Tag: South Island NZ

THE RETIREES VISIT THE SOUTH ISLAND ACROSS THE DITCH blog 495 Episode 7

19TH MAY TO 10TH JUNE 2026

Day 17 Nelson

Our accommodation was just on the outer edge of the centre of town. We had not made any forward plan about the next day beyond looking around the CBD and we would take it as we found it. We awoke and decided that we would eat breakfast at a café. The CBD was close but not that close so we bundled into the car and parked where we could and started the exploration of Nelson but the shops were in most cases closed for the weekend. We were on the hunt for a cafe and noted the town centre was interconnected with arcades. The town’s designers must have had the notion that arcades were the retail design of the future. Travelling through just one arcade we came to what would have to be one of the smallest of coffee shops – takeaway only. That would not suit so across the road and down the end of another arcade we found our breakfast destination. Finishing breakfast, I noticed a neighbouring building – a two-story barber’s shop with a delivery hoist on the first floor. I thought that was unique but in a heritage sense maintaining a disused warehouse.

Photos             tiny coffee shop, and barber’s shop.

We motored around Nelson then drove along Queen Elizabeth II Dve, toward Picton, and then back to Wakefield Quay and Rocks Rd. At some point we turned around to head back to the motel and in doing so we noticed the Boat Shed in Wakefield Quay. I don’t know how we missed it earlier particularly with a container ship tied up nearby. We pulled off the road to visit the café and faced a public warning notice on the handrail announcing that there had been a sewerage spill and that contact with the water was not advised. Well, we had no intention of swimming, but we would check where the café drew its water. On entering the café, we became aware this was a restaurant. They were happy to serve coffee so long as we finished by 5.30pm. Also, they assured us their water didn’t come from the harbour – what a relief. A picturesque site but the menu was a bit rich for us, so we moved on to obtain our dinner elsewhere.

Boat Shed Cafe inside the Shed and view to the strait container ship, and public notice, .

Day 18               Nelson to Kaikoura   

We left Nelson and travelled into the Marlborough district and vineyards. There were a few things we wanted to do on the way to Kaikoura one being to visit the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre at Blenheim. Located in a hangar in Omaka aerodrome on the outskirts of Blenheim, Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre houses an astonishing collection of World War I and World War II fighter planes, along with artefacts and possessions from the battlefields of Europe. Inside, the story of the people who fought on both sides of the lines are brought to life through a series of stunning displays and dioramas. Covering everything from legendary heroes, like Eddie Rickenbacker and Manfred von Richthofen, to local New Zealanders who travelled back to Europe to defend the crown, the museum’s two exhibitions are fascinating and sobering.

Lord of the Rings director, Peter Jackson, brings his personal collection of war memorabilia to life in the stunning Knights of the Sky exhibition. The exhibition features several re-enactments of real-life WWI battles, with each scene being brought back to life with unerring realism through dioramas produced by Wingnut films, accompanied by unbelievably believable mannequins from award-winning special effects company Weta Workshops. There is a picture of Captain Clive Franklyn Collett MC (28 August 1886 – 23 December 1917) in the museum. He was a World War I flying ace from New Zealand credited with 11 aerial victories. He was the first British or Commonwealth military pilot to use a parachute, in a test. While serving as a test pilot, he crashed to his death in a captured German fighter. There is a diorama of the Australian soldiers having shot down the Red Baron’s Fokker Triplane stealing his boots and later the original fabric fuselage cross cut from the side of the Red Baron’s Fokker Triplane displayed in the museum.

The Museum, the DC3, the café, the planes, diorama of German plane in flight, life size German plane, more planes, de Havilland DH2 “Scout”, British plane and USA ambulance, Fokker E III Ein decker, French Breguet 14 A2, bomber, Curtiss MF Flying Boat, British fighter plane RAF R.E.8, planes, British Vickers Vimy, 2 x diorama “Over the trenches” RAF S.E.5a, diorama “Crashed in a tree”, German Siemens – Schuckert D.IV, French biplane Nieuport model 27 and Nieuport 24, diorama “Australians down the Red Baron”, Pfalz D III, British De Havilland DH4, Halberstadt D.IV, early machine gun carrier, Captain Clive Franklyn Collett MC (28 August 1886 – 23 December 1917) tries his parachute, original fabric fuselage cross, cut from the side of the Red Baron’s Fokker Triplane.

You can tell how impressive this museum is by the photos I have taken. History presented vividly. I have not included Pfalz D III, British De Havilland DH4, Halberstadt D.IV, early machine gun carrier, Captain Clive Franklyn Collett MC (28 August 1886 – 23 December 1917) tries his parachute. I don’t know why but those pictures when posted are viewed in landscape.

We then called in at Villa Maria Vineyard Cellar door where we did a wine tasting and picked up two bottles of Sauvignon Blanc for our card games, followed by Tekahu O Waipuna Library and Art Gallery.

After lunch in the café, we journeyed onto Kaikoura and our apartment at Waves Kaikoura Waterfront Apartment. Easier said than done. Finding how to access our apartment was not so easy. To gain access saw Kerry running around trying to interpret the means of gaining access. After an hour of stuffing around we finally had the formula to access the keys and codes to get in up 2 flights of stairs.

The apartment was quite acceptable for us to share. So we had a few hands of cards then off to bed so that we were up bright and early for the THE RETIREES VISIT THE SOUTH ISLAND ACROSS THE DITCH blog 495 Episode 8.

THE RETIREES VISIT THE SOUTH ISLAND ACROSS THE DITCH blog 495 Episode 1

19TH MAY TO 10TH JUNE 2026

Day 1   Flying on Virgin Air Lines for the first time since the change of ownership during Co-vid, Kerry and I arrive at Queenstown International Airport at the scheduled arrival time of 3.40 pm. We are traveling with Barry and Sandi, fellow retirees and cruise ship travellers and now partnering them in their adventure on the South Island. Barry had selected our hire car which was awaiting us off site. It had been a guess as to what space was needed for the four of us and our luggage, but we seemed to have guessed well. We pick up our Nissan X-Trail Hatchback, plan and load the luggage, and leave the car hire company with Barry in the driver’s seat, following his faithful Garmin GPS and drive to our Queenstown hotel, where we stay in Sherwood just down the road from the airport. We had booked into the Lodge in the hotel whilst Barry and Sandi had chosen a unit with a view of the lake.

our hotel and our room

Barry and Sandi had planned to catch up with their daughter Ruth but with no plans as to where they would dine. We were invited to join them, and plans were made to go to a local pizza restaurant. Local turned out to be the restaurant in the Holiday Inn Hotel next door to our hotel. Neither Kerry or I had met Ruth previously but she was delightful company. She is a young traveller mixing travel and study enjoying her nomad life. Dinner was fun and the meals were fine. Barry and Sandi will catch up with her again when their paths next cross.

Photos of, the sunrise and Lake Wakatipu.

Day 2 – Queenstown and Arrowtown

Our plans were fluid as to what we might find or do throughout the journey. After breakfast at the hotel, we drove to Arrowtown. Arrowtown is a historic gold mining town 20 minutes from Queenstown and located on the banks of the Arrow River. The town is popular because it preserves its 1860s gold-rush history while offering a vibrant, modern food and shopping scene. The town has stunning natural landscapes. The winter season had turned the trees which were covered with autumn foliage.

Arrowtown buildings and its surroundings,

A highlight and surprise for us was the Lakes District Museum. The museum provided an insight into the gold mining history of Queenstown. The museum had constructed a number of scenes as things might have been as well and telling its history.

Lakes District Museum.

Queenstown sits directly on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, New Zealand’s longest lake (84 km) famous for its dramatic Z-shape, pristine water, and unique natural tide. Framed by the Remarkables mountain range, this alpine lake is the vibrant hub for Queenstown’s sightseeing, cruises, and water sports. So, after visiting Arrowtown Barry drove onto the docks where TSS Earnslaw Steamship is docked to catch the cruise boat RedNZ which would take us for a cruise to the Walter Peak High Country Farm. It was by then getting a bit late (sunset was around 5.00pm) so we did not hop off as we had a big drive to Te Anu and Milford Sound tomorrow.

TSS Earnslaw Steamship, the lake, the Walter Peak High Country Farm, RedNZ and the steamship again

Day 3   Queenstown to Te Anau

It is a 6-hour drive to Parklands Motel in Te Anau. On the way we had a stop at the Dome Café in Mossburn. Great coffee stop, on your travels to Te Anau or Milford/Doubtful Sound but not much in the village. Beside the café there is a business called Bracken Hall claiming to have the best venison pies in the South Island. Apart from that there was a new petrol station (one of those 24 hours self-serve unattended things very popular in NZ) and the original petrol station on the opposite side of the road looking more like Steptoe & Son yard and just dirty with vehicles to be repaired or beyond repair. After coffee and cake and a visit to the bathroom, we hit the road again. We were starting to see more sheep, more and more mountains and low cloud. Low cloud would be a feature of the scenery whenever approaching or in the mountains.

Mossburn on the road to Te Anu – Dome Café, Low cloud on the mountains, Sheep of course, Bracken Hall

We arrived in Te Anu around 1.30pm and the rooms were not ready. We took the opportunity to take a drive around the town, visit the Lake and the float plane dock and a short drive along the road toward Milford Sound as the rooms weren’t ready. We got as far as Lake Mistletoe where we found a park and the outside dunny in the form of a long drop. A map showing our position and the distance to Milford Sound caught our eye. The beach was all river stone and tee pees of driftwood had been erected probably by the park rangers. We had cut some sandwiches and carried boiling water in our flask so that we could have lunch overlooking the lake. We returned to the main road and found our way to Mistletoe walk. The track was a circuit, and we noticed an abundance of fungi/mushrooms and strange trees with extended limbs. As we approached the edge of Lake Mistletoe the scenery was very dramatic with mountains in the background, bird life abounding and unusual groundcovers.

Photos              Float plane docking, Lake Mistletoe, the long drop lunch at the lake, fungi, ground cover and bird life, Float planes at dock

We returned to Te Anu and our accommodation. We roamed the streets to find our evening repast – bottles of wine and snacks whilst we played cards (Skipbo). We arose early, had breakfast and were ready to move onto Milford Sound. This is when I took the morning photo of the Float planes at dock.

Float planes at dock

Day 4   Te Anau             The day was not promising the best weather so we decided that Kerry and I would cruise on Milford Sound. Barry and Sandi chose a walk in the Sound having enjoyed the cruise on a previous occasion. Milford Sound or Piopiotahi in Māori is a breathtaking fiord in New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park, renowned for its dramatic sheer cliffs, cascading waterfalls, and inky dark waters. Yes, a fiord – a valley carved by glacier. It was a long drive with Barry at the wheel. Dramatic scenery surrounded us. The mountains were astounding, shooting up like a forest all round. We encountered just 1 tunnel, and it was single lane as well. So, as you will see in the photos, we had to await our turn to pass through. When our turn came, I was able to photograph the interior passage. More mountains rose around us as we made our way to the Milford Sound dock with the vegetation changing to dense forest.

Dramatic mountains, tunnel, tunnel passage, more mountains,

Arriving at the dock there was a very modern quay and visitor complex with 9 vessels tied up awaiting the passengers for the day. We had a bit of a wait and moved along the wharf viewing all the vessels. I was particularly taken by Milford Mariner, part sail part cruising yacht. However, that was not our vessel – we boarded the Milford Monarch. The boat was not crowded at all. The biggest crowd was a bus tour. Our vessel was the last to sail. The photos will tell you what we saw. Kerry and I found the cruise disappointing – very little wildlife was visible and but for the evening showers overnight there would not have been any waterfalls.

Milford Mariner and Milford Monarch at the quayside, photos of the sound

Now I know the wildlife is not like a zoo but the promises of seeing Hector Dolphins, NZ fur Seals, Albatrosses and everything else was clearly just marketing. As explained by the staff “you’re here out of season”. We rejoined Barry and Sandi for the drive back to Te Anu, to hunt for dinner and play more Skipbo. During our hunt for dinner, we encountered one of the world’s smallest coffee venues. We all agreed that we would get our morning coffee there.

Day 5 Barry selecting his coffee, the coffee shop,

Episode 2 Our hunt for Invercargill follows. Keep reading to enjoy the whole safari.