Sunday, April 29, 2007
We started the day off by finishing up packing for the trip and printing off 50+ pages of the itinerary. We still don’t have absolute confirmations from the last two hotels/holiday homes. We had a whole deal worked out about how we were going to the airport because the car needed its Warrant of Fitness completed before May 3 and when we took it in on April 26 or so, we found out that it needed a new tire and rack boot. So, since we were leaving for the South Island on the 29th, we had planned to have Graham fix it for free labor while we were away…that meant leaving the car at Graham’s shop and calling a cab.
We had planned to take a cab to the airport anyway because paying for a month’s worth of parking would have been expensive. So, at least it was good that Graham’s shop was closer to the airport than our house because it made the taxi cheaper. Josh dropped me off with the big bags while he went to Graham’s to drop off the car. 25 minutes later Josh had returned, the Air NZ check in line was much shorter than when I had arrived, so we went ahead to the counter.
I had checked Josh and myself in online and printed off our boarding passes. The guy behind the counter asked what flight we were on and if we had our passes. He didn’t ask for photo ID nor did he ask to actually see the passes (let alone ask if we packed our own bags)! He did, however, inform us that there is a $5 pp departure tax for everyone who flies out of PN. We went to the magazine/candy shop and paid the fee, got stickers, and learned that those stickers are to be placed on the boarding passes before exiting the gate.
We had about 20 minutes before the flight departed so we went upstairs where we found a café. I bought an expensive Diet Coke at $3.50 and then opted for a slice of quiche for $5.00…hey, we’re on vacation. The quiche, which I had heated up, was really good! We sat for awhile and then it was announced that our flight would be boarding soon so we headed downstairs.
There are four “gates” at the PN airport. Really, you exit through a sliding glass door and your plane will be there up close on the tarmac for you to board. So, the guy at the “gate” asked for our boarding passes and not our IDs…interesting. Then we boarded and I told Josh he could ask the flight attendant how to turn off the cell phone because we didn’t know how. However, as we found our seats on the 19 seater (1-1 across) we realized there would not be a flight attendant and the guy who had greeted us as we climbed the steps into the plane was the co-pilot.
Josh asked the co-pilot how to turn off the cell phone and said he felt like a moron afterward. Oh well, now we know for next time. There was no door on the cockpit, no overhead bins, really, it was a stripped down version of a plane. Heck, it didn’t even say Air NZ on the plane (we later found out that another company has been sub-contracted to carry this short haul flight for Air NZ).
Well, as someone who hates flying and had a real fear of the turboprop plane…this flight was probably the BEST I’ve ever been on…and that’s competing with the two times Josh and I were bumped up to first class (once domestic and once international).
It was the best flight because it was so smooth and sunny and bright (I could not believe the pilot said we’d only be getting up to 12,000 feet). As we rose above the Manawatu plains with PN below, I could see Mt. Taranaki to the west. AWESOME! Then, we saw Kapiti Island to the east. Then, we were over the ocean and we could see the high, high mountain tops of the South Island approaching…they were so cool. Closer to the Nelson area we started to see other islands and because the cockpit was wide open, we could see the runway approaching us and truly had a pilot’s eye view of things. Wicked!
Upon landing, we exited the small aircraft and walked into the small airport where we were greeted by Tom, a local Rotarian. Tom was going to have us over to his house for tea before we headed to our cottage. As we were picking up our checked luggage, the car rental guy came by and we walked over to the rental while Tom picked up his car to meet us. We checked out the car and signed the forms before following Tom to his house. I was glad the car had been delivered to the airport because I thought we were going to have to drive into Nelson to get the car.
Well, Tom (and his wife Margot) have the absolute most amazing house ever. It is so modern in architecture and interior decorating. It was my dream home and they did it all themselves. The house sits at the end of a cul de sac up a hill with a view of the ocean from the front windows. Truly amazing! We had some tea and biscuits and sausage rolls and meat pies and got additional maps and directions from Tom (so helpful). They didn't want us to drive to the cottage in the dark, so we were out of their house by 10 till 5 and we’d arrived in Nelson around 3:30 or so.
We found our way out of town easily enough and although a quick side trip to find a Warehouse or grocery store yielded nothing in Nelson, we found both a Warehouse and a New World grocery store in Motueka…the main town down the hill from the cottage we’d be staying at. Josh and I popped in for some groceries and spent about $65 on bread, meat, cheese, Diet Coke, snacks, etc. Our food budget in NZ $40 so this should help us keep to that. There was a guy singing outside the shop as we went in and it was the most beautiful pink sky sunset.
On the road again and with the directions sent by the cottage and with Tom’s maps we found the cottage no worries! Except, when I looked at Josh while we were driving up the hill for like 3.6 kms, I knew he was worried because it was out in the “wop wops” or boonies real bad. I knew what the cottage looked like but Josh had no idea.
As we drove up to the owners home (before the cottage) we got out to check in with them. They were having dinner and said for us to go ahead and get settled in. So we did. We made it up the most insane hill/driveway and were rewarded with the most spectacular moonlight view over the Tasman Bay. The distant lights of Nelson shone below.
The cottage itself is ideal. A log burner, running water, fridge and stove top but no oven or microwave. The bedroom has a queen bed and two twins in the loft. The first night we had some snacks for dinner (like ice cream) and Josh made us a fire. We sat in the kitchen area and talked for awhile before heading to bed.The bathroom in this cabin is outside but at least the toilet flushed and there is hot water for the bath and shower. The first night sleeping in the middle of nowhere was a bit frightening, however, I didn’t let my fear stop me from going to the outside toilet at 12:30 am. Good on ya mate!
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