Cara's walk along the Heaphy track finished in the golden bay area in the very North part of the South Island, so the Abel Tasman coastal track, being located right in the heart of this region, was the obvious choice for our next adventure. However rather than just walk the track, we decided to Kayak along its coastline heading North, before dropping off the Kayak and walking back.
By now it was no surprise, to us at least, that when the day arrived to set off, the kayak rental company informed us that 30-40knot winds were forecast and recomended we postpone. However, they were confident that the weather would sort itself out in a day or two. Not to be put off we drove a little further North and waited it out in a beautiful backpackers known as Shambala. Actually Shambala was also a kind of yoga and meditation retreat and in the eco freindly spirit, was run off solar power and serviced by composting toilets.
The beauty of the latter being that if you were a guy and needed to pee, you were encouraged to "find a tree' and as all us guys know there's nothing like peeing outdoors to bring you close to nature ;-).As fortune would have it the local pub/restaraunt The mussel Inn, had what we were told was live music playing for the next couple of nights. On the first night this turned out to be a kind of local version of a "jackass" video, a set by some local DJ's and some pretty awfull rap by a guy who looked about 35 but was still hanging out with the teenage crowd...........perhaps he'd been held back a few years ;-) . However even if the music was bad, the energy was good and it was great to see such a mix of folk, with the youngsters dancing wildly at the front and their parents in the back capturing it all on video for posterity .............or maybe leverage in years to come ;-). The most amazing thing tho was that the cars parked outside this tiny place in the middle of nowhere, stretched almost as far as the eye could see and I think the entire rural population had turned out in support. I also nearly lost Cara that night when a woman fell against a guy sitting 3people along from her on the decking railings. As you do, he grabbed the person next to him as he went backwards over the rail, as did the next person and down went the domino chain, including Cara. I'd like to be able to tell you that she saved herself with her cat like reflexes but if truth be told she landed in a bush, ;-). The next night was definatley true live music and we were treated to a superb blues singer/guitarist who it turned out had played with all the blues legends. Although traditional blues isn't really my thing, it was hard not to appreciate the skill with which he played.
We had rebooked the kayaking for a couple of days later but once again the weather foiled us, so with time starting to run short we decided to head over to the Nelson lakes region, where the forecast was better. Upon arrival the DOC infomed us that there had been snow up on the tops and that the hike shouldn't be attemted without full winter mountaineering equiptment. However, by now we were starting to get savvy to the DOC. For example if your planning on doing a lesser known track you'll probably face almost certain death several times a day without so much as a word of warning from them. On the other hand if decide upon a well known track you can expect to be terrified by tails of such woe, only the foolhardy wood continue. But if you do you'll probably find a track so tame you could push your Granny and her wheelchair along it. However not wanting to be too clever for our own good, Cara and I decided we would head up the valley and just take a look at the pass. When we arrived at the first hut we met a Kiwi guy who now warned us off with tails off waist deep snow...... and killer wasps.Okay, killer wasps! enough was enough, we decided that we would just go do the thing and see what happened. well the snow on the top was about 70-80cm deep and was pretty hard going where it was soft but other than that the conditions were perfect .............and not a killer wasp in site ;-) .
This was Cara's first real wilderness hike in deep snow and she absolutley loved it, although I shouldn't have been surprised as she's such a little gypsy she can adapt to just about anything in no time at all :-)We also met a tiny little Japanese woman who had hiked it alone, and although she later told us she was thought she was going to die a couple of times during the ascent, had kept going anyway and made it to the hut. The great thing about travel is meeting all these different people who are living outside their comfort zone yet thriving on the experiences. This rubs off on you and encourages you to experience things outside your own comfort zone, which is where the real memories of your trip are formed.
From Nelson Lakes we headed back to the Abel Tasman for one last final attempt. As we drove back thru one of the beautiful pastoral valleys, we could see up ahead hundreds of people all dressed casually with parents swinging kids around and cars parked everywhere. Cara being an inquisitive sort, just had to know what kind of event was taking place and got me to stop the car so she could ask someone. Just as she was rolling down the window the crowd parted just enough to show..... the local graveyard. We drove away without further enquiry, feeling slightly guilty but with tears of laughter rolling down our faces at our close call.
The next day at The Abel Tasman the weather was great and it was predicted to last until our third day, by which time we would have ditched the kayak anyway. The first few hours were spent with a guide who went over all of the safety and navigation skills whilst we were paddeling thru the Southern part of the park. He also told us about all of the best places to see. With this info in hand Cara and I took off, trying to get a little ahead of the other paddlers so we could get that sense of adventure feeling. After a couple of hours we found a small low tide beach on the back of an island, which we had all to ourselves, so we stopped for lunch and to soak up a little sun. However after about 20minutes and despite our best efforts at dissuading them with various psychological ploys, a stream of kayaks gradually invaded our haven. So with the illusion of seclusion now a delusion ;-) we paddled towards our campsite for the night.
That night we dined on fresh mussels, which I made into a kind of chowder. Unfortunately I boiled the mussels in their shells rather than steaming them and the result was a rather bitter offering. Cara politely declined saying something along the lines of still being full from lunch...... she's such a people person. However the amazing sunset and subsequent moonrise were sufficient to make up for my culinary cock-up and the next morning we were up bright and early to catch the sunrise..........and no I didn't get food poisoning.
The highlight of the trip was an area known as shag harbour at the very northern-most boundry. We paddled toward a slight inlet which
at first appeared to be a wall of rocks, but as we approached we realised there was a small canyon like opening which wound its way round for about 50 metres before opening up into what could only be described as a seal nursery. This place was like something out of Disneyland and although the juvenille seals were completley wild, they were so inquisitive and playful that they would actually tag our hands as we paddled and when a guided group entered the nursery one of the seal pups actually climbed up on the guide's kayak. 
We walked back the next day then headed into Motueka, a nearby town to fuel up and grab some food before heading off for the Marlborough Sounds. Now I fancied some fried noodles so I went to the takeaway.
Just as I was getting back into the car a girl called out from behind me in a Glaswegian accent "Big Nige?". I turned round to see Marie Gallagher, who was the lab technician when I first started in Prof MacLean's lab. Marie and her husband Stewart had been travelling round Australia and NZ for the last 18months and looked like they were positively thriving on the experience. We then met up with Cara and had a good blether for an hour or so, catching up with all we had been up to and Marie and I reminiscing about old times. Unfortunately Cara and I had to head off as we had accomodation booked that night in the Sounds and still had a long drive ahead.
After the superb weather we experienced at Gillespies pass we were told the the chances of it staying sunny on the West coast whilst we did the Copland track were pretty slim. Amazingly tho, the cloud held off for a few more days. 
On the Copland a lot more time was spent in the bush and by the time we reached the Welcome Flats hut the hilarious banter of the last 5 days was starting to give way to quieter spells of reflective thought. But this was fine because as you can see, someone with a sense of humour had provided a little "on track" amusement for us.
That night we all went skinny dipping in the hot pools, which were surrounded by alpine peaks and covered by a sky full of stars. The evening was spent scaring the tourists by playing "skinny chicken" and then making up bizarre stories before Nick and Mike decided to head off to bed. Cara and I stayed a little longer.........long enough to share our first kiss (Aahhhhhh) before also deciding to go back to the hut..........well, we would have if the two little pranksters hadn't stolen our clothes. This mean't we had to walk back and into a hut of about 30 people completley naked. Little pranksters wasn't actually the term I used when I got hold of them ;-)
The walk back was pretty tedious but this mind numbing repitition had the effect of creating a kind of meditative state and I had some pretty amazing revelations about my life, its direction and the Universe in general..... And no Gav, they weren't induced by eating some funky native mushrooms!
After the Copland we headed back to fox just as a weather front started to move in and that night we were rewarded with this sunset which actually made the front page of the next days paper.
Next morning we said goodbye to Nick who was heading to Wanaka and then Mike, Cara and myself continued on to Greymouth. We spent a couple of days there in a very nice place called Global village, before Mike decided to go off and meet some chick who he'd been e-mailing for a while. Obviously Cara was devastated at the thought of being left alone with me so to help her get over it I fed her ice cream whilst she relaxed in the outdoor hot tub....... this seemed to help ease her suffering a little ;-) .
The two of us continued to head North to Karamea,where Cara was going to start the Heaphy track. I had gotten a little bored of hiking by this point so I was off to do a little white water rafting etc, with the plan being that I wou
ld meet her in about 5days. Before going our seperate ways we stayed at a very cool backpackers called Rongo which was run by a guy called Paul who also ran the local 24hour pirate radio station. Anybody and everbody was welcome do a spot and the eclectic mix incorperated German thrash metal, blues and possibly tips on milking your cow. I think the station must have been a real hub for the local community.
After Cara started on her hike I stayed a little longer as the next night there was to be a traditional Japanese meal prepared by two visiting elderly Japanese ladies whom Paul had taught English to in Japan. One of them seemed to take a shine when she saw me knocking up some lamb and vegetable shish kebabs and kept having her pal take photos of me with her. I thought this was very sweet till Paul later told me she was a bit of a gal, swore like a trooper and would probably tell her pals back in Japan that I was her european toyboy :-!.
Shortly after I went rafting in the Buller gorge, which to be honest was a bit tame cos the river was on the low side but near the end we got to do a little cliff jumping which was pretty exciting. Rather ironically about 20mins from the end of the trip the heavens opened and it poured down for the next couple of days ......Sod's law.
From there I headed over to Nelson Lakes but as the weather was so bad I couldn't do any hiking. However that night there was an Australian guy called Wayne at the hostel who palyed guitar . So about five of us sat around in the lounge calling out songs at random then singing along. In a session that lasted nearly 4 hours this guy didn't repeat a single song and could even pick up the tunes of songs he didn't know if you sang a few lines to him.......all in all, an absolutely brilliant night.
The next day saw a slight window in the weather so I did a little mountain biking, which was really refreshing after all the hiking. I actually managed to get in a little patch of blue sky and I rode just about half way to Blenheim trying to stay in it. I was due to meet Cara the following day but the weather report had been so bad for the Heaphy track I figured she might push on and finnish it early.
So I drove up that night with her fresh clothes. This turned out to be a master stroke as she now thinks I'm a knight in shining armour who can read her mind ;-) Obviously this incredible guy image won't last long .........but for know I'm gonna milk it for all its worth before I have to pay the price all mortal men must, for the affection's of a good woman ;-)
Only joking Sweetie :-)
On the Copland a lot more time was spent in the bush and by the time we reached the Welcome Flats hut the hilarious banter of the last 5 days was starting to give way to quieter spells of reflective thought. But this was fine because as you can see, someone with a sense of humour had provided a little "on track" amusement for us.
That night we all went skinny dipping in the hot pools, which were surrounded by alpine peaks and covered by a sky full of stars. The evening was spent scaring the tourists by playing "skinny chicken" and then making up bizarre stories before Nick and Mike decided to head off to bed. Cara and I stayed a little longer.........long enough to share our first kiss (Aahhhhhh) before also deciding to go back to the hut..........well, we would have if the two little pranksters hadn't stolen our clothes. This mean't we had to walk back and into a hut of about 30 people completley naked. Little pranksters wasn't actually the term I used when I got hold of them ;-)
The walk back was pretty tedious but this mind numbing repitition had the effect of creating a kind of meditative state and I had some pretty amazing revelations about my life, its direction and the Universe in general..... And no Gav, they weren't induced by eating some funky native mushrooms!
After the Copland we headed back to fox just as a weather front started to move in and that night we were rewarded with this sunset which actually made the front page of the next days paper.Next morning we said goodbye to Nick who was heading to Wanaka and then Mike, Cara and myself continued on to Greymouth. We spent a couple of days there in a very nice place called Global village, before Mike decided to go off and meet some chick who he'd been e-mailing for a while. Obviously Cara was devastated at the thought of being left alone with me so to help her get over it I fed her ice cream whilst she relaxed in the outdoor hot tub....... this seemed to help ease her suffering a little ;-) .
The two of us continued to head North to Karamea,where Cara was going to start the Heaphy track. I had gotten a little bored of hiking by this point so I was off to do a little white water rafting etc, with the plan being that I wou
ld meet her in about 5days. Before going our seperate ways we stayed at a very cool backpackers called Rongo which was run by a guy called Paul who also ran the local 24hour pirate radio station. Anybody and everbody was welcome do a spot and the eclectic mix incorperated German thrash metal, blues and possibly tips on milking your cow. I think the station must have been a real hub for the local community.
After Cara started on her hike I stayed a little longer as the next night there was to be a traditional Japanese meal prepared by two visiting elderly Japanese ladies whom Paul had taught English to in Japan. One of them seemed to take a shine when she saw me knocking up some lamb and vegetable shish kebabs and kept having her pal take photos of me with her. I thought this was very sweet till Paul later told me she was a bit of a gal, swore like a trooper and would probably tell her pals back in Japan that I was her european toyboy :-!.
Shortly after I went rafting in the Buller gorge, which to be honest was a bit tame cos the river was on the low side but near the end we got to do a little cliff jumping which was pretty exciting. Rather ironically about 20mins from the end of the trip the heavens opened and it poured down for the next couple of days ......Sod's law.From there I headed over to Nelson Lakes but as the weather was so bad I couldn't do any hiking. However that night there was an Australian guy called Wayne at the hostel who palyed guitar . So about five of us sat around in the lounge calling out songs at random then singing along. In a session that lasted nearly 4 hours this guy didn't repeat a single song and could even pick up the tunes of songs he didn't know if you sang a few lines to him.......all in all, an absolutely brilliant night.
The next day saw a slight window in the weather so I did a little mountain biking, which was really refreshing after all the hiking. I actually managed to get in a little patch of blue sky and I rode just about half way to Blenheim trying to stay in it. I was due to meet Cara the following day but the weather report had been so bad for the Heaphy track I figured she might push on and finnish it early.
So I drove up that night with her fresh clothes. This turned out to be a master stroke as she now thinks I'm a knight in shining armour who can read her mind ;-) Obviously this incredible guy image won't last long .........but for know I'm gonna milk it for all its worth before I have to pay the price all mortal men must, for the affection's of a good woman ;-)Only joking Sweetie :-)
Ok folks so its been quite a while since my last update, which can mean only one thing......yes, I have a woman in my life! No I'm not hallucinating, no I didn't make her in the lab and no I didn't buy her in Asia as some of you cheeky little monkeys are probably thinking ;-) Well it all seems like a long time ago so I better start at the beginning. Don't worry I won't bore you and divuldge everything in one go, but I will probably enhance my version of events with artistic license.
I arrived at Makarora early in the morning ready to leave my intention form at the DOC office before heading off to do the 3 day Gillespie pass hike. However, the gods conspired against me and the Universe sided with them....the DOC office was closed that day due to staff shortage so I couldn't leave a record of my intentions, but more importantly I also couldn't get a map, and the map was looking increasingly necessary as the weather was really starting to close in. I talked to a couple of hikers who were about to start despite the rain and they assured me that the sun was due to make an appearance by midday. A glance at the sky suggested their forecast was a victory of hope over reality so I decided to wait and see what tomorrow would bring. But as they say, every cloud has its silver lining and later that evening I met a young and somewhat enigmatic Canadian guy called Nick and an American girl called Cara. As we played pool later that evening I realised Nick, who was only 18, had possibly already achieved enlightenement, but if I'm honest I was far more impresssed by Cara's stance at the table and the decisive manner in which she handled her cue ;-)
The following morning brought a beautiful day and a good forecast for the duration of the hike. For once I was on time and I contemplated the day ahead as I waited outside the DOC office where we had all agreed to meet,......an hour later they turned up, which might have been considered rude ......if the clocks hadn't gone back that night :-! Nigeyboy time in reverse for once.
I ended up walking with John, a Kiwi from Invercargill who although physically unassuming was a pretty hard core mountaineer. John, who was off to climb Mt Dreadfull (I think the name kinda says it all) set a pace just shy of a greyhound in full flight, but still managed to keep me ammused with his tails of being caught in avalanches etc. In fact, by the time we got to the Young hut I was starting to suspect that the mountain rescue service probably had an entire team dedicated to him alone and I made a mental note not to follow him beyond the snowline.
At the Young hut we decided to cool off in the beautiful mountain stream, which seemed like a great idea until you actually climbed in. However as it meant I got to see Cara with her kit off the mind numbing pain was worth enduring.... at least long enough for this photo opportunity anyway ;-)
If you look closely you'll see that I'm not actually smilling but grimacing in pain. Now then, do you think that's the because of the ice cold water or the firm grip of Cara's hidden hand as she wispered " Don't get too comfortable big fella"
Later that evening another Canadian Guy called Mike, who had been on the Milford kayaking trip with me turned up, so the four of us did the rest of the hike together.
Sunrise looking out from the Young Hut
The second day saw us ascend over Gillespies pass with its stunning panoramic views before descending into the magical Siberia valley.
Cara and Nick at the top of Gillespies pass
New Zealand is unusual to those of us from the UK because many of its valleys are also totally wild and uninhabited and as I walked down the Siberia valley I kept expecting to see little Laura Ingles from The Little House on the Prairie running thru the long grass ;-)
After a 3hour sunbathing session in the meadow we arrived at Siberia hut in the late afternoon/early evening. I strategically, but casually ;-) selected the bunk next to Cara and then after dinner we all headed outside to look at the stars. Normally this would have been a good opportunity to impress Cara with my knowledge of the stars, except as we were in the southern hemisphere, I only recognised about half a dozen or so of the constellations and I had to keep looking at these upside down for them to make sense, Dohhh.
The third day saw John turn up at the Siberia hut with more tails of adventure. His crampon strap broke half way up an ice face and he had to perform an emergency repair with gaffa tape whilst hanging by his single ice axe. After breakfast we walked down the Wilkin valley where we were due to get picked up by a jet boat which would take us back to Makarora and hopefully provide some thrills and spills on the way. Sorry Juliet, but as you can see I had to cut my own hair and it ended up a little shorter than anticipated :-0. As a result of this haircut and my combat trousers and unbeknownst to me till much later, Nick and Cara had nicknamed me the "Aryan commando" ........obviously just the kind of impression I was trying to make with her ;-)
Following the walk we decided to relax with a beer or two!
As we all had such a great time on the track we decided to travel together up to fox glacier and do the Copland track, well at least as far as the hot pools anyway (a days walk each way).
Now then, as the Optimistic lady isn't exactly a huge car I wasn't sure whether we'd all fit but luckily the others are all a bit shorter than me so leg room wasn't a problem!
That night we headed out to Gillespies beach were we cooked dinner on the beach then watched the sunset. Poor Mike was so worn out by all of this he broke the golden rule and fell asleep in the hostel lounge.........................
NEVER FALL ASLEEP IN THE HOSTEL LOUNGE
!!!!!
I arrived at Makarora early in the morning ready to leave my intention form at the DOC office before heading off to do the 3 day Gillespie pass hike. However, the gods conspired against me and the Universe sided with them....the DOC office was closed that day due to staff shortage so I couldn't leave a record of my intentions, but more importantly I also couldn't get a map, and the map was looking increasingly necessary as the weather was really starting to close in. I talked to a couple of hikers who were about to start despite the rain and they assured me that the sun was due to make an appearance by midday. A glance at the sky suggested their forecast was a victory of hope over reality so I decided to wait and see what tomorrow would bring. But as they say, every cloud has its silver lining and later that evening I met a young and somewhat enigmatic Canadian guy called Nick and an American girl called Cara. As we played pool later that evening I realised Nick, who was only 18, had possibly already achieved enlightenement, but if I'm honest I was far more impresssed by Cara's stance at the table and the decisive manner in which she handled her cue ;-)
The following morning brought a beautiful day and a good forecast for the duration of the hike. For once I was on time and I contemplated the day ahead as I waited outside the DOC office where we had all agreed to meet,......an hour later they turned up, which might have been considered rude ......if the clocks hadn't gone back that night :-! Nigeyboy time in reverse for once.
I ended up walking with John, a Kiwi from Invercargill who although physically unassuming was a pretty hard core mountaineer. John, who was off to climb Mt Dreadfull (I think the name kinda says it all) set a pace just shy of a greyhound in full flight, but still managed to keep me ammused with his tails of being caught in avalanches etc. In fact, by the time we got to the Young hut I was starting to suspect that the mountain rescue service probably had an entire team dedicated to him alone and I made a mental note not to follow him beyond the snowline.
At the Young hut we decided to cool off in the beautiful mountain stream, which seemed like a great idea until you actually climbed in. However as it meant I got to see Cara with her kit off the mind numbing pain was worth enduring.... at least long enough for this photo opportunity anyway ;-)If you look closely you'll see that I'm not actually smilling but grimacing in pain. Now then, do you think that's the because of the ice cold water or the firm grip of Cara's hidden hand as she wispered " Don't get too comfortable big fella"
Later that evening another Canadian Guy called Mike, who had been on the Milford kayaking trip with me turned up, so the four of us did the rest of the hike together.Sunrise looking out from the Young Hut
The second day saw us ascend over Gillespies pass with its stunning panoramic views before descending into the magical Siberia valley.Cara and Nick at the top of Gillespies pass
New Zealand is unusual to those of us from the UK because many of its valleys are also totally wild and uninhabited and as I walked down the Siberia valley I kept expecting to see little Laura Ingles from The Little House on the Prairie running thru the long grass ;-)
After a 3hour sunbathing session in the meadow we arrived at Siberia hut in the late afternoon/early evening. I strategically, but casually ;-) selected the bunk next to Cara and then after dinner we all headed outside to look at the stars. Normally this would have been a good opportunity to impress Cara with my knowledge of the stars, except as we were in the southern hemisphere, I only recognised about half a dozen or so of the constellations and I had to keep looking at these upside down for them to make sense, Dohhh.
The third day saw John turn up at the Siberia hut with more tails of adventure. His crampon strap broke half way up an ice face and he had to perform an emergency repair with gaffa tape whilst hanging by his single ice axe. After breakfast we walked down the Wilkin valley where we were due to get picked up by a jet boat which would take us back to Makarora and hopefully provide some thrills and spills on the way. Sorry Juliet, but as you can see I had to cut my own hair and it ended up a little shorter than anticipated :-0. As a result of this haircut and my combat trousers and unbeknownst to me till much later, Nick and Cara had nicknamed me the "Aryan commando" ........obviously just the kind of impression I was trying to make with her ;-)
Following the walk we decided to relax with a beer or two!As we all had such a great time on the track we decided to travel together up to fox glacier and do the Copland track, well at least as far as the hot pools anyway (a days walk each way).
Now then, as the Optimistic lady isn't exactly a huge car I wasn't sure whether we'd all fit but luckily the others are all a bit shorter than me so leg room wasn't a problem!That night we headed out to Gillespies beach were we cooked dinner on the beach then watched the sunset. Poor Mike was so worn out by all of this he broke the golden rule and fell asleep in the hostel lounge.........................
NEVER FALL ASLEEP IN THE HOSTEL LOUNGE
!!!!!
Hi folks,well after my adventures on the Island I spent a few days getting sorted out in Invercargill before heading up the West coast via the Southern scenic route. Although very beautiful there were very few people about, the weather was mostly poor, and I was pretty much on my own for the next 4 days. I have to say this was the first time in the trip so far I have felt lonely and it reminded me that even the most beautiful view has little meaning without someone to share it. However, they don't necesarily have to be there in person with you, so whether or not you know it, you all saw the moonrise in the photo and an awesome moonbow (which I didn't manage to capture on film) and any inexplicably wacky dreams you may have had that night were probably all my fault ;-).
Zoe, Danielle, Mum, I also found an absolutely stunning lake that George would have loved to fished, and rather symbolically a huge trout swam right by me just as I was thinking that.....so who knows :-).Anyway before you all think I've turned into a hippy ....................
Near the start of the scenic route are the Clifden caves which made for an interesting little sidetrip. Luckily I met Hoiga, a German guy outside the cave entrance as your not supposed to do it solo. So we teamed up and headed thru. Although a lot tighter than the Craigieburn cave they are predominantly dry and have some interesting formations and glow worms. Near the end there are a few poools to negotiate and for once it wasn't me that fell in :-)
The next stop on my travels was Milford sound and I decided a kayak trip was the best way to
see it. This turned out to be an inspired decision as the gods were smiling and the Sound was blessed with one of the best days they've had this year. Josh the guide, was totally buzzing with excitement over this, and asked if we wanted to go all the way out to the 153m high Stirling falls as he hadn't managed to make it out there this year. Obviously we all agreed and off we went. When we got there he let us kayak thru the falls which was pretty cool as when we came out thru them we kind of surfed on the pressure wave. If you look closely at the picture of the falls, you'll see a kayak near its base on the right hand side to give you some idea of the scale. On the way back we had about half a dozen seals swimming all around us.
Actually I'm pretty sure they were messing with us cos every time Margret (the girl I was paddling with) or I pulled out our cameras they would dive then come up behind us. We also managed to catch the afternoon catabatic wind which blows up the sound which meant we could put up a make shift sail and cruise a little. All in all a fantastic day!!!
From Milford I headed back to Te Anau where I camped. However there wasn't alot of mingling going on at the campsite and I realised I was ready to start heading North for the sun. I drove up to Queenstown but as I pulled in I just go the urge to drive on thru.... so I did. I headed for Wanaka and as I approached the sun broke thru......just what the doctor ordered :-)Now all the time I had been driving round NZ I kept remembering this place with these giant floating tricycles but couldn't remember where it was. Well this place turned out to be Wanaka. Gav, Russ, do you remember these? I think they might cos they managed to capsize one trying to do wheelies...... except it was more than 20years ago in the middle of winter and my mum had disapeared with the campervan keys ;-).
Leaving from Wanaka I decided to do a day walk up the West Matukituki valley up to the Rob Roy glacier.............without a doubt the best walk I had done so far. The Matukituki valley has it all; braided rivers, lush meadows, bush, high fells, mountains and spectacular glaciers, but more than that it has it all in perfect proportion. All in all a little peice of heaven. They say an artist must suffer for his work......well I want you all to know that I leant on an electric fence with my bare armpit when I was trying to get the photo below :-0
Feeling reinvigourated I drove thru the night to Makarora as I was intending to start the 3day Gillespie pass walk first thing the next morning. Now then, all the time I've been in NZ, people keep talking about the possum problem and when I tell them I've still yet to see a live one they think i'm winding them up. Well after 7 weeks in NZ and on the drive up to Makarora I saw my first live possum.........................for about 1/2 a second before it went under my wheels and I squashed it flat. I have to admit as bad as I felt about killing the poor thing I couldn't help but laugh. And no you sickos, there are no photos!!!
Well, as fine as the Matukituki valley was, it was merely the grey light of dawn after a long dark night compared to what I would find at Gillespies pass............................but that's another story ;-)
Till then,
luv ya all,
Nig
Just back from my latest adventure on Rakiura (land of the glowing skies) aka Stewart Island. Now where to begin? I guess the best way to get you all to imagine Stewart Island, would be if you think back to the TV series; Fantasy Island. The place is remarkably similar in so many ways, right down to the little aircraft landing strip carved out of the rain forest.........in fact I think the only thing missing is the Boss man and Tatoo shouting "Da plane is coming"
I left Invercargill in high winds and torrential rain aboard a little prop driven 10seater light aircraft , which was kind of like being on a roller coaster without the tracks, but looking down at the white caps I was glad I took the plane and not the ferry as the swell was well over 5 metres that day! I spoke to a couple of Irish girls whom had taken the ferry, and whom I had met previously up at Arthurs pass, and they said there where a lot of green people on board
:-0 ===#
By the time we approached the Island, the weather started to break and the Sun apppeared, revealing a vast, primeval rainforest with a rugged coastline interspersed by beautiful golden sandy beaches and turquiose waters. As we touched down, almost sideways (didn't know it was possible till then) the hail started....... and it was big enough to hurt you! They say in NZ you can get all four season in one day, well on Stewart Island you can get them all in 20minutes.
We were then shuttled down to Oban, the only real settlement on the island (population ~ 400 including pets), which is located at Half Moon Bay near the entrance to the Paterson inlet on the sheltered East side of the island. Now I wouldn't say life here is a little behind the times, but check out the telephone box.
A quick visit to the Dept of Conservation info centre (DOC) was required to fill out all the necessary notification forms and to pick up a map. The forms basically say that if you haven't made it back in so many weeks they'll notify your next of kin and maybe even form a search party if they can get enough guys out of the South Seas bar ;-). I'm also now pretty sure that the cartographer responsible for making the map has never actually set foot on the island.......I suspect he approached on the ferry, took one look and decided his boss was taking the ****, so he just went back to the office and made it up from there.
Next stop was to find some accomodation for the night as I was due to set off first thing in the morning. Oban was rather busy that night and I had to settle for a bed at Innes' backpackers....a total dump with threadbare carpets where the owner lived with the backpackers amongst his accumulated junk. I'm afraid to say Innes was a control freak who watched and corrected everything you did the whole time...... a classic example of the dangers of breeding within a shallow gene pool. (Warning to Innes back home, this is what happens to Hermits who don't keep in touch ;-)
I set off in the pouring rain early the next morning and spent the rest of the day slogging up and down hills, thru mud and gnarled roots like I've never seen before, over and under fallen tress and pulling branches out of my eyeballs, finally arriving at Bungaree hut in the late afternoon. There I found a couple with six kids, including a 12 year old girl, who had been hunting and fishing their way round the NW circuit, which was very impressive as this is a serious undertaking even for experienced adults. If I had known then what I would know in 4-5 days time, I wouldn't have believed what they had done was possible, as in later sections (they were heading in the opposite direction) the mud would have been up to the neck of the youngest!
The "track" then continued North up the relatively sheltered East side of the Island. Most of the day being spent slogging thru increasingly deep mud and roots, but every now and then it dropped down steep slopes to emerge on stunningly beautiful untouched golden beaches which wouldn't be out of place in the tropics.
However once the track reached the North of the Island the weather and the coastline had became increasingly hostile and by the time I crossed the Ruggedy mountains (photo left) at the NW corner things were positively savage. Here the sea boiled and churned with the onshore gails that brought 3metre waves throwing spray up to 20metres into the air when it crashed on to the rocks..........the same rocks the track happened to cross. A temporary break in the weather created a good photo opportunity and a chance to safely cross the beach
At this point you've been going for about 4-5 days and you're carrying the mother of all packs, but once this rocky shore is crossed you will reach East Ruggedy hut and hopefully the chance to dry out......
........well not quite, as I discovered there was still a 30metre wide river of quicksand and something akin to a sandstorm to negotiate. The photo of the sandstorm was taken about 1minute after the crossing the quicksand....thats how fast things change!
Finally arriving at East Ruggedy and feeling pretty strong all things considered, I met an old French Canadian called Guy. As it would happen we would meet up several times as the journey continued. He was a nice old fella and I think he could probably walk forever without getting tired. I also suspect he was Santa Claus on his holidays!
Now then, if I thought things had been interesting so far, the hardest 2days were yet to come as I headed down the West coast from the Ruggedy mountains to the vast sweeping expanse of Mason bay. In places on the section from East Ruggedy to Hellfire pass, the mud was nearly a metre deep and it could stick to slopes that were more than 60 degrees in pitch; beneath all the mud was a tangle of tree roots. If you're wondering why stay on a path like that, in many places the bush is impenetrable and with a pack on you'd be hung up every step of the way.
By now you might be thinking that moral and supplies might have been getting low..........well if someday you should find yourself between East Ruggedy and Hellfire pass in some of the worst Autumn weather Stewart Island has seen in a while, don't despair, cos by happy coincidence you are now entering Kiwi country :-)
Kiwi Korma (serves 1 for a bloody good while)
To prepare 1 Kiwi Korma;
1) Begin by locating tracks of said bird. This may take several days, be patient!
2) Once located confuse the Kiwi by singing softly and performing a slow mesmerising dance all the while cunningly circling behind it.
3) Despatch the bird with a swift blow to the back of the skull. This technique has the advantage that if a second blow is required the Kiwi can't run away as your first blow probably impaled its beak well into the dirt.
Now for the culinary bit
4) Lightly sear 2 Kiwi breasts in a pan with any oil or fatty substance you can muster, earwax works surprisingly well. Don't overcook!
5) Meanwhile sautee some reconstituted dried onions and stir in the Korma sauce. All hikers carry these in NZ.
5) Add some powdered milk as a creamer and any cashew nuts or almonds you might find lingering in the bottom of your pack .....don't worry if they're a little soft all will be good in the end.
6) Add the Kiwi breasts and simmer for a further 5-10 mins.
7) Serve on a bed of freshly boiled rice (about the only palatable thing you'll have left in your pack).
8) Oh yeah, don't forget to pluck it! And yes, they are genuine Kiwi feathers.
Foot notes
The Kiwi is a satisfyingly meaty bird and one decent specimen should see you thru to at least the next yellow eyed penguin colony - for penguin recipes see "Cooking with endangered species" by the former Kazakstani conservationist, Buggeritam Starvyn
At Hellfire hut I bumped into Guy again and there were also three Aussies (2 guys and and woman) who had just arrived from Mason Bay. The woman was in shock and possibly suffering from hypothermia as she had been caught in the surf trying to cross the rocky headland which seperated the boulder beach of the Northern part of Mason bay from the sandy Southern part. Although the surf here was probably no more than 3-4 feet deep if it caught you, the rip was so strong that it was rolling boulders as big as footballs. Fortunately her two companions had pulled her out. On an earlier section I met a Canadian woman who had been washed a little way down stream whilst trying to cross a swollen creek. Apparently in NZ the greatest number of outdoor fatalities occur when people are making river crossings.
Although Hellfire to Mason bay was tough, it wasn't as bad a the previous section and in fact crossing the headland where the lady was caught out the p
revious day was all just a matter of timing ......and as you all know my time keeping is immpeccable ;-). When I arrived at Mason Bay Hut there was a lovely fire going in the stove. I was going to tag on the easy section across the swamp to Freshwater landing that evening but once I got near that fire the thought of being dry for the first time in 6 days convinced me otherwise. Well, that and the fact someone at the hut told me the track across the swamp was now flooded to well over waist deep. Despite heavy rain again that night, the next day I discovered that accounts of the track condition were exagerated, as at the worst it was no more than groin deep.
Mason bay seemed very busy (on one occaission I saw no-one for a couple of days) and I must have seen 6-7 people that day as many hunters get dropped of here by bush plane. I got talking to some hunters who where camped nearby and they told me that earlier that day one of the planes was just taking off when it was caught by a strong side wind which spun it 90 degrees and dropped back onto the beach stopping it in its tracks. No one was hurt and they just turned the plane round and tried
again.........its a different world there.........love it!!!!
Around Mason bay I felt a little twinge in my back and I think I might have thrown a vertebrea out ......Dawn, what would be your professional opinion on this?
Actually this one belonged to a nice, tho rather chubby fella called Moby .....so I gave him your number and sent him round to see ya ;-)
The final leg across the Thompson ridge was a bit of an anti-climax as reports on the web from people who have done it claim it to be a killer section......actually it wasn't even in the same league as some of the other parts of the track, and that was after a week of solid rain. As I ascended thru the forest towards the ridge, the sun finally made a reasonable appearance and by the time I had crossed it and dropped down to the Paterson inlet things were pretty pleasant.
That was good for me as I had to Bivi that night. The weather held till about 4am then the heavens opened and it didn't stop till about and hour after I finnished the track the following day. Luckily the bivi held firm and I was toasty warm sleeping on a stomach full of fresh mussels collected from the nearby bay. Yep you guessed it, the mussels were served in a sauce made with powdered milk and dehydrated onions....quite tatsy actually
Finnishing the North West Circuit as I started........ in the rain. Not everyone makes it!!!
After arriving back in Oban I washed up in the DOC toilet as I smelled like the wrong end of a dead rat after 8 1/2 days in the mud and rain. Then it was into some dry, fresh clothes I had stashed and off to the South Seas Hotel bar for a well deserved lunch of Fish and chips. While I was eating lunch I noticed this builders van pull up out front. The humour seemed lost on everyone else as I choked with laughter on my fish and chips. Personally I think that's just bragging!!!!
Left: Leaving Stewart Island (Russ you'll know what kind of plane this is) and Right: Less than 5minutes later flying thru another storm just after take off.
See you all for the next installment. Cos till then I've...................
I left Invercargill in high winds and torrential rain aboard a little prop driven 10seater light aircraft , which was kind of like being on a roller coaster without the tracks, but looking down at the white caps I was glad I took the plane and not the ferry as the swell was well over 5 metres that day! I spoke to a couple of Irish girls whom had taken the ferry, and whom I had met previously up at Arthurs pass, and they said there where a lot of green people on board
:-0 ===#
By the time we approached the Island, the weather started to break and the Sun apppeared, revealing a vast, primeval rainforest with a rugged coastline interspersed by beautiful golden sandy beaches and turquiose waters. As we touched down, almost sideways (didn't know it was possible till then) the hail started....... and it was big enough to hurt you! They say in NZ you can get all four season in one day, well on Stewart Island you can get them all in 20minutes.
We were then shuttled down to Oban, the only real settlement on the island (population ~ 400 including pets), which is located at Half Moon Bay near the entrance to the Paterson inlet on the sheltered East side of the island. Now I wouldn't say life here is a little behind the times, but check out the telephone box.
A quick visit to the Dept of Conservation info centre (DOC) was required to fill out all the necessary notification forms and to pick up a map. The forms basically say that if you haven't made it back in so many weeks they'll notify your next of kin and maybe even form a search party if they can get enough guys out of the South Seas bar ;-). I'm also now pretty sure that the cartographer responsible for making the map has never actually set foot on the island.......I suspect he approached on the ferry, took one look and decided his boss was taking the ****, so he just went back to the office and made it up from there.
Next stop was to find some accomodation for the night as I was due to set off first thing in the morning. Oban was rather busy that night and I had to settle for a bed at Innes' backpackers....a total dump with threadbare carpets where the owner lived with the backpackers amongst his accumulated junk. I'm afraid to say Innes was a control freak who watched and corrected everything you did the whole time...... a classic example of the dangers of breeding within a shallow gene pool. (Warning to Innes back home, this is what happens to Hermits who don't keep in touch ;-)
I set off in the pouring rain early the next morning and spent the rest of the day slogging up and down hills, thru mud and gnarled roots like I've never seen before, over and under fallen tress and pulling branches out of my eyeballs, finally arriving at Bungaree hut in the late afternoon. There I found a couple with six kids, including a 12 year old girl, who had been hunting and fishing their way round the NW circuit, which was very impressive as this is a serious undertaking even for experienced adults. If I had known then what I would know in 4-5 days time, I wouldn't have believed what they had done was possible, as in later sections (they were heading in the opposite direction) the mud would have been up to the neck of the youngest!
The "track" then continued North up the relatively sheltered East side of the Island. Most of the day being spent slogging thru increasingly deep mud and roots, but every now and then it dropped down steep slopes to emerge on stunningly beautiful untouched golden beaches which wouldn't be out of place in the tropics.
However once the track reached the North of the Island the weather and the coastline had became increasingly hostile and by the time I crossed the Ruggedy mountains (photo left) at the NW corner things were positively savage. Here the sea boiled and churned with the onshore gails that brought 3metre waves throwing spray up to 20metres into the air when it crashed on to the rocks..........the same rocks the track happened to cross. A temporary break in the weather created a good photo opportunity and a chance to safely cross the beach
At this point you've been going for about 4-5 days and you're carrying the mother of all packs, but once this rocky shore is crossed you will reach East Ruggedy hut and hopefully the chance to dry out......
........well not quite, as I discovered there was still a 30metre wide river of quicksand and something akin to a sandstorm to negotiate. The photo of the sandstorm was taken about 1minute after the crossing the quicksand....thats how fast things change!
Finally arriving at East Ruggedy and feeling pretty strong all things considered, I met an old French Canadian called Guy. As it would happen we would meet up several times as the journey continued. He was a nice old fella and I think he could probably walk forever without getting tired. I also suspect he was Santa Claus on his holidays!
Now then, if I thought things had been interesting so far, the hardest 2days were yet to come as I headed down the West coast from the Ruggedy mountains to the vast sweeping expanse of Mason bay. In places on the section from East Ruggedy to Hellfire pass, the mud was nearly a metre deep and it could stick to slopes that were more than 60 degrees in pitch; beneath all the mud was a tangle of tree roots. If you're wondering why stay on a path like that, in many places the bush is impenetrable and with a pack on you'd be hung up every step of the way.
By now you might be thinking that moral and supplies might have been getting low..........well if someday you should find yourself between East Ruggedy and Hellfire pass in some of the worst Autumn weather Stewart Island has seen in a while, don't despair, cos by happy coincidence you are now entering Kiwi country :-)
Kiwi Korma (serves 1 for a bloody good while)
To prepare 1 Kiwi Korma;
1) Begin by locating tracks of said bird. This may take several days, be patient!
2) Once located confuse the Kiwi by singing softly and performing a slow mesmerising dance all the while cunningly circling behind it.3) Despatch the bird with a swift blow to the back of the skull. This technique has the advantage that if a second blow is required the Kiwi can't run away as your first blow probably impaled its beak well into the dirt.
Now for the culinary bit
4) Lightly sear 2 Kiwi breasts in a pan with any oil or fatty substance you can muster, earwax works surprisingly well. Don't overcook!
5) Meanwhile sautee some reconstituted dried onions and stir in the Korma sauce. All hikers carry these in NZ.
5) Add some powdered milk as a creamer and any cashew nuts or almonds you might find lingering in the bottom of your pack .....don't worry if they're a little soft all will be good in the end.
6) Add the Kiwi breasts and simmer for a further 5-10 mins.
7) Serve on a bed of freshly boiled rice (about the only palatable thing you'll have left in your pack).
8) Oh yeah, don't forget to pluck it! And yes, they are genuine Kiwi feathers.
Foot notes
The Kiwi is a satisfyingly meaty bird and one decent specimen should see you thru to at least the next yellow eyed penguin colony - for penguin recipes see "Cooking with endangered species" by the former Kazakstani conservationist, Buggeritam Starvyn
At Hellfire hut I bumped into Guy again and there were also three Aussies (2 guys and and woman) who had just arrived from Mason Bay. The woman was in shock and possibly suffering from hypothermia as she had been caught in the surf trying to cross the rocky headland which seperated the boulder beach of the Northern part of Mason bay from the sandy Southern part. Although the surf here was probably no more than 3-4 feet deep if it caught you, the rip was so strong that it was rolling boulders as big as footballs. Fortunately her two companions had pulled her out. On an earlier section I met a Canadian woman who had been washed a little way down stream whilst trying to cross a swollen creek. Apparently in NZ the greatest number of outdoor fatalities occur when people are making river crossings.
Although Hellfire to Mason bay was tough, it wasn't as bad a the previous section and in fact crossing the headland where the lady was caught out the p
revious day was all just a matter of timing ......and as you all know my time keeping is immpeccable ;-). When I arrived at Mason Bay Hut there was a lovely fire going in the stove. I was going to tag on the easy section across the swamp to Freshwater landing that evening but once I got near that fire the thought of being dry for the first time in 6 days convinced me otherwise. Well, that and the fact someone at the hut told me the track across the swamp was now flooded to well over waist deep. Despite heavy rain again that night, the next day I discovered that accounts of the track condition were exagerated, as at the worst it was no more than groin deep.
Mason bay seemed very busy (on one occaission I saw no-one for a couple of days) and I must have seen 6-7 people that day as many hunters get dropped of here by bush plane. I got talking to some hunters who where camped nearby and they told me that earlier that day one of the planes was just taking off when it was caught by a strong side wind which spun it 90 degrees and dropped back onto the beach stopping it in its tracks. No one was hurt and they just turned the plane round and triedagain.........its a different world there.........love it!!!!
Around Mason bay I felt a little twinge in my back and I think I might have thrown a vertebrea out ......Dawn, what would be your professional opinion on this?
Actually this one belonged to a nice, tho rather chubby fella called Moby .....so I gave him your number and sent him round to see ya ;-)
The final leg across the Thompson ridge was a bit of an anti-climax as reports on the web from people who have done it claim it to be a killer section......actually it wasn't even in the same league as some of the other parts of the track, and that was after a week of solid rain. As I ascended thru the forest towards the ridge, the sun finally made a reasonable appearance and by the time I had crossed it and dropped down to the Paterson inlet things were pretty pleasant.
That was good for me as I had to Bivi that night. The weather held till about 4am then the heavens opened and it didn't stop till about and hour after I finnished the track the following day. Luckily the bivi held firm and I was toasty warm sleeping on a stomach full of fresh mussels collected from the nearby bay. Yep you guessed it, the mussels were served in a sauce made with powdered milk and dehydrated onions....quite tatsy actually
Finnishing the North West Circuit as I started........ in the rain. Not everyone makes it!!!
After arriving back in Oban I washed up in the DOC toilet as I smelled like the wrong end of a dead rat after 8 1/2 days in the mud and rain. Then it was into some dry, fresh clothes I had stashed and off to the South Seas Hotel bar for a well deserved lunch of Fish and chips. While I was eating lunch I noticed this builders van pull up out front. The humour seemed lost on everyone else as I choked with laughter on my fish and chips. Personally I think that's just bragging!!!!
Left: Leaving Stewart Island (Russ you'll know what kind of plane this is) and Right: Less than 5minutes later flying thru another storm just after take off.
See you all for the next installment. Cos till then I've...................
Hi folks. Well I'm now down in Invercargill waiting to go to Stewart Island to do the 10-12day North West Circuit, which is a fairly isolated wilderness hike. I had quite a nice drive down thru the Catlins via the Clutha river. The Scenery here , like the weather is truly bizarre, and you can go form a landscape akin to that which you might find in Lanzarote to one of lush green rolling hills with in the space of 50km. The Catlins have a really soft beauty which was quite rerfreshing and welcoming after all of the spectacular Mountainscapes.
There are also some lovely beaches here and I camped at Curio bay where the dolphins are supposed to enjoy surfing the breaks although they didn't come out to play while I was there.The photo on the left is of a bay I can't pronounce as the weather broke before I got any good shots of where I stayed.
Now then, I wouldn't say the Catlins are quiet, but here's a shot of one of the local highlights........and rather bizarely this trail ended on the opposite side of the road, about ten feet away ......and here's the photo to prove it!
Five minutes later I passed a track called Deadhorse road............Ihave to tell you I was pretty tempted to drive down it just to see......
I'm currently holed up in an absolutley amazing hostel in Invercargill. The place is nicer than a lot of peoples homes...all for 8quid a night, not bad eh? I'll be out of contact for the next 10 days or so, but in the meantime if any of you would like to e-mail me it would be great to hear from you. So long for now,
Nigeyboy
Following our surprise meeting at Mt Cook, Amanda, Maggie and I decided to do a little road trip down to Queenstown where we spent a couple of days before I headed off towards Stewart Island. The drive was great and the car did its stuff up and down the hills with its full load, no problems. The girls said that it should really have a name and with a little inspiration from their positive attitudes during a hike in some bad weather at Mt Cook, the car was duly named the "Optimistic Lady". Perhaps I've made a mistake with my sums but her fuel consumption seems to have improved since she was named so I'm not gonna knock it, ;-).
Queenstown was much nicer than I remembered, although it was really busy. Our second night there saw us head out for pizza (first meal out since I arrived) and quite a lot of beer. We then went on to a couple of bars where the girls were inundated with free shots from the local guys. I wouldn't say they attracted a lot of attention but it would have been easier to fly a plane thru flak on a bombing run, than to walk thru a bar with these two girls. However the local guys have even less finesse than me so they had no chance, ;-).
After finally getting the SD cards for the camera I headed down to Lake Tekapo ( photo on left) and then on to Mount Cook. Tekapo was very nice but the guests staying at the hostel were the most antisocial I've encontered so far. They virtually all had their heads stuck in their books and talking seemed like an effort to them, so I went and did some training near the lake. When I returned I met a really nice Belgian couple who gave me some good travel tips so the day ended on a good note. Next morning saw me drive over to mount cook.Lake Tekapo
The terrain on the way was quite unusual with perfectly flat plains and mountains that jutt straight out of them. The YHA at Mt Cook is set in a stunning location and was jumping with people so it wasn't long before I met Sarah, a really nice English girl, whom I later went walking with. In the evening I met Daniel an absolutley hilarious Dutch guy who had done just about every extreme activity in NZ and seemed to thrive off being scared to death.
Approaching Mt Cook
Two days after I arrived there was a wee surprise when I walked into the kitchen to see Amanda (the wwoofer from Onuku). Amanda had just arrived from Tekapo with Maggie, a German girl and we all decided to do a little roadtrip down to Queenstown together after doing a couple more walks at Mt Cook. As by now I was camping further up the valley I agreed to meet them the following day to do Mt Olivier. The weather was pretty impressive that night with rain, hail, sudden gusts of wind off the mountains and surreal periods of dead calm, but the next morning I awoke to the view you see below.The view from the YHA at Mt Cook
So with the weather looking good we made an early star and headed up Mt Olivier to do the Muller hut trail. The views into the adjacent glacial valleys were spectacular and we saw several avalanches from the hanging glaciers into the valleys below. I left the girls to take photos at the lower ridge just before the Muller hut and then continued on to the summit which made for a good scramble as there is no track beyond the hut.
The view from my tent!
A shot of the tail end of an avalanche and a self portrait from the summit of Mt Olivier with the main divide of the Southern Alps in the background
To end, here's a shot Mt Cook taken from lower down ...... do you see anything?...........yes Innes, I used the same technique as on the Buchaille Etive Beg ;-)
