The photos below are a small selection of over 400 photos that we took on our South Island trip in 2007. On this trip we left Wellington aboard the Blue Bridge ferry which I must say was a hell of a lot cheaper to travel on compared to the normal ferry which I call the Cook Strait Pie Cart.

We were away for a total of 18 days. This was in January at the height of the New Zealand summer. During those 18 days we managed to run in to rain on 14 days somewhere along the way in our travels. To make matters worse, the windscreen wipers failed on us just after we arrived in Nelson. Being the NZ holiday season and the fact that it was a weekend we were unable to get it repaired so travelled for the best part of three days with no wipers. Eventually, as it was the drivers side that was not working, and we were running in to rain which was getting extremely heavy and making it near on impossible to see where we were going, I removed the wiper-blade, took the one off the passengers side and reversed it on the shaft so that it was wiping about 85% of the drivers side, much better, and so we carried on our merry way.

Over the 18 days that we were away we covered some 3500 kilometres around the South Island taking in a lot of the scenery on both the East & West coasts and pretty much everywhere else in-between. Our itinerary went something like this:

Day-1 Picton - Kawatiri Junction  After arriving in Picton from Wellington onboard the Bluebridge ferry the "Santa Regina", we took in some of the sights around Picton including checking out the tourist souvenir shops and a wander along the foreshore. After having a feed we headed off towards Kawatiri Junction taking the scenic route to Nelson via Queen Charlotte Drive and Havelock. We stopped at Pelorus Bridge for some afternoon tea  before continuing on through the Rai Valley (great wine country) and on to Nelson where we stopped off for groceries and goodies for that nights dinner. Once we arrived at Kawatiri Junction it was time to put the tent up and cook up a feed. Kawatiri Junction lies at the foothills of the Kahurangi National Park so I was able to give out contacts for the National Parks Award on the NZ Counties & Awards net on the 80 metre amateur band that night.

 

 

Shanty Town

The entranceway to Shanty Town

Shanty Town

The Kaitangata takes you on a ride through bushland to the Gold Panning location at Shanty Town

Shanty Town

The plaque that tells the story of the Kaitangata Steam Engine

Shanty Town

The Kaitangata builds up a head of steam

Shanty Town

Old morse key at Shanty Town

Shanty Town

Shanty Town Post Office

Shanty Town

The front window display of the Shanty Town Photographers Studio. Here you can have photos taken of yourself in period costumes

Shanty Town

The waterwheel at Shanty Town

Shanty Town

Anne and I taking a break at Shanty Town

Mt Cook

Allison hooks up with a 2kg salmon at Mt Cook Salmon Farms

Mt Cook

Allison's 2kg Salmon she caught at Mt Cook Salmon Farm

Mt Cook

Picture of the old style radios that were used by climbers in days gone by at the Mt Cook Hermitage

Mt Cook

Another picture of the old style radios that were used by climbers in days gone by at the Mt Cook Hermitage

Tekapo

Allison & I

Tekapo

Allison & Anne beneath McKenzies Dog

Tekapo

Anne and I beneath the statue of Mckenzies dog

Tekapo

The church of the good shephard

Tekapo

The plaque outside the church of the good shephard

Ferrymead

In the Comms Room at Ferrymead they have a collection of every telephone that was used on the NZ lines over the years. NOTE the big brick cellphone on the table at the back of the photo, boy how times have changed

Ferrymead

More phones

Communications Shack

The telegraph exchange at Ferrymead

Ferrymead

Telegraph Pole

Ferrymead

Comms Room old telephone

Ferrymead

Comms Room

Ferrymead

Comms Room

Ferrymead

Comms Room

Ferrymead

Comms Room

Ferrymead

Comms Room, in here there are interactive displays that the public can play with including sending morse code

Theatre Board

The theatre billboard outside the theatre ay Ferrymead in Christchurch

Ferrymead

Allison at the theatre kiosk

Ferrymead

This is the antenna mast at Ferrymead. As well as having an FM broadcast station their they also have an amateur radio station with the callsign of ZL3RPS which is the Radio Preservation Society of NZ (Ferrymead) Inc

Ferrymead

Another view of the antenna mast at Ferrymead

Ferrymead

The General Store at Ferrymead Christchurch

Ferrymead

Another shot of the General Store

Ferrymead

An old organ at ferrymead

Ferrymead

Morse Key in the comms shack at Ferrymead

Ferrymead

Morse Key in the comms shack at Ferrymead

Communications Shack

Old relay at Ferrymead

Prebbleton

Allison & I with amateur radio friend Bram ZL3ME. Bram was the person who introduced me to working amateur radio awards back in 1992 and was my first contact for the NZ Counties Award

BBQ

Rosemay and Bill (Amateur radio call ZL3NB) with Allison and I after feasting on a summer BBQ at their residence in Christchurch

Takiroa

Takiroa Rock Art billboard

Takiroa

The limestone above the Maori rock art

Takiroa Rock Art

Maori rock art

Takiroa Rock Art

Maori rock paintings at Takiroa

Dunedin

Baldwin Street Dunedin, said to be the steepest street in the world

Dunedin

Another view of Baldwin Street

Dunedin

Another view of Baldwin Street

Dunedin

Larnach Castle

Dunedin

Another view of Larnach Castle

Dunedin

Yet another view of Larnach Castle

Dunedin

Some of the gardens around Larnach Castle

Dunedin

Another garden shot at Larnach Castle

Waimate

The Waimate lumberjack welcomes you

Waimate

Waimate Foresters History Board