Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Forgotten World Highway trip addendum

Wednesday, June 27, 2012 0
oldbearnews editor UHU - I forgot to add - while in Wanganui and dodging the rain in
Pohutakawa flowering in Mid winter
the Museum (which had a notice pinned at the Entrance that due to it having added a building [eg two buildings budding up to each other] it is deemed a earthquake risk and in case of - blah blah blah - Made us feel right at home!!!) I saw this Pohutakawa tree at the car parking entrance and - YES and it had flowers - and this at the end of June IN New Zealand - eg MID_WINTER!! MOST unusual.  I just had to snap a pic otherwise no-one would believe me.  Upon closer inspection it looked like it was in flower almost year round - it had blossoms that obviously had flowered several weeks back and new buds at various stages! No doubt it will show its full colour during spring!

Oddly enough after this experience we saw many more Pohutakawa trees - small ones - as decorative trees (like in the medium strip on the road etc!!) but saw no further red flowers! ^^ 







bear print

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Forgotten World Highway trip 26 June 2012

Tuesday, June 26, 2012 0
oldbearnews editor Woke at 7 am and had leisurely breakfast.  Paid and went first to the Winter gardens with Virgina lake.  Lots of glass house flowers – even saw our Brazilian cactus in flower – lovely! Outside in some trees lots of Tui’s (one of New Zealands rare and special birds) – lots of singing – and great to hear them back in the town and serenading!!  Stopped at the local Museum for a nosey tour – very informative! Then the sun sort of came out – so we did drive back to the Tower we'd been to yesterday and got blown - or should that be washed away– and parked the car at the top and slogged all 175 steps to the top.  Still VERY windy! But had good views of city / beach / river etc.  Then saw the next cloud rolling in so decided to get petrol and head north.  While getting petrol there are these three super sized pencils in the ground so took a quick pic – then petrol.  Asked the local attendant who knew little about it – but amazingly the guy next to us tanking up knew – he also happened to be a sales rep on a sales trip!!  Seems a local maori artist used same pencils for all his life and this was his “thank you’ art creation.  He won a price and some German HB pencil sales team saw it also!! The guy then decided having seen us taking a pic we were worth it for some freebees.  Then on to the high way.
Very windy and still showery – level of moisture depending on what cloud overhead.  From gentle drizzle to full downpoor.  Roads still hilly – but getting flatter the nearer you get to Palmy!

Stopped at Bulls for Lunch – town itself has a humor!! It is named after a change of deed for one of the locals who had done much for the town.  Mr Bull has owned a sawmill and was a renowned woodworker!!  Bought a expensive badge – but worth it.  The word “bull” features liberally.  Lunch at the ‘mothered goose’ with garlic bread and some nice mushroom dish for yours truly!! Had a senior moment when I went to the local loo – doors labelled Goose and Gander and I found out what the ladies amenties look like!! They have LARGE mirrors!! One wonders why!?!?  ?


Anyhow after the filling lunch we went for a stroll round town and saw some good shops.  Dropped into a history display store (sort of) and chatted with the local lady!  Took a pic of the original Bull structure that put the town on the map and then looked at the clouds and decided to head back to car before we got a 3rd rinse cycle!! From there pretty much straight into Palmy where we found the Local I-site and asked some questions.  Strolled once around the “Square” checked out the outdoor ice skating place and bought a couple of badges and then got a surprise hail-storm.  Had 4 season in less then one hour!!  Tanked up car on way back to the Airport and took a quick pic of the windmills at the ranges , then checked in the car and now just waiting for the plane – which has been just announced to be late by 19 minutes!!  Looking at the clouds and the speed they travel this could yet again be a bumpy flight!!   Another short holiday trip concluded and more to look forward to!  There is a trip up the Wanganui river waiting !

bear print

Monday, June 25, 2012

Forgotten World Highway trip 25 June 2012

Monday, June 25, 2012 0

oldbearnews editor Up late and a quick breakfast – packed and went on our way.
First stop – the I-Site for info! Decided to head to the beginning of the coastal walk! Trekked for 1.5 km and saw mostly warehouses on the beach. Very windy!! So headed back to car and drove to the other end of the walkway!! There is this new bridge!! It frames Mt Egmont nicely  I F  you can see it!!  Should have bought the postcard and used that as an image instead.  The blue sky lasted 10 minutes then the next thunderous cloud rolled in and soaked everything. Next stop, the local Airport - no souvenir's there either and no New Plymouth badge!! Airport is very tiny and guess not very busy!! From there we decided to head towards Wanganui, and saw near at the bridge (nice park area) the Fitzroy Scout Den!!
Drove out of New Plymouth and saw perfect double rainbow! Slammed on brakes and wanted to take a pic – only to have a panic attack and phone call back to Motel.  Eventually found mamabear's camera buried inside the large suitcase.  Rainbow had gone by then, sighs.  From there we headed out of town and passed many coast towns.  Stopped at the Maui Gas Field Visitor Center – a whole building about info on how and where and why for the gas and oil– no living soul in sight!! Very educational and there was this scale model giving good overview on how and why and where!! Still very rolling hills – from satellite you would expect flat country – similar to Canterbury!!
Anyhow – stopped at Opunake – disappointing – not much there, many shops closed. So headed on towards Wanganui.  Eventually stopped at Yarrows bakery at Manaia and ate what we bought next to a field just out of town while being buffeted by rain and wind!! (they also have a sign on road – not often known but it is two bread buns!!)  Bought 10 litres of petrol at Waverly to get us to Wanganui and then eventually found Wanganui!! Roads to find where Motel is  located was very easy – (queen) Victoria (which is the main shopping drag – as it turns out) and from there a left turn into Somme dr.  Easy.  Dropped bags at Motel and headed back to I-Site.  Picked up a map and some clues as to places to visit!!
Headed across the river and into a tunnel and up the elevator!! Tunnel very Echo-y!! Had fun with echos at various lengths of the Tunnel. On top – very,  very windy!! Climbed half of the stairs and decided that lighting not great – so may go there in the morning when the sun is in the east and (hopefully less windy). Back down the elevator and into town! Turns out the tunnel / elevator was build to develop a subdivison on the hill and make access easy. Same old story, once the road was open and cars got better less and less people use the public transport (elevator) and it is now "converting" or better sidelining itself as a tourist attraction.  It is one of ONLY two Earthbound elevator's - the other - I think and don't qoute me on that - is in Mount blanc ?!?!  Walked all the length of Victoria street – saw many shops and stopped at a tourist Souvenir shop where we did FIND a badge for Wanganui!! Wohooo.
Other place we bought was material for a quilt and (unsuccessful) Postie plus and Whitcoulls!! Time to go back and hunt for Dinner!! Thai place closed so decided to see if we can get a pre- cooked chuck from Countdown with some salad (which we did) and for afters a weightwatchers chocolate cheesecake!! Ate that at the Motel – along with cheese and the obligatory bottle of  white / red medicinal drink for us!! I ended up with a cheeky litle red!! --->                                                                  See ----->
Gotta finish the bottles!!  News and catch up time afterwards!!  Wanted to take a cruise on the steam paddle boat up the Wanganui river - but disappointingly they drive only on weekends during winter!! I really wanted to cruise up the river – it is supposed to be very scenic!!

 bear print

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Forgotten World Highway trip 24 June 2012

Sunday, June 24, 2012 0
oldbearnews editorAfter breakfast and having listened to a lot of rain from 3 am onwards hitting the roof, we hit the road, having decided give the native bushwalk a miss and to travel to New Plymouth via Waiouru / Tangiwai / Oakune / Rarimu spiral / Tauramanui. Hoping that we would have better wetter, but given the forcast and the fact that this is still New Zealands Westcoast (just up further north) - it did not look promising.


From Tauramanui - made famous by it's song from hmmm 50's??  we decided to go a more or less direct route which turned out to be State Highway 43 – a road to be travelled on, a scenic road, a road to be enjoyed – a road also named ‘The Forgotten World – highway’!  This road is not for the fainthearted And here is why:
  • You never know if there still is a road ahead, after a bend (road slips or wash outs)
  • Wild goats and pigs and sometimes sheep even, liberally use the road
  • A road-sign at the beginning of the drive –>  “Nz highest crash rate for Motorbikes on this road”  WARNING
  • Where after a good down-poor you may have to doge rocks the size of a basketball or larger lying on the road (suprising you as you come round a corner)
  • The medium strip suddenly shifts across your bonet and becomes the side strip (I kid you not)
  • The road narrows to a single line and becomes shingle for 15+ km
  • A hand hewn tunnel (very tall and narrow) with room for just ONE vehicle going either way!!
  • Where your hands never stay in same position on steering wheel as you constantly go around corners / bends
  • Where you think you may need to see a ciropraticioner at the end of the trip (road very uneven and bumpy – hard on body and spine)
  • Where you likely see more one-way bridges then on-coming road-users
  • Where you can climb up a saddle on steep rising hills and next minute you are on the bottom of a narrow gorge only to climb again. (5 saddles in all)
  • Where there is no petrol station for 150 km (so you need to do some mental caculations on milage left with your tank so much full)
  • Where there is no living soul for 50 km
  • Where you can see nature re-claiming its stake (when you can see rich deep green moss growing on the tarmac seal - you know it is not a well travelled Road.
Check these out  ---> http://www.newzealand.com/int/article/forgotten-world-highway/ http://www.aatravel.co.nz/101/info/The-Forgotten-World-Highway.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_State_Highway_43 http://www.nzcycletrail.com/forgotten-world-highway Further travel notes include: Waiouru – blink and you missed it driving past - has a nice Army museum so we believe.  Mamabear not to keen and go and see guns and things . . . Tangiwai – a sobering place where NZ’s worst railway disaster happened on a Christmas eve day. (and the Queen happened to be in our country in that year - and gave what turned out to be her ONLY ever Christmas speech away from UK) Oakune – where we just had to take a picture and think of a certain 'giggles' (and was overrun by whole heap of young people who where obviously enjoying the winter sport on Mount Ruapehu). Further near the Carrot was this trunk - a nice Totara tree - seeded in 1300 AD and well some 700 years later, when the local sawmiller decided that this would make a good tree to log and mill- ONLY to find that it was too large to put through his sawmill - so he just left it lying round!! Crying shame!! Criminal even.
Rarimu spiral – Part of NZ’s  Main trunk (railway) line that had to climb many, many meters in a very confined space – and literally spiral climbedup to the plateu behind and carries on! One day I shall catch a train from Wellington to Auckland and see for myself.  If you know what you are looking for you can see the power posts in the green hill . . . .      Tauramanui – famous because of its song from the 50’s – and quit a large hub! Had lunch there – and saw 3 Intercity busses.  The town services a large farming / forestry / tourist community.
New Plymouth – found a motel and took 30min stroll in town – trying to find the local I-site and find out what we can do / see / experience given the continuing precipitation. It was closed by the  time we got there – missed by 5 min!!  Saw many possible eating places – including a (chinese) teddybear eatery / take away!!  Back to Motel unit to see the news (there have been some earth-rockings in Chch) before heading out again for tea at the local Cobb & Co - a more traditional fare! 
 Thats the closest we got to see Mt Ruapehu! You just have to visualize the snow topped crater rim and ski-tracks and well whatever else the mountain has to offer.  We may well have to come back here when the weather is a tad better!!
 A local artist was putting together soem driftwood and here is one of his many creations.  Turns out there will be many more on display along the highways or near towns etc.  We saw a dinosaur near the Rarimu spiral  and something or other being put up at Tauramanui (which was still under cover).  This 'little' Kiwi is well over 2 meters tall.
The entrance to Rarimu - we just had to snap this sign!!  Someone certainly has a sense of humor - or is deadly serious!! Wonder where the children are roaming . . . . . .   bear print

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Forgotten World Highway trip 23 June 2012

Saturday, June 23, 2012 0

 

 

 

 

We got up and had leisurely brekkie and then got ready to go and catch a plane. We left Christchurch on time in a tiny turbo-prop and the plane was rocking and bumping along – and we had not even taken off the runway yet.  We faced the nor-west runway (Mamabear saying it was her first ever take off in THAT direction) and we were away!  Predictably the flight for the first few minutes was very bumpy! Kept wanting to say  "buckle up – its gonna be a bumpy ride" quoting from Harry Potter.  Anyhow – after we got to the flight ceiling it smoothed out and we had a pleasant flight. (oddly enough the journey back and using same plane took 15 minutes longer - turns out the flight path is more easterly coming down - thus using more km's)
Landed ok and collected the car and decided first order of business was lunch, so headed towards Palmerston North center and found the “Rumor has it” Café – very nice and had tv in corner that quoted corny sayings – like ‘Facebook-anonymous meeting on Facebook at 4 pm’.  Car a Toyota Corolla wagon - nuthing flash and sadly an automatic - BUT - it had a USB port - and even better - it plays my 32 Gig pen-drive after two seconds loading the data!!  My car takes about one minute plus, before it loads and plays  - so yeah very nice going - I shall miss it when I have to give it back!

Then headed of via Feilding – showed Mamabear where we camped (in the big wet Scout Jamboree 2005) and then drove north-ish to Taihape!  Very nice scenery – lots of rolling hills.

And we came across an international airport café in the middle of nowhere! Found a motel in Taihape ok and dumped suitcase and went for a stroll in town – looking at café’s and shops and info center.  Sadly no cloth souvenir badge (will have to make one myself). Found the local Gumboot on other town entrance and snapped the obligatory picture – discovered a section of native bush with a 10 minute hill walk which we may do next day (assuming it will stop raining).  A small section of New Zealand native bush left - complete with some young (300 years) Kauri and some Kakikatea which is New Zealand s tallest tree at 60 m's height – then stopped in New World for some vital supplies and back home, sorting out mamabear's e-reader and working out TV channels for Rugby later.  May eat out and have to be back for 7 pm!! Dinner at the Gumboot manor, very nice rustic place with very young waitresses.  Had decent food then back to Motel where we watched the All Blacks thrashing the Irish team by 60 - 0! A good night all round!!








bear print

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Barrytown knife making trip with scouts

Sunday, June 10, 2012 0
oldbearnews editorYup - it was this time of the year again where we are taking a group of scouts over to the Westcoast of New Zealand - Barrytown to be exact - and do one of the many wonderful activity on offer.  This time - same as last year - knife making with Steve and Robyn, although to be fair we took another troop across (Cust scouts)!!
We left bright and early on Friday and arrived shortly after 9pm, set up camp - munched on some pizza (even though the maths employed by Brush was a bit - urm - in-correct!!) and looked forward to the coming days activity!








Next question -- I KNEW we had packed a tin opener - it was just a case of finding it.  Eventually after a mummy look the missing tool was located and that opened the door for some 'wriggly worms' in Tomato sauce to be cooked for breakfast!!



Knife making starts at 9 am with the lighting of the fire.  Amazing what a couple of squirts of medicinal water can do for effect! wrooom and hey presto - we have a flame!!  Oh, did I hear someone suggesting we should have brought Marshmellows??? 
Soon there was no excuse and it was hands on deck for everyone.  I did warn the scouts that they better start lifting some weights - a 500 g tin of fruit would do the trick!!  In the end a two handed job was easier and required a bit of co-operation.  TEAM-work!!  Normally you hold the steel with one hand and hammer with the other.
After the basic forging and tempering of the blade you work on the belts, grinding away the un-wanted bits.  The steel coming away from the forge and tempering process is an ugly black or gray and as we want a nice mirror type finish we have to remove the dust and grime first!! The on goes the bolster / handle and vola - it almost LOOKS like a knife is being made.  At this point everyone gets excited - cause you can see the end product!!
There are many more steps in place before you get to have lunch and while 'the happy bunch munch on their lunch' (scouts grace - try and say that 3x really fast) Steve has to work of the xtra bits.  The gaps are filled with a polymer resin - food grade - and the dust can be quit dangerous, whence everyone inside the house eating while Steve is doing the final shaping!! Notice that Steve is wearing a complete self-contained breathing unit!! I loved taking this pic - sparks everywhere - which means that the steel is really hard and will take a good edge, and of course it looks spectacular!!

There is always time for some play time and apart from the chucking of some axes and ninja stars on a solid wall of timber - there is always time to go for a wee walk and use the big swing - and it is BIG!! To get some height everyone has to pull (Team-work again) and then let go and you start swinging from about 4-6 meters of the ground.  Funnily enough there is a little round pond in front of the swing - and the suggestion that this was NOT repeat NOT an invitation for some spectacular diving - worthy of Olympic status - was readily agreed too!!
After the handle was on and the basic shaping was done and well some more steps - came the final last step - wet polishing with a dry polish finish!! Time to sit in the sun and tell some jokes or share anecdotes of the days event!!
Hurrah's - all the final knives - laid out and ready.  Haven't done they well!?!? The timber used is Rimu - a NZ native tree - which you can no longer log - so comes from re-cycled timber!! I actually love the grain and color  of the Rimu!!
Each knive is very individual and as you can see there are some good for stabbing and some good for skinning!!  Having already made 3 knives from previous trips - I decided not to make one on this trip - rather I will be waiting until the Damascus Blades come on-stream and - uhu then watch out!!


The next Day we went on a short walk. There are some good 3-5 hour walks near Punakaki and  we had already been there before once - so knew the area well.  Basically we wanted to show the youth what was needed to organize a hike - in terms of gear / preparation / carrying all gear etc etc.  As it rained I did not bring my camera - but someone else did and I am waiting for some pictures to add here. Given the good and organized nature of the Cust Scouts (and the 1:1 ratio of leaders to kids ) we where finishing the walk (and the Duck soup for Lunch) reasonably early - so headed of the the Beach the light a beacon fire (4 pm).  We had to, as at 9pm time it was high tide and the Tide does come right up to the shore - leaving no room for any on beach activities!  Next day - by mutual consent we stomped around Shantytown for a bit - did the gold digging and had a ride on the Steam train, and sent th eyouth on a treasur hunt, before we drove back up to Arthurs Pass and had a good lunch there - and then back home by 4.30pm-ish!!  Yes - another successful trip to the West-coast completed!! A N D contrary to popular belief - this old gezzer did NOT repeat NOT cut himself on any of the knives or during the whole weekend.
Next year - Greenstone (Jade) carving in Hokitika.

Oh nearly forgot - there is this story that was started by one of the leaders - and sort of helped along by the youth - I shall endeavor to copy and paste here!!  Have fun 



The book of Sir G.H.

Chapter One

Verse 1:  The inhabitants of Cust built a scout den.
Verse 2:  Following the word of the scout leader Hamish, a large food store was built for the purposes
               of scouting.
Verse 3:  The foodstore was moved from scout camp to scout camp and it was lent to some scout 
               leaders who used to go to a scout den in Christchurch but they had left when it was taken
               over by an evil empire.
Verse 4:  To support the annula pilgrimage to the West Coast, the Cust scouts prepared a mighty
                food parcel that contained:
Verse 5:  24 Pre-cook sauages frozen
Verse 6:  8 tins of 420grams of beans to keen the scout leaders of Christchurch regular
Verse 7:  8 tins of spagetti as the scouts of Cust did not like eating worms
Verse 8:  3 tins of beetroot as Cust scouts like beetroot
Verse 9:  1 420 grm tin of peaches
Verse 10:  12 litres of Raro drink mix as scouts drink nothing less
Verse 11:  Enough tomato sauce for the weekend and maybe even enough for a tomato suce fight!
Verse 12:  Half a big jar of raspberry jam and the same of marmalade
Verse 13   Enough coffee to see Sir GH through the weekend
Verse 14:  A roll of foil
Verse 15:  A big bottle of meths for Broom (in case he forgets his medicine)
Verse 16:  A big bottle of white vineger (for salad dressings)
Verse 17   A little bit of veggie oil but not much (see above)
Verse 18:  A box of cardbox ...... no its Weetbix 1Kg
Verse 19:  Full bag of sugar
Verse 20:  A pack of Bin bags
Verse 21:  Loads of washing up liquid
Verse 22:  approx 24 tea bags
Verse 23:  and loads of hand wash
Verse 24:  Sir G.H was tasked by Ladle to bring 4 cooked ducks (tomorrow evenings job)
Verse 25:  And would you like me to bring some meat for Saturday and Sunday evening meal?

Chapter 2:
 
Verse 1:  We arrived on the mini bus with the smell of vomit all the way and passed through
               Kumara and made a big fuss.
Verse 2:  We also got pizza.When we got there we had to unload a thousamd bags (well which
               seemed like it) then sat down and ate the pizza.
Verse 3:  And they went and made knifes in Barrytown.


Chapter 3

Verse 1:  They went and made their knives and even Reinhold did not cut himself!
Verse 2:  When we arrived at the knife making place, we got out and went to the house to get the
               shirts, goggles and gloves, as we waited for the other people we grabbed some throwing
               stars and hatchets on the veranda and through them at this massive board.
Verse 3:  Meanwhile, Vinnie was put to work under the glare of a mystery star in the North.
Verse 4:  The Norse Gods came to Hokitika and sent a massive flood to the sleeping quarters but only
               managed to get one person in hot water.
Verse 5:  Despite the moist misty weather we walked into the bush and cooked a duck soup
Verse 6:  The Cust Scouts enjoyed the alfresco meal
Verse 7:  After the hike we tried to burn some timber on the beach
Verse 8:  Sir GH decided some fresh mussels would be in order = so we offered some weight training!!

Chapter 4
To be continued . . .  .

 
 bear print
 
◄Design by Pocket