Windy Wellington

Oh my goodness! I have certainly heard Wellington referred to as a windy city but I didn't know they meant the type of wind that almost blows you off your feet as you struggle to walk along the footpath.  The flight from Nelson only took 25 minutes from gate to gate. We literally went up and then went down. The weather in Nelson was sunny and warm and STILL! The pilot signalled that we could expect some turbulence on landing and he was correct. The small plane was buffeted from side to side as we flew in over the Cook Strait, but he was obviously a skilled pilot as the actual touch down was quite smooth.

We are staying in a serviced apartment overlooking Wellington harbour. I would go out onto the balcony to take a photo of the view but I am frightened that I might actually get blown off. The weather is grey and gloomy and the mountains that encircle the city are not visible as the cloud is so low, however, surprisingly it is not freezing cold.

We did venture out to visit the Te Papa Museum which is New Zealand's National Museum. We had lunch in the cafe before going to see the Gallipoli exhibition. Two and a half hours later we emerged. It was interesting to hear and see the story of the ANZACS from the New Zealand perspective. It really was wonderful, if not quite sad and emotional. It is called, The Scale of War and the story is told through the letters and diaries of six soldiers, a medical officer and a nurse. Each section opens with a 2.5 x scale model of the person telling the story. The models were made at the WETA Workshop which is the company who made all the models for the Lord of the Rings trilogy. They are absolutely amazing, so lifelike. It is actually hard to describe just how lifelike they are except to say that if one of them had turned and spoken to me I wouldn't have been surprised. We then visited the earthquake exhibit. We were able to experience a few seconds of a 5.0 earthquake and believe me if that is how it feels I never want to experience an 8.9 which is what they recently experienced in Christchurch.

The museum is large and interesting and we only visited a very small section of it. If it rains all day tomorrow, as is forecast, we may return but hopefully we will be able to get out and explore the city in between showers.

http://gallipoli.tepapa.govt.nz - this link will take you to the website for the exhibition. Just like the actual exhibition it is interactive and well worth a look.

In and around Nelson

Stephen and I have decided that we really like the small city of Nelson. Today we made our way up to the lookout that takes in views of both the Tasman Sea and deep water channel and then back behind towards the bay and the mountains......and the views were just breathtaking. Our next stop was the Suter Gallery and Queen's Gardens, right in the heart of the city. Bishop Suter and his wife Emily were some of the founding fathers/mothers of the Port of Nelson and they had the forethought to bring with them some of the most wonderful and important paintings of their time. These are now on display in the recently renovated gallery that bares their name. The Queen's Gardens, while small are beautifully laid out and full of lovely plants and flowers.

After a quick stop to take a photo of the Church of Christ cathedral we went to visit Pirate Pearl (real name Robyn) at her sail making factory. We met Pearl last night over drinks on the deck at Wakefield Quay House. We had gathered to watch the yachts racing around the harbour. Pearl is a long time friend of our hostess Woodi. Both women are absolute characters who have lived the most interesting and diverse lives. Pearl now lives on a catamaran and makes sails and interesting duffle style bags.

Our day trip then took us to the wharf area of Mapua where we had lunch overlooking the water. It is about a 30 minute trip from where we are staying. The drive takes you out through the vineyards and is very pretty.

We arrived back at the house just after three where we were treated to a wonderful display by five orca whales who were playing and feeding not 100m off the beach. They stayed around for about 45 minutes and it was amazing to see. Woodi tells us that it is quite rare to see them at all, let alone that close to the shore.

Nelson

Today we had to say farewell to Owen River Lodge. What a wonderful 4 days! Hopefully one day we will return. We drove 90 minutes north to the very pretty city of Nelson and our fantastic B & B - Wakefield Quay House. The owner Woodi (Female) is a hoot and I'm sure our two night stay will be very comfortable and entertaining. Our room has the most magnificent views out over the water. Early this evening there was yacht racing in the harbour channel just in front of the house. It was a lovely sight as the sun was setting. For dinner we walked to the Boat Shed which is as its name suggests, a shed. It actually hangs out over the water and you could see the sea through the cracks in the floor. Dinner was delicious but the views even better.

A bathroom with a view!!!

Nelson Lakes National Park

Today we drove the short distance to Lakes Rotoroa and Rotoiti which are both part of the Nelson Lakes National Park. They were formed some 12,000 to 20,000 years ago as a result of glaciation. The lakes area is very popular with fishermen, boaters and 'trampers' which, is the name given to bush walkers, by the kiwi folk. We even saw an area where real kiwis are said to live, however, they certainly weren't about today.

Matakitaki River

One of the largest rivers in the south island the Matakitaki can rise 18 vertical feet after significant rain. Sight fished from the bank and saw plenty. Managed to hook a couple and scare away another eight. Hooked a 6 pounder which only escaped after burying its head in some rocks at the bottom of the river. In the afternoon we ventured over to the Mangles River which is much like the Ovens at Harrietville. Took a small fish on a nymph which ended three sensational days in New Zealand waters. (Stephen)

These photos are a compilation of Stephen's fishing exploits over the three days of guided fishing.

Stephen and his guide Pete (on the left) hit it off. Stephen was amazed at his knowledge and fish spotting ability. Adam is an intern and spent the three days assisting Stephen and learning from Pete.

Fishing - Day 2

Stephen had another sensational day of fishing the Wairou River. He fought and caught 5 medium to large sized fish and lost a couple of larger ones, but he thoroughly enjoyed his day. The weather was not quite as good as the previous day. A coverage of high cloud meant that it was a little more difficult to sight a fish. Tomorrow's forecast is for poor weather in the afternoon, with Tuesday appearing to be a bit of a write off with lots of rain expected. But Stephen is certainly not letting that get in the way of his fun. I walked around the property and local area taking pictures. It certainly is a beautiful spot and the gardens are glorious.

Brown trout stalking - Day 1

Well the day finally arrived and Stephen and his guide Pete set off just after 8.00am, to fish the Wairou River. He had a fabulous day and hasn't stopped talking about it since returning home at 6.00pm. He caught 10 large brown trout, lost a couple of others and is one very happy fisherman.

I spent the day relaxing, reading, taking photos, sitting in the beautiful sunshine..... The day started with a heavy frost and fog but by 10.00am the sky was clear and the weather very warm.