I’m trying to be alliterative after a weekend away in the Wairarapa.
We
stayed with Andy in his little dwelling in Martinborough.
The main expedition was down to the far
south east tip of the North Island – Cape Palliser. There is a
fine lighthouse there accessed by 252 steps
with good views from the top.
It was extremely windy – but it is a very
exposed place. Note the serious anchorage needed to ensure the toilet doesn’t
get blown to the south pole.
Next stop – Putangirua
where there is a very strange geological condition resulting in some impressive
pinnacle rock formations.
I stalked this lovely little bird (a
New Zealand pipit
I believe) but it would never turn and face me.
The track goes up a river bed
gradually getting steeper as you approach
the Pinnacles.
With a little imagination you can see various
things in the eroded shapes – we thought the one second on the left looked like an Easter Island
moai.
Here are two silly girls pretending to be
pinnacles.
The end point is a sheer rock face eroded
in weird and wonderful ways.
Finally there was a bush walk up to the top
of the ridge with views of the main face.
Today we had an exciting trip to some glow worm caves
at Ruakokoputuna. They are
in the middle of a farm. Access is by a farm track and there are minimal signs
and no walkways, just an entrance that a stream has cut for about 200 metres under the farm land.
It was a bit deep in places and you had to
duck occasionally but the glow worms were bright and sparkly (unfortunately my
camera was not up to the task - these two pictures were taken using flash).
Emerging at the other end.
We are back home tonight, tired, wind and sun burnt but happy to have had a relaxing time away from the big city and Christmas preparations.
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