the sea. So it was that Pekwor and I began picking our way around the peninsula, keeping an eye out for the tide and seals. We passed through an impressive red beaked gull colony before finding ourselves away from other tourists and with just seals for company. The beach and rocky headlands gradually got narrower as the tide came up, and eventually we had to turn back when we reached a minefield of slumbering seals with no route past. We returned via the clifftop path back to our hostel, just in time for an evening drive around Kaikoura with Mark, the hostel owner. The weather was looking promising for dolphin swimming the next day, and after a great dinner and some more LOTR, we turned in for an early night.
The next morning was bright and clear as we found ourselves "suiting up" for our fabled dolphin encounter. After all the great reviews from people I was expecting a lot, but was fairly dreading the guaranteed cold water - especially after the tropics! After briefings and instructions on dolphin-swimming etiquette, we were onboard and off on the search.
As it turned out, the search did not last long. Some 5 minutes out from the harbour a small pod of dolphins were spotted - not in their hundreds as I had been hoping, but good enough. With an enthusiasm that surprised myself, as soon as possible I was in the water and swimming frantically in the last known direction of the pod.
Dolphin swimming in the New Zealand style was something else. After establishing that the pod looked relatively friendly and curious about swimmers, our boat would drop us off close to the dolphins where we would swim into their direction of travel. Loud noises were recommended to help attract them; if they swam away, the boat would come to pick up the swimmers and the process would start again. Something I had not considered was the visibility; I was used to 20m+ visibility in the Tropics; here I could barely see past my hand.
In the end it seemed that our dolphin swimming was more like dolphin scaring more than anything else. I couldn't help but feel that when 15-20 singing/yodelling/hooting black-clad people jumped in the water all at once and started swimming furiously towards them, the dolphins decided that a quiet life was better and turned tail. Pekwor and I both got near enough on a few occasions to see them up close, which was wonderful.
We were back on dry land in time for lunch and, full of the joys of the ocean, we booked an afternoon whalewatching trip. With the cost of the trip we were expecting something pretty special, and it did not disappoint. Sadly there was only one male Sperm Whale in the area - normally there are 5 or 6 - but we saw him surface twice during our cruise, which was good enough for us. We returned to the hostel that evening significantly poorer but having had one of our best days in New Zealand so far.
The next day the weather changed, and we thanked our lucky stars that we had had one nice day for Kaikoura. We left in driving rain and howling wind, a little concerned by the forecast snow that was directly along our route. Just 15 minutes from Kaikoura there was snow falling, which increased gradually as we headed west towards the mountains. Our plan for the day was to reach Saint Arnaud, close to Nelson Lakes National Park - if we could get through the Lewis Pass.
The omens were not great. There was little traffic on the road and signs warned us of a need for snow chains - and that was quite apart from the slightly dubious head gasket. In the end we pulled into Hamner Springs and shelled out on some snow chains at a garage - along with a small queue of likeminded others. Back on the road just past Hamner Springs we came across a checkpoint and were informed that the road "had just opened" - luck was with us. We crawled up to the pass through thick slush - the snow was some 4 inches deep at the edge of the road.
Once over the Lewis Pass things got much easier, much quicker. We reached Saint Arnaud and after checking into the hostel as the only guests we met up with Jen and Fran who had arrived the day before. Also along for the ride was Kate, a vet friend of mine from the UK who now lives in Christchurch and who has a penchant for ultra-long runs through the mountains. We planned a walk for the following day over an excellent burger at the only local restaurant that evening.
Our day in Nelson Lakes National Park was probably the most unexpected and just possibly my favourite day on the South Island. The weather, so awful the day before, was clear and bright with just a little wind. Our plans became a gorgeous, pristine reality as the 5 of us trekked up Mount Robert to a snow covered summit. On top, we headed further along the ridge in untouched snow, revelling in the winter sun. It was wonderful.
Back at the car we all stopped for tea in Austin - Jen and Fran's camper - before the short drive on to Renwick, in the heart of the Marlborough wine-making region. New Zealand is now famous for its wines and Marlborough produces a good Chardonnay. Pekwor and I managed to find the best hostel (more like a hotel) in town - good beds, good kitchen, huge DVD selection including LOTR. We managed to finish the second film before turning the lights for an early night -we had a day of wine tasting ahead.
Or rather, Pekwor did. As designated driver (and person with the poorest sense of taste) I opted to try just a couple of wines whilst Pekwor did the "hard" work. We managed a sum total of 7 different "cellar doors" and were impressed by the friendliness of staff who have to cater to freeloading backpackers much of the time. We bought a few bottles of wine then headed up to Picton, on the north end of South Island from where the ferry up to North Island leaves.
In Picton we made yet more chocolate brownies at our hostel, in direct competition with the free (slightly second rate) chocolate cake provided by the management. Jen and Fran came by for breakfast the next day and we headed out on a day-long adventure sea kayaking in Marlborough Sound. After more that a little faffing (and picnic making), we set off in some rented boats out of Picton, and started around the huge network of inlets that crease the coastline nearby. It became clear that our expectations of distance that we would cover were not going to be matched by our physical prowess, and we chose a more leisurely route involving beaches and sunbathing. That evening, we had a great slap-up BBQ at Jen and Fran's campsite - chocolate brownies for pudding - then headed back early to bed for a silly o'clock start the next day.
We rolled out of bed sometime just after 4am and got to the Interislander ferry terminal a full 30 minutes earlier than needed. It was cold but the sky was clear and our crossing to North Island promised to be smooth. The sun came up shortly after we set sail from Picton, and we cruised up Marlborough Sound on calm water past stunning views, heading for our last week in New Zealand.
The next morning was bright and clear as we found ourselves "suiting up" for our fabled dolphin encounter. After all the great reviews from people I was expecting a lot, but was fairly dreading the guaranteed cold water - especially after the tropics! After briefings and instructions on dolphin-swimming etiquette, we were onboard and off on the search.
As it turned out, the search did not last long. Some 5 minutes out from the harbour a small pod of dolphins were spotted - not in their hundreds as I had been hoping, but good enough. With an enthusiasm that surprised myself, as soon as possible I was in the water and swimming frantically in the last known direction of the pod.
Dolphin swimming in the New Zealand style was something else. After establishing that the pod looked relatively friendly and curious about swimmers, our boat would drop us off close to the dolphins where we would swim into their direction of travel. Loud noises were recommended to help attract them; if they swam away, the boat would come to pick up the swimmers and the process would start again. Something I had not considered was the visibility; I was used to 20m+ visibility in the Tropics; here I could barely see past my hand.
In the end it seemed that our dolphin swimming was more like dolphin scaring more than anything else. I couldn't help but feel that when 15-20 singing/yodelling/hooting black-clad people jumped in the water all at once and started swimming furiously towards them, the dolphins decided that a quiet life was better and turned tail. Pekwor and I both got near enough on a few occasions to see them up close, which was wonderful.
We were back on dry land in time for lunch and, full of the joys of the ocean, we booked an afternoon whalewatching trip. With the cost of the trip we were expecting something pretty special, and it did not disappoint. Sadly there was only one male Sperm Whale in the area - normally there are 5 or 6 - but we saw him surface twice during our cruise, which was good enough for us. We returned to the hostel that evening significantly poorer but having had one of our best days in New Zealand so far.
The next day the weather changed, and we thanked our lucky stars that we had had one nice day for Kaikoura. We left in driving rain and howling wind, a little concerned by the forecast snow that was directly along our route. Just 15 minutes from Kaikoura there was snow falling, which increased gradually as we headed west towards the mountains. Our plan for the day was to reach Saint Arnaud, close to Nelson Lakes National Park - if we could get through the Lewis Pass.
The omens were not great. There was little traffic on the road and signs warned us of a need for snow chains - and that was quite apart from the slightly dubious head gasket. In the end we pulled into Hamner Springs and shelled out on some snow chains at a garage - along with a small queue of likeminded others. Back on the road just past Hamner Springs we came across a checkpoint and were informed that the road "had just opened" - luck was with us. We crawled up to the pass through thick slush - the snow was some 4 inches deep at the edge of the road.
Once over the Lewis Pass things got much easier, much quicker. We reached Saint Arnaud and after checking into the hostel as the only guests we met up with Jen and Fran who had arrived the day before. Also along for the ride was Kate, a vet friend of mine from the UK who now lives in Christchurch and who has a penchant for ultra-long runs through the mountains. We planned a walk for the following day over an excellent burger at the only local restaurant that evening.
Our day in Nelson Lakes National Park was probably the most unexpected and just possibly my favourite day on the South Island. The weather, so awful the day before, was clear and bright with just a little wind. Our plans became a gorgeous, pristine reality as the 5 of us trekked up Mount Robert to a snow covered summit. On top, we headed further along the ridge in untouched snow, revelling in the winter sun. It was wonderful.
Back at the car we all stopped for tea in Austin - Jen and Fran's camper - before the short drive on to Renwick, in the heart of the Marlborough wine-making region. New Zealand is now famous for its wines and Marlborough produces a good Chardonnay. Pekwor and I managed to find the best hostel (more like a hotel) in town - good beds, good kitchen, huge DVD selection including LOTR. We managed to finish the second film before turning the lights for an early night -we had a day of wine tasting ahead.
Or rather, Pekwor did. As designated driver (and person with the poorest sense of taste) I opted to try just a couple of wines whilst Pekwor did the "hard" work. We managed a sum total of 7 different "cellar doors" and were impressed by the friendliness of staff who have to cater to freeloading backpackers much of the time. We bought a few bottles of wine then headed up to Picton, on the north end of South Island from where the ferry up to North Island leaves.
In Picton we made yet more chocolate brownies at our hostel, in direct competition with the free (slightly second rate) chocolate cake provided by the management. Jen and Fran came by for breakfast the next day and we headed out on a day-long adventure sea kayaking in Marlborough Sound. After more that a little faffing (and picnic making), we set off in some rented boats out of Picton, and started around the huge network of inlets that crease the coastline nearby. It became clear that our expectations of distance that we would cover were not going to be matched by our physical prowess, and we chose a more leisurely route involving beaches and sunbathing. That evening, we had a great slap-up BBQ at Jen and Fran's campsite - chocolate brownies for pudding - then headed back early to bed for a silly o'clock start the next day.
We rolled out of bed sometime just after 4am and got to the Interislander ferry terminal a full 30 minutes earlier than needed. It was cold but the sky was clear and our crossing to North Island promised to be smooth. The sun came up shortly after we set sail from Picton, and we cruised up Marlborough Sound on calm water past stunning views, heading for our last week in New Zealand.
When we arrived the sun was still low in the sky and golden waves were pounding the shore at the entrance of Wellington Harbour. Wellington is the unlikely capital of New Zealand - chosen for its proximity to the South Island over fears that the residents, with their highly profitable agriculture and timber there, might want to secede from the North Island. We drove straight through it and up to the Taranaki Peninsula on the West Coast.
With a limited timescale seeing the North Island, Pekwor and I had chosen a swift route around some of the better known sights, mostly organised towards meeting Jen and Fran for the Tongariro Crossing. We adjusted plans the day we arrived, when it became clear that the weather would not be great for several days. So we went West, through the volcanic landscape covered with dairy farms.
The Taranaki peninsula is dominated by Mount Egmont (or Taranaki), hidden by clouds when we arrived at the car park at its base to have a look. It is the classic volcano, rising conically from the land around, and covered in snow at the top. There had been a lot of snow and avalanches recently, judging by the state of the road, and Pekwor and I found ourselves the only visitors as we struggled to see the sun going down through the clouds swirling around the mountain peak.
We bedded down for a quiet night at a nearby farmstay, where the only other guest was an quiet Argentinian guy who was WOOFing there (Working On Organic Farms). We had failed before in our quest to find the third LOTR film - it was now becoming a mission in itself to stay somewhere suitable! The promised lamb-feeding the next morning never happened so after inspecting the pigs we upped sticks and carried on our way. We made a quick, damp circuit of the Taranki coast before heading north up the coast - it's amazing how much the weather influences your enjoyment and memories of a place.
It was a day of neverending rain, and our planned explorations of the peninsula were cancelled. We cut through unsurfaced rural back roads on our way to our next destination, Waitomo. Many places were washed out and the car became coated in a thick layer of grime. We did manage some very damp walks to look at a couple of waterfalls and caves, but were very glad to find the hostel we had booked - empty, with no staff. After a bit of cleaning up the dust (it had been empty for a while) and finding some wood, we had the fire roaring and we were warming up and drying out. Sadly the DVD collection there lacked anything except Reservoir Dogs - fine unless you want LOTR III.
It was a day of neverending rain, and our planned explorations of the peninsula were cancelled. We cut through unsurfaced rural back roads on our way to our next destination, Waitomo. Many places were washed out and the car became coated in a thick layer of grime. We did manage some very damp walks to look at a couple of waterfalls and caves, but were very glad to find the hostel we had booked - empty, with no staff. After a bit of cleaning up the dust (it had been empty for a while) and finding some wood, we had the fire roaring and we were warming up and drying out. Sadly the DVD collection there lacked anything except Reservoir Dogs - fine unless you want LOTR III.
The next morning we had a trip planned already - to visit the popular Waitomo Caves. The limestone region is full of caves ranging from the very small to huge, and a burgeoning industry has sprung up for tourists wishing to see the glowworms that inhabit many of the caves. These visits range from sedate cruises on underground rivers to abseiling into caves, some spelunking, then some "black water rafting" on inner tubes. We opted for the latter, and had a fabulous time as our small group of 4 explored a cave that was full of glowworms.
The photos don't really do a lot of justice underground. After abseiling into a cavern we made our way upstream, finally reaching a spot where we could see the glowworms. The worms are actually larvae of a gnat, and glow to attract other insect prey to a small sticky secretion at the end of a tube suspended from the larvae. The larvae are very sensitive to vibrations in the air and glow more when they detect these, assuming it means approaching prey. Nowadays, however, it means that the guide has made a very loud noise in the cavern, and the effect of hitting an inner tube on the water brought an incredible increase in light. We headed back downstream in the dark, on our inner tubes - great fun, although by this point my toes were mostly numb with cold That made the rockclimb out of the cave a little harder - but it was a great morning.
The photos don't really do a lot of justice underground. After abseiling into a cavern we made our way upstream, finally reaching a spot where we could see the glowworms. The worms are actually larvae of a gnat, and glow to attract other insect prey to a small sticky secretion at the end of a tube suspended from the larvae. The larvae are very sensitive to vibrations in the air and glow more when they detect these, assuming it means approaching prey. Nowadays, however, it means that the guide has made a very loud noise in the cavern, and the effect of hitting an inner tube on the water brought an incredible increase in light. We headed back downstream in the dark, on our inner tubes - great fun, although by this point my toes were mostly numb with cold That made the rockclimb out of the cave a little harder - but it was a great morning.
After thawing out and drying off (again!), we took some more back roads to reach Raglan, a hippie hangout on the west coast deservedly popular with surfers. With only a day to look around we declined the surfing lesson and instead made some chocolate brownies in the evening, and watched the last Lord of the Rings - finally!
We weren't in Raglan at the right time of year to catch the killer whales that occasionally visit , nor to be able to bathe in the sun that is a welcome feature of the summer. Instead we chose to follow a winding coastal road south, stopping to see the longest lefthand point break in the world (allegedly) before having a walk on the spectacular - and deserted - Ruapuke Beach.
By now we had altered our Tongariro crossing plans several times because of the inclement weather. Jen and Fran had decided not to do it based on the forecast for the next few days, so Pekwor and I headed gamely for Rotorua, hoping that there would be a window on Sunday 17th October to do it - it was then or never. We had a great time in Rotorua, staying at a friendly backpackers and catching a traditional Maori show - it was at vastly inflated price but well worth the expense for an insight into Maori culture. Aside from the traditional (and delicious) Maori hangi - a feast cooked in an underground oven, there was also a performance of songs and greetings, including the famous haka. The show was made even better by the effort that the performers put into it, given that they must get somewhat bored doing it on a daily basis.
Rotorua is at the centre of volcanic activity in North Island and the majority of the country's Maori live in the region. They are well assimilated into Kiwi culture - some would say they are Kiwi culture - and have an expanding part to play in tourism around Rotorua and in the North Island. The tourism here - aside from Maori cultural activities - includes the usual extreme sports and anything possible to do with volcanoes and hot springs.
The next morning we visited the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, a large geothermal park where the regular morning eruption of the Lady Knox geyser - instigated by 300g of soap flakes - heralds the arrival of carloads of picture hungry tourists. Around Wai-O-Tapu there are a great variety of bubbling mud pools and lakes of different colours, all with a names denoting a close link to Satan and the the obvious devilry that must accompany such weird hues. It is deservedly popular and Pekwor and I spent a few hours wandering around before heading south to Turangi for our date with the Tongariro Crossing.
The weather didn't bode well as we pulled into Turangi - it was raining hard and the hostel was nearly empty. After a delicious toad-in-the-hole for dinner we decided against doing the crossing, despite a decidedly optimistic forecast from the hostel owner (who also provided a shuttle bus for the route). We opted not to do what many call New Zealand's finest one day walk - and were relieved the next day when we woke up to driving rain and low cloud.
Instead, we headed back north, stopping at another hot springs for a thoroughly pleasant soak before returning to Rotorua for some souvenir shopping - it was surprisingly easy to spend hundreds of dollars various wooden objects. We pushed on after a late lunch of Whittakers chocolate - probably our favourite Kiwi food - and found ourselves staying in the Kabangakhe Gorge, somewhere just south of the Coromandel Peninsula towards the east coast of the North Island.
The Kabangakhe Gorge was just a stopover enroute to the Coromandel, but we arrived early enough to explore some of the gorge's old gold mines. It was the centre of Kiwi gold mining from the late 1800s to the WW1, when newer and more efficient mining techniques, plus exhaustion of the seams around the gorge, meant the mines died a slow death. Nowadays a network of walkways exist through the old tramways carved in tunnels through the gorge walls, and the remains of the old stamper batteries and pumphouses can still be seen. We hadn't even known it existed until we saw a survey listing it as one of the top 20 attractions in New Zealand. I'm not sure it deserves that high a rating but it was very interesting.
With our extra day provided by cancelling the Tongariro Crossing, we decided to make a whistle stop tour of the Coromandel peninsula. This started off with a drive up the scenic east coast - finally in some good weather - and a stop at Cathedral Cove. Here the limestone cliffs had been eroded to form a huge natural arch and a sea stack immediately adjacent to it - it was very pretty., and a surprising number of tourists made the effort to walk the couple of miles to the beach.
More fun, however, was Hot Water Beach, where at low tide a natural hot springswells out of the sand. It brings crowds of swimmers with spades in the hope of digging a warm pool out as the sea comes back in. After some initial abortive starts - it turned out you couldn't just dig anywhere and strike hot water - we joined forces with a German chap, a Dutch girl and all manner of other nationalities in creating a huge pool full of warm water. Our sea wall proved effective at keeping the tide back - for a while.
More fun, however, was Hot Water Beach, where at low tide a natural hot springswells out of the sand. It brings crowds of swimmers with spades in the hope of digging a warm pool out as the sea comes back in. After some initial abortive starts - it turned out you couldn't just dig anywhere and strike hot water - we joined forces with a German chap, a Dutch girl and all manner of other nationalities in creating a huge pool full of warm water. Our sea wall proved effective at keeping the tide back - for a while.
Hot Water Beach was our last activity - after eating the last of the chocolate brownies we motored back to Auckland in the long suffering car - we had done some 4000km in the preceding 3 and a half weeks, nursing it with its head gasket problem all the way. We met Jen and Fran in the hostel I had first stayed at a month before, and were given a little flat to share with them for the night - Pekwor and I were both flying out the next day, whilst Jen and Fran had sold their van to the first people who saw it and were on their way further north in the car the next day. That night we had some excellent Japanese food with Jen and Fran then headed back to some careful packing.
The following morning - our last - Pekwor caught up with an old school friend whilst we drank oodles of tea in the local Parnell cafes. With little time for activites, we decided our one trip should be up the Sky Tower, offering great views of Auckland. It was nearly scuppered by a fire alarm but we got up there and watched as spring showers swept over Auckland and people leapt off the roof of the tower in the newest extreme sport New Zealand has to offer. With heavy hearts we headed back down and had our last Kiwi meal (a burger, naturally) and heading to the airport.
The following morning - our last - Pekwor caught up with an old school friend whilst we drank oodles of tea in the local Parnell cafes. With little time for activites, we decided our one trip should be up the Sky Tower, offering great views of Auckland. It was nearly scuppered by a fire alarm but we got up there and watched as spring showers swept over Auckland and people leapt off the roof of the tower in the newest extreme sport New Zealand has to offer. With heavy hearts we headed back down and had our last Kiwi meal (a burger, naturally) and heading to the airport.
Pekwor headed back to the UK whilst I was flying into Australia to start my year long Working Holiday Visa, gained at some expense last year only days before the deadline after which I would never have been able to obtain one. However, I had other plans, and they lay back in the UK.
Arriving in Melbourne I found my way to a hostel in St Kilda, a suburb home to several backpacker places and a thriving nightlife. It was very different to New Zealand - the hostel was full of long-term guests who were working various restaurant or telesales jobs in the city. I had a dorm to myself for a couple of nights whilst I figured out my plan and looked around the city.
A couple of days later it was all sorted. I had already booked a flight back home for Christmas in order to see my family and Hyun, with whom I travelled in Borneo. I decided to bring my flight forward to return to the UK much earlier than planned - principally so I could see Hyun. A gamble? Of course. But you never know if you don't try, and I wanted to try.
One evening I met up with John, who I had met diving on the oil rig in Sipadan, and went out with him and some of his friends from in the city. It was a thoroughly pleasant evening and a chance from what I had so far experienced on Melbourne - up to then it had been nice but not great. Given the local knowledge, I was impressed. We had drinks in a roof-top bar with an artificial grass lawn, served by blokes dressed in (rather skimpy) sailors clothes. Not everyone's cup of tea, but if that's what you like....
The morning after I left for a 3 day trip on the Great Ocean Road, one of Australia's premier tourist attractions as it winds its way west from Melbourne towards Adelaide. The road has 3 distinct parts, starting with the surfing section in the town or Torquay, home to the giant surfing brands of Ripcurl and Billabong. If their factory shops were a little disappointing, the beaches were not, and we stopped at several, including the famous Bells Beach, as we headed westwards. Our group of 11 was fairly mixed - mostly Brits and other Europeans on Working Holiday trips, plus a solitary American girl. Not everyone was as enthusiastic about the scenery and walks as the rest - as is usual with a tour I found most stops too short and the walks more like gentle strolls. Our tour leader, Adam, was an excellent bloke and kept up a thoroughly informative and amusing commentary, even when the majority of us were asleep.
The first evening we stayed up in a koala reserve where we were able to see dozens of the little creatures - they are not bears - snoozing in eucalyptus trees. We could see them very close, and in the morning were treated to a mother and baby in a tree just yards from where we were eating breakfast. We were also in the temperate rainforest band of southern Australia, and had a brief visit into the cool jungle before we turned in for the night, looking for glowworms - they couldn't compete with Waitomo Caves.
The following day we headed back to the coast to see the Shipwreck Coast portion of the Great Ocean Road, and in particular its most recognisable landmark, the Twelve Apostles. I splashed out on a 7 minute helicopter flight to see them - it was worth it, but I felt surprisingly queasy when I touched down. The day was cloudy and blustery, but full of great weather and an angry sea swell for viewing the coastal stacks for which the region is well known. The Apostles are disappearing at an alarming rate due to natural sea erosion, begging the question of how many there were originally when at least 5 of 18 have collapsed into the sea in the past 150 years.
At the end of the Great Ocean Road we turned inland to head for the Grampian Mountains, camping out under a huge star filled sky close to the edge of the mountain range. The following morning, whilst the rest of the group went quad biking, I went in search of the "guaranteed" kangaroos that lived around the camp - there were none, and I came back with a few shots of some long legged hares.
Once again the weather was against us as we passed through the Grampians, and we cancelled one walk due to the rain, and had a shortened stroll down through the famous Halls Gap - a geological sight that, in all honest, failed to impress after New Zealand. Much more exciting was finding an echidna next to the path - it is a cross between a porcupine and a badger, and is one of only two mammals to lay eggs (the other being the duck billed platypus). It did not seem troubled by our interest, and eventually we carried on our walk leaving it to forage in the undergrowth without a multitude of camera lenses pointed at it.
Further on in Halls Gap we visited an Aboriginal interpretative centre, ground breaking both in its exhibits and for the fact it is entirely Aboriginal owned and run. Aboriginal culture, whilst strong, has suffered markedly with the arrival of colonists in Australia and does not seem as resilient as Maori culture in New Zealand. This may be because of the different ethnic origins of the peoples- Maori are Polynesian islanders, whilst Aboriginals are originally from islands in the Torres Strait between Australia and Papua New Guinea. What is certain is that many Australians view Aboriginals as lazy and only too keen to accept state handouts - a situation that has developed because of the way they have been treated by the past colonial governments. Time will tell if the reawakening of Aboriginal culture and pride is sustainable and will fit into modern, multiethnic Australian society.
Back in Melbourne our tour group had a night out at a St Kilda club, before turning in in the small hours for some well deserved rest. The next day was my last full one in Australia, so I spent my time looking around the St Kilda beachfront and pier - home to a colony of Blue penguins - before heading into Melbourne to climb up the Eureka tower. I paid a visit both in the day and at night - it is the highest building in the southern hemisphere and was well worth the tram journeys back and forth, in between watching sunset from St Kilda pier and seeing the Blue penguins come in for the night.
The next day was a long one one travel - I flew up to Sydney in the early morning and spent the last of my Aussie dollars on souvenirs before catching a flight on a vast Airbus A380 to Singapore. I was on my home, some 8 months after I had left and about a year earlier than planned. As the expression goes, all the best laid plans.... I'll add a caveat here - it's been 5 months since I got back to the UK now and things are going just great.
