2015 New Zealand
 

Day 6 - 13/09/2015 Fairlee

2015 New Zealand
Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ Today we drive from Te Anau to our overnight resting place at Fairlie, a distance of 467 kms. We now have the majority of the return to Christchurch out of the way. The weather is good the whole way and at times it even feels hot: 20 – 22 degrees; such a change from yesterday. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ It is a beautiful, clear sunny day when we awaken this morning. The sun, rising behind us in the east, casts a sharp shadow. The sky is clear in the Fiordland National Park opposite and we see snow on mountain tops that were previously hidden behind the clouds. Glorious. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ We start the day at a great little coffee shop in Te Anau called the Sandfly; good coffee, a scone for me and a berry muffin for Jenni. We vote Te Anau as one of the most fabulous places we’ve ever been fortunate enough to visit. The freshwater lake with its perfect backdrop of Fiordland’s snow-covered mountains is quite enchanting. The village itself is pretty as a picture; the people are friendly and helpful. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ Almost as soon as we leave Te Anau the destruction of the landscape begins again. "Wilding conifers threaten permanently to alter the unique landscapes that are only found in NZ. Wilding conifers currently cover more than 1.8 million ha of land, and are spreading at an estimated rate of 5% a year." NZ Dept of Conservation
Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ In this otherwise picturesque setting, every native tree and shrub has been destroyed and replaced with foreign species. It upsets me because farming has done enormous damage to the habitat of NZ's unique flora and fauna. There is no balance between the economic needs of the human inhabitants and the native plants and animals. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ How much nicer would this be if we were driving through a forest of Southern Beech or podocarp? What about the magnificent Kauri? "Kauri are now protected from logging, but there are only 7,455 hectares of mature kauri forests remaining. We also have almost 60,000 hectares of regenerating forest and scrubland containing kauri. However, this is less than 5 percent of the kauri forests we once had." Statistics NZ Gov Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ We head SE for a while before arcing to the north. The problem is that there are mountains in the way and we have to drive around them. We find ourselves driving in shadow for quite some time. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ After an hour or so of easy driving we arrive at the Southern tip of Lake Wakapitu. Interesting country this, the eroding mountains fill in the valleys to provide perfectly flat farming landscapes. There are small clumps of native trees on the mountains beyond, probably podocarp and beech.
Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ This farm even has an unlimited supply of pure fresh water. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ Jenni taking the previous picture. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ Lake Wakatipu is a glacial lake 380 metres deep, 80 kms long and is NZs longest lake. Its floor is below current sea level. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ A short time later we drive up past the township of Kingston and stop to admire the view. The hillside here also has a few clumps of native trees; they are quite noticeable because of their different colour.
Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ That tree on the right is actually a NZ native, it's called the cabbage tree/ti kouka. It is common throughout farmland, open places, wetlands and scrubland of the North and South Islands. The trunk of the cabbage tree is so fire-resistant that early European settlers used it to make chimneys for their huts. Conveniently too, the leaves made fine kindling. They also brewed beer from the root. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ The water really is this blue. It is continually topped up by snow melt as it drains through Kawarau River 8 km east of Queenstown. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ We're slightly north of Kingston heading in the direction of Queenstown, the centre of the South Island's tourist industry. Wanaka is at the top right and Milford Sound, another popular spot, is to the top left. The lake drains through the Kawarau River 8 km east of Queenstown. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ As we continue north around Lake Wakatipu we stop at this pebble beach.
Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ The mountains on the opposite side adjoin the Fiordland National Park but are not part of it. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ Then we pass through an interesting area called the Devil's Staircase. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ After the ardours of the journey, we stop to take in the views of the lake at a township called Wye Creek. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ Lake Wakatipu and the weather remains benign. After this we turn inland a bit and head for Frankton.
Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ At Frankton, we continue past the intersection that would have taken us to Queenstown, the hub of the South Island's tourist industry. It's Sunday and the traffic is bad. Relatively bad that is; we've been spoiled over the last few days. We then take a short detour to Arrowtown, an historical village. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ It looks great, very attractive and very crowded - sort of, there must be dozens of people. We push on without a coffee or a snack. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ We leave Arrowtown and drive to Arrow Junction. Here we have the opportunity to take a very minor road to Wanaka, another of NZ's famous tourist spots. We take the exit to Wanaka and drive up a very steep hill and get out to enjoy the view. I start thinking that if the rest of the trip to Wanaka is like this, our old rental car might not make it. Jenni wants to continue but I throw myself on the ground and scream until she agrees to turn back. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ We drive a short distance east towards Cromwell and pass several vineyards. Then we go through the Karawati Gorge. What I like about this is its rugged mountains and cliffs totally devoid of sheep, cattle, pine trees, gorse and poplars.
Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ Through the gorge . . . Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ . . . and out the other side. Farming starts again, this time it's vineyards. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ We make good time and stop for lunch at Tarras which is at the northern end of Lake Dunstan. We sit in very pleasant sunshine that must be 20-22°, an amazing contrast with yesterday’s freezing temperatures. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ Here, over lunch, we finally work out the setting on Jenni's Pentax that means nearly every picture she has taken until now is not optimal (bad). I squirm, smile sheepishly and point out that every picture she takes from now on will be good. Note to self: in Program mode, the ISO setting remains fixed on its initial setting. In P mode, the camera adjusts speed and aperture only.
Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ Since arriving in NZ, I have noticed that poplars are very common. They were introduced during the 1830s, are benign and are used to mark boundaries, provide wind breaks and assist soil stabilisation. Poplars are dead ugly during winter and the poplars we see are still devoid of foliage. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ The next point of interest is the Lindis Pass on the way to Omarama. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ The pass is lovely, a mix of snow-covered peaks and bare rock faces totally devoid of plant or tree growth. It is hauntingly beautiful. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ This bronze plaque, dated March 1971, commemorates the release into the wild of a herd of deer one hundred years earlier. OK, so deer are herbivores and not a threat to native fauna; and a deer is fun to creep up on, to shoot, to skin, to eat and to hang its stuffed head on a wall as a tribute to he hunter’s bravery, cunning and skill at setting the telescopic sights on a high-powered rifle. But, deer in NZ have no natural enemies like “lions and tigers and bears – oh my”, so their numbers have exploded to pest proportions to the detriment of native flora.
Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ We drive through Omarama to Twizel. Here the road goes past an artificial lake, Lake Pukaki. What’s memorable about this lake is that the water is the bluest of blues which means the lake is not stagnant and continually replenishes. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ Then on to Lake Tekapo. This is also an artificial lake and the two lakes work together to produce hydroelectricity. It covers an area of 83 square ms, and is at an altitude of 710 metres above sea level. The lake is fed at its northern end by the Godley River, which has its source in the Southern Alps to the north. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ We continue on the final leg of our journey to Fairlee as gloomy clouds start to form. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ But it remains dry and the traffic remains almost non existent. Driving in the South Island must be the easiest in the world.
Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ We check in to our motel in Fairlee and ask at the desk where's the best place to eat; Stag Restaurant about 500 metres up the road. We’re not too tired despite driving 467 Kms. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ We have a great meal. Jenni has venison and I have a scotch fillet steak. Later, we both vote this the best meal of our trip to NZ. Day 6 - 40th Anniversary trip to NZ After our meal, we visit the (non-) smoking room; wood panelled, fire place, very British country gentlemen's, blokey kind of place. We are thrilled when a staff member takes a picture of us posing beneath the trophy of Bambi.  
Day 7 - 14/09/2015 ChristchurchNext: Day 7 - 14/09/2015 Christchurch Day 5 - 12/09/2015 Doubtful SoundPrevious: Day 5 - 12/09/2015 Doubtful Sound
jAlbum image gallery software & TurtleSkin: Turtle Black, 5.6.7 Download   ·   Help