Goodbye Campervan

Yes, it's true; we officially returned the campervan last Saturday, December 13th. It bore us safely for two months, and for that we are thankful. While we won't exactly "miss" it, we will remember fondly our time driving it throughout the country of New Zealand. So, goodbye, Campervan.

After turning in the van (at this very moment, I'm not sure why we didn't come up with a better nickname), we spent a few days in Christchurch. As a general observation, this is a city that would be interesting to visit again in 10-15 years, as they are just now starting to rebuild following devastating earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. While there are bright spots to the city, including some great park areas, one finds it difficult to walk more than two blocks without having to cross to the other side of the street to avoid demolition or construction zones. On the plus side, they have a great bus system, making it easy to get around without a vehicle.

Our first day in Christchurch was forecast to be rainy and cold (when will summer arrive, anyway?), so after checking into The Old Countryhouse Hostel, we found out that there was a movie theatre only a short bus ride away, we decided to mourn the loss of the van by catching the final installment of The Hobbit trilogy (cue comments from lovers and haters alike). Tickets were only $10, which comes out to about $8 US, so we decided to get some popcorn, too. We're not sure what it says about us, but there was something comforting about walking through a mall decorated for Christmas with a Salvation Army brass quintet playing Christmas music. Perhaps we felt as if we could have been in a mall at home.

The next day was Sunday, and we decided to go back to Knox Presbyterian Church where we had worshipped on our first morning in New Zealand. A few folks recognized us, and welcomed us back. Sometimes the church can be so great! The service revolved around the theme of Jesus being a revolutionary, with the bulletin cover featuring an image of Jesus that resembles the classic picture of Che Guevara one sees on t-shirts and posters. The preacher did a wonderful job of framing Mary as a revolutionary, given the texts she chooses to proclaim in the Magnificat. At the end of worship, we joined the congregation in a liturgy/ritual of transition away from the fellowship hall where they have been worshipping since the earthquakes, back into the sanctuary, that is just now restored/renovated. It was a cool moment to share with those folks.

After worship we ate at a local cafe on the advice of the pastor and then set out to explore Re:Start, a shopping area made up completely by shipping containers, which signify the rebuilding and the "Restart" of Christchurch as a city.

In the afternoon, we walked to a Catholic church that was offering a performance of Handel's Messiah. We realized that neither of us had ever experienced a performance of the entire piece. It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

On our way back to the hostel, we explored a short side street that either survived the earthquakes, or has been rebuilt to look historic. As we were walking along, we ran into a couple we had met in the hut on the Abel Tasman Track earlier on our trip, and we talked about potentially hanging out on New Year's Eve in Sydney, as they will be there as well. Sometimes it really is a small world.

The Canterbury Region and Banks Peninsula

On December 7 (Sunday), we left Dunedin to drive north to Oamaru. On the way we stopped at Moeraki to see the famous boulders on the beach. They formed a long time ago, wrapping around something small, and they are scattered in the soil there. A plaque identified a boulder up above the beach that will join the others in the sand, once the waves erode farther inland.

In Oamaru, we were told definitively that the yellow-eyed penguins come ashore at 6:45, so we huddled in the wind with lots of people for a hour. We saw 2 penguins cross the beach.

I swear there is a penguin in this photo, top right quadrant:

Oamaru claims to be the " Steampunk Capital of New Zealand", though no one is competing with them. We walked through Steampunk HQ, with art showcasing this ideal, and ran into a sign telling what in the world Steampunk is. (Futuristic re-imagining of nineteenth century Victorian England featuring machines powered by steam, as in H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, and Dr. Who.)

Oamaru has an intact Victorian-era town square, so we toured through this area before stumbling on Scott's Brewery. And of course sampled some of their product.

From Oamaru, we drove inland, stopping to let Gracyn sample wines at Pasquale. Their apricot liquor was spiced to taste just like Christmas.

Along the way to Mt. Cook (Aoraki), the tallest mountain in New Zealand, we drove along Lake Pukaki, a lovely color of blue from the glacier melt. Once near the mountain, we walked the Sealy Tarns track, so steep we were walking up hundreds and hundreds of stairs. The view towards the mountain and towards the valley were each spectacular.

The next day, Tuesday December 9, we went to Mt. John, near Lake Tekapo. A few hours walk along the lake and up and over Mt. John were also stunning. It was one of Gracyn's top 3 so far.

Our final stop before Christchurch (and returning the van!)  was Akaroa, on the Banks Peninsula, December 11-12. This area was settled by the French, so, like Dunedin, retains some flavor of that heritage. We bought a historical walkways guide, walking all five routes near the town to see the oldest houses, stores, and churches and to learn about the area. Ultimately, the attitude of the pamphlet author was the most entertaining part. This person viewed any changes to original buildings as an absolute travesty and made free to share his/her opinions.

Dunedin

We arrived in Dunedin (duh-nee-din) on Wednesday afternoon, December 3. We walked around the downtown, particularly The Octagon, the city center.

A highlight from Thursday was our tour of the Cadbury Factory. It was about $20 per person, but we must have been given more than that in candy samples to take home. We were shown through the operating factory, so no cameras allowed. Also, everybody wore hair nets. Alan had to cover his manly beard with a "snood" hairnet across the jaw. Very entertaining. Here I am after the tour, well sugared and caffeinated.

We bought a brochure for a Heritage Walking Tour of downtown, showcasing older buildings with their beautiful architecture. Dunedin was settled by a largely Scottish population, and retains a character reminiscent of Edinburgh.

The walking route took us by the official Speight's Brewery, where we shared a tasting tray.

Friday was our sunniest day, though cold. So we headed out from Dunedin to the Otago Peninsula. We intended to visit the aquarium and Marine Studies Center run by the university, but it was closed to visitors due to earthquake-caused building risk. Don't worry, they let the students go in. (What?)

Instead, we visited Larnach Castle, which is the only castle in New Zealand. We toured the house and gardens, getting some history of the area, the original family, and the family who has recently undertaken the refurbishment. The house was quite small, if you are imagining American monstrosities like the Biltmore. Perhaps 5-6 rooms on each level.

On Saturday, we took a tour of the Dunedin Gaol. We were both stunned at the fact that this building ran from 1900-2007. There were no toilets until the year 2000. Yes, 2000. Before that, buckets were used.

Our final day, Sunday, we worshiped at Knox Church, one of the oldest in the city. Their main choir included children (as is common in England, I believe) and sang a lovely selection of Advent hymns. It was nice to join a community of faith as they celebrated the Advent season in a way more familiar to us.

Finally, we tried to watch the SEC Championship at the Speight's Restaurant, since we had seen that there were many TVs showing sports. Of about 8 sports channels, none of these was American football. So Alan caught the second half by radio feed through the pub's wifi. Well.. at least Mizzou made it to the championship.

Christmas Incentive

If you are thinking of what get me and Alan for Christmas... here it is! We would appreciate funds in support of our adventure, and we will send you something in return.

$25 - Receive a one-of-a-kind postagram with a photograph from our trip and a message from us.

$50 - Receive a postagram card, plus an authentic New Zealand souvenir.

$100 - Receive a postagram card, plus the coolest Lord of the Rings keepsake we can find in Queenstown.

The sheep below were hanging out next to a trail we walked recently, and as we approached, they struck up a conversation of some sort, as if they were great friends catching up on life, and it made us think of all our friends and family back at home. With the advent season upon us, we are missing all of the festivities, communal gatherings, seasonal music offerings, and opportunities for fellowship we usually experience this time of year. Simply put: We miss y'all!  Even if you don't make a financial contribution, we appreciate your prayers and positive thoughts, and we'd love to hear from you. You can e-mail us at alanbancroft1977@gmail.com.

Advent Blessings,

Gracyn and Alan

Milford Sound and the Southland

Milford is actually a Fjord, though, something we learned on our kayaking trip. Alan and I had initially planned to walk the Milford Track, but it was booked out some 9 months in advance. We found ourselves adjusting plans and booking a sea kayak trip so that we could see this beautiful area.

We woke early Monday morning (December 1) to finish the drive along the Te Anau-Milford Highway, a treat in itself. The kayak company totally outfitted us in warm and waterproof layers, then  we set off around the Fjord/Sound. We had a lovely 4 hours on the water.

Out on the water, it is easy to lose a sense of how big everything is. The Dwarf Effect, I think it is called. There are no points of reference, other than to look at Mitre Peak (snow capped in the photo above) and remind yourself that it is a mile high. Would it hit me if it fell over? No. So things are not as close by as they seem!

Our next stop was Invercargill, on the southern coast. We had a lovely, sunny day there, which is quite rare. One of our destinations was the Invercargill Brewery. We tried a cider, APA, English Pale Ale, Pilsner, Stout and Red.

On our way to Dunedin, we stopped a few places in the Catlins. First was the Fossil Forest, petrified as a result of volcano ash covering the trees a long time ago.

Next was a stop at Nugget Point, so called for the scattering of rock islands near the coast.

Next up, Dunedin!