Big thanks to long-suffering husband, Ed, for sending me this.
Friday fun stuff Part II
Jun 11
Friday fun stuff
Jun 11
Every time I’m a GAP store, I’m seized with the urge to do exactly what they’re doing in this awesome ad. Hell, I just want to try this at MY work. Wouldn’t it feel so liberating?! Click the image for Spike Jonze’s award-winning GAP ad.
Britain’s got talent? Maybe. Maybe not. “So you are going to go on stage, finger-knit and have a chat with each other, and that’s the act?!” To no one’s surprise, they didn’t turn out to be the Susan Boyles of fibre. “Here’s the problem,” explains Simon. I don’t think anyone will find it that interesting, If it was me I’d have you all in different costumes and have some dancers.” Still, Simon didn’t have to buzzer-thingie them at three seconds in.
It’s news to no one that I absolutely cannot stand living here. I don’t think that’s Regina’s fault. It’s geography that gives us -50 winters, 10 ft of snow and at least two of the plagues of Eqypt each summer.
What’s putting me over the edge (apart from reading an article saying we’ve just had the warmest spring in history and we’re on track to being a desert – and as I write this I’m wearing a parka and it’s pouring rain. Again.) is that twice this week I’ve seen something so bafflingly crazy for sale that I don’t know whether to laugh or vomit.
Exhibit A:
Here’s a very nice prom — ahem – ‘gown’.
If your daughter doesn’t know what do to with it post-prom, she can always donate it to the local figure skating club or see if any aspiring pole dancers need something dressy for CEO Thursdays at the Cougar’s Den. Teen Temptress is going to be THE look for the dom and sub sets at Spanky McNasty’s House of Pain this season and they’ll pay top dollar for something like this.
This is a dress designed to keep your princess on her toes all night long. Sitting is not recommended as, in the words of my late-grandmother, “I can see your….apricot!” Actually, you can see it plain as day right there in the standing position, too. Oh dear.
If modesty is an issue, wear it with a set of custom heavy-duty colour-matched undies that skanky figure skaters and those tennis ho’s wear then they perform.
Either way, it’s a conversation starter and a guy magnet all in one!
Exhibit B:
What would make your junior Kindergartener’s day? A Kinder Egg? A Hot Wheels Car? A Justin Beiber CD? Stupid mommies and daddies! Your little angel and precious snowflake wants a little bit of magic and mischief in their lives so why not give them both with a $2 voodoo doll.
For just a toonie, you can register your wee one into the service of a vengeful God and make them a little (un)holy terror. Bad report card? Heh heh, teacher will soon have a change of heart — and straight As — after your little Jonah retrofits Teacher Doll’s face with some well-aimed staples. BBF broke your heart? Break theirs back!
You don’t have to be a child to enjoy and experience the wonder of voodoo. Assign dolls to your neighbours, your accountant, the biatch of a babysitter that always cancels at the last minute, your boss, your boss’s boss, that dumbshit coworker who teased you about your lavender shirt, the building super who gives you a dirty look for smoking in the parking lot — is there anyone your doll can’t be?
Decorate your monitor with your personal parade of punished and punctured effigies. Your colleagues and friends will think twice before getting on your bad side ever again!
Crafting on company time
May 28
This article, intended for Ashford’s annual magazine was judged a little too seditious and counter-cultural for their publication. Fair ’nuff. Considering that I’m giving expert advice on how to slack off at your employer’s expense, I can understand where Ashford, an internationally respected brand, is coming from. Just imagine the Letter to the Editor feedback!
“Dear Wheel Editor: Thanks so much for that humour article on knitting at work! Incidentally, I was sacked for following that advice and let’s see how funny you think the topic is when I name you in my wrongful dismissal case….”
So I started hunting around for badass, edgy knit mags to pitch it to and I’ve discovered that there really aren’t any. Then I did a face-palm because I realized that I can just publish it myself right here. Duh or what?
Enjoy!
Crafting on Company Time
Don't knit and fly -- but playing with paper dolls in the cockpit is still okay.
Wonder what up to two-thirds of your co-workers are up to? According to one poll, as many as 62 per cent knit or do other crafts at work – and not just on breaks either.
Knitting at work isn’t suitable for all settings. If you are constantly in the public eye or need your hands to, say, do open heart surgery or fly airplanes, don’t even think about it.
That said, most jobs have downtime and scheduled breaks — prime time for knitting. Even so, PLENTY of people will knit at work whenever and where ever they think they can get away with it.
Planning and common sense are the key to knitting at work. If you don’t want to get caught or canned, follow the advice of seasoned on-the-job knitters and spinners.
Think small
Nothing draws suspicion like a giant tote bag bristling with needles and bulging with yarn. If you can’t fit the finished project into a teapot, don’t bring it to work.
"What am I doing?.....ummmm.....nuthin'....."
Always have a place to quickly – and invisibly – hide your project
Jane Cottrill of Toronto, ON said her years in television were very productive, knitting-wise.
Making hats, mitts, scarves, bracelets and gifts for friends and family members was the only thing that kept her alert (and sane) as she sat in a tiny, airless, room monitoring TV feeds. “On the rare occasions when an executive entered the room, I simply dropped my project under my desk and looked perky,” she said.
If you have an open-sided desk, slip a second waste paper basket underneath it next to your real one; you can bin the evidence in a flash! Keep balls of working yarn in the bin, too, so balls can’t roll away mid-knit!
Be discrete
We all know you’re excited about your sister’s/cousin’s/best friend’s/children’s baby, but don’t show everyone what you’re working on. If you have an office door, close it.
If you work in a cubicle, mount an automotive mirror or other reflective device (sunglasses work and aren’t conspicuous) to your workstation so you’ll see if anyone is creeping up on you.
Never bring knitting to meeting, even an online one; if you can see them, they can most definitely see you. And your lovely sock project.
Be tidy
Nothing screams slacking off like fibre clinging to your clothes, yarn bits around your waste basket, and patterns sitting on the company printer. Don’t work with yarns that shed, and that goes double for spinners: it’s nearly impossible to get fibre off a dark suit. Stow waste yarn and toss it in the trash at home, collect what you print off immediately, and keep a roll of packing tape handy for wardrobe touch-ups. “Leave no trace” is your new mantra.
Be stealthy
They may be small, but even travel-sized wheels may arouse suspicion. Drop spindles are silent. Well, unless you drop them. “If your office isn’t carpeted, spread a thick sweater on the floor before using a drop spindle,” says Knotty by Nature fibre store owner Stephanie Papik, of Victoria, B.C. “When that sucker hits tile or hardwood, it makes an unbelievable clatter…very awkward during conference calls.”
Go legit’
Step out of the shadows and start an office guild – if everyone is knitting, it’s part of the workplace culture! “I have organized and led knitting lessons and workshops and now they’re all hooked,” said Rosanne Bernard of Toronto, ON. “Who can blame me if I have to stop work for a moment to help someone correct a cable?” Eco-friendly and charitible crafting clubs are also very much in vogue and, even better, could tie in with your company’s green or giving strategies.
If you are confronted about your hobby, be upfront and honest. A sympathetic boss might let you bend the rules but if they object, keep your projects at home.
Friday fun — finally.
May 28
Ohdeargod. The worst thing about vacation is coming back. To a backlog of….stuff. Emails. Workstuff. Petstuff. Stuff-stuff. No time for spirit-liberating fibrestuff.
Thank God for people like Ev. She sent this mind-bending pic of what might be the coolest sheep art ever. I give you Jean-Luc Cornec’s telephone sheep from a 2006 exhibition at the Frankfurt Museum of Communications. Bah-d ass!
Okay, onwards.
One person’s abomination is another’s, well, abomination. In celebration (?) of all things ugly or downright fugly, Canadian Kim Werker has launched Mightyugly.com. The Lovecraftian monstrosity at left is the first thing you’ll see when you visit.
If the sight of a knitted Cthulu doesn’t give you a fatal case of the jibblies, then enjoy exploring the site. With a motto like “Because sometimes it’s important to just say SCREW IT” what’s not to love.
Visit the site at www.mightyugly.com. CBC did a rather awesome report on the site but Montreal Canadiens fans might want to bail out before the end. Just sayin’…what with the playoffs ending the way they did and all, seeing a Habs jersey in the scrap fabric pile made me ruin my mascara.
Happy knitting/spinning/weaving y’all!
Thinking back on the trip, there are so many people and experiences that made the it memorable. With your indulgence, I’d like to give them a shout out.
Dale Derkatch, Director of Player Personnel of the Prince Albert Raiders Hockey Club, was one of the most interesting and engaging seat mates I’ve ever had on an airplane. We talked hockey all the way to Vancouver. Good luck in the coming season, Dale! Visit the Raiders online where you can catch up on draft news and even buy season tickets.
Big, big thanks to the owners of A Taste of India on Robson Street in Vancouver. It was my favourite curry place when I lived in Van and I am so thrilled that it’s still open for business. The food is, of course, just as wonderful now as then. Visit them online by clicking here and, if you’re lucky enough to live in Vancouver, visit them in person when you get the chance. They’re at 1282 Robson Street, or call ahead for takeout by calling 604-682-3894.
Thanks also to our impromptu lunch guest, the talented and fascinating Helga Pal Smolders, who joined our table and enlivened the conversation with her knowledge and humour. Please click here and check out her online portfolio of original works.
Bruce of Argyle on the Park Motel/Hotel gave us a great room at a great rate and has maybe the best located accomodations in Christchurch. Close to but not in the congested downtown, right on the edge of Hagley Park and the botanical gardens, ample parking and an official cat ambassador named Bart – what’s not to like? The quiet neighbourhood (except for the late-night car racing that kept us up the first night) featured a number of excellent restaurants (except for that Thai place just around the corner that served rubbery mussels the first night and a fly in the wine on our next visit. Ick!), a decent number of shops. On the whole it was lovely. Stay there if you’re lucky enough to be in town. Visit the hotel online here; online booking available!
Jenny Mountfort and Joan Taylor of Wool, Yarns and Fibres in the Arts Centre on Hereford Street in downtown Christchurch were my introduction to the fibre artist community in New Zealand. The store offers finished goods and fibre from members of the Canterbury Area of the NZ Spinning, Weaving and Woolcrafts Society Inc, and I bought some gorgious alpaca/silk blend batts there. The Canterbury chapter of the society has more than 350 members and a dozen clubs, including the Christchurch Guild of Weavers and Spinners who meet Saturdays and Mondays from 10 until 2 in the Arts Centre guild rooms upstairs from the shop. Follow this link for more info about the society, clubs, delegates etc. If you’re in or ever go to Christchurch, this store should be high on your list of must-visits, and be sure to drop in for the Guild meeting — you will be very welcome and you’ll meet some terrific people. Follow this link to check out the Arts Centre and all of the shops, galleries and studios there.
The Canterbury Museum’s Robert McDougall Gallery has an incredible exhibits and artifacts of the Maori peoples. The Canterbury Museum itself is packed interactive exhibits, galleries and more. The staff were, of course, incredibly helpful and friendly. Check out the Te Hokinga Mai exhibit and the museum here.
Getting lost is a great way to find things and that’s how I found Tai Tapu Carders and Spinners in Tai Tapu, about 30 mins east of Christchurch. It was the first day with the rental car and I thought it would be cool to drive to the harbour. So what, I overshot by, like, 90 kms and ended up in Akaroa. So I’m an idiot…like that’s news or something. If I hadn’t gotten lost, I wouldn’t have come across Ron and Maxine Lindsay’s mill. They process fleece for everyone from local farmers to New York fashion houses. The mill has a shop too where I bought a pound of super-wash merino – and then left my wallet on the counter. Thankfully Maxine is an angel and kept my wallet safe until I could come to claim it the next day. They don’t have a website but they can be found at 55 Main Road, Tai Tapu and you can mail them at PO Box 56, Tai Tapu 7645, Canterbury, New Zealand, phone 0064 3 329-6859. Order fleece from her if you can. Seriously. It’s amazing stuff, all of it is top notch and you can get it for a ridiculously reasonable price. Also, they are thinking of selling the mill. Any takers? Contact them by phone to make an offer or to arrange a visit.
Got lost the next day, too, on the way to Middlerock Farm. Found ourselves in a lovely pastorful setting that unfortunately did not include a lot of street signs. How one turns off a major state highway onto a country road without noticing is all but impossible but somehow I managed to do just that. A local man, who owns an interior decor company (or something like that, and his name escapes me unfortunately) not only gave us directions but drove ahead then waited for us to be sure that we didn’t keep getting lost. A thousand thank yous to this kind and patient man who, I’m sure, thinks I’m a complete idiot.
Bruce, Lyn, and Charlotte of Middlerock Farm in the scenic Lake Coleridge near Darfield were terrific hosts. They prepared us a fabulous lunch, let us help move sheep between paddocks, and took us on an incredible tour of their property. Charlotte’s pet sheep Richard and Condi were so sweet; who knew sheep were pets?!Warm, fun and wonderful to be around, the Lyn’s deserve more recognition and praise than I could ever hope to give them. Please visit their website and say hi for me while you are there. They also set up a lunch date/tour with Ashford owner Richard Ashford for us. Wow! So nice!
Ashburton is the home of the Ashford, the premier name in spinning, yarn and fibre art world-wide. And we got to tour the factory with Elizabeth Ashford. We got to see the factory, learn about Ashford’s history, meet some of the workers, admire bales and bales of yummy fibre, get a sneak peek at a new soon-to-be-released compact loom of Richard’s own design, and enjoy lunch at a cafeteria that had better food than most three star restaurants. The factory site also hosts and artisans village so you can conceiveably spend many hours (and countless hundreds of dollars) in this delightful place, not to mention in the Ashford giftshop itself. Unbelievable goods and yarns. It was a profound act of will not to buy, well, everything in sight. Souvenirs for my knitting gang were purchased here. Richard will be coming to Knotty by Nature this summer. Please be sure to show up at the store when he’s in town. Please following this link to Ashford’s website, and sign up for their magazine, The Wheel.
Many thanks to the owners of Top Ten Holiday Park in Timaru for their concern over my health and for hooking me up with Dr. Barbara O’Connell on 5 Dee Street, a few blocks from the holiday park. Dr. O’Connell’s advice and care had me cured within 5 days. Now I wish I could see her and get some advice about my sand-fly bites…..Anyway, the Top Ten Holiday Park in Timaru is as gorgeous as it appears on their website. Ridiculously affordable too. Please click here and see this terrific holiday park for yourself.
Visited the Forrester Gallery in Omaru, and also the Omaru Botanical Gardens. Nice town. We didn’t stay long but we from what we saw the town had lots to offer. You can check out the Forrester Gallery online, worth a visit virtually and in person.
Dunedin and the Dunedin Holiday Park were home for two days. The Dunedin Holiday Park is perhaps the only accomodations in NZ entirely decorated with murals. Every exterior wall featured a landscape or rendering of some sort. It is owned by a very nice, very very tall man named Daniel who we ran into later in Central Otago at a winery with his equally very very tall family. The holiday park location was ideal in that it was close to the start of the road (not so much a road as a rollercoaster white-knuckle adventure on a cliff-hugging goat-trail narrow paved road without gaurdrails) that leads to the Royal Albatross Centre, at Taiaroa Head. This is right above Pilot’s Beach where penguins come at dusk (I don’t know if they come ashore or not; no way in hell I was driving on that road after dark).
Check out the excellent albatross web-cam. The albatross are currently feeding and raising chicks hatched in March so there’s good stuff to see, if you’re patient. Interesting fact: Two female albatross incubated an egg and are now raising a chick together. Good on ya, girls! It got a fair amount of media attention, read some of it here, with pic of happy couple.
By the side of this crazy road near Gills Corner we spotted a wheelbarrow filled with Paua (pronounced Pooh-ah) shells, also called abalone in North America. Polished and cleaned, they sell for about $15 to $20 NZ in stores. These were unpolished, piled in on top of eachother, priced by size between $2 and $10 and paid for by pushing money through a hole into a locked cash box. Really. Bought $23 worth (2 small, 2 medium, 1 largist) and consider this the best deal of the trip.
Balclutha, south of Dunedin, was the point at which we turned west to head for the alps and the coast. Balclutha, doesn’t get a mention in Lonely Planet but it’s a dandy little town. A charming store called Bo-Peep catered more to sewing and quilting but also had a small but excellent selection of regional and international brand yarns. Had to make a couple of purchases here, and I know one quilter who will be happy that I did.
Next Post: West Coast.
Returned to Canada at 8 a.m. Vancouver time on Apr 28, two hours BEFORE leaving Sydney Australia the same day. Gees, it really is like time travel.
Glad to report that I had audio on my TV thingie this time around. Movies are much better with sound although, had I a different or more creative turn of mind, I could have enjoyed hours of inventing my own dialogue for Avatar, Precious, Defendor etc. Instead I slept for as much of the flight as I could waking only to enjoy yet another delicious Air Canada meal, snack, cheese trio, pancake with maple syrup.
I was hoping it would be spring by the time I got back and I guess, by Saskatchewan standards, it is. It was snowing yesterday and it also snowed the day before. In between flurries it rained like hell so the yard is now sodden, semi-frozen and garnished with partially wilted perennials.
I guess my prayers to the yarn God’s have been answered because in my absence a good friend gifted her entire stash to me and thoughtfully dropped it off for Ed to take custody of. As you can imagine he was thrilled, particularly since learning that I had to buy a whole extra suitcase to pack all my NZ yarn acquisitions in. Must. De-stash. Soon. Isn’t there a 12 Step program for this?
Strangely, it’s actually kinda nice to be back at work. Brought my boss his coveted Starbucks mug and distributed other trip tokens to various friends and colleagues and am now settling in to watch Question Period.
Will try to post a gallery of pics lighting the best of the best of the NZ tour but may need a couple of days.
Tomorrow, though, I’ll post photos of the yarn and fibre acquired.
Arrived in Christchurch yesterday after a thrilling drive east from Punakaiki through Arthur’s Pass in one of NZ most beautiful national parks. As for beauty, I’ll have to take their word for it. It wasn’t just raining cats and dogs, it was raining all the animals on Old McDonald’s farm plus cats and dogs. Oh, and for fun, some of the drive was steep. For a km or more in some cases, it was so steep that my trusty Sprinter was crawling at a top speed of 20 kms per hour. Oh well, rain in a rain forest is normal, right? Good thing we drove up to Milford Sound last week and not this week; some tourists were actually stuck up there over night when the road was closed due to the conditions. No pics to share of Arthur’s Pass I’m afraid but I’m sure it was lovely. As well, no possums fell victim to my wheels so I didn’t get to do my bit for NZ ecology, darn it all, although lots of other people did. We stopped counting road-pizza possums after we reached 20 or so.
The wet and fog that accompanies it were also blamed for helicopter crash that claimed the lives of three members of the air force and left another in critical condition. Irony factor? They were on their way to the dawn ANZAC ceremonies in Melbourne Australia. Too sad.
We couldn’t resist stopping in the town of Darfield after seeing signs advertising a cat show. There were many lovely pusses, all of them treasured pets of children or family pets so it wasn’t one of those high-stakes snooty cat shows but one lady with a local cattery came within an ace of convincing me to buy a white Balinese, one of those skinny orientals with long faces, huge ears and a very short coat. I’m not kidding; I almost bought one but knowing that Ed would change the locks and get a lawyer on speed-dial before I had a chance to name it changed my mind. Damn.
That hasn’t stopped me from acquiring a cat though, at least for tonight. Now that we’re back at our original hotel, Argyle on the Park, we’ve been reacquainted with Bart, the hotel cat. Bart figured us for cat people and he’s making himself at home in our room. So long as we don’t get charged for having an extra guest, he can stay until we check out or until Bruce, his ‘dad’, whistles for him to come in for the night. (Ed, please don’t tell Mr. Bad about Bart. He’s already mad at me for leaving and this will put him into revenge-peeing mode.)
At 9 a.m. this morning the car was due back so after dropping it off we banged about the downtown for a few hours. We returned to the Arts Centre where I got some lovely silk/alpaca on the first day in Christchurch and were told that the Christchurch Guild of Knitters and Spinners was meeting nearby and that visitors were welcome. I high-tailed it back to the hotel to pick up my knitting and remaining stitch markers. Made gifts of the markers to some of the members and was treated to the rare and wonderful experience of being in the company of more than a dozen talented knitters and spinners with a lifetime of knowledge to share.
At right are Max and June Tomlin. Max has built himself a custom electric wheel of sorts. Max rigged up a bobbin with an orifice to a re-purposed typewriter motor. It works like a charm and is surprisingly quiet. Max spins and June spins and knits, and both are very talented. Seeing them together, engrossed in their hobby, was one of the most satisfying sights I’ll take away from this trip. Lucky is the couple who enjoy such harmony and happiness.
This is a brilliant guild. The members bring in people for talks, share fibre, use wheels kept in a storage room so that they don’t have to haul their own up two flights of stairs every Monday from 10 until 2. They are dedicated to supporting and learning heritage crafts and welcome new members whether they are experts or novices. They even do field trips to local farms or other fibre related enterprise. How. Cool. Is. That. As if that’s not enough, they organize art projects and work with other groups on collaborative exhibits. I wonder if they take associate members from overseas?
We fly out very very early tomorrow and will overnight in Syndey before making the 17 hours flight to Vancouver. After YVR it’s Calgary then home. Strangely, it will be April 28th the whole time as we gain a day on the way back. I’m looking forward to getting home but I’m sure going to miss everything about being here. Most of all the people, the knitters and the new friends I’ve made. As soon as I get home you can bet I’ll be thinking about how soon I can get back!
From Wikipedia:
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, and is commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all those who died and served in military operations for their countries. Anzac Day is also observed in the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tonga.
Whether you live here or are a visitor, it’s impossible not to know about this commemorative day in honour of the New Zealand and Australian men and women who served in WWI and WWII. It happens tomorrow and, as on Remembrace Day in Canada, will be observed with various cenotaph ceremonies. Store will not open until noon.
One of the best souvenir finds so far was a book on ANZAC I found in Franz Josef. It’s a fascinating history of the servicemen and contains several folders with replicas of milary documents, correspondence, notes etc. For those who aren’t familiar, Austalia, New Zealand and other ‘colonials’ — including Canadians — fought under the flag of Britain during the world wars.
To be truthful, the colonial troops were mainly deloyed on nearly suidical missions crafted by hare-brained, half-mad British generals. One of these miserable adventures took place in Gallipoli, in Turkey. The campaign was the first major battle undertaken by ANZAC and is often considered to mark the birth of national consciousness in both of these countries. Shocking conditions, even by trench warfare standards, a dysentry epidemic among the troops, unspeakable heat and purely lunatic military planning were the perfect storm for creating one of the most ugly, costly and embarrassing defeats in military history.
On NZTV Channel One this week, there have been loads of stories leading up to ANZAC day events and today they interviewed a woman who had a collection of patterns for wartime knits. Some of the patterns were for things soldiers might needs, particularly socks and balaclavas (why they’d need these in Turkey – avg temp 44 degrees – is a mystery), in addition to patterns for homey economy that would help war wives stretch their dollars and cloth their families.
Whole pattern books were released to encourage women, and men one supposes, to knit for the front as well as the homefront. One of these is the Khaki Knitting Book. It opens with a simple but moving call to arms for knitters:
Swifty, to and fro,
Let your needles fly!
Be not yours to know
Pause, for tear or sigh
Stitch by stitch they grow
Garments soft and warm
That will keep life’s glow
In some shivering form
Sweater, muffler, sock
For the soldiers’ wear
List to pity’s knock -
For those ‘over there’….
Knitters did not serve on the frontlines, no knitters were bayonetted with double-points or were in danger of losing anything but a few stitches now and then, but knitting provided a vital link between the home and the front-lines. Tangible, touchable, material, knitted goods were evidence of love and care and proof that there was a home and community to return to.
Even today there are many contemporary organizations that knit for men and women in military service. Go Google it, pick one, and consider knitting your bit too. I can also recommend a few excellent orgs that do this work and I’d be glad to share my picks. Write to me at morganbeaudry (’at’ thingie) gmail (dot) com and I’ll hook you up (no crochet puns intended).
Arrived in Punakaiki after a terrific drive from Franz Josef. Hated leaving our fab hotel, 58 on Cron, but we wanted to get just a bit farther north before heading inland to Christchurch.
Here’s a few pics from our trip out to the glacier. This glacier was about 3 kms further down the mountain 250 years ago so it’s receding quite a bit, and quite quickly. It’s receding even more thanks to global warming and that’s sad because it’s truly a wonder to behold.
Even though it’s surrounded by fern forest and waterfalls, the temperature as you approach the glacier is really chilly. One couple, from near Delhi in India, were swaddled like they were going to mount Everest so they took it a bit far, but I’m damned glad I wore layers and a water repellent jacket.
You don’t really get to get close to the glacier unless you’ve got a few hundred bucks burning a hole in your pocket. For a small fortune, you can take a helicopter tour or the even more pricey helicopter tour with guided walk on the glacier. On the path we were passed by about 20 Aussies and Asians dressed in tour-company issues climbing gear, yet another way to experience the glacier and kiss about $500 bucks goodbye all at once.
In Franz Josef there was a big tour-company/souvenir shop named Alpine Adventure Centre and that pretty much sums up FJ. Heli tours, dangerous hikes, even an indoor ice-climbing centre scream that this place caters to people with lots of cash and a thrill addiction. Jet boats to soak you literally and figuratively speaking, overpriced trail rides, kayaking, etc – FZ is not for couch ‘taters and layabouts. Of course that didn’t stop mum and I from enjoying quiet breakfasts of quiche and espresso then hanging out in ways guaranteed to ensure a natural death at a ripe age. We loafed and loved it.
With respect to the glacier, as I said they don’t want you getting too close. To reinforce this point, in the public toilet in the glacier parking lot there are myriad warnings about the horrors of crossing the barrier. To reinforce that, there’s an enlarged copy of a headline screaming ‘Tourist killed in glacier collapse’ or something like that. And just in case you forget that this glacier is not a safe playground for idle trust-fund snowflakes seeking an adrenaline rush, there is a sign right in front of the glacier that needs no translation. “Here are four ways to die!” it screams via illustrated potential demise. “Dumbass! Stay behind the barrier! Yes, YOU!”.
It rained yesterday and was still raining today. It’s not hard rain like you get in Saskatchewan. Sometimes it’s just really moist air. Sometimes it’s drizzle. Once or twice it was rain-rain but at no time was I jumpy on the drive. The drive was a treat and, as with other drives, we got to enjoy a whole new forest type every 50 kms or so.
Punakaiki isn’t much of a town. Most tourist blow past it on their way north to Nelson and other points north. What a shame. It’s pretty interesting. It’s got an insanely cool giftshop with some of the best crafts and apparel I’ve seen yet and lots of funky little eateries. Some of the towns you pass through could be mistaken for any random farming community in Alberta and Greymouth, just south of here, bears a creepy resemblance to Sudbury Ontario circa 1909 (only smaller). Punakaiki is under rated as a destination and more people need to come here for more than a nature walk and an ice-cream before hitting the road again.
People mainly come here to see two things (apart from the really awesome forest and coast): blowholes and pancake rock. The blowholes only happen when the tide comes in, or goes out, but since the tide comes in after dark and then in the a.m. seconds before sunrise I doubt we’ll see it. The pancake rocks are interesting formations near the blowholes. The rock cliffs are in strange layers that look like, well, an almighty stack of pancakes. The national park housing their sites is, like every other national park, very accessible with gorgeous paths and unspeakable natural beauty. NZ does parks so well the country should hire itself out as an international park design consultant.
Here’s what Franz Josef looked like this morning when we left. Hey, rain is normal in a rain forest, right? That’s why it’s so nice and lush. As an added bonus, the skies were dead quiet for two of our three days in FJ because helicopters don’t go up in pea-soup thick fog for safety reasons.
Our new hotel in Punakaiki is an honest to goodness resort but we scored a room for $120 nz (about 90 cdn) which must be a winter rate. The room is only one large room with two huge beds, a nice TV, a fridge, a kettle and a really excellent bathroom, but it’s a steal at $120. Other places, some with nicer and/or bigger rooms and some that I wouldn’t keep a dog I didn’t like in, wanted up to $190. Also, it’s right on the beach. Sure, swimming is banned because the surf is violent and the beach treacherous, but the view is lovely and there’s lots of interesting rocks and shells that will make dandy souvenirs.
Okay, going to watch Ghost Town on the movie channel now. Over and out until tomorrow.