March 22, 2005
Final thoughts on New Zealand
(Day 34) The weather didn't get any better. The sun didn't show all morning, and by lunchtime it had started to rain. I didn't mind. I had a flight to catch later in the day and hadn't planned any other activities. I called a couple friends back home with the remaining balance on my phone card, made a trip to the post office, and after spending the last bit of my New Zealand currency on lunch, hopped on a bus to the airport.
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Posted by markyiin at 07:39 PM | Comments (8)
March 21, 2005
I can't see...
(Day 33) I could tell it was going to be a bad day from the start. Despite getting an extra hour of sleep due to daylight savings, I woke up tired and lethargic. The sky was overcast, threatening with rain. And to top it all off, I cut myself on the lip while shaving, something I hadn't done in a very long time. It took me 15 minutes to stop the bleeding.
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Posted by markyiin at 09:26 PM | Comments (3)
March 20, 2005
The Kiwi
(Day 32) It's impossible to visit New Zealand without hearing about kiwi. Not the fruit. The bird. This immensely popular creature has become somewhat of a national icon. Practically wingless, they look like some sort of joke. A long beak, two legs, and a body. I had held out hope catching a glimpse one of these birds in the wild, but being nocturnal and extremely rare, I've resigned myself to seeing them in captivity.
Posted by markyiin at 03:25 AM | Comments (13)
March 19, 2005
The Wizard of NZ
(Day 31) The third largest city in New Zealand, and the largest in the south island, most of Christchurch is within what are known as the Four Avenues. It's a beautiful city, having an English feel to it. Many travellers have told me that Christchurch can be seen in a day, and though they might be right, they're talking about one very hectic day.
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Posted by markyiin at 02:29 AM | Comments (4)
March 18, 2005
Where's the Walmart?!
(Day 30) We arrived in Christchurch well past noon. After finding separate places to spend the night (Don needed to stay downtown to catch an early train the next morning; I preferred staying a few blocks out of city center where it would be quieter and cheaper) and returning our rental car, a good portion of the day was gone.
"I haven't eaten all day." My stomach was demanding to be fed. "I'm gonna go look for some food."
"Ok. It's been fun." We shook hands. "Have a safe trip the rest of the way."
"Yup, you too."
And just like that, I was on my own again.
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Posted by markyiin at 12:37 AM | Comments (6)
Stopover at Tekapo
(Day 29) "I need to do laundry before we leave." We were back in Queenstown after driving back from Te Anau the night before.
"Why don't you just do laundry at our next stop?" Don suggested. We would be spending the next two days making our way north to Christchurch.
"I've got nothing to wear." All my clothes had been turned inside out and worn twice already. "I'm gonna stink to high heaven."
"We'll just keep a window open."
Fair enough. I gave all my clothes the sniff test, and picked out a set that stunk the least. Half an hour later, we had checked out and were on the road.
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Posted by markyiin at 12:27 AM | Comments (3)
March 16, 2005
Have you paddled a fjord... lately?
(Day 28) The glaciers were number one on my list of things to do in New Zealand. Running a close second, however, was Milford Sound. This being the case, I had no problems forking over $89 NZ for a guided kayaking trip.
Accomodation at Milford Sound is limited to a single lodge. The town itself is tiny. It had a cafe, a visitors center, a few permanent trailers for tour operators to live in, and the aforementioned lodge. We tried calling in advance to book a room, but there was no vacancy. Our only choice was to stay at Te Anau, about 110kms away.
Most people who visit Milford base themselves in Te Anau anyways. Tour operators routinely run shuttles to Milford Sound from Te Anau. We had a choice, to either pay for transport or drive ourselves at some ungodly hour in the morning. The road to Milford Sound had been described to us as narrow and difficult to navigate, climbing mountains and skirting along dangerous ledges. We opted to pay, me coughing up $30 to my kayaking operator and Don paying $40 to scuba diving company.
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Posted by markyiin at 09:56 PM | Comments (12)
March 15, 2005
A town fit for Queen
(Day 27) It seems like the farther south you go, the more amazing New Zealand becomes. I'm beginning to run out of superlatives to describe what I see. If it gets any better, I'll probably have to start using a thesaurus...
Situated next to fantastic mountains and picturesque Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown is by far the most impressive town I've seen. William Rees, first settler in the area, described it best.
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Posted by markyiin at 04:20 AM | Comments (9)
March 14, 2005
Stop the bus!
(Day 26) Open any photobook of New Zealand, and you're bound to find pictures of Mt Cook and Mt Tasman reflecting on the surface of Lake Matheson. The lake, formed 14,000 years ago as Fox Glacier was retreating, is located only 6 km out of town. I woke up early, rented a bike, and headed out to try my hand at capturing one of New Zealand's most famous images.
Weather conditions need to be perfect for the peaks of Mt Cook and Mt Tasman to be visible. While they were still visible this morning, clouds were quickly moving in. I pedaled like a madman on my poor excuse for a bike. I arrived only to find the shot ruined by clouds. Damn. Being a photographer is tougher than I thought...
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Posted by markyiin at 02:19 AM | Comments (10)
March 13, 2005
Climbing the Fox Glacier... for real
(Day 25) Mother Nature must've recognized my determination for walking on Fox Glacier, and rewarded me with a beautiful day to do it.
Our guide for my second attempt was a spunky Swedish girl named Malin. If I were going to have someone's ass in half my pictures, I sure didn't mind it being hers.
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Posted by markyiin at 04:02 PM | Comments (8)
Climbing the Fox Glacier.... almost...
(Day 24) After equipping us with sturdy boots, an extra pair of wool socks, raincoats, and crampons (spikes for walking on ice), we were herded into the Alpine Guides shuttle bus and transported to the foot of Fox Glacier.
New Zealand's glaciers are unique in many ways. Compared to many othe glaciers around the world, they are very dynamic structures, capable of change on a weekly, sometimes even daily, basis. The speed at which it advances and retreats has prevented dirt and rocks from gather on the ice, allowing the glacier to keep a cool, blue, appearance.
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Posted by markyiin at 04:07 AM | Comments (3)
Rain, rain, go away...
(Day 23) "We should probably get gas too," I said to Don on our way to the supermarket.
The towns at Franz Joseph and Fox Glacier, though popular tourist attractions with their share of accomodations and restaurants, did not have supermarkets. Following the basic rules of supply and demand, the limited supplies of groceries that could be found in town were expensive and lacking in variety. We weren't sure whether they would have gas stations either.
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Posted by markyiin at 01:36 AM | Comments (4)
March 10, 2005
Down the West Coast
(Day 22) Westport didn't have anything worth sticking around for, so immediately after checking out, Don, Daniela, and I began driving down the west coast.
Our first stop was Cape Foulwind, named by Captain Cook when he sailed through back in the 1770s, presumably after the foul weather he experienced in the area. This is the same guy that named the "Hole in the Rock" back at the Bay of Islands. He may have been a great explorer, but when it comes to names, he sure wasn't very creative.
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Posted by markyiin at 12:53 AM | Comments (8)
March 09, 2005
Hungry and in need of a shower
(Day 21) When you go on a three day hike, it's usually a good idea to bring lots of food. Hiking makes you hungry. Twelve breakfast bars and six apples, which is all I brought, is definately not enough.
I woke up cold and hungry. Unlike the hut at Awaroa, Anchorage had no fireplace to sleep next to. Everyone else had brought warm sleeping bags with them. All I had was a light jacket and a thin silk sleep sheet. It was so cold. I guess in retrospect, it's pretty darn funny, but at the time, it sure wasn't!
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Posted by markyiin at 03:33 PM | Comments (5)
March 08, 2005
Awaroa to Anchorage
(Day 20) When we woke up the next morning, two other people had joined us in the common room.
"The snoring was just unbearable," they said.
I stepped outside into the cold morning air. The rain from last night, coupled with the what remained of high tide, filled the estuary. No one would be crossing this for a few hours.
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Posted by markyiin at 10:37 PM | Comments (6)
Low Tide, High Tide
(Day 19) Dark, rain filled clouds loomed overhead, threatening to drown us in a downpour. They just had to come on a hiking day.
We were about to begin a three day trip along the Abel Tasman Coastal Walkway, which is supposed to be the easiest of New Zealand's great walks. We actually knew beforehand that the weather might be bad. But it couldn't be helped. Having such a short time in New Zealand, we couldn't put it off any further.
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Posted by markyiin at 07:52 PM | Comments (3)
South Island towns
(Day 18) Something about these South Island towns makes me feel really lazy. Makes me just want to lie down somewhere and take a nap. I'm not the only one who felt this way. Even the hostel's kitten agrees with me.
I didn't roll out of bed til 9:30am, giving me half an hour to wash, pack, and check out. I hadn't planned on doing much today anyways, just sort of relax and prepare for my three day Abel Tasman Coastal hike. My guide had indicated that the renowned Nelson Market convened every saturday morning in Montgomery Square at town center, so after spending an hour at the internet cafe, I went to check it out.
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Posted by markyiin at 07:43 PM | Comments (4)
March 04, 2005
Queen Charlotte Sound
(Day 17) Originally I had wanted to spend a day around Picton to see Queen Charlotte Sound. But the ferry ride from Wellington gave me al the photos I wanted, so we checked out of Sequoia Lodge and headed straight for Nelson.
A little about the ferry ride. It actually happened the previous day, but I had such a unique experience on Day 16 that it didn't seem appropriate to include it there. Anyways, I had been afraid of getting seasick again, but those fears were quickly dispelled when I saw the huge ship we would be sailing on. The ride was smooth, and the views were beautiful. There was a weird farm smell on deck though, which puzzled me, until I discovered the truckloads of sheep also crossing the Cook Strait.
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Posted by markyiin at 04:50 PM | Comments (8)
March 03, 2005
Sleepwalker in Wellington
(Day 16) Since travelling, I've had some very vivid dreams.
I've dreamed of my friends back home. I've dreamed of flunking out of college. (Three years out of school and I still get those.) I've even dreamed about dating a girl with three breasts.
Last night, a pretty European girl wearing next to nothing came to my bed in the middle of the night.
Last night was no dream though.
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Posted by markyiin at 09:22 PM | Comments (8)
A long walk
(Day 15) In the late ninteeth century, the native Maori were in danger of losing their lands to the pakeha (white New Zealanders). They were forced to give up or sell their lands at ridiculously cheap prices. Fearing the Maori would lose one of their most sacred lands, Tuwharetoa chief Te Heu Heu Tukino IV did the only thing he could. He donated the land to the country, on the condition that the land could not be settled or developed. His donation turned into what is known today as Tongariro National Park.
Tongariro National Park contains some great hikes, or tramps, as New Zealanders like to call them. The Tongariro Crossing itself is often regarded as the best single day tramp in the country. Any visit to New Zealand wouldn't be complete without attempting this 16 km walk in which several scenes from the Lord of the Rings were shot.
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Posted by markyiin at 08:38 PM | Comments (4)
March 02, 2005
A LOT of water
(Day 14) It's no Niagara, but Huka Falls is amazing in it's own right.
Huka falls is the result of the wide Waikato River emptying into a narrow strait, culminating in a rush of water measuring 27 cubic meters (27,000 liters) per second.
That's a LOT of water.
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Posted by markyiin at 03:48 PM | Comments (7)
To Hell and back
(Day 13) The desolate landscape told me I wasn't in heaven.
From behind me, a voice thundered, "Name!"
Slowly, the mist cleared, and there was the Devil himself. Dipping his pen into the ink pots, he roared again, "Name!"
In a lame attempt to stall, I asked, "Where am I?" Though I knew perfectly well where I was.
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Posted by markyiin at 04:17 AM | Comments (5)
Stars in the Waitomo Caves
(Day 12) A sign indicated to turn right for Waitomo Caves.
"You're on the wrong side of the road," Don told me.
"Huh?"
"You're in the wrong side of the road!"
"Oh!" I moved back over to the left.
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Posted by markyiin at 03:57 AM | Comments (3)
February 26, 2005
Urupukapuka
(Day 11) The best way to experience the Bay of Islands is probably to take one of the cruises offered by various tour operators. Visitors usually chose either a dolphin watching cruise, or a cruise to Cape Brett to see the Hole in the Rock. Due to cost considerations (dolphin cruises cost nearly twice as much), I decided to do a Hole in the Rock cruise.
Our half day cruise started at 9:00am in the morning. After a quick stop at the town of Russell to pick up a few more passengers, we started our tour. On the way to the Hole in the Rock, we passed island after island after images all with cool names such as Moturoa, Motukiekie, and Waewaetorea... with the captain providing an enroute commentary. As we got farther out into the water, my propensity for becoming seasick started to affect me. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't comfortable either. I probably should find some pills for seasickness before I step onto a boat next time.
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Posted by markyiin at 11:35 PM | Comments (13)
February 25, 2005
Whangarei
(Day 10) Don wanted to go diving at Poor Knight's Island, supposedly one of the world's best dive spots. He took a bus up to Tutukaka where the boats sail from and left me with our Nissan Sunny to explore town. I took the opportunity to sleep in and didn't roll out of bed until 9:00am.
I hadn't checked in last night, and I didn't find anyone at the front desk when I woke up either. In the kitchen I found someone making breakfast.
"Do you work here? Who do I pay?" I asked.
"Wait here," he said, and climbed into the attic, where supposedly the owner of the place* slept. He came down a few moments later. "Julie isn't here, you can just pay me."
I gave the guy $18 NZ ($1 NZ = $.70 US) and left. There's definately something strange about the way this hostel is run.
Posted by markyiin at 11:27 PM | Comments (4)
February 24, 2005
Rangitoto and driving on the wrong side of the road
(Day 9) The one thing I wanted to do in Auckland was visit the volcanic Rangitoto, an uninhabited island a short ferry ride from the wharves at the end of Queen St. Rangitoto is an infant in geological standards, appearing only 600 years ago. The island's great view of the Hauraki Gulf has made it a great site for military outposts, both in the 1800's and most recently during World War I and II. Jagged rocks formed (pictured above) from lava dominate the landscape. Geologists believe that Rangitoto is dormant, but also believe the region is highly active, and new islands like this may emerge in future.
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Posted by markyiin at 06:47 PM | Comments (7)
Auckland
(Day 8) Though I had a good time in Fiji, I wasn't disappointed to be getting out. Fiji is a great place to visit if one has a more time and a larger budget. Trips out to one of the more distant islands are supposed to be wonderful, but at least a week is needed to make it worthwhile.
I arrived in Auckland, New Zealand, tired and sleepy. Nadi Bay Resort Hotel has sort of a party atmosphere to it. Live music is played every night in the bar, which unfortunately was right next to my room. I wanted to be asleep by 10pm to catch my morning flight the next day, but the din downstairs didn't stop til nearly midnight.
Auckland and its suburbs is home to about 1.5 million people, roughly one third of New Zealand's population. As New Zealand's largest city, it serves as the site of the major international airport. Most visitors arrive in Auckland, and many make a one-way trip to Christchurch, where the New Zealand's second largest international airport is stationed.
Posted by markyiin at 06:17 PM | Comments (5)