South Island - Our Intrepid Journey Day 143 – 157 8 - 23 Mar 2010

Oxford to Moeraki and a few places in between.

The following are some pics of some of location we have been to over these few days. This blog is best viewed in conjunction with Raewyn's email episodes.

Oxford - Early morning clouds on the hills.

Peel Forest.  Looking for early morning honeydew.

Ealing,  Irrigation ducts around the area we stayed at Ealing.

Rangitata River.  No salmon here yet. Remains of old road bridge.

Peel Forest.  'Treebeard' the 1000+ year old Totara.

Woodbury.  The local church.

Woodbury.  Was certainly quite something, built early 1900’s.

South Canterbury Coast.  Interesting pastoral scene with railway and sea.

Waimate.  NZMCA Park, that’s us in the centre, where we based ourselves for a few days.

Waimate has it’s own white horse.

Waimate.  Now there’s a real old sign, note AA.

On the road.  Yes boots, mostly 'gum' competition for 'bras'.

Kurow.  Whilst taking a pic of this old historic building.

Kurow.  We felt we were being watched.

Kurow.  More than once.  (Actually a little licence was taken as this pic was taken at Hakataramea.)

Hakataramea.  Evening 14 March we were free camped beside the Hakataramea River.

Hakataramea.  Where the evening provided opportunities.

Hakataramea.  For some interesting pics.

Hakataramea.  Very interesting indeed.

Hakataramea.  Handheld, low light and full zoom – shakes.

Kurow.  The pub has a ‘bob’ each way with Speights, DB and Lion. The hill in the background is Kurow Hill. There was a geocache at the top.

Kurow.  It was a long hot climb to the top.  (Yes I know speck is spelt wrong but it's too hard to change.  Just checking if you actually read the blog !!!)

Kurow.  Whilst the photo stitch isn’t so good the view certainly was.

Kurow.  Geocaching is certainly taking us places.

Kurow.  Like this old ruins of a three room cottage way out back.

Kurow.  Typically made from local stone and mud.

Duntroon.  Our travels took us to sites, Elephant Rock, where the movie The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe was filmed.

Duntroon.  Some of the sets have been left to view.

Duntroon.  No we’re not a mobile milking shed!

Awamoko.  It’s sure is dry in these parts.

Oamaru

Oamaru.  A solid bank.  Note the car in front and family was on TV.  They have travelled the world in this auto.

Oamaru.  Steam powered Ford Prefect....yeah right

Oamaru.  Main street.

Oamaru.  The main street and in fact all the side streets have memories of times past with the fabulous old buildings thanks to the Oamaru stone.

Oamaru.  An opera house that most New Zealand cities would be proud of.

All Day Bay.  Another nice free camp site at All Day Bay.

Maheno.  Build it and they will come. Maheno Rugby Club grandstand.

Maheno.   Just out of Maheno is Clarks Mill.  This mill was one of the last water powered mills in New Zealand.

Kuriheka.  I know rabbits are a problem but really….!

Kuriheka.  They’re surrounded.

Kuriheka.  Yes they’re serious. This was way off the beaten track at Kuriheka.

Kuriheka.  The estate is hugewith most buildings showing 1889 as the year.  The original owner was a collector or artillery pieces from the 1914-18 war and earlier.

Wainakarua.  What’s so fascinating about railway lines?

Wainakarua.  And old bridges.

Wainakarua.  ‘No Circulars’ on the letter box.

Wainakarua.  We needed some eggs but not this big.

Moeraki.  The Moeraki Boulders are well worth viewing, almost compulsory..

Moeraki.  The broken ones are just as interesting.

Moeraki.  So are the carnivorous ones – beware.

Moeraki.  Boulder tracks maybe?

South Island - Our Intrepid Journey Day 133 – 142 27 Feb - 8 Mar 2010

The following are some pics of some of location we have been to over these few days.  This blog is best viewed in conjunction with Raewyn's email episodes.

 It was far to windy to stay at Kaikoura.

 So it was back north a few kms and just over the Hapuku bridge to the turn off to the historic Puhi Puhi School.

It’s 6km up a gravel road to a small free DOC camp.  It was here we learnt of the Chile tsunami.

 Much further south is the Hurunui River mouth.

Where I had a go at salmon fishing.  One hook up but not landing.

Not all the local population was interested in fishing.

 Unusual wind formed rock formation on the way to Motunau Beach.

With yet an unusual island not far off shore.

Yes, I’m fascinated by long straight railway lines, in this case double. 

 Or where two make one.  Taken at Scargill on the back road from Greta Valley to Waikari.

The following few pics were taken on a 4 hour return hike over some big hills to first find a geocaches and secondly see some Maori rock art.

 The rock art was in black and red.

Well preserved under a rocky overhang.

 That is at the far right of the rock formation.

The weather was hot and dry and hay making was in full swing.

Running from Waikari a couple of times a month is the Weka Pass railway with one station at Frog Rock.

From this enlarged pic you can see why. 

 There was a geocaches up on it so it was a fun climb.  Our motorhome is in the distance.

Dusty farm still life.

  

Geocaching, our newfound pastime that gets us visiting interesting places that we might miss otherwise.  Visit www.geocaching.com