Storms on the coast

As we prepared the evening before for our journey down the coast to the glaciers, we were having trouble with google maps.  It kept routing us into Christchurch and back around to the southern coast with a 10+ hour trip, instead of directly down the coast for a 2 hour trip.  I sent a message to the tour company confirming our appointment for the next day and asking about the roads.  They confirmed that the roads were ‘now’ open from the big storm that came through several weeks ago, but there was a curfew on the road from 9 pm to 7 am while the work crews continued to clean up the mess.  Since we were looking at our map after 9 pm, it was rerouting us the long way.

As we started off the next day, we were very curious about the storm damage we might see.  I was expecting downed trees across the road or something, but it was massive hillside slides along one part of the road that left giant boulders, trees and mud all along the road.

Dirt moving equipment waiting for the road to close to get back to work.

Looking uphill from part of the slide.

The entire hillside came down on the road.

This part of the canyon was full of sharp switch backs, no where else to go to reroute traffic, must clear the road.

It was down to one lane with holds on both ends as each direction of traffic took turns.

So much debris washed down.

This is a view from the distance.  The brown patch on the hillside is where one of several slides took place.

Waterfall Hike and beach visit

We originally planned a longer hike to a waterfall up Arthur’s pass, but decided we didn’t have time to get there this afternoon, so we hiked to Carew’s Falls instead.  There was no one else on the trail and we had the falls to ourselves.  Very beautiful!  And to top it all off, there was a geocache at the top that we found. 

Everything was moss covered!

I wasn't expecting a waterfall of this size.  It was lovely - and we had it all to ourselves!

Adam climbed across the stream and up the other side for a different view.

View toward the lake

The trailhead was located near Lake Brunner – a large lake not far from Kumara.  We drove along the shore as the clouds were starting to lift at the end of the afternoon.  Very pretty drive.

After the hike we decided to visit the local penguin beach.  The signage indicated that they mated early in the year and would hike as much as a mile or more inland to lay their eggs.  In fact we found ‘penguin fences’ along the highway to prevent them from trying to cross the highway to nest.  We didn’t see any sign of them when we arrived in the late afternoon, but later learned that they spend the day at sea looking for food.  The Randles were more diligent in their search earlier in the day and found penguin prints in the sand above the tide line, and found a few at a distance.  We just enjoyed the awesomeness that is the ocean and tide.

Adventures with the NZ Health Care system

Adam already had an experience with a health clinic in Wellington.  When he started feeling bad the first week, he decided to go to a clinic.  He ended up getting antibiotics for strep.  He did all of this on his own while we went out for a walk that day.

Delaney got her opportunity in Kumara when we realized she did not have her inhaler with her and was about to go up to the glaciers (elevation) for hiking without it. We visited a clinic, got a script, and then got it filled.  Killed a morning, but I’ll be glad for her to have it on our later hikes.

Lodging in Kumara

This house is charming in its own way, but not as comfortable and convenient as our others.  It has no central heat, and only one space heater, so we had to get the heat stove lit in order to sleep comfortably the first night.

Beautiful garden in the backyard with a "Bloke's shed"

The kitchen is quaint and quirky, and definitely not for anyone who likes to cook efficiently.  Random collection of pots, pans, silverware and dishes. Small kitchen sink with no dishwasher, no disposal, and no room to wash pots and pans without accidentally bumping the faucet and turning off the water.  No dish drainer for the handwashed dishes.  Salt, but no pepper.  No can opener.  Let’s just say we got very creative in our meal preparation and clean up.

There were two toilets, although one was more accurately an outhouse (a "bog") - attached off the back porch.  A flush toilet, complete with stained glass window and Monet print hanging above the throne...

The many bird nests in the trees outside the bedrooms woke us early each day.  Kind of charming, but the girls found it annoying.