The historic Lake Mahinapua Hotel, located between the lake of the same name and the rough Tasman Sea, is our accommodation for two days. Not far from Hokitika, we play golf on a links course. The surf accompanies us throughout the game. Even if you can't see it, you can definitely hear it.
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| The historic Lake Mahinapua Hotel, New Zealand |
After two relaxing days, we set off on the last leg of our journey on the South Island. In Greymouth, we leave the coast and head back inland. The landscape is very reminiscent of the pastures in Montana. Lots of space and nothing else. That nothingness almost proved fatal for us. Not a single gas station for over 80 kilometers. I didn't expect to see a sign like the ones in Germany saying “Last gas station before the border,” but even I started to feel uneasy when the reserve light came on and we still had 50 kilometers to go to the next gas station. We take a short break in Murchison before finally returning to Marlborough Sound via Nelson. This is where our tour of New Zealand's South Island began.
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| Country life in Linkwater, New Zealand |
We stay in Linkwater to explore the fjord landscape a little more. In two days, our ferry will take us from Picton back to Wellington on the North Island. This time, we have a daytime crossing so that we can see Cook Strait. We drive to Mahau Sound and on to Kenepuru Sound. The roads are badly damaged and often only passable in one lane. This means you have to constantly watch out for oncoming traffic. The numerous bends mean you can't drive fast anyway. In some places, the terrain next to the road drops steeply down to the sound. It's better not to be afraid of heights, at least for the passenger. In return, you get to experience a unique fjord landscape that is second to none. The trees often reach right down to the water. Steep side roads lead to small bays. In Te Mahia Bay, we find a small café with a view of the bay and Kenepuru Sound.
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| Te Mahia Bay, New Zealand |
Picton was originally called Newton, but during the colonization of New Zealand, the names of cities changed frequently. In 1859, Newton was renamed in honor of Sir Thomas Picton. Picton is located on Queen Charlotte Sound and is nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains to the east and west. Between 1844 and 1850, the land was purchased from the Māori and served as the seat of the provincial government. After disputes and power struggles, the seat was finally moved to Blenheim. Picton is the link to the North Island. All goods and passenger traffic are handled via the ferry port in Picton. This leads to bottlenecks, especially during the holiday season. Fortunately, the holiday season is over, so we get a connection at two o'clock in the afternoon. In Queen Charlotte Sound, it is still reasonably calm, although there are already strong gusts of wind here too. As we leave the sound, the sea becomes rougher. The ship's movements increase, and it is advisable not to leave your seat. Getting to the toilet is difficult. After four hours, we reach Wellington. Wellington is the capital of New Zealand. Together with the cities of Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, and Porirua, it forms New Zealand's second-largest metropolitan area after Auckland. Wellington is located in a very exposed position at the southern tip of the North Island with strong wind currents. This is why the city is also called the “Windy City.” Wellington was originally called Port Nicholson and was renamed Wellington in 1840. The gold rush in Otago sparked secessionist movements on the South Island, which had to be suppressed. As a result, the seat of government was moved from Auckland to Wellington. In 1863, the city was declared the capital. Whether the secession did not take place because of the relocation of the capital or simply because the gold rush did not last very long, I leave to the reader to decide. The fact is that both islands still belong to New Zealand.
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| Cook Street, New Zealand |
From Wellington, we first drive along the west coast to Palmerston North. Another peculiarity in New Zealand is that city names are given twice. That's why, for example, Palmerston has “North” after it, because there is a second Palmerston on the South Island. A Gaul would say, “They're crazy, those Romans,” but we're not in Gaul or the Roman Empire; we're in New Zealand. From Palmerston North, we then cross the island to the east side. In Waipawa, we stop at the Goat Horn Cafe. Frederick Sedgwick Abbott acquired the land at the ford of the Waipawa River in 1851. He named the place where the river could be crossed Abbott's Ford. In 1860, he sold shares of his land to settlers and craftsmen who founded the town of Abbottsford. As with other places, the name was later changed to Waipawa. In 1908, the town was granted city status. This is all the more astonishing given that the town still has fewer than 2,000 inhabitants today. Via Waipawa, we finally reach Hawkes Bay, where we pitch our tents in Havelock NORTH (attentive readers will have guessed that there is a second Havelock on the South Island) to explore the bay.
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| Cap Kidnappers, New Zealand |
I'll tell you all about Cape Kidnappers in the far south of Hawkes Bay and Napier next week. Until then, fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.
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