Stewart Island - Day 1: - Saturday the 23rd of April

I am so excited to be finally getting away to Stewart Island. I had planned this trip for October 2021 for my fiftieth birthday, but due to Covid-19 lockdowns it had to be postponed. But now in last week of April 2022, seven months later the Stewart Island trip & tramp is back on!

The previous week has been really hard with the passing of my Mum and the funeral only five days prior. I had three days back at work while arranging all the holiday activities and packing in the evenings which hadn’t even been started due to all that has been going on. Both Julianne and I were completely exhausted on Saturday but the bags were all packed and in the car by 10pm the night before we left which really helped on the day.

It was an early start with everyone up at 6am, a quick breakfast and in the car by 6.30am and heading to my Dad’s house to drop off eight year old Luke off – who is going to spend time with my father and my brother while Julianne, Robin and I are away.

We arrived at the airport by 7.30am and after checking in and going through security were sitting at the departure gate at 8am, for our flight leaving at 9; I do really like to get there early and relax.

The flight down to Christchurch was absolutely amazing as there were no clouds the whole way – and I could see all the way to Taupo and Mt Ruapehu in the distance while flying over New Plymouth at 38,000 feet – brilliant. I do love looking out of an airplane window and I was so tired and emotionally drained to do anything else.

We arrived in Christchurch just after 10.30am, jumped in a taxi to visit my Great Aunt Lelli just before 11am. Lelli is Alla’s sister (Alla being one of my grandmother’s). Lelli is 91 and is the last person who holds all the memories of the family from the 1940’s onwards. In addition when I was a young lad my Mum sent me on holiday’s to visit her in Christchurch and whenever I am in the city I and drop in for a visit, plus she is also Robin’s Godmother.

It was a very pleasant two hours relaxing, catching up and spending time with Lelli before jumping back in the taxi for the next flight, down to Invercargill.

Another great flight mostly cloud free to arrive in Invercargill at the bottom of New Zealand just before 4pm. It was then a quick 5 minute taxi to the Tuatara Backpackers before heading out for a walk around the town.

I ended up spending an hour walking around the town, I had to walk several kilometers to the nearest liquor store but it was what I really needed with no thinking just walking and slowly beginning to relax, very nice.

Back the hostel I had a nap and on waking up at 6 I felt the best I have for several weeks. It’s great to start to finally begin to relax and come back down to earth. We headed out and had this lovely roast meal, I had a roast beef burger which was so yummy.

Then back at the backpackers to relax before an early start tomorrow to get to Stewart Island.