Nick Barberton
...to New Zealand
Posted by Nick Barbeton on 17th February 2007
Hi, A couple of weeks down the line. We went to New Zealand. Got met at the airport by Francis and Lisa and taken to Claires House where we joined the van Alphen clan getting to know the Edward clan prior to Claire and Neil’s Wedding in a Gracious country home the next day. The day after the wedding we were driven up Arthurs Pass where we walked up to some magnificent waterfalls. We collected our motorbike rode off through the boring flat roads of Christchurch. Things got better as we approached the mountains, stopping at the beautiful blue lake Tekapo. We turned up to the village of Mt Cook with the magnificent mountain increasing in dominance as we proceed up the valley. The sun is deadly and I burn on a walk after 5pm. The YHA dormitory is busy and the self cook food choice poor. We go on a Kayak trip to the face of a glacier. Lean tall Jason took us and a young couple from Oxford up the hill along the track and into the double seater Kayaks, aptly named divorce boats. We paddle to the glacier face, walk over the rocks covering the ice and get the Geology, Geography and History lesson that goes with the deal. We retire to lunch at the café while Jason picks up the next batch. In the late afternoon we take the bike along a gravel track to Tasman Glacier. OO-ER. Battle up the climb to see the grubby glacier melting into its moraine. The next day we are off on our longest day. Down to lake Hawea and through the Mt Aspiring National Park and the Haast pass to the Haast village where we are booked into the Hostel. We go down to the beach in the rain, marvel at the dead trees all over the beach and get back before we get too wet. The next day is raining and we ride through the rain forest admiring the trees and roadkill. We stop at Fox Glacier and make a soggy mess on the café floor with our shoes upside down outside. No incentive to sightsee, so we squelch back onto the bike and carry on to Hokitika, where we can change, borrow an umbrella and survey the Jade galleries and museum. The next morning and we set off, negotiating the terrifying single track bridge between the narrow gauge railway track. The rain clears as we cross over to the east side and cut through Arthurs pass and on to Christchurch. There is a serious head on collision ahead and the road is blocked. We make friends with New Zealanders and British Motorcyclists as the Helicopters ferry the damaged away. Our time has slipped away and we talk to the Police and are the first through the cordon. Make it to the rental with half an hour to spare. Waste the Sunday afternoon in Christchurch watching the busker convention and back to the nice airport hotel and Australia.
"AUSTRALIA"
Nick Barberton presents his artist's talk during cHAT week at Sanskriti, Delhi, India. March 2007 (note: the beginning of this video is missing due to a recording error)
Click on image to open QuickTime movie
