Chopper On Tour

Week 1 in New Zealand

I thought that it was about time that I let you folks know what the hell I've been up to since I left Singapore...so here goes kids: I arrived in Christchurch in South Island on August 8th at around lunchtime and I have to say that there were two things that immediately struck me, the first was the utterly miserable immigration officer and the second was the fact that it was f***ing freezing cold. Of course I expected it to be cold being Winter and all but not as cold as it was (is). Well I made my way on the bus to the City Centre to get my ass to Stoneyhurst Backpackers, pretty cool place I'll have to admit - 90% Japanese so not too many folk to commuicate with, I did try but gave up. I thought it best to stretch my legs even though I was wrecked with jet lag. Went out to Hagley Park, which is the biggest public parkland in New Zealand, it's huge and as you can imagine it is dominated by sports, everything from Rugby to Netball etc etc and there is an 8K running track all the way around, 'good as gold'. I then took in the Arts Centre, the Museum and the lovely Cathedral Square. It was then some time for some shut eye as Chopper was bushed.

Due to some jetlag issues I woke up wide awake at 4am and thought that I would do some more 'leg stretching' which is something that when I even feel remotely bored, I tend to do, I am tending to think that I am turning into Forrest Gump!! sort of... I clocked pretty early on my trek that sod all opens until 7am but I had also clocked a very cool bakery by then, so I stocked up on steak and cheese pies at opening time and then headed for the info centre. Now, one thing about New Zealand is that there tourist info service is extremely impressive and what's more if you ask a kiwi something not only do they usually know they will happily disclose tons of info. They have enormous national pride and also they are extremely knowledgable about their country. I took a bus to the gondola to get some kick ass views over the Banks Peninsula and Christchurch, I was not disappointed.
Photo here: Christchurch and Southern Alps

The gondola took me to some breathtaking views over Lyttleton (port town) and the rest of the banks peninsula and it was then that I really first saw the Southern Alps, absolutely stunning, most stunning being Mt Cook. I then took the bus back to the centre and took in the trams, punting on the river Avon and had a feed at the Asian food hall. Again at this stage I wish to emphasise that Christchurch is swamped with Japanese, no incorrect, New Zealand in fact is swamped with Japanese, most odd and I have not yet discovered why. I have met many Japanese, the odd one believe it or not knew enough English for us to converse and they both said to me: "I hate Christchurch"... "why", I said, because there are so many Japanese people... hmmmmmmm. Tuesday was a belter, I took the tour of Akaroa, which is the one and only French settlement in New Zealand, so that I could see the Hector's Dolphins being the smallest Dolphins in the World. The trip out to Akaroa was really impressive I had my first sighting of the Black Swan, a native of Australia (they are the emblem of Western Australia and Perth's Swan River is named after these things). We went through Tai Tapu, home of the New Zealand Cricket Academy, most strange that it's in the middle of nowhere, on through Motukarara (Land of the Hill of the Lizards) and then through the awesome Gibby's Pass, around Lake Ellesmere (the 6th largest in NZ and home to 160,000 birds). Then past Kaitorete Spit - developed by the early Maoris, and then on to Akaroa.

Once I got to Akaroa I got myself on an ocean going boat to see the Hector's Dolphins, see: http://www.wdcs.org/dan/publishing.nsf/allweb/08E489AA927308A480256B130043C4C2 and I saw about 15!!! they were totally cool and really playful, it was also breathtaking I loved it. Being on that boat allowed me to see parts of the coastline that one would not usually see which was amazing. Being on my own at the back of that boat with nothing but Ocean to look at also gave me a few moments to reflect, and I think that that was the first time that it actually hit me what I was doing, and not just that but that it was something that felt totally right, and what's more that I was/am totally loving it!
Photo here: View from back of boat

Wednesday I departed for Timaru where I did lots of walking, and I mean lots of walking. It was here that I met a wicked Japanese dude called Hisashi, and taught him loads of daft english slang, mainly from Bo Selecta! and Little Britain and he was somewhat confused but he took my teachings on board (I know because I have bumped into him again in the hostel that I am in in Dunedin) which was hilarious and an aussie called Anton from Melbourne, a great lad. Timaru was totally beautiful, from the top of the town you had magical views of the Southern Alps to the west and then a beautiful bay and beaches to the east. I was only one night in Timaru so I headed off on Thursday morning with Marcy, new buddy - Maths teacher from Seattle. She was a lovely girl, very quiet and certainly not used to my deep sarcasm and scepticism but think she got used to it.

My next journey took me to the now sleepy but once thriving Oamaru, a town that is supported by mining of Whitestone but once Gold. Truly architecturally rich but not a place for the restless. BUT.... what Oamaru does have is some very rare wildlife. That evening I went with Marcy, Peter the Oxford undergraduate and Bruce our driver to the Yellow eyed penguin viewing point, they are the rarest in the world and only found in this part of NZ, and with only 5,000 in existence now, we were all rather surpised to catch sight of 5 and it was unforgettable. Then to top it off I went to the blue penguin viewing point, also rare and the smallest penguins in the world, I saw about 10 of these. After the penguin watching we headed to the strongly recommended Criterion Hotel (now just a pub with an open wood fire) for some nosh and some Wanaka Tall Dark for me (that's beer to the rest of you). It was here that I witnessed something unusual, but it has happened several times since, the NZ phenomenon of 'Jammin'. Basically after enough beer, all the locals take turns murdering tunes that you and I have grown to love over the years, it was a sad day.

I headed off to the Moeraki Boulders with Marcy on the bus. I had negotiated with Bruce to pick us both up at 2pm for $10.. errr. He did eventually pick us up but at 4.30pm, not funny I was almost ice. But the boulders were pretty mental, glad I got to see them, they are truly odd things. So eventually made it back to Oamaru to thaw out and headed out for a wander.. Was heading for a beer on the way home when I bumped into Marcy again and we decided to have a beer and mull over the option of going to 'Jammin' night at the Penguin Club see: http://www.thepenguinclub.co.nz/home.html . We did and it was pretty damn good, the Metallica cover band brought a smile to my face, not sure the rest appreciated it so much though.

Saturday I headed to Dunedin with a plan to see Otago Vs Northland at Carisbrook stadium (rugby). I did make it and it rocked, incredible standard, Otago for those of you that don't know are a shit hot NZ team and they have their own Super 12 team, a great game.
Photo here: Otago Vs Northland
Pies and beer... Also bumped into Anton at half time and we headed back to the hostel after the game to catch up. Sunday hungover but managed the Taieri Gorge Railway journey (supposedly one of the top 5 rail journeys in the world) and I'd have to agree that it was mighty fine but not having done the other four I do have trouble agreeing with its ranking. In the evening Anton and I took a bottle of wine over to his cousin Jimmy's house (he is a student at the Uni of Otago) it was certainly interesting to see NZ student slums!
It was then that it started snowing and it hasn't stopped, all the roads into and outside of Dunedin are f***ed so my trip to Milford Sound is looking very unlikely at best even though I am not scheduled to be there until Friday. This has angered the Chopper as Milford Sound was in my top 3 things to do over here, maybe another time though hey kids.

Over and out from your uncle Chop Chops......

posted by Ed Beesley @ 12:51 PM