1 00:00:07,133 --> 00:00:10,453 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast 2 00:00:10,613 --> 00:00:13,613 Speaker 1: from News Talks AB and. 3 00:00:13,573 --> 00:00:16,133 Speaker 2: Travel correspondent Mike Yardley is with us this morning. 4 00:00:16,213 --> 00:00:20,293 Speaker 3: Kilder gold A, Jack, Guess what's just arrived at my place? 5 00:00:20,853 --> 00:00:23,653 Speaker 2: Oh? I know it's going to be like a like 6 00:00:23,693 --> 00:00:29,613 Speaker 2: a sixty foot high inflatable center. Or no, okay, let 7 00:00:29,613 --> 00:00:33,853 Speaker 2: me see like a like a life size sleigh and 8 00:00:34,013 --> 00:00:35,893 Speaker 2: reindeer scene. 9 00:00:36,813 --> 00:00:39,893 Speaker 3: Oh that's what I've been after. But no, I've got 10 00:00:39,893 --> 00:00:41,453 Speaker 3: a Christmas card, shil I open it. 11 00:00:41,533 --> 00:00:44,733 Speaker 2: Oh well, yeah, I'd be surprised if it were for me. 12 00:00:46,493 --> 00:00:49,733 Speaker 3: Let me read it. Okay, Hey, Mike, your chats with 13 00:00:49,893 --> 00:00:55,813 Speaker 3: me every Saturday are so tiresome. Oh, they absolutely suck. 14 00:00:56,453 --> 00:00:59,733 Speaker 3: At least at least the holiday season. We'll give us 15 00:00:59,773 --> 00:01:02,853 Speaker 3: all a break from your gallivanting. Merry Christmas, Jack. 16 00:01:04,653 --> 00:01:08,973 Speaker 2: Look, that sounds accurate in one scense, but another, I'm 17 00:01:09,053 --> 00:01:11,173 Speaker 2: fairly confident it's not what I wrote in your card 18 00:01:11,213 --> 00:01:11,533 Speaker 2: this year. 19 00:01:12,813 --> 00:01:16,093 Speaker 3: Maybe someone's an impostor and pretended to send me one 20 00:01:16,133 --> 00:01:16,573 Speaker 3: from you. 21 00:01:16,613 --> 00:01:16,853 Speaker 1: See. 22 00:01:16,893 --> 00:01:19,973 Speaker 2: I feel like you, of anyone on the show, would 23 00:01:20,013 --> 00:01:23,613 Speaker 2: would still be sending and receiving more postcards, more Christmas cards. 24 00:01:24,093 --> 00:01:25,813 Speaker 2: Do you still you don't send them. 25 00:01:26,453 --> 00:01:27,733 Speaker 3: I only send one to you. 26 00:01:27,813 --> 00:01:28,813 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh. 27 00:01:28,893 --> 00:01:34,093 Speaker 3: Yeah, the bulk of my ones are the egreetings and messages. 28 00:01:35,933 --> 00:01:38,173 Speaker 2: Just not an eg eeting. You don't nothing, you don't 29 00:01:38,173 --> 00:01:41,373 Speaker 2: want anything, as far as I can. When I come 30 00:01:41,413 --> 00:01:44,773 Speaker 2: to that now, I noted that I can't hear a 31 00:01:44,893 --> 00:01:47,373 Speaker 2: cheering crowd on the embankment at Hagley Oval behind you. 32 00:01:47,813 --> 00:01:49,813 Speaker 2: That could be because the crowd isn't cheering at the moment. 33 00:01:49,893 --> 00:01:52,093 Speaker 2: England looking not at all comfortable for the time being 34 00:01:52,133 --> 00:01:53,053 Speaker 2: three forty five. 35 00:01:53,133 --> 00:01:56,573 Speaker 3: But yeah, you the opening day, I loved it. You 36 00:01:57,173 --> 00:02:00,133 Speaker 3: just such a great setup there and it's just so chilled. 37 00:02:00,213 --> 00:02:04,973 Speaker 3: It feels like a big mess picnic. Yeah, it's really good. 38 00:02:05,093 --> 00:02:07,133 Speaker 2: I mean that's it is just so good to see, 39 00:02:07,253 --> 00:02:10,413 Speaker 2: especially because you have the grass embankment. Ah, that makes 40 00:02:10,453 --> 00:02:12,613 Speaker 2: it so difference, you know, when it comes to Test cricket, 41 00:02:12,693 --> 00:02:14,853 Speaker 2: there is nothing quite like just sitting on the bank 42 00:02:15,213 --> 00:02:19,853 Speaker 2: in the sun watching leather on willow. You know, it's wonderful. Okay, 43 00:02:19,893 --> 00:02:22,613 Speaker 2: So anyway, the English are still looking pretty strong there 44 00:02:22,613 --> 00:02:24,773 Speaker 2: for the time then they've put on a few runs 45 00:02:24,813 --> 00:02:26,813 Speaker 2: this morning. They're very nearly at the black Caps first 46 00:02:26,813 --> 00:02:29,813 Speaker 2: in things total currently only five down. Of course ben 47 00:02:29,893 --> 00:02:32,133 Speaker 2: Stokes forty one, not out, harry Brook one hundred and 48 00:02:32,173 --> 00:02:35,373 Speaker 2: forty seven not out, gulp out. So we will watch 49 00:02:35,373 --> 00:02:38,213 Speaker 2: that today. Anyway, we're taking a summer road trip through 50 00:02:38,253 --> 00:02:41,093 Speaker 2: the Yentucky Valley this morning, one hundred kilometers in length. 51 00:02:41,093 --> 00:02:42,733 Speaker 2: Where would be a good starting. 52 00:02:42,373 --> 00:02:45,333 Speaker 3: Point, Yeah, well, it is a summer road trip season, 53 00:02:45,853 --> 00:02:48,893 Speaker 3: and I think this is a really good option because 54 00:02:48,893 --> 00:02:52,493 Speaker 3: it's a less traffic to jaunt over summer. So once 55 00:02:52,573 --> 00:02:56,253 Speaker 3: you get to the Waitucky River, get over the bridge, 56 00:02:56,333 --> 00:02:59,053 Speaker 3: turn off State Highway one on to State Highway eighty 57 00:02:59,093 --> 00:03:02,773 Speaker 3: three and head for dun Troon, which is such a 58 00:03:02,893 --> 00:03:09,093 Speaker 3: distinctively rustic, Raffish village. I love Duntroon's great name as 59 00:03:09,093 --> 00:03:12,413 Speaker 3: well as an a present Scottish name. The thing about 60 00:03:12,493 --> 00:03:14,853 Speaker 3: dun Trone Jack is twenty five million years ago it 61 00:03:14,933 --> 00:03:18,693 Speaker 3: was under the ocean. It was pretty much the ocean 62 00:03:18,893 --> 00:03:24,093 Speaker 3: floor what you see today around the Duntroon landscape, and 63 00:03:24,213 --> 00:03:28,853 Speaker 3: obviously seismic forces thrust that all upwards over time. But 64 00:03:29,333 --> 00:03:33,133 Speaker 3: the Duntrone area is also home to the Vaniced World Center, 65 00:03:33,253 --> 00:03:36,013 Speaker 3: so this is a really good place to start. To 66 00:03:36,093 --> 00:03:39,533 Speaker 3: give you the bare bones backstory on all of that 67 00:03:39,933 --> 00:03:45,413 Speaker 3: prehistoric geological wealth that is bestowed on the region today. 68 00:03:45,853 --> 00:03:49,093 Speaker 3: In the center, they've got so many fossils, so many 69 00:03:49,133 --> 00:03:52,133 Speaker 3: fossilized discoveries that had a lot of farmers in the 70 00:03:52,133 --> 00:03:57,893 Speaker 3: Waiteki district basically dug up from the limestone on the land, 71 00:03:58,093 --> 00:04:03,373 Speaker 3: so you can see like old dolphin skulls, whalebones, penguin bones. 72 00:04:03,453 --> 00:04:05,693 Speaker 3: So it's a really good scene set in a bit 73 00:04:05,733 --> 00:04:08,453 Speaker 3: of a trophy more than one at the Vanished World Center. 74 00:04:08,613 --> 00:04:11,533 Speaker 2: Yeah, nice and dun Trune is the best launchpad into 75 00:04:11,613 --> 00:04:12,373 Speaker 2: the geopark. 76 00:04:12,973 --> 00:04:16,493 Speaker 3: Oh yes, the wy Tacky White Stone Geopark, which is 77 00:04:16,573 --> 00:04:21,933 Speaker 3: Australasia's first and only UNSCO geopark. So once you've got 78 00:04:21,933 --> 00:04:26,373 Speaker 3: to grips with the geological backstory at the center, you 79 00:04:26,453 --> 00:04:28,933 Speaker 3: can just hurl yourself at the region and they've got 80 00:04:28,933 --> 00:04:31,853 Speaker 3: a really good self drive touring route which they call 81 00:04:31,893 --> 00:04:35,453 Speaker 3: the Banished World Trail. So this will take you through 82 00:04:35,493 --> 00:04:38,973 Speaker 3: all sorts of landforms, it will take you to places 83 00:04:39,053 --> 00:04:42,293 Speaker 3: where there are lots of fossil fines, lots of rich 84 00:04:42,373 --> 00:04:45,453 Speaker 3: cultural history of the White Tucky and there are forty 85 00:04:45,493 --> 00:04:50,813 Speaker 3: designated sites all across the geopark that you can wander 86 00:04:50,853 --> 00:04:52,533 Speaker 3: around as you wish. 87 00:04:52,933 --> 00:04:55,813 Speaker 2: Nice. Okay, that sounds fantastic. So what would be some 88 00:04:55,893 --> 00:04:57,453 Speaker 2: of the essential sites? 89 00:04:58,333 --> 00:05:00,893 Speaker 3: Well, I reckon. My favorite is actually right on the 90 00:05:00,973 --> 00:05:05,093 Speaker 3: highway Takyuroa, which is the rock art site very close 91 00:05:05,133 --> 00:05:08,453 Speaker 3: to Duntruon, and this is where early Maldi traveling through 92 00:05:08,493 --> 00:05:12,333 Speaker 3: the valley would shelter in those limestone overhangs and you 93 00:05:12,373 --> 00:05:16,053 Speaker 3: can see all of the etchings of animals of early 94 00:05:16,093 --> 00:05:20,373 Speaker 3: European contacts. There's even like sailing ships etched into the 95 00:05:20,413 --> 00:05:23,453 Speaker 3: limestone rock in that cliff face. I just love it. 96 00:05:23,733 --> 00:05:26,773 Speaker 3: From their head to elephant rocks, obviously people think of 97 00:05:26,773 --> 00:05:30,653 Speaker 3: the Narnia film trilogy because this is the region where 98 00:05:30,653 --> 00:05:33,773 Speaker 3: a lot of it was shot. Elephant rocks very well named, 99 00:05:33,853 --> 00:05:36,893 Speaker 3: wonderfully whimsical, all sorts of limestone rocks that have been 100 00:05:36,933 --> 00:05:40,693 Speaker 3: sculpted by nature's forces. It's a very strange elephant shaped 101 00:05:40,733 --> 00:05:46,453 Speaker 3: out crops. And then also nearby elephant rocks another site unatteeny. 102 00:05:47,133 --> 00:05:50,853 Speaker 3: The really cool thing about anateeny is you can see 103 00:05:50,893 --> 00:05:54,933 Speaker 3: the fossilized bones of a whale exposed in the limestone. 104 00:05:56,093 --> 00:05:58,413 Speaker 3: And they reckon this whale. It was a baling whale. 105 00:05:58,533 --> 00:06:02,733 Speaker 3: It would be similar to a minky whale today, similar 106 00:06:02,773 --> 00:06:03,293 Speaker 3: sort of whale. 107 00:06:03,373 --> 00:06:03,773 Speaker 2: But yeah. 108 00:06:03,853 --> 00:06:07,853 Speaker 3: Anateeny also served as a film site that was as 109 00:06:07,973 --> 00:06:11,533 Speaker 3: Land's Camp in the Nania film trilogy, and the wider 110 00:06:11,613 --> 00:06:14,373 Speaker 3: area around Unattenny Jack is known as the Valley of 111 00:06:14,413 --> 00:06:17,533 Speaker 3: the Whales by the locals because of the sheer abundance 112 00:06:17,893 --> 00:06:21,773 Speaker 3: of fossilized marine life that that limestone throws up. Another 113 00:06:21,933 --> 00:06:26,253 Speaker 3: rockstar spectacle, earthquakes. I love that name, and it does 114 00:06:26,333 --> 00:06:28,733 Speaker 3: look like an earthquake hit the area when you arrived. 115 00:06:28,733 --> 00:06:33,053 Speaker 3: There are these monstrous slabs of limestone that have splinted 116 00:06:33,093 --> 00:06:35,373 Speaker 3: off the hillside and it all happened when the land 117 00:06:35,373 --> 00:06:39,013 Speaker 3: slumps thousands of years ago. But yeah, a really confronting site. 118 00:06:39,213 --> 00:06:39,533 Speaker 1: Nice. 119 00:06:39,693 --> 00:06:43,653 Speaker 2: So the westernmost attraction are the Clay Cliffs at or 120 00:06:43,693 --> 00:06:44,573 Speaker 2: Marta yet right. 121 00:06:44,933 --> 00:06:47,253 Speaker 3: Yes, very well known and if you haven't been there, 122 00:06:47,293 --> 00:06:51,013 Speaker 3: you've got to go and just encounter the glory of 123 00:06:51,133 --> 00:06:54,053 Speaker 3: nature at Clay Cliff. So it's about forty five minutes 124 00:06:54,093 --> 00:06:57,133 Speaker 3: west of duntrone, deep into the valley and it's like 125 00:06:57,173 --> 00:07:00,133 Speaker 3: a little boost of Utah hit the western ends of 126 00:07:00,173 --> 00:07:04,533 Speaker 3: the Whertuchy Valley. Very serrated and it's got a little 127 00:07:04,533 --> 00:07:07,493 Speaker 3: slot canyon that you can shimmy through as well. But 128 00:07:07,613 --> 00:07:10,693 Speaker 3: that cliff face, it is like a grand collection of 129 00:07:10,933 --> 00:07:17,213 Speaker 3: gigantic organ pipes, tall fluted exploding from the eroded cliff face. 130 00:07:17,293 --> 00:07:20,253 Speaker 3: It is just so dramatic. So that's a do not miss. 131 00:07:20,093 --> 00:07:22,293 Speaker 2: Nice So for a change of scenery, what about the 132 00:07:22,333 --> 00:07:23,053 Speaker 2: Lakes District. 133 00:07:23,813 --> 00:07:27,693 Speaker 3: Yeah, if you're tracking back from Omadama, definitely check out 134 00:07:27,733 --> 00:07:30,933 Speaker 3: the Hydro Lakes District, which is literally a powerhouse for 135 00:07:31,093 --> 00:07:34,933 Speaker 3: the nation. I love Lake Benmore and it's probably for 136 00:07:35,013 --> 00:07:38,853 Speaker 3: a couple of reasons. It's New Zealand's largest artificial lake. 137 00:07:39,213 --> 00:07:42,013 Speaker 3: It holds roughly one and a half times the water 138 00:07:42,133 --> 00:07:46,413 Speaker 3: of Wellington Harbor, so it is a vision of vivid 139 00:07:46,413 --> 00:07:50,653 Speaker 3: blue because of all of that glacial rock salt in 140 00:07:50,693 --> 00:07:54,773 Speaker 3: the water. And then you've got these fantastic trails around 141 00:07:54,893 --> 00:07:57,893 Speaker 3: Lake Benmore. I reckon the best is the Benmore Peninsular Track, 142 00:07:58,213 --> 00:08:00,693 Speaker 3: So it's about a ninety minute loop, so you can 143 00:08:00,733 --> 00:08:03,613 Speaker 3: sort of double it with a picnic. You get greeny 144 00:08:03,693 --> 00:08:05,813 Speaker 3: views down to the lake and then you've got mighty 145 00:08:05,893 --> 00:08:08,933 Speaker 3: are He's shimmering in the distance now for. 146 00:08:08,973 --> 00:08:11,293 Speaker 2: All Richie McCaw fans. Of course, this part of the 147 00:08:11,333 --> 00:08:14,573 Speaker 2: country the synonymous with Korah, but there are some local 148 00:08:14,733 --> 00:08:15,973 Speaker 2: wineries to try to. 149 00:08:17,013 --> 00:08:20,493 Speaker 3: Yes, not far from Ben Mollert. Definitely call into Kuau 150 00:08:20,573 --> 00:08:23,373 Speaker 3: for some wellouns refreshments, and I would suggest check out 151 00:08:23,373 --> 00:08:26,133 Speaker 3: the local wine because the White Tacky Valley is now 152 00:08:26,133 --> 00:08:30,493 Speaker 3: home to about a dozen very boutique wine producers. A 153 00:08:30,533 --> 00:08:35,053 Speaker 3: great option is River t Cellar Door in Kurau because 154 00:08:36,013 --> 00:08:38,813 Speaker 3: not only do they showcase their own wine, but also 155 00:08:38,853 --> 00:08:43,013 Speaker 3: some fellow producers at the Fellar Door really good Peno, Peno, 156 00:08:43,133 --> 00:08:47,093 Speaker 3: Gree and Reasling. So it's Burgundy style wines Jack, that 157 00:08:47,133 --> 00:08:49,613 Speaker 3: are doing really well in the White Tacky fantastic. 158 00:08:49,653 --> 00:08:52,933 Speaker 2: How I've got some bad news. You believe this? The 159 00:08:52,973 --> 00:08:57,613 Speaker 2: black Caps have just dropped Harry Brook again. Oh yeah, 160 00:08:57,653 --> 00:09:01,573 Speaker 2: So it's Glenn Phillips who's now taken the catch of 161 00:09:01,613 --> 00:09:05,573 Speaker 2: the year and dropped two relative sitters. That's I think 162 00:09:05,613 --> 00:09:08,653 Speaker 2: the seventh drop catch in listening, So Harry brings on 163 00:09:08,653 --> 00:09:10,293 Speaker 2: one hundred and forty seven not out. 164 00:09:10,933 --> 00:09:13,453 Speaker 3: Oh ye could be slipping away, Jack. 165 00:09:13,333 --> 00:09:15,053 Speaker 2: I feel like it might be. It feels like the 166 00:09:15,053 --> 00:09:17,133 Speaker 2: Criocket and gods are not shining upon us at the moment, 167 00:09:17,133 --> 00:09:20,133 Speaker 2: but neverth Hey, they certainly shining upon the wait Tucky 168 00:09:20,213 --> 00:09:22,253 Speaker 2: Valley though. That sounds fantastic, So we're gonna put all 169 00:09:22,293 --> 00:09:25,173 Speaker 2: of your advice for road tripping through that gorgeous part 170 00:09:25,213 --> 00:09:27,733 Speaker 2: of the world up on the News Talks he'd be website. 171 00:09:27,893 --> 00:09:29,773 Speaker 2: We'll catch up with Alit Smith. He's taking us through 172 00:09:29,813 --> 00:09:32,093 Speaker 2: weekend sport this afternoon in a couple of minutes. Right now, 173 00:09:32,133 --> 00:09:33,373 Speaker 2: it's twenty eight past eleven. 174 00:09:34,093 --> 00:09:37,213 Speaker 1: For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, listen live 175 00:09:37,293 --> 00:09:40,133 Speaker 1: to news Talks he'd be from nine am Saturday, or 176 00:09:40,173 --> 00:09:42,093 Speaker 1: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio