Looking Back

Now we have been back for a couple of weeks from our South Island Odyssey, it’s time to look back at some facts and figures.  We were away for 10 weeks and traveled 5220km, 3019km was towing the caravan.  All this travel cost us $1582 for diesel.  As well, we spent $226 on LPG (6 fills) to run the fridge, stove and hot water cylinder when we were parked on non power sites.  In fact, we were only on power at three of our stops.

First stop – Koromiko

We were away for 77 nights and the average cost was $9.50 per night.  It was interesting to look back at the variety of places we stayed at, 36 in all for the 77 nights.  Of the 36 sites we stayed at, 21 were “new to us”.

NZMCA Sites                17

POPs                             11

Hotel car parks               4

Clubs                              2

Motor Camp                   1

Private Home                 1

Overlooking the West Coast at Barrytown

Spending Christmas with Robin’s sister Kay and hubby Jan was a real highlight, and we spent 6 days on their life style property, enjoying the wonderful Nelson sunshine. 

Christmas at Nelson

New Year was spent at the Star Tavern, Cape Foulwind, where we met up with fellow bloggers Irene and Ian,  all the way from UK, who were spending several months traveling  around New Zealand.  

Happy New Year!

While in Christchurch we met up with more bloggers, Dave and Nancy, who came for a visit.  Always nice to catch up with them and have such interesting conversations.

Dave and Nancy in Christchurch

Son Michael lives in Christchurch and we managed several visits with him, including two café lunches at the very interesting former “Rest Houses”, now cafes, on the Christchurch Hills. 

Michael and his Mum

And we couldn't tour the South Island and not go to Dunedin to visit my old school friend Merilyn, we go back such a long way. 

 

Old friends, Merilyn and Colin

There’s no doubt that we had a marvelous time, saw wonderful scenery, especially on the West Coast, Southern Alps and Central Otago.  Highlights would be the Milford Sounds and Underwater Observatory Trip, the Tree Top Walkway and Hokitika Gorge.  We met so many interesting people in camps, including a gold fossicker who came and showed us his box of special treasures.

Just love those mountains

You may remember that while we stayed at the brand new NZMCA camp at Kaiapoi we were interviewed by a journalist for the local weekly newspaper.  And look, we are famous!  Our photo appeared and we are quoted in the newspaper as travelers from Levin, giving our good opinion of this lovely new camp.

We made the news

The only downsides were Robin having an issue with his leg, so we came home a couple of weeks early.  And the never ending ferry problems which affected so many people.  On our trip down our afternoon  ferry was cancelled and we were rebooked on one leaving at 2.00am, take it or leave it, we were told.  Weeks and weeks of ferry problems followed, break downs, trouble with getting bookings, and by the time we were due to return home again, once again, the ferry was cancelled.  But, we were offered a life line when we were placed on standby with no guarantees, a little scary, not knowing if we would manage to get aboard.  Thank goodness we did, although now we are home the news items continue with stories of customers stranded for weeks, or boarding as foot passengers and having to leave their cars behind.  We certainly were lucky indeed.

Inter Island Ferry

Settling down at home we are catching up with friends again, and looking forward to caravan club rallies, after all, you cant have too much of a good thing, can you.  We had a mountain of mail waiting for us, including the very important Census Forms to complete.  Many thanks to Dot and Derek for keeping an eye on our home for us, all those weeks we were away, we certainly appreciated that.