Inspirational New Zealand
We left for New Zealand 2 days after the earthquake shattered Christchurch. The plan was to spend the last 4 days in that beautiful city however it was not to be. We flew into Auckland and drove to the lovely Orewa Beach. The weather was perfect and the people so very welcoming. The Estuary Arts Centre is a must visit as the artworks exhibited were very exciting. I was especially impressed with David Poole’s interesting collage works.
A pleasant drive over to the west coast brought us to Piha. Piha is a popular surfing beach and is quite picturesque. The black sand looked as though fairy dust had been sprinkled all over it as it sparkled magically in the sunshine. Very pretty.
From Auckland we flew to Queenstown and apent 3 days sightseeing in spectacular countryside. The water in Lakes Wanaka and Hawea is a beautiful aquamarine colour. The drive to and from these pristine areas is fantastic. Cromwell was fascinating. We were fortunate to meet the featured artist at the art cooperative. Gaile de Jong’s work was dramatic and very reflective of the local landscapes. She certainly knows how to capture the colour and light in producing her contemporary scenes. We saw a group of people in wetsuits jump into the torrent and float on the rapids out of sight. There were bungy jumping spots, jet boat rides, wine and cheese tasting and more breathtaking scenery.
Arrowtown is also worth the visit. It is an historic gold mining town. If you drop into the post office you may be fortunate to meet the delightful post mistress.
Thinking the magnificent scenery could not get much better we continued to Te Anau where we joined a coach tour and cruise around Milford Sound. It had rained quite heavily the previous night and as we journeyed along the road we were treated to some of the most awinspiring experiences. The chasm was amazing. Hundreds of rushing waterfalls cascaded down sheer mountainsides. Low misty clouds drifted around us and the clean fresh smells of the surroundings were tantalizing. It was truely spectacular! The cruise took us right up to the waterfalls and many of us gasped in the cold crystal shower of one of these waterfalls. We saw many furseals lolling on the rocks and lots of birds. On the return journey the sun shone and we were blessed with a completely different vista. Wow factor at every turn. An experience we will never forget.
Dunedin is a lovely city. Lots of great art galleries and dining experiences. We did the touristy tour to the ‘Yellow Eyed Penguin Conservation area’ and a cruise around Otago Penninsula. It is very impressive to see how the program to protect these gorgeous creatures operates. On the cruise we were able to see so many different bird species including the wonderful albatross. What big birds they are. Fur seals draped themselves on the rocks and one graced us with some pretty fancy swimming and diving.
The Taieri Train Journey was an interesting experience and again we were shown a different environment but just as spectular. As luck would have it the Otago Art Society had an exhibition of very impressive artworks in the historic and very beautiful railway station. Double bonus.
On to Lake Takepo and the breathtaking Mt Cook. The day we visited Mt Cook was perfect. The glacier ice was green and blue where the light shone through. Our stay was fantastic. Again the water in the lake and feeder streams was aquamarine but here it was cloudy.
Our final stop was a very pretty little town, Hanmer Springs. We found a great little shop, the ‘Woolshed Gallery’ where we were well looked after by Moira and were very pleased with the soft wool/possum purchases for the family. Much better than the usual souveniers.
What a wonderful, laid back and welcoming country. We flew home from Christchurch Airport already planning our third trip to New Zealand. Now armed with hundreds of photographs and sketches I will start painting. Hopefully I may capture some of the perfect beauty of what we have seen.