Akaroa

27-28.02

And off course, when I woke up this morning, it's nice and sunny, would be a perfect day to go up Avalanche Peak... But not going back and I have to get on the road, direction Akaroa, in the Banks Peninsula.

Akaroa used to be a French settlement, and you can still feel it, mostly by the mane of the streets, restaurant and else.
I took the scenic drive to get there, which give you a nice view of Akaroa Harbor, which used to be the crater of the volcano until a big eruption blowed it up and allow the Pacific water inside.

Since I've been stopped on my way to the summit yesterday and still feeling not happy about it, I stopped and done a small hike to Otepatotu summit, needed my summit fixed ;).
After that I keep going toward Akaroa. Since it was still early, I decided to go pass it and go to the end of the road not too far away. It's when things went bad.
I was driving and well, not much to see there, so I decided to turn around. With my great driving skill, I ended up stuck in a ditch, had to call someone to get me out of it... What a great way to finish my day!!

Last sight of the South Alps

Banks Peninsula

Akaroa Arbor

And my superb turn around...

New Zealand is the only country where the Hector Dolphins live. They are one of the smallest one in the world and easy to recognize with their rounded dorsal fin.
I really wanted to see them, so I booked a cruise for the next day. And it was awesome. We saw the dolphins, some fur seals, blue penguin and sea birds. One the fun thing is that the captain bring his dog with him and little Fluffy just go around, looking for the dolphins :)

Akaroa

Meet Fluffy, the dolphins spotter

No, it's not seagulls, but don't remember the name of them...

 

Cute little blue penguin, would love to bring him home :)

My friend the fur seals

And finally the reason I'm on this boat, Hector Dolphins

 An other great day observing New Zealand wildlife :)

Arthur's Pass

25-26.02

Saying goodbye to the west coast for the last time (kind of happy to leave Hokitika, not a bad place, but not exactly was I thought it would be) and heading to Arthur’s Pass, in the Southern Alps.

Arthur’s pass is in the middle of the Alps, and is a passage between the east and west coast. It was the South Island’s first national park.

The name come from the first European guy that “discovered” (I should say mapped) the pass, Arthur Dudley Dobson in 1864. The Maori were using this pass for a long time and it’s them that informed the explorer about the existence of the pass. The discovery of gold on the west coast made the construction of a road an urgent priority, and it open in 1886.

In the same year, they started the construction of a railway, still in use today. It was done in 1923 with the opening of the tunnel from Arthur’s Pass to Otira.

So, enough with the history lesson and move on with what I’ve done there and show you some pictures ;)

The best thing to do around here is tramping (in america we say hiking, but I’m starting to like speaking kiwi…)

First day, I parked by the visitor centre and followed the Arthur’s pass track, which basically follow the road I was driving on to get there. There is some shorts trails that start from the track and I did 2 of them.

Arthur's Pass

Bealey River with Mt Rollestone

Lake Misery

Otira River

Otira River

Devil Punchbowl Falls

Next day, it was cold. Didn't’ wanted to get out of bed, but I really wanted to go to Avalanche peak. It was kind of foggy but by the time I was ready it was clearing up.

There is two track that go to the summit, so I decided to go up by the steepest one and go down by the easier one (at least that what they say in the booklet). After 1h walk, I arrived at the bush line and realized that the sun was gone. It was still clear so I kept going until the fog came back and you couldn’t see the summit. I already did a hike when you get all the way and can’t see anything and wasn’t feeling like doing it again, it’s not rewarding. I took a break to see if it might get better, but no, it was getting worst and worst, so I turn around and went back down.

I don’t like the feeling of not making it to the top, but for that one it was a safety reason too. It’s a hard track, steep and rocky, and the fog made it hard to see the markers.

The very bad thing was going back down that track, it was hard going up, and as bad going down, but I managed and made it safe back down.

Let's go to the summit!! Or not...

Arthur's Pass village

Hokitika

23-24.02

Today I’m leaving Christchurch in a car, soooo happy!!!

Départ de Christchurch, en voiture!!!!!

J’en ai de plus en plus marre du bus… Envie d’explorer par moi-même…

Donc j’ai décidé de louer une voiture depuis Christchurch pour une semaine. Mon plan est de retourner sur la côte ouest, à Hokitika, ville que j’ai passé en allant au sud et avais envie de visiter, mais un peu oublié de planifier un arrêt.

En même temps, c’est une bonne excuse pour retraverser les Alpes!!

Pas super rassurée de conduire, ça fait 2 mois que j’ai pas conduit et en plus ils roulent de l’autre côté de la route ici.

Mais au final, c’est pas si compliqué, juste un peu dure dans les intersections.

Donc départ de Christchurch, direction Hokitika, par Arthur’s Pass.

Premier Arrêt à Castle Hill. Le nom de ces collines vient des énormes roches calcaire qui sont comme plantées là.

You might be able to see someone one the picture, giving you an idea how big those rocks are

Arrêt suivant à Arthur’s Pass, visite du visitor centre pour prendre quelques info sur les différentes marches possiblent, comme que vais rester là pour 2 jours sur le retour.

Puis j’arrive à Hokitika, ville en bord de mer connue pour ces différents ateliers de jade.

Il est trop tard pour aller faire du shopping (les magasins ferment à 5h ici…) je décide d’aller courir un peu.

Il y a seulement une auberge de jeunesse ici, et elle a vraiment pas bonne réputation, donc j’ai trouvé quelque part d’autre. Ben j’aurai du rester à l’hostel… J’étais en dehors de la ville (avec une voiture pas trop un problème) dans les ancien bâtiment du l’hôpital, dont la moitié sont à l’abondant. C’étais propre et y avait tout ce dont j’avais besoin, mais ça sentais le vieux et j’étais presque toute seule… Pas le top, heureusement que c’était que pour 2 jours.

Donc le lendemain matin, direction les gorges, dont j’ai entendu dire beaucoup de bien. Et c’est vraiment joli, avec l’eau bleu venue des glaciers. 

Et après les gorges retour en ville pour un peu de shopping et visite des ateliers de jade.

Bon tout ça m’a seulement pris la matinée et début d’après midi, donc à la recherche de qqch à faire.

C’est là que je vois qu’il ont une piscine, donc let’s go :)

Natation suivit de quelques miles de course, souper sur la plage avec coucher de soleil.

Wouldn't mind traveling with this one ;)

Chistchurch

22.02

Finally making it to the city everybody is talking about: Christchurch.
For those that didn't know or forgot, the city had been almost completely destroyed by an hearth-quack in February 2011. It used to be the biggest city of the south Island.
I heard some stuff about how the city is looking like from other travelers, so it gave me an idea of the situation, but it was still kind of a shock when I got there.
It's been 4 years and the centre is slowly getting rebuilt. They are still taking down some building that are unsafe.
They've found some very creative way to make the city look more alive and functional. There is a lot of street art, and they have the container mall.

Me voilà finalement à Christchurch, ville dont tout le monde parle, qui étais la plus grande ville de l'ile du sud.
Pout ceux qui ne le savent pas ou ont oublié, la ville a été presque complètement détruite par un tremblement de terre en février 2011.
J'ai rencontré plusieurs personnes qui avaient déjà visité la ville et m'on donné une description, mais ça m'a quand même fait un choc quand je suis arrivée.
Ca fait 4 ans, et ils commencent gentiment de reconstruire les bâtiments du centre ville. Il y a encore des bâtiments qu'ils doivent finir de détruire, plein d'espace vide ou en construction. Pas le genre de paysage que l'on voit dans les grandes villes en générale.
Ils essayent par différentes façons de redonner un peu de vie à la ville. Beaucoup d'art dans les rue et le container mall, en font partie.

Cathedral, big decision: repair or new one??

Cardboard Cathedral, replace the other one while they decide what do to with the other one