More Insights from Kiwi Land

Martinborough / Wellington / Abel Tasman


I've found a common theme on this trip has been to change our plans as we go, and as such we decided to hop on the road and head south after finishing the Tongariro Crossing - I think the idea of another wine region swayed our thinking that a 4 hour car ride after finishing a 6 hour hike was a good idea. Hmmmm - I don't think my body agreed.

Martinborough Wine Region

In the midst of planning this trip, we actually structured the itinerary around plans to attend Toast - a wine and food festival in Martinborough. Unfortunately, a few months ago when we attempted to get tickets, the 10,000 tickets sold out in 15 minutes. So our solution, create our own version of Toast and sample some of Martinborough's finest (well known for their Pinot Noirs) before heading down to Wellington and EB's home.

Here are some quick highlights from the wineries we visited:

• Te Kairanga - main festival location, exceptional Pinot's
• Vynfields - organic wines (not our favorite), beautiful gardens
• Schubert - German owners, boutique winery
• Croft - boutique winery, Mother is a vicar, Daughter did the tasting, Dad is the wine maker, wine pastes also made by mom
• Palliser - somewhat corporate, good bubbly

Favorite winery in Martinborough: Croft - this was the wine tasting room!

We also attempted to visit Ata Rangi, as the description described this winery as the Mona Lisa of Martinborough and not to be missed. Unfortunately, they were closed in preparation of the festival the following day. Updated Winery Count - 17

Some things I've learned along the way...

• Climate change and land based emissions in NZ will be affected by Maori business strategies, as the Maori population is growing faster than the overall Kiwi population (EB's research)
• Most of NZ'd emissions are due to the methane produced from the farts of all the cows and sheep
• Most Kiwis have travelled extensively internationally but very limited within their own country
• Rieslings can be cellared and gets better with age, even as long as 10 years
• The inventor of the half flush vs full flush toilet is a very smart person
• I agree with EB - Savory meat pies are not that great. I tried one with lamb and one with venison and I think that's all I ever need to try.
• I figured out the difference between an NZ crayfish and our lobster - the lobster has huge claws while the crayfish only has long furry antena in the front.
• Rugby team - All Blacks, Basketball Team - Tall Blacks, Soccer Team - All Whites, and any national ladies team is some version of Ferns (I had to get my sports reference in there)

So after a brief stop in Wellington where EB lives and a delicious meal cooked by her flat mates, we headed off the next morning to Nelson and the top of the South Island, on our way to Abel Tasman National Park for some more tramping.

The view from EB's place in Wellington

Now Abel Tasman is a coastal walk with the main trails winding along the ocean and it would typically take 3-5 days to walk the whole thing. The advantage of the coastal walk is that you can take a water taxi in or out at any point along the way. We decided to hike 4 hours in to Anchorage Bay where we had booked accommodations to sleep overnight on a boat docked in the bay. We got lucky that night with a full moon and a view of the Southern Cross. As we arrived earlier that evening, some of the other guests were jumping off the top of the boat, and while it had gotten quite chilly, it was inspiration enough for EB to take a morning dip the next day. I followed her lead after some coffee kicked in. Rather than hiking back out the next day, we had decided to kayak back after lunch, and I was lucky enough to see a few more penguins and seals that day as well!

More barefoot tramping by EB 

It actually took us almost the full time, since someone wanted to go a different way.

And we got dive-bombed by birds because of it - which someone is also afraid of.

Once again - NZ looks like a movie set, just this time it was the Blue Lagoon

Not waterfall jaded yet...still more pics to come

Enjoying a beer on the boat

Early Morning Jump

Kayaking from Watering Cove

The Beall Sisters - practice run for the Amazing Race. 

We totally beat the other kayakers - yep, still competitive. :)

We ended the day in Nelson and decided to treat ourselves to a Chef's Choice dinner, so I figure it's only appropriate to end this blog with some food pics as well!

More Whitebait, and Prosciutto with Eggplant, as the Apps

Beef Carpaccio with Blue Cheese and Rocket

Fresh Red Snapper with Capers - Salad and Potato Sides

Lamb Wrapped in Bacon with Feta, Olives & Watercress

...and while I realize these are being posted post-return to the States, I ran out of time prior to leaving and wanted to continue sharing the amazing memories that came out of this trip!

A Little Tramping, Some Rafting & a Lot of Hot Air

Updates from the Central North Island - 

So for those of you unfamiliar with NZ geography, we have been covering quite a bit of ground these past few days in an effort to see as much of NZ as possible. After starting on the northern part of the  N. Island, and then flying down to Queenstown and Fjordland on the southern part of the S. Island, we then flew back up north to explore the central part of the N. Island, and the thermal region of Taupo and Tongariro National Park - yes, we are a little ambitious but isn't that what trips/vacations are for? One of the unique benefits of all this has been seeing the stark contrast in geography (and climate obviously). In just one week we have gone from a tropical island setting to deep fjords and arctic waters, and continued into rolling green hills and volcanic mountain ranges. This truly is Middle Earth with awe-inspiring views around every corner, and you can easily imagine a hobbit or elf popping out from around a hillside or from behind a tree. Next up we headed down to the southern part of the N. Island (Wellington) and then we're off to the northern part of the S. Island (Nelson and Marlborough)! Well done if you actually followed all that!

Taupo / Hot Springs

Taupo was our first stop in the central North Island and this area is specifically known for it's thermal activity and hot springs. EB knew about a hidden stream that fed into NZ's longest river, the Waikato, so we ventured down a path to what could only be described as a steaming inferno. At which time EB decided to mention that she had previously visited in the winter and they enjoyed a lovely soak in the top of the pool. Ultimately we were able to enjoy the hot springs closer to the river's edge where the waters mixed - thanks EB for such a unique experience! We caught sunset on Lake Taupo and frolicked a bit by the water and then grabbed what might turn out to be my favorite meal so far, down on the waterfront - I had rack of lamb (I know I should try to be more original - yes, I know what I said Pete) and EB enjoyed prawns and calamari salad. Another good thing about EB finally letting go of her veggie ways - we can share our meals and try so many more delicious combinations of food! We made some new Kiwi friends, as well as a few local Maori boys. I got my 1st official hongi from a Maori and EB continued her trend of giving out her business card to random people we meet during our travels. I think she's going to enjoy some entertaining emails and texts in the next few days and I also think she is secretly trying to build her own NZ fan club.

Hot Springs outside Taupo

Enjoying a soak

Sunset on Lake Taupo

So far the winner of favorite meal in NZ!

White Water Tongariro River

So EB and I decided to take advantage of the awesome outdoor activities in NZ and check off one of the few remaining things on her list while still in NZ! Our river that day was a Class 3 with over 30 rapids through the course of a 4 hour ride. We had done our homework and knew that this particular company took you to a hidden waterfall that was included in the trip! Ironically, the river flows through prison land where they make the prisoners work on the farms with the sheep and the cattle (insert joke here). We had a cute Swedish family on the boat with us and had a great local Maori guide, and a younger guy learning the river after going to PolyTech school on the South Island for outdoor water instruction. Seriously, I would like to go to school to be a river rafting and kayaking guide! We also met someone at one of the wineries a few days before who had gone to a PolyTech school for working at a winery - again, brilliant! So needless to say, this day was pretty fantastic! Later that afternoon we drove up to Tongariro National Park to settle in before the hike the next day and cooked up some delicious green-lipped mussels we had picked up at the store. 

Rafting the Tongariro

Waterfall Jump

7M high from up at the jump - frigidly cold water at the bottom

Tongariro Alpine Crossing
There's too much to say about this awesome hike on an active volcano ,and I will let the pictures tell a bit of the story and save the rest for in person. In short, the hike is supposed to take about 7-8 hours and we finished in 6 hours. Although we have also realized the NZeders typically over-estimate the tramping and driving times, so everyone is always impressed when we arrive early!

Another key fact on this hike - EB seriously kicked my butt! Now I haven't decided if I think our tax payer dollars are going to good use allowing her time to run 4 days a week, or if the fact that she lives on top of a massive hill gave her a slight advantage, but either way - we made a great team and I am slightly jealous of her awesome stamina. I guess this was a good warm up for that half marathon I'm running in January!

This hike started across a hilly, rocky mesa and then quickly turned into the staircase that never ended, up a steep incline with some awesome views back across the valley. Once we reached the next pit stop (a la Amazing Race), we were faced with the daunting decision of climbing Mt. Doom (Mt. Nguarahoe) and adding 3 hours to our hike. Based on numerous facts including our lack of snow attire, poles and my serious doubt that my heart wouldn't explode on the steep incline, we decided to tackle the other 4 hours of our hike.

The next few hours included some alpine deserts in the middle of craters, sulphuric lakes, and some slippery slopes of loose gravel and rock that kept us a far from the narrow edge as possible. We met some entertaining folks on the descent down this one treacherous area, including a group of 4 ladies from  different countries traveling together for their 50th birthdays. We also crossed some snow and ice packs, as well as a multitude of streams and waterfalls. The last 2 hours of the trip were through heavy forest that seemed never ending, but were also a welcome change from the alpine landscape we had previously hiked.

Starting the tramp (hike) at 9am!

Just starting the incline - we hadn't reached the never-ending stairs yet

Halfway up the incline steps

EB in the alpine desert of the South Crater

Top of crater - across the alpine desert

Halfway point!

Turquoise twins tramping up the trail

Across the Red Crater and alpine desert

Emerald Lakes as we tried to navigate the treacherous decline

The treacherous decline - loose, shifting rock the entire way down this section

Enjoying the walk down with some thermal activity on the hillside behind

 

Resting our feet and wishing we could jump in the stream - almost done!

From the Right of the photo - 

Mt. Doom and then our entire hike from one side of the mountain to the other!

Next up - Martinborough (more wine tasting), some food updates, and tramping/kayaking Abel Tasman! 

I Think You Were Right About That

Milford Sound / Queenstown Updates to follow after a few musings I've had on this trip...

So most of you who know me, know that I can be slightly competitive (I've even made New Year's resolutions about it). And I think I have come a long way since my tree climbing days (Carp), and betting on anything just to prove my point, some people (Dix) may still disagree. Well, it's a good thing I've been working on this because a common statement out of my mouth to Bubba has been "I think you were right about that" - not that surprising since she lives here, but we also haven't exactly been in her home city either. I might need to start keeping track but I'd say we're well over 20 by now. So while that has been a step in the right direction of reigning in my competitive nature, I've also decided to try and out-do one of EB's previous visitors Steezy who made it to 21 wineries on her trip. Challenge Accepted! - current winery count 12 and we haven't even made it to the Marlborough region yet!

Other NZed (yes, that's how they pronounce their Z's) Musings
Foodie Thoughts: NZ food is not that much different than American food so I haven't tested my palette too much yet. But I think I've eaten at least 4 meals with lamb in it! So here's a summary of some local food I've tried that is not in the States -

• Whitebait (small fish that look like worms but very tasty served like calamari)
• Feijoa (tart fruit that looks kind of like a kiwi, that we also sampled as a fruit wine at Purangi Winery)
• Kumara (cross between a potato and a sweet potatoes

Kiwis also seem to call a few things by alternate names like capsicum (bell peppers) and rocket (arugula), as well as bubbles (champagne), prawns (shrimp) and a few others too. Still on the list to try while I'm here - Fish & Chips (a local staple), Meat or Savory Pies (still something EB hasn't gotten on board with), and if we're lucky some fresh Crayfish (looks like lobster but they can't tell you why they're different). Tonight's dinner will be fresh green-lipped mussels that we're cooking ourselves.

Wildlife Count so far: EB also informed me that there are no natural predators on NZ other than humans.

• Sheep, sheep and more sheep (40M sheep compared to 4M people)
• Cows / Deer (actual deer farms which I had never seen) Grass-fed meat is delicious!
• Kea - large, aggressive parrots (we actually stayed in the car to avoid them - they even eat the rubber on your cars)
• Sandflies - these were greatly exaggerated as to how bad they would be on the Sound and S. Island
• Fur Seals - Milford Sound offered an up close and personal view
• Penguins - I had been wanting to see these in the wild since I arrived and I was told it was pretty rare, but luck held out and we spotted 2 of them in the Sound as well!
• Still no Dolphins - Missed the "Trifecta" in the Sound, but I'm holding out hope for Abel Tasman
• Still on the list - Kiwi Birds are also pretty hard to find, and they're nocturnal, so we're actually going to a bird sanctuary in Wellington to spot this national icon
• And apparently NZ doesn't have turtles (sea turtles don't count)

Winery Updates (Prior Count 5 / Current Count 12) - Central Otago Valley is well known for their Pinot Noirs/Blancs, Rose`s, Rieslings, and Pinot Gris. As much as I don't enjoy the Rieslings I have had in the States ( I know you disagree LoLo), I was pleasantly surprised as they are not very fruity here. The Pinot Noirs have a great fullness to them that I sometimes find missing in the States and I typically prefer a different varietal of wine but have been truly enjoying many of them the past few days. EB's favorite has definitely been the Rose`.

• Chard Winery
• Amisfield Winery (which we visited twice, but I only counted once in fairness of the competition)
• Brennan Winery (also included a great Pinot Grigio)
• Peregrine Winery
• Waitiri Creek
• Gibbston Valley Winery (also had a Cheesery next door..."Cheeeeeeeese"
• Winehouse & Kitchen (called a Cellar Door where they actually sell multiple wine labels of surrounding vineyards who don't have their own tasting rooms - so we tasted about 4 different wine makers at this winery, including a rare NZ Tempranillo - once is currently a favorite varietal of mine)

1st Winery right off the plane

Chard Winery

Yes, we have sampled some awesome cheeses and yes, I am a big cheeseball!

Vineyard frolicking!

Milford Sound Update: So we decided to call our 2nd audible of the trip as we had originally planned to head out to Doubtful Sound, a closer drive but longer/more expensive day on the water. This might have been the best decision we made as the drive to Milford takes about 5 hours, but you are treated to some of the most "Oh WOW" moments you have ever seen! We also managed to get in some quality pictures of our attempts to frolick with the sheep - although it took a few takes. Everywhere you look are fantastic waterfalls and snowcapped peaks and we had a crystal clear sunny day for the drive! We arrived at the Lodge along one of the rivers and then headed down to the only pub in town. Later that night, we attempted to go on a little tramp (hike) to see some glowworms, another local phenomenon and while we saw saw at the beginning we quickly realized it's not that easy to walk around in the woods in the dark (don't worry Mom - we were only out there about 10 minutes). The next day on the Sound was only slightly overcast so we had some sun amidst the colder winds as we headed out to the Tasman Sea. There is an overwhelming feeling of peacefulness and awesome cliffs/waterfalls, and it's humbling to think of the remoteness and how few people in the world have actually seen this wonder.

Trying to frolick with sheep - take 6

Professional photographers...

An "Oh Wow" Moment

Enjoying a brisk morning on Milford Sound

Queenstown Update: Aside from all our wine tasting, we did manage to have a few other experiences in Queenstown. Unfortunately, we had planned to go paragliding over the city but the weather and the winds did not cooperate. Instead we headed up the Gondola to test our skills on the Luge (also seen in the Real World / Road Rules challenge). Elizabeth was under the mistaken impression that she was going to beat me, and as usual that didn't happen! We also sampled the Fergburger on our 1st day in town. We made some friends in our backpackers, who also happened to be the local DJ and pizza maker at some local bars - so we had some VIP benefits! On our mini-bar crawl that night we went , we headed back to EB's favorite bar, Barmuda and the awesome fireplace, yes it's summer here but the nights in the South Island got pretty chilly. We also went by BarUp for some Money Shots and attempted to go to Surreal but wisely decided to call it a night. The next night included Barmuda again where we made friends with some older gentlemen on a construction conference and then headed over to Winnie's for a a drink only to be followed by an awesome dance party, which continued at Buffalo. Summary of the nights out in Queenstown -

• Free Drinks - Check
• NZ Construction Job Offer - Check
• Spontaneous Dance Party on all raised surfaces in the bar to Dynamite
• EB getting cut off for having a "wandering eye"

Fergburger - being enjoyed by a former Vegetarian

Enjoying the fire at Barmuda

Top of the Gondola - Bob's Peak

Getting Ready to Luge

Next blog update - Taupo / Tongariro White Water Rafting / Tongariro Alpine Crossing

From Sea to Shining Sea - SD to NZ

Off to the airport in San Diego and a quick little jaunt up to LAX for my direct flight on Air New Zealand. Now I should mention I normally don't like to chat when I fly - it's kind of my me-time to read and relax after typically running around before a trip. Well, no sooner did I step on the tarmac than this older man began asking me a few questions, which quickly turned into asking about my life story, and then switching seats on the plane to sit next to me, and finally asking for my email and facebook friend request, after of course telling me all about all the companies he runs, places he's traveled and in summary how awesome he is...needless to say I did not take him up on his request to grab dinner before my next flight. Thank goodness it was only an hour flight!

Quick side note - LAX does not have many options for food or drink once you go through security, which of course I discussed with Nata after I was already sitting at the gate. So I am doing my part and hopefully relaying this little tidbit of food knowledge for any of you venturing that way.
Now for my AirNZ flight - I was seated right behind the row with 2 screaming babies, awesome, but thankfully their parents had a gameplan which they executed to perfection and we had peace and quiet for most of the 12 hour flight. And I was in for a pleasant surprise, I had an awesome Kiwi seat mate named Antony who was returning from his 2 year work holiday abroad in London and then 2 weeks in the States. We commiserated on being 6'7" and the leg room when flying - no, I did not magically grow into a giant, but I do know the trials and tribulations as recounted by Pete. Final recap of the flight - 2 movies, 4 glasses of wine, 2 awesome meals and 6 hours of sleep. Air NZ - let's plan for the same awesomeness on my return to the States. Oh, and a brief shout-out to Nata for the brilliant gift of Jet Lag pills, which may just be the most amazing thing ever!

Now time for the Amazing Race tryouts to begin - for those of you who don't know, Elizabeth and I have talked for the past few years about how awesome we would be on this show mainly because we bring different strengths to the team. But in reality we haven't actually traveled together much and we tend to be pretty different in our styles, so let the adventures ensue.

1st Meal in Auckland - Lamb & Orzo Salad

Auckland – We decide to meander around town for a bit. I have my 1^st Flat White (coffee and milk) and then we’re off.  We find a cute café recommended by Lonely Planet tucked away in an art gallery and I have my 1^st NZ meal which includes a grilled lamb and orzo salad, while Bubba has an egg and prosciutto sandwhich – she loves her prosciutto.

Now Elizabeth has never been up the Sky Tower so I decide that we need to venture over to the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere, which I am then informed is now only the 2^nd tallest. Well that changes everything – actually, we decided that simply riding an elevator for a view of the city wasn’t worth the $25 they want to charge for this profound experience. We did enjoy the Carnival Crossing "party in the streets" as much as I enjoy the diagonal cross in SD!

Some more wandering around the harbor and viaduct area, saw the America’s Cup boat, which the San Diego Yacht Club has been in fierce competition for over the years.  We sampled some of the local beers – Montieth’s Brewey Radler. Then we were off to the ferry terminal to head over to Waiheke, a little island just off the coast, which has fantastic wineries, and Elizabeth’s friends Matty NZ and Cap’t Steve  - our hosts for the next 24 hours!

Downtown Auckland - Sky Tower from the Ferry

Future Amazing Race Winners!

Waiheke – We made the smart decision to not rent scooters (thank you Pete for your sage advice) and had our own chauffeurs instead headed out for some wine tasting! We came to learn that Waiheke actually makes great Syrah’s on the island and the other wines are souced from other locations. We also discovered a great Cab Franc – totally different wine than Upstate NY or even Napa. And also sampled a "cheeky Rose`"!

Stonyridge Winery

Winery total 4 - Mudbrick, Jurassic Rock, Stonyridge, 

and Hay Paddock (Steve's family winery, with a few private bottles opened back at his place).

Our hosts Matty NZ and Cap’t Steve included a stop at the “best pizza in the world”, which was a little shack on the beach making  delicious wood fired pizza, and a stop at the local butcher shop. Did I mention that Matt is a chef and Steve’s family owns a winery, and we stayed in the guest cottage at the winemaker’s house with the most spectacular views of a private bay  – life doesn’t get much better? 

"Best Pizza in the World" sampling

Dinner included fresh lamb and sausage!

Our accommodations for the evening!

Day 2 / Coromandel – We decided to ferry over to Coromandel Town the next day as EB had never been over to the Peninsula during her time in NZ. We knew that our transportation and schedule logistics might be a bit ambitious but we decided to try and see both Hot Water Beach (you can dig holes in the sand and create your own hot tub) and Cathedral Cove. After some issues with the directions, we stopped to grab smoked mussels as a snack for the road  and headed down the 309. Driving in NZ is typically on 2-lane roads which half the time are unpaved, so we got to Hot Water Beach after about 1.5 hours and were told we could only dig at low tide, so we enjoyed some beers on the beach instead.

Hot Water Beach

Cathedral Cove

During the drive we decided to call an audible and not catch the ferry back to Auckland and stay the night in Coromandel. Unfortunately, we overestimated the availability of bus/shuttle services and accommodations and spent a few harried moments finally getting a place to stay and a 4am shuttle to the airport. So we headed to Cathedral Cove and thought we’d just wander down the path to the beach. EB left her shoes in the car (embracing her inner Kiwi) and 30 minutes later we finally reached the beach. We made it almost back to the top before a nasty rock jumped up and sliced open her toe.

Tramping (Kiwi Style)

We made it back into town around 8pm after a day in which we probably would have finished last during the Amazing Race - but we have some awesome memories and managed to squeeze in one more wine tasting at Purangi Winery - Feijoa wines were their specialities! Dinner was in town at Umu where we enjoyed some local scallops and braised beef cheek and local wine before heading to bed for our 4am wake up and flight down to Queenstown.

More from Kiwi Land and Queenstown in the next few days!