NZ Richard & Ros

Written by Ros on 11 May 2013 - No Comments

Richard & Ros hired a camper van to explore New Zealand. While there they sent a number of electronic postcards showing some of the pictures they'd taken. We've shown just a small sample of them to show what it is like freedom camping over there.

Postcard 1

Been here since Tuesday 25th September– amazing country – everything is huge, tree ferns, heather etc.

Postcard 2

The scenery is spectacular, the roads empty and diesel costs around 80p/litre, which is just as well given that we have already covered over 2,000kms. Food is quite expensive, but very pleased to report that quality NZ and Aussie wines can be had for about £3 a bottle! 

Postcard 3

New Zealand is amazing – if you get the opportunity to visit – take it.  It is now Sat 13th Oct here, and the first time we have had any serious rain – more of a tropical downpour with gale force winds

Postcard 4

Our last week on North Island. Apart from the weather last weekend, driving rain and gale force winds, it has been a fine week, sunny, but windy. It is spring over here and the blossom and springs flowers are lovely. South Island took the worst of the rain and in consequence the road to Milford Sound is closed due to landslip, 200 ton rocks, mud and trees. New Zealand is a very unstable country and we see evidence of land slips every day, but so far, luckily, none have completely closed the road we were using, and we are hoping the road to Milford will be open again before we get there mid November

Postcard 5

OMG – not often I’m lost for words. To those of you who have been here before me – you were right, South Island is stunning. We crossed the Cook Strait (one of the roughest bits of sea in the world due to due tidal differences between the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean) on Tues. 23rd Oct, the first totally calm day for over a week

Postcard 6

Last week I was blown away by the views – well how wrong I was – it just gets better! This week is definitely an S for super - surf, sea, sun, snow and stupendous – I can only wonder what weeks 7 & 8 will bring as we head down to Ffiordland land and the deep south. I have to say Richard’s driving is quite stupendous as well; he is managing around 250 kms a day through some quite interesting mountainous roads!! and so far has totalled over 8000 kms. He wants to put a sign on the back of the campervan saying “ caution – frequent stopping due to wife’s photo opportunities”– I keep saying stop – I want to take a photo of this, so far I’ve only taken about 2,500 photos – don’t worry I will edit them before I bore you to death with them!! But I just need a reminder of how fantastic it all is, but I fear this is going to be a long postcard.

Final Postcard

Well, it’s nearly time to pack our bags. We’ve had another stunning week of impossibly coloured lakes, snow capped mountains, glaciers, rainforest and pounding surf and we have freedom camped all week in some very special places.

Home Saturday 24th November – only 4 weeks to Christmas!

 
01.Auckland

01.Auckland

02. View from our first campsite

02. View from our first campsite

03. Our 2nd campsite - and our van

03. Our 2nd campsite - and our van

04. View from our 3rd campsite

04. View from our 3rd campsite

05. Beach on the Pacific Ocean

05. Beach on the Pacific Ocean

06. Bay of Islands

06. Bay of Islands

07. Check out the dolphins

07. Check out the dolphins

08. View from our 6th campsite

08. View from our 6th campsite

09. Cathedral cove

09. Cathedral cove

10. Te Ararau

10. Te Ararau

11. Cinema

11. Cinema

12. Lake Taupo

12. Lake Taupo

13. New Plymouth

13. New Plymouth

14. Moki tunnel halfway along the Forgotten Highway

14. Moki tunnel halfway along the Forgotten Highway

15. Views from our van at our last campstopfree on North Island

15. Views from our van at our last campstopfree on North Island

16. Just outside Wakefield

16. Just outside Wakefield

17. Just outside Kaikoura

17. Just outside Kaikoura

18. Kaikoura where snow top mountains meet a turquoise  pacific ocean

18. Kaikoura where snow top mountains meet a turquoise pacific ocean

19. Denniston mining village

19. Denniston mining village

20. Richard pottering at denniston

20. Richard pottering at denniston

21. Cape Foulwind

21. Cape Foulwind

22. Governors Bay on the Banks Peninsular SE of Christchurch

22. Governors Bay on the Banks Peninsular SE of Christchurch

23. Mount Cook on 2nd Nov

23. Mount Cook on 2nd Nov

24. On the road away from Mount Cook

24. On the road away from Mount Cook

25. Lake Wanaka at Boundary Creek

25. Lake Wanaka at Boundary Creek

26. Lake Wanaka at Boundary Creek too

26. Lake Wanaka at Boundary Creek too

27. Butchers Dam near Alexandra

27. Butchers Dam near Alexandra

28. Haast Beach

28. Haast Beach

29. Clearwater Creek

29. Clearwater Creek

30. Ross Beach

30. Ross Beach

 

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