Audacious Freedom Live anywhere. Travel everywhere.

Exploring the Able Tasman region will reward you with beautiful sights, peaceful experiences and revitalising experiences. One such place is a visit to Waikoropupu Springs, which is Golden Bay’s most popular attraction.

One of the interesting places we visited was Waikoropupu Springs which discharges 14 000 litres of water a second [the equivalent of 40 bath tubs a second.] These are the largest springs in Australasia and believed to be the cleanest fresh water in the world. The only place where there is clearer water is under the Antarctic ice. It was beautiful seeing all the colours which ranged from red to green.

Unfortunately the camera wasn’t able to capture the beauty of what we could see.

This used to be used by the Maori people as a religious site for their different rituals. But now to protect the Springs from pollution people are asked not to touch the water at all. In New Zealand there is a weed called didymo which comes from Australia and is polluting our water ways. Already a nearby spring had didymo growing in it.

At this point in time there doesn’t seem to be anything that can stop didymo from growing or spreading.

If you visit please respect the sacredness of this area.

Meander through bush clad mountains, along golden beach sand, cross river streams and take a break in the shade listening to the stillness. This is the essence of the Abel Tasman Track – a walk that builds peace, brings perspective and revitalises.

The part of the track we did on our second day had to be well timed – get advice from the locals about which parts of the track are suitable at any time and which ones are subject to tidal rivers and timed crossings.

From the taxi drop off point back to our parked car required crossing a tidal river. The tide rose by 6m and came in quite quickly – not a good to get caught up in. To make sure we could get over safely, we got there just after the ‘official low tide time’.

Because my companions didn’t want to get their feet wet we seemed to walk a long way off course before it was decided that we would have to take the plunge, take our shoes off and get our feet wet. By the time we got to the other side we were all starving, so we sat down on these comfortable looking rocks, unpacked our delicious lunch and got ready to begin eating, when we got this awful smell. We then discovered that we had chosen a beautiful spot downwind from the toilets. We moved very quickly!

The Abel Tasman track is suitable for most people – for the very fit the whole track can be done. For those that love the outdoors but are not healthy enough or have tight schedules there are many shorter options. The Tidal crossing walk that we did is relatively flat and is reasonably easy. I

If you do decide to do overnight hikes, there are plenty of huts along the way and because of its remoteness most of the coastal track campsites are empty.

This was a beautiful spot, and I recommend you take a trip out to explore it.

For more information on what you need to know as a day tripper.

The Abel Tasman Coast track was awesome. It is about 52km in length from top to bottom, taking about three or four days to complete.

You can do the track overnighting in huts and campsites along the way. Or you can decide to only do part of the track.

After doing our own research we decided to do two different parts of the track. For those who are concerned about their fitness, or don’t like the idea of carrying all your stuff with you then breaking the trip into day outings is the best option. It also means if you are strapped for time then there is still no excuse to miss out on this beautiful, unspoilt wonderland.

To get to your drop off point you need to book a water taxi – we did this in advance to ensure that we would get a place at a time that suited us. The water taxis run between set locations and you do have the option of catching a return taxi if you decide that lying on the golden beach is more your style than exploring the coast. Also check out your taxi drop off point. One of the places we were dropped off had a lovely restaurant – however, we were unable to enjoy the food because we had opted to walk and needed to make sure we didn’t get caught by the incoming tide.

What you need to know as a day tripper

The average day trip took us six hours – though this did include a lot of stops, swim breaks and snack times.

The terrain changes a lot, it is not all about strolling along golden sands.  In some places we climbed up steep mountain sides using rope ladders, we walked through thick forested areas, in other places we walked through bush and we walked on lonely beaches where we saw no one the whole time we were there.

It is free to do the track as a day tripper. However, if you choose to stay overnight in the park you will need to obtain a Great Walks Pass and tickets to the overnight hut.

The best is to catch a taxi out and then walk back rather than walking out and catching a taxi back – if you miss the last taxiyou then you will be walking back as well! Also note you will have to book and pay for the water taxi. In peak seasons the taxis fill up quickly – if you haven’t booked it could mess up your itinerary.

Watch the tides. There are two esturaries to cross, one at Onetahuti and the other at Awaroa. You can only cross them within 3 hours and 1 ½ hours, respectively, before or after low tide. Don’t try and cross these estuaries at any other time unless you enjoy the idea of being swept out to sea!

Also don’t cross the estuaries barefoot – we did and it was painful. There are plenty of sharp shells on the mudflats that can catch you unawares and have you bent over in pain.

It was incredibly peaceful. I was so glad that we had organised to do only part of the

Track as it meant we had all day to meander along, soaking up the beauty. We could sit and relax anywhere we wanted to, eat anywhere, play on the beach, take a dip in the sea…

Having to get to a particular point in a set time would have spoilt the experience.

This has got to rate as my favourite spot in New Zealand.

The second day of the track

Situated at the top of the south island – the Able Tasman is an easily accessible escape from the busy Wellington city life.

The Able Tasman has very popular walks – you can catch a taxi out to the furtherst point and hike back or you can join a kayak tour which gives you the ability to explore the coast line. There are designated camping sites along the way with those wonderful things called ‘long drops’.

We opted to do two short walks on two of the days we were there – that way we could experience a bit of the wilderness, the taxi trip and still sleep in the comfort of a bed.

I thoroughly enjoyed the ‘catching the taxi’experience. I was expecting to hail a boat at a pier, climb on and off we go. No, this taxi station was very organised! The boats were waiting for us at the taxi reception area on trailers with beautiful, yellow tractors attached.

Well, I was surprised to say the least. Were the water taxis going to be some novel idea where we actually travel in a boat on dry land from stop to stop? Not that I would have minded because there was a serious amount of white waters out at sea indicating it was quite rough.

But no, once boarded and the safety instructions out the way, the tractor pulled us straight out into the sea. And our trip up the coast to our drop off point started. And it was very bumpy!

After this initial bit of style, getting on and off the taxi was defi nitely not as civilized. It was a case of take the shoes off and jump in the water!

Bums aching after five straight hours on our motorbikes, we finally arrived at our destination –30 minutes south of Greymouth. It was good to be back in the saddle and on the road. Nothing quite like the open road loaded with gear and nowhere to be at any particular time!

After a restful night, our first outing was to Arthur’s Village. To get to there involves driving through ‘paradise’ – mountain pass with rivers, forests, gorges, look out points and of course for motorcyclists – corners!

Arthur’s Pass

Arthur’s Pass, which runs through the Southern Alps, is definitely a biker’s road. It is also rated as one of the AA’s top 10 things to do when in the South Island. Take this into consideration because depending on the season and time of day you go, you can either get stuck behind campervans and trucks, or you can breeze through hitting every corner with grace – like dancers moving in harmonious rhythm (okay maybe not in a car!). I know the ride can be so enthralling you just want to carry on going without stopping, but having a tea or coffee break and enjoying the beauty of Arthur’s Pass Township is definitely worth it. For the energetic there are plenty of walks to do in the vicinity, with an interesting tourist information display with photographs.

Background information on Arthur’s Pass

The highway that travels through the heart of Arthur’s Pass National Reserve is the highest over the Southern Alps. It was built in less than a year in 1865. There are plenty of look out points where you can stop and marvel at the extreme civil engineering that went into building this highway. The brains behind the project had to plan viaducts, bridges, rock shelters and redirect waterfalls over the highway via chutes. At the look out points you can also enjoy scenery ranging from shingle filled riverbeds, mountains, beech forests to deeply gorged rivers flowing through dense rainforest.

Arthur’s Pass Township has accommodation, restaurants, cafes, a small store and petrol. Be petrol wise when doing the Pass! The first time we travelled it, the petrol station in Arthur’s Township didn’t have any fuel. We made it to the nearest petrol station with 1 litre left in the tank! A little bit of a nail biting experience. The second time we were more prepared especially when we discovered that our ‘lifesaving’ petrol station had actually closed down.

Take your time, enjoy the road, scenery, the environment and the feat of engineering making it possible for you to explore this Pass. Don’t miss it!

A side note

If you are travelling from Greymouth, your next petrol stop is Arthur’s Village – a distance of 84km.

If you are doing the whole route to Christchurch then be aware that from Arthur’s Village to Christchurch is 170km, with the first petrol stop at Springfield, on the outskirts of Christchurc.

Don’t get caught out on a low tank or run out of petrol!

There is nothing quite like the adventure of travelling, especially when you are embarking on a two week motorbike trip. Originally we had planned the trip for November but after been warned by numerous people that the best time to go is February, we postponed till the right season. This gave a us an extra couple of months to get our motorbikes ready as well as gather our required camping gear.

To get from the North to the South Island meant a ferry trip. The first time we did the ferry trip we were expecting the same type of services as on the ferries crossing the British Channel. Not so! The tie downs were old and rusty. They crew were quite happy for my bike to just rest on the side stand. I think I delayed departure because I wouldn’t budge until my bike had been properly secured. The second time we took our own tie downs – and if you are taking your bike on the ferry make sure you have at least three tie downs and cloths or old socks to protect your bike.

Our travel route:

• Picton travelling over Bullers Gorge to Greymouth – 353 km approximately 4 hours
• Greymouth to Fox Glacier – 195km approximately 2 hours
• Fox Glaciers to Wanaka via Haast Pass– 262km approximate 3 hours
• Wanaka to Te Anau – 227km approximate 3 hours
• Te Anau across the Catlin region to Balcutha – 249km approximate 3 hours
• Balcutha to Clyde – 149km approximately 2 hours
• Clyde to Geraldine – 306km approximate 4 hours
• Geraldine to Hamner Springs – 270km approximately 4 hours (more if you hit peak traffic)
• Hamner Springs to Picton – 286km approximately 4 hours

A total of 2297km travelled over 14 days. This excludes side trips or excursion we did. In the end our total mileage was well over 3500km. Though it is more fun to have few travel plans and have the freedom to go where you want to on the day, if you only have a limited time choose wisely and have a flexible but solid plan. That way you can make the most of your stay, see everything you want and not be disappointed.

A side note

You will note that our itinerary does not include touring the north of the south island such as Marlborough Sounds and Abel Tasman area. If you need to choose between Abel Tasman or Catlins then choose Abel Tasman!

When travelling to New Zealand it is a good idea to plan your itinerary properly. There are so many interesting places to visit and geographic features to explore that you want to make sure that not only do you have enough time to travel round the island but that you get to see everything that you want to.

Our first trip to the South Island we planned to do the full circuit round the island in two weeks. For any first time travellers, my advice is that two weeks is too short to do the whole island. If you only have two weeks then be choosy about where you visit. If you are adamant about seeing the whole island then plan to spend at least three weeks there.

As a disclaimer, we did do the whole island in two weeks, but felt rushed and pressed for time. We have since been back for another two week holiday – this time we were a bit choosier about where we stayed and what we saw. We also had the luxury of having been before and could therefore explore those things we had missed on the first trip round. Even so we missed out on a lot of the unique and out of the way places like Reefton’s museum which is definitely worth a visit. However, you will need at least two to three hours to do the museum and historic walk justice.

Things to know about the South Island when planning a trip:

• The South Island is far more spectacular than the North Island and deserves more time than the North Island. ( I am not biased, I live on the North Island)
• The roads are of reasonable quality. There are no dual carriage motor ways even though the main connecting roads are referred to as SH1 (state highway 1). 90% of the roads are single carriage.
• From the Picton, north of the Island where the ferry comes in, to Invercargill, the southernmost city is, 998km. Roughly 12 hours.
• There are only two direct roads that connecting the east side to the west side: SH7 and Arthur’s Pass. Arthur’s Pass is a well known tourist route with spectacular scenery and great hiking opportunities.
• If you are limited for time then I would skip the Catlins region – the far southern part of the South Island. This is a beautiful region – but if time is limited then concentrate on the more geographic and culturally significant places such as the Fjordlands, glaciers etc.
• Sandflies are a nasty reality. Be prepared. Make sure you are appropriately covered with spray and/or clothes before getting out of any protected vehicle. It takes ages for the bites to stop itching!
• The best time to travel to the South Island is March to May. Though this is not the warmest time, it has the least run ins with sand flies and the weather is generally more stable with higher chances of sunshine.

There are lots of gems hidden throughout the South Island. This is a wonderful geographically and culturally rich area. It brings geography to life enabling you to walk on a glacier that is grumbling and moaning as it moves towards the sea, to kayak in the fjord lands surrounded by mountains that rise out of the sea or swim in hot springs. This is a land rich in diversity. A land that will enthral you, enrich you and overwhelm you. This is a land not to be missed!

The turquoise blue of Lake Tekapo was a glittering 4oC. Icy cold glacial water! This didn’t stop a bus full of drunken Auzzies from stripping down naked and plunging into the water. We stopped to watch in utter disbelief. I was all for hiding their clothes, but restrained by my two male travel companions who had sympathy for the drunken swimmers who were turning noticeably blue in colour!

I couldn’t really blame them for taking a swim. The Lakes beauty is so enticing. However, in the middle of winter with snow capped mountains I opted instead to sit on a rock and enjoy the sun’s golden and rose coloured rays light up the surrounding landscape.

During summer this year I got a chance to visit Lake Tekapo. Though the day started of cloudy and rainy it turned into a dazzling sunny day. Unfortunately I had left my costume at the camp I was staying at. However, the water was so inviting and after jealously watching others swim I was determined to give in to the glacial waters invitation and return the next day for a dip.

As I stood at the water’s edge, I could understand the folklore tales of women captivated by the Lake, lured into the depth of the Lakes embrace and whisked away to be forever united. I felt that magnetic pull too. I hadn’t expected the water to be so luxuriously soft and gentle on the skin. I came out feeling like I had been pampered in a health spa.

This is not the place to come if you are in a rush or have to be anywhere at a certain time! Lake Tekapo causes time to stand still. It is one of the unique places that no matter how harried and rushed you arrive you will always leave relaxed and peaceful. I definitely recommend a visit to this natural beauty spot.

New Zealand has many secrets for the explorer to discover ranging from overwhelming beauty to death defying challenges. One place not to miss, a fairytale land hidden in the middle of the South Island is called Lake Tekapo. This highland lake, lies 2300ft above sea level.

Lake Tekapo gets its exquisite turquoise colour from radiating light interacting with the finely ground rock in the melted glacial water. The Lake is surrounded by desert plains and mountains. In winter the snow capped mountains surrounding the turquoise lake will cause you to slap yourself a few times to work out if you are dreaming or not. In summer the golden grass and desert mountains will take your breath away.

Lake Tekapo is one of those charming places that is easy to escape to for a weekend break. It is only a two hour flight from Wellington to Timaru in an 18 seater plane. It is not advisable to take a lot of luggage with you as this plane has weight restrictions! Booking a rental car to meet you at the airport is definitely advisable. Timaru consists of one building and two toilets. The trip from Timaru to Lake Tekapo is about an hour and a half drive. Or you can fly into Christchurch and drive from there.

Exploring Lake Tekapo

On the water’s edge is a quaint little church: The church of the Good Shepherd. It was built in 1935, was the first church in that area and features an altar window that frames stunning views of the lake and mountains. Take the time to go inside if it is not being used. The views from the window are majestic.

For the energetic who don’t fancy swimming in the lake, you can take a walk up to Mt John Observatory. It does require a degree of fitness – it took us about an hour to get to the top. If you are unable to hike up – there is a road that you can either walk or drive up. The view over the lake and the little cafe are definitely worth the trip.

There is a welcoming cafe at the top where you can re-energise yourself, while surveying the scenery. Once you are replenished, there are other tracks you can follow and explore.

The air around Lake Tekapo is said to be the clearest in the Northern Hemisphere. So make good use of it by booking a night trip to the Observatory and do some star gazing. For those who don’t have cars and don’t fancy doing the walk in the dark – they will pick you up and drop you off in town.

A word of advice for those planning on touring New Zealand’s South Island – be sure to book one nights’ accommodation so that you can fully enjoy the hospitality of this unique area.