Camp Kaikoura

December 22 & 23 2005; Testing camping gear.

One of the big draws for me was to explore the fantastic scenery NZ has to offer. What better way to get away from it all and get close to the Great Outdoors than in a tent. No expensive hotel bills, no bane of the highway...the caravan :p With a Christmas gift from my parents we invested in a tent and a roof tray to leave the boot mostly free for Diesel. We plan to get away after Christmas, but thought we ought to have a night away to test what we have and, more importantly, see what we forget to pack! So back onto SH1 and head north again to Kaikoura, anyone would think we loved the place!

View north, Canterbury Plain begins to get interesting as the foothills rise.


Diversion on the way to Gore Bay, probably no connection to Martin but that didn't stop me humming a little Mode ditty.



As you can see, weather is a mixed bag.

Arrive in Kaikoura and check in at 69 Beach Road, woo hoo. Erect tent, empty bags and leave... the road is calling. Head further north, out of Kaikoura and onto the coast road towards Mangamaunu. Vanessa had wanted to attend a organised rock pooling tour that a friend had told us about, but a visit to the Information Site left us none the wiser. Decided to do our own rock pooling, which was fantastic even though some marine life we were unable to identify. But spotted the usual limpets, winkles, crabs (social and hermit varieties), anemones...and even two different varieties of starfish. Fantastic.

Paua shells, the ones we found on the beach were not as polished but WE FOUND THEM.

The beach on the road to Mangamaunu.

Coast road looking north. Stopped off at a roadside vendor selling crayfish (rock lobster) and bought a freshly caught and cooked beauty for $28, headed 20 or so km south to Kaikoura and got fish for the kids (they didn't even want to try crayfish), 2 scoops of chips and back to the campsite to re-heat Reggie (Cray). Mmmmmmmmmmm, yum....and half the cost of crayfish bought in KK.

Finished tea, we all went for a walk around town and to the KK beach. Came back and the wind started to pick up and the rain started to lash down, so zipped up and snuggled down for our first NZ night under canvas. Wasn't bad, a lantern allowed us to read before bed, wasn't too noisy, Diesel didn't fart too much. The only issue was a very excited young boy who was winding up his sister so he ended up sleeping in our end.

Woke next morning to a fantastic sight. Even though this was my third visit to KK, it was my first to see it in the morning. While the mountains are spectacular at any time, they are mostly in shadow from the afternoon. The morning sun highlighted their majesty, I can only imaging how they'll look on a crisp winter morning covered in snow.

Breakfast consisted of bacon and egg sandwich cooked on our gas stove and served in the wonderfully fresh sliced bread you get here with an enamel mug of coffee. Yum.

Lowry Peaks Range

Sunday 18 December 5005; Off road from Cheviot to Culverden. Day started overcast again. Where's the summer weather?

First off, Random Spur Road. A clay and grass track that climbs through the Lowry Peaks Range for 14 km before decending to the Kaiwara Road that runs for 18 km along a gravel track beside the Kaiwara River before emerging at Culverden.

The rolling green hills of cattle and sheep farms give way to rougher, rockier country, covered in bush and old pines. We ventured higher and further into the mist.

Along the way seen some interesting trees. Many varieties here are foreign to us, and there's a multitude of pricy books with no definitive one so remain ignorant as to what it is. If I remember I'll pick one up from the library and look it up.

The route then descended into the Kaiwara Valley and mostly followed the river, although took in one rather steep gorge.

Eventually reach the Kaiwara saddle, where the view reaveals the Amari Plain below. Both me and V give simultaneous 'Ahhh's'. The road then descend to Culverden and State Highway 7 home.

One of the draws for V to do this trip was a gift shop at Culverden which came recommended. By the time we got there it was shut. Oh well, on another Sunday!

Ashley River

Sunday 11 December; Ashley River. The day started grey. Rather than batten down the hatches, light the fire and watch a video we decided we'd go out for the afternoon and explore the Ashley River. This is a typical braided gravel river that you get in NZ. We'd driven through the Ashley Gorge before, where it cuts through the foothills of the Southern Alps, it then flows through the Canterbury plain before becoming depositing its waters in the Pacific Ocean.

The river is 10 minutes from home, north up State Highway 1 and leave by the northern bank. Its still estuarine here so must remember to give truck a good hose down later.

SH1 from the Ashley River bed

The route starts off as a well graded gravel road, a popular spot for fishermen, swimmers, boaters etc. Heading inland the track becomes less defined, sometimes just gravel, sometimes picking its way through meadows of lupins clinging to the silt deposits or heading across the river.

Each crossing followed a similar format. Vanessa forded the river in her jandels, if it didn't reach her knees I followed, lol.

[V would like to point out that the river was FREEZING, very fast flowing and the pebbled bottom very slippery. Given that I was carrying my pride and joy (camera), I would have been severly hacked off if I had fallen in - which nearly happened a couple of times!]

After about 10 km we decided it was time to get something to eat so we exited the river bed at Rangiora. According to the guide there's another 40 km of river crossings till you reach the gorge. We'll save that for another day.

Home, and jetwashed the undercarriage thoroughly.

Works Christmas Do

It's that time of year again and last night was the Kaffay and Eatery's Christmas do. Six of the eight of us that work there met up at Bentley's in Kaiapoi to have a quick drink before going out for our meal. Surprisingly Bentleys was full (I've never seen more than 3 people in there). When we ordered our drinks, we found out that the new owners had laid on free food. If we'd have known hat we wouldn't have bothered booking a table at the restaurant! We soon moved on to the restaurant as we were all getting hungry from the smell of BBQ steak. We had booked a table at a Japanese Teppanyaki restaurant. I guess this is appropriate in a way as teppanyaki is known as Japanese BBQ cooking. The table itself had a large metal plate on one side and the chef came out and cooked our selection in front of us, with much fancy knife work and chiming of metal spatulas. Very entertaining.


The food was excellent and very good value. We started with miso soup, followed by vegetables cooked on the table. This was accompanied by a small salad. then came the teryaki chicken. Only once all that is finished do you get you egg fried rice - again cooked on the table.

After the meal we walked to the Bridge Tavern, which was dead, and then to the Kaikanui Bar to spend the rest of the evening.

My previous workmates will be surprised, nay amazed, that not only was I not drunk but I didn't have to get anyone to take the babysitter home!!!!! I must have grown up at last. Chris and the kids picked me up on their way back from the Childrens Christmas Race special at Woodford Glen and I was in bed before 11.30 pm.

Kaikoura (again)

One of the guys from the KB site was going to Blenheim for the weekend to see some friends before Christmas. He'd posted a message saying he was travelling on the Friday and would anyone like to join him. Well, I'd almost completed the project I was working on, so I thought why not!

I'd seen Sniper before, he was on the Arthur's Pass outing, but as it was such a large group that day I didn't get to say hi to everyone. He was also due to go to the Magpie rally that I joined for the day, but he didn't know the way and was directed to follow SH1 'and keep going'. Which he did unwaveringly, overshooting the site by 300 kms, turning round and going home again!

Anyway, I was due to meet Sniper at the servo in Kaiapoi, except I received a call saying he had missed the turnoff and was in Woodend, ho ho. So I travel to Woodend and meet at the servo there. Sniper (Stu) is originally from South Africa, he came over with his parents who have now moved on to Aus. He's about mid 20's and runs a car rentals, handy to know. He rides a Hodna CBR250RR, there's quite a few 250 and 400 cc bikes here and to be honest there plenty quick at legal speeds.

SH1 is the main north-south route and frequently patrolled by CHiPs, the Canterbury Highway Patrol. No really, I just made that up. If you don't think it's funny then...

Its straight and flat for about half an hour, then we get into the wine making regions around the Waipara valley. There's fields and fields laid out with their vines, but obviously this time of year not a lot to see. SH1 starts to get really interesting around Cheviot, where the Canterbury plains start to turn into the foothills that lead over the coastal ranges to Kaikoura.

Roadworks ahead. None of your 10 mm gravel here like the UK, they've got massive lumps about 40mm, and they've been laying it on thick, some deep ruts where they've yet to roll it. Down to a walking space and gingerly traverse the 400m, not the best surface on a sports bike.

We stop in Cheviot for a splash and clean the bugs off the visors. The final leg of the outward journey is what I've been waiting for. Between Parnassus and Oara the long and fast sweeping bends swoop through the hills, through limestone cuttings, over moorland viaducts until it gets hillier and it twists and weaves through bush clad passes, hugging the hillside, Armco between you and the gorge below. Then at Oaro the road leaves the hills and hugs the coast. The smell of the sea hits your nostrils, the crashing waves momentarily distract you. Its an awesome piece of coast road; this is it going north, Kaikoura is on the headland off the right of the pic.

In Kaikoura Sniper takes me to his favoured eating hole, its a fish & chip place, we order and sit outside. The lady brings out our fish and chips, wrapped in brown paper bags. Before I say 'what about forks' Sniper has ripped his bag open. I fold my bag up again and we head in to get forks. Within 5 seconds of going through the door our table is covered in a flock of seagulls eagerly devouring Snipers fish, so we rush outside flapping our arms and yelling...and then fall about laughing. They've only eaten a quarter of his fish, so no real harm. The lady comes to aid bearing forks and a big cheesy grin. The rest of our meal is taken with an audience, twice as many as here...

We fill up with petrol, say our goodbyes and Sniper continues north on the coast road. I head south alone, and decide to wind it on a bit. There's a few campers to get past, a few tunnels cutting through the headland and a couple of corners where it really tightens up but otherwise its sweeping road from one bay to another before climbing up into the hills again; going south again (V took these last time we we're here)

I was planning on returning via the Leader Valley and avoid the roadworks but as I approached the turn for Waiau there was an awful storm raging over those with lightning flashes and thick black clouds, so I kept on SH1. I caught the edge of the storm and rode for 15 minutes through rain, but it then cleared and was sunny when I got back home.

Bar-B-Mate TM

I know for you folks back home that the summer bbq is a distant memory. Weather here hasn't been fantastic, but we've used the bbq as much as possible. I picked up 'The Ultimate BBQ Utensil', the Wiltshire Bar-B-Mate TM. Can't recall seeing them in the UK, I have to say it is a FANTASTIC tool and makes bbq's an even more magical experience than they usually are!!

It lifts, flips & turns!

It cuts!

It pricks sausages and tenderises steaks!

And when your done it scrapes the carbon of the griddle plate (sorry, no photo)!

I may cost up postage and try and sell a few on ebay in the Norhem spring!

A night at the flea pit

Rangiora is the main town in the Waimakiriri district which lies just north of Christchurch. Its 8 km north west of Kaiapoi, and the two towns seem to be a draw for the Poms...the amount of Kiwi's that comment about the amount of Poms that settle here confirms this. I think the short distance into Chch is nothing to the Poms, and the community feel of both towns are the draw.

Rangiora has a tiny cinema in the Town Hall. It is literally 8 rows of 8 seats, and has the tiniest of kiosks selling both cinema tickets and small packets of popcorn, coke etc. We arrive to see Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire. The compactness is not the biggest shock, the piped Muzak delivers that. It must be a packed night as another 6 people join our 4 for viewing. Anticipation grows as the curtains draw aside and the muzak rendition of Abba's Fernando is faded.....takes me back to Cranfield and a night on Vermouth and OJ. Unfortunately there was no 'pah pah pe pah pe pah pe pah pe pe pah' intro, but plenty of old skool adverts for the local car dealers et al. And then the main feature, which was enjoyed immensely despite criticism for deviating from the book and scaring Alex a bit.

There are plenty of multi-identiscreen cinema's here, there's at least 6 in various malls I can recall without consulting the paper and certainly way more than Milton Keynes' 2 cinema's for a similar population. I have to say the experience in Rangiora was good and will be repeated.

You knows it..

..y hav been enjoyng da lyrical expertyz ov goldie lookn chayn. Big up da Fishguard massiv, ya no I luvs ya.

Missin da Chav's, innit.

Santa Parade

Yesterday was a big day in the Kaiapoi calender - the annual Santa Parade. Shannon and Alex had decided that they wanted to join the school float so off we trecked around the charity shops to kit out Shannon as an angel. Fortunately Alex had brought his shepherds costume from last year in the dressing up box.

The big day dawned, very overcast but dry, so Shannon, Alex and I headed off into town to join the parade. I had volunteered to help out along the route and the wanted us there early for a pre-parde breifing. People on floats are not allowed to throw lollies (sweets) as they are in the UK as there was an accident 3 years ago when a child was run over by one of the floats as she picked them up - needless to say, safety is now the first concern.

I felt quite emotional as we arrived at the the parade start area and saw the float decked out in Christmas trees, tinsel, bows and dozens of balloons - for the first time it really felt like Christmas was coming. The angels and shepherds were loaded onto the back and front of the truck and the schools Kapa Haka group stood in the middle. Kapa Haka is the term used for the Traditional Maori Performing Arts and Kaiapoi Borough School have a very good group who perform (all of whom are children at the school).

The parade set off and I was absolutely amaxed at the number of people who had arrived in our small town to cheer on the floats. It was packed. The parade passed off without a hitch (apart from the small girl on our float who was chucking up into a carrier bag!!).

There were some great floats, the obligatory marching ladies (a very big thing over here - there are multitudes of groups of ladies who march for fun ??!!??!! bizarre or what?) . The lady on the right is our own pink lady, my friend Sally. she don't drink, she don't swear, she don't dye her hair - yeah right!!!!! She has got enrolement papers for us both to join this troupe - we may be 20 years to young though!

...and Santa on his sleigh.

After the parade we met up with Chris, ourfriend Sally and George and Grace (two children of another firiend we were looking after) and checked out what else was on offer. There were stalls and sideshows, a wood chopping exhibition, food, rides and a duck race. We started to browse the stalls until the heavens opened and a nice warm cup of tea at home beckoned. Walking back through the main street, we were amazed that it was completely empty of people and covered (and I do mean covered) in silly string. They must have sold hundreds of cans of the stuff. All in all a good day out.

Bike Trip

Sunday 27 November; Arthur's Pass. Second visit for me, this time on the bike. 9.30am meet at the Yaldhurst pub which is only notable for the gravel in the car park not black stuff. Bit of a chin wag, starting to recognise familiar faces and make a few friends. By 10am there's about 20 bikes, which is a great turnout. We're off to Arthur's Pass which is a great road once you get out of the Canterbury plains. State Highway 73 rises out of the plains and begins with great big sweeping corners past Castle Hill, so called not because there's a castle there (more's the pity) but becuase the rock formations look a bit like battlements. The otherwise deserted roadside is busy here with trampers parked up, I'll have to come back with the family as it looks a good spot. Past Castle Hill the road tightens up as it climbs through Porter's Pass and winds through increasingly dramatic gorges before leaving the Waimakiriri River basin and climbing to Arthur's Pass Village. Arthur's Pass itself is another 4 km, and sits at 920 m AOD, wedged between the 2,771 m Mount Rolleston and the 1,913 m Mount Temple.

The Kiwi Bikers on the Canterbury Plains, and yes there was a meet of Austin Healey's at the Yaldhurst too, many of whom came to admire the bikes (mainly Daryl's Motto Guzzi V11 Nero Corsa).


Parked up in Arthur's Pass Village, Department of Conservation station behing which has a great scale model of the Southern Alps, split down the middle so you can walk between the east and west halves of the South Island.

The Pass itself, the Otira viaduct was only opened in 1999 and apparently saves 30 minutes over the previous route.

Lunch at the Bealey Hotel, the wide braided gravel river bed of the Waimakiriri to the left.