So mum and dad dropped me in Bluff where Orla came down from Glentanner and met me in the hostel. Like true Irish (well, true stereotypical ones anyway) we headed off to the pub – and it was a great old night playing pool (we owned the table for quite a while – Orla being a bit of a pool shark) and chatting with locals & visitors.

This probably didn’t help however when we had to catch a pretty bumpy ferry the next morning to Stewart Island. It’s an hour long crossing and can get quite rough (which it did!). Apparently the deepest it gets is only 32m!! which is *so* shallow.. no wonder it gets some big swells.

Our plan was get a water taxi to Freshwater Landing (where the red line starts) and then to walk (day 1) to Masons bay where Kiwi are supposed to be in permanent residence.

So off we set.. the first 20 to 30 meters was fine. Then it turned into this:

We spent the rest of the day enjoying the scenery and dodging mud. In fact spent the next two days doing it really. Bit pointless as they were muddy by the end and it would have been quicker to just resign yourself to the fact that your shoes were going to be wrecked and get on with it. Still, there was no rush!

The hut at Masons bay was lovely – and the sunset that evening simply stunning. We didn’t see any kiwi birds unfortunately (nor even hear them – though I thought at one point I had). Shame really.

We did see some kiwi poo on the way out though.. so they were around.. just not saying hello.

The next day was pretty long – on the map it was back along the red line and along the purpley one. It was 26km .. which isn’t really tooooo far, but the route between freshwater landing and North Arm hut was pretty rough.

We were both pretty happy to get to the hut that evening.. It was fully full once we arrived!

The next day was much easier as were were back into Great Walk territory. DOC has made some tracks in NZ ‘Great Walks’. They are well promoted, more expensive to say in, in beautiful parts of the country, and designed so that anyone with moderate fitness can do them. It also means they try not to let your shoes get too muddy ;)

Finally back to Oban and a nice shower followed by Fish & Chips. We went down to check out the blue penguins too… they have nesting area just beside the town.

So a great trip with Orla, we were dead lucky with the weather – no rain for 3 days. It didn’t make me want to do the 10 day circuit though… but sure maybe someday!

The next day we drove to Milford – stopping off at lots of the short walks (I’d never done) along the way. It really is a stunning part of the country (if touristy). When visitors come to NZ they often don’t realise what a big country it actually is. If you come for 4 weeks and try to do the whole thing.. well… you can probably get everywhere – but you won’t really have time to enjoy any of it (I don’t think). Milford is one of those places that it takes time to get to and so is often left out. A shame I think.

Anyway – went for a cruise, saw some dolphins..

On the way back our captain unofficially told us that while the DOC walk to Bowen Falls was *technically* closed… lots of people still did it and it was perfectly safe. So my very law abiding mother, and not quite so father, and I .. squeezed through the conveniently sized hole in the fence and walked to the falls. Well worth doing.

After that we moved on to Gunnes Camp for the night. It’s a great stop on the Holleyford road. Well out of the way but a unique and quite historical place to spend the night. We went for a short walk and saw some glow-worms.

The next morning we did another couple of short walks to waterfalls and pools before driving towards Bluff where I was going to meet Orla for our Stewart Island experience. It was also my Birthday.. I got a cake (well muffin) and everything! A nice game of scrabble (a.k.a. I won!) and a bottle of wine and all was well. 30 Next year. Ouch.

We only really had one day in Wanaka. We stayed in the Motor Camp down by the lake. It’s a huge one – and cheap too. It’s license is up for review and one wonders if it will be renewed or if some big commercial development will come along and ruin the place. Sigh.

Anyway – headed up my favourite wee walk near Wanaka called Mt. Roy. It’s a bit of a slog so I was pretty happy that mum and dad decided to give it a go. They did very very well (you do climb about 1200m).. Dad managed to get to the top (though he cursed me for it ;) and mum about 2/3 of the way. Stunning views though.

That evening we went to Cinema Paradiso – the cinema in Wanaka. Well worth a look in. We saw the film Priceless. Excellent – really enjoyed it. Has the actress Audrey Tautou from Amélie (happy Liam!?) in it.

WE pretty much skipped Queenstown – had a short stroll around the gold mining town of Arrowtown and headed South to Te Anau. Stopped off at the Kingston Express – an old railway line which started operations about 120 years ago connecting Queenstown to the South. Two French Paragliders recently buzzed the train in their motorised paragliders. One of them skipped the country – the other was fined $1500…

After that it was down to Te Anau and Dad and I had our briefing for our Kayaking wilderness experience..

So the next day we were collected at 06:30 and taken to the Boat to bring us across Lake Manapouri to Doubtful Sound. It’s quite interesting.. NZ realises that it’s a bloody long way from anywhere – and that to get here you have to burn rather a lot of carbon. Thus the Tourism industry is trying to promote itself as a green industry (once you’re here!). This company – fiordland wilderness experience has been chosen as one of a few to try and be as green as they can – to be ambassadors for the industry.

Kayaking is a pretty low-carbon sport to begin with – but they have tried to improve all areas of their operation. The biggest eco-cost to them was the boat across Manapouri… so what they did was to team up with another operator that goes at that time of day and go on their boat. Win/Win… I’m sure we’ll see more and more of this!

Anyway.. had a great trip. There was an Irish bloke Martin on the trip who had a ridiculously sharp wit. It’d forgotten how much I enjoyed (and missed) the constant slagging / thrust and parry of Irish humour. But yes – it was a great trip. Not particularly exhausting but just good fun.

And yes, I am drinking a bottle of Monteiths Original in the above picture :) Part of any healthy kayaking diet. The campsite we stayed in for the night was pretty cool. They have a shelter set up in the bush.. it’s quite nice being inside and seeing half a bazillion sandflies outside. Makes the wine taste much better.

Mum elected not go to on the trip and instead went on a cruise on Doubtful Sound which I think she really enjoyed (even if she didn’t manage to get the boat to cruise by us.. I’m not sure that would have added to the ‘wilderness’ part of the experience.

So we left Christchurch and headed in the direction of Wanaka. Stopping off at the Cookie Time factory to buy two packets of their discounted broken cookies (delicious) and also some fruit products from the Barkers factory shop in Geraldine. The plan was to get to Mt. Cook by the evening, but like all good plans this one was subject to change! We got to Tekapo…

… there’s an observatory there and we decided on spec to go on the tour. Unfortunately the weather clouded in who while we waited until after midnight to go on the tour it didn’t happen. We did get an impromptu lecture from the lady there which was great. She had the most ridiculously powerful laser pointer I have ever seen. I swear if you shone it in someone’s eye you’d burn it out in no time. How much fun would one of those have been in school? ;)

Next it was on to Mt. Cook itself via stopping it at Glentanner to see Orla – a friend of my friend Carole’s from Ireland. WE arranged to go on a tramp on Stewart Island together.

This happened to be the weekend that NZ was mourning the passing of Sir Edmund Hillary. It’s hard to appreciate just how much he means to NZ. I guess he really put the place on the map. Everywhere we went the flags were at half mast. The exhibition in Mt. Cook (well worth going to) was free for the weekend – and the 3D film (not so good) was half price.

We went for a short walk to Kea point too – just a nice hour long walk with great views off the glacial lake and up to Mt Cook (which was stubbornly still hiding himself in cloud).

It was a *very* windy night parked behind some matagauri bushes. Our camper van is one of those flip top things where the roof pops up to make a sleeping space. It’s *definitely* designed for a family with parents and a kid or two… as there was very little space (or height) for my toes! But anyway.. I had visions of the top of the van being clean ripped off by the wind.

It wasn’t though… you can all relax ;)

The next day it was on to Lake Hawea North of Wanaka for a night. On the way we stopped at the Clay Cliffs…

… before heading on to Lake Hawea.. This was also the wonderful introduction to sandflies for my parents. Honestly, before then they were going to sell up in Ireland and move out to the Promised Land. Repeated exhortations (yes I’m trying to improve my vocabulary) not to scratch the bites wasn’t always heeded. Oh well.

There’s a nice legend which goes something like this : The Gods created Fiordland and it was so beautiful that they knew humans would never want to leave – so they created sandflies. How kind.

The next day we did another short walk and had a lovely sunny (at last) drive down to Wanaka.

Right.. just a quick update.. and will re-post with pictures ‘n videos ‘n all sorts of exciting things (to keep the short attention span people interested – Dec ;)

After leaving ChCh headed to Mt. Cook. Checked out the cookie time factory (worlds largest cookie) and Barkers shop (yum fruit products) before getting as far as Tekapo. There we were going to have a short stop – but instead opted to go on an observatory tour. Unfortunately the skies clouded over so we didn’t get to do it.

Then on to Mt. Cook. Stopped off to see my friend Carole’s friend Orla in glentanner. Missed a free helicopter flight ‘cos of more bad weather. Sigh. Did organise to do a tramp on Stewart Island with her though. Then onto Mt. Cook village. There’s a newly opened Sir Edmund Hillary exhibition – because of his death it was free for the weekend – and very interesting it was too. All of the flags around NZ are flying at half mast – he was a *very* important figure to NZ – hard to over estimate.

Next to Wanaka – well had a night in Haast pass first and did a short walk there. Also mum and dad’s first proper introduction to sandflies. Personally I feel they were on the verge of moving out until they met them! Then into Wanaka – dragged them up Roys peak for the view. Mum made it 2/3 of the way – dad managing to make it to the top for the spectacular views. I think they’re going to do some training before venturing out this way again! Also the obligatory cinema session (plus delicous homemade ice-cream and cookies). We saw ‘Priceless’ a french film with a actress from Amelie in it (who’s name I temporarily forget!). Really enjoyed it though :)

Then a night on the crown ridge road between Wanaka and Queenstown (windy night), before going to Arrowtown and on down to Te Anau.

Once in Te Anau dad and I got our briefing on our 2 day kayaking on doubful sound – which was great fun. Fiordland is a funny place – we had beautiful sunny weather – but in a way it would have been better if it was lashing rain – as then you get all the waterfalls. Still, a great trip.

After that it was on to Milford for a cruise, and stayed in Gunnes camp for my birthday – great spot. Finally mum and dad dropped me off at Bluff where I will meet shortly with Orla and off to Stewart Island for a 3 day tramp. Or that’s the plan.