New Zealand!

10th December

After the sadness of leaving Aoife behind in Hong Kong I needed to get myself into gear and get down to my next stop.  New Zealand.  I was excited about seeing the place- so many good things have been said I wanted to see what all the fuss is about!  And what better way to see the country than… (you guessed it)… a road trip!  Of course before that could start, in the way was a seriously long flight with three stops- Kuala Lumpur, Gold Coast and finally Auckland.  Air Asia X is not the most comfortable airline- in fact its pretty much like flying Ryanair for long haul.  It does have some redeeming features however: it is cheap, the inflight meals are cheap and they have an excellent lounge in Kuala Lumpur which is also… cheap!  Taking into account an 8hr layover in Kuala Lumpur meant that the whole flight took around 26hrs to complete and I therefore arrived in Auckland absolutely wrecked.  Biosecurity is a big issue in New Zealand- you can`t  bring in any natural produce and any hiking gear needs to be checked for foreign mud.  The 2hr wait for them to check the boots was a bit frustrating but there were other travellers in the queue and we passed the time pleasantly enough.  It was my first experience of solo travel- perhaps it wouldn`t be so bad after all 🙂

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After picking up the rental car, I headed into town and found my hostel for the night.  It was very strange to be driving on the left again; more than once I headed up the road on the wrong side!  Overall, it felt very much like arriving home despite being 11,000 miles away.  Even though I`d missed a nights sleep, the jet lag was keeping me up so I decided to head into town to see what Auckland has to offer.  It turns out… not that much!  The city is pleasant enough but I could have been in Manchester for all the difference there was from home.  I was also shocked by how expensive everything was- $11 for a pint of beer?!  Whatever, eventually tiredness kicked in and I headed back to the hostel to sleep and think about what I`d seen.

 

11th December

After a good sleep, the morning came and I resolved to find a good breakfast.  The LP describes Ponsonby as the hipster part of Auckland so I decided to head up and see what all the fuss was about☺  I did find a good breakfast and an excellent coffee although it cost me $20.  The eating out would have to stop!  Actually the coffee in NZ turned out to be universally wonderful- people obviously take it really seriously here and you can even get a nice flat white in the supermarket!  After sorting out a couple more things such as getting a phone sim it was time to head out to the Tongariro National Park to hike the famous Tongariro Crossing and possibly scale Mount Doom!  After leaving Auckland, the countryside opened up and I started having a royal time driving through it on the winding roads.  It was lovely to be driving a car again, even if this one was an auto, and the drive passed pretty uneventfully apart from the beautiful green hills and fields.

I arrived at my accommodation and decided to cook up some dinner.  It was the first meal I`d prepared for almost two months and I was really looking forward to eating some home food- good old sausage and mash? The weather for the hike the next day was uncertain- in high winds and/or poor visibility the rangers stop all the transfer busses from setting down any tourists so they don`t have to rescue anyone.  In truth, the weather forecast was for both and I would have to wait and see what morning brought.

 

12th December

Well morning came and there were both high winds and low cloud.  Climbing Mount Doom was definitely not an option but apart from anything I was getting seriously ansi without exercise.  Luckily the bus was running and I set off up the path with two Canadian couples from the hostel.  No sooner had we started when people started coming the other way who had turned back due to the weather.  In truth loads of them!  I convinced the others to go as far as the first hut where we could talk to the warden in person and make a decision.  Sure enough we were told the conditions on the pass were 100kph winds and snow.  Basically a blizzard!  The other promptly turned around and headed back down the path but as those who I`ve walked with before will know, the promise of bad weather only made me want to conquer the hill more!  Luckily there were four others leaving the hut who felt the same way and I joined up with them for the crossing.  The wind was as strong as predicted and with the snow whipping our faces we battled up and over the pass, at times bent double to prevent being blown over!  Suddenly, however, we spotted blue sky- it looked like our endeavours would be rewarded as the cloud started to lift and we got our first look at this remarkable landscape.  The walk down the other side was stunning and having started the day not sure whether I would be able to do anything, I finished it with a beautiful walk in the sunshine down the mountain in the company of a human rights lawyer who had decided to walk the entire length of New Zealand!  She was only the first of a series of remarkable people that I would meet on this trip- sometimes travelling on your own is lonely but sometimes you hit the jackpot meeting remarkable people and doing the kind of things that can only happen by chance 🙂

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13th December

The next day I rose with the long drive to Wellington ahead of me.  I was looking forward to seeing what this little capital had to offer.  The drive was, again, lovely and I arrived in good time and got settled into the hostel.  Being a Tuesday night, nobody else in the hostel fancied heading into town with me so after a run along the water front, I cooked up another meal and headed out to see what fun I could find.  It turns out that Wellington is a pretty fun place to hang out with plethora of nice little bars and plenty of music.  I started out in a bar with a band playing and when they finished moved on to another with an open mic night.  This promptly turned into karaoke!  I, of course, had no intention of singing anything however the solo traveller I had got talking to had other ideas and with the promise of a free pint as my reward I headed up to the stage to strut my stuff!  It was surprisingly fun- so much so that I had to get up and do another song!

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14th December

I was on my way again the next day and was due in Nelson to stay with Davey and Lily.  First though, I needed to get the ferry across to the South Island.  The ferry ride across the Cook Straight and into Marlborough Sound is supposed to be one of the most beautiful in the world and it didn`t dissapoint.  I won`t waffle on about it but just have a look at some of the pictures.  On top of all the gorgeous scenery there was bright sunshine and dolphins playing in the wake of that boat.  What could be more perfect?   Having arrived in good time, I decided to take the shorter but much more winding Queen Charlotte Drive to Nelson which takes you through Marlborough Sound.  This was just as fabulous as the boat trip- the landscape in New Zealand really is superlative and after everything I`d seen over the last four months it was still amazing 🙂

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I arrived in Nelson early in the evening and was promptly treated to a delicious home made Mexican dinner.  The beers and the chat flowed and after a lovely catch up it was time for bed.  I gratefully settled into the comfy bedsheets and fell asleep; staying in hostels had made me really appreciate what it is to have your own room with a comfy double bed in 🙂

 

15th December

The hectic schedule of the last few days had taken its toll and I awoke this morning a bit tired and in need of some relaxation time.  After a lazy start I set about putting together the  (well overdue) blog updates for the Stans, having a bit of a think about what I was going to do whilst chez Davey and Lily and booking some accommodation for my drive to Queenstown.  With some much needed help from Lily, a plan came together and feeling better about the immediate future I set out for a run and a swim on the beach!

It was far too windy to do a real run on the beach so I settled for a quick 30 minute jog on the sand and then sat watching the kite surfers do their thing.  It was lovely being back with the sand and the sea and despite the wind it was warm!  Hot weather in December was a little weird but it would be churlish to suggest that I wasn`t grateful ?

The evening was spent jamming with some of Davey`s buddies.  It was a great to get back playing guitars together; it had been more than 10 years since we had a band together.  After jamming along to some good old tunes it was time to head home- staying up all night wouldn`t do with work beckoning in the morning!

 

16th December

Davey and Lily had kindly agreed to lend me their campervan for a couple of days so I could go a bit further afield and explore the Abel Tasman national park, Sunny Bay and Farewell Spit.  It was a fairly ambitious amount of ground to cover in two days considering I`d have to do about 4hrs driving each day and make it back in time for a party on Saturday night!  Still, I was definitely looking forward to getting back in another campervan- I was missing Seline who is still parked 8,000 miles away in the freezing winter of Kazakhstan ?

After stocking up on food for the evening I made it to the north end of Abel Tasman for my planned walk about 1pm.  Now according to the guide book, my chosen route was about 25km and should take 10hrs.  I obviously didn`t have 10hrs but anyway set out with confidence that I could better their proposed timings.  I pushed out through this impeccabile landscape of golden beaches and lush green woodlands.  The landscape here is incredible, you could almost be on a tropical island- just take a look at the pictures.  I could have spent more time here- an overnight stay on one of the beachside campsites would have been pure heaven however I had a comfy bed waiting for me ?  After 6hrs I returned, found a campsite nearby the ocean and bunked down for the night.

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zk6FR9AV3uA/WJRqF6nXGqI/AAAAAAAARGU/4EkyTh2phwscwfdZ-cPUIK3XXkh-fvSLgCCo/s144-o/20161216_211011.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843221757074082″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161216_211011.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kwgesTVBW0w/WJRqF7LWXFI/AAAAAAAARGU/r9SRCo1eKTwYQb0WEFMEdIFqwlMVWdbTgCCo/s144-o/20161216_175425.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843221908020306″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161216_175425.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-739uadH0KWA/WJRqF0lf2gI/AAAAAAAARGU/nFeftcnjJEoUJqHoyv1mpwOglNppSo00gCCo/s144-o/20161216_165631.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843220138646018″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161216_165631.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gomlWrrOw0s/WJRqF_Al5WI/AAAAAAAARHA/FCm1CSfna_YyhMGmgLMCnZ5DEGEy_GbqgCCo/s144-o/20161216_150937.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843222936642914″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161216_150937.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qSPkCYbUljA/WJRqF5zDeUI/AAAAAAAARGU/BWX-Cb0TvQAjdNOdB_xWe5BSrrbLt355ACCo/s144-o/20161216_141212.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843221537683778″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161216_141212.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ap8qAMu8fF0/WJRqFxvOaNI/AAAAAAAARGU/Ybi58mvcatIUE83yoTmVfjxSBbGsQIW5QCCo/s144-o/20161216_141023.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843219374139602″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161216_141023.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KA6YfXmeqyo/WJRqF4rfv1I/AAAAAAAARGU/6S-FeNNNJRMxePNMp4VJvuhMNhCprgXCgCCo/s144-o/20161216_132827.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843221237546834″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161216_132827.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RRGcpwxMJwo/WJRqFz-UaPI/AAAAAAAARGU/xDLcAfwWNic4aivhhcZwD5DZEY7tyhBbACCo/s144-o/20161216_130056.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843219974318322″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161216_130056.jpg” image_size=”2592×1944″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mFRkTCbh-rU/WJRqF1jth8I/AAAAAAAARGU/2BTX2ZaC0rwa_bFskSiVpfSBKlZBuSIQgCCo/s144-o/20161216_130043.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843220399589314″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161216_130043.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZiiuLKR9FIQ/WJRqFyuN7cI/AAAAAAAARGU/sBmllhUTZ4M-JOfSE3nbcagAc9PMjVmTACCo/s144-o/20161216_125953.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843219638349250″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161216_125953.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zQ4AQmmCQ00/WJRqFx8fVOI/AAAAAAAARGU/NzeGxQwYRmE4aY-hYoWOpHYZuEoGd9zvwCCo/s144-o/20161216_121343.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843219429774562″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161216_121343.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

17th December

I rose early to ensure I had time to make it to farewell spit and back to Nelson in time for Davey and Lily`s Christmas Party ? After an hour drive I arrived at farewell spit and set out to walk out along it and see what this nature reserve had to offer.  It was another remarkable place- pure white sand, rolling waves and barely a person to be seen.  Heaven!  There were also animals in abundance- the benefit of not having too many people around.  Lost in my thoughts I stumbled accross a seal on the beach.  At first the bark I got from him scared the living daylights out of me but this soon turned to sadness when I realised that he was stranded on the beach having suffered some kind of attack.  I walked on feeling dimished by the vastness, beauty and cruelty of this amazing place.

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-s4iauyrgcdw/WJRqF9CcSXI/AAAAAAAARGU/BT1wul_Hhh8KFpLhlw2bWboWzxRmsy13ACCo/s144-o/20161217_124305.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843222407530866″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161217_124305.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-i6OjVhUZsyA/WJRqF_AH0fI/AAAAAAAARGU/pT89NWtu-Ko7Z661NzXsbJUxDPIgDU2gQCCo/s144-o/20161217_122927.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843222934671858″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161217_122927.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l7GMp8wsItA/WJRqFyh3vZI/AAAAAAAARGU/vQFJGbc-WjwW43k4XF-TcWhAUV90c-7cwCCo/s144-o/20161217_122416.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843219586563474″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161217_122416.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UcJlmN5VTNQ/WJRqF3N3j7I/AAAAAAAARGU/knQwZnV19McwOOP_RjeuIrt0gmCcZ-7SgCCo/s144-o/20161217_121011.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843220844842930″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161217_121011.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zfmY7LTwxhM/WJRqF_PcjYI/AAAAAAAARGU/ukeTCBkC-jwGWGzeBu2LOfCxTIX_EGA8gCCo/s144-o/20161217_121005.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843222998945154″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161217_121005.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4gJ59BiBuDg/WJRqF0jduxI/AAAAAAAARGU/1TmMnYfBtvA28xxbeUd0XQ5oAKMvEz5vQCCo/s144-o/20161217_111213.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843220130118418″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161217_111213.jpg” image_size=”2592×1944″ ]

 [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OaTRTW1spIo/WJRqF4W7ODI/AAAAAAAARGU/jSmLEeLh_3QZD2HP1x2HtDlu09Vd9PanwCCo/s144-o/20161217_130249.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843221151266866″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161217_130249.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

Having taken in Farewell Spit I drove on to Wharariki Beach where I had been told there was a seal colony.  Unfortunately it turned out that you can only see the colony at low tide and with party to get back for I couldn`t wait six hours for the tide to receed.  I did, however, happen upon this guy lounging on the beach soaking up the sun!  After a brief swim in a very wild Tasman Sea it was time to head back for an evening of revelry 🙂

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uPafinIgChU/WJRqFzxxvSI/AAAAAAAARGU/Z4fV5Jn5pRY9qOIqS-IThFgsyiCz_z9fgCCo/s144-o/20161217_145344.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843219921714466″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161217_145344.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

 

18th December

A recovery day was in order today after an excellent night Chez Lily and Davey.  Following some rest we headed out to visit their new, super cute puppy.  Then onto another celebration- this time a birthday party follwed by some Christmas Carols.  I have to confess that it felt pretty weird singing carols in the middle of summer but it was pretty nice all the same ?

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bqiw6FG4PQU/WJRqF-2UwkI/AAAAAAAARGU/MnYKXutxj6cIQZbuE24NbfU0lra_H_PlACCo/s144-o/20161218_210651.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843222893576770″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161218_210651.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XFfgj8SSKLw/WJRqF5fmZQI/AAAAAAAARGU/RHBnzFzv_sg7T6qmqu74UZdiXhWRo6aZwCCo/s144-o/20161218_142752.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843221456086274″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161218_142752.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vhAvQ2k67v0/WJRqF8DKJUI/AAAAAAAARGU/rm3kbgdF35ACbNHHzOa7DNsUnT93kb5eACCo/s144-o/20161218_141957.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843222142100802″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161218_141957.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

 

19th December

Unfortunately it was my final day in Nelson.  After doing a bit of blogging in the morning I headed down to spend a bit of time on the beach.  The kite surfers were out in force again along with a few windsurfers.  For me the only sports gear I had with me was my running shoes and swimming trunks.  Still, you make use of what you have and after a very enjoyable afternoon of running, swimming and sunbathing it was time to head out for the last dinner!

We had a lovely evening of chat over a good curry and all too soon it was time to head back home; some people had to work in the morning 🙂

I felt sad to be leaving my friends for the unknown again but also felt very happy in seeing the wonderful life they have carved out for themselves over here ?

20th December

After a week of relaxing in Nelson it was time to head off for some hiking.  The great walks in New Zealand require that you book either huts of campsites on the route- no just turning up here!  As a consequence, I was far too late to book in to any of the most famous of the walking routes- most people recommend booking at least 6 months in advance!  Whatever, I had settled on walking through Nelson Lakes which promised some amazing scenery, challenging hiking and an overnight stay in a hut on the shores of Lake Angelus.  What could be better?

I was clearly a bit rusty with my packing because I ended up lugging a pretty heavy pack all the way up to the hut and back down again… most of which I didn`t use ??  I started the day with a steep ascent up to Robert Ridge followed by a spectacular 4hrs walk at elevation to the hut.  It is rare to be treated to such a series of superlative views- just look at the photos.  I finally arrived at the hut around 5pm to find a load of friendly people, some of whom were just setting off to climb Mount Angelus itself.  Now, ordinarily, the possibility of spending the end of my day climbing another mountain would have appealed but I wasn`t feeling it today, whetever the promised view at the top.  Angeuls lake was beckoning me to swim and the sun was warm and strong.  There was nothing for it but to have a swim and a sunbathe!

After an enjoyable evening of chat, it was time for sleep.  I can`t pretend that sleeping in a bunk room with 20 other people particularly appealed but I was so tired that sleep came easily enough.

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pMQ_w8M7zJM/WJRqF8yjchI/AAAAAAAARGU/fl4pGvt9q-M2dumeQiJ2NffCp1YEwQaTACCo/s144-o/20161220_213459.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843222340891154″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161220_213459.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/–q0Lb2-IyzY/WJRqF-jBPQI/AAAAAAAARGU/ltW3sAGsldonQNsaalpXySH0ymxIzfYIgCCo/s144-o/20161220_211626.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843222812605698″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161220_211626.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ihc88zyhts0/WJRqF6YWeNI/AAAAAAAARGU/Z74NAvhLJ8M4XNRXGR4C95lFmOHiOD9eQCCo/s144-o/20161220_211558.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843221694118098″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161220_211558.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-q8YjhJXOQvo/WJRqF3p4dpI/AAAAAAAARGU/TCyA3y8BNe88O937YeCxqcGdZMUMHzx_QCCo/s144-o/20161220_204146.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843220962342546″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161220_204146.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ShdS9KSpbE0/WJRqFyAaiPI/AAAAAAAARGU/lz0zS53Asx4j2r0MHDfBqiRxH-56C_RngCCo/s144-o/20161220_155645.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843219446237426″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161220_155645.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xBRShuU095k/WJRqF416RsI/AAAAAAAARGU/RHHIE47GAkUojJ8U6xxAEOvvPdNFyae0ACCo/s144-o/20161220_153004.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843221281228482″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161220_153004.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ldosVE-Mm1w/WJRqFxnUKCI/AAAAAAAARGU/V803ztpLVxUKyMhmBwdEWeFF_l-p5IM2wCCo/s144-o/20161220_141853.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843219340961826″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161220_141853.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MmN-MWIG690/WJRqF6TvW0I/AAAAAAAARGU/rT62A7wAM7MbEkI2JNF9Fdb2JSUP7QrVACCo/s144-o/20161220_134923.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843221674777410″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161220_134923.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Qyq_1gBeK6s/WJRqF1jQqgI/AAAAAAAARGU/7QuJDtLszUcogxdFhf7KpHUZpgVyTHlCwCCo/s144-o/20161220_134920.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843220397697538″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161220_134920.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xEBgKSbh-3A/WJRqF_JnMxI/AAAAAAAARGU/aakbAiihFx0X1J-kuclzrvvf8F3zxwc8wCCo/s144-o/20161220_134834.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843222974477074″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161220_134834.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EgcUCxhg8qU/WJRqF3MGufI/AAAAAAAARGU/KNS79R9i2BYBzbifZ6NOA5uFvG24-hM4ACCo/s144-o/20161220_130035.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843220837448178″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161220_130035.jpg” image_size=”2592×1944″ ]

21st December

I woke late (for hiking) and once I`d had breakfast started to make my way down the mountain.  Normally I hate descents and this one was no different.  It was a semi scramble down a boulder field followd by a trek through some woodland.  The pain of the descent was greatly reduced by the beauty of the beech woodland that I was walking through.  It was a remarkable landscape- earily quiet, almost magical in feeling.  I didn`t see another soul for almost two hours except two groups of wild campers emerging from the woods.  Then suddenly I got to the bottom of the hill and met T who was one of a group with whom I had shared some chat the previous evening.  We decided to walk out together and had a great afternoon swapping life stories and sharing anecdotes from our respective trips.  I can`t pretend that spending a great deal more time in the beautiful laid back country didn`t appeal greatly and it was with a little pang of jealously that we finally parted with T going on to work on a farm near Nelson for some months.

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m7FMxvCHwEM/WJRqF2w6__I/AAAAAAAARGU/Iz7WIzv0Kas29PWe8ZvpA4zOHpD3ZjorgCCo/s144-o/20161221_150932.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843220723433458″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161221_150932.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MepA2eS1qrQ/WJRqF6-hgFI/AAAAAAAARGU/1-8fsApGfQwsTwQBtsZxt1BYrz3b0xXDgCCo/s144-o/20161221_122809.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843221854224466″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161221_122809.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZIRlqHSaLNE/WJRqFynuEmI/AAAAAAAARGU/Fy5_57tkYXQMq6p354QS0-awbArdvsmNQCCo/s144-o/20161221_101357.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843219611095650″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161221_101357.jpg” image_size=”2592×1944″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_yC1nJwAc6k/WJRqF0hfAJI/AAAAAAAARGU/VDfVC1IdkkEU7yzoc-0LYzDOzrKNUYGuACCo/s144-o/20161221_093836.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843220121813138″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161221_093836.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-w8NAJI2Qlls/WJRqF-UbWFI/AAAAAAAARGU/iQFbUYODVi02TF0G99m2aguc2IusAXcsQCCo/s144-o/20161221_101336.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843222751402066″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161221_101336.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

My journey, however, was taking me to Queenstown, via the West Coast.  I was particularly excited about this part of the trip and having been promised that this was the wild side of the South Island I was looking forward to bad weather and stormy seas ?

 

22nd December

I had overnighted in a hostel in the coastal town of Punakaiki.  My plan was to kayak up the river and into the rainforest before driving on down the coast to Franz Josef.  Unfortunately it had been raining all night which meant the river had turned to a chocolate, swirlling mess!  It was too dangerous to Kayak and besides, it was flowing so fast that the only place I would have been going was out to sea!  As an alternative, I took the walking route up the river which, despite the rain, was a beautiful walk.  It hadn`t occured to me that there might be rainforest on a temperate island but this certainly was- the colour and shape of the greenery was amazing.

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After walking it was time to hit the road and cover the relatively short journey down the coast to my next destination.  After a few stops along the way to walk the wild, deserted beaches I arrived early in the afternoon far more tired than I expected.  There were many possible things to do here but I settled for a relaxing soak in the hot tub followed by a huge dinner of steak sandwich.  I was enjoying getting back to my old ways of eating a big slab of meat for dinner- New Zealand is great for this   The evening rolled around and I suddenly realised that no others had checked into my dorm room.  An empty dorm room was a very welcome surprise and I hit my bed early to take full advantage 😉

23rd December

Today was the big drive over to Queenstown.  I`d been looking forward to this one as it is supposed to be one of the best ones in New Zealand for landscape- from what I had already seen if this was true it would be pretty incredible and after a quick stop off at the Franz Josef glacier I was on my way!  The glacier was lovely if a little touristy- definitely worth a stop.

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The journey was remarkable after all- it was another amazing car journey through winding mountains.  Perhaps not as epic as the journey through Kyrgystan but every bit as enjoyable   I was even a little early when I arrived in Wanaka so what else to do except have a swim in the very inviting looking lake!  I stripped off, changed into my swimmers, plunged into the lake and… Oh My God!  It was freezing!  I quickly dipped in and then got out shivering.  It suddenly dawned on me why there were plenty of people sitting by the lake enjoying the sunshine but absolutely none in the lake itself.  Maybe for once I should have followed the crowd 😉

I finally made it over to Queenstown pretty tired after the journey and after a brief stop in the Supermarket to pick up supplies for Christmas settled into a nice dinner and glass of wine chez Michelle, Emily and Daryl ?

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24th December

Today was the big day for my Canyon Swing.  This had been my birthday present from Aoife and I had been pushing the thought of the 105m jump into the back of my mind ever since!  Still, it could have been lot worse- at least I didn`t have to jump off the 134m high Nevis Bungee 😉  You have to decide how you are going to jump off the platform so they play a video for you in the bus on the way up of all the ways you can do it.  This was the first time I had been confronted with the reality of what was about to happen and it didn`t help too much!  Finally we arrived at the jump site, got kitted up with harnesses etc and got ready to jump off…

It was actually… really fun!  And much more scary than the Turkish paragliding because you can`t feel what`s holding you up before you jump off the platform- just blind faith really 😉  But the rush is incredible!

After coming back from the Canyon Swing the plan was to meet up with Michelle and climb up to the Skyline which is on top of one of the mountains overlooking Queenstown.  We`d also get a look at some people bungy jumping in case I fancied doing that too!  It was a pleasant afternoon- a walk was just what I needed after the excitement of the morning.

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xg2x_p50DTg/WJRqF_BhdTI/AAAAAAAARF8/l_LJd-BDvoQNd6XhBaznF7tmx4iQficbgCCo/s144-o/20161224_162109.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843222940546354″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161224_162109.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tQGIhliHUO0/WJRqF_gXvmI/AAAAAAAARF8/zkK8uFoKirclH_tJgkEiTBi_E_-zWPDhgCCo/s144-o/20161224_161453.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843223069933154″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161224_161453.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wv-Di1s_-B8/WJRqF6IaVTI/AAAAAAAARF8/2Oq1v0RoFlsKKfV0COrT-Dcq23-BYKM6QCCo/s144-o/20161224_161411.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843221627262258″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161224_161411.jpg” image_size=”2988×5312″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SY17k22iD9Q/WJRqF_pywWI/AAAAAAAARF8/drnUa-GK1Akw05DmBoKWAg1NGZNA_S7vwCCo/s144-o/20161224_153203.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843223109452130″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161224_153203.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

Finally the evening came and after a stop in the famous Fergburger it was time to go out an celebrate Christmas Eve ??

 

25th December

Christmas Day and it`s hot an sunny!  The plan for the day was to head down to the beach followed by a barbecue dinner chez Michelle`s friends Will and Grace.  It was a bit weird spending Christmas Day in the sunshine- most families by the lake were relaxing with a pick nick, some beers and water sports.  Christmas feels like it should be spent inside huddled against the wind and rain!  Whatever, in this case I was very grateful to have the sun to warm my bones and some great company to relax in.  I can`t pretend that being 10,000 miles from home on Christmas day didn`t make me feel a bit homesick but it was eased greatly by having such incredible company for the day.  Thanks again guys for a great day!

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J7fmgdILaXs/WJVYjCImtDI/AAAAAAAARNQ/kKXx-8UbgpgdXsbLuYU18cmWDXysGNMVACCo/s144-o/FB_IMG_1486182455970.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6383105405759173682″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”FB_IMG_1486182455970.jpg” image_size=”960×720″ ]

 

26th December

After two days of Christmas celebration it was time for a quiet day   Another beach stop by the lake, some paddle boarding, pick nick lunch and finally an evening of watching tv.  Just what the doctor ordered!

 

27th December

I had made Milford Sound one of the must sees of my trip to New Zealand.  The only question was how to see it?  It`s a 4hr drive each way to the sound from Queenstown and the prospect of 8hrs driving in one day for a 2hr cruise didn`t appeal at all!  I decided to split the Journey over three days and spend two nights in Te Anau on the  way.  This is a useful halfway stop and also a gateway to the Kepler Track.  I had been too late trying to book to do any of the Great Walks, however I wanted to see what all the fuss was about so resolved to do the first day of the Kepler Track and back as a day walk.

I said goodbye to Michelle, Emily and Daryl, picked up my tent at the rental shop and headed out early towards Te Anau.  This was another stretch of incredible New Zealand scenic road and after an amazing two hours I arrived at the campsite and got straight into pitching the tent.  Fortunately the tent I`d been given was very new and very well designed and I had it erected in no time!

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I arrived at the start of the track at around 1pm and quickly set out for Luxmore Hut which was the destination point for my day.  28km and 900m ascent and descent was a tough ask for any day walk but I needed a good stretch of the legs and set out eagerly   The journey started with a pleasant hike along the lake, through another magical beech forest.  Just before starting the climb, you pass a lovely campsite on the shores of a lake and I paused for a moment to savour the beauty of the spot.  Perhaps I would be staying here on another trip   Then it was time for the climb- this was a tough one straight up through woodland with no real view or let off but finally you emerge at the top on the other side to be greeted by spectacular views across the Southern Alps.  I arrived at the hut, fairly tired and ready for a pit stop!  Of course, I couldn`t linger too much because I had to retrace my steps to the car but it was enough to appreciate the beauty of the place and resolve to put the Kepler Track firmly on my bucket list!  Finally I arrived home but not before encountering another walker who was planning a road trip along almost the same route that Aoife and I had taken in Seline.  We spent a nice half an hour chatting of the Silk Road, far away lands and exciting adventures.  It seemed almost a lifetime ago that we had left Seline parked in Almaty and it was nice to think of all the happy memories from that trip.  I hope she`s doing ok in the bitter winter there.

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It still amazes me how small the travelling world is- I had met the same people in different places around New Zealand, some who had done parts of the trip we had done or were planning to do so.  I had also met an incredible proportion of South West Englanders.  New Zealand is not overrun by British people- there are far more Germans than British in fact.  But of those that I had met an overwhelming proportion were from Devon or Dorset.  Maybe it`s the similarity of the landscapes, the laid back culture or simply a love of countryside but it seems that NZ holds a big draw for us West Country Folk 

28th Decmeber

I had decided a kayaking trip was the best way to see Milford Sound rather than a boat cruise and I was pretty excited to get on the water.  Fortunately I had opted for an afternoon trip so had time for a lie in before setting out on the 2hr journey to the sound!  It was another lovely drive and I soon arrived raring to go for the kayak trip.  The first part of the trip was to be taken by speed boat to the mouth of the sound where we would boat up and then paddle the 15km or so home.  The speed boat ride itself was absolutely amazing- nobody else wanted to hang off the back of a bumpy speed boat but I was in my element 😀  I cannot describe in words just how incredible this place is- a lot is written about Milford Sound and for once it is as amazing as people say!  Those mountains rising out of the water are so high you loose perspective- I almost fell out of the boat when our guide said they rise over 1500m straight out of the water!

All the others on the trip were couples so I was paired up with the instructor which turned out pretty well since with two people in the boat who knew what they were doing we could have a lot of fun   Soon we had seen seals basking on the rocks, various types of seabird and had our picture taken hundreds of times by curious tourists on the tour boats!  We even paddled under Bowen falls- looking upwards into the sunlight through the mist generated by this 162m water fall it`s almost like you`re seeing magic 

We finished the trip with a bit of kayak surfing and all too soon it was time to head back to the campsite for dinner where I had the good fortune to meet some Austrian skiers who had just got back from an off piste tour of Hokkaido in Japan!  We spent the evening engrossed in Skiing chat and I plumbed them for as much info as I could get for my upcoming trip 

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LcYh6oBA1Tk/WJRqF5V9ZjI/AAAAAAAARF8/RtnMY9w107Am54pQURGu7ve8ihQZ–PHACCo/s144-o/20161228_183108.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843221415650866″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161228_183108.jpg” image_size=”2592×1944″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QkAT3GtQD8c/WJRqF0IPj_I/AAAAAAAARF8/CPhsQKHixUYiqB87IO7q5o74k3xFS–kQCCo/s144-o/20161228_183057.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843220015943666″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161228_183057.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xFOMnVFgA7o/WJRqFzCmU2I/AAAAAAAARF8/diRH00ZwnzcmxA-FuxJefyUdDywkAs-PgCCo/s144-o/20161228_171544.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843219723834210″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161228_171544.jpg” image_size=”2592×1944″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_ryvQYgjVRc/WJRqFxi8xEI/AAAAAAAARF8/o4_5WUsN1YktJQ8qlQZYLxsDQB7I6QyiACCo/s144-o/20161228_151510.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843219322651714″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161228_151510.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pF-lCmbjrXA/WJRqF3NgKnI/AAAAAAAARF8/A92ABfUoPHo0X0IlC7EEGE6dV9GIkBREgCCo/s144-o/20161228_151506.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843220843309682″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161228_151506.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0ndzABNZoo4/WJRqF2cgoII/AAAAAAAARF8/Yb_L8z2A9vYONp3TyBpB_Z-y9jV0miX3ACCo/s144-o/20161228_151141.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843220637819010″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161228_151141.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vgQs-vJyWMY/WJRqF0vL7oI/AAAAAAAARF8/wRBjXnR97wQxn_TLmzKswh3zRbbl5NcEwCCo/s144-o/20161228_150711.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843220179283586″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161228_150711.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-anvRv62Mt6M/WJRqF6JoAkI/AAAAAAAARG8/vAdEGSg8zSg5JZwoV8w_Z0GeF-qb2gq1QCCo/s144-o/20161228_150411.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843221632352834″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161228_150411.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-X_nf8PEMaKU/WJRqF9p_yYI/AAAAAAAARF8/rzWiP88oWukTIKbvxx7DeDnjPcG9VMAXwCCo/s144-o/20161228_145628.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843222573435266″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161228_145628.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_TQbdrl6jQg/WJRqF6FxIBI/AAAAAAAARF8/FCVVZ-c7GIMocKO4EkhtjYQGW3cWkoemwCCo/s144-o/20161228_145503.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843221616173074″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161228_145503.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l7MG353zHbc/WJRqF8BOfqI/AAAAAAAARF8/FWi_d3DS6VcGHRioVOj2OpD5WBG0nqqCwCCo/s144-o/20161228_145311.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843222133997218″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161228_145311.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d4-LiFoLCHw/WJRqF3gDbcI/AAAAAAAARF8/RR6ht8xiC5kYmOginiiMMMH9w3TK1wd3gCCo/s144-o/20161228_145207.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843220921118146″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161228_145207.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mskYs-ct0jY/WJRqFwcJHaI/AAAAAAAARF8/aJKh5XtlIo0PTXrS3SRRYt0Jma3IuS1lACCo/s144-o/20161228_145104.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/106656392310830434275/6382843223110804257#6382843219025665442″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20161228_145104.jpg” image_size=”5312×2988″ ]

29th December

Today was a travelling day- I needed to catch my plane to my next destination, Sydney, where I would be spending New Year.  Having been a little unsure if I would like the place after the first night in Aukland, New Zealand had grown on me every day and I now felt incredibly sad to leave this rugged, beautiful, friendly place.  I`ll certainly be back one day ?