Well, off up to the N.Island on Friday (Kayaking the Hurunui tomorrow I hope). Should be meeting up with my friend Lorna from Ireland & her lovely boyfriend Mark (who makes really excellent soup from memory).. then down to Palmerston North for Christmas with my Aunt & family…

Then up to Auckland for this 10 day meditation course. More details emerge… I am getting more and more nervous! 2 meals a day. If you can call them that.. not much food apparently. I reckon they starve you until your brain goes A.W.O.L and then you think you’ve had ‘an experience’ or enlightenment or whatever it is that’s supposed to happen. No talking, no books, no writing, little eating. Great way to spend new years…

Anyway.. you can use the buttons below to vote (should you wish) on whether you reckon I will last the 10 days without talking..

p.s… while I am a terrible conspiracy theorist (loaded words those really.. maybe I just enjoy alternative views?) anyway.. interesting that Blair & Bush’s rhetoric on Iran is increasing – at the same time as Iran moves its reserves & starts trading in Euro

My friend Ronan (from back in Shankill – Ireland) sister (Niki) was travelling through NZ with her friend (Niamh) and we met up for a drink in the Dux. They’re taking 6 months off from working (in Accenture with my brother Chris – I’m sure they need the break after working with him ;)

Then on Thursday I picked Laura up from the airport (she had flown down from Rotorua) and we headed off to Akaroa for the last day of her trip. In my van – which is now working (quite excited about that).

We stayed at a lovely hostel (Onuku Farm Hostel – 03 3047066) which had been recommended to me by my friend Dave. They have these huts called Stargazers where 1/4 of the cieling is perspex and you can look out to see the stars at night. Really really excellent. Will definitely be back that way again.

Had dinner at a cute little restaurant called C’est la vie. It’s always full and they often ask you to share a table with others. We shared with a couple (of restauranteurs)from Queenstown. Excellent conversation (even got to talk about Peak Oil ;) plus they shared their bottle of Pinot Noir… so it was all good. Except for Grants puns… usually I am up to speed on these things – but I certainly wasn’t quick enough that evening.

The next day I had booked Laura and I on to the dolphin swimming that the hostel runs. Cheaper than the other operators in Akaroa – and with a maximum of 6 people (turned out to be just the two of us) it was an amazing experience. At one stage I had 5 Hectors Dolphins swimming and circling around me. It’s impossible really to do justice to the feeling you get playing with these amazing animals.

So, for $80 – a 3 hour cruise around the bay and swimming with the worlds smallest (and rarest?!) dolphins. Not bad value for money you would have to admit (or should admit, even if you don’t want to)

Then it was time to head back to ChCh and drop Laura to the airport. One last stop for an ice-cream (you can’t leave NZ without at least trying Hokey Pokey flavoured ice-cream)

I honestly felt pretty sorry for all the people waiting in the check-in line. I know how I’d feel having to leave NZ and head back to a German winter. I know that Laura and Natalie had an excellent time here – and one imagines at some point they will be back. NZ has that effect on many people.

On A Scary Note
I have been accepted for this 10 day Vepassna meditation-no-talking-for-10-days thing North of Auckland (27th Dec->7th Jan). I am pretty sure it’s going to be one of the hardest things I have ever (voluntarily) put myself through. Honestly quite nervous about it…

After dropping Laura and Nati to Picton I drove down to ChCh to meet up with my cousin/godmother Sue & her husband Piers. Our only cousins in Ireland we used to spend many happy days with them growing up..

They have been spending the last 4 weeks belting around NZ and seeing quite a lot of the place. It was lovely to be able to meet up with them – and show them about a little.

Reminds me of the family in Ireland. Of course, eventually they will see the light and move out here… just not quite sure how much longer it is going to take. But it will happen. Even if I have to kidnap a few nieces & nephews.

As this will be the last update (of many made today) it might be worth making the reminder that there is a reverse button (top right of the screen) which can reverse the order of the blog..

Oh – and I passed the PRINCE2 exam (or so they tell me.. please God it’s not a mistake or I really will be having to bury my head in the sand for a while)… so pretty pleased with that one.

Well, this was, I think, the highlight for me. We were blessed with 2 days of good weather.

The Abel Tasman walkway is a great walk.. and thus usually quite crowded. However, we elected to do the Northern Part (from Wainui down to Bark Bay). Red line is where we walked – blue line is the water taxi back.

It’s a stunning part of the coast. For the first day we hardly saw another person and had the beaches entirely to ourselves. Perfect.

The only problem on the Abel Tasman is timing your walk to the tides. There are two tidal crossings.. this next picture is entirely under water for half the day.

Opting not to carry two nights food (just for the second night) we ate out at the Awaroa lodge for dinner. It was expensive – but quite delicious. After all.. we were on holidays. The walk back through the cold water at night was… invigorating (ok, cold)… beautiful starry night though – there aint no light pollution up there.

So yes.. all in all it was a simply brilliant hike.. well worth getting North of Totaranui if you get the chance.. it’s more hassle to get there – but less people and beautiful beaches.

Oh – I must tell you! we had dinner in The Riverside Cafe before leaving for the Abel Tasman… it’s the best place EVER! Well, one of them anyway. I forget who reccommended it to me – but damn the food was so so SO good – and cheap. We went back for lunch after the walk – and I will make every effort I can to always go there when I am in the area. Really – it’s just the best place.

I had a hike up above Franz Josef (8 hour walk in 5… I’m loosing my touch)… Pretty useless views – but good to stretch the legs.

While I did that – Nati and Laura did a sky dive at Fox Glacier. I have heard it is the best place in NZ to do it – and they certainly loved it.

Then today we hiked in to the Welcome Flats hot pools. DOC said it was a 7 hour walk – so was expecting to do it in 5 – maybe 6… but it took the full 7. I was… shocked (still am to be honest)

It was hilarious – the first river (about 20m after starting the trip) Laura and Nati took about 20 mins to cross – desperately trying to keep their shoes dry. Once they got wet and resigned themselves to squelching for the next 6 hours things progressed much more smoothly :)

I was completely knackered when I got to the hut. I think it was the 1/2 pumpkin, 3? kumara, bottle of red and a few other things I’d insisted on carrying.. so much for chivalry – never again!

Mind you, the hot pools were worth it. We went in at 10pm after dinner – everyone else had gone to sleep so had the place to ourselves. It’s the best time to go in as the sandflies have gone to sleep (thank God). Below you can see a picture of the hot pools by day.

Finally… an example of kiwi sense of humour. I tried to call.. but there was no dial tone.

Next day – 5 hours out (far lighter) and drove up to Motueka – for our Abel Tasman adventure.