Kiwi Wrap-Up...

New Zealand Wrap-up
Summary:
New Zealand, with all its natural beauty, is the perfect place for those who love being in the outdoors. Hiking through the numerous National Parks never gets old, it’s possible to spend a month straight in the National Parks and still not see all of them. However, for those looking for more excitement, or do not like getting a little dirty, New Zealand is probably not the place for you.

We thought the National Parks in South America were pristine, but they pail in comparison to New Zealand. The Department of Conservation, or DOC, has taken their job very seriously throughout the years by protecting the natural environment along the trails, including the removal of predators who threaten the natural vegetation. The hard work has definitely paid off for New Zealand; all of the parks we visited were gems in their own way.

Autumn is the best time to visit in our opinion; the fall colors that can be found when traveling across the inland of the North and South Islands reminded us of what you see in autumn along the North-Eastern states in the US. The leaves are vibrant red, rusty orange, yellow and a little green. As soon as you reach the coastal areas along the Tasman and Pacific the colors disappear and turn into vibrant green flora. The colors were worth the trip by themselves.

Top Sites in New Zealand:
Abel Tasman National Park—we had a beautiful trek, or tramp (as Kiwis call it), through the National Park with Dustin and Shelby. The weather was absolutely perfect—sunny every single day. Each curve in the perfect trail brought something new such as a massive grove of silver ferns, giant red mushrooms, or crystal waterfalls.

Milford Sound—this would probably be number one site if we were able to hike one of the many treks through the region. This wasn’t possible due to the inclimate weather conditions this time of year (May). We made a day trip into the National Park with its numerous waterfalls, rainbows and green moss holding the trees into place in the former home of enormous glaciers. This is definitely worth a trip to Te Anau for the natural beauty in every direction.

Franz Joseph and Fox Glaciers—the two glaciers are special in their own way and everyone should see both. Even if you are short on time, make sure you do a quick hike to the base of each glacier for a chilling experience.

Bay of Islands—we had a perfect day on the Bay, making our experience tremendous. The bay cruise is well worth the time and money—especially if you get to go through the infamous Hole in the Rock. The scenery is amazing as you venture across the bay into the Pacific Ocean.

Dunes on Sandfly Beach in Dunedin—this is a short drive along the Otago Peninsula from Dunedin, but definitely worth the time. If you are lucky, you might even see the yellow-eyed penguins coming in after a day in the water. Hiking the dunes prove to be a challenge for those looking for one.

Top Meals in New Zealand (in chronological order of visit):
Roti Malaysian Espresso Café—Wellington. I couldn’t get this place out of my mind the rest of the trip in New Zealand. The Malaysian/Indian flavors mixed together are incredible. We ordered curry wrapped in roti with a different type of curry to pour over the top. We never found another place like this one in New Zealand, or we would have been there every night!

Matterhorn—Wellington. This place serves traditional fresh local fare. The elegant, yet eco-friendly, décor was very comfortable even though the restaurant boasts a lumberjack theme. We ordered an array of dishes from fish to beef to chicken and every dish hit the mark. We accompanied the meal with a bottle of local Pinot Noir which only added to the perfect meal.

Bar Delicious—Nelson. We stumbled upon this place by accident and boy were we happy we did. We had three excellent menu items including black bean soup, pumpkin raviolis and roasted chicken with stuffing. The black bean soup had tasty pieces of chorizo to add a little spice. It was a perfect fall meal after coming out of two nights in Abel Tasman.

Cook ‘N’ With Gas—Christchurch. This was the best meal we had in New Zealand. The relaxed environment in the Victorian building made the dining experience very enjoyable. The restaurant is one of the original buildings from the retired University across the street. In addition to the numerous awards hanging on the wall, there is an array of beer bottles, beer posters and wine bottles. The restaurant has an extensive beer and wine list including several New Zealand boutique beers. The ingredients are fresh and local, in fact, some of the greens came from our waitress’ father’s farm—that is fresh!

Best Experience:
Abel Tasman National Park was the best experience in New Zealand. We tramped (or trekked) along the coves of the Tasman Sea, camped on the beach and experienced the unique fauna in the area, all with Shelby and Dustin. One night we camped right on the beach looking out at Tonga Island.

Don’t Miss these Towns:
Wellington (North Island)—the capital of New Zealand has a population of around 200,000, making it very manageable. The city has great restaurants, good coffee, and an international feel to it is on the water and is built up into the hills overlooking the bay.

Queenstown (South Island)—this is an adrenaline junkie’s wet dream. All of the extreme sports are here—bungee jumping, luge and jet boating. Not to mention the great snow they get for boarders in the winter time. The town is touristy, but has a very small town feel that still makes it comfortable.

Nelson (South Island)—this town is perfect to explore New Zealand’s wine region and travel to Abel Tasman. The downtown area is pretty hip with cutting edge restaurants including Bardelicious.

Dunedin (South Island)—this is a college town with a great vibe to it. Explore the hills, including the steepest hill in the world, for a little butt burn. Watch out for the ghosts in some of the hostels. Dunedin is a perfect location to explore the Otega Peninsula including Sandfly Beach, well worth a trip!

Not Worth the Stop:
Cape Reinga—the lighthouse is beautiful, but the long, rough drive up to see it isn’t worth the time. There are plenty of other sites in New Zealand that are worthwhile.

Rotorua—unless you have your heart set on a mud bath, there really isn’t a reason to stop in Rotorua except to break up the drive, if required. The city’s many sulfur pools make the town reek of rotten eggs in every crevice possible—sewer grates, man holes and an occasional toilet.
Pancake Rocks in Punakaiki & Paparoa National Park—the rocks are nice to see if they’re on the way to where you are going, but not really worth an extra trip to see them. This is part of a National Park though, so there are plenty of other walks in the area.

Best Breweries:
Sawmill Cafe & Brewery. Leigh. This small little brewery is operated by a husband and wife. He is the brew-master and she manages the retail portion of the operation. There is also a café on-site.

Dux de Lux. Queenstown and Christchurch. Several excellent microbrews on tap; a sampler platter is available if you can’t decide.

Mac's Brewery at Shed 22. Wellington. Excellent location right on the water front. The brewery was acquired by Maceshin, but the beer is still top-notch. Try the Sassy Red, it’s my favorite.

Best Lodging:
Note: These are places we personally stayed. All prices are estimates at the time of our visit and are displayed in USD.

Top 10 Holiday Parks—there are locations all over New Zealand. The Top 10 parks have a bed for every budget from campers to campervans, basic cabins with communal facilities, ensuite cabins and apartments that hold up to 8 people. The basic cabins worked out very well for us, costing a little more than a campsite, but providing a roof and enough space to store our gear. A few of them even had a refrigerator, toaster and hot water maker. All the parks were very clean, including the communal facilities, and each had their own touch. The parks are individually operated. Prices varied between $25-45.00 per night.

Mercure Hotel. Wellington. This was a perfect place to stay after several nights of camping. The Mercure is built into a hill in Wellington providing great views of the water from the upper floors. Of course, we were on the 1st floor and couldn’t see anything, but we had our own bathroom and a comfy bed. Price $85 for Queen ensuite.

Coachman Backpackers. Christchurch. The place opened in 2005 and barely made the latest edition of Lonely Planet. The place is comfy with dorms and double rooms. We paid $5 more for a queen room which was pure luxury for us. There is a communal kitchen and TV room for all guests. There is usually a movie playing at night in the TV room. Price: $60 for Queen ensuite.

Misc. Trivia Questions:
1. # of Top 10 Holiday Parks we stayed at during our five weeks in New Zealand?
2. # of nights in Top 10 Holiday Parks?
3. Total KMs traveled on the North Island?
4. Total KMs traveled on the South Island?
5. # of nights our tent almost floated away?
6. # of waterfalls we saw while driving through New Zealand?
7. # of rainbows we saw while driving?
8. # of Sandfly bites?
9. # of times per day we applied DEET to help prevent sandfly bites?
10. # of crazy Kiwi drivers on the road?

Answers: 1.) 10, 2.) 19, 3.) 2050, 4.) estimated at 2500, 5.) 1, 6.) too many to count, 7.) at least 5 (not including Milford Sound), 8.) too many to count 9.) at least three, 10.) all of them!

Miscellaneous Items:
Use the Information Centers located in almost every town. They are excellent sources for booking tours, finding a deal on a caravan/rental car and local lodging. They are very efficient and friendly. They can also help with itinerary questions and have numerous glossy brochures for tourist activities all over New Zealand.

Get a Top 10 Holiday Park or BBH membership as soon as you arrive in New Zealand. Each card gives you 10% off per night of lodging (up to $30 per visit) and offers discounts on some of the tourist activities in the area. For example, the Te Anua Top 10 Milford Sound tour is $10 off for cardholders. The Top 10 card is $30 and well worth it! The card is valid in Australia at all Big 4 parks.

A Tasty Last Night in Christchurch...

Christchurch, New Zealand

May 25, 2007
S 43°31.827
E 172°37.268

Last night was our last evening to explore the Christchurch nightlife. Unfortunately, we have to catch the 4:30 AM shuttle to the airport on Saturday, so our last Friday night will be an early one. We decided to make the most of it by heading to the award winning restaurant Cook ‘N’ with Gas.

When we saw the yellow gas flame glowing in front of a restored Victorian house, we knew we found the restaurant. The bistro is separated into three different rooms; the walls are decorated with beer and wine bottles, a goat smoking a pipe, chalk boards, and beer posters. In addition, silently displayed among the posters and bottles, were many awards.

Wearing our jeans, hiking boots and cleanest dark colored shirts, we were worried we’d be underdressed. However, the pub-like feel and easygoing nature of the staff immediately made us feel comfortable in our surroundings.

After reviewing the menus of beer, wine and food we settled on the 3-course tasting menu. For starters, Marc had the mushroom soup with local porcini cannelloni. The porcini cannelloni was placed in the center of a bowl with shredded vegetables on top, lentils scattered around the bowl and a dollop of sour cream. The piping hot mushroom broth was brought out in a tureen and gently ladled into the bowl. After gently stirring the contents, Marc had a tasty soup that paired well with a local bitter ale.

I had the famous New Zealand green shelled muscles steamed in beer. They were served with a silverbeet salad and tasty gruyere. An excellent Golden Ale from Invercargill was recommended by our waitress and complimented the muscles perfectly. Marc and I did splitzies so we could both try everything. Although both of the starters were very flavorful, I have to say the muscles won Round 1.

Next, for the main course, Marc had the prime fillet of beef served over a bed of smoked brisket and portobello mushrooms. The fillet was cooked medium rare and was very tender. The brisket and mushrooms perfectly complimented the fillet with a smoky flavor. The dish also contained tender spinach mixed with kale directly from our waitress’ father’s farm—talk about fresh ingredients. A light bodied local Pinot Noir paired well with the flavor of the smoky meat and my seafood main course.

I opted for the tasty grilled white fish (groper) mixed with chunks of Akaroa smoked salmon. The fish was served on top of a bed of spinach, mixed fresh green beans, roasted potatoes and artichokes. A balsamic reduction was gently poured over the entire dish. We declared Round 2 a draw… both dishes were amazing.

Now, for dessert… Marc opted for the banana dessert with caramel ice cream. The banana was sliced and placed in between a pastry that had the texture of a cream puff. The caramel ice cream was on the side with butterscotch sauce drizzled on top. There were roasted almonds sprinkled around the dish, chunks of fresh kiwi fruit and grapes. Yes, it was as amazing as it sounds.

I had to go for the chocolate dish, of course. The chocolate devil’s cake was covered with hot fudge sauce and a dollop of chocolate ice cream. On the side was an interesting tomato like fruit that we couldn’t figure out. After asking, we found out the mystery fruit was a poached tamarillo, or tree tomato. We’ve never seen one of these in the states, but it did an excellent job adding a little citric acid to the dish, balancing the chocolate. This dessert was spectacular, but the banana dessert with caramel ice cream won Round 3.

Cook ‘N’ With Gas was our best meal in New Zealand and a perfect way to end our time here. Make sure you get a reservation at this place if you plan on visiting Christchurch—it’s worth spending a night in the “city” to try this gem.

A Relaxing Day in Christchurch...

Christchurch, New Zealand

May 24, 2007

S 43°31.827
E 172°37.268

The neon red glow from the “Coachmen Backpacker’s” sign outside our bedroom window kept me restless all night, reminding us of Kramer’s favorite… Roger’s Roaster Chicken. I was happy we explored the majority of the city yesterday; allowing us an open day today. After wandering around for awhile we jumped back on the trolley and hopped off near Victoria Street, an area we didn’t see yesterday.

Victoria Street is supposed to have a bunch of cool boutique shops and restaurants. We found the restaurants, but didn’t find any of the cute little shops—not that we’re in the market for any cute little knick-knacks. Oh well, the walk allowed us to see another part of Christchurch we probably wouldn’t have seen.

After circling back on Victoria Street we walked through the giant Hagley Park. The park is rumored to be the largest in New Zealand. It has several soccer fields, even more rugby fields and a golf course. We zigzagged our way through the park, taking time to sit on a bench, admire hundreds of ducks floating on a pond, and excited dogs storming along the shoreline putting the fear of god into the ducks.

For lunch we hesitantly decided to try a little Mexican restaurant called The Burrito Company. We haven’t had a burrito or taco since leaving San Francisco, something we definitely miss. The review in the front window claimed the burritos were as good as, or better, than in the Southwestern parts of the USA… a bold statement. It was probably the best burrito we’ve had outside of the States, but it was a far cry from a “real” burrito from California or the Southwestern States!

Our time in New Zealand is coming to a close and we are preparing to leave for Australia on Saturday. With that being said, we’re currently working on the New Zealand Wrap-Up which should be published shortly after we leave New Zealand. Keep checking the blog!

A Queen-Pawn Opening in Christchurch...

Christchurch, New Zealand

May 23, 2007
S 43°31.827
E 172°37.268

Like typical tourists, we walked through the botanical garden, jumped on and off of the trolley and took a ride up to the Christchurch Gondola. Today was our first day to really explore Christchurch and see what it had to offer. As we strolled through Cathedral Square this morning we saw a couple of guys playing chess on a giant chess board. Marc slowed down and grabbed a seat on the bleachers overlooking the board and sent me off to get some coffee while he watched the game with the other chess geeks.

Cathedral Square, in the middle of the city center, is set up with food booths, an information center, a few homeless, street performers and a giant chess set. The chess board is at least 12’x12’, with pawns that are knee high and kings up to your waist. There was a crowd standing around the board this morning, including a few of the street performers on a break.

Christchurch is the first town we’ve noticed a few homeless people and even a few crazies (aren’t we all a little crazy?). The homeless pretty much keep to themselves, hanging out in the main square during the day and then seemingly disappearing at night—definitely different than San Francisco where you have no problem finding an unfortunate soul day or night. With that being said, the city is immaculate and pristine like every other town and village we’ve visited in New Zealand.

When I was finally able to pull Marc away from the chess games, we jumped on the trolley car for a tour of the city. The trolley, or tram, similar to San Francisco’s MUNI street car (F-line), circled the perimeter of the city center and allowed us to see a good portion of the city’s highlights.

Since the trolleys run at exactly eight minute intervals (very unlike MUNI), passengers can easily jump off and on to see the sights. We jumped off at the second stop and made our way through the art museum and gallery. From there we wandered into the botanical gardens where the autumn colors were still lingering; though many of the leaves were now covering the ground and were being gathered-up by one of the park’s many employees.

After we circled the city center we jumped on a local bus (running right on time) and made our way to the outskirts of the city for a ride on the gondola. The views from the gondola in Christchurch weren’t nearly as impressive as in Queenstown—it didn’t even have a luge at the top of the mountain. We suspect the views are more spectacular in spring when the surrounding hills are bright green, not a dull brown like they are during this time of year.

When we got back to the square we stopped by the chess board again. The sun was beginning to set, but there was still time for another game and Marc ended-up playing a pick-up game against some kid in his early 20’s. Marc still has game when it comes to chess… he won!

We strolled back to our place, minutes from the square, to relax before dinner. Our first day in Christchurch was well spent… even made us feel a little at home, almost.

Off to Christchurch...

Christchurch, New Zealand

May 22, 2007
S 43°31.827
E 172°37.268

After exploring Dunedin for an extra day, we had to jump in the car and get rolling at the crack-of-dawn in order to get to Christchurch by noon. We wanted to return our rental car in time to avoid being charged for another day.

The extra day in Dunedin allowed us to explore the Botanical Gardens, the campus of OtagoUniversity, get some exercise marching up the many steep hills, and spend a couple hours in an internet café searching for a cheap place to stay in Sydney.

It was still dark when we pulled out of the Top 10 in Dunedin. As we drove north along the coastline we hoped to see a fabulous sunrise over the Pacific Ocean, but the thick cloud cover prevented any views. Marc drove like a crazy Kiwi and made great time to Christchurch, driving the 361 KM in less than four and a half hours on the two lane road. We pulled into the Hertz parking lot at 11:50 AM, beating the noon deadline and saving on another day of rental expense.

We grabbed our bags, got our receipt and high-tailed it out of Hertz before they noticed the broken hubcap. Marc accidentally “kissed” a curb while parking, breaking the cheap Corolla hubcap—whoops! At least that’s the only damage that occurred during the estimated 2500 KM’s (1150 miles) of driving on the South Island; again all on the wrong side of the road.

We spent the day exploring Christchurch, the place we’ll call home for the next four nights—the longest we’ve stayed anywhere in the past month! We’re looking forward to sleeping in the same bed and, most importantly, having a bathroom and shower in our room.

It will be a real treat to not walk through a dark, cold, parking-lot to a communal bathroom to go pee tonight… it’s the little things.

Notes: We met a very nice couple, Andrea and Dave, during beers at Dux de Lux tonight. We asked to look at their Lonely Planet since they have the latest version and it quickly turned into a friendly conversation. It ends up they live in San Francisco (on the Panhandle) only a few miles from us. It really is a small world!

A Day On the Dunes...

Dunedin, New Zealand

May 20, 2007
S 45°52.447
E 170°30.195

Dunedin is a college town located along the Otago Peninsula, very close to the Pacific Ocean. The city center is in the shape of an octagon, with all major streets stemming off one of the eight corners. Definitely not the most user friendly city we have visited, but more of a challenge to find things when exploring. Also, there are many very steep hills, so if you get lost it is easy to go to the top of a nearby hill and find your way.

From our Top 10 Holiday Park we have a straight shot to the center of the octagon via Stuart Street and that is where we headed this morning. Our plan was to grab a cup of coffee, take a ride out to the Peninsula for a hike, and hopefully catch a glimpse of the yellow-eyed penguin native to this region of the South Island.

We hit the trail just after 1:00 PM, sun shining and only a slight chill in the autumn air. A clearly-marked path led us down to the ocean over massive dunes of very fine sand. As we walked down the dunes, we commented it felt more like walking in a fine powdered snow. We immediately knew it would be a tough climb back to the trail head, but we could already tell the views would be worth it.

The yellow-eyed penguins are an endangered species that breed along the Otago Peninsula. The Department of Conservation built a hide at the top of a dune about 100 feet above Sandfly Beach for people like us to view the shy birds, all while keeping the penguins comfortable in their natural habitat. The hide, very similar to a duck blind, had a small slit in the wall that allowed you to look out upon the beach and water below as the penguins swam in from the waters after a long day of eating. They normally arrive on the beach a little before dusk and then make their way back out into the ocean before dawn.

Still having several hours before dusk we decided to hike to Lover’s Leap, approximately 2 KM away. Following the trail that led us straight up the giant sand dunes, our goal was to get to each marker before looking for the next one. This was a good idea at first, but the fine sand made it feel like we were walking in place… two steps forward, one step back. When we finally reached the top, we looked at the spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean with the sand dunes in the foreground—the site was breathtaking, literally.

We caught our breath for a few minutes before cutting across a path of thick brush and stinging thistles to reach Lover’s Leap. We took a quick view of the stunning coastline from Lover’s Leap and since neither of us was ready to jump we decided to head back the way we came. We were there to see the penguins and didn’t want to miss our opportunity.

Marc took a GPS reading at the top of the dune and estimated the climb up was 600 feet in .9 miles, approximately a 12% grade! We took off running down the mountain of sand in our Tevas, at times nearly stepping in sand up to our knees. The climb up the dune took us at least 40 minutes, and the run down the mountain of sand took a mere 10. After Marc took all of his measurements and geeked-out with his GPS a little, we headed back to the penguin hide.

Without any luck, we sat in the hide for about an hour patiently waiting for the coveted yellow-eyed penguins. The only thing we spotted on the beach and rocks below were a few sea lions being harassed by seagulls. It probably wasn’t dark enough for the penguins to come ashore, or they saw people on the beach and decided to stay in the water where it was safe.

We decided to head back to the trailhead at around 4:20 PM. We still had a steep climb up one more massive dune, and since the sun was going down the temperature was going to drop rapidly. The wind was now ripping off the ocean and propelled the fine grains of sand into our nose, ears, mouth, hair and any orifice that wasn’t covered. We were ready to get out of there; our sunny day at the beach was over.

When we left the penguin hide a group of sea lions was on the beach blocking our access to the trail. They were fighting, harassing and generally being assholes to each other. They stood between us and our warm car. We decided these fat slovenly beasts were no match for our speed and we ran between the ocean and the dunes to get around them… too fast for them to chase.

We finally made it back to our car, got warm and started the drive back to Dunedin—admiring the views of the dunes and the Pacific Ocean the whole way.

A Boring Drive Through the Country...

Dunedin, New Zealand

May 19, 2007
S 45°52.447
E 170°30.195

After our drive yesterday to Milford Sound, the drive today was utterly boring. All we could see for miles were sheep, cows and cervena (the name for farm raised deer). Yes, we’ve seen a lot of this landscape while driving through New Zealand. However, there was usually something else that captured our attention like the ocean, mountains, or even a lake. Today it was just farmland.

We arrived in Dunedin after our 287 KM trek across the southern portion of the island, from the Tasman Sea to the Pacific Ocean. Our first goal was to find a place to stay close to the city center, so the reliable Top 10 Holiday Park was not an option since it was 2.5 KM from the city. We opted for a place on the hill, checked in, grabbed our gear and started organizing our stuff in the room.

As I set my pack down in the room, I noticed a list of the rules taped on the wall. They were the generic rules, pretty much common etiquette. I scanned down them anyway, not really sure why since they are posted everywhere we stay:
1. Quiet time begins at 10:00 PM. Please turn down the volume after this time.
2. Check-out time is 10:00 AM, sharp!
3. Your Mom doesn’t live here; please clean up your own mess.
4. All ghost sittings must be reported to the management and logged in the journal.

"Oh shit," I said to Marc as I read the last rule aloud; obviously not a rule that I’ve seen in other places. I remembered reading in our Lonely Planet guide-book that one of the backpacker hostels used to be a hospital and reportedly had a resident ghost, but when we decided on this place I somehow missed that part. Marc immediately said we weren’t staying, even though we just paid for two nights. I told him to go tell the lady.

As some people know, Marc and I had a previous experience in a hotel that used to be hospital and souls, spirits, ghosts, or whatever you want to call the phenomena. If you haven’t heard about our experience in London then we’ll give you the full story next time we see you… Bottom line, we believe there are things we do not understand related to the "after-life" and we’re cool with that, but when looking for a good night’s sleep a hotel that used to hospital isn’t our cup-of-tea.

Marc very matter-of-factly explained our situation to the lady. "We really don’t like staying in old hospitals, we’ve had a previous experience… and I’m sorry, but we made a mistake when picking this place. I’m not sure if you’re a believer or not, but we are, and we really aren’t in the mood to see any ghosts tonight. We didn’t touch anything in the room. We just want our money back and we will be on our way." The lady smiled wryly, and simply said she completely understood.

After we re-packed the car, we quickly identified another place to stay. However, when we got there, they didn’t have any vacancies. We discovered it was graduation weekend and since Dunedin is a college town it was going to take some effort to find a place to call home for the night. We tried one more place in the city center area before feeling defeated and headed for our reliable Top 10 Holiday Park; can’t beat $30 USD per night.

The Dunedin Top 10 isn’t the best Top 10 we’ve stayed at, but at least it has clean bathrooms, hot showers, nice kitchens and best of all it’s ghost free…

Sounds Like a Fjord to Me...

Milford Sound, New Zealand

May 18, 2007
S 44°36.165
E 167°48.666

When I was a kid, I loved going to Fairytale Town in William Land Park. The entire place was, well, a fairytale. Today, in Milford Sound, I felt like I went back to Fairytale Town all over again. However, this was definitely on a much larger scale.

The bus from the Top 10 Holiday Park made several stops along Route 94 as we made our way to Milford Sound. Each stop brought something unique to the journey—a view of the valley floor and crystal rivers, Mirror Lake, a few quick peaks of Mt. Tutoko between the clouds, and a walk through The Chasm.

As we started our drive in Te Anau lowland brush and golden grasses blanketed the countryside. However, soon after we passed through the Homer Tunnel rain loving plants were everywhere; lush, green ferns and wet, moss covered, forest hung tightly to the mountain side. Milford Sound gets 6 meters of rain a year; Te Anau only 1.5 meters, thus the extreme contrast in flora.

Out of the most spectacular stops along the way was The Chasm; located just a few kilometers east of the Homer Tunnel. A foot-path led us through a rainforest to a giant waterfall that fell into a massive, polished, chasm of bedrock. Marc said the forest was something right out of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien's Lord of the Rings; he could imagine Frodo leading his team down the paths, and expected Gandalf to walk out of the forest at any moment.

Sunlight sporadically attempted to illuminate the forest; casting shadows and making it seem even more surreal. There were giant ferns, moss covered boulders, small creeks disappearing under logs and between rocks, twisted vines tumbling from the canopy above, and occasional drops of cold water fell upon our heads, seemingly to remind us this wasn’t a dream.

We arrived at Milford Sound shortly after we finished the 20-minute Chasm walk, still in awe, but ready to see more. Good thing, since the next part of the trip was on a tour boat through the Sound. This is where the magic really began. The sun finally burnt off the majority of the fog and began to shine through the remaining clouds. Milford Sound is actually a place you want it to rain, at least a little, to show off more waterfalls and a few rainbows… what else would you expect in a fairytale? A unicorn?

There were waterfalls everywhere. Some of them are known as “temporary” or “semi-temporary” because they disappear shortly after the rain stops, which isn’t very often. They even have one named Fairy Falls because of the rainbow that exists in the water—see, this place is a fairytale! Our boat got up close and personal with a few of the falls, drenching those in the bow while we stayed back and took pictures.

The fjord (actually not a sound), which was formed by a glacier millions of years ago, had dark, grayish, blue water due to the combination of salt water (from the Tasman Sea) and fresh water from the six meters of rain a year. The granite mountains bordering the enormous fjord were covered in lichen and moss. Thus, providing shrubs, ferns and trees a secure foothold to attach themselves and making everything remarkably green.

Our boat cruised along the southern side of the Sound all the way to the Tasman Sea and made its way back through the northern waters. There was something to see in every direction, every bend, every cove, every waterfall and we did our best to take it all in.

A unicorn didn’t pop-up near one of the rainbows. However, when a pod of Bottle Nose dolphins started frolicking alongside our boat, I tossed the cheese and crackers I was munching on aside, and ran to the bow of the boat. There must have been twenty, the most playful ever our guide had ever seen. They were jumping completely out of the dark water only feet from the boat, circling us and then jumping again; it was as if they knew we were watching and enjoyed entertaining us. As the last one swam away it was almost as if he hit its fin in the water one last time, waving goodbye.

Milford Sound definitely lived up to the hype we heard over the years. Everything about the day was truly spectacular—the vegetation, waterfalls, weather, the cruise through the sound/fjord and even the bus ride.

I will never forget today’s Fairytale Town, the day at Milford Sound.

Other notes: Yesterday I stated that Te Anau’s main purpose it to prep people for treks such as Routeburn and Milford Sound, but what I failed to mention is there are actually over 500 KMs, or 300 miles, of walking trails around Te Anau. It is actually considered the walking capital of the world!

Another Remarkables Day...

Te Anau, New Zealand

May 17, 2007
S 45°24.852
E 167°42.591

Hugging the lake’s edge, the road from Queenstown zigzagged around the mountain range known as The Remarkables. Again, the contrast between the sapphire lake, the granite cliffs, and the reflection of the autumn sun off the golden grass fields was as stunning as the first time we saw it. As we snatched one last look at the lake in the rearview mirror the road relaxed and took us straight for Fiordland National Park, specifically Te Anau.

In front of us were massive snowcapped mountains as far as the eye could see. The granite was glistening against the blue skies in the foreground. Behind the mountain range were dark, heavy clouds surely bringing more rain and snow.

The drive to Te Anau from Queenstown was a remarkably easy 187 KM. We arrived at the Te Anau Top 10 Holiday Park, arranged a bus and boat cruise tour of Milford Sound for tomorrow, and immediately set out to check out the quaint and very quiet town of Te Anau.

Te Anau has its purpose, a starting point for those going to Fiordland National Park and people who are heading out on the many treks in the area. The main street is lined with travel agents, internet cafes, tourist knick knack shops and little cafes conducive to resting an achy body after a trip through the mountains. However, being the “off season,” the town seemed almost deserted, with the exception of a sheep-dog in the back of his pick-up and a few wandering backpackers; we felt like we had the town to ourselves.

We were tempted to tackle the Milford or Routeburn Treks. However, after visiting the Te Anau Department of Conservation and hearing stories from a couple that attempted Milford yesterday and had to retreat to emergency shelter last night due to intense snow, rain and wind… enough said, we decided to play it safe. Hiking this time of year in Fiordland is equivalent to backpacking through Mt. Hood or the Sierra Nevada Mountains in late November—not very smart.

We’re off to Milford Sound tomorrow, supposedly the most beautiful area in all of New Zealand… lots of hype, hopefully it will live up to it’s reputation. We’ll let you know.

Sunshine Beach, but Where's the Sun?

Queenstown, New Zealand

May 16, 2007
S 45°01.591
E 168°38.987

The gray clouds covering the sky helped us make our plans for the day. We decided to go for a nice long walk around the lake that might be in the rain, but we wouldn’t hike to the top of Ben Lomand due to the unpredictable and potentially dangerous weather.

We headed out through town and followed a trail meters off the water. We decided to head west since the rest of our explorations have been to the east of the lake. When we got on the outskirts of the city we found a trail for Sunshine Bay—exactly what we were looking for.

With white-caps and waves breaking along the shoreline to our left, we walked 5 KM along a comfortable trail to Sunshine Bay. When we arrived we sat down on the pebble beach, not another person in sight, and pulled on our jackets to protect us from the wind. The sun was no where to be found, and the temperatures were significantly cooler as the wind ripped off of the lake biting our faces. Even without the sun, the vacant beach was a beautiful spot to absorb the scenery around Queenstown. The indigo blue lake, dense forests, and high mountain peaks never lose their beauty, making it easy to understand how this quaint little town is one of New Zealand’s top tourist destinations.

We head out to Te Anua tomorrow and then to Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park on Friday.

Who Wants an Adrenaline Rush???

Queenstown, New Zealand

May 15, 2007
S 45°01.591
E 168°38.987

Queenstown is the adventure sport center of New Zealand. If you want an adrenaline rush, this is the place to come. We aren’t big adrenaline junkies, but today was our day to explore our options, see if there was anything worth risking life and limb for in seek of adventure.

We decided to hit the infamous Queenstown gondola and then take a zip down hill on the luge. We took the Gondola ride up to 2300 feet and decided to explore the area first. There were a few trails and we figured a good walk was the best way to warm up since it was a few degrees cooler at the top of the mountain.

We hit the fork in the road between two trails and contemplated heading out on the Ben Lomand trail, not quite sure of the distance. Luckily, we bumped into a couple of mountain bikers who told us the trail was 1 ½ hours one way. The trail led to snow covered peaks across the vast valley; we didn’t have water, rain gear, gloves or hats, so we wisely decided to turn around and tackle the more subdued Skyline Circuit.

Right after I took a picture of Marc at the Ben Lomand lookout I realized my gondola and luge ticket fell out of my pocket. I quickly panicked since I obviously didn’t want to buy another one ($30). I tucked the ticket into my bag, in a convenient location, for easy access when necessary. Obviously, the access was too easy since it fell out, presumably somewhere along the trail.

The trail was filled with pine needles and it appeared the forest had recently been pruned—there was brush everywhere. Finding the ticket would be like finding a needle in a hay stack! We went down the trail the way we came, after searching for about 20 minutes Marc was ready to give up, but I knew I would find the ticket. After scanning the trail for another 10 minutes and making my way back to the Ben Lomand lookout where I took the picture of Marc, I found the ticket! I was very relieved.

After the relief of finding my ticket we headed straight for the luge. We heard great things about the luge from several people, most recently from Shelby who claimed it gave her and Dustin perma-smiles. The first time down was on the scenic route, a requirement for first-timers. It was fun, but nothing compared to the second, more advanced route. The experienced course had bumps that send you flying through the air, getting the funny feeling in your stomach, like on a roller coaster—I loved it. Whew, I yelled as I hit the second bump. Now I know what Shelby was talking about!

Maybe the luge isn’t an extreme sport like bungee jumping, but it did get our adrenaline going and provided a good amount of entertainment for the afternoon.

Other news: After several conversations with Marc that only included “Huh?!” or “What?!” I finally went to the doctor today. Using a set of crocodile tweezers the doctor retrieved the T-tube that was surgically inserted in my ear-drum about 8 years ago and was now lodged in my ear canal, preventing me from hearing. It will most likely take a few more days until my hearing is back, but I think we’re on the right track.

Just an FYI… my first experience with socialized medicine wasn’t too bad. Fast, effective and fairly inexpensive ($75 USD).

Rainbows and Waterfalls... All in a Days Drive!

Queenstown, New Zealand

May 14, 2007

I don’t like repeating myself everyday, saying how beautiful and pristine everything in New Zealand is, but it really is. Everyday brings something new, even as we drive down the highway to our next destination.

Today we drove around two beautiful lakes—Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea. The bright indigo lakes were encircled by golden hay colored mountains, splashed with grey shadows from the dense white clouds passing overhead. A few of the highest mountain peaks had a powdered sugar dusting of snow, other crests were still waiting for their first sprinkle, to prove that Winter was indeed on its way.

After an intense rain during a good portion of our drive, the clouds parted, allowing a glimpse of blue sky; revealing a massive rainbow that sank perfectly into the lake ahead of us. We quickly pulled over for a photo opportunity, but I think rainbows tend to be dreamlike and are best captured with memories, rather than cameras.

In the foreground, the rough shrubbery varied in shades of green from mint, to sea-foam, to a deep, dark green against the blue background of the lake. As we turned the corner, away from one lake and towards the other, the mountainside was burnt orange against the granite. We weren’t sure if it was shrubbery or a type of moss growing on the side of the towering mass.

Hawks floated over empty pastures, barely moving their wings, before diving down to feast on a piece of road-kill—usually the dreaded Australian possums. The hawk wouldn’t even look up from its meal as we zoomed by.

The rain came down hard at times, causing waterfalls to seeming sprout from the mountain side, but the weather didn’t prevent us from taking in the beauty at every single turn along the twisty highway. We continued to marvel all the way to Queenstown where we’ll spend the next three nights.

24x7x365:

It has been awhile since we’ve done a 24x7x365 update, but one thing hasn’t changed—we are still together. The holiday parks in New Zealand do provide us opportunities to do our own thing for part of the day. For example, since we use communal showers, we are separated during shower time.

One thing that has definitely changed in the past few weeks is the conversation. Since I’ve been having problems with the tube that’s was inserted in my ear a couple years ago I’m now deaf in my left ear, or pretty close. Marc now has to repeat almost everything he says, and since I already have to repeat everything I say for Marc at least once, we figure our conversation has increased threefold since my latest ear problem. The good thing is… I can read lips. “Whew, I am talked out,” says Marc.

Another Day, Another Glacier...

Franz Joseph, New Zealand

May 13, 2007
S 43°23.247
E 170°10.911

Glacier County in New Zealand gets an average of 284 days of rain a year. However, we’ve been treated to two of the 81 days it doesn’t rain out of the year. This provided us spectacular views of both glaciers in the remote south—Franz Joseph Glacier and Fox Glacier, and wonderful day hikes to explore the areas surrounding the glaciers.

After exploring Franz Joseph yesterday, we set out on a 22 KM drive south to Fox Glacier. We decided to do a day trip instead of trying to cram the views into our driving day tomorrow. This allowed us to walk the trail to the bottom of the glacier, viewing its lovely ice blue peaks, resembling a crashing wave, from up close. Similar to yesterday, the temperature quickly decreased the closer we got to the icy mountain. The wind picked up, adding an extra chill, as it whipped off the glacier.

The two glaciers were similar, both massive mountains of ancient ice, but each unique in its own way. The deep blue colors of Fox didn’t exist yesterday on Franz Joseph; yet France Joseph’s size and scale was overwhelming.

The immensity, in size and mass, of both glaciers is hard to comprehend, but at the same time it’s incredible to fathom they are receding at approximately 1 meter per day; nearly 4 American football fields per year. We’re happy we had the opportunity to explore them and enjoy their natural beauty while they still exist.

We made our way back to the Franz Joseph Top 10 Holiday Park along the curvy roads in time to do laundry, relax, and play a little air hockey in the game room. Final Score: Marc 7 – Laura 5… the terms and conditions of a possible rematch are under discussion.

Tomorrow we continue our journey south towards Queenstown.

A Beautiful Day at Joe's Glacier...

Franz Joseph, New Zealand

May 12, 2007

S 43°23.247
E 170°10.911

The sun was shining brightly when we woke up this morning, a completely different day than yesterday. We took showers, brewed coffee, made a few slices of toast with peanut butter and honey for breakfast, and immediately hit the road towards Franz Joseph; a small village in Glacier County, about 2 ½ hours south from Greymouth.

Shortly after we left Greymouth we had views of snow capped mountains, freshly dusted with snow from yesterday’s storm. Again, when we thought we couldn’t see anything more beautiful, we did. The curvy road led us through green pastures of grazing sheep and deer, dense fern groves, lush tropical vegetation, and then up through alpine forests, all before taking us safely to rest in the village of Franz Joseph.

We quickly found a place to stay, unpacked the Corolla, and set off to explore the trails around the glacier. The trails were as first-class as the rest of the trails in New Zealand, full of birds and luscious fauna, except this trail lead us to our first sighting of a glacier in New Zealand.

We came to a clearing in the moss covered forest where two benches were perfectly placed, allowing visitors to admire the glacier from afar. What we witnessed in the clearing was more than a view of the glacier. Thanks to a small pond and the location of the sun, we were treated to a perfect reflection of the mountain range, waterfalls and glacier right at our feet. It was a magical site and realized we were lucky to see the image since it disappeared 20 minutes later when the sun changed direction and was covered in fog and clouds.

Next, we took a trail to the base of the glacier. As we approached the massive mountain of ice it grew increasingly colder. It was as if the temperature was dropping 2-3 degrees every 100 meters as we neared. We looked up into the deep crevasses of ice that appeared to be small ripples when we stood at the pond moments earlier. We admired the beauty at the base while small groups of ice hikers made their way down the face of ice. In tight formation, the tiny hikers looked like ants slowly crawling back to their queen; at the same time providing us perspective to the sheer size of the glacier.

The air was getting colder and we realized the sun would be setting soon, so we quickly made our way back to the trail head, occasionally looking over our shoulders capturing a glimpse of the last rays of sun reflecting across the mountain of white ice.

The rain might have darkened things a little yesterday, but the sun definitely brightened them today.