THE WAY IS SHUT

"The way is shut. It was made by those who are Dead, and the Dead keep it, until the time comes. The way is shut." 

~

Had the coolest most fun packed weekend.... last couple of weekends actually.  Saturday morning my host and I got up, packed some lunch and a copious amount of water into a chilly bin, loaded up the car and hit the road. Destination: South Wairarapa! Putangirua Pinnacles, Cape Palliser, Lake Ferry... basically the southern most part of the North Island.

The great thing about New Zealand is that even getting places is exciting. Passing though the town of Martinborough, travelling on country roads between farmland (and thousands and thousands of sheep), over rolling hills, along the coast - it's pretty much the epitome of enjoyable and it's incredibly beautiful.

First stop: The Pinnacles. 

View from the Pinnacles Lookout 

They aren't exactly a breeze to get to - you have to walk about an hour up a rocky riverbed/stream then up and up and up a rocky hill, totally exposed to the sun - but it's totally worth it. Once you get up you can walk through the eroded columns of stone, being mindful that they could technically collapse at any moment, crushing you or starting a rock slide... but they are far too beautiful for thoughts like that. In the picture above, they look quite flat... far too flat in my opinion. Believe me you are constantly walking up hill, even when walking through them. I probably have a hundred photos of rocks on my camera after this; just warning anyone that has thought about asking to see photos of my trip... Ignore all thoughts following the paths between the pinnacles to the very end. On my way up, pulling myself up over obstacles had been done by holding on to rocks on the sides of the pinnacles with my hands, since there came a point were I could no longer trust the rocks under my feet.There may have been a point where I was suspended like a tree frog, unable to go up because if I moved I would start a slide of rocks and then slip back down the slope of rocks and unable to go down because the rocks I was holding on to on the sides couldn't hold my weight enough to allow me to lower myself down the slop. Images of starting a rock slide which would inevitably bury my unassuming host who had the sense to stop long below were conjured up in my mind. I considered how the signs coming up the hill which said, "Caution: Rock slides" and "Do not climb the pinnacles" would probably negate my medical insurance. I'm still not entirely sure how I got out of that situation, but I got down most of the rest of the slope on my derrière.

For my less nerdy viewers, who possibly might not get the reference at the beginning, this site is one of the filming locations for a scene in the Lord of the Rings. It was a passage called 'The Dimholt Road.' In full sunlight and without the dramatic music it was much less creepy, but there is something eerie about walking alone amide towering rocky towers so I can see why they chose this site for the scene. My host was constantly commenting on our long ascent up to the pinnacles how, "Peter Jackson probably wouldn't have walked up all the way up there. He probably had a helicopter." 

Of course I couldn't leave without leaving a little bit of Canada behind! 

Next Stop: Cape Palliser 

(But only after stopping in Ngawi for icecream! Passionfruit mmmmm....) The walk up to the light house was a little bit daunting, but we made it! 

Cape Palliser Lighthouse

Climbed all 253 of these!

The whole time up the steps I was thinking, "Don't turn around; don't look down." The way down I had to hang on to the rail with both hands! But the view at the top was spectacular. You could see all the way down the coast, the rocky beaches and jagged coastal rocks on one side and the black sands on the other. I've never seen black sand before. There's something almost mystical about them. It can be bright and sunny, but when you looks at the beaches it almost seems overcast, I can't explain. 

And in case the spectacular views, fresh sea breeze and calming noise of the waves crashing against the rocks were not enough, down on the rocks below were New Zealand's fur seals. It was just another lazy day for them. We watched them for a while and wandered among the rocks searching for shells. 

Last stop: Lake Ferry

Lake Ferry (this is a town not an actual lake) is on the shore of Lake Oneke which is separated from Palliser Bay by a sand bar, which is black like the other beaches in the area. This area is not the safest to swim in due to the rips created by the lake draining into the bay and the undertows have carried people away. 

We walked along the sand bar and then stopped at the pub/restaurant/hotel near the beach. I decided to try the whitebait fritters, which are essentially whitebait fish (an anchovy-sized fish, sourced locally) in an egg mixture fried like an omelette. I thought they were delicious (although my host thinks they "taste like nothing"). It's true, they don't have a strong fishy flavour, but I think the texture is part of what makes this dish popular. 

*If you are easily grossed out, skip this next bit*

After we get our fritters, I had already taken a bite when my host leaned over and said, "I don't want to put you off, but did you know those are it's eyes?" 

I didn't think they were gross; I happily finished my fritters!
You be the judge. 

After our fritters were finished, we decided it was time to head home. With all that hiking and sea air we were confident we would sleep well. After putting her in the car before eating dinner, the dog refused to get out of the car and once we started off she didn't move an inch from this position:

Tired Pip? Someone's had a full day!