Central South Island

On the 23rd of February we took a detour from our southward path to travel up into the heart of the South Island, visiting the mountain resorts of Lake Tekapo and Mount Cook Village.

Tekapo is the village on the lake of the same name, with a population of 295 but having as many, if not more, people passing through each day. Most busses traveling from Christchurch to Queenstown (and vice versa) have a rest stop in Tekapo because of the stunning views and colours. Lake Tekapo is in the heart of the Mackenzie Basin, a large plain surrounded on all sides by the Southern Alps. The geography of the Mackenzie Basin means that the closer you are to the middle of it, the less it rains, as the mountains hang on to the rain blowing in from east and west. Just a few kilometers away from the mountains the yearly rainfall rate drops from +6m to just under 2m. Besides the good weather you've got Lake Tekapo itself - a glacial lake of an astounding powder blue that seems almost unnatural, as if the Tekapo Tourism board had tipped several tins of paint into the lake! The colour is due to Rock Flour - the granite of the mountains was finely ground for millennia by glacial movement, and the resulting fine powder is suspended in the waters of the lake giving it a mesmerizing hue.
There's plenty of walking to be done in and around Tekapo, as well as plenty of fishing and other water based activities. Our chosen hike was the Mt John Observatory climb - an easy 2 hour trek up the 500m mountain that is home to the University of Canterbury's series of telescopes and night sky observatories. The isolated location of Lake Tekapo means that on clear nights (and there are plenty of them) you can see an incredible number of stars, the Milky Way is a bright blaze of white from North to South. Unfortunately I lost the quick release for my tripod a few weeks ago (probably in the rain at Abel Tasman national park), so I was reduced to resting the camera on my backpack for my attempt at a night photo but it should still give you an idea of the amazing sky above Tekapo. In the photo you can also see the Church of the Good Shepherd, a very small interdenominational chapel on the shores of the lake that offers a panoramic view for the congregation. Sitting in the chapel you can't help but wonder at the miracle of creation.

Our main reason for visiting Lake Tekapo was actually to use the sleepy village as a base for visiting Mount Cook / Aoraki national park, home to most of NZ's highest mountains - the star being 3754m high Aoraki, the Cloud Piercer dubbed Mt Cook by Pakeha (European settlers). From Mount Cook Village you can take a few half day walks into the valley beneath Aoraki, and we opted for the intensive climb to Sealy Tarns, a 3-4 hour return ascent to a small alpine lake with rewarding views of Mount Sefton, the fourth highest mountain in NZ; the Murchison Glacier Lake and of course Mount Cook. Our stay at the Sealy Tarns was cut short due to the clouds coming over the mountains - the temperature dropped and rain was imminent. Aoraki was certainly living up to its name!
Once down in the valley we started on the other half-day walk that would lead up the Hooker Valley to Murchison Glacier lake, though we could only go about half way due to time constraints. On the way back we did get to see some alien wildlife though - a wily weasel ran across the track, stopped half way and checked us out before continuing into the bushes - so the short trek had its plus side despite the rain. On the walk back to our pickup at the Hermitage Hotel (rooms from NZ$530 a night) we also foraged for mountain berries - our search netted us plenty of red currants, some blackberries and raspberries as well as a handful of gooseberries.

As always, plenty of photos are to be found on my Picasa web albums.

Updates from Queenstown and Te Anau will be online in a couple of days' time, so stay tuned!

Wanaka

Wanaka is a small town that sits on the lake of the same name, on the edge of the Mount Aspiring National Park. Being on the "wrong" side of the Southern Alps makes Wanaka a very pleasant place - the mountains hang on to all the moisture blowing in from the Tasman Sea, leaving this lakeside town basking in sunshine and warm temperatures.

Though Wanaka really comes into its own in the winter, there's plenty to do in the sunshine. Our first port of call was the Waterfall Creek walkway, though due to the dry weather the waterfall was more of a trickle. This two hour walk takes you along the lakefront past vineyards and kanuka forest to the foot of Mt Roy, a hard 8 hour climb that we shied away from.

Instead of the taxing Mt Roy ascent we opted for the more realistic climb up Mt Iron that provides rewarding 360 degree views of the immediate surroundings. At the foot of Mt Iron lies Puzzling World, an intriguing tourist attraction - the first in the area - home to the world's first "modern style maze", meaning its made of wood rather than hedgerows.

The maze has a total of 1.5km of walkways, but generally you will walk between 3 and 5km in your quest to reach the four corners and make your way back out. Target time is 30 minutes to an hour, and they're not joking when they say it takes long! Finding the corners is the easy bit, its making your way back to the start/finish line from the farthest corner that really does your nut in. More than once we were close to reaching for the emergency exits after finding ourselves to be in exactly the same position as five minutes previously!

Once you have completed the maze you then head into the puzzling rooms - four separate areas, each with its own magical attributes. The first is a hall of holograms, laser produced 3-D images that change depending on the angle at which you view them. Being in this room brought back childhood memories of my first encounter with holograms at the Science Museum in London when I was about 5 years old. Next in line is the hall of faces - 168 famous faces that follow you around the room, Mona Lisa style.

The third room is the Ames forced perspective room, where you get to play a Hobbit. The room is built with whacky proportions in a similar manner to the sets used in Lord of the Rings, so that the people standing at one end of the room are way too big, whereas their counterparts at the other end look tiny.

Saving the best room for last, you enter the tilted house. This room is not for the easily nauseated, everything is tilted at 15 degreees so that water flows uphill, you ride a slide upwards and manage to tilt forward to impossible angles!

A must do in Wanaka is the Cinema Paradiso, it will blow away your idea of a cinema forever. Situated in the old town hall, the Paradiso has one projection room where patrons sit on a mismatched collection of sofas, pouffes, seats from a Chinese airplane, and an old Morris Minor. If the screening proves particularly popular there are cushions for you to sit on the floor. It feels more like being at a friend's house than being in a cinema and makes for an intimate experience.

That's it for the Wanaka update - next stop is Lake Tekapo in the Mackenzie Basin.

For photos visit my Picasa web albums!

Punakaiki & Fox Glacier

Two updates in one as I try to catch you up with the adventures of the last ten days!

Punakaiki

Punakaiki is a quiet little place halfway from nowhere on the West Coast of the South island - a few hundred kilometers from Greymouth and Westport, the closest towns. There's no shop, no ATM or bank, no mobile phone reception. There is a pub and a café but they are quite pricey.

What you will find in Punakaiki are the Pancake rocks at Dolomite Point. As the name implies the Pancake rocks are a peculiar rock formation that look like stacks of pancakes. In favorable weather the rock formations also turn into stunning blowholes that blow seawater a couple of meters into the air.

After ticking Dolomite Point off our to-do list we headed back north to walk the Turner track, a one hour walk through native forest down to a grey beach surrounded by a limestone cliff and a spot of sun worshipping.

On our second day in Punakaiki we planned to walk along Buller Gorge for a half day walk, but alas, the heavens opened wide and all we could do was a quick run to Punakaiki Cavern before returning to the shelter of the Punakaiki Beach Hostel. With the rain pouring down all day we had no option but to stay indoors where we spent more than a few hours putting together a 500 piece jigsaw puzzle.

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Fox Glacier

A further few hundred kilometers down the We(s)t Coast you can find Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers, two towns 25km apart named after their respective glaciers. Though very tourist oriented, the towns do have a certain charm about them.

Our reason for stopping in Fox Glacier was to take part in a full day guided glacier walk:

At 9am we reported at the Fox Glacier Guides offices where we were outfitted with climbing boots, crampons, wooly hats, mittens etc and put into groups of 12. Our guide was a friendly Austrian called Walter Fox (no relation to the Fox after whom the glacier is named). A bus takes the group of walkers to the terminal face of the glacier, but before you do any walking on the ice there are 800 odd steps to be climbed through native rainforest. Fox Glacier is a truly amazing place for the wide range of habitats that are present in a short area - you walk through rainforest, subalpine terrain and finally are on the ice and in the mountains, and just a few kilometers away you will find the sea and great beaches.

Once on the ice walkers are also introduced to the Alpenstock - a sturdy wooden pole with a stud at the end, basically a rudimentary form of walking stick. While all the walkers were cosy in their woolies, our guide Walter was tramping around in shorts and t-shirt. The reason for his light clothing quickly became apparent as he started to swing his pick-axe to carve steps out of the raw ice.

The full day walk involves about five hours of walking on ice, and it is truly an amazing experience as you get to go high into the glacier, up close to crevasses and seracs, moulins and ice caves. All these ice formations come in a gamut of incredible hues of blue. As the day drew on the clouds caught up with us, replacing the warming morning sun with a chilly grey cover. Having made the most of what the ice could offer our party started the slow descent back to the terminal face of the glacier, where the bus was ready to take us back into town for a warm cuppa.

Glacier walking - an awe-inspiring experience that you should try if you get the occasion, the money's certainly worth it!

Nelson, the Centre of New Zealand

After our adventures in Abel Tasman National Park Justyna and I needed a couple of days to relax and put our feet up, so we headed to Nelson, a small town just south of Abel Tasman. Our stay here was blessed with plenty of sunshine that made our strolls in the parks very pleasant.

About 30 minutes' walk from the town centre is a monument on top of a hill that marks the "Centre of New Zealand" that offers a really nice panoramic view over the city.

There's not much to report from Nelson - we again tried our luck at finding some good, cheap camping gear but the tent we set our sights on was sold out, so the camping will have to wait a bit longer. We're staying at a really cosy hostel called Shortbread Cottage - its very similar to Piano Hill in Whangarei - owned by a single guy in his late 30s, more of an open home than a hostel, and its only got 13 beds, so the people staying in the Cottage all know each other by name. And as an added bonus you get a yummy home made shortbread cookie on your pillow each evening! A lovely treat to end a long day spent walking the town ;)

Tomorrow we have an early bus to Punakaiki, home of the Pancake rocks and Blowholes - stay tuned for the next update!

Motueka, Apple Pickers and Abel Tasman

Another update, another national park! Between the 11th and 14th of February Justyna and I were in Motueka, the gateway to Abel Tasman National Park and home to lots of apple orchards. The hostel we were staying in was mainly frequented by people on working holidays who were in the region for the fruit picking season - Kiwifruits and Apples. We also met up with a Maltese couple who have been on the road for over two years now - something to aspire to!

Abel Tasman NP is situated in the north west of the South Island, to the north of Marlborough Sounds. It is the place where Abel Tasman, the first European to sight New Zealand, came close to land. He was greeted by a Maori war party and mistook the Haka for a song of welcome. Needless to say lives were lost on both sides and the traveling Dutchman beat a hasty retreat, but not before christening the land he saw after his hometown back in Holland. The park is a beautiful mixture of native forest, golden beaches and crystal clear turquoise waters.

On our first day in Motueka we just explored the small town on foot, walking along a small river then out onto the local sandspit and estuary, home to many waterfowl. The weather wasn't too good but we kept our fingers crossed for a nicer weather over the next few days when we would be going to the actual park.

Friday dawned with a lots of moody clouds overhead, and as we made our way to Kaiteriteri for our boat pickup the weather didn't get any better! By the time we were on the water taxi it was pouring down, but at least we were in the covered boat. The cruise took us past Split Apple Rock, a very interesting granite rock standing out in a bay that is split down the middle, just like an apple. Maori legend is that two gods were fighting over the rock and decided to halve it to end the quarrel. Further up the coast we sailed close to some Fur Seal pups then in and out of lots of nice little coves that make up the park. We were dropped off about half way down the walking track, for what is said to be the nicest part of the Abel Tasman coastal track. With our waterproofs tightly secured we set off in the drizzle to our rendez-vous point about 7km down the track. The walk was very easygoing, the highlight of it being a narrow swing bridge suspended about 10-15m above the rushing river below (no photos though, it was raining too hard). On the boat ride back to Kaiteriteri the weather took a turn for the better, we got loads of sunshine and by the time we landed in Kaiteriteri it was a really hot afternoon :/ If only the timing of the weather had been reversed!

On Saturday we woke to a windy but clear day and caught a bus to Marahau, from where we were to pick up our kayak for a day of paddling along the Abel Tasman coast. During our two hour safety briefing the winds howled, the rain poured down, and we were worried about not being able to go out because of the bad weather. The guide didn't help our nerves at all by constantly reminding us of how easy it would be in this weather for the kayak to capsize! In a positive turn of events the pouring rain actually helped us out as the low clouds suppressed the winds, so even though we were paddling in the rain the sea was very calm.

We set out along the coast towards some secluded beaches and by the time we had our first landing for lunch the rain had stopped completely, though the clouds were still there. The cloudy weather was actually a boon as we were getting quite hot from the effort of paddling the kayak along, it would have been unbearable in direct sunlight. After our lunch stop we crossed the Astrolabe Roadstead towards Adele Island where we had seen the seals the day before, though with it being the afternoon the seals had moved around to other parts of the island. We did hear lots of birdcalls though - Adele Island is one of many "predator free" islands in the park that are encouraging the growth of many of NZ's endangered bird species.

After Adele Island we struck a course south towards Split Apple Rock for a closer look and a couple of photos. After seeing the rock up close we headed back to Marahau beach, which had now grown to four or five times its original size because the tide was out! We saw out the time we had left till our pick up taking in the weak sunshine that was making its way through the clouds.

Photos of our time in Motueka and Abel Tasman national park are on my Picasa web album

Kaikoura - Marine Mammal Paradise

On Sunday we arrived in Kaikoura with rainclouds above us and a moody sea all around us. We had come here hoping for the good weather we experienced in Picton to follow us down the coast to this little coastal town. Kaikoura is a unique place where a very deep sea trench lies close to land, in some places it is as little as 90m offshore. This very deep trench carries cold, nutrient rich currents from the South that meet up with warmer currents flowing down from the North. This mixture of currents creates a very healthy and productive area that is frequented not only by backpacking tourists but by the mighty giant albatross, New Zealand Fur Seals, Dusky Dolphins, Orcas and the mighty Sperm Whale!

Having booked our accommodation for three nights we decided to ride out the weather on Monday, opting for a three hour loop of the Kaikoura Peninsula, taking in a couple of Fur Seal colonies and some truly astonishing scenery, despite the weather - on a good day it must be even better, as you get to see the Seaward Kaikoura Mountains rising behind the town. The rather large Fur Seals seem unconcerned about the attention given them by tourists; the two specimens we came across went on about their business of basking on the rocks and doing nothing even when the Japanese tourists went right up close for photos! Once back in town we enquired about Dolphin swimming, but unfortunately there were no places available next day, just space on the Dolphin watching tour. With sad hearts we booked ourselves onto the Dolphin watching, but also put our names down on the waiting list for the swimming tour. What a wise decision that was! In the early evening we got a call from Dolphin Encounters asking if we would like to upgrade to Dolphin swimming as two places had opened up…

So it was that on Tuesday Justyna and I were to be found getting out of bed at 7 o'clock in the morning to make our way to the offices of Dolphin Encounters where we were given wet suit, flippers and goggles and told to make as many noises as possible once in the water "to entertain the dolphins". The boat ride out to the dolphins took some 25 minutes. Once in position (with hundreds of dolphins swimming around the boat) we were told to slide into the water and follow the beautiful creatures.

The Dusky Dolphins are one of the most acrobatic species of dolphin, taking to the air in leaps, back flips, somersaults… you name it! When you're in the water the dolphins swim around you going about their own business, but occasionally you will gain the attention of one of them, it will come in for a closer look, and start to circle you. The more you make noise and follow its lead, swimming in circles like the dolphin, the longer it will stick around "playing with you". This is a truly amazing experience, these dolphins are beautiful animals in the wild, if ever you get a chance to go dolphin swimming you should leap to the occasion!

We got to swim with the dolphins about three times. Since the pod is racing down the coast, in about 20-30 minutes the 600 or so dolphins in the pod will have all but swum past, so the swimmers climb back onto the boat that carries them to the head of the pod. The dolphins are wild creatures, not every tour has as much interaction as we did, sometimes the dolphins are not in the mood to play at all, and will swim away from the boat when people get into the water.

Today, Wednesday, we arrived in Motueka, where we will be based for our adventures in Abel Tasman National Park, said to be one of the most beautiful parks in New Zealand… stay tuned for more updates!

Picton & the Queen Charlotte Track

On Thursday we landed in Picton via the Interislander Ferry, a three hour sail from Wellington through the Marlborough Sounds to the small port town of Picton. It was a pretty uneventful sailing, save for seeing three dolphins, and of course the amazing scenery of the Sounds.

Taking a short walk to Bob's Bay on our first afternoon in Picton we were amazed by the noise the crickets were making… I'll be adding a video to the picasa web album later. The waters in the Marlborough sounds are much warmer than the sea around Wellington, but unfortunately our swim had to wait till a few days later as we didn't have any swimming trunks with us.

Our main reason for staying in Picton was to take on the Queen Charlotte Track, or part of it at least! This is a 71km hike along the hilly ridges overlooking the Queen Charlotte and Kenepuru sounds, truly breathtaking scenery. The fjord-like geography of the area is thanks to sinking mountains - what we see above the waterline are the peaks of ancient mountains that have slowly sunk into the sea. We walked the last 22km of the QC Track, from Torea bay to Anakiwa. Though its longer than the Tongariro Alpine Crossing it is a much easier walk, after the first steep climb from sea level to about 400m its quite easy going, Justyna and I managed the walk in just under 5 hours including a 40 minute detour to Misletoe Bay to fill up on drinking water. We made such good time on our walk that we even had an hour to spend lazing in Anakiwa waiting for our water taxi back to Picton. While I was trying to take a nap a duck and her brood of ducklings thought I had some sneaky snacks hidden somewhere and they came inquiring… they were confident enough to let me pick them up!

In Picton we were staying at Sequoia Lodge, so named after the large Californian Redwood planted in front of their main entrance. This is a great place to stay if you're passing through Picton - not only is it a really cosy and friendly place, you get free internet access, breakfast and tea and coffee, they also give you free hot chocolate pudding and ice cream at 8 o'clock every evening! A truly delicious way to end the day. Another perk offered to guests at the Sequoia are free mountain bikes, so on Saturday, thinking that we're fit enough, Justyna and I borrowed the bikes for a morning, hoping to tackle the mountain bike track in Picton. Unfortunately it proved too challenging for us, so we took the easier route and cycled to Waikawa Bay. In the afternoon we took a refreshing swim in the beautiful waters of the aforementioned Bob's Bay, our first real swim since we were in Auckland all those weeks ago!

On Sunday we boarded the TranzCoastal train down to Kaikoura, about which you can read more in my next update!

Windy Wellington

Greetings from New Zealand's wind swept Capital City - Wellington! Justyna and I have been in the city since Sunday night, what follows is a summary of what we've been up to.

On Monday we visited Te Papa, the national museum of New Zealand, a treasure trove of historical information, biological displays and sociological insight into the history and life of Aotearoa, New Zealand. The second floor of this museum deals with all things natural - NZ's wildlife, its landscape, and the geological history of the formation of the land. Up a flight of steps and you are transported to the Treasures of New Zealand - a section dedicated to Jade, or Greenstone, the precious stone that serves many purposes, from creating ornaments to making deadly weapons of war. This floor also houses all things related to Maori culture. On the fourth floor you'll find the history of migration into Aotearoa, from the early Pacific Islanders all the way down to the scots. There's also the intriguing question about whether or not NZ is a Pacific Island - geographically it certainly is, and the people and attitudes certainly remind me of Pacific Islands (or at least what I know of Pacific Islands from pop culture / movies / books). Something for you to think about!

After the museum we walked towards the "famous" Beehive Parliament building, and I must say I was rather disappointed by it - there's plenty of hype about the building in the Lonely Planet guide book, but I found it to be one of the less inspiring architectural features of this city. The Central Courts of Justice certainly deserve more attention than the Beehive. There'll be some photos soon - let me know which you like best!

On Tuesday took the historic Cable Car up to the Botanic Gardens, after which we crossed the city to climb Mt Victoria, which standing at less than 200m tall was an easy stroll for us veterans of Mt Nguaruhoe! The climb is very rewarding, you get to stroll through some nice woods where parts of The Fellowship of the Ring were filmed and though there are some steep bits its not such a hard climb. Once up top you get a 360* view over the city and the regional airport, as well as being able to look across Cook Straight at the South Island! After the climb we headed for the seafront to relax, and while sitting there I'm sure I saw a penguin swimming across the water just underneath us!

Today, Wednesday, we took a bus out to Owhera Bay for a long walk along the coast. We got our first glimpse of Mt Cook in the distance... we're a few short weeks away from getting there! The coastline is stunning, as are the secluded coves, but the water is really cold. I thought the Pacific was a warm ocean, but I guess I was wrong, I could hardly feel my feet after spending a few minutes wading in the shallows! The area we visited is a nature reserve and resting ground for Bull Fur Seals, but that's only during the winter months, so no seals for us, just the handful of people walking along the same track as us.

Tomorrow we take the Interislander Ferry to Picton, our first port of call in the South Island and base for our hike on the Queen Charlotte Track. I'll be uploading pictures from Wellington in the coming days as I haven't had time to process them yet, but I'll post a link as soon as I've got the photos done.