Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Hey all, Kia Ora,
Made the South Island after a very very rough crossing of the Cook Straits last wed 4th June. Our stay in River Valley (for me) was a bit of an anticlimax. The grade 5 whitewater rafting was cancelled...to much water in the river !! and apart from horse riding not much else to do especially when the weathers crap. The Tongariro National Park was amazing though, most of "Lord of the Rings" was filmed here so plenty of photo stops. Wellington was just a stop over for the night to catch the 1st ferry the next morning, will get 2 days on the way back up to Auckland. Leaving Picton the 1st stop was a vineyard for some FREE (the magic word for backpackers!) wine tasting. I didnt partake 1. dont drink wine & 2. dodgy tummy, probably summit I cooked myself !! I'd be better eating out than cooking... Stayed over in Nelson, our bus is full now, lots of kids heading south for the skiing season.
Lake Rotoiti was a beautiful area. Enjoyed chillin by the lake and a brisk walk through the forest watching out for possums etc. Dropped a few guys off to do jet-boating before settling into Westport.Its a town founded on Gold mineing but now survives on coal mineing, has a cinema but only 1 screen so we havnt managed to catch Sex in the City yet. Natalie nearly had fush & chups for tea till I explained Rigs (fish) is actually baby shark, gawd you should have seen here face, priceless ! she promptly cancelled her order...
Early start next morning, 1st stop Cape Foulwind for a 'scenic walk' and to see a seal colony ! The land around here is just spectular, of the 2 islands think I like the south the best. Its just Norway!!Greymouth was a big stop for supplies as we are now in Franz Josef Glacier Village. Basically just a few shops (very expensive) and chalets all sprung up for the glacier hiking and skiing. I'm doing a Helecopler Hike tomorrow over the glacier. We get hele lifted a few thousand feet up onto the glacier then hike for 2 hours through the ice etc. yeeha, cant wait. Could do a 8hr hike from the base, but hey gona do it in style...fortunatly they supply most of the gear but dont allow jeans to be worn as they hold the water.
thats all for now folks, my hangover my be kicking in and I need a power nap!!!
Lots of love to all, Janet
(the 2nd rule of travel - no photos after dark)
- comments