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One of the most significant trees in Sydney is the Jacaranda planted in 1928 by professor of literature E.G. Waterhouse at the Sydney University. This lady is without a doubt a survivor being the only successful planting after few previous attempts were lost to student pranks or ended up in someone’s private backyard. Healthy and blooming at 12 meters high it now plays a trick of its own flowering when students are to study hard for the exams.
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The best cities are those that are providing comfortable and efficient environment for population to live, create, socialise and be close to nature. May be in the future not just being close to nature, but actually be a part of nature. It seems while we started with shielding ourselves from our environment clearing land by cutting off trees, hunting down animals that we thought were a nuisance, the further we are going along that path the more we realise we are missing those animals, we are missing forests, we are only happy if we are a part of nature. What stopping us building communities not only for us to live, but for other beings as well?
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After celebrating 10 years in 2015 Sea Cliff Bridge still stands as an engineering highlight along the scenic Grand Pacific Drive from Sydney to Wollongong. Being one of the seven off-shore parallel to coast bridges there are some amazing views to be seen from it. As usual, however, the best photo spots are not easy to get to. Climbing down very steep and narrow track to the bottom of the bridge before sunrise I could already feel the heat of day. Unusual for spring the temperature was in high 30C that day. The Day Light Savings started and clocks jumped forward, hence most of Sydney-siders were taking it easy and waking up an hour later than usual. Those trying to get the best of the 23-hour-day, however, were gifted with beautiful sunrise at the ocean shores.
This is a panorama of 4 shots with quality turned out to be very high, good job there from Nikon D810. Available at crazy resolution of 8016 x 5113 pixels. Check out preview at the shop to see a big version of it (click on the small thumbnail and then Expand icon at the top left).
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Kirribilli foreshore just across the Sydney Harbour on the northern side is one of the best photo spots to photograph Sydney icons: Sydney Opera House, Sydney CBD and Sydney Harbour Bridge. If you are lucky enough to have wide zoom lens like my 14mm on a full frame Nikon D810 then you will be able to fit everything into single frame. If you do not, you still have direct line of sight on all three and can frame them long or wide to your photographic pleasure. Few interesting facts about this shot:
I normally geotag my images so anyone can get a point where it was taken (Firefox has great FxIF extension to browse metadata for that purpose). Here is, however, an easier link to the location on Google Maps.
It was a great feeling walking up to the waterfall and slowly having all the sounds replaced by one, the heavy rush of water. With no one around and light breeze coming off the water the sight is very peaceful and relaxing. I could stand there for hours watching plants waving in the wind if not for other wonderful places waiting to be visited in a small yet so resourceful Tasmania. I am glad to have the pictures from the trip so I can always go back in time and bring up memories of that short but so worth-to-be-remembered moment at the Russell Falls of Mount Field National Park.
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Few years back I needed to get a copy of a magazine that printed with one of my works. The only place I can get it at that time was State Library of New South Wales in Sydney. I knew the place, it is a modern glass building which you can see right through when you are walking on the street. What I did not know is that it had few wings. And one of them, where my magazine would be, is The Mitchell Wing. I knew that building too, it is next to the main library, but it looks so different that I never thought it is also a part of the complex. Grandiosely looking with sandstone columns I though it is a museum of sorts as it somewhat similar to the Art Gallery of New South Wales. I never paid enough attention to find out what it was exactly. When I finally entered I was stunned by the interior. Enormous room with book shelves going up to the glass roof and so quiet you can hear a pin drop.
For years I would be thinking about coming back there one day with a good camera, a tripod, wide lens and taking few bracketing exposures to combine them into a HDR. I finally got a chance during my recent visit and this is the picture. I had the tripod with me, but I could not be brave (or crazy) enough to rock up on the stairs there and start taking pictures in the middle of this magic. Hence, this photo is taken handheld through a glass window from an outside corridor with all the magic undisturbed. I think it came out very good quality wise.
Funny story about this image is that I published it on my Flickr and totally forgot about. Few months later I am looking through Sydney events and see this great promo for the upcoming Art and About festival. Guess which picture featured right at the start of the promo video? This very right one taken off Flickr page with watermark cut out. I did not know at first whether to celebrate it or to be upset as I actually missed submission deadline to the photography competition. Was good to know guys decided to take my image anyway, not exactly following the usage rights restrictions, but that got sorted out later on.
One of the most stunning sunrises we have seen in New Zealand happened on the last day of our trip on a beautiful beach north of Christchurch. Dramatic clouds left only a tiny space for sun to shine through and it was using that moment fully with rich orange light. It is hard to bring the full experience of being there with a photograph and I can only hope it is giving similar impression and awe.
There was also a seal that came up on a sunlit beach just after this shot. I wouldn’t even notice it if I did not stop to talk to a local guy appreciating the moment. He pointed me to the seal and said he was also a local fellow who comes up quite often. While I was changing a lens few horses raced by, needless to say in a beautiful light. Though riders were careful and slowed down near the seal it did not appreciate all the fuss and went back for a swim just when I finally changed my lens for a zoom. Here is photographer’s luck, you cannot have everything. Well, maybe we meet next time.
As for the horses, there is a training school nearby, apparently, and they are quite an often sight there.
Lens flare on the picture is a real work of her majesty the Sun. Interestingly enough, I was avoiding using my Samyang lens with f22 aperture the whole trip as lens is said to be best at f11. On the last day I decided to give it a try and, I must say, I quite like the effect. I think it really shows how shiny and bright it was. What a place and what a moment!
Driving campervan around scenic New Zealand’s South Island was the best decision we made. Two weeks in the middle of winter wonderland in a motorhome with picturesque landscapes around and rarely anyone nearby could not have been a better choice! If you read about it online though, half of the comments are to avoid winter and campervan in one sentence and rather stick to accommodation. We were hesitating, we were worried, but you should not. With good planning and a bit of luck campervaning in New Zealand in winter will be the trip of a life time. It was for us.
New Zealand West Coast providing top views for the lunch stop!
We spent lots of time researching for our holiday in New Zealand and even then helpful and practical information was hard to get by. Now, from our own experience we can share why New Zealand is awesome, especially so in winter:
Plenty of time to enjoy lake Hawea when travelling New Zealand in a motorhome
Now, to the points you would want to know before you go.
Campervans are heavier, longer and bigger vehicles. It is easier to get stuck, hit something when going backwards, harder to keep lane and make turns. Driving backwards always require a second person watching outside. We did run on a roundabout, nearly hit a tree and parked on 3 spots simultaneously. Prepare to be patient and extra careful.
Good idea is to check if your license allows you to drive in New Zealand and how rules are different from your country. NZ Transport Agency website is a good start.
There are lots of different rental companies with varying quality of campers and pricing. Choose wisely, it is your home for the trip. Get the best one and you’ll enjoy it more. We were really happy with ours and it had everything we needed.
While maximum speed on New Zealand roads is 100 kmh, bigger campervans are considered heavy vehicles and have 90 kmh speed limit. Allow extra time in your travel plans when driving.
Some smaller tour companies do close during low season. So call before you go and make sure you have alternative options. We did get caught out by a Kiwi tour not going ahead in a small town of Okarito, but we found a kiwi conservation centre nearby and were able to get up close to these awesome birds there.
Lake Pukaki – best location to get stuck for the night.
Avoid high season and school holidays. Less crowds, more space and you will see New Zealand most beautiful.
Take the snow chains option. It might be the only way to drive if weather gets rough in alpine areas. This shouldn’t be the optional feature in winter really. There is no other way around it, but to have snow chains with you if you drive in New Zealand in winter, especially the South Island. While you might not need to fit them, on some roads it is illegal to drive without having snow chains in a trunk.
Get a good caravan and keep warm inside! Do a bit of a research which company is a best bang for buck and get a nicest camper that has gas or diesel heater built-in, extra blankets, pluggable electrical heater which you can use in powered campsites, window blinds to save the warmth and double glazed windows to top it up. We had all of these with our motorhome plus built-in electrical heater that took 1-2 hours to warm up, but was working really well then. It was probably more comfortable and warm than our apartment back in Australia which has no heating at all. Maui is probably one of the most popular caravans we saw on the roads, but by the time we were ready to book, believe it or not, there were none available. So it worth planning few months in advance even in a low season.
Don’t forget to check what is covered by the rental company insurance and how much is excess. Our option had $950 excess and covered all the damage except for extreme cases like when people dance on the roof of their motorhome. One of the little explained issues is that New Zealand roads have a lot of gravel. Hence windscreen damage is pretty common and costs to fix it can range from $75 for a little chip to $750 and more for complete replacement. Most of the times this will not be covered, unless you take the full coverage option which will be costing as much. In our case we did pay $75 for the windscreen damage and were thankful it did not get more serious as the rocks were flying everywhere.
Don’t leave your car unattended if Keas are around. Keas are the most intelligent and active parrots. They are the monkeys of New Zealand and are well-equipped to disassemble anything in the shortest amount of time possible. If you are leaving your car to go for a walk and Keas are around you could be sure that they will attempt to chew though the rubber seals and get inside through the sunroof. Considering they can see well in the dark you are not safe at night as well. Luckily they are just in few spots on South Island, we’ve seen them in Arthur’s Pass and Milford Sound only.
Know what you going to do if you get stuck, campervan breaks or you would need to change the tyre. Ask your company rep. Our motorhome came with AA Roadservice arrangements that have a network of local mechanics to help which came really handy when we got stuck in mud near Lake Pukaki. It was NZ $140 extra to pay as it was somewhat our fault, but at least we did not lose much time. Another advantage being in a motorhome was that even in such situation you can have your dinner comfortably and enjoy the scenery while you wait for help. Being in a car with limited supplies would be a different story.
Be prepared to drive on icy roads. Even if there was no major snowfall there will be icy patches on shady sections of the roads. Some are called black ice and are hard to see, it will be looking just like wet road. Avoid breaking suddenly and drive slowly. Check road conditions for mountain areas before you drive via NZ Transport Agency website or via 24/7 toll free number 0800 444 449.
Get travel insurance. While New Zealand provides free public medical assistance for people unexpectedly requiring that as soon as you leave New Zealand shores you will be on your own.
Some grocery stores provide a considerable discount on fuel if you shop there. We got a nice surprise getting 40c off every litre (around 30% off) when we shopped $200 of groceries at one of the New World stores at Christchurch.
At the end of the trip you might have an option of re-filling the gas bottle instead of swapping it. Find service station that does that. That could be more convenient and budget friendly. We also liked to find out that there still was a half of gas left after our 2 week trip and we could have stayed in unpowered camp areas many more times. Get a receipt after re-fill as well in case your rental company would want to see evidence of it.
Take a dashboard camera with you. As a minimum you will have videos of great New Zealand scenery while you drive and Keas chewing through your window seals when you are hiking.
Troublemaker Kea on a roof of our motorhome thinking about the next trick to play
Stopping at one of the numerous and beautiful lakes of New Zealand, lake Ianthe.
3 heating options: gas heater, electrical heater and portable electrical fan heater plus extra blankets, double insulated windows and bedroom area that can be curtained off from the kitchen and seating area made it comfortably warm at night.
An isle bed that is always made up and allows easy access to and from for 2 people. No need to make it up every day or jump over each other to get off.
Good quality triple gas cooking top, spacy fridge, and a variety of kitchen utensils made it easy to cook and enjoy local produce. Big gas bottle and a little one as a spare made it through 2 weeks with more that half of gas left.
Swivel chairs for driver and passenger allow to use space when not driving. Overall, even though it was 2-berth motorhome we had 5 sitting spaces at the front.
Storage, lots of it, under the seats, shelves above, it was really handy and we could have fit 2 times more if we wanted (like bikes, picnic table, portable kayak, diving gear, snowboard and skis).
Warm lighting with movable spot lights made it cosy and comfortable inside comparing to the hospital looking cool lighting some other motorhomes have.
Automatic transmission, cruise control, and rear parking camera made it easy to move around.
While there are few good companies out there to hire from we’ve got great hospitality and service from Wilderness Motorhomes. Helping to find a better option for us after 5pm on Saturday (because we somehow booked the wrong one) and then checking for damage together under the rain in the dark is good old fashion service that is rarely included nowadays.
Find motorhome rental in New Zealand
Still looking for flights? We used multiple websites to find the cheapest and most convenient one. A small Australian flight search engine ‘I Want That Flight” with a simple user interface always provides top flight options to New Zealand and often cheaper than elsewhere. Plus it feels good to support Aussie-owned and made.
Overall we had a great holiday and hope you will too!
New Zealand is famous for its crystal clear lakes, crisp air, dark starry nights and stunning mountains. Combine that with a good camera, a bit of patience, light sleep deprivation and you have got yourself wonderful memories of gentle waves crashing in the night and Milky Way that you want never take eyes off. I am thinking of returning to New Zealand at summer sometime, when I can just lay down in a tent or under a glass roof and stare into the stars until I dream away while camera will be quietly snapping nearby.
The longest sunrise at the Christchurch iconic New Brighton Pier waited for us as we were hurrying to get there on time driving early morning through the city.
