Close view of the southern alps above Wanaka: Cardrona valley close to the ski centre

Part of the road at the very top of the pass, we then dropped down over a 1000m on a very twisty steep road, all grit and ice - temperature was minus 6 degrees in the sun!!

My log cabin at Manouri - outside

and the inside - all very cosy once the fire was lit - oh and a friendly mouse liked the heat as well.


29th June 2010

Left Wanaka with cloud and drizzle and drove the road that leads to Queenstown, ski centre of south island. Once the road had climbed up out of the valley we entered brilliant sunshine. Temperature on leaving was plus 1 degree, at the top of the pass minus 6 degrees. Signs all around telling you to have snow chains in the car - oh dear rental companies do not provide them!!. All I saw was 4x4's coming the other way as well which did not help - still carried on as the only other route for me was back the way I came. What I found is that in NZ the road is gritted where the black spots are, not sure if salt is mixed in? Anyway the views were spectacular, snow right down to the road edge in places and very fresh. As you can see at the very top of the pass there was plenty of ice on the road but had no problem. What raised the blood pressure was going down the other side, 1 in 4 I reckon, very steep, z bends, whole road well gritted - took my time, plenty of traffic going the other way but not much mine. Did not go into Queenstown, just continued on my journey as had 460 kms to do. Again low cloud in Queenstown so little views of the mountains at that point.

Eventually did escape the cloud into sunshine and had no further worries over driving through snow. Whilst driving along lake Wakatipu did meet up with a gritting lorry - no comparison to your new one's Dave, more like an old Surry contract with insert. Considering the distances the box was small so no wonder they only grit pertinent spots and not the whole road.

I loved driving the Cardrona valley and would include that on my top ten drives not only for the views of the mountains but also the tortuous conditions. One definitely has to drive it from Wanaka to Queenstown.

Leaving the southern alps the road (goes on forever as Tolkein would say) changed as one got nearer to Ffiordland. Mountains off in the distance but travelling across rolling tussock grass land. This is conservation land in keeping their native species native. Arrived at Ti Anui and loved the township from the start - do not know why but it felt right. Great out door shop very similar to blacks, had a lengthy chat with the owner, did buy some merino wool gloves and very pleased I was.

My hostel was in Manouri, 20kms away. Mine host is Jimmy, a short stocky individual who spent most of his life crayfish/lobster fishing. Created the hostel by himself from scratch, all the timber comes from trees felled and prepared on his land. 6 cabins in all, one room including small kitchen area. Ont electricity is the one light, no hot water in the cabin and heat from the small stove. Whilst the fire was laid one had to chop all the other wood, good job my father taught we use use an axe. Jimmy was a talkative character and told me his grandmother was from Liverpool (he thinks) whilst his great grandfather was from Fife in Scotland. Bit of a trek to the shower/toilets but as Jimmy says, us men can always use the bushes close by after dark - very handy at 3am!! but cold. Oh and no internet and one plug in the washroom to charge any electric appliance like the phone.

Not much in Manouri but will be departing from there for my day trip to Doubtful sound.

Tell you all about that in my next epistle.