Peter and Xiaoli Tours

Day 2 Hicks Bay to Gisborne New Zealand

 

6.44am The second morning I have awoken feeling I had a restless sleep and cold. The motel lacks a heater large enough to heat the room. The bed could do with another blanket. I did find it had an electric blanket which I turned onto get warm but for sleeping it was off.

An agreed 8am start today. So about 7.15 I will head across to the motel office so I can get on the internet. Wi fi here is not all good unless you are right by the modem. Sad for motel wi fi in this modern era to be like that. Cell phone reception is not working but given our remoteness that is not surprising.

First stop today is my request and since I am the driver and tour vehicle owner, my right to dictate. No not really, all happily agreed. We will head down to Hicks Bay so I can get some video footage and still photography. This trip I bought 3 cameras and my cell phone but so far only using my basic pocket size Sony plus my cell phone. Portable makes it a lot easier than carrying the larger Canon SLR.

After Hicks Bay we are going to a local Manuka Honey factory which just happens to have a café, so coffee and breakfast as well. That will be interesting as just last year I produced a 5 minute documentary for Haines Honey which was used on television in Shanghai.

Outside the motel I can hear the Tuis. A beautiful bird sound to hear early morning.

Now for a shower and try to warm up. I hope at the hotel in Gisborne I don’t feel as though the cold is biting into me this much.

12.50 Departed Hicks Bay Motel 8am exactly as planned. Temperature still very cold. Down to the beach for a photography stop. Absolutely beautiful. I have visited many times and always beautiful.

From Hicks Bay it was over to the East Cape Manuka Honey factory. Not only producing Manuka honey they mainly export to Japan, but the largest factory in New Zealand producing the Manuka oil extracted from the Manuka tree leaves. The factory owners spent 1.5 hours with us explaining what they do. And how they are teaching the community the value of protecting the Manuka tree for the future including replanting. A very interesting talk. And they put on a lovely kiwi style breakfast and for me a ‘hot long black coffee’. I was ever so grateful.

Time to take my snow gloves off as driving behind the glass became warmer. On to the historic Maori Tiki Tiki church. Absolutely beautiful inside as my photographs portray.

On to Tokomaru Bay. A beautiful beach although being battered with what I am guessing are southerly winds. But it didn’t stop my photo library being increased in size. Relying mainly on my compact Sony camera. Just easier to get in and out.

And now we have arrived Tolaga Bay and the historic and very famous wharf. If I had time plus my fishing rod with me I would be tempted to stand at the end and cast out. But no time and no rod with me. Next time maybe. My group walked it, I have done it a number of times before so stayed with the van as security for the luggage inside and chance for me to catch up on writing this blog.

Next stop is at a reef where we put on waders and walk out through the water to feed the stingray. At time of writing I am not sure how the weather will factor in this. It is fine but strong winds with a cold bite to them.

3.19pm As I suspected may be the case the walk over the reef was cancelled due to this terrible southerly coming through. Stopped as was briefed by the owner of the Stingray viewing operation. But no opportunity to put the waders on and walk out on the reef.

Now Gisborne in our hotel. Next visit is to a local brewery. That put a smile on my face. Walking distance so no driving so the odd beer not an issue.

The dinner restaurant has been booked. Its quite good being the only male on this trip plus driver, I get well looked after.

A tour route is starting to come together for future tours offered by Peter and Xiaoli Tours. More to see yet. Most I know just a little rusty on. For me main reason is to gather photography. Because of weather looking rough on the sea where as on a good day is looks brilliant and calm. But that’s ok. Photographs are stacking up plus some interesting video. Once home base in another 5 days a lot of video editing to do. Photographs I never touch other than crop so they are fine.

Now time to finish todays story by sorting todays photographs to paste with this story.

A great trip. I can see a fishing and maybe diving tour being put together after this trip.

 

www.peterandxiaoli.com

An interesting day on the road

Written 3.22pm

A familiarisation tour with 6 fellow professional tour guides. A mix of nationalities and some interesting stories being told. My first time since joining ProGuides (Professional Guide Association of New Zealand) one or two years ago that I have found time to meet properly some of my fellow guides. And on this occasion we get 5 days together to discover the East Cape of New Zealand and the Gisborne area.

An early start from Auckland. First pick up point close to the ferry terminal bottom of Auckland City, then on to the airport for the next couple then on last pickup Pukekohe. Interestingly I turned the GPS on before I left the city and it took us west and through the tunnel recently opened and on out to the airport.  Had I taken my normal route which would have been shorter distance but according to the GPS given it was rush hour, it could have been 30 minutes longer. A guide is always learning.

First stop today was Matamata for a coffee and a late breakfast. Then on to Opotiki. A visit to the local museum privately owned and funded by the local community. The local Anglican Church with a gruesome history where some of the Maori’s 100+ years ago supposedly murdered the German preached. Ate him or parts of him. Not nice.

A bite to eat at a local café. Weather is fine but not very warm so nice to be inside. Thankfully I have dressed expecting colder temperatures. The second long black coffee of the day. Probably enough coffees today but somehow I expect I will be encouraged to have another yet this afternoon. Haha

6.32pm. Arrived our motel at Hicks Bay. Temperature is not what I term warm. Certainly low single digits. Strong wind coming straight off the water.

Opotiki to Hicks Bay leg the last 3 hours. A few photography stops. One particular century plus old Anglican Church. Apparently very highly photographs by tourists passing. It was beautiful, I guess. Certainly made for some very beautiful photography this afternoon as you will see in the photographs.

It really is a pity the international tourists rarely reach this area. It is remote so no traffic. People are so laid back. If I didn’t come from the very far north some I would struggle to relate. But I love it. Just a pity the boat is not behind plus have the time to go fishing. Bring a mate that can dive to get us crayfish. Yum

 

http://www.peterandxiaoli.com

 

East Cape and Gisborne – We are ready to head your way

 

The 28^th sees us depart Auckland for a 5 day famil East Cape and Gisborne areas. 8 ProGuides (professional guides of NZ) in total.

Over 10 years since I have visited that area and if I really try to pinpoint a date, probably nearer to 15 years and probably on a Variety Club charity event.

No time this trip for a spot of fishing so no use putting the boat behind. That will have to wait.

Our suggestion to ProGuides for this famil trip and its great to see other guides also rate it as a famil worth doing.

First day we head to Hicks Bay. Only brief stops on route as we travel back a certain amount of the route as far as Opotiki so time to look better on the return.

As I said many years since I have been around East Cape so I am sure I will see significant changes. I gather Kirsten who helped plan the famil for me has many things identified that we must see. I do remember seeing in the agenda she has a very early wakeup call for us at Hicks Bay so we can see the sun rise at East Cape. Better hope its good weather Jirsten or it will be like when I got up to see in the millennium, overcast and rain so no sun. On that occasion where I was at Bowentown, Waipu another camper ad drawn a sun so we could all photograph it slowly being raised. Haha

From Hicks Bay we have a leisurely drive down to Gisborne with a number of planned stops. 2 nights in Gisborne seeing different activity providers there each have been given an opportunity to brief us on what they do.

After Gisborne we head back to Opotiki for the final night. Try spend more time looking at things we did not take time to do on the way down.

So if you live in the region and see the ‘Peter and Xiaoli Tours’ van then you know it’s a group of professional guides looking to learn more about your area. Hopefully with new found knowledge, help grow tourist numbers to the region

 

http://www.peterandxiaoli.com

 

Two days of report writing

 

Two days dedicated to preparing what I hope is the final draft of a presentation documents for travel consultants in China. A long time I have had to write a full report. On this occasion a good summary of who Peter and Xiaoli Tours are. Our company. Our growing number of staff. And most importantly our tour agendas.

Now walk away from it a day or so then look at it again. Check on see whether the document is saying what we really need say. If I am still happy then get it translated to Chinese script. And on completion make sure the script has not changed the layout to much page by page.

All completed then we print copies sufficient for the trip plus load to USB flash drive.

Next stage is to go over pricing so wholesale costs we offer are accurate and allow us plus the consultants okay margin.

Spent time today visiting several kauri carvers. Carving from the swamp kauri 35,000 plus years old. Trying to decide on an appropriate corporate gift for each appointment. The kauri as a product is ideal as it comes from our own region. But now we need give the carvers a brief as to what to carve for us. Having now had initial discussions, the thinking cap needs go on. Carving to our brief means whatever we do is unique to us.

Tomorrow a trip to Whangarei to do a little more research. Clear the head for a day. Weather forecast is not good so a good day to go window shop

China travel now all booked to and from plus external. One day my request we take the high speed train Nanning to Guangzhou. An experience I have not had before and its only 4 hours. Accommodation booked. Just stopover in Shanghai need think how to kill 8 hours in transit on way over and a half day on way back

 

http://www.peterandxiaoli.com

 

The poor South Island – being badly battered by severe storms

 

You got to feel for those the hardest hit in the South Island of New Zealand. A number of disaster areas now announced as the rain just keeps coming.

I cant remember when my original home town of Dunedin has ever had a declared a state of emergency. And joined by Christchurch and a number of towns. Rain easing but still not stopping. Snowing to reasonably low heights. It is bad.

Middle of school holidays so you need feel for the Children. On one hand they could find it an exciting adventure but it is far from that. It is very serious and going to take a very long time to recover from.

The tourist areas will be devastated. Loving the snow but no one can travel with roads blocked around the South Island everything has come to a halt.

China summer holidays so those poor tourists who headed here in their time off.

The very far north where we are. As they refer it the winterless north. Not sure what the temperature is but guessing about 10 degrees. We to have had our share of the rain but no where to the extent New Zealand’s South Island has been hit.

So yes a little saturated. Where we go and do a lot of our own fishing at the bluff up Ninety Mile Beach. 7 metre swells predicted today. That is fierce. We normally wont fish there if much over 1.7 metre swells just to put it in perspective.

When this atrocious weather abates the Mussel Spat pickers will once again out there in their special tractors harvesting the weed floating the water which the spat clings. Eventually that spat heading to the South Island to grow into mature Mussels.

My recommendation today. Stay home, wrap up and read a book. Or cuddle that special person in your life.

http://www.peterandxiaoli.com

 

 

South Island Mussels. Are they really?
Have you bought green lipped mussels in your local supermarket and they are from Marlborough Sounds? Yes they were grown there but their life started in the ocean off Ninety Mile Beach in the far north of New Zealand.
The Mussel spat pickers harvest there quota from the sea off Ninety Mile Beach. The lose seaweed that washes in after a storm. The tractors and trucks and trailers come out in masse. No fear of the sea these harvesters drive their tractor units with the mesh basket on the front harvesting the spat.
This is stored in the far north in controlled conditions before being freighted to the South Island.
The next part of the process I cannot remember exactly but the weed with spat is put into pools and as the seaweed deteriorates the spat then attaches itself to the ropes you see at Mussel farms eventually being put at the farms to grow to maturity. As the Mussels grow more buoys are added to the main line to stop the weight of the mussels from pulling everything below surface.
If you are a fisherman you will know there is often great fishing in and around the mussel farm. Especially when the barges are harvesting the mussels.
Today the boys were out in force collecting the spat as we arrived at the bluff on Ninety Mile Beach. Not a spectacular days fishing but what a superb day to be standing on the rocks with rod hand. Middle of July, how could we complain
www.peterandxiaoli.com

Searching the archives

 

I was searching the archives to day for some photographs I particularly wanted for some marketing I about to do and came across the video I had done. Brings back great memories of some of the guests that have toured with me over the years.

I still look as dashing as ever and Xiaoli as beautiful as ever.

I love looking at slide videos I have put together after tours for our guests. The slides normally set to appropriate music telling a story of their tour with us.

Each year I take about 10,000 photographs. I have 3 cameras which I utilise each with its own specialty. I am a quick click person, not a get the settings right, be precise person.

I do not believe in photo shopping my photos. May sometimes crop them but that’s about as far as I go.

I enjoy people in my photos. Normally on a tour it takes a couple of days before people stop posing when they see me with camera in hand. I like to capture people just as they are. So my slide videos I put together last night of each tour tell the story of them on tour mixed with scenery shots.

All my photographs on completion of a tour I donate to my guests on our own specially printed USB sticks.

www.peterandxiaoli.com

Ninety Mile Beach about 60km up this morning. A beautiful winters day.

The fish we went to catch obviously also felt it was just to beautiful day to come visit us. So sadly no fish.

The spat pickers were out in numbers with their machines trying to get their quota of Mussel Spat. The spat that they collect on Ninety Mile Beach is then trucked down to Marlborough at the top of the South Island. Once it attaches itself to the ropes they are lowered into the sea at the Mussel Farm in Queen Charlotte Sounds. There they will just slowly grow until ready for harvest.

A green lipped Mussel which is famous for its healing powers. The Mussels will be sold in shops around New Zealand but a lot are grown for the export market. Shipped still alive.

Want to watch the spat boys in action for yourself then book a 4wd beach tour with Peter and Xiaoli Tours. One of only 2 licensed to do 4wd tours on Ninety Mile Beach and on up to Cape Reinga.

http://www.peterandxiaoli.com

A beautiful mid winter days fishing

 

10 lovely people from China staying our accommodation beach front Ninety Mile Beach far north New Zealand we took our fishing. The fish didn’t seem to really want to bite but then again it is mid winter in New Zealand. But what an idyllic winters day. Raining when we left the jetty but turned into a superb day. Weather remained fine and no wind plus flat calm.

Calm is always good as it means we  don’t get the odd person adding their own berley to what we have already lowered into the water to attract the fish.  Plus not pleasant for others to watch someone being sick.

The fish just were not there today, but that’s fishing for you. Especially mid winter as the Snapper tend to head north for warmer waters. The birds were working around us so I guess there were Kahawai around, but our lines were not attracting them. And we did try an assortment of bait.

Tomorrow Xiaoli and I will head up Ninety Mile Beach with my mate Robin and see if we can pull a few through the waves. The guests are off back to Auckland then I guess China.

Xiaoli didn’t join us today as she needed spend the day making internal flight bookings in China for my trip end of August. Going to be doing a good amount of time in the air with meetings arranged various provinces. Another Southern China travel agent contacted me today to say please, lets meet. So the trip is already looking a success. What business comes from it is another thing but at least we have got past emails to invitation to visit.

I have decided I will fly light, buy clothes over there. Allowed 46kg of luggage but certainly wont be taking more than about 10kg.

Now time to get the 4wd ready for tomorrows beach fishing.

 

www.peterandxiaoli.com