Riverstone Kitchen Restaurant, a Place to Celebrate

Kia Ora!

 Riverstone Kitchen is not a well kept secret, at least with me. This is our favorite restaurant in central east South Island and without a doubt one of the best in all of New Zealand. The location is just outside the town of Oamaru about 50 kilometers south of Timaru. As the site includes an extensive vegetable and herb garden, one enjoys fresh produce from the gardens as well as selected local meats prepared to perfection. My favorite meal is to indulge in the Chef's Tasting Menu, a five-course feast with or without wines to complement the flavors (poor KC as the designated driver gets just one glass of wine. I go for the whole thing). Compared to restaurants in this class, the prices are very reasonable. The wait staff are familiar with the menu and the preparation of the food. They can recommend appropriate wines if one is ordering off the menu. Furthermore, they remember you when you return.

So this is how our guests independently chose to bring their 3-week holiday in New Zealand to an end. (Sarah was browsing in the cookbook section of a Timaru book store and picked up one of Chef Bevan Smith's cookbooks. The clerk then extolled the restaurant and the idea was set, independent of my influence. This is where they wanted to go.) We were the guests of Sue at a wonderful meal at the Riverstone. We brought with us a bottle of Port Molyneux from Aurum Winery, which perfectly complemented the blue cheese on wheat cracker finale (yes, even after indulging in the wine selections for each of the five courses, we drank just a little more.) Sarah gifted the remains of the fortified dessert wine to the wait and kitchen staff, who sipped it as we left. We were the last customers at the end of the evening.

It is also how KC and I chose to end this 6-month assignment in New Zealand a week later. We had the same lovely server, as we have had many times. We enjoyed an extraordinary meal--actually for this restaurant, extraordinary is the usual. When it came time to leave, I waved farewell at the other server, a man who has also served us well in the past, but our server was no where to be seen. I had wanted to thank her again and say good-bye. We went out and got in the car. Then she appeared at the restaurant door and ran out to wish us a good return trip. What a sweet love, she is!

Thank you, Riverstone.

Kiwi Traveler

Sue Learns to Drive on the "Wrong" Side

Kia Ora!

When Sue and Sarah set up our tour at the I-site in Invercargill, Sue specifically asked for an on-site location in Christchurch for a rental car. The staff at Invercargill did an excellent job of all our reservations, but someone (they or we) slipped up on this one. Supposedly, Ace Car Rental was available on-site at Christchurch Airport. We didn't see them there.

Sue called. They were off-site but would pick us up. (They should have had our arrival time and been waiting for us as had all our other anticipated arrivals on this trip.) We waited. Outside. It was windy and cold. Sue called again. They were very busy. After nearly an hour, they finally showed up at the airport.

The Ace agency van was old with frayed upholstery. The lot for Ace Rentals was about 10 minutes from the airport, somewhat hidden on a back street. Arriving there, the driver stomped off, and we unloaded our own bags. Again I signed on as the major driver and, because Sarah's license was still not in her possession, Sue was back-up driver. The plan was that when the visitors return to the Christchurch Airport, I will stay in Timaru. So could Sarah fax them her driver's license? No. Could she go into Ace Rental in Timaru and be added as a driver? No. They have no agent in Timaru or anywhere nearby. Time for the back-up driver--Sue--to learn left side driving!

(Note here: Sarah and I are experienced left side of the road drivers and thought we two would handle the driving for this trip. In fact, years ago Sarah helped me learn driving on the left side: "Keep your body in the middle of the road," she advised. She lived for two years in Japan in her first job out of college.)

Our next trip was to Mt. Cook Village, high in the Southern Alps. (See Tramping at Mount Cook Village) Now was the time for Sue to do her maiden voyage sitting in the right side of the car and driving on the left side of the road. Sarah tried to be the navigator as she was for me, but I rudely elbowed her out of the way thinking as the "official" driver I would be close to help Sue. (Sorry, a little misunderstanding, Sarah!) Sue was a bit tentative at first but not for long. Never once did she stray into the right lane. Her only problem, and it is a common one for all of us coming from right side driving, is that the turn signals and gear shift are switched (I always specify automatic transmission for this reason). The driver sits on the right side of the car, but our hands automatically try to signal on the wrong side. All we do is set the windshield wipers churning, which does nothing to signal cars following.

Sue drove all the way to Mt. Cook Village, including through a vigorous heavy wet snowfall accumulating through Burke's Pass. (She is from Illinois; she knows all about driving in snow.)

When we left Mt. Cook Village and took the scenic but longer route back, Sue jumped right in and took off. She was stoked about this driving. If I had wanted to be the driver, I'm sure I would have had to wrestle her out of the car. I sat meekly in the back while Sarah navigated. Sue is an excellent and confident driver.

Our trip back took us through Waimate, home of Waimate Knitting Factory Store. Their products are fine merino wool or merino and possum blend sweaters, socks, scarves, etc.

"Would you like to stop and look at the products?" I asked.

"No, let's just go home," was the consensus from the three. As we drove down main street, we saw a hard-to-miss sign: "EVERYTHING ON SALE THIS WEEK ONLY", Waimate Knitting Factory Store.

That car spun around and headed in the direction of the arrow on that sign so fast, it made me dizzy. We were generous to a fault in helping the Waimate economy.

One day in the last week, we noticed our license plate on this car. It greatly amused us; even more so when by chance we parked next to another car with the license plate: GUY.

The Adventurous Four Didn't Need Gals 5, 6 and 7

Cheers,
Kiwi Traveler

Tramping at Mount Cook Village

Kia Ora!

A shivery lunch for Barb and KT

Dressed in our warmest layers of clothing, we huddled on a bench in Tekapo Springs eating the lunch we brought with us from our Timaru home base. While the sun was bright, the wind was brisk and the temperature couldn't have been much more than 7 C. (about 41 F.). We were on our way to Mt.Cook Village for a bit of tramping and, of course, eating at the fabulous buffet at the Heritage Hotel. We stayed in a lovely flat in the relatively new Aoraki Court Motel.

Trampers, with poles (Sarah, Sue)

 The first purchase Sarah and Sue made in New Zealand was to procure hiking poles. Perhaps they anticipated a more rugged country than they found? The only person traveling with a bag large enough to haul the collapsed poles was Barbara, and she carried them through all of our journey. Now they would be put to use!

Fast trampers gone, over the hill

The next morning, Sarah, Sue, and I drove to the DOC (Department of Conservation) campground and hiked in to Mueller glacier and lake. Sarah and Sue are much more able than I and walked faster and further, while I plodded on my own time.  My goal was to reach the second of three bridges crossing a fast mountain river. I went until I was fatigued but did not make the second bridge.

One of three bridges

While we were hiking, Barbara did her own hike around the motels' campus and spent the morning at the excellent DOC museum and i-Site.

Mueller Glacial Lake

Perhaps this is the case of the tortoise winning the day.  While others went further and no doubt saw the same scenery, still the mountains, clouds, river and fine day seemed to be all mine.

This is where I saw God

Tasman Valley and Tasman River

 On our last day, Sarah and Sue were up at dawn for another tramp in the Tasman Valley while Barbara and I slept in.

Hydroelectric Power Harnessed

Canal from Lake Pukaki

The scenery on our trip back out of the mountains was perhaps anticlimatic but worthy nonetheless of a mention. We took a different route, no less beautiful, which offers mention of two New Zealand industries. The glaciers and snow melt into fast moving streams and rivers. These are harnessed to provide electricity. Canals from the lakes feed into the rivers and are used to farm salmon.

Next, I comment on driving and we do more shopping (New Zealand loves us!).

Cheers,
Kiwi Traveler

Te Papa and the Beehive

Kia Ora!

Largest boat is ferry in Picton harbour

On the southern coast of the North Island sits New Zealand's capitol city, Wellington. This is our only nod to North Island on this journey. From Christchurch we again board the train and enjoy a glimpse of the northeast seacoast of South Island. From the route's end in Picton, we board the Interislander Ferry for the 3-hour transfer across Cook Strait to Wellington.

Wearable Art display

Wellington was our most expensive stop resulting from a nationwide Wearable Art Festival that had all hotel rooms sold out. We were comfortable in a short-stay, high-rise residence conveniently located downtown, where street art carried out the festival theme. We were able to see all the Wearable Art prize winners and also-rans at the fabulous Te Papa Museum, noting that the cultural and historical displays in Te Papa appear to have provided inspiration for several of the created costumes.

Wellington from the top

 To see the city in the one day we allowed ourselves, we elected to take a get on-get off tour bus that served each of the sites once each hour. A first stop was a drive to the top of the hill (mountain?) on which the city rests.

Old St. Paul's

Flags honour US Marines

Back at sea level, we visited Old St. Paul's situated across the

The Beehive

street from the distinctive capitol building known to all Kiwis as The Beehive. We learned that the US Marines are remembered and honored at St. Paul's for providing a protective force for the city during the Second World War. The building is no longer used as a church.

Barbara and huge Orc

High on my list of places to stop was the Weta Workshop, creators of special effects and creatures for the LOTR trilogy as well as The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, and Avatar. A video demonstrated their work and workplace. Barbara seems unconcerned by the huge monster looming over her in the garden.

Over zealous shopper

Of course there was a shop. By now, I am a bit rueful about my enthusiastic shopping as I am burdened with carrying a backpack, camera case, and two bags filled with items that could not be trusted to baggage handlers.

We decided to take in Zeelandia at my suggestion because I knew Sue enjoyed nature and animals.

Barb could outrun us all on this

My big mistake! First an hour was eaten up by lunch and the grounds are so spread out that we were able to view very little of what was offered. Worse yet, I forgot I had been there before and the exact same thing happened--too little time to enjoy all that was offered. At least Barbara had fun wheeling around in her electric chair compliments of the staff. (Note to self: this place needs a whole day.)

An old timey cable car carries passengers from street level to the top of the hill where there is a museum and the Botanic Gardens. A stop midway delivers students to Victoria University. Sue and Sarah got up early, rode the car up and walked back. Later Barb and I just rode up and back down to experience the ride.

Bringing this part of the trip to a close, we flew from Wellington Airport back to Christchurch. The Wellington

Gollum at the airport

Airport fancies itself Middle Earth and a giant Gollum, without a doubt made at Weta Workshop, hovers over passengers at the cafe in the airport. In Christchurch, we rented a car and I drove us back to Timaru.

We are not done yet. The Southern Alps await us for more adventure.

Cheers,
Kiwi Traveler

Surf's Up and the Pub is Open

Kia Ora!

Rain-soaked, but happy

The picture says it all! We got a first hand dose of the famous New Zealand West Coast weather. Our most helpful host at the Sundowner Motel met us at the train, arranged for car rental, and advised us on places to visit. Paddy (Alpine West Rental Cars) was there with a car within 30 minutes and we headed north up the West Coast to the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki.

Both Sarah and I are experienced at driving on the left side of the road, but Sarah left her driver's license in Timaru. So, for any car rentals on this journey, I was the designated driver. Sue went on the contract as the back-up driver. She looked a bit anxious at the thought of driving on the "wrong" side of the road.

This surf is bigger than it looks here

 Having lived in Greymouth a few years ago and knowing the beautiful Coastal Highway, I had respect for the single lane bridges, curves, and potential rock falls I would face. Gratefully, the highway has been improved, and the trip to Punakaiki went smoothly as the rain continued. We stopped to look at the West Coast surf, famous with surfers.

Barbara elected to stay in the dry car while three of us donned rain wear and ventured out on the cliffs high over the ocean. 

Punakaiki Pancake Rocks

The pancake effect of the rocks is the result of limestone bands separated by layers of soft, mud compacted over millions of years. During high tide, plumes of seawater are forced through large holes creating spectacular blowholes.

Weka

Contrasted to the drama of the scenery, I was charmed to find the chicken-sized weka still patrolling the parking lot. These curious, wingless fowl are a protected species. (Perhaps because they taste like chicken?)

The new Monteith's brewery

I was eager to take my guests to the Monteith Brewery, which I had visited previously. But where was the original bar? What happened to the tour of vats and bottling assembly demonstrating how beer was processed 150 years ago. Gone! In their place were these shiny new vats, this modern bar. I was assured they still processed small batches as

Barb pours like a pro.

before and created new combinations for test marketing before going nationwide. At least for our entry fee we still got beer, but it was just wrong. All wrong!

We were less ambitious the next day; we went shopping in Hokitiki. (I love that name.) To get there going south on the

Piece of cake! Note rails.

Coastal Road, I anticipated a hated single lane bridge that I remembered. What makes this bridge so frightening is its length and that it is shared by the railroad. Can you imagine starting across and facing a train bearing down on you? Not to worry; the road bed has been repaired so a car is no longer in danger of slipping off the space for cars and getting trapped in between the rails.

Remembering Greymouth miners

 There is little change in Greymouth. The seawall beside the Grey River looking toward the Tasman Sea is there, but a new monument commemorates the 29 local miners who died three years ago and remain entombed in the mine near here. KC and I knew some of the families involved.

Looking toward "the bar"

At the other end of the seawall is another older monument to remember the seamen who died crossing the bar, including two in 2013. When a ship returns to port, wind and waves may have shifted the sandbar that builds up at the mouth of the river. If the seamen judge wrong, they are captured by the greedy, turbulent surf and lost. Until I lived in Greymouth, I never understood the reference or meaning of crossing the bar in Alfred Lord Tennyson's iconic 1889 poem, Crossing The Bar.

We crossed, not the bar but the Southern Alps by train once again, and with the spirit of the West Coast continuing with us, we ended up in Christchurch...at the pub.

Cheers,
Kiwi Traveler

Crossing the Southern Alps The Easy Way

Kia Ora!

One can fly over the Southern Alp Mountains that run like a backbone up the South Island. Or one can hike the trails from east to west (warning--requires climbing over several steep mountains), or motor through Arthur's Pass, but the easiest and most scenic way is to take the TransAlpine train.  When we left Christchurch early in the morning on the TransAlpine and crossed the Canterbury Plains, the sun was shining.

Crossing the Canterbury Plains

 Soon the train began to climb revealing vistas of mountain fed streams and river gorges carved over eons of time.

 The train crossed a wide valley with snow-peaked mountains in the distance, though the sun had long disappeared in a thick bank of clouds. As the train climbed, we were soon in the clouds.

In the clouds

 










A welcome improvement in this experience (since I took it a few years ago) is the addition of a narrative broadcast intermittently  describing where we are and what we are seeing. Flora, fauna, and history are covered in addition to geology and geography.

Barbara listens to narrative

 The 8-kilometer Otira Tunnel lay ahead of us but the relatively new train (replaced after the earthquake in 2010) was not allowed to take passengers through the tunnel yet. All of the passengers were loaded into buses, which transported us across the apex of the mountain range and back to the train for the rest of the journey. By now rain fell quite briskly, and the bus passed under a vigorous stream cleverly diverted over the road.

Trough diverts stream over the road

Returning to the train

I was not surprised that on the west side of the mountains, wind and rain prevailed. Weather patterns seem to come from the Tasman Sea on the west side of the islands. Rain falls on the west side as the weather system moves over the mountains. That the east coast of the country is drier and warmer seems logical. Jokes are made about the terrible weather experienced on the west coast and in Greymouth where we would de-train.

Sarah: working on a sermon?

Sue: what happened to the view?

We were met at the train by our most helpful host from the Sundowner Lodge, who helped us get organized for a look at the west coast.

Next...the west coast.

Cheers,
Kiwi Traveler

I'll Drink to That!

Kia Ora!

"My name is Keren." The tall, blond woman introduced herself and inquired about the four of us.

Spring vines just leafing out

We were about to embark on a wine tour of selected Central Otago vineyards. Central Otago, with mountains, rivers, and high desert, is a location of micro-climates, which favors several varieties of wine grapes. KC and I are partial to this region's wines.

Keren asked if we knew where we wanted to go. I have been on one of Keren's tours before and was ready with an answer. "Peregrine and Carrick would be good, and as for the remaining two, you can choose."

With that, we were off to whatever Cellar Doors would welcome us. First stop was Peregrine, the

Barb samples Peregrine wines

name chosen seems to reflect the owners' promotion of good environmental practices. We sipped, commented, inquired about shipping. I noticed the lovely wine glasses with the Peregrine logo etched on the outside. Did they sell their wineglasses? Yes! I bought one for my collection of wineglasses.

"If you order 6 bottles, we ship free," said the woman behind the counter.

Can I resist a bargain like that? Absolutely not! We picked out 6 we agreed on and I ordered them shipped to Timaru. I am a happy big spender today.

Next was Carrick, where we had a lovely, light lunch. With a glass of wine, of course. KC loves the pinot noir from Carrick; I am not so charmed with any of their samples today. But I bought their etched wine glass.

Lunch at Carrick Vineyard: Sarah, KT, Sue, Barbara

Owner in France; his Mom tends shop

Aurum was new to me though I have seen their products in stores. (Timaru District grocers carry a fine selection of wines.) We loved the samples we tasted. And they have the same free-for-six-bottles shipping deal. How can we resist? Another half case headed to Timaru. It will be a jolly time when we get back to Timaru. Oh yes, I bought their wine glass also. These cannot be shipped so now I am carrying around 3 wine glasses for the rest of Tour d' South Island.

Our last stop was to Mt Rosa Cellar Door. Here we met the former farmer and now vintner owner staffing his own sales room, with a catchy poster of himself on

Note boots in poster. Is he from Texas?

the wall. Perhaps we had been sipping so much our tongues were jaded, but the wine seemed "young". Finally he served us a sample from a thermos--mulled wine! It was lovely and that I could buy and carry with us for a relaxing evening later in the week.(Why do I feel like I must purchase something at each place?)

I love these Central Otago wines, so I inquired about shipping to the United States. Not counting the cost of the wine, which is substantial, a flat rate for shipping would be $275.00 plus whatever customs we may have to pay. That killed that idea.

Do you think California has anything to do with this exorbitant fee?

We have adventured through Southland, Fiordland, Otago, and Central Otago. Next we cross the Southern Alps.

Cheers,
Kiwi Traveler

Q'town: Twirling and Bobbing Like a Cork

Kia Ora!

"OK," Sarah shouted, "we have to get out. We are stuck on another rock."

Sue and I obediently tossed our soaked wet suit booties over the side of the kayak, and the three of us dragged this unruly rubber watercraft back into deeper water. Deeper in this case means 12 inches deep instead of four.

I confess that I was always the last one to get out of this thing in hopes that Sarah and Sue could drag it off the offending rocks with me in it. As the only kayak with three persons, we probably got hung up oftener than some others.

 Our day long adventure started early with a bus trip to the Dart River in Glenorchy, a site where much of the LOTR trilogy was filmed. The day of adventure was billed as a jet boat and kayak experience.

Arriving at the base in Glenorchy, we donned wet suits, the first time I have worn such a thing. I thought they kept you dry. Wrong! One gets quite wet but stays warm as long as s/he is not wearing cotton underneath. Hearing this, I congratulated myself on wearing my merino long underwear, forgetting I had cotton sox on. My feet froze but the rest of me kept warm though soaked to the skin.

Braided river: shallow and rocky

Like many others in New Zealand, this river is a braided river, which means it flows in divided shallow streams over a wide riverbed. Fed by melting snow and glaciers from surrounding mountains, the streams tend to change depth and direction with the amount of water trickling or flooding through.

Not your ordinary motor boat!

I have rejected the idea of a jet boat ride in the past. They looked no different than the ordinary motor boats I have access to every summer at Lake Vermilion in Minnesota. I was quite wrong! Jet boats were invented by New Zealander Sir William Hamilton, who wanted a way to negotiate these shallow braided rivers without a risking a broken propeller. The jet boat is propelled by a blast of water from its backside. It is fast and maneuverable in shallow water and can turn sharply or stop very quickly.


Reese, our driver, demonstrated with a fast 360 degree turn. "Yippie, do it again!" I shouted.

And he did. Imagine riding a Tilt-a-Whirl on water.

Rubber kayaks await paddlers

Fortunately, the kayak portion of the trip began up river so we were at least drifting with the flow of the river. Sometimes sideways, sometimes backwards, and once in awhile we faced forward, always bobbing like a rudderless cork. Added to our depth and directional problems, a strong wind came up in the afternoon that threatened to blow us backward.

Sue is ready for hot chocolate and lunch

Cavern: deep water, no wind

 We paddled as best we could down river, stopped for a picnic lunch, investigated a quiet cavern where I dared to risk my camera in this wet, unstable environment for a photo, and continued downriver against a strong wind until at last we came to the bus waiting to pick us up. With much relief all around, I might add. We were bushed.

Sue and Sarah give a hand

All these rubber kayaks had to be deflated, flattened and folded up to be taken back to base. Most of us jumped right into the buses, ready to be warm and dry. Only two out of twenty-one paddlers still had energy left to help with the packing up process: Sue and Sarah. Good on 'em!

So where was our companion traveler, Barbara, during this adventure? Barb took it upon herself to support Queenstown economy with retail therapy. She ended her day happy, full of energy, Christmas shopping done, and reported she made our dinner reservations for the evening. We could walk there from our comfortable downtown Novotel hotel.The restaurant is Rata, and what a fine dining experience that was. Five stars!

Next, we check out Central Otago wines...

Cheers,
Kiwi Traveler
PS: Other previous Queenstown experiences can be read at the two links below.

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