New Zealand

N.B Random photos throughout in no particular order... there are thousands I could have chosen from!

Jucy campervan in Paihia, the Bay of Islands - north of the North Island

North Island - Rotorua in the background taken from the luge

With 6 days to go of our 8 weeks travels methinks it is time for a blog. I have no chance of remembering it all (thank goodness for Mike's daily blogs), so I will attempt a flavour without boring you to sleep. We started in the North Island, moved onto the South Island where we are now while I write this blog and we will finish back up in the North to catch our plane.

NZ is of course, goes without saying, beautiful and beyond! Add to that the experience of campervaning for the first time in our lives, a new campsite every night and ooooh I don't know (but Mike will confirm exactly in his final NZ blog) approximately 5 or 6,000 km of driving... Phew!

Pitstop on the road south of the North Island

 Driving was never better - view from the Jucy in the South Island, there were so many to choose from

I would recommend a Jucy Campervan at the drop of a hat if you are ever travelling in Aus, NZ, USA and yes..... The UK! The vans are purple and lime green which draws a flash of lights and a wave every time you drive past a fellow Jucy... Woo hoo. But as Mike often reminds me, we must show the light and shade in our blogs, so folks, I am looking forward to a proper bed again soon. 

Russel Island - North Island... end of a long walk!

Back to the light - you cannot beat the night stars in NZ to fall asleep to.... WOW. Talking of stars, on Friday we are off to Lake Tekapo to Mt John's observatory to see the southern night sky late at night. It is a world heritage site because of the best night skies in the world for viewing the stars and they take light pollution very seriously. We have picked Friday because it is a new moon here which means it won't be out (it's too bright and would ruin the star gazing) and it is due to be a cloud free night... Fingers crossed. I have been reliably informed that the UK will be seeing an eclipse on the same day. We hope to go whale watching in Kaikoura on Sunday which is on the west coast, catch up with 2 of Mike's friends who emigrated out here 4 years ago and we have still to track up Mt Cook, see Christchurch and experience Auckland.

The most northern point we traveled to in the North Island - Doubtless Bay Coopers Beach

Driving has been a dream here in NZ with roads that stretch and twist forever, a serious lack of cars and definitely no traffic. We have seen and walked up mountains, snow covered peaks, tracks around lakes and stunning coastline. We thought we had done beach in Aus but no, it's here in its abundant and natural state and a blaze of beauty. 

View of Manganui Beach after a walk up Mount Manganui - Tauranga North Island

Taken with a now broken selfie stick!

South Island - Southern Alps on a car drive

Talking of Aus, there is no dangerous wildlife here unless you take into account the sandfly, which we definitely take into account. I won't tell you what Mike and I have renamed them (x rated) but only today we found out that only the female of the species bite you because they need our protein for their eggs. I say get rid of protein and make them extinct, I don't care if they have any useful purpose on this earth aaaagggghhhh. Rant over!

View from our spot on the Rotorua Lake campsite in the North Island

 Early morning at Cable Bay campsite South Island

We have stayed in predominantly really good campsites which was down to our trusted Camping NZ app on the iPad, it has served us very well. Yes, a couple of dodgy ones, which is always when you are near a city. The one we are at tonight in a place called Arrow Town, just outside Queenstown, is lovely with very clean hot showers, great kitchen and barby and a beautifully equipped and located site. Not that we are using barbies at the mo, which brings me onto the climate. So 7 weeks in shorts and t-shirts until 2 days ago then the jeans and warm clothing that has been rolled up at the bottom of our case, came out. It went from 22 degrees to below 10.... What is this, the UK???? Yes, yes I know, it's autumn here in NZ now and their climate is very similar to ours which is why (despite the beauty and a population of only 5 million in a country bigger than ours) I would not choose to live here. Sun is the deal breaker for me. Back to the light side again, it's due to go back up to 20 degrees tomorrow but I don't know if that will last until the end of our stay? Then of course there is the Cyclones but they haven't got any where near us.

These natural pools in Nghawa were amazing but smelly mud (really good for the skin) - North Island

We had the big moment today, the jewel in the crown, the much anticipated Milford Sound, which is not actually a Sound but a Fiord. They spell it with an 'I' here. Don't ask me the difference between a Sound and a Fiord I do not know, but I do know that it was spectacular. The drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound was impressive enough but then we boarded the Jucy Cruze (yes the same company attracting discounts for Jucy campervan users) and went to another level of stunning. Mountains 2,000 metres high that have risen directly out of the ocean that accompany you on either side of you on your cruze. Waterfalls, glaciers and jade green clear waters which the top 3 metres are fresh because of the rainfall and glacier melt and then ocean below. The ocean is the Tasman Sea named after Abel Tasman (Dutch) who founded the area. For once it was not our very own Captain Cook! 2 hours of bliss sitting in the sun on the top deck letting it all wash over me while David Bailey (AKA Mick Dundee Devitt) took enough photos to sink the bloody boat. It was windy at times but the perfect weather to see it. We have decided we are no longer the Griswalds on our tours, we are the lucky Devitts. Nothing has been ruined by weather or cancelled or changed out of our control. We keep shaking our heads at out luck, smiling from ear to ear and moving onto the next adventure.

Just like in Aus, we have met bundles of lovely people. Just tonight we got chatting to Alice, a young lady who owns her own wood fired pizza joint, extensively travelled and has vinyl albums playing in the cafe. She got us to choose an album (all the oldies on offer) and we chose Dark Side of the Moon while we consumed our very large pizza. She was an inspiring young lady, it was our pleasure to meet her and we hope we have perhaps inspired (or if that is too grand) at least given food for thought to some of the people we have met.

Abel Tasman national Park- a walk around the coastline

2 pictures above are Abel Tasman National Park - North of the North Island

I have had a cold the last three days but being the YES people that we are now ( well we try hard) I have kept going. Our plan has always been to keep moving forward, say yes when it would be so easy to say no and squeeze every last drop out of this experience. Talking of drops, we had fun in a place called The Winery 2 days ago in Queenstown. You get a card which slowly totals up what you are spending as you mooch around trying all of the lovely NZ wines. Sample size, half glass and full glass are on offer as well as cheese boards, comfy armchairs with rugs and a great ambiance. It was great and an absolute bargain at 60 dollars (£30) for the 2 of us and we tried loads and had a super cheese board. We thought of our lovely lady Vicky as we circled around, she would have loved it! 

 Mike at The Winery :)

Queenstown and the park - cloudy day but still so beautiful

We have been on luges in Rotorua, in natural hot thermal springs, boats to islands, national parks and walks round gardens. 

About to luge down the mountain in Rotorua - North Island... of course I was faster than Mike!!

More Manganui Beach - North Island

We have promised ourselves that in 10 years time we will not be naming all of the foliage and fauna on display even though we read every plaque, board and information leaflet going. Mike is the map king (he loves an old fashioned paper map) and I leave that to him, Geography never was my strong point even though I somehow managed an A level in the subject... How did that happen? We have shared the driving in NZ much more (I did most of it in Aus) and as a consequence, when I am the co-pilot, I fail miserably because I fall asleep....useless I know.

Communicating with family and friends has been much harder in NZ with the 13 hour difference and variable access to good wifi. Much of the time there is no signal when you are on the road in the middle of sheep, farmland, mountains and trees. However, we did manage to Facetime Mike's Mum and Dad on his Dad's birthday which was lovely and also had a quick chat with number one son who seriously needs a shave... Love you really xxxx only 19 days until we see him... Big smile right now. My Mum and John are of course just across the Tasman sea in Cairns right now and I have just read an email from my Mum to say that they are being moved on because of Cyclone Nathan so they are not going to see the Great Barrier Reef, we are absolutely gutted for them. They are having the time of their lives and we hope their flight to Melbourne on Friday goes ahead as scheduled. My Dad is holding the fort in Cyprus and coming to the end of his eight week stint of Tazzie Boy sitting, we will be forever grateful Dad and thoughts are with you in the UK Dee x hi sisters, hoping you are all well xx

I feel educated having been on these travels and I truly believe there is no substitute for learning as seeing and experiencing our world in all of its glory. We have seen but a tiny part and just want to see more. Having seen an active volcano, craters, geysers and mud pools reaching 80 degrees and upwards, I feel privileged. 

Into the crater! How the world began at Waimangu North Island. Water temperature 70 degrees and smoking! High acidic ph value

Waimangu - yes it was really that beautiful sky blue

I must also make a nod to the cruise over the Cook straight from the North to South Island travelling through Marlborough Sound, acknowledged as the most beautiful ferry ride in the world. 

Leaving Wellington (capital city) in the North Island on the Interislander Cruiser

Entering the South Island on the Interislander Cruiser via Marlborough Sound

More of the Cook Straight and Marlborough Sound, the photos do not do it justice as it was so serene and pretty awesome

The Pancake rock formations and blow hole - Punakaiki South Island

Franz Josef Glacier - South Island

So when the debts are paid back in the UK and we have done some honest work for a while, I will be onto my next travel project. I know we still have until September in Cyprus, which is immense, but South East Asia is very high on the list and I won't rest until we have it planned.... Don't worry Mum, it could take a long while!! Promise we are not emigrating. 

I know that there is much that I have left out but the oh so comfy campervan bed is calling. See mikedevitt.blogspot.co.uk for daily, funny, informative and darn right brilliant blogs... He is a writer don't you know xxxx

We will be departing Auckland on Wednesday 25th March early evening and will be back in Cyprus at 10:30 am on Thursday 26th March having stopped all but briefly in Brisbane for re-fuel and Dubai to change planes. That doesn't sound too long does it but with all of the time zones it's one long old flight. I don't know if I will blog again about these travels unless I cannot sleep on the planes and decide to do one last short blog. I may blog when I am back in Cyprus, then again I may be too busy teaching English to Russian children.

Milford Sound

2 photos above of Milford Sound - windswept and not interesting! Not photo shopped I promise.

Love to you all and here's to a mega summer in the UK xxxxxxxxx

Sent from my iPad