The Thrill of Jetboating (Hanmer Springs, New Zealand)

Around 90 minutes drive from the major South Island city of Christchurch, Hanmer Springs has a European alpine feel, sitting in an amphitheatre of snow-capped mountains. The town, with less than 1000 people is a popular adventure capital of New Zealand while also offering a chance to relax and escape the rigours of normal life.. While a variety of adventures abound, one of the most quintessential New Zealand adventures is jetboating, a chance to experience Hanmer's Waiai River at high speed at close quarters.

These highly manoeuvrable power boats pack in around a dozen people, shooting down narrow rapids at speeds nearing 100 kilometres per hour (similar to a car on an open highway) while skimming within inches of sharp rocky walls or stony river banks. The boats are capable of turning around within a car length and often perform 360 degree spins (called a Hamilton Spin after the inventor) sending up large sprays of water in all directions, the bracing spray sending a reminder that these are alpine waters.

Invented in New Zealand in the 1950s by Sir William Hamilton, the jetboat is purpose-designed for the fast powerful-running shallow Kiwi rivers where deluging water from large tracts of land are forced through the narrow steep-sided gorges to escape to sea. Immense engines suck water in from under the boat and expel it out the back. This design enables good speed against the rushing waters and only requires a few inches (less than 10 centimetres) of depth to operate – typical of the New Zealand rivers with their rocky bottoms and snaking paths.

On the day our group travelled, the river was running at in impressive 100 tonnes of water per second, though in flood it can reach ten times that amount. Deer and goats stand uninterested on the harsh slopes while birdlife watch on not understanding the commotion.

If still requiring further adrenalin lifts, bungy jumping (35 metres off an historic bridge), quad-biking and white-water rafting adventures also appear on the menu but for me, a relaxing hour in the natural thermal pool more fits the bill.

Wonderfully set with a mountain backdrop, fifteen open-air pools with naturally warmed and mineral waters greet visitors, as they have since 1875.

Located halfway between Christchurch and the whale-watching centre of Kaikoura, Hanmer Springs is a chance to embrace both the most adventurous and the most relaxing of Kiwi experiences.

read more

The Marine Wildlife Wonderland of Kaikoura (New Zealand)

Majestically set as the Southern Alps approach the bay-lined coastline, Kaikoura is world famous for its marine tours. Geologically freaky, the continental shelf plunges over 2000 metres deep only a few miles offshore creating the perfect feeding grounds for the Sperm Whale. These leviathans, measuring up to 18 metres and weighing in at up to 70 tonnes, dive for up to two hours into the inky depths (any semblance of light in seawater disappears at around 500 metres) to snaffle giant squid among their dietary luxuries.

Sadly on my visit, the rough conditions cancel any chance of seeing these charismatic giants, but a tour of the more coastal areas still offer a chance to see a variety of marine life.

The robust craft is six seats wide with viewing platforms all around and on the top deck. Within a few minutes of the journey starting, Hector Dolphins, the world’s smallest species of these playful sea creatures, twist and dive in small groups. Entering the bay in which Kaikoura is situated, New Zealand Fur Seals appear to relish the chilly conditions basking on favourite rocks oblivious to the brisk spring winds.

A little further out to sea, acrobatic Dusky Dolphins leap clear of the water or thrash their tail in a manoeuvre unexplained by science. Petrels shoot the gusty winds while albatrosses gracefully soar the breezes.

Perfectly suited to flying long distances, the three-part wings stretch metres wide while their wings can lock into their shoulders, expending no energy to soar the wind currents above the ocean surface for hours or days on end. The two largest albatross species, the similar Royal and Wandering Albatrosses both appear around Kaikoura, spending their time just off the coastline at sea. Albatrosses appear equally regal swimming on the surface, ready to launch in an ungainly takeoff while unfurling their huge wings.

Back on land, a short walk from the town centre towards the peninsula, fur seals pull themselves onto the rocks only metres from the end of the road. Closely related to sealions, their small ears are visible (most seals have hidden ears) from only a few metres and their mobility is highlighted by their capacity to walk on all four flippers. One path leads over the lush hills offering an overview of the rocky shoreline and relaxing seals while the other navigates the coastline itself presenting seals at eye level.

A few kilometres north of town, Ohau Point features a mating colony where seal bull males compete for the chance to reproduce, mothers guard their cubs while trying to bask on their favourite rock. Baby pups either sleep in a convenient crevice in a rock or play joyously with their new mates in a small rockpool diving and jumping as the waves wash through the pools. Hundreds of seals line the shoreline, waves pounding the harsh coastline of volcanic black sands and jagged rocks.

Kaikoura is a marine wonderland with opportunities to view at close quarters remarkable creatures as the albatross, Sperm Whale, dolphins and seals combining a boat journey and a lively walk at any time of the year. While all this wildlife are permanently resident, migratory whales from Antarctica also settle in these waters during the New Zealand winter months to calf, before returning south at the onset of spring.

read more

Lewis Pass (New Zealand)

Lewis Pass is one of just three alpine passes on the South Island of New Zealand allowing a path through the central spine of mountains that cuts the long narrow island in two. It was named after the surveyor who discovered the path through in the 1860s, though was exploited by the native Maori for many centuries before that, especially for the exchange of the valued greenstone. It provided a vital thoroughfare for the passage of produce. Highlighted by snow-capped mountains, rugged scrubby bushes, sharp beech-forested valleys and alpine lakes, the pass contains a number of fine walks (or tramping as the Kiwis describe it).

I travelled as a guest of Qantas Airways on The Great Crusade, a promotion highlighting the best of New Zealand while following the endeavours of the Qantas Wallabies to win the Rugby World Cup. The journey can be followed via Twitter hashtag #greatcrusade.

read more

Rugby Obsession (Nelson, New Zealand)

Nelson is a beautifully located town on Marlborough Sounds boasting a modern style cathedral, a number of museums and a lively Saturday market. However a World Cup rugby match between the Australia Qantas Wallabies and Russia has the town buzzing. The Rugby Union World Cup is only played every four years and is the biggest sporting event in the world for 2011. Twenty nations qualified for the finals played across New Zealand.

The red, white and blue stripes of the Russian flag and the Southern Cross of the Australian flag hang from wires, flagpoles and shop windows across the town centre. The local population exchange their support for New Zealand for a day to adopt either Australia or Russia, warpaint liberally smeared across the faces. Some go to exceptional lengths with folks bounding down the main street dressed as wallabies while others appear in formal Russian military outfit (are those boots made of real bear?) or dressed as cosmonauts.


Certain folks choose to dress as their favourite players with Radike Samo (one of Australia’s most popular players), a genial towering giant of a player matched by a blossoming afro hairstyle littered throughout the crowd.

With blanket coverage of anything associated with the game in this rugby obsessed nation, children of an early age and adults alike have a huge appreciation of the subtleties of the game and the latest team news on injuries and selections.

Indeed, New Zealand has an obsession with rugby maybe stronger than any nation has with any sport worldwide. The fortunes and pride of the entire country appear to ride on the fortune of their national side, the All Blacks with their leading players appearing daily on both the front and back pages of newspapers and their images adorning billboards extolling the virtues of a wide variety of products. News of international importance or significant economic developments takes a backseat to the fortunes of New Zealand’s favourite sporting sons. Many pages of print and bandwidth and megabytes of internet are allocated to detailed analysing of the most minute aspect of anything associated with the All Blacks play.

The captain and coach appear to have a more demanding job than even the Prime Minister of the nation with anything less than victory in every match, event and tournament considered an abject failure.

While the finals have naturally been allocated to the major centres of Auckland and Wellington, the forty pool games of the World Cup have been sprinkled across the country, a number to smaller provincial centres. The twenty teams along with their adoring supporters criss-cross the country with both a chance to visit these lesser known locations while supporting their favourite team.

The picturesque Nelson Rugby Park is encompassed by an amphitheatre of lush rolling hills, the modest ground jamming in 16000 enthusiastic fans in a sea of green and gold (Australia) and red, white and blue (Russia). The Nelson Rugby Club headquarters sit just outside the ground and play host to a battalion of Wallaby supporters while proudly reminding everyone that they are oldest rugby club in New Zealand having been establish in 1870 (only thirty years after the English and Maoris signed the famous Waitangi Treaty and the British truly settled the nation).

While the Australians win comfortably as is expected by the rankings, the Russians play gallantly and are cheered passionately to the final whistle. The joyous mood is vibrant and bubbly, the crowd involving themselves in every twist and turn in the match.

In a few short days in the country, I have met folks from Scotland, England, Wales, France, Samoa, Italy, Japan, South Africa, Russia, Canada and the USA all exploring the delights of New Zealand while cheering their team.

Between enjoying the natural splendors, anyone visiting New Zealand should ensure the capture part of the heart of this vibrant country and see a game of rugby, something that encapsulates the culture and spirit of this stunning country.

Kicking a rugby ball with a couple of local Nelson kids in the park, they seem so proud to have so many visitors to their city with some of their schooling http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifdedicated to the geography of some of the countries. They recite various aspects about Australia and Russia though conversation quickly returns to rugby. They assure me that their beloved all Blacks are guaranteed of the World Cup and will annihilate my beloved Australian Wallabies should they get to play. Most importantly, they say it with a combined sense of fun and pride, a tone adopted throughout Nelson as the entire city play their part in hosting the 2011 World Rugby Cup and left a lasting positive memory from all who visited to watch a rugby game.

read more

Majestic Marlborough Sounds (New Zealand)

The tangled maze of aquamarine waterways and tiny islands makes the Marlborough Sounds, gateway to New Zealand’s South Island one of the most idyllic and rewarding island passages anywhere in the world. Verdant green land and glistening blue-green waters combine for a journey of visual splendour.

While a number of options are available to experience this marine travel wonder, the Interislander ferry makes multiple trips each day from the capital city of Wellington through the Marlborough Sound to Picton, regularly travelling within metres of the rocky outcrops and jagged foreshores. The coastline is so pockmarked with bays and inlets that the Marlborough Sounds are less than 200 kilometres long yet the coastline of the area is over 1750 kilometres, more than the length of Portugal’s coastline.

The wooded islands rear sharply out of the water, their deep black-green foliage highlighting the geological history of the area when waters flooded the unshapely river valleys millions of years ago at the end of the ice age. Walking tracks also crisscross the region, the 70 kilometre Queen Charlotte’s Walk being highly recommended.

Tiny bays define the rugged coastlines, small holiday houses sitting in idyllic verdant patches overlooking the majestic waters. Small marine farms in the area produce the envied green-lip mussels though a decent share of the area is preserved in conservation zones.

While the Maoris have navigated these waters for centuries, Captain Cook skilfully mapped the area in 1770 on his circumnavigation of New Zealand, claiming the lands for England and assuring sailors for years to come of the passageway between New Zealand’s two main islands. He immodestly named it Cook Strait! Cook returned to the area on all three of his remarkable world journeys.

Wildlife is regularly sighted from the various vantage points of the ferry including whales, dolphins and abundant seabirds. Playful tiny Hector Dolphins, only seen in New Zealand and the world’s smallest dolphins, leap playfully in small groups, their backs sharply arched almost turning on themselves as they leap along the water’s surface.

Nearing the sound, splendid vistas of snow-capped mountains complete the panoramic views.

Gliding quietly through sparkling waters and weaving around tiny bays, I can imagine no better way to greet New Zealand’s less discovered stunning South Island.

read more

Off to New Zealand on The Great Crusade

I am excited to tell you that I am off to New Zealand at the invitation of Qantas on a Qantas Australian Wallabies supporters tour called The Great Crusade. New Zealand is hosting the four-yearly Rugby World Cup, the biggest sports event in the world in 2011.

I will be travelling in a convoy of 20+ luxury campervans (what is a collection of campervans actually called? convoy?caravan? swarm? pandemonium? confusion?) for two weeks from late September soaking in the best of New Zealand while cheering on the Wallabies in their endeavour to win the World Championship trophy.

Most of the convoy won their journey with clever and entertaining videos showing their support for the Wallabies. Check out The Great Crusade website for the winning entries and also the ongoing saga of fictional Toby Withers. Daily episodes, directed by Gregor Jordan (director of feature films such as Two Hands) will be filmed from The Great Crusade around Toby's quest to understand rugby and experience New Zealand (all shown on the website).

Flying with Qantas to Wellington and with a chance to experience both islands, there is lots of quintessential Kiwi entertainment in store including quad biking, bungy jumping, wine tasting in the Marlborough region, whale watching in Kaikoura, the travel wonders of Wellington, the natural beauty of New Zealand along with many other highlights. I will blog about these and add tweets using the hashtag #greatcrusade in the coming weeks as the tour unfolds.

I am really looking forward to exploring New Zealand in convoy with a bunch of enthusiastic folks all while supporting the Australian Wallabies.

read more