Tag: Sunset

Ōtaki Retreat

On By exploringthelongwhitecloudIn Wellington RegionLeave a comment

I did this trip in December 2022, but have only had a chance to post about it now.

It’s become a bit of a ritual – my annual solo retreat, one that I really look forward to and was really needed at the end of last year. 3 days, on my own, in sunny, relaxed Ōtaki, doing what I wanted, when I wanted.

It was a hot drive up, but I arrive at a little slice of kiwi paradise (there are lots of those here.) My Airbnb host is there to welcome me and help settle me into the cute little studio at the back of her section. I quickly ditch the shoes (barefoot is always better) and climb into the hammock to read my book with a cold drink and listen to the bird song.

I spend about 3 hours here. Reading my book, reflecting on 2022, thinking about what I would like 2023 to hold for me. It is both a luxury and a privilege to be able to do this.

I self cater some nachos for dinner, simple but delicious and enjoy these alfresco. I am only an hours drive from home, but the climate is so different here, warmer for sure, but more noticeably, less windy. It makes outdoor activities so much more enjoyable!

I am not far from Ōtaki Beach, so I head down after dinner to watch the sunset. It’s a large sandy beach that stretches as far as the eye can see, in both directions. The golden sun is starting to slip away behind Kāpiti Island. I go for a walk and let Mother Nature engulf me. I close my eyes and listen. I listen for some time. I expect to hear a car, voices, a dog barking, but nothing. Not even a squawking seabird. Just the rhythmic, soothing sound of the ocean, washing away the stress & busyness of the last few weeks, rejuvenating me.

 I love the slower pace of life you get on the Kāpiti Coast! Why is it so hard to be this still, this peaceful, this relaxed, at home?

Each year, when I book my trips, there is a particular draw card that takes me to that area. When I went to Waiheke, it was for the glamping and wine tour. Marlborough Sounds was for Lochmara lodge, Carrington was about the little log cabin in the country side. My reason for Ōtaki? Strawberry picking. I don’t know where the idea came from, but I decided that for this trip, I really wanted to go strawberry picking!

So the next morning, despite there being a bit of rain about, I head out to Ohau to Shirley’s Strawberries to try my luck. They were open for picking over the weekend, I am hopeful they aren’t all picked out. But it’s my lucky day! I am told they are mostly picked, but to try the first 4 rows. It’s hard to explain how (or why) I was so excited about picking some strawberries, but I was! The staff there were so friendly and the sun even came out.

I slowly wander up and down the rows, I honestly don’t think I have ever seen so many strawberries this size. They are huge! The bright red flesh stands out vividly against the leafy green foliage, making them easy to spot, but I also find, if you rustle among the leaves, there are even more delicacies to be found. It takes me a while to fill my bucket (its cardboard – always nice to see biodegradable packaging) and it’s quite hard work, there is a lot of bending involved. But when I leave 40 minutes later with my tub full of freshly picked strawberries, I am feeling very satisfied.

I drop the strawberries home, sample a few of course, and then head down to the estuary for a walk. It turns out to be more of a beach walk, perhaps I took a wrong turn, I’m good at doing that! Regardless, it’s still enjoyable. I love our beaches at home, they are rocky, wild and rugged, but sometimes you just want a sandy beach. There are plenty of those here, and this one I pretty much have to myself!

Before leaving, I make myself stop and listen again. It’s too easy to just walk or view everything through a cellphone camera. I want to make sure I am taking in as much as I can. So I find some driftwood to sit on and close my eyes. I can hear the roaring waves again. Obviously, I am on the beach, but today, they are competing with the sound of the seabirds and cicadas. I feel the cool, refreshing breeze on my face and the intensity of the sun on my feet through my black shoes. I open my eyes and see a dog, sprinting along the beach, chasing birds, having the time of it’s life.

Before heading back to my Airbnb for lunch, I decide to stop by the local dairy for a sneaky ice cream. It’s a classic kiwi blue dairy, the sort of dairy that goes hand in hand with a New Zealand Summer. I go for a kiwi classic, Hokey Pokey ice cream, in a cone. It’s creamy, delicious and melts quickly!

Back at home I participate in the great Mediterranean practice of taking a siesta. Outside on the grass of course, under the shade of a grapevine. This is bliss. Why is it so hard to do this at home? I watch puffs of clouds twist in the sky and then evaporate into nothing. There is just a bright blue canvas above me. Birds feed nearby, looking for worms and little buttercups are dotted about, their cheeky yellow blooms adorning the grass.

After a couple of hours, it’s time to get up. I can’t stay here all day. Well, actually I could if I wanted to. I love that about this trip. However, I want to get in another walk, so I head to the opposite end of Ōtaki beach this time to do the river walk. The track follows the river, it’s icy blue water looks so inviting, it’s a hot afternoon. I walk for about 3/4 of an hour. I have no agenda, no where else to be, nothing else I need to be doing. I am simply walking for the joy of walking. 

It’s my last night here, so I head to the beach again for the sunset, walking barefoot in the sand, waves lapping at my feet. The water is surprisingly not too cold!  

This has been a weekend of rest and relaxation. Food for the soul. I highly recommend taking a solo retreat!

Also, note to self, I really must put up my hammock, it’s only been sitting in my cupboard, unused, for about 7 years! I am certain I could get good use out of it in 2023.

Exploring New Plymouth – Part 2

On By exploringthelongwhitecloudIn North Island, TaranakiLeave a comment

The morning is spent eating birthday cake over cups of tea and chats. What a great way to start the day. The weather forecast isn’t looking too great for today or the rest of the trip, but it’s not raining yet, so we head out for a walk. Dad wants to do the Te Henui Walkway so that’s where we head.

The start of the walk is where the river mouth meets the sea. I get out of the car and am blasted with a cold, icy wind. I’m thinking to myself, ‘Who’s idea was this? It’s so cold, what an unpleasant walk this will be’

We spend the first few minutes in the playground, with young and old having a go on the digger!

But it’s too cold to sit around so we start walking. It’s a nice setting, but the weather is not making it very enjoyable at all! However, after about 5 minutes, we turn a corner and the wind disappears and completely transforms the walk. I am not hating it anymore, it’s actually rather nice. It’s an easy flat walk and I enjoy looking at the layers in the forest. The tall towering trees, right down to the ground cover ferns and seedlings. Moss covers the bare branches and vines drape across the trees. It’s such a fascinating eco system.

Daniel and I are walking much faster than the rest of the party, we are quite far ahead, but Lachie is on his bike and catches up in no time. The flat terrain makes it a great place for riding bikes. The walk twists and turns, but sticks to the river, we walk under several bridges and then arrive at one we need to walk over. While we wait for the others to catch up, we decide to have a few games of pooh sticks. Lachie selects his stick, I use a large, dried leaf and of course, Uncle Daniel decides to use a massive log that he’s found, it’s at least as tall as him. Lachie’s stick unfortunately sinks, my leaf gets caught up in Daniel’s log, and Daniel declares himself the winner. I love the joy that can be found in such a simple activity.

Daniel and I have lunch at The Backyard Cafe and take a look around the shops before heading back home. We spend the rest of the afternoon eating birthday cake, drinking tea and taking a dip in the spa.

One of my goals for the year is to watch some sunrises and sunsets. So, whenever I am on the East or West coast, I am making an effort to do this. And since New Plymouth is on the West Coast, despite the weather, I am down at the beach to watch the sun go down. It’s pretty overcast, but there is a break in the clouds and golden hues are pouring through it. The tide is low, which has exposed a sandy part of the beach. The colours from this patch of gold are reflecting in the wet sand. It’s not your traditional sunset, but it’s beautiful. I also note the vastness of the ocean.

Looking out to sea, all there is is ocean and sky. In Wellington, we are in an enclosed harbour. The view I am so use to seeing always has land at the other side of the ocean. Its a simple, beautiful reminder of how small we are in this big awesome world.

The next day is wet, wild and the last full day of our holiday. Daniel is keen to go to the Len Lye Art Gallery so we head there, while the rest of the family go to the local museum. Both great rainy day activities. To be honest, art galleries aren’t really my thing, but it’s still interesting. I like the tall ceiling entrance way and there are some interesting kinetic metal sculptures which we sit and watch/listen to for a while.

We have lunch across the road at The Public Catering Company I am delighted to find they make doughnuts and their filled focaccia is pretty good too, I highly recommend you check out this place! After lunch, Daniel spends up large at the record shop and I take a wander down the street looking in the home ware and plant stores. They have some really nice shops here.

We meet up with the rest of the family and head to Bowlarama for some glow in the dark mini golf and arcade games before heading back home for more birthday cake and boardgames.

Reflecting on this trip, a lot of the things we did, we could have done at home. We didn’t do or see much that was particularly Taranaki, but having those 4 nights away with the family, being able to spend quality time with my niece and nephew was so special. They are growing up so fast and I am grateful that I get to spend the time with them.

Discovering Hokitika

On By exploringthelongwhitecloudIn South Island, West Coast Region3 Comments

Hokitika.

A coastal town in the West Coast of the South Island with a population just under 3000.

We didn’t really know what to expect when coming here. I booked us a couple of nights because it was a convienent stopover point on our way back up the country and I found out you could do greenstone carving here which I thought would be fun.

What we discovered was a delightful town with lots of crafts, great sunsets and fun activities. It’s a place we would both certainly visit again and I feel this town deserves it’s own post

Here are 10 activities we really enjoyed while here:

Greenstone Carving

This is the reason we came to Hokitika. Although a rather pricey activity, Bonz ‘N’ Stonz was a really cool experiance. You begin by selecting your stone and drawing out a design and work through all the different processes, carving, contouring, sanding and polishing to create a unique piece to take home. It is very hands on with excellent tutors to help you along the way and give guidance on how to use the machines and tools. I wrote a whole post on this activity which you can check out here if you would like to know more.

Art Galleries

Turns out, Hokitika is a bit of a crafty town. I had an afternoon free so I took to the shops to check out the local talent. Of course, there is a lot of jade, stone and bone carving jewellery which you can buy if you don’t have enough time to do a workshop like mentioned above (or if crafts are just not your thing.) But there is much more than just this. There are beautiful artworks, lots of painting and photographs of gorgeous West Coast scenery. Hokitika Glass Studio is also a great place to visit and watch the glass blowers in action. It’s a fascinating process to watch.

Fossic for Stones

At fist glance, this may not seem like the most exciting activity, but I probably spent a good hour (a very enjoyable hour I might add) doing just this. Greenstone, while precious, is also quite common. You can find it down on the beach or along the river banks. Take a stroll along the shore and keep a look out for any interesting stones, you never know what you might find. Once you have collected your treasures, you can take them into Bonz ‘N’ Stonz and they will identify them for you.

Hokitika Sign

No trip to Hokitika is complete without a visit to the beach to get a snap of the famous Hokitika driftwood sign. This huge sign perched right on the beach is made entirely from driftwood. It’s creator, Don Neale, made it a few years back as an entry into the town’s Driftwood and Sand competition which happens every January. It has been a permanent feature ever since. With the mighty Tasman Sea as it’s backdrop, make sure you check it out at different times of the day as the light changes behind it.

Watch the Sunset

Hokitika is pretty well known for it’s epic sunsets. Head down to the beach, pack a picnic and watch the sun slowly slip down below the big blue ocean. After a day of fun and excitement, it’s nice to be able to sit back, relax and marvel at how awesome this world is.

Go to the Flicks

I am not usually one for suggesting you spend your time shut away inside, but if the weather is bad or you are wanting a relaxed evening, why not check out the local cinema. It’s in the center of town in a beautiful heritage building. It was built and opened in the 1930’s and still oozes the charm of the art deco period. It seats nearly 400 people and when we went, we nearly had the place to ourselves.

Fudge

Did someone say fudge? Yes please. Yes, I have a rather sweet tooth and just couldn’t resist making a stop at Sweet Alice’s Fudge Kitchen. It is bright and colourful, the cabinets lined with an assortment of tempting treats. (So hard to choose) So why not grab yourself a slice (or two, you naughty thing!) to enjoy while you walk on the beach or wander around the shops.

Mamma Mia Pizzeria

I do love a good pizza. If you do too, then head to Fat Pipi Pizza’s located pretty much on the beach. Dine inside and enjoy the ambience or outside in their delightful courtyard. Or get take away and have a picnic on the beach or enjoy in the comfort of your accommodation if it’s been a long day. Wherever you dine, their freshly made pizzas are sure to be a delight to your taste buds.

Hokitika Gorge

You will need a car for this one as it’s a bit out of town, but if you want to go exploring and stretch your legs, it’s a really great walk. We did a loop walk that took us about half and hour (wearing bulky motorbike gear) along a well maintained, easy walking track. There are lots of viewing platforms looking out at the gorge and your eyes will be treated to some amazing milky blue and turquoise water.

Hokitika Tree Top Walk

Get up high into the canopy and experience the forest from a different perspective. Enjoy walking along side giants and looking down on canopy, experiencing the forest with a bird’s eye view. Walk along 450 meters of platforms, 20 meters up in the air. For those who are brave, climb the tower, 47 meters above the forest floor or head out onto the cantilever and sway in the wind like a tree. You will need a car to get out to Hokitika Tree Top Walk but its a lovely way to spend an afternoon. We did this walk, you can read about our experience here.

Whatever you decide to do in Hokitika, I am sure you will find the town just as delightful as we did. Did I miss something? What have you loved doing in Hokitika?

Swimming with Seals

On By exploringthelongwhitecloudIn Canterbury, South Island2 Comments

It’s the final day of our trip. Tonight we will be sleeping in our own bed again with our 2 dogs snuggled up next to us in the blankets. But it’s not over yet! We have one more activity planned that I am feeling incredibly excited about (and slightly nervous)

We pack up the bike one last time and take the inland route, heading to Kaikoura. We arrive a couple of hours early so we pass the time with coffee, lunch and a walk on the beach.

And then, it’s time for our seal swim! Last year we did a dolphin swim but unfortunately we only saw Hectors Dolphins (which was amazing) but they are protected and you’re not allowed to swim with them. That’s just how it is with wild animal encounters though. It’s never guaranteed, but when it does happen, it’s pretty special.

When I told Daniel I had booked us in to go swimming with seals, he wasn’t impressed. He said, ‘aren’t they super aggressive and don’t they bite? And I don’t want to get wet and cold. I’m not looking forward to this.’

I have grown up knowing that seals can be pretty aggressive and that you should never approach them. But that is on land. On land they pretty immobile, I have always thought they look pretty awkward. Their immobility on land makes them very vulnerable, which is why they can be so aggressive, especially if you get between them and the water.

But in the sea, you are in their world. They are fast and agile and not at all aggressive toward people (so we are told.) They could out swim us in a second if they wanted to so we are no threat.

Today we are joining Seal Swim Kaikoura for this experience. Like most of our tours on this trip, we are the only people. We have definitely witnessed the impact Covid has had on our tourism industry. I hope the industry can re-emerge stronger and even better when our boarders eventually open. New Zealand has so much to offer the world!

We have our safety briefing and get kitted up in all the gear, including a wet suit hood in thick neopreme. It’s all so snug and hard to get on but no doubt will keep us really warm. (Daniel will be pleased) We are also given a mask, snorkel and flippers. They even had prescription masks for Daniel to use which was amazing. I had never really considered his limited visibility without his glasses.

We waddle in all our gear out to the van and take a short drive down to the jetty while Vanessa shares some history of the New Zealand fur seals with us. These seals have very thick, warm fur, which means when settlers arrived, they were heavily hunted. Before being hunted, there were said to be around 1-2 million, but nearly became extinct. Fortunately they became protected in the mid 1900’s and today, the NZ population is around 100-300k. I had no idea they had been hunted so fiercely. I have seen seals in many place in Aotearoa and had never considered them an animal that had been endangered.

We get onto the boat and head out into the ocean. There is a bit of a swell and the boat bumps up and down a bit on the waves. I am the first to spot seals. Two of them. We watch them for a while to see if they are feeding or chilling. They look pretty relaxed, fins flapping about, rolling around in the water. But they are in open water so we move on. Our guide wants to try some other spots to see if we can find some that are closer to the rocks.

Seals spend a lot of their time out in deep water, fishing and feeding. They will stay out there for ages until they are completely exhausted, then they come back to the rocks to rest. Because of their thick fur, they overheat easily so will pop back in and out of the water to cool off on sunny days. Today is cool and overcast so the seals are hanging out on the rocks more than they normally would. We are told we need patience and persistence on this tour.

After visiting a few spots, we find an area that is reasonably sheltered with good visibility in the water, seals on the rocks and one in the water. Perfect. We slip into the water quickly and as quietly as we can, although in all that neoprene I still make a bit of a splash.

We swim out slowly towards the seal, I put my head under, and, AMAZING!

I am looking right at this seal in front of me. What an incredible experience. Another seal gets into the water, then another and at one point there are 4 in the water with us. We spend a lot of time watching each other, checking each other out, the seals getting comfortable with our presence. Then they begin getting curious and swim closer and closer (We are told not to swim closer than 1 meter to them, but if they swim up to you that’s fine) I have the most amazing experience, looking at a seal that is so close and we just hang out in the water, staring at each other for ages. It has such big beautiful eyes and its fur is so sleek. They are such graceful, playful, agile creatures underwater. Nothing like the awkward blobs that sit on land. The ocean is their territory and the own it!

Our guide is floating close by, watching and telling us where to look. A couple of times he calls out, ‘to your left’. I turn my head and there is a seal right there, so incredibly close. A couple of times they swim right under me. I do get slightly nervous at one stage, hoping the don’t decide to have a little nibble on me (after all, they are wild animals), but they are just curious. We spend ages in the water with them, it’s such an unreal experience.

After about an hour in the water, it’s time to head back. I have loved every minute of this, witnessing these beautiful creatures in their natural environment. I awkwardly climb back onto the boat, thinking about what a special experience this has been and then look up to see a pod of dolphins in the distance. What a fantastic trip!

And Daniel, he absolutely loved it.

We make it to Picton and board our ferry. We are in the Plus Lounge again. Now we have discovered it, it’s the only way to travel! We are on an evening ferry so I decide to pop out for a bit and watch the sunset. Even in the open water of the Cook Straight, the water is so flat. I have never seen it like this before, it’s a perfect crossing.

The South Island is a layer of silhouettes. The setting sun has blushed the sky pink with golden highlights that spill out into yellow and indigo water colours behind a dark marbled sky.

What an extraordinary sunset to end an extraordinary trip. Surely I live in the most beautiful place on earth.

Heading for the West Coast

On By exploringthelongwhitecloudIn South Island, West Coast Region, West Coast Region1 Comment

It’s adventure time.

I love adventure time, especially when it’s on 2 wheels.

I find travelling by motorbike so easy and freeing. I love the simplicity of having limited luggage space.

Our bike is packed. We are ready to go. For the next week, it will just be us and our 2 wheels as we explore the West Coast of the South Island.

The Plus lounge on the Interislander Ferry is a great way to start our trip. It is comfortable, quiet and fully catered. This is excellent as we are on an early crossing and have not yet had breakfast. The Plus Lounge makes it easy to sit back, relax and watch the world go by.

As we start to slip into holiday mode, I realise just how tired we both are. Daniel has been really busy doing long hours at work and I have spent a lot of time painting the exterior of our house. I think it’s fair to say, we are both in need of some down time. I have activities planned for this trip, but have been much more controlled. Normally I plan action packed days, trying to squeeze in as much as I can, but I have toned it right back this time. Hopefully it will be the right balance of fun and rest.

The Marlborough Sounds are looking stunning today, as usual. The water is always so calm and peaceful, the landscape pure and untouched. I am privileged to have done this journey a few times in the last year, so instead of battling the wind outside, I enjoy the views from the comfort of my armchair in the Plus Lounge with my cup of tea and scones.

We disembark in Picton and I am surprised at how hot it is. Even on nice days I usually layer up under my motorbike jacket – when you are moving it can get quite cool, but today, a t-shirt is all that is needed.

We are heading towards Punakaiki (also known as Pancake Rocks) The most direct route would be to head towards Blenheim , but the journey is all part of the adventure. We prefer to get off main roads, so instead choose to take Queen Charlotte Drive and head towards Nelson which offers some beautiful views. We stop at a look out and enjoy the sight of Picton, soaking in the sun. The cicadas are chirping and little boats bob up and down in sage coloured water.

Magical.

We carry on, passing a gorgeous little campsite. It looks simple and very relaxed, the quintessential kiwi summer holiday.

By the time we make it to Nelson, we are definitely ready for a late lunch and find ourselves sitting down at Burger Culture. It’s a funky place and lots of people are outside enjoying their food. Daniel gets a burger but I am so intrigued by the sweetcorn ribs that I have to give them ago. As it sounds, they were rib’s made from corn on the cob, smothered in sauce.

Wow! These were sensational and I enjoyed how messy they were to eat. Such a cool concept. Some people are so creative!

With our bellies full, we carry on, we have one of our longest riding days today and I am keen to arrive late afternoon so we have some time to explore. Our journey takes us through The Buller Gorge.

Oh my. It is stunning.

It is so lush and green and I can smell the forest. The road is windy, following the river – great fun on 2 wheels! Unfortunately I don’t have any photos as we didn’t make any stops.

We carry on riding. It’s near late afternoon and I am thinking we should be nearly there. I pull out my phone to check directions and realise that we have taken a wrong turn.We should have headed towards Westport and then down the coast, but instead we are still travelling inland, on our way to Greymouth! We have traveled in the wrong direction for so long that it’s quicker to carry on and head up the coast, than turn around and backtrack! Apparently I was on navigating (No idea why – Daniel knows I have a terrible sense of direction!)

The route we took

We finally make it to our destination, 13 hours after leaving Wellington! It has been a really long day and I am ready for a sleep! We are staying at Te Nikau Retreat. What a sanctuary to relax in. Set among tall nikau palms, our lodge is nestled into the trees and looks out along the canopy line. I feel like I am in a tree house.

We have arrived just in time to watch the sunset so we shoot down to the beach. Conveniently there is a path from our accommodation that takes us right down to a viewing platform. I can hear the powerful roar of the ocean well before we even get there. I have heard the West Coast gets some pretty spectacular sunsets and tonight it doesn’t disappoint. There are unusual rock formations dotted about in the ocean and a warm golden glow from the setting sun. It is so stunning, I forget all about our long travel day.