Itinerary

The plan is that there is no fixed plan. We will simply go with the flow. Sort of. Cos I’m not that sort of flow-guy: I like to know where I’m headed, how I’ll get there, when I’ll get there, and where’ll I sleep. Thus, the plans of mice and men. No, not really.

With that in mind, I’ve scratched down some place-names with the consecutive dates from Monday 9 March 2015. And I went and booked accommodation according to that. Hmmm. A bit of a crap plan, I hear you say. Crap, yes, I guess, but I reckon it’s a lot better than the other so-called plan, the plan of Mice.

I predict that this will be interesting: let’s record the list of place-names and dates right here and now, and then we check the details against the actual future dates as they happen. Much like the weather-man on TV…Most times, he gets it quite wrong.

Day 1 (Mon 9): Depart Wellington 10:30 on InterIslander Arahura, arriving Picton 13:40. Drive through Tuamarina, Spring Creek, Blenheim, Seddon, L. Grasmere, Kaikoura, Hawkswood, Parnassus, Cheviot, Domett, Waipara, Amberly, Leithfield Beach, Waikuku Beach, Woodend, Kaiapoi, Belfast to Christchurch (approx. 337k). Sleep over on Monday night at the Earnslaw Motel at 288 Blenheim Road, Riccarton 03 348 6387.

Day 2 (Tue 10): Explore Christchurch, Sumner, Lyttelton, possibly taking a Red Bus tour which we missed last time. Sleep over on Tuesday night at the Earnslaw again.

Day 3 (Wed 11): Leave the car at the motel, and travel to Greymouth via Arthur’s Pass by TranzAlpine Railway,leaving CHC at 8:15 and arriving on the west coast at 12:45. Explore the town, possibly visiting the Monteith Brewery. Sleep over on Wednesday night at the Breeze Motel, 125 Tainui Street, Greymouth. 03 768 5068.

Day 4 (Thu 12): Explore the rest of Greymouth, and return to CHC, departing at 13:45 and arriving at our destination at 18:05. Sleep over on Thursday night at the Earnslaw Motel once more.

Day 5 (Fri 13): Drive from Christchurch through Rakaia, Ashburton, Winchester, Temuka, Washdyke to Timaru (approx 165k). Sleepover on Friday night at the Aspen on King Motel at 51 King Street,Parkside 03 688 3054

Day 6 (Sat 14): Drive from Timaru through St Andrews, Glenavy, Waitaki Bridge, Oamaru, Maheno, Herbert, Waianakarua, Hampden, Moeraki, Palmerston, Waikouaiti, Karitane, Waitati, Port Chalmers to Dunedin (approx 198k). Sleep over on Saturday night at the Alcala Motel at the corner of George and St David Streets 03 477 9073

Day 7 (Sun 15): Drive from Dunedin through Mosgiel, Milton, Balclutha, Clinton, Gore, Mataura, Edendale to Invercargill (approx 220k). Sleep over on Sunday night at the Colonial on Tay in Invercargill at 335 Tay Street  03 217 6058 

Day 8 (Mon 16): Explore Invercargill, including Bluff and Catlins Forest Park. Sleep over on Monday night at Colonial on Tay again.

Day 9 (Tue 17): Drive from Invercargill through Winton, Lumsden, Kingston, Frankton, Queenstown to Arrowtown (approx 210k). Sleep over on Tuesday night at the Arrowtown Holiday Park,12 Centennial Ave 03 412 1876

Day 10 (Wed 18): Drive from Arrowtown through Bannockburn, Cromwell, Wanaka, Lake Hawea, Lindis Pass, Omarama to Twizel (approx 247k). Sleep over on Wednesday night at the Mountain Chalet Motel, Wairepo Road 03 4350785.

Day 11 (Thu 19): Drive from Twizel through Lake Tekapo, Fairlie, Pleasant Point, Washdyke, Temuka, Winchester, Ashburton, Rakaia, Christchurch to Kaikoura (approx 466k).Sleep over on Thursday night at Donegal House, School House Road, Kaikoura  03 319 5083

Day 12 (Fri 20): Drive Kaikoura to Picton (Approx 156k) to board the Arahura ferry by 14:30 bound to reach Wellington at 17:40