2006: An Oz Odyssey: April 2006

A sudden glut of entries

Click on any picture to see an enlargement (go on, you'd be mad not to blow me up).

As ever, Faye's site has far more words on it (and some different pics), should you feel the need for even more information..

We're now in Queenstown, adrenaline capital of New Zealand, where we plan to spend loads of cash on... eating and drinking like the gluttons we used to be when we were on a salary. I will do a bungy or a skydive in Oz, I promise.

This is the view from my bed!

Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers: mint...

(Sorry, couldn't resist)

We decided to check out both of the west coast glaciers, just because we could really. They are pretty similar, to be fair, but both are mad. We walked up to the "terminal" (bottom bit) of the Franz Josef glacier, and we took a half-day guided walk on the Fox glacier. You can't walk on them unguided, sadly.

This is Faye apparently about to be swallowed whole by the Franz Josef glacier

It can't scare me though, rargh

Actually ice-borne (?) on the Fox glacier, a bit perturbed by strange gurgling and rumbling noises from deep below me (deeper than normal)

Moody moody

We spent three very chilled and atmospheric days in Punakaiki, a tiny little place by the wild Tasman Sea, halfway down the west coast of the South Island. The weather went from blazing sunshine to thunderstorms to wind and lashing rain and back round, seemingly every half hour. But when all you have to do is put your feet up and watch, who cares?

Dutch "courage"

In 1642 a Dutchman called Abel Tasman sailed close to New Zealand's South Island, but scarpered without setting foot on the island once the Maori had killed a few of his crew. Pah! What was needed was a tough Yorkshireman (albeit over a hundred years later). Cookie is our hero, Cookie is our hero, la la la la...
That's enough history. Anyway, Abel Tasman managed to get his name on a National Park in the north west of the South Island, and we went there to kayak and - yes, we are approaching middle age - to hike. The scenery wasn't quite as impressive as on the Marlborough Sounds, but there were intriguing challenges like tidal estuary crossings. Here, we wisely heeded the sign and made ourselves a good old cuppa.

On the last day we swapped boots for a paddle, saw loads of seals, none of whom would pose for a picture, and Split Apple rock, which was more amenable.

Marlborough: Light hiking

And lo, we travelled down to the South Island. First stop was the Queen Charlotte track on the Marlborough Sounds to try out our new hiking boots. They worked - result! So no x-rated blister shots this time, just some more easy-on-the-eye scenery.

Kiwis call their land Godzone, apparently. Wonder if they know that the god in question hails from the equally heavenly 'Boro...

I think this toadstool knows.

After a hard day's hiking, beware the celestial light encouraging you to jump.

Instead, plug in your ipod and sing, safe in the knowledge that no one can hear.

Violent youth

Walking along by a stream in Coromandel town, I came across a group of Maori kids who can't have been much more than 8 or 9. But instead of the usual 1-2-3-home or whatever it was (OK, I had a sheltered upbringing), they were catching eels. Not just for fun mind - they were discussing how many they needed, based on how many aunties and uncles they were expecting over for dinner...

Feeling hungry?

Last bit of summery stuff until Oz...

...was in Hahei on the Coromandel Peninsula.

This beach is called Cathedral Cove, on account of the strange passage through the rocks from one beach to another, which is shaped something like the inside of a cathedral. The nave, I'm told.