New Zealand Explorer Motorhome Tour - Days 33-34

Heading out of Dunedin we opted to take the 25 minute drive beside the Otago Harbour to the Royal Albatross Centre at Taiaroa Head. Mindful of the long drive ahead we reluctantly decided not to wait for the first guided tour at 11am. We were however treated to a brief fly-by by a majestic albatross, dwarfing the gulls that shrieked around it.

There were plenty of reasons to stop on the journey to Lake Pukaki, one being the curious spherical boulders on the beach at Moeraki. Then there was Oamaru, a town with an impressive streetscape of Victorian buildings and home to “Steampunk HQ”, an art gallery devoted to steampunk contraptions and sculptures. The Victorian/industrial steampunk theme is also showcased in the imaginative design of the playground features next to the harbour.

Finally we were treated to the fabulous sight of the snowcapped Southern Alps towering above the turquoise snow melt lakes. The evening was spent admiring the mountains surrounding the remote campsite and watching the setting sun illuminate the peak of 3,754 meter Aoraki/Mount Cook, which glowed bright red just before the sun disappeared.

Poppies are more commonly worn to mark Anzac Day than Armistice Day in New Zealand and we would have struggled to obtain them. Fortunately, one of our fellow Club members Carol had brought poppies knitted and crocheted by her friends in Sutton Coldfield and our donation was added to the incredible £30k that volunteers have raised by selling them over the last 6 years.

We were lucky that heavy rain the following morning did not scupper our plans for our final optional excursion, a trip on a small 18 person boat to see the face of the Tasman Glacier. Our guide carefully navigated the boat around icebergs, one of which had broken off overnight. She excitedly told us that we were very lucky to catch sight of it on an overcast day to see the vivid blue colour before the surface of the ice turned white with exposure to the sun.

Before our final night in the Motorhome the whole tour group got together for a barbeque and collective fridge clear out. Fortunately the campsite had a covered barbeque area with a wood burning stove to provide a warm shelter from the elements.