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A Decade, Today - Retrospective
Sep. 22nd, 2011 02:24 pmSat, September 22, 2001 18:18:51
Nelson to Blenheim
We started the day with sunny, blustery weather in Nelson. Following breakfast, we loaded the car, then walked into town briefly on the recommendation of the desk clerk to see a flea market. We didn’t stay long. Mobs of people, and nothing that grabbed our interest right off.
I stopped into the young lady’s camera shop (some original name like 24 hour photo, I’m afraid I didn’t make a note of it and we are definitely into the early phases of sensory overload). This time I did have the Old Man with me, and she nodded to it. So I showed him off; turns out she is also an owner of a Mamiya C330. Small world.
It also turns out they were sold out of their Provia, so she referred me to yet another shop around the other side of a walk-through mall. I found two rolls there, and bought them both.
( Map, Nelson to Blenheim )
On the other hand, I wound up shooting only one roll between Nelson and Blenheim. The first frame is of the Nelson Cathedral, and the second of the hill in the Botanic with the Center of NZ monument (it is easily seen from our hotel). Three and four, we found at an overlook outside of Havelock, on Queen Charlotte Road and getting into the Marlborough Sounds. Most of the remainder I shot at a small spot called Pelorus Bridge, which is one of many one-lane bridges but the only one over the Pelorus River at this particular spot. A little bit of a chasm, still interesting enough to spend five frames.
( Pelorus Bridge )
Frames 10 and 11 are of Shakespeare Bay, right next to Picton. Should one wish to take the car and passenger ferry to Wellington and the North Island, Picton is the point of departure. We turned south, once again riding on Highway One only now from the northern origin (or at least the northern origin on the South Island). A mere 28 kilometers later we pulled into Blenheim about 15:30. Blenheim is another major city here in northern South Island, and yet it is still in rural New Zealand. Nearly all the shops were already closed on this Saturday, although we did find the grocery market still open. Finding the Opawa Lodge B&B (B & C P, hosts, Fenton proprietor) wasn’t difficult.
The view from the veranda is quite nice, and so is the sunset as I write this. C tells us that another couple stayed here the weekend right after World Conference, from Denver, Colorado, U.S.A., that are also ‘theatre’ nurses. Small world, though I didn’t recognize the names.
And now it’s time for dinner. Tomorrow, off to Kaikura. However, Herself is quite tired, and now looking forward to being home. We’ve turned the corner on our holiday, physically in Picton and emotionally as well. Tomorrow is also Sunday, and the start of our last week in New Zealand. God willing, we are to fly back to the States on Friday.
Retrospective
I'm surprised I didn't put anything into the note about the arrows. Arrows painted on the road, in traffic lanes, pointing in the direction of travel. We started seeing them approaching Picton, and again between Picton and Blenheim. Both of us felt quite amused by them, though also impressed to see them. I mean, quite obviously (in one manner) there arrows are Messages: Bloody Stupid Yanks, Drive This Way. We'd been on the road for a shade over a week now, and with two exceptions, both involving road work and road crews, managed quite readily to stay on the proper side of the road.
Proper side, mind you, is pretty easily defined as the side where one won't run head-first into anyone else.
As I recall, south of Blenheim we didn't see any more arrows, until we got closer to Chch again. Then, on the northern approach on Highway 1, we found these arrows once more. We racked our memories, yet could not recall seeing such arrows on the drive south.
I suspect most Yanks get sent counter-clockwise around South Island when they come in for a driving tour.
I also remember at the time feeling quite a bit of humour over the sign on the Pelorus Bridge, as seen in the photograph. New Zealand is the origin home of bungee jumping, and I could see that spot being someplace someone earned a Darwin Award for trying a bungee jump.
Nelson to Blenheim
We started the day with sunny, blustery weather in Nelson. Following breakfast, we loaded the car, then walked into town briefly on the recommendation of the desk clerk to see a flea market. We didn’t stay long. Mobs of people, and nothing that grabbed our interest right off.
I stopped into the young lady’s camera shop (some original name like 24 hour photo, I’m afraid I didn’t make a note of it and we are definitely into the early phases of sensory overload). This time I did have the Old Man with me, and she nodded to it. So I showed him off; turns out she is also an owner of a Mamiya C330. Small world.
It also turns out they were sold out of their Provia, so she referred me to yet another shop around the other side of a walk-through mall. I found two rolls there, and bought them both.
( Map, Nelson to Blenheim )
On the other hand, I wound up shooting only one roll between Nelson and Blenheim. The first frame is of the Nelson Cathedral, and the second of the hill in the Botanic with the Center of NZ monument (it is easily seen from our hotel). Three and four, we found at an overlook outside of Havelock, on Queen Charlotte Road and getting into the Marlborough Sounds. Most of the remainder I shot at a small spot called Pelorus Bridge, which is one of many one-lane bridges but the only one over the Pelorus River at this particular spot. A little bit of a chasm, still interesting enough to spend five frames.
( Pelorus Bridge )
Frames 10 and 11 are of Shakespeare Bay, right next to Picton. Should one wish to take the car and passenger ferry to Wellington and the North Island, Picton is the point of departure. We turned south, once again riding on Highway One only now from the northern origin (or at least the northern origin on the South Island). A mere 28 kilometers later we pulled into Blenheim about 15:30. Blenheim is another major city here in northern South Island, and yet it is still in rural New Zealand. Nearly all the shops were already closed on this Saturday, although we did find the grocery market still open. Finding the Opawa Lodge B&B (B & C P, hosts, Fenton proprietor) wasn’t difficult.
The view from the veranda is quite nice, and so is the sunset as I write this. C tells us that another couple stayed here the weekend right after World Conference, from Denver, Colorado, U.S.A., that are also ‘theatre’ nurses. Small world, though I didn’t recognize the names.
And now it’s time for dinner. Tomorrow, off to Kaikura. However, Herself is quite tired, and now looking forward to being home. We’ve turned the corner on our holiday, physically in Picton and emotionally as well. Tomorrow is also Sunday, and the start of our last week in New Zealand. God willing, we are to fly back to the States on Friday.
Retrospective
I'm surprised I didn't put anything into the note about the arrows. Arrows painted on the road, in traffic lanes, pointing in the direction of travel. We started seeing them approaching Picton, and again between Picton and Blenheim. Both of us felt quite amused by them, though also impressed to see them. I mean, quite obviously (in one manner) there arrows are Messages: Bloody Stupid Yanks, Drive This Way. We'd been on the road for a shade over a week now, and with two exceptions, both involving road work and road crews, managed quite readily to stay on the proper side of the road.
Proper side, mind you, is pretty easily defined as the side where one won't run head-first into anyone else.
As I recall, south of Blenheim we didn't see any more arrows, until we got closer to Chch again. Then, on the northern approach on Highway 1, we found these arrows once more. We racked our memories, yet could not recall seeing such arrows on the drive south.
I suspect most Yanks get sent counter-clockwise around South Island when they come in for a driving tour.
I also remember at the time feeling quite a bit of humour over the sign on the Pelorus Bridge, as seen in the photograph. New Zealand is the origin home of bungee jumping, and I could see that spot being someplace someone earned a Darwin Award for trying a bungee jump.
