Mt Cook to Geraldine via (Twizel, Lake Tekapo, Pioneer Park and Timaru) – 26th April to 28th April

Wow, last night was more than a nightmare, we spent the night literally rocking side to side, the wind and rain drove against us persistently for the entire night and at one point we actually felt like we were about to leave the ground. Mt Cook as stunning as it is on a clear day is most certainly a no go area when bad weather comes in. We laid awake the entire night, waiting for daylight to arrive, I have to be honest and say I was slightly concerned at one point. When the sun did eventually arrive the rain and wind did not subside, after breakfast we decided that our walking would not happen today so we took a trip down to the visitors centre where we wandered around the museum and checked out the forecast for the next few days, it was then we knew that we would not be walking at all in the region with weather set to get worse, well there was no way we were hanging about for another night of feeling like a spare part in the film Twister.

As we set off slowly now looking at yesterdays tiny streams which were now a torrent of water, the mountains either side had waterfalls and streams of water flowing at almost every divot possible, just another weather front in new Zealanders eyes but I for one don’t fancy being about in worse conditions. On the drive back down we spotted the lads who had purchased our rod tackling the wind in there camper, as a rainbow appeared over the lake we pulled over behind the lads where we heard that they had gone for a morning walk, in which they were nearly blown away, but funny all the same. After a quick chat we headed for Twizel where we decided to spend a little time on the internet and to have some lunch. As we pulled up with the lads we sat with them, whilst they tried to dry their clothes eating lunch, the rain at this time had stopped and the sky had cleared in but in the distance the sky was only getting darker. As we left the lads we managed to flog them our knife kit as well we set off on the road to Lake Tekapo in the hope for some drier and more outdoor friendly weather. When we arrived there was a brief moment of dryness although that was short lived. Our plans for the next few days had been scrapped and we were driving blind, to be honest we were feeling pretty fed up, the campervan was getting on our t***, damp 98% of the time and eating more fuel that the guy from Supersize me could eat Mc Donald’s, but we kept our chins up and headed through on through Burkes Pass to find camp in Pioneer Park.

After following a dirt track for a little under 10km with Rachel very nearly losing control, “women drivers ha” we arrived at what could only be described as paradise for the night. This camp site was set completely out of the way, surrounded by lush forest and buried in the autumn leaves. As we found a night spot the sky had cleared, all the rain seemly had been swallowed up by the Southern Alps. With plenty of fire wood in the region and a huge concrete slap for protection we decided to have our first camp fire. As we collected the wood and nestled in the heat we cooked up last night’s chili and sat on the picnic bench feeling warm and snug for the first time in ages. Mesmerized by the red glow and warmth we pulled out some bananas and chocolate and in true camping style enjoyed the flame grilled chocolate banana, to finish the evening off we even had marshmallows, the frowns of earlier had turned to smiles. Fully sugared up and warmed up we had an early night in the hope of avoiding the rocking of the night before.

When we awoke the next day it was raining once more, I looked at Rachel and said our luck had run out with the good weather. Without rushing we slowly rose after over sleeping, no doubt catching up on last night’s lost sleep. Eventually we decided to make head way and leave the camp ground, as we drove back through the road of orange and out the gates, as the red deer around us elegantly stood watching our movements we hit the gravel once more, our destination this time was Timaru. As we drove further out to the coast the sun broke through clouds warming the place up nicely, falcons glided in front of us deer stared at us and sheep; well they ate grass as usual oblivious to anything around them. As the afternoon arrived we pulled in to the legendary Pak n Save in Timaru, after stocking up we had a brief look around the town before deciding that we wanted to move on and visit the smaller town of Geraldine. The brochure had set the scene for this quaint town and it had far more sex appeal than many of the bigger towns in the region. As we hit the highway there we came across a sheep auction, Rachel looked at me and I took the word south of her mouth, “why not she said let’s check it out, maybe even buy a sheep for dinner” “I turned and said that my sister would enjoy sheep for dinner, she has always wanted to exchange lamb for sheep.” Laughing as we entered we took a walk around and watched as the sheep, penned in, some fat some skinny, some young some old and most still eating. As we watched the auctioneer sell them we were gob smacked to see them selling at $30 per sheep some less, believe me we were nearly pulling the change out of our wallet to see what we could muster up, but I figured that I may make a mess of the slaughter. After a look in the cattle auction we hit the road, Geraldine only 30 minutes away we cruised now with the sun in our eyes, a feeling of normality returned although we knew it may be short lived.

On arrival in to Geraldine we stopped in the park to have lunch, the wind gusted around blowing numerous amounts of leaves in to the camper, an elderly chat walking his dog stopped and chatted about his experience when he was younger in a camper around the UK and we indulged on our fresh food from Timaru. After lunch we headed in to the town, the place was very pretty not as nice as Arrowtown but with its own unique charm. In the court yard of the church a bag piped played for a funeral, we looked around the tiny museum on the history of the town where we even got to play with some old toys, of which some I recall Gran having in her house when we were younger. We tempted our taste buds with free tasters of fudge, cheese and pickles before crossing the road to the Medieval 1066 store. There they had the world’s largest woolen jersey, our nans would have been proud, this thing was huge, and it was even in the Guinness Book of Records, probably a little too big for me though so my money stayed in my pocket. The gentleman in charge of the store invited us through to the medieval Mosaic room, where he explained his mosaic that he had made from 2,000,000 pieces of steel from old spring steel, cut off from patterning disks from industrial knitting machines. The mosaic was stunning, it depicted the Bayeux tapestry of the Norman Conquest in 1066, it also includes his daughters version of the missing piece which she even visited the UK for permission. Along with this the place was covered in mathematical puzzles and games, Uncle Paul’s heaven I would think, the man creates mathematical challenges and illusion in the form of puzzles and games, we sat for hours playing, trying to figure out some of the hardest challenges he has made. The place was mind blowing and really enjoyable, even if it was stressful when that last piece would not quite fit. On departure I decided to buy the CD rom with all the games, history and challenges on, “I think Yatzee may be replaced with this one, even if it features on the CD.” As the parking ran out we set off for camp, only 15 minutes up the road was a fully serviced camp site, here we got to work on the bottomless pile of washing and dirt behind our ears and ankles. With the night pulling away we sat back in our stinky camper, clean and refreshed… just for a change.

The next morning we awoke to the smell of bacon, I thought I was dreaming, unfortunately it was other campers teasing us with the fresh smell of English Bacon. With the sun beaming down we wasted no time in getting the day started, I called back in the local store to recoup some laundry money, before we set off on the most uninteresting walk to date. Although before that we did check out one of New Zealand’s famous Totrura trees (Big trees) now they would make a lot of houses. As we set off down Allan’s track the blood was pumping although the sites lacked interest in comparison to some of the scenery we have seen in New Zealand. As we hiked through trees and over rocky and slippery terrain we were not treated to any type of view other than the trees in front of our eyes. We checked out the most pitiful of waterfalls before arriving at the end of the track only to be greeted with a view of flatness and farm land, a shame but time out of the camper all the same. After lunch and we wandered back, where we sat and absorbed some of the afternoon sun. As we hit the road we called passed back through Geraldine where we found a small camp site out of the way for the night. Rachel cooked up some chips with some of the hundred potatoes we have left and I sat staring in to the wilderness. As night pulled in so did the rain, we figured that things may turn a little bit wet once more as our last legs of our journey neared, oh we were not wrong.