Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer Tour April 2023
Jeantine found it appealing enough to start organising our particpation - that involved her flying in from the UK and getting us all to sign up and indicate our preferences for optional extra side excursions
https://www.siredmundhillaryexplorer.com/
We decided we would fly Air New Zealand from Auckland to Blenheim the day before joining the Tour at the Blenheim Railway Station Saturday 15th April, as per ... Flights checked-in for Auckland - Blenheim on NZ8209 Depart 3:35pm, Arrive 5:05pm, Duration 1h 30m, 14 April 2023
Jeantine had organised an Airbnb to stay overnight and we caught an Uber ride to the property
Next morning another Uber ride took us the Blenheim Railway Station to meet up with the Pounamu Tourism Group and the guides for the trip. We got our briefing with tour leader Philip MacDonald and a few of his fellow crew.
With plenty of time before the train was to arrive from Picton, we had a wander through the Saturday Morning Market in the Station Carpark area (what big heads of Brocoli being snapped up and quickly sold out). Then it was along to a Cafe across the road from the Railway Station (that Jeantine had found had good reviews) and inside lingering over coffees we met a few of our fellow travellers including Melissa (from Australia) and her mother Jean, from Nelson. Jean had a bad back and walking frame - which was stored in luggage compartments of our various means of transport. Melissa and Jean were quite adept at getting the frame out and in use and then stored away again afterwards.
With the iminent arrival of our fellow travellers taking the train from Picton ( after the Ferry across Cook Strait) we lined up with cameras and smart phones to get our first images of the WW1 memorial steam locomotive AB608 Passchendaele
Once we settled into the train journey it was a reminder for me of having travelled by car with Robert & Jocelyn in their rental car on the return journey to Christchurch after having been with brother Tim for his 50th Birthday celebrations in Blenheim. One of the vehicles matching us alongside was a white ute that seemed to keep popping into view.
Looking out at the traffic reminded me of the work still underway back 15/16 Dec 2018 when we travelled back alongside the railway and the roadworkers were still busy with repairs and improvements - and how the traffic control guys (and gals) were so enthusiastic in waving people through with fancy dance and arm movements. Taking a wander down to the end carriage and looking at how things were mostly free flowing
This next image Geo location shows this at Clarence, I'm trying to remember if this was a water top up for the steam locomotive but this photo doesn't show any water stand so maybe it was just an opportunity to get off the carriages for a wander around
This shows Melissa Cowan talking to engine driver along with Cody and Jeantine Mankelow also in shot - then Cody climbs into the cab
Time to get back onboard and a look at some of our fellow travellers
On arrival at Kaikoura we were moved on various buses to our Hotel / Motel accomodation, ours was at the White Morph. Dinner was to be had at Sudima Hotel and with time available before our (second sitting) dinner time, Jeantine, Cody and I went for a wander along the beachfront to a mysterious Chimney.
And the mysterious Chimney was but the remnants of what had been a house by the road with but rocks between the house and sea. Jeantine captures a photo of Cody and I taking our respective images of the wild rocky coast.
Meanwhile Jeantine had posted a series of her photos on Facebook, including this one of Cody and I at that 'Chimney' area.
It was certainly crisp outside with a brisk wind cutting through our clothing layers and we stopped into a Pub for a brief break from the cold and penetrating evening wind.
Walking back to the Motel, we went past netting clad hillsides, that obviously continued to scatter occasional rock debris. When we got back to our Motel room (Barb and I in one room with Cody and Jeantine in another) it was good to get into some warmth.
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