It has been a hectic journey from Bangkok to Sydney and then onwards to Christchurch, NZ. My question was "if you had one day in Sydney what would you do?" the advice of an Aussie fellow traveller was to take a ferry round the harbour and see the city from the water, so for the princely sum of 10 dollars I did. The city panorama was brilliant and after an hour or so visited the opera house where I could have bought a ticket for Die Fledermaus for 250 dollars.....
Arriving in Christchurch the airport shuttle dropped me outside the YHA where I stayed for 6 nights and met some interesting people including fellow trekkers who advised me were to obtain the best deals, mainly through the Department of Conservation website. Was able to ring the bells for evensong at Christchurch Cathedral, bells that were very similar in many ways to Lincoln Cathedral and most were either Taylors or some older Warnes(?) bells. Christchurch is a very attractive garden city with a large botanic garden where I was able to carry on with my walking training every morning. The museum had a comprehensive Antarctic Expeditions display from the time of Scott until the present day, some interesting geological exhibits and a clear history of the Maori people. I spent many hours at the museum and also discovered the local swimming pool with senior citizen rates(!) and included jacuzzi and steam rooms in the price. Everything is very well cared for in NZ and therefore everywhere is clean and litter free, quite a contrast after 5 months in countries where those issues had if anything only just begun to be addressed. I spent a day in Akorua, about a 3 hour coach drive from Christchurch, where I had booked a "swim" with Hector dolphins (the smallest dolphin in the world and also an endangered species. A bumpy ride on a speedboat took 8 of us out into the mouth of the river, to the Pacific Ocean where we were able to get into the water (with wetsuits, as pretty chilly) and watch the dolphins swim around us. Had a great time and just avoided being sea sick by climbing into the water first and it went away!
A 6 hour bus journey took me to Queenstown where I again stayed at a YHA (decided to join the organisation as the accommodation in NZ and Australia is of a high standard - and inexpensive). My first trek in NZ, the Routeburn, one of the NZ 'Great Walks'starting point was from Queenstown and I decided to trek as an independant rather than guided as it was 6 times less expensive and the routes are clearly signed. The weather was poor, raining but with a temperature of about 18C and as all the accommodation huts had been booked for the 4 days I went anyway. The trek was 32 km long through fjiord forests and up to sub-alpine altitudes, about 1250m and all in one of the many NZ national parks. Conservation of the environment is very high on the agenda here to the point were trekkers (aka trampers in NZ) are issued with waste bags and expected to bring all their rubbish out. The trek was, for me, the wettest I've ever been on, my boots were soaked through but we were able to dry our socks etc on drying racks over the coal stoves in the huts. As in the Nepalese treks most evenings were spent playing cards,usually a variant of 'shithead' as played in Nepal, all highly entertaining particularly when played in a large group. Most huts were full to capacity despite the weather so there were no shortages of players. Cooking was on gas stoves, usually dried food (all carried in our backpacks, no porters - heaven forbid) and accommodation on bunks in unisex bunk rooms, and washing in cold water but flushing loos, thank goodness. Sadly saw only a little of the scenery but enjoyed the experience nevertheless and finished by being collected by coach and cruising on Milford Sound. The coach was full of tourists from Queenstown and on boarding I noticed a lack of enthusiasm in giving me a place to sit, I had been warned however that I would be one of the great unwashed after trekking and there may be a reaction to this!
The next day I caught the local bus to Te Anau where after a 2 days rest I would attempt the Kepler Trek. A shorter journey of 3 hours meant there was time to explore Te Anau and stock up on food for the YHA and the trek. This small lakeside town (on Lake Te Anau)must be one of the prettiest towns around and even the air smelled perfumed). The YHA is also one of the best I've stayed in and again full of a mixture of backpackers, families, both young and old.
Photo 1. Christchurch Cathedral
Photo 2. View of Akorua Sound on Banks Peninsula (70km from Christchurch)
Photo 3. First views of Murchison Mountains on Routeburn Trail
Photo 4. Routeburn Falls hut, first nights' stay on trail
Photo 5. Routeburn Falls in full speight after heavy rain.
Photo 6. Lake MacKenzie close by is the MacKenzie Hut where I spent the last night. The hut warden, Clive,entertained us all greatly with his rich store of anecdotes of his 15 years as a warden.
Photo 7. The first view of Milford Sound from the cruise boat. Waterfalls, waterfalls and lots more!
Photo 8. View of Lake Te Anau and part of the rainforest of Kepler Mountains
Photo 9. This requires no introductions! Though it should have been number one!