Stewart Island

We recently spent a week on Stewart Island - a Christmas vacation for us since I will be working over the holidays this year. The island is off the very southernmost point of NZ, and is reached by either ferry across the Foveaux Strait, or plane. Steve graciously agreed to let me maximize my adventure by taking the ferry one way and the plane the other. He gets motion sick very easily, and despite taking "Sealegs" (some anti-motion sickness tablets recommended to us), he felt sick before the boat had even left the dock. About halfway through the hour-long journey, which really was like a non-stop roller coaster, I gently put my hand on his shoulder to ask if he wanted to come stand outside with me. Remaining totally focussed on the island off in the distance, he quickly said "Umm... please don't talk to me right now." With that, I took in the views from the deck, held on tight, and made small-talk with some birders from British Columbia who were on a 3 week tour around NZ.

Here is a slideshow of our pictures. You may need to click the play arrow to start it, and if you want to see captions, or larger versions, just click on the pictures and you will be taken to our online album.


The ferry docked in Oban, the only village on the Island, with a permanent population of roughly 400 people. During the summer months, there are more people there to support the tourism and conservation efforts. We stayed at the South Seas Hotel, in a room that was more like a hostel room with no toilet, only beds and a wardrobe, but still very comfortable and a treat for us. We enjoyed a yummy meal at the South Seas Restaurant (the only one on the island), and packed up to start the Rakiura Track the next day.

The Rakiura Track is the shortest trail on the island, and takes 3 days. There are two other trails which likely would have offered much more exciting scenery, but they both take 7-10 days and we didn't have that long. We also weren't sure how comfortable my backpack would be with my little baby belly starting to push out a bit more... but in the end it was okay, and we ended just as the rainy weather was moving in. The track followed the road and shoreline for the first day, crossed through forest the second, and rejoined the shoreline on the third. We were hoping to spot some Kiwi birds on our journey, since they are well-protected on Stewart Island. The first night, the campsite had been freshly weed-wacked and we guessed that noise would have driven all resident Kiwis into hiding. We still got up in the middle of the night to take a walk and look for them (they are most active at night), but no luck. The second day we were serenaded by a helicopter overhead and the loud buzzing would also have been a deterrent to Kiwis foraging near the trail. The last day, was rainy and muddy, and we were more focused on not losing boots in the mud than spotting Kiwis in the bush. Overall though, it was beautiful, and enjoyable, and we only wish we'd been able to do some of the longer trails.

We had two more days on Stewart Island after finishing the hike. We spent one day walking out to a lighthouse on the outskirts of town. We explored sandy bays along the way and ate a picnic lunch at the lighthouse. That evening, after dinner, while admiring the harbour view, Steve got very excited and started going on about "anticrepuscular rays" and pointing to the horizon. After he'd run to get the camera, he explained that we (well, he) was seeing the opposite of sunrays on the horizon. We were 180 degrees away from the sunset, and it was twilight, and the sunbeams from sunset were converging at a point opposite the sun in the sky. They're somewhat rare and Steve's only seen them a few times, hence his excitement and countless photos. I've included one in our slideshow.

The other day we took a little ferry to Ulva Island, which is a 5 min trip from Oban. The island has no residents and is a bird sanctuary, with trails throughout it and several sandy beaches. We saw at least six species of birds we had never seen before, but weren't able to get any good pictures of them. It was a peaceful, calm day and the forests, birds, and beaches were beautiful. The morning of our departure, we got a ride to the airstrip on the island, and boarded our 6-seater plane for the 15 minute flight back to the mainland. This was definitely a highlight of the trip for AK, whose grandparents once flew a similar plane from the US to the Philippines. Steve felt it was definitely better than the ferry and we were fortunate to have a calm day for flying.

So now we are back in Lower Hutt, hearing about Christmas back home, but it really doesn't feel like Christmas here. The past few days have been muggy and humid, but mostly we've had beautiful weather, and the days are light until nearly 10pm. We are enjoying the summer here much more than the winter.

December in Waiwhetu

It's hard to believe December is here, especially since it is starting to feel more and more like summer and yet people keep talking about Christmas. Summer and Christmas just don't go together in my head. But the summer weather is lovely, and the birds are constantly singing, the sun is shining, the days are longer, and it's actually warm enough in the house to wear short sleeves!

I am 17 weeks along now, and continue to feel pretty good. I am starting to feel a bit more energy and have been making the most of the sunny weather. I think I've gained at least 5-6lbs already, and definitely feel my tummy growing. My clothes are still fitting, although some pants are getting uncomfortable. I'm looking forward to feeling the baby move and having a bit more of a belly, but I know these things will come soon enough. On another note, it turns out that our baby won't be a Kiwi afterall! In 2006, NZ changed the citizenship laws so that being born in NZ does not grant automatic citizenship. Now, at least one parent has to be either a citizen or permanent resident at the time of the baby's birth. Getting PR here is a long and expensive process, and neither of us feel it is worthwhile right now. If the child is anything like me, in 20 years, they will be quite angry I didn't do this for them!

I haven't been able to keep up my running very much - the first couple months I was just too uncomfortable. I've been walking a lot more and one of the perks is that I can take the camera with me. Here are some shots from our neighbourhood, which is called Waiwhetu (pronounced why-fe-too).

Below are the first of the Pohutakawa flowers starting to bloom - summer in NZ is marked by the bright red blossoms on these trees. The trees are everywhere, often lining streets or just at the side of the road. They are one of my favourite things about NZ.

This is the local Marae, or sacred space for the local Maori community. It is a few blocks from our house and is often used for religious and social events. I got to visit it earlier in the year while attending a "Maori Culture Day" that the hospital put on for a small group of staff. You must take your shoes off prior to entering, and one of the community's Maori elders meets you at the door to welcome each person. The inside is a large open space with wooden floors and ceilings. The walls are decorated with weavings and carvings, each with unique meanings. It was really interesting to get a glimpse of this part of the Maori culture, and it is wonderful to see the building used so much for social gatherings.

The Marae is surrounded by a spear-like carved fence and carved wooden figures. Predictably, carving is traditionally done by Maori men, and weaving is done by Maori women.

Next week we will be heading to Stewart Island for a week, in lieu of any real Christmas vacation. I will be working over Christmas and New Year's and while Steve does technically have time off, he is planning to make some headway on his project. Stewart Island is a small island off the southern tip of NZ, and home to a few hundred permanent residents. It is mostly conserved land and well-known for large Kiwi bird populations... hopefully we'll get to see one!

Kiwi Baby!

Well, there isn't much to see just yet, but we're having a baby! The little one will join us sometime around May 12th, so I am about 3.5 months along right now. I've felt pretty good, although have just had a few weeks of feeling extremely tired, despite sleeping 10 hours some nights! I am eligible for the public health care that all pregnant New Zealanders get, so I am signed up with a midwife, who seems really nice. Steve and I are both really excited for this new adventure, and we'll keep you posted!

Rotorua

We saw some new sections of NZ this past weekend when we drove 6.5hrs north to Rotorua. Steve was participating in the Single Speed World Championships - a 42km mountain bike race where your bike has only one gear. The race is held in a different location every year, and this year just happened to be here in NZ. One of Steve's good friends from home, who builds True North bicycles, attends the race every year, and so we were excited to meet up with him.

This is a view of the Otaki coastline - on the drive north, about an hour after leaving our home.

The race had 900 participants, and is more of a 'fun race' than a serious race. Of course there are always a few professional riders who come to win (winners are forced to get a tattoo at the finish line), but most come to flaunt creative costumes, drink beer, and enjoy the beautiful trails.

Above is an example of a few of the costumes we saw...

Steve went traditional, and wore his normal riding kit.

One of the best viewpoints was this stream crossing (Steve is the rider about to cross); nearly 75% of the riders fell in due to a deep, invisible pit under the water that caught the front wheel. No one was seriously injured, everyone came out with a grin, and it made for some good laughs.

Steve was no exception!

A post-race shot of Steve, friend Hugh, and two other Canadians who came over to do the race.

Steve took another spill where he scraped his leg on gravel and had some impressive blood and scabs to show for it. No bruising though, so it's healing pretty quickly.

We spent the rest of the weekend walking around Rotorua with our friends - the gardens were beautiful and we had sunny weather all weekend. I took along my road bike and rode the circumference of Lake Rotorua, which was lots of fun.

We drove to some of the other nearby lakes to see the surrounding region.

This was taken at a Redwood Forest, with trees that were planted in 1901.

Steve's friend Hugh and his girlfriend Christine took us up on the offer to return south to Wellington with us, so Steve and Hugh went to work fitting four bikes, 8 wheels, and all our luggage into our station wagon. It worked! We did, however, have to put one bag of 3 wheels on the roof, and pile luggage around us all.

On the drive home, stretching our legs and enjoying the views.

Mt Ngauruhoe, aka Mt Doom in Lord of the Rings, which Steve and I hiked around in April this year. It looked so different with snow still covering it.

Back home, on the beachfront looking towards Wellington. We enjoyed Hugh and Christine's company for a couple more days, and showed them a few of our favourite nearby spots. They have gone back up north for the rest of the week before heading back to Toronto.

A Weekend in Martinborough

In honour of our third wedding anniversary and the arrival of Spring weather, we decided to go to Martinborough this past weekend. It is a small town in the heart of vineyard country, well-known for its cafes and cute shops. We rented a little cottage - much too big for the two of us, but beautiful inside and out. It had a cozy woodburner and several large Eucalyptus trees (called gumtrees here) around the property.

We brought our road bikes and took advantage of the beautiful countryside, rolling hills, and quiet roads. Saturday was sunny and warm, albeit a bit windy, and we rode a gentle 68km and saw countless pastures of sheep and lambs. By Sunday, dark storm clouds and gusty winds had moved in, and we spent the day reading and resting.
We are keen to head back there in the future - it is only 1.5hr from here, and is such a peaceful country setting. We saw a large group of tandem bicyclists as well, which made me think how much my parents will enjoy touring this part of the country someday.

Belmont Trig

September 1st was officially the first day of Spring down here. Although we have had some beautiful sunny days, we have also had a few big storms lately - hail, gale force winds, and thrashing rain. We have not had any earthquakes in Wellington though, so we should not be complaining! Christchurch will be recovering for quite awhile after their big quake this past weekend. It has prompted everyone here to ensure their own home emergency kits are ready to go.

This past Saturday was a beautiful sunny day and we headed to Belmont Regional park, on the hills nearby us. It has a network of trails that snake up the hillsides through natural forests, pine plantations, and farmland. It is one of Steve's favourite places to go mountain biking, and I often tag along for a run on the trails. This past weekend, a lot of the trails were closed due to lambing, which will last until mid-October.

We were both following a trail that led to a high point called "Belmont Trig", Steve on his bike, and me on my speedy feet. I suggested we meet up at the top, but Steve warned me that it might be very windy and chilly and he might not wait at the top for too long. Fortunately for him, I beat him to the top, and even stopped for some pics of him along the way. It was a very steep climb though, and a slippery surface for bike tires in some places... plus, only his second ride of the season.

At the top, it wasn't too windy, and we got a beautiful 360 degree view of the surrounding hills and the snowy mountain tops to the north and south.
Below is the view of Wellington Harbour, with the city of Wellington at the far right of the picture.

Pencarrow Coast

One of my favourite places to go running is along the Pencarrow coastline. It is about a ten minute drive from our house, and the gravel road hugs the shore and is closed to public traffic. Most of the land is privately owned and used for sheep or cattle farming. There are often rugged-looking sheep and goats grazing near the road and on the hills opposite the beach.

There are two lighthouses on the coastline - the original Pencarrow lighthouse which is perched up on the hill, and the newer lighthouse right on the beach, still in use. The lighthouse marks the entry of the Wellington Harbour and many ships and ferries pass each day, often in strong winds and huge waves.
Below is the 'new' Pencarrow Lighthouse, along the shoreline.
The beaches are great for exploring and finding shells and rocks. There are many abalones in NZ waters and they are always fun to find on the shores.
After my trip to the coast that day, I came home and made granola... thought I would include a picture of the pretty grains.