The Purple Penguin

Written by Joe, edited by Kathleen

After arriving Friday night on Eurostar and successfully negotiating the mini metro system or underground trams to the hotel, we collapsed for the night. It is very warm and sticky at the moment so a shower and bed.

Today 🙂

Up and breakfast (coffee, juices and hotdogs, with boiled egg and mushrooms). [editor: that was Joe, I had coffee and bread, cause let’s face it, his was gross!] Left around tenish to get the metro to Heysel for the famous Brussels atom (Atomium). That’s the balls building you see on every thing, a representation off an iron atom. [editor: or as the guide book says “an iron atom on steroids”.] The digital camera is playing up again so I don’t know how the picture will look but we have some. After getting out and just following the crowds past the Art Nouveau buildings from the 1958 world fair the sun is bright and the newly refurbished atom is shining resplendent in the morning sun. [editor: Art Deco from 1935 were the ones I noticed but Joe saw the 1958 buildings which I missed until I was in the atom; but then I would note the Deco ones and ignore the Nouveau!]

The tour bus are starting to arrive but we pay 9 euros each and make our way in. First we walk around four of the balls with a few escalators then joined the queue for the top. Had a look around and you can see all the preparations for the next day which included rigging an aerial slide from the top of the atom to the ground. This we will learn later appears to all be part of a fete or celebration which is going on all weekend.

After leaving the atom we walk though some gardens and got a bit lost so cutting our losses head back to the metro. We ended up in a metro station we had passed on the way which had 3d reliefs of people on the walls. One we particularly liked looked like a woman being boiled in a large pot :). [editor: we got a photo. She looked surprisingly calm, though a bit worried, so they probably hadn’t lit the fire yet.]

To town and just a general wander the Brussels chocolate and biscuit shops being our main aims. [editor: well the chocolate one was my main aim. Can’t come to Brussels and not get chocolate!]

Close to the chocy shop we stopped for lunch at a small place called Cap Sablon [editor: we were in the expensive part of town. Yes I like expensive chocolate.] I had brain failure [editor: as did I, it was just good to sit down! We had done a lot of walking by that point in the sun during a rather sticky sort of day] and was totally unable to read the menu but managed to order spaghetti carbonara and a beer. Kathleen ended up with chicken liver salad and some fruit juice. It was very nice and very cheap with coffee and hot chocolate to finish. [editor: Guess who had the hot chocolate!]

The chocolate shop was full but we managed to sneak in our order and get out quickly. We then worked our way to the main square (Grand Place in English) where more of the fete was in full swing, loud bands and manikins [editor: puppets, masks, costumes, all sorts] all over the place coming from one direction going round the square then out again.

Got our biscuits and had an ice cream, watch more of the little bands and dances come through, then start our walk back to the hotel. To collapse and cool down before the evening meal.

[editor again: we’re going out to a really nice place that we went to the first time we were in Brussels so I’m looking forward to a good meal tonight! Shower and meal.]

Well, we’re home. We left Christchurch on Monday morning in the pouring rain, flew to Auckland where we spent 6 hours sitting in the airport, then had that long flight home. Stopped in Melbourne again and Dubai but didn’t do anything interesting. Was going to update yesterday but the internet connection at home didn’t work. So back home and at work and it’s grey and raining. But I’m still smiling!

Got a flight from Invercargill to Christchurch this morning and was met at the Christchurch airport by a couple we had met on the boat. Very nice to be met!

Headed for the Antarctic Centre which was very interesting, then off to see white flipper penguins (little blues). That was very interesting and we saw several penguins, including another yellow-eye. We also saw seals, Hector dolphins, shags, wagtails, and loads of other birds. A very nice trip out.

So going to get some sleep now!

And are back from the Southern Ocean today. What a trip. Joe did well, but claimed it was awful. If I looked at him he’d stop smiling. So I let him get on with enjoying the trip.

We had rotten weather. After two days rolling around the sea we anchored off Campbell Island and headed to shore in strong winds and pouring rain. Joe and I did the walk and it was long and wet and muddy. Walking along cliff edges with what feels like a gale blowing (trying to blow you off the cliff even) wasn’t too fun. Having said that the island was lovely and we were lucky enough to have two men on the trip who had been on the island in the 1970s. They were part of the sheep eradication programme. They were quite interesting to talk to and knew the island fairly well – this was their first trip back since they had been in the 70s so they were interested in the changes since the sheep were gone. So we ended up walking with them listening to them tell stories about the area. At lunch Joe got a close up look at a yellow-eye penguin. We were coming down a small path (along a stream – well actually in the stream!) and the penguin was waiting at the bottom. Turns out that was his path and he was waiting for us to move so he could go. So Joe got some photos. We also saw loads of albatross, sea lions (some far too close and personal), pipits, elephant seals, and loads and loads of megaherbs.

We then headed for Auckland island, Carnley Bay, and instead of the walk Joe and I opted for the rib trip around the bay. So we spent the time just nosing along the coast slowly looking at wildlife and plants. Lots of sea lions and birds. We then headed north for Enderby Island for the next day. However, the weather was so bad we couldn’t land on Enderby so we turned to Ross (I think) and made a couple of landings there at the old Coast Watch station and the Enderby settlement site. That was a bit disappointing as the main wildlife is on Enderby, including loads of yellow-eye penguins which we could only see as little white specks on the island. We did see a couple in the water.

Next was Snares Island and yet again the weather kept us off though we did have a rather exciting attempt to get in the ribs and have a look. The ship was just pitching far too much to get into the ribs. So we were off. We were very very disappointed with that – we wanted to at least go round the island – because there are crested penguins (including the rare Snares penguin) on the island. But we did have good views of the south of Stewart Island later in the day.

So in all, 6 nights at sea and Joe got to see one penguin clearly and photograph it. He also so a few in the water but no photos. So a bit disappointing but then I guess that’s how it goes sometimes. We did see dolphins, seals, sea lions, elephant seals, albatross, shearwaters, gulls, terns, pipits, bellbirds, tui, rata, megaherbs, orchids, and all sorts.

We are spending the night in Invercargill and off to Christchurch and the Antarctic Centre tomorrow. And probably penguin watching tomorrow evening. Hopefully that will be more successful. Sunday we roam around the city and Monday morning we off for Auckland and then home. Don’t really want to leave!

We are off on the trip tomorrow morning. So last blog post for at least a week.

Catlins was lovely and Joe saw penguins! Loads of yellow-eyed penguins. And got photos. So I am now on the good list again. We drove into Kaka Point and found our hotel – another nice place complete with kitchen, and then went and got a couple of burgers and kumara chips before heading to the hide to look for penguins. And saw about 7 penguins come in. Hurray.

The next day we drove to Curio Bay and saw the petrified forest which was nifty. We stopped at the falls as well, but then had to hurry back to the bay to see penguins. We stayed at the hide for over 3 hours watching penguins come in. So Joe had a good day.

Now in Dunedin. Shipping dive kit back home and sorting out the rest of our stuff before getting on the boat tomorrow. Joe has counted his Stugeron tablets and figures he has enough. I’m doing the laundry and generally sorting stuff.

Everyone have a wonderful New Year’s Eve!

We are sleepy today. Kiwi watching on Joe’s birthday and we got back to the hotel sometime around 1am this morning. Then had to be up at half past 8 to pack and check out by 10. The ferry is at 3.30 this afternoon.

We didn’t do much on boxing day. Thought we would be kiwi spotting but it was postponed to the next day. So we just pottered about.

Joe’s birthday and yes, he now knows he’s spending 7 days on a boat. He’s wondering if I really like him or if I’ve taken out a secret insurance policy. If you want to see penguins it means getting in a boat! So there. Meanwhile, I’ve had several offers of marriage if Joe doesn’t like the trip. Joe is considering which one I should accept.

Meanwhile, we walked out to Ackers Point and the lighthouse. Saw loads of birds and had a lovely walk. Then we napped so we’d be awake for kiwi spotting. But before kiwis it was Joe’s birthday dinner. We had a lovely meal then they brought out a birthday cake – seems our travel agency ordered one for him! and it was huge – great big chocolate and chocolate liquer with raspberry and banana filling, passonfruit topping, and loads of fruit on top. It was lovely and tasted wonderful but we could barely make a dent in it. So we fed the staff and the people in the bar!

The kiwi watching trip left the wharf at 9pm and we had a nice trip over to another part of the island. Joe managed to spot 2 blue penguins in the water – hooray! penguins! Kiwi spotting was interesting. We stayed on the boat getting briefed as it got dark. Once it was fairly dark off we headed into the bush. It was a bit spooky. But we found a clearing, all gathered together and waited. The guide had a whistle and a tape of kiwi calls and sure enough we heard something. He switched on a torch and there was an adult female kiwi standing in front of us! Really dramatic and quite nifty. She stayed around for a bit, even fed a bit, then wandered off. We saw two more, both young, one male and one female. So three kiwis which is pretty good going. We also heard kiwi calling and whistling in the distance. And had a lovely walk along a sandy beach looking at the stars – I’ve finally seen the Southern Cross. But not the southern lights which decided not to show. Still quite a nifty trip.

But very very tired today. So going to snooze on the ferry back to Bluff. Then we drive up to the Catlins. More penguins. [Joe comment: hopefully]

Hope everyone has had a marvy Christmas and are all looking forward to the new year.

We had a wonderful time in Fiordland. Got to Te Anau in good time and enjoyed walking around the small town. Did all our shopping for Christmas the first day and got food for Christmas. We were in another flat which was quite nice even if we had fairly noisy neighbours.

Diving in Milford Sound with Tawaki Dive is wonderful. Just wonderful. The diving is only a part of it – it’s a whole day out with two dives included. So we were picked up bright and early (5 to 6 actually) and driven to Milford Sound. Had a good chat with one of the other divers who was riding with us and got information about what we were seeing during the drive. The tunnel is pretty spectacular and the view once out the other side – really lovely. It was a bit of a rainy start to the day though. So we get kitted up and off out on the boat. Stopped to look at a couple of points on the way to the first dive site – the scenery cannot be described. The really great thing about Milford Sound and probably the entire area is the fact that your sense of scale just goes away. Looking at waterfall it takes a few minutes to realise it’s three times the height of Niagara Falls. You lean back and look up a cliff face and it just takes your breath away but hard to realise it’s 700 metres high!

The diving is wonderful. But then on our first dive we saw TWO spiney sea dragons. Real deep water creatures but they came up to see us. Not only that but one had eggs. Really nifty. We also got to see a octopus – our guide got a close view of the octopus as it headed for him then gave up and sat on a rock when the octopus saw our guide had mates with him. Just sat out there and watched us so we got a good view. We also had a professional photographer diving with us and I swear the octopus posed. And that was just the first dive.

The second was on a wall and the life was spectacular. Along with huge black corals – these must have been hundreds of years old they were so tall. If you’re a diver go to Milford Sound and dive with this group!

Between dives we got taken to the mouth of the fiord (called a sound cause the Brits named it but it’s actually a fiord – yep we got a geology lesson as well, though not how to spell it). So we got to see the sea and an old stone building – I think it’s suppose to be the oldest stone building in New Zealand. And greenstone. Then after the second dive we boated around the fiord seeing the waterfalls, getting information about the area, and just being given an excellent look around. We then went to the Lodge, had lunch, got shown photos of what we’d seen underwater with details of what it was (very helpful) and also got to look at the photos Paddy and Joe had taken.

On the drive back we stopped at several points and got out to walk. Saw Chasm which is a wonderful waterfall, Deer Flats, and a stoat trap (the people who run the dive company are involved in several conservation efforts). Just a really nice leisurely trip back.

Then to bed as we were up early again (well, we did go out for another of those wonderful meals – the food, wine and beer (as Joe assures me) is all wonderful) for kayaking. Picked up after 6 this time so a bit of a lie in. And again got told information as we drove along and had a tea break stop at a wonderful view point. Then off to learn how to kayak. Joe made me steer then complained. You are suppose to tack into the wind, aren’t you? [Joe comment: not in a kayak you aren’t.] But we had fun even if it was hard work. Saw much less of the fiord as we had to paddle every where instead of ride, but we did get to sail back to our lunch beach! Now that was nifty. And it was nice to see everything from the level of the water. And on the way back we stopped at different sites and saw even more nifty stuff.

And over the two days we saw: fur seals, dusky dolphins (jumping out of the water), spiney sea dragons, octopus, black coral, loads of fish including deep water species, tube worms, loads of birds, but not a single penguin. They all buggered off on 10 December – must have heard Joe was coming to see them. However, Joe still managed to take nearly 300 photos in two days.

So Christmas day was spent in the room slumped in front of the telly. We did manage to find the energy to take a walk along the lake and go the wildlife place to see birds. But most of the day was movies, including playing ‘spot the location’ during LOTR: Return of the King (or as one guide called it ‘Lord of the bloody rings’).

Today we are in Stewart Island and hopefully tomorrow night is Kiwi spotting! And blue penguin spotting. Or Joe will really sulk.

Have a wonderful new year!

To swing on a string! Wheeeee! Guess what we did today? Yep, right off Kawarau Bridge the original site, only 43 metres and fun, fun, fun. I got told to stop bouncing though. And Joe got the photos and DVD to prove it.

And here’s the proof!

In Te Anau now after a very nice drive. The lake is pretty. Tonight we go for a pre-dive briefing and tomorrow we’re diving in Milford Sound. Then Christmas eve we’re kayaking!

Have a marvy Christmas everyone!

Joe saw at Fantail falls? Well, he was putting his bag in the car when a bloke in the next car got out and said ‘Joe?’ so I got a photo: