The Road to Christchurch

All three of us were headed to CHCH but R+R had booked a bus before I had offered them a lift - not such a bad deal as it was a very cheap ticket. It was due to be a 6hr drive so I set off in good time to allow myself decent stops en-route. I headed out of Wanaka passing the airport complex where the driving range and Beerworks Brewery are situated. The first skydivers of the day were heading Earth bound. The road headed north east and was unexpectedly flat to begin with before heading skywards to get over the Lindis Pass - I wasn't expecting to climb to 950m and was unprepared for such an alpine crossing, but the snow was thin and I was descending before the snow started to fall. Soon I was in Twizel, a small town constructed in the 1960's for the workers who built the nearby hydro power station. Few people decided to leave once the construction had finished and clung on to the community that had been created. Further north was Lake Tekapo - a lake full of 'rock flour' that gave it a wonderful blue hue. The snow was coming thick and fast now but luckily was not settling. I took a quick peek at the 'Church of the Old Sheppard' that takes and idyllic location at the head of the lake. Beside this is a small memorial to sheep-dogs. As was walking back a tour bus of Japanese people packed into the tiny church - not sure how they all fitted but origami must have been employed! From here to my lunch stop in Fairlie I passed thousands of cairns that had been erected at the side of the road. This strange feature must have stretched for 10-15km. My guidebook did not shed any light on this but I guess it was something that passers by regularly add to. In Fairlie I stopped at the Old Library cafe and was greeted by a Scottish accent. I gorged myself on the biggest plate of potato skins you have ever seen, smothered with tomato sauce, cheese, cream cheese and chives! With the stuff I couldn't eat in a doggy-bag I headed on to CHCH passing merino sheep farms with signs proudly declaring 'Your ICEBREAKER comes from here!' Wearing mine, i smiled at this. The Canterbury Plains from Ashburton to CHCH are boring by NZ standards so I pushed on to make the city by dark. Of course - this meant hitting the city at rush hour. Without taking a incorrect turn, I was outside The Old Countryhouse before long.

Wanaka revisited

I met up with Rhona for the final time before heading to the mechanic to take a look at my brakes that were sounding bad in Dunedin. After hanging around for a while he said they were fine so I continued on my way. First stop of the day was Arrowtown, an old mining community that has kept its 'historic' buildings and consequently its charm. I wandered around in the drizzel and had a healthy lunch of roast vegetable salad and freshly squeezed OJ. Just what I needed after a few days of takeaways. Back in the car I drove to Wanaka via Cromwell. The wind had picked up and was buffeting the car quite a bit. R+R were waiting for me in the hostel when I checked in. We went out for a coffee and cake before heading to Cinema Paradiso to watch a British comedy called Grow Your Own. It was another good evening in the best cinema in town!


We woke up to glorious sunshine and took the opportunity to scale the dizzying height of Mt Iron. The 549m peak took some 45mins to accend and got us very warm in the sun. From the summit we could see the bad weather coming in over Treble Cone and decided to head down. We made some sandwiches and headed to the lake shore for a picnic in the sun. We went to the small brewery - Wanaka Beerworks and sampled their 3 brews before going on a brief tour of the tiny brewery. Hitting some balls at the golf driving range entertained us for the afternoon. Back in the hostel we cooked tea and then headed to bed for an early night.


Today we went to Puzzling World. This is a place full of optical illusions and a giant maze. It was a great place to spend the morning, getting lost for over an hour in the maze and trying to find our way out again. Despite the rain and my lack of waterproof I still had fun. Lunch was taken care of in a small whole-food cafe which filled a hole after the maze.

Queenstown

I left 'Dunners' and drove north up the coast for an hour to reach the Moeraki Boulders. These are large, spherical boulders that lie on the beach, averaging about 1m in diameter. It was an awesome thing to see, there is one that seems to be emerging out of the sea-cliff - as if the cliff is giving birth to the rock. From here I headed inland on my way to Queenstown. The drive took me longer than expected. On the way I was overtaking by a large group of motorcyclists out of a Saturday ride to a pub. I later past all the bikes parked up outside a rural pub. I drove through miles and miles of Otago's old goldfields and eventually made it to Alexandra. From here it was just a short drive on to Cromwell and then on into Queenstown itself. I parked up outside the Butterfli Backpackers and headed off into town to meet Rob. I found him, beer in hand sitting outside Dux de Lux. Dux has a craft brewery and brews 8 beers including a loverly ginger beer. Rach, Shelley and a friend were off having some skiing lessons at Cardrona. In the evening we all got a takaway curry and sat in their holiday apartment gorging ourselves. We headed back to Dux to try some other varieties of beer.


I spent the following morning wandering around town then walked up the Ti Ki Track to the skyline complex. I large mountain-top restaurant and gondola station. The views were awesome and the sun was warm as paragliders took off to land in the valley below. I dodged having to pay and caught the gondola back down for free. Back in the town I treated myself to an ice cream (which I later dropped on the floor by accident) and rendezvoused with the others. We sat in an irish pub and had mulled wine as the sun dipped behind Ben Lomand. I had a Fergburger for dinner. Ever since my previous trip to NZ I have been pining for one of these. It was good. I faught through the crowds and took my burger to the waterfront where I found a bench to enjoy it in solitude.

Otago Peninsula

I spent the day milling around the Otago Peninsula that lies to the East of Dunedin. Its a lovely place that's littered with coves and beaches as well as modest hills, the only flat section being the perimeter at sea level. I first stopped at Lanarch Castle - The only castle in NZ and was built in the late 19th century by an extrovert Australian banker. It fell into disrepair after he committed suicide and was later bought by the Barker family who have spent a lifetime renovating it and now call it their home. In an effort to raise some money they have opened up the house and gardens to the public. I only spashed out on the garden ticket as I felt the full entry pass was a bit steep for a backpacker like me! I wandered around the small gardens and looked at the modest castle through the windows. It was an interesting place. Following that I drove along the backroads (which were mainly sealed!) through the village of Portabello and on to the North-Eastern most point on the peninsula which is home to a colony of Royal Albatrosses. I wandered around the information centre but did not spot any of the massive sea birds hanging on the wind. I took 'the scenic route' back and, back in the hostel, I'm about to put a load in the washing machine once the previous bloke has come and emptied it!

Dunedin

This morning I said my goodbyes to Surat Bay and took the drive non-stop to Dunedin. checked in to the Jolly Poacher and headed into town for a squiz. I got some lunch and sauntered to the Otago Museum and had a good look round. The streets are steep in Dunedin. It's quite and effort just walking around. The country's oldest university is here and there's a definite student vibe. I'm now back in the hostel taking advantage of the free internet!

The Catlins

We just managed to check out of the hostel in time before any more hassle with the management. R+R were heading to the West Coast and I was heading South East and followed the Southern Scenic Route south through Manapouri and into The Catlins. The drive was such a contrast to the Fiordland I had come from, mountains gave way to rolling hills and lots of large farms – or 'stations'. I stopped off at The Clifden Suspension Bridge – an old disused bridge crossing a once mighty river that now has its flow limited by a hydro electric dam. I passed through Riverton, the South Island's oldest settlement just west of Innvercargel then through the city itself – nothing much to see here so I stocked up on food (more pasta) and headed into the Catlins proper. This is the South Eastern corner of New Zealand. A sinuous road winds through rain forest and over small hills down to moody beaches with deep dunes that are home to sea lions and penguins. I had planned to base myself at a place R+R had recommended. Surat Bay Lodge was situated at the Eastern end of The Catlins so I drove past all the 'attractions' and found the place and settled in for the night. Surat Bay Lodge is unsurprisingly on Surat Bay overlooking the sea in a beautifully rural location. Caroline, the owner welcomed me in and showed me to the dorm – there were a Taiwanese couple staying too and the lady spoke good English so we spoke for a while while we cooked our tea. I spent the evening sitting in front of the fire while watching The Bourne Identity on a badly tracked TV. To be honest, I was surprised that you could could get TV out here.

I woke up early and jumped in the car and headed back west to the sights I had sped past the previous day. First stop was Curio Bay. A beach that at low tide revels a petrified forest of fallen trees and stumps from the Jarrasic period. These fossilized lumps were amazing to see. I found it hard to believe that they were so old and not in a museum. Only in NZ. From here I slowly wound my way back east to the hostel stopping off at various beach stops and waterfall walks. The cloud had hung low all day giving the whole area a mystic feel, and this was compounded when I spotted a flock of sheep walking along the road towards me emerging from the fog! Back in the warmth of the hostel the fire was stoked and I tucked into a plate of pasta. I had the hostel to myself so I kicked back and relaxed.

The sunlight poured through the curtains indicating the arrival of a good day. Spurred on by this I jumped into the shower and made a packed lunch and headed out on a walk along the beach headed for Cannibal Bay – the next bay around. The sun was out, and in my eyes as I picked my way around the headland at high tide. Walking with my head down to avoid the glare I almost fell over a sleeping sea lion basking in the warmth of the sun! Retreating, I gave the beast a wide berth and continued on my way. Turned out there were tens of these massive sea creatures all over the long beach, disguised among the lumps of driftwood and sea weed. On my way back the tide had come in further, narrowing my passage of safety and I was chased by a particularly large male at one point as I tried to get past! Spying another large one further up the beach I decided to take a detour through the dunes – bad idea. Once finally back on the beach I got wet feet again by trying to get past a sleeping giant. It blew me away to see so many sea loins up close in the natural environment. Safely back in the hostel I made a brew and got ready to go Penguin spotting. I had been told that the rare Yellow-eyed penguin comes ashore about 2hrs before sunset so I headed over to Roaring Bay to hang out in the hide. I waited half an hour and say nothing. Maybe today wasn't the day. I started walking back to the car when I happened to glance back and spot a little black head bob up from under the breaking waves. I know instantly what it was and ran back to the hide to get a closer look The little thing got to its feet and waddled ashore, shook itself off and jumped from rock to rock to get to its nest. it was so cool to see, there are apparently only 3000 breeding birds in the world. Then another one came in! 2 penguins on the beach! A good day.

Fiordland

We drove in convoy to Te Anau via the Glenorchy Cafe for another smoothie and a cake. Passing through NZ's most inland village and though the surprisingly un-mountainous northern Southland we made our way to Te Anau, gateway to Fiordland. After picking up essential supplies (pasta) we headed to our Hostel – Barnyard Backpackers and received an unwelcoming welcome from the owner. Anyway we got a decent nights kip and woke up early to go to Milford Sound. The drive was amazing. It started pretty ordinary but got pretty dramatic sharpish. Soon we were driving through deep deep valleys and passing avalanche runs with no stopping signs. Before long the road descended into a pitch black tunnel riddled with pot holes. It was 1300m long and not wide enough for 2 vehicles to pass. Not being straight it is kinda like driving blind! Popping out the other side – snow blind, quickly rectified with sunglasses. descending steeply we entered the settlement at the head of the fiord. We had booked onto the 1315 boat and we boarded with anticipation. It was amazing. i wasn't too bothered about a cruise to be honest and if I wasn't with R+R then I may not have bothered but I'm really glad I did, even if it was just for viewing Mitre Peak from its base – at approx a mile high, its the highest mountain in the world to rise directly out of the sea. The pilot of the ship was skilled to put our bow right under waterfalls without wrecking the boat. Once we had made it out of the sound into the Tasman sea we about turned and headed back. The weather was superb for us – bright skies and a slight breeze. Not the wet torrential rain Milford is known for. However, waterfalls are at their best when it's raining. Back on dry land we stopped off on the way back to partake in a few short walks to interesting tourist sights and tried to stop some Japanese twats feeding the Kea's – they chose not to listen. We picked up some beers and headed back to the hostel for some games of pool. Rob diffused a slight altercation between the hostel owner and us and we moved rooms and slept like babies.

Kinloch

Arriving in Kinloch, population 7, I went into the bar/restaurant/office/reception/front room of the Kinloch Lodge and was greeted warmly by an English bloke with a very large plaster on his head. Peter had moved to NZ 6 years ago and had bought the accommodation lodge and a set about renovating it. He had also fallen off his bike thee day before. The small restaurant does very well at weekends and is frequented by those in the know from Queenstown and beyond. No sooner than I had found my room, the bright green Jucy Crib campervan of R+R arrived. Happy hour in the 'bar' was between 5 and 6 so it was Monteiths all round! The free hot tub then beckoned despite the rain.

We had planned to walk the first section of the greenstone track – a well regarded walk through some amazing mountain scenery. however, due to the heavy rain we had during the night the fords on the road to the start of the track were too high to cross. Peter recommended the we drive the other way and take the easy walk around Lake Sylvan. We couldn't quite get to the start of the track due to a windfallen tree, but we parked up and headed on on foot anyway. The walk started by crossing an impressive swing bridge and then through an ancient forest. However, we couldn't get much further. The entire forest floor was under a foot of water. Some flash flood! Back in the car we headed further up the road to the trail head of the Routeburn Track. The new start/end shelter looked just that – new. Seemed a shame though as the track was closed due to the starting swingbridge sustaining some terminal damage due to a wayward tree. Back at the lodge, Peter had baked us muffins for braving the weather. Still feeling underwalked, we took Samson, the golden retriever for a stroll. Back in the warmth of the bar, we had another Montieths.

Skiing in Wanaka

So I eventually made it over the southern Alps using the Haast Pass. The snow we had been getting has eased for the time being allowing the road clearer's to get on with their job. So with my newly aquirered chains I set off from Greymouth on the 6hr drive to Wanaka. I stopped off at Fox Glacier on the way to stretch my legs and take a walk around Lake Matheson. This was formed when the giant chunk of ice left over from the retreating Fox Glacier melted at the end of the last ice age. Reflections of Mt Cook and Mt Tasman can often be seen in the reflective waters. I was lucky to see this as the clouds over the alps parted and gave me my first glimpse of NZ's highest peak. The Haast Pass was covered with grit, but no snow on the road, however the trees and floodplain either side of the tarmac were covered in at least 50cms. Someone had stopped to build a snowman that waved at drivers heading inland. I arrived in Wanaka just as the sun dipped behind the mountains that surround the small town. I located my hostel and booked myself in. Wanaka Bakpaka was full with skiers and boarders come to take advantage of the recent dump. I found my room and bagged a bed then headed out into town where I met up with Rhona – a friend who was doing a season in Queenstown and had caught a bus to spend a few days in Wanaka skiing and catching up with me. We got some food and some beers and caught up until the pub we were in got very empty. So we decided to call it an early night before going skiing in the morning.

I picked Rhona up from her hostel and we made our way up to Treble Cone ski area. With two sets of skiing gear on the back seats we were turning down people hitching for lifts. With a sympathetic shrug we declined many desperate looking snow junkies. NZ ski areas differ in many ways from their European counterparts, but the first thing you notice is the lack of gondalas to get you from valley floor to the snow line. Here, it is up to the motorist to get themselves to the bottom of the chair lifts. All the ski areas in the Queenstown/Wanaka region are accessed by extremely steep, skinny, twisty gravel roads that are often iced up or covered in snow. Rhona informed me that the road up to TC (local speak for Treble Cone) was one of the most feared. Apparently a few years ago a bus had 'fallen off' killing everyone on board. Not deterred by this and encouraged by the warm sun that fell onto the mountain side I pointed my little FWD car up the slope. About half hour later we were successfully in the car park and being ushered to a spot. It wasn't long before I was clipping into my skis for the first time in 8 years and being dragged up the button lift to the top of the nusary slope. Having skied only for one week before and since taking up snowboarding, I was sure that it would come back to me – it's like riding a bike isn't it?! Rhona giggled as I floundered. But it wasn't long before I was remembering how to parallel turn and was making it cleanly down the slope. Time for the real slopes! I spent the rest of the day battling down the green and blue slopes while Rhona stuck with me correcting my wrongs. There was a bit of a wind that brought the temperature down to -17 degrees. one of the chair lifts had a warning that all exposed skin must be covered! All in all, not a bad day skiing! We headed off the hill before the road down iced over and headed to town for a drink. Wanaka has a really awesome cinema that has sofas and an old VW Beatle you can sit in! Half way through there is an interval! Rhona and I caught a film called 'Im Not There' – A hard film to follow depicting the crazy life of Bob Dylan.

I woke up the next day feeling pretty rough – the start of man-flu. We spent the morning wondering around town then headed up the hill about lunch time. It was such a nice day I didn't want to miss out on a day's skiing. It wasn't so cold up top and my skiing was progressing, well Rhona said so anyway! Back on the lakeshore, Rhona caught her bus back to Queenstown, she had work the next morning. I shall see her again when I visit Queenstown later in the month. I felt a bit claustrophobic in my hostel packed with bouncy people, so I went out for some Thai food with an Aussie bloke who was in my room. The freezing Wanaka air and clear skies bode well for the following mornings weather.

After a lie-in I was feeling a bit better. I wanted to go biking in 'Sticky Forest' – the local biking spot but couldn't stretch to the $120 a day rental for a decent bike. Instead I just took a bike from the Hostel for a spin around a bit of lake Wanaka. It was a nice ride that took me to a great hill overlooking the town and the large bay of lake Wanaka that the town lies on. After I got my breath back I drove on over to the Airstrip where there is a public shooting range called 'Have A Shot' where picked up a .22 rifle and a bow. I hung around the airstrip for bit to see some skydivers landing which was cool.

I checked out of Wanaka Bakpaka the following morning and hung around town for a while before heading off over the Crown Range into the Queenstown area. I was heading for Kinloch Lodge, near Glenorchy on the northern tip of Lake Wakitipu but needed to stock up on food before heading into the wilderness. The road between Queenstown and Glenorchy ventures along the banks of the lake and is truly spectacular and was over too quickly. The sign reads – 'Welcome to Glenorchy, Gateway to Paradise'. Apt, seeing as Paradise is a hamlet 16km further down the gravel road. Either way, Its a cool little place with an ace cafe. I had a berry smoothie – help for the cold. They were selling the cookies the size of a pizza. I checked my mobile and had a message from Rob saying Rach and him were heading to Kinloch too! Sweet! I couldn't reply – no signal out here. The 26km round the top of the lake were mainly on gravel roads and over ricketly one lane bridges.

Retreat to Greymouth!

So after my relativlt long stay in Global Village I decided to move south and try to be in Wanaka in 2 days for some skiing. I booked my hostel in Wanaka and drove south to the Glaciers. I stopped in Franz Josef with plans to do some hikes up to, and around, the two Glaciers Franz Josef and Fox. Just as I checked into Glow Worm Cottages hostel, The wintery showers kicked in. We were basically at sea level and the snow line had dropped dramatically to just above us. I thought about the Alpine crossing I had to make to get to Wanaka and started to get worried about the abundance of snow at lower altitudes. A trip to the iSite informed me that the Haast Pass was indeed closed (this is quite rare as it is only just above 500m) and the bad weather was set to contine until Saturday afternoon, when the road may be opened but snow-chains were to be used by all vehicals. Hmmm, I had no snow chains. There was nowhere to get chains in Franz. Oh well, we'll see what the weather is like in the morning. One cold night spent in an unheated room and I awoke to see a blanket of snow covering the village. I didnt need to check to see if the road was open - not a chance.
Back at the iSite, the lady informed me that it was foolish to travel any further south without chians - especially if I was planning to hang around Wanaka and Queenstown for a while. Armed with this info, I decided that I needed chains. I could hire them in Christchurch - but I needed them to get there. Reluctantly, I creeped my back the 173km back up the coast dodging black ice to Greymouth again. I coughed up $170 for some chains with the hope of selling them when I leave the country. That is SO much money - i really hope I can.

So Im back in Global Village - relaxing by the fire.

The West Coast

Im now well and truly on the west coast! From my tour-bus riddled hostel in the nothingness of Westport town I left early and drove north up the coast to Karamea - the northern most town on the west coast. I called in at the cafe and got a coffee and a home-made monster sausage roll to keep me going till lunch. Nearby there are some amazing karst landscapes with massive limestone arches and caves - i mean HUGE! to there involved a 1hr drive on a gravel road and then a 2 hr hike through rainforest but it was amazing when I got there. I cant really describe it - just wait till I upload the photos. After a late lunch in the same cafe, I drove south, back through Westport to Punakaiki. The hostel here was great with an awesome stove to keep us warm. The hostel was build on a big rock that had been incorperated into the furniture so it protruded through the floor! I stayed 2 nights there and visted the nearby Pancake Rocks and did yet more walking in my new boots - now dry!

Yesterday I moved on and checked into the Global Village hostel in Greymouth. I stayed here last time I was here and it was great so I decided to come back, even if Greymouth itself does not have much to offer. I took a day trip/drive up to NZ hightest village - Arthur's Pass. The village has the same name as the alpine pass that it lies 4km to the East of. It was a spectacular day with crip blue skys and a recent snowfall on the flanks of the mountains that sorrounded the village. High up you could see skiers and snowbaorders on the club fields above the village. The drive up the pass was supurb - true alpine driving! I did a few hikes up the sides of the valley on each side with all my gear on - it was pretty chilly!

Back down at sea level I finished my book - High Society by Ben Elton. Never ready one of his books before but coulnt put this one down. With that happy/sad feeling you get when you finish a book I tried to get an early nights sleep. Denied once again. Up until 2230 I was alone in my small dorm. Then 2 pleasent but loud Aussies and and Irish lad boshed into the room. They didnt all settle down until well after 0200 and as soon as they hit the pillow all 3 snored in unison. Even with my noise-cancelling headphones on with my music playing, the bass reverberations were loud and clear. A restless night. In the morning I decided to stay another 3 nights (4th night free) but opted to move rooms. Its got more beds, but less potential noise! This hostel is such a nice place to unwind and take a break from 'travelling'!

Today I've just been chiling out by the fire - dozing - walking around town and reading my new book - One Red Paperclip.

Abel Tasman Coast Track and Golden Bay

So I did it! The famous Abel Tasman coast track that is. It's a really popular route in the summer months, but only see's 10% of its traffic over the winter. I caught the 1330 water taxi from Marahau that actully started up a street on dry land! The boat was on a trailer mounted to a tractor that pulled us along the beach front and then depsited us down the slip way into the sea! Pete, our pilot told us to hang on as it was going to be a rough trip! I think it had something to do with the last few days of the storm that was still hanging around out at sea. For us however, it was a fine day. An hour and a half later I was deposited on the remote Tortaranui beach. The boat backed in as far as possible amoung the breaking waves and I was told to make a jump for it when the waves sucked back. "shall I remove my boots?" I asked. "nah, you'll be fine".
So I arrived at the start of my 3 day walk with soaked feet. Despite Pete's reassurances I did get wet. A wave broke just as I leaaped off the back of the boat and went in up to my knees. This depressed me somewhat as the over-riding factor that led to me buying some boots was so I would have dry feet. Oh well. I started off down the coastal track in good time so that I would make the Awora estuary crossing bang on low tide. It was only an 90 minute walk away. No sooner as I had started walking 2 German girls came the other way saying that the track was blocked by a large landslip. This was a set back. The hut was on the other side of the esturay and the slip and I had no tent. I decided to carry on non the less to see if I could find a way around the slip. With renewed confidence I set of again. About 10 mins later I met a Columbian guy coming the other way. His English was broken but he basically said it was impassable. He had tried. "now what?" Back at the beach there was an information board that showed a gravel road that led to the estury at almost the exact point we needed to be – Perfect! Andre was also trying to get to the hut so we decided to quick march the gravel road route. Only problem was it was 8km further than the track. We only had 1 hour until low tide. 2 until the estuary was not crossable. We better get walking then! It was getting dark too and there was no way I was wading through 100m of waist deep ice cold water in the dark! Fortunatly for us the German gils were only day tripping. Tortuanui is the only beach in the NP accesable by (gravel) road. They were heading back to Takaka and offerd to give us a lift half of the way we needed to. Phew! So we made it to the crossing in time and navigated our way across the huge mud flats avoiding too many area of quick sand and got to the river. Thanks to our lift we managed to only get wet up to our knees so It was boots off and wade. It took about 10 mins to cross and it was pretty chilly! Fortunatly the hut was only a few hundred metres away and we made it just as twilight left the sky. I lit my candles (for light) and the wood burner and settled in to make some pasta! The hut sleeps 24 but it was just us 2 this night. Andre crashed out beside the fire (that had failed to get really going due to soaked wood) and I settled into my sleeping back in one of the bunks to read my book. I had set my alarm for 0530 and made it my aim to be walking by 0600. The reason for this was that there was a 2nd tidal crossing that needed to be crossed within 3hrs of low water. It was a 90mins walk from the hut and low tide was at 0500. Andre was waiting till the afternoon low tide as he only needed to get to the next hut 9.5km away. I was aiming for one further on at 22km away.
I awoke brightly and hurried my things together and put on all my warm gear and headed out into the night. Sunrise was at 0728 and I made it my goal to make the crossing by that time. It was a moonless night so my head torch shone the way – scaring the odd rabbit and possum. Navigating off the beach was pretty tricky. Trying to find a small path through bush was like trying to find a needle in a hay stack (excuse the cliche). This lost me a bit of time, but I soon made it to the track and steamed off. This crossing was much smaller but I still had to remove my boots – which were still wet.I sat on the deserted beach and ate a muffin as the sun rose over the headland and gradually illuminated the whole bay. It was pretty special. I was at Bark Bay hut (where Andre would be staying) before 0900. This hut had a great location and I had my second breakfast on its steps looking out to sea. On the 12 or so kilometers left to go I passed few people at all, except some workers on the track blowing up some rocks with explosives! I passed through dense sub-tropical bush and wide open beaches only accessable by foot or kayak. I got into a rhythm and by 1330 I was at the Anchorage hut and in need of a sit down! This beach is popular with day trippers as its only an easy 4hr walk back to Marahau so during the day there were a few people getting dropped off or being picked up by water taxi during the afternoon but before long the immaculate beach was deserted except 4 of us staying in the hut. The weather had been perfect all day so we huddeled around the LPG heater and got to know each other when the sun went down. There was a Belgium bloke and a couple from Spain. We chatted away until the candles ran out and went off to bed.

My boots had finally dried out but my feet were looking a sorry site with a few blisters and loads of sandfly bites! Despite this I quickly despatched the final, beautiful 11.5km and was back at my car by 1130 and off to grab a shower in Motueka. That afternoon I headed off to Golden Bay in the North West of the South Island. It's known for its arty hippies that have inhabited the area. There is only one road in and out of the region which goes over a steep, winding mountain pass – Takaka Hill 800m, There are some supurb views from the top! Dropping down into Takaka valley you get a good feeling of isolation as the whole bay is hemmed in by mountains on 3 of its sides and the ocean on the other. I stopped in Takaka town and decided to use this as my base to explore the area from. Ths is a really cool little town with a very chilled out atmosphere. Lots of little art and craft shops and organic cafe's line the towns only street and colourful murals adorn walls that should be covered with graffiti. Everyone seems to be riding around on bikes and not many people are getting fuel out of the tired looking BP garage. 'The Quiet Revolution' bike shop is busy refurbishing old bikes to sell on cheaply to the kids of the bay. Back in my hostel, the YHA-affiliated 'Annie's Nirvarna Lodge', I flopped into an arm chair and planned my few days here.
After a good nights sleep I decied to head East from town along the Abel Tasman drive. First stop was brunch in a little cafe followed by a walk around 'The Grove' – a prehistoric amalagmation of limestone formation and jungle. I then went to a salmon smokery and a walk to the Pupu Springs – Australasia's largest fresh water springs. The water is so clear that you can see for 1km through it. An observation deck had been set up with a reverse periscope to reitterate this point. As it I hadn't done enough walking I then went to the Pupu Hydro walkway. A 3 hour walk around a 100 year old hydroelectric station that is still in operation today. It was really cool, with a massivly long water-race with cray-fish in! Half way around I was approached by an elderly man whelding and hammer. I wasnt sure what to think at first – should I be scared? It turned out that he was one of the people involved in keeping the project running. We had a good long chat and he told me a lot about its history which was most interesting. I got back to my car just before dusk and headed back to Annie's where I played a game of Risk with two Scottish sisters.
I left Annies pretty early this morning and drove the 50km to the base of Farewell Spit – a huge sand spit that sits at the far North Western corner of the South Island. It is a haven for wading birdlife, but there is not much else there except for a lighthouse right on the very end. From here, my plan was to get as close as possible to Karamea. A small village that only layed 100km or so from this point at the top of the West coast, but no direct road meant I would have to drive for 6hrs the long way round to get there. I knew I wouldnt make it in one day, but wasnt sure where I would spend the night so I filled the tank and headed off back over Takaka hill and beyond, leaving the superb Golden Bay behind. I stopped at a few places along the way including the longest swingbridge in NZ across the Buller gorge. I paid $5 for the priveledge of walking across it and back. Im not sure if it was there for a reason, or like a lot of things in NZ, just because. I made it to Westport on the West coast, 100km south of Karamea. Its a pretty dead town with nothing of interest here, im staying in a hostel with (to my disgust) a coach load of Brits on 'The Kiwi Experience' a package coach trip that plagues this country. I wont get into my reasons for disliking this operation but I will say it reminds me of being back in the union at university on freshers week. There were no dorm beds left so im in a Twin room on my own, so at least i should get a reasonable nights kip!

Motueka

I arrived in Motueka yesterday after leaving Nelosn in the afternoon. I bit the bullet and purchased some boots and gaiters in the morning as I feel that if i missed out on some of these great walks, I would miss out on a big chunk of what NZ has to offer. Following that I went straight into the i-site (tourist info) in Motueka and booked myself onto the Abel Tasman Coastal walk. This involved checking out tide times and buying a bed in the huts for the nights I would be on the trail. Also I booked the water taxi to take me to the northern end of the walk so I would walk North to South. This is billed as a 3-5 day walk, but at only 51km I should be able to do it in 2 days. However there are certain tidal river crossings that have to be made at low water which determines quite a bit!

Im staying in the Laughing Kiwi hostel which is in the centre of town. I spent the afternoon wandering around town and breaking in the new boots. Since it was friday, i treated myself to Fish+Chips!

Had a lie-in this morning and spent the day preping for the trip. I leave tomorrow. My water taxi is at 1.30pm to get me to the start of the walk by 3.15pm. The rain has started again but should shift by the time im in the taxi! Some parts of Nelson are still without water and power from the last storm! I went to the waterfront and photographed an old wreck which lay about 20ft from the shore. Time to have a muffin and a cup of tea I think!

Nelson - the centre of EnZed

I checked out of Tombstone this morning after a dreadful nights sleep. It wasn't the bed's fault - that was very comfy, but the drunken German bloke above me that snored like a train all night. I got out of bed in need of a sleep.

The rain had stopped revealing the damage it left in its wake. The hostel had almost be ruined due to a massive landslide that had caused the hill it was built on to disintegrate! Luckily it was just the chicken shed that suffered any damage. My planned route to Nelson, Along the scenic Queen Charlotte Drive was closed due to fallen trees and landslips so I took the main road via Blenheim and Havelock. The storm had left quite a mark on the beautiful Sounds area. Many landslip that had blocked the road had been shifted early on but acres of countryside were underwater. I saw a herd of cattle caught stranded on a newly created island in the middle of a huge field. After leaving the Marlborough Sounds district I entered the Nelson area. Nelson is a very popular area to live with Kiwi's and has received massive increases in house prices due to this. I pulled into town around midday and booked myself into 'The Bug' hostel on the south side of town. This hostel had a good reputation from the people I had met so I was keen to stay here even through it is about a 20min walk out of town. It must have really popular reviews in the Taiwanese guide books as about 70% of the other travelers here are from Taiwan! I was in need of a walk due to being hostel-bound all of yesterday so I embarked on a walk to the 'Centre of New Zealand'! This point supposedly lies on the top of a hill to the East of the city centre. I tramped by way to this point via the city's sights and took in the views as I touched the trig point that marks this spot. I returned to the hostel about 16.30 for a brew then went to the supermarket to get ingredients for the stir-fry I decided to make for tea.

Having failed to do the QC track, I have my sights on the Abel Tasman Coastal Track. This is probably the easiest of the multi-day 'Great Walks' but should be a good one. That is if the weather clears up! We shall have to wait and see. I did look at getting some walking boots as my shoes are like sieves in the wet, but I cannot justify the $400 they command over here seeing as I have good boots back home. I shall just have to put up with wet socks!

Pinned down by the storm in Picton!

Yesterday's sailing from Wellington to Picton was a very smooth crossing. I got to the dock by sunrise and witnesses the sun climb slowly over the natural harbour. Only about half the crossing is out in the exposed Cook Strait where the waves can reach about 9m in strong weather. Before long we were inching our way along the sinuous Queen Charlotte sound (fjord). The Marlborough Sounds NP is a stunning place and I made plans to bike the entire length of the Queen Charlotte Track (2 days, 71km - one of the 'Great Walks'). Pretty much as soon as I layed eyes on the South Island it became cloaked in a think low cloud which added to the drama of the views. Some passengers sayed they saw dolphines riding the bow waves of other vessels, i however did not spot this. We docked in Picton around midday and I drove about 400m to my hostel - Tombstone Backpackers. This hostel is perched on a hill overlooking picturesque Picton and opposite the town's graveyard, hence the name. I was checking in just as a large group of English school girls were checking out - they were on a 1 month school trip to the South Island!! Now that beats our Iceland trip by some way! The accomodation is very nice with made up beds in a purpose built block with DOUBLE GLAZING!! Nice and cosy. I spent the afternoon wandering around town and enquiring about mountain bike rental for the track.

During the night the storm hit. Torrential rain.

I woke up late and missed the free breakfast laid on my Lynne at the hostel. Bugger. Its still throwing it down! I havent done much today due to the weather - its really bad - a state of civil emergency has been called in town due to the flash floods. The volenteer fire service has been hoplessly pumping premises out all day. Its now 17.15 and the rain shows no sign of stopping, the winds picked up too. I've decided to call off the bike trip. Its a shame, but I dont thing the track will be ridable for a few days at least. Ill sit tight with a cup of tea and watch a DVD on the TV here with the other guests!

Ill try and get some photos up on the posts that have none asap. hang on!

Last day up North

So I've spent my last day on the North Island. Took a stroll around Wellington and took the Cable Car to the top of a hill and walked around the botanical gardens. Spent the whole of the afternoon trying to burn my full memory cards to a DVD in an internet cafe which I managed to do in the end. Turns out my little Asus eeePc isnt up to the tast of backing up my photos - one of the prime reasons i bought it. Oh well. Picton tomorrow!!

Wellington - the end of the North Island!

I have done a lot of driving since my last post. I have traveled almost the entire length of the North Island in a few long days.

We left the Tree House on a stormy morning and traveled over the Hokianga Estuary for the last time. We had been warned to get to the wharf early as there had been a number of Maori funerals lately, for which a few hundred people turn up for each meaning a huge backlog on the ferry. The water was unusually choppy but we docked in Rawene with no trouble. The southern bank of the estuary is slightly busier than the north with the 'resort' settlements of Opononi and Omapere perched above awesome beaches with hastily eroding back walls attacked by the surf refracted by the narrow estuary mouth. We decided to stay one night in Omapere at a backpackers owned by an English lady and her son who had moved out here in 2002. It had a great views over the water and towards the mountainous sand dunes that lie on the northern bank of the Hokianga. We had wanted to go sand boarding on them but the weather was not on our side! From here we took a short drive into the Waipoura forest (via a small beach on which I had got caught out by a massive wave and had suffered wet feet) to view Tane Mahuta - 'god of the forest'. This was the largest (by volume) Kauri tree in NZ, the Kauri being the second largest species of tree in the world and only found here. The track that led from the layby to the tree cut its way through some very dense sub-tropical rainforest, I wonder how the Maoris found this tree in such dense woodland. I cannot recall the exact dimensions of the tree, but it had a girth in the region of 13.5m and a truck height of 60m or so. It was estimated to be over 2000 years old. That night i sank into the softest mattress in the world and as such had a pretty naff sleep but woke up early ready for the drive back to Auckland. The drive went well and we passed some spectacular scenery as always. Here, I said my fair wells to R+R and agreed a date to rendezvous in Queenstown a month later. I checked back into Uenuku Lodge where I had originally stayed and managed to get my hands on a guide book (I had accidentally left mine in Napier) and a map that had all its pages to replace my previous freebie. It was good to see that the same people I had met there a few weeks earlier were still there, waiting for someone to buy their car/trying to find a job, etc.


I woke up to fine weather which boosted me out of my sleeping bag and back onto the road. I was heading for New Plymouth on the West coast of the North Island sandwiched between Mt. Taranaki and the sea. I was a long drive of about 6hrs but it was sweetened by the superb views the break in the weather had afforded me, South of Hamilton I passed by Waitomo caves - an attraction I had visited last time I was here set in small rolling hills that reminded me of an intense version of Dorset. Further south west I entered cattle stud territory and not a sheep in sight. The road crossed mountains and passed through gorges to rival Cheddar before hugging the coast all the way into town. It was rush hour in New Plymouth and was getting dark as I checked into Shoestring Backpackers. The very average hostel was freezing now the sun had gone down but at least there was a wood burner in the lounge. I dumped my bag and put my milk in the fridge before going for a twilight wander around town. The waterfront wad adorned with a promenade of which a giant kinetic sculpture called the Wind Wand, was the centrepiece. I like kinetic sculptures normally but this was just a bit boring. A tall pole with a slight bend in it ad a red light on top that moved in the wind. hmmm. After an overpriced coffee I went back to the hostel underwhelmed and did some washing. Sitting watching TV sitting in full waterproofs (everything else was getting cleaned) I tried to get talking to a fat middle-aged Canadian who was staying there. He had a serious lack of a sense of humour which led to a very short conversation. I went to bed early with plans to get up early, have a quick look around town again and then move on South to Wanganui to try and escape the worst of the 'weather bomb' that was due to hit the North.


By 10am I had left the town and headed south on SH3 skirting around the inland face (East) of Mt. Taranaki, instead of taking the 'Surf Highway' around the coast due to concerns of the impending doom the media were telling us of on every radio station. I had visions of massive waves crashing onto the road so decided to play it safe. Mt Taranaki has been likened to Mt Fuji in Japan. It is a classic snow capped cone volcano that looks the same from every angle. This morning the summit was cloaked in a velvety dark cloud but still looked awesome. I got to Wanganui before lunch and set about to find a bed for the night. To my surprise every cheap bed in the town had been booked due to a netball tournament! Not wanting to spend anymore than I needed to on a bed I phoned up a hostel in one of Wellington's suburbs and booked a bed. Wanganui was quite a quaint town by NZ standards on the banks of NZ longest river the Whanganui. I took a trip up the Durie elevator - an marvelous Victorian contraption. Durie Hill is a steep hill on the opposite side of the river from the town. With the foresight that the hill would be used for accommodation, they bored and 200m tunnel into the hill and installed a lift up the centre of it that pops out on the top! now the residents of the hill use it every day as a means of getting to school and work. After a Cornish pastie in an Irish pub I hit the road again just as the rain had started to fall.

Moana Lodge in Plimmerton just north of the capital is an extremely comfortable hostel that I would recommend to anyone of any age. I got some fresh fish and chips and relaxed in a comfy sofa. Today I braved the weather and headed into Wellington and took myself to Te Papa - the National Museum of NZ. It was really good and took up the whole day. I'm now relaxing in front of the fire with a tea and a muffin! I've booked my ferry to Picton for Tuesday 29th which leaves me with one full day to explore the rest of this compact city.

Northland

Its been a while since i blogged so i have a fair bit of catching up to do!!

Following Rangitoto, it was Katja's last day in NZ. She was flying off to Fiji! lucky! After a final sort out she caught the airbus from the Britomart station bound for the airport. It had been great to travel with her for these few days.

I met up with friends from home - Rob and Rach - on the summit of Mt. Eden. Another extinct volcano in Auckland. I had caught the bus from the Britomart and they had walked from Parnell. It was nice to see them again. We caught up over a coffee (pumpkin soup in my case) in a cafe in Mt. Eden shops. It was starting to get dark so we decided to head back to Parnell. The hour long walk took us past the prison and I thought how terrible it would be to be locked up in a country this beautiful. That even we went for a beer in one of Parnell's overpriced bars and discussed out forthcoming trip 'up north'.

I woke up early the following morning and went out for breakfast of eggs on toast. I met up with R+R inside Auckland's cathedral and had a look around. It was a modern building but still had a majestic feel. We took a short walk to the Auckland museum and made our way through the crowds of school kids as we looked at 'ancient' Maori artifacts and experienced and simulation of another volcano eruption in Auckland. I then showed them the Ponsonby district and had a disappointing cake. That evening we had been invited by Shelley to go out for a meal with some of her work mates. Their intern, Eric, was leaving and had suggested we all go to a Vietnamese place. We met in Mac's Bar in Newmarket and had a meal before heading to the restaurant. The lack of a vege option foiled R+R but they ended up ok. I had chicken noddles - it reminded me of my trip to the country and was actually very authentic! I spent the night on Shelley's sofa again, only she had moved house since last time so it was in a different place!


We left Auckland later than planned and headed north on SH1 bound for the Bay of Islands. The drive was pleasent and we stopped for lunch at the Dome Lookout cafe. I cannot remember the exact location of this place but it was south of Whangerai. In the town itself we visited Brauhaus Fings - a micro brewery and purchased a flagon of 'Old Ale' beer to enjoy later. On the way out of town we visited the falls before arriving in Kerikeri and rocking up at an organic citrus farm's hostel. We were greeted warmly by Claus the Swedish owner who had emmigrated here 14 years ago via Florida. It was a lovely hostel with a small 4 bed dorm i shared with another German, Petra, who worked in the town. R+R got a good price on a double room. We cooked dinner and settled around the fire with the flagon.


The next day was 'Christmas'. Claus' partner, Moira, a Scot, did not like the winter without a Christmas so had organized a party for friends. We had just landed in the middle of this but were warmly invited! The only condition was to buy a $5 'secret santa' gift for under the tree and a few nibbles to have with the mulled wine. We spent the morning exploring the coast and climbed St. Paul's head in the north of the Bay of Island which afforded us excellent views. It was very slippery on the assent but worth it. We also checked out the memorial to the Greenpeace ship - The Rainbow Warrior, which was bombed by the French Government killing a photographer in 1985 in Auckland harbor. The wreck was moved up here to be used a dive site. Back in the hostel we had a great party with about 25 locals of all ages. A lovely meal had been cooked with contributions given by all families attending, and we all ate well. A disco followed until the early hours. A fun night!


After checking out of the Kerikeri farm hostel and thanking Claus for his hospitality and free mandarins we decided to try and make it to Cape Reinga - The most northerly tip of SH1. After a very long drive we decided to turn around realizing we would not make it to out next hostel before very late. We made it to Kohukohu on the north bank of the Hokianga inlet before nightfall and checked in to the infamous Tree House hostel. R+R had opted to camp despite the waterlogged ground where as headed straight for the dorm! This is a lovely home-built place in sub-tropical woodlands which is owned to real hippy's from Sydney!


We decided to do some work in exchange for a bed so spent the following morning clearing and area of ground of lilies and ferns and planting a few Paw Paw trees. We also shifted and stacked a pile of fire wood. This was enough to earn us a bed for the night so in the afternoon we explored the tiny settlement of Kohukohu. A chilled out evening lounging on bean bags and reading old copies of National Geographic in the cosy hostel was a good end to the day.

That brings me to today. We tried to get more work, but it was apparently far too wet for us to work outside!! A large tree had fallen down in the grounds the previous night that Pauline had wanted us to clear but she wouldn't let us try due to the rain. We decided to go for a walk in our full waterproofs around the nature trail that lies in the hostels grounds which was like walking though a rainforest! We caught the ferry as foot passengers over the Hokianga to Rawene - a slightly livelier place but still tiny. We had lunch in a pretentious cafe and took a walk on a boardwalk through the Mangroves. We move on tomorrow to Opononi, another small place on the south banks of the Hokianga. We have to leave here because ants have eaten all my food!

Full Circle! - (updated 20/07/08)

Its been a while since I updated this blog and a fair bit has happened! I stayed in taupo for another night and did my first washing of the trip. The hostel had facilities so that made life easier. However, one of the Dryers had broken meaning a huge backlog of wet laundry from other travellers. I had to wait until the following moring to dry my smalls leaving me with only my swimming shorts and a t-shirt to survive the night! I met Katja and we cooked an elaborate meal of pasta together. I also came across two housemates of my old school friend Oli Filler!!

The following day I checked out of the hostel and headed South-East on SH 5 to Napier. The drive was amazing with stunning hills and snow-capped peaks adorning the horizon. This town in central in Hawke's Bay and NZ's wine country. It suffered the worst natural disaster in EnZed's inhabited histroy in 1930 when a massive earthquake flattened the city. The rebuilding of the city was done in the fashion of the era - Art Deco. Most building and monuments around the centre of town are in this style. It is said to rival Miami as 'Art Deco Capital of the World'! I stayed in a cool hostel called Stable Lodge which had a super comfy bed! I spent the afternoon walking round town and checked out the National Aquarium of New Zealand. The hostel had laid on a Pizza evening where they made the bases and we could do the toppings. It was great.


I left Napier early and headed back to Taupo to pick up Katja. I had offered to give he a lift to Auckland as she was flying out on Wednesday and I kinda needed to be up that way soon so it made sence to share a lift. The drive was about 6hrs in total but fueled by Tim Tams, muffins and L&P (local soft drink) supplied by Katja we made it just fine. We checked into City Garden Lodge in Parnell - a very posh part of town. It is the Auckland Fil Festival at the moment so we decided to go watch a film in town. After a mad dash across the city we just made it to the SkyCity Theatre and watch an awsome film - The King of Kong.

Today we took a ferry to Rangitoto Island... I shall continue soon, but my time on the computer has run out!!

.. picking up where i left off! We caught the 12.15 ferry from pier 2a just in time and floated to Rangitoto via Devonport in about 20mins. I think the ferry pilot was a novice as he took a fair while docking the boat at the wharf, including a few big shunts of the timber jetty! The last ferry to leave the island would do so at 15.30 so we didnt have much time to hang around. There were a few bach's (NZ cottages) dotted around the wharf which seemed strange as this is Auckland's newest volcano at just 600 years old. A mangrove ecosystem as just about started to develop close to the shore and there was a fair few trees covring the dark volcanic rock. The walk to the summit took around 45mins going at a fair pace – luckery we dodged the showers and made it to the crater rim dry. The lookout over the city was great and I could see the Coromandel Peninsula on the horizon. After a few photos on the top we headed back down but took a detour to look at the lava caves. Katja had cunningly packed her torch so we decided to go down one. The first one ran out pretty quickly so we decided to try our luck on another one. This one went much deeper and once in total darkness i noticed a glimmer of light coming from further inside the cave. It turned out that there was another exit so we squeezed out into dazzling daylight! We made it to the ferry in good time. There were a few people getting off the ferry with large rucksacks – i think they were going to the camping on the volcano. Back in Ponsonby we decided to go out for a meal. Japanese was the choice and we both tucked into a big bowl on Teriyaki Chicken and noodles. Tasty!

Its Raining.

Still in Taupo. Its raining. LOTS!

Taupo... again!

Right. So im now in Taupo for the second time in my life.

I left the Coromandel after staying a night in Hahei Beach on the west coast of the peninsula for a night. The drive from Coromandel Town to there was a nice one. The road is super twisty and made its way steeply up over the mountains with a superb viewpoint both East and West at the pass summit. I was unsure where I wanted to end up so I was driving without purpose, stopped where I like to check the area out and see if I could stay there for a day or two. In the end I made the decision to stay as close to the places I wanted to visit – that place was the retirement settlement of Hahei. I stayed in an elderly couple’s spare room which was odd as the sign outside said it was a backpackers! There was another sleeping there which made it better. A German guy who was bussing it around. The same evening I arrived, my hosts advised me that it was low tide on Hot Water Beach where I could be able dig my own hot spa in the sands. I grabbed a spade and headed on over right away. Turns out I was about 2 hrs early so had to hang around to wait till the tide had retreated. I got talking to an Irish bloke, Dan, who had been sleeping in his campervan for the last 11 months trying to get a cd recorded – which he had done successfully only a few days earlier. He told me to check it out at www.myspace.com/14folk which I shall do as soon as I get to the internet. We decide to wade into the surf and wriggle our feet into the hot sand below. It was a weird sensation having burning souls and freezing calves. It turned out that due to sand erosion the tide didn’t go out nearly as much as it used to so only about 5m of the hot spot was exposed with about 30 people wanting to get in on the action – it was standing room only. The water beneath the sand was between 60-64 degrees Celsius. HOT! Dan had managed to wriggle his way in and grab a bath!

Next morning I took a walk to Cathedral Cove – a magnificent limestone arch. It was a sunny morning and a walk was just what I needed. It was only a 2hr round trip but well worth it. The drive south took be through kiwi fruit country and I spotted a giant model of a kiwi in Te Puke. I debated stopping in Rotorua but decided to carry on to Taupo as I prefer it as a town as a base for the area. I remembered a hostel I stayed in last time so checked in to that. Problem was all the rooms were being decorated to I was in a shed out back with the most uncomfortable bed in the world. Still, it was a bed. I checked out the next morning a set off exploring thee geothermal areas around town. Craters of the Moon was the first stop. An area full of bubbling mud pools and escaping steam – I love this kind of stuff! Even if the sulphur dioxide stinks! I then re-visited Huka Falls and went on further up stream to a dam and witnessed one of the twice daily sluice openings to fuel the hydro station further down the Waikato. On retuning to town I checked into Rainbow Lodge another hostel which is much busier. The dorm im sleeping in is inhabited by a group of snoring girls from Taiwan so not much sleep last night! The rooms are heated though which is good when it's -4 outside!

This morning it is raining. Oh well. So Danny, Andrew and I decided to take the plunge(!) and do the Taupo bungy. We got a discounted rate to jump before 11am. It was ACE! Over too quick though! I love falling in freefall! The cantilever ledge hangs 47m above the Waikato River in an awesome setting. I was the first to jump of the 3 of us. 3-2-1-BUNGY! And a perfect swan dive off the ledge! Andrew (from the US) decided he wanted to get wet so with some clever maths the crew manage to dunk him up to his waist in the river as the bungy was at full extent. Danny (UK) and I chickened out and opted to stay dry!

Coromandel

I moved to the Coromandel Peninsula yesterday after I checked out of the Auckland hostel. The drive from the city took about 4 hrs driving at a fairly leisurly pace. It's nice to be back in the countryside again and reminds me of what i loved about NZ so much. It's amazing how quickly the roads become very rural out of Auckland.

As you have probably guessed I have a car now. I managed to blag a free taxi ride from the city to the airport where the rental company was based. I also got a free upgrade to a lower milage car – which was nice! Its a white Nissan Sunny automatic with a/c, leccy windows/mirrors etc. Not bad for such a cheap rate! They even threw in 14 days free lift pass for Coronet Peak nr Queenstown/Wanaka and a free ride on the Cook Straight ferry!

Im staying in a small backpackers called The Lions Den based in Coromandel Town. Its a nice little town with a few cafes and essential stores and a great chippy (tried and tested). I arrived about 2pm yesterday after a breathtaking drive along State Highway 25 (more like an Alpine pass than a highway!) It did take a bit longer than I had anticipated due to stopping every 5 mins to take photos! The sun was out in force which made a change from the rain I had come accustomed to in Auckland. Im sharing the hostel with a German couple – Ruth and Stephan, an Irish guy, Patrick who works in Auckland for Hewlett Packard and Doug, a carpenter from Vancouver. In the evening we all huddeled around the log burner as the temperature dropped.

I got up early this morning to get on the 10.15am train on the Driving Creek Railway. A supurb feat of personal engineering and passion. A potter, Brian Brickell, had created a home-made railway system that made its way impossiably up the steep hillside to an amazing look-out point – the Eye-Full Tower (get it?!?). It was also a mission in conservation as he took out all the non-native trees and re-planted the area with 19,000 native varieties. Currently he is trying to re-introduce the Kiwi bird in to the area by setting up a breeding programme.

I have just returned from a little drive further up the coast to Colville – a tiny settelment home to a buddhist monastry, a quaint general stores and a cafe where I ate an awesome BLT sandwich for lunch. I would have gone further north but the road turned to gravel and my hire agreement forbode me to contine. I think i shall stay here for a few more nights. The weather is set to improve and there are a few more things i should like to see in the area. Hopefully this cold spell shall pass as it is fairly chilly for north North Island!

Devonport

Woke up early again today so managed to get a shower before the hot water ran out – that's a skill every backpacker has to learn fast! The truckers of NZ are holding a go-slow protest on Auckland's roads so i called the hire company to put off picking my car up today. After a leisurely breakfast and a political discussion with an American, I set off for Devonport – a suburb on Auckland's north shore. The $9 dollar ferry only lasted 12 mins but it gave the suberb its very own unique feel. This is the home to NZ's tiny naval fleet and has 2 extint volcanoes, Mt Victoria and North ... . I took a walk up Mt. Victoria (83m) which afforded me superb views of Auckland and it even had an old 'hidden' gun placement and an operational radar tower. I back in the hostel now and having a chilled out afternoon.

Arrival

So I made it! Im here in Auckland!

The flights were fine, long, but fine. We left LHR about ½ an hour later than were were due which started to get me worried that I was going to miss my connection in Singapore. There was only 1hr allotted between my first flight landing and my second departing. Luckily the steady 70km/h tail wind helped us to land bang on time at Changi airport. I had checked-in on-line and had managed to choose my seats for the flights which meant I was able to sit by the window on the upper deck of the new Airbus A380 - pretty cool. Sitting next to me was a young doctor from Singapore who had been attending a lecture in Manchester. He was friendly and we had a good chat about Singapore's climate!

After making a mad dash for it through the immensely long Terminal 3 at Changi I made it to gate A21 and boarded the flight bound for Auckland. It was 8.30am and already 27 degrees and 99% humidity. The sun had risen in a cloudless sky. The flight was troubled with turbulence but i managed to get a bit of sleep despite to fierce air con.

We landed 40mins early but this was offset by the time spent queuing at immigration as there was only 1 member of staff checking passports. I was met by Rob's sister, Shelley who had very kindly agreed to pick my up and accommodate me that night. It was really nice to not have to worry about finding somewhere to stay and her sofa was so comfy after being cramped in economy for 24hrs.

This morning Shelley even took me to a backpackers which was great, even if she did lock her car keys in the house! So im staying in Uenuku Lodge in Ponsonby. I got a top bunk in a cosy 4 bed dorm with decent 'room-mates' a Japanese guy who has spent the last 2 years in Australia and now has a 1 year visa for here. Also a French girl who has also got a working visa. Once settled I went for a mission of a walk around the city to try and reset my body clock. I got a local sim card for my mobile and managed to get a good deal on a hire car - $13 a day, which i about £5.20. I pick it up tomorrow. I did a bit of food shopping in a New World and managed to avoid an (inevitable) torrential downpour!

post-it planning

post-it planning, originally uploaded by herdingnerfs.

Now staying with my parents for the week before I go. Starting to get the stuff together that I think i shall take. I have written each bit of kit on a post-it note ans stuck them to a window so i can work out what i need and move things around in priority. Hopefully I'll wittle the list down a wee bit.

too much too fast!

Blimey! its June already! in less than a month ill be in the southern hemisphere! off to the parents this weekend with a van full of stuff – the start of the move out! everything is moving too fast for my liking, still got a lot of stuff to sort out. haha! i cant wait really!

Still need insurance...

The day is looming!

River with Moel Eilio in the distance, originally uploaded by herdingnerfs.

Not long now! but I shall sure miss seeing this every day after work. still need to get travel insurance....

Operation HQ!

So this is where its all starting. From a caravan in a field on the slopes of a mountain in Snowdonia. Can you spot Angus and Dilan? I think it's about time I introduced this blog. I have set it up to document my forthcoming trip to New Zealand in July. There is still lots to plan, lots to think about - or to try not to think about - somethings get boring if you think too much. There's a little over 2 months to go until I leave this field for the other side of the globe but no doubt I'll have forgotten to do something in time. It wouldn't be a trip if it all went smoothly now would it? For the past year I have been working up here in North Wales for amdro camper conversions which has been a great opportunity to do something I love in an area I love. But as they say; "the grass is always greener", hence my travels. This wont be my first trip to NZ. I visited in 2005 for 3 weeks with a friend Rob, while traveling around the world. We saw a lot, but not quite enough so have both decided to return.