So.. got back from the Clarence trip to find that I was locked out of the house (I’d forgotten to leave the spare key outside, and Glynn had left my keys inside and was in Wellington)…

So I tried openening a window with a coat hanger (there was space to get it in – kinda – just needed to lift the latch). I failed miserably. And then Michelle pointed out that I should just go to the landlord – who lives about 100m away – and ask for a spare key. Damn I’m smart.

But it was great, as I came back to the house and was met by John & Maeve – John’s just arrived for 6 weeks travel (from Ireland). They’d just driven down from the North Island that day! So good timing to be back really… Looking forward to getting some climbing done with John. He very kindly brought over my trad climbing gear.. so hope to get some use out of that!

What a week! Tuesday afternoon headed rafting. We drove up to Hamner Springs and then along a dirt track for about half an hour until we got to the Clarence River.

We stayed the night in a pretty historical site – called The Acheron Accommodation House. It was built in 1863, which makes it kinda old – esp for NZ (here’s a piece of useless trivia – The first section of the London Underground Railway opened in 1862 too (Paddington to Farringdon Street). Wow ;)

AAaaanyway – so yes, stayed the night in this quite historic building. Did have a nice historic smell to it too – the roof was thatch and there’d obviously been fires with little ventilation going on in our room :)

So the next morning (Wed) packed all our worldly possessions (well for the next 5 days) into barrels (one barrel for 2 people) and started off down the river.

And set off on the 180 odd Kms of river. It sounds a lot – and the first couple of days were quite long (8 or so hours on the river)… but it’s pretty cruisey really, most of the time you’re just setting yourself up to be in the right position and letting the current do the rest.

There were excitements…

This raft was trapped between the rock and a hard place… eventually to get through they deflated the front pontoon which allowed the raft to get through. Purty smart move. As far as I know the river was a grade 2 / 2+ with one or two grade 3 rapids (hope to get pics of those later)

The food was incredible on the trip. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten this well camping.. I guess we were pretty famished by the end of the day – but still, twas a good effort (all communal). Though the only thing I wasn’t super impressed by was the damper. Which really is basic food – flour and water ->bread->add jam->kinda icky but edible – for desert.

What else – so yes, then there was a setback on Thursday morning (after our first night on the river). At about 7:30am the wind got up (quite a lot) and actually managed to lift one of the rafts – and blew it accross the campsite… unfortunatly Tim (of the Batch bash party) got hit. Not sure if he was knocked out, but certainly had to be airlifted out. Really unfortunate as the weather really cheered up after that point. It did have the upshot that I got to kayak the rest of the river (as we had to bring his boat down the river – and I have a sort of a roll I can do :) While it’d have been much better if Tim hadn’t have been clobbered (he’s fine now) I was glad to get the practice in – really getting into kayaking.

Now.. by the end of Thursday the idea was to be at a point where we could try to get up Tapuea-O-Uenuku (2885m)

unfortunately due to the bad weather and needing the airlift ‘n all (mountain radios are the business) we weren’t in a position to do it. It meant we had a slightly easier time of the next couple of days – and, well, it was nice to have slightly relaxed holiday too ! (if we’d done the mountain we would have walked from 02:30->19:00 ish). Still, would have given it a go – supposed to be a long – but not technically difficult climb.

Did do a short hour’s scramble up a hill, and you can see a pic of some of the land we were going through (it varied quite a lot – but it’s still a very dry part of NZ)

It really was great not seeing a road or another human (outside of our giantic party and the helicopter ;) for 4 days..

Had a great day on Friday – got tipped over in my boat -4 or 5 times, but rolled back up all but one time. Then had a shocking day on Saturday and had to pull the spraydeck and go swimming 3 times. Gah. But did run a grade 3 rapid – called Jawbreaker.

My friend Jana took this pic of me running it…

It got its name as a jetboater was coming up the river, and tried to go up the rapid.. but did’t *quite* make it intact. Ah well.

And then Sunday was a short 1/2 day out to the coast. So yes, a magic week, so glad I got to go on it in the end, couldn’t find a better group to do it with

Firstly… Billy Connollys World Tour of New Zealand is apparently being shown on BBC1 on Saturdays at 9:30pm. Next weeks show is of Greymouth, Christchurch, Arthurs Pass etc.. well worth watching (I imagine ;) I can only wonder!)

So the weekend, Saturday headed up Mt. Philistine. Here you can see a map of the area. It’s up in Arthurs Pass.

So yes, my first real mountaineering… I must admit, I’d kinda almost given up on it – don’t partic like the imminent death aspect of it all. This trip was very straightforward though. The only bad thing was we headed up through the bluffs (mini cliffs) by a … more technical (read incorrect) route.. And I did manage to get a black eye from a falling rock (yes mum I was wearing a helmet – it was just unlucky!)

Well, unlucky/good learning experience not to climb too close behind another climber when you’re on loose rock.

This pic is of Claudia, Jana and Mhairi (near to far) – with Mt. Philistine (1967m) in the background.

We didn’t need our crampons in the event, but the ice-axe came in useful. It was great to be hiking with Mhairi again – far too much energy – but it was put to good use as she kicked steps for us in the snow all the way to the top (and was rewarded with summiting first!)

She’s heading off travelling with her parents (arriving from Scotland) and then off to the N.Island, and will certainly be missed down in ChCh. If you can’t get enough of reading about trips in NZ then Mhairi has a blog here

But it was great being up there, I can see myself doing a little more of this sport…. And it was heaps of fun ‘bum sliding’ down the mountain. Much quicker too!.

so thanks (L->R) to Jana,Mhairi,Claudia & Jonno

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After that it was back to ChCh.. heading out to celebrate St. Andrews Day ( 2 days early) in The Celtic Arms. It was *kinda* funny.. I had no spare clothes after the trip, and it was going to be hassle to head home and change, so Jana very kindly lent me a pair of her jeans and a t-shirt.. So I was wearing girls clothes and had eyeshadow (ok, a black eye). It was most liberating ;)

So that pic Mhairi & I, the piper, and Gav (Mhairi’s brother – who’s off to OZ in a week). It was done well though, there was Haggis (which Gavin did the address to) And they even did a reasonable (ish-kinda-will-never-ever-be-as-good-as-home) pint of Guiness.

At last! climbing outdoors again. Headed off on Friday night (Warick & Aroha, Michelle, Luke and I) up to Nelson (via a fun swim on the way up ;) And stayed that night with Joe and Andrea, friends of Michelles.

Next morn headed off to Paynes Ford – one of the two main sport climbing crags on the South Island. It’s quite nice limestone. Did 11 routes in total, led most of them – one 19, many 18s,17s and 16s. Good fun – this pic me on Hula Yula (19). Though I think I might have cheated.

But a great days climbing. We were really lucky with the weather.. it was supposed to be a bad weekend with a front coming up in, but the part of the S.Island we were in often seems to escape – and it did this time.

Sat eve went to The Mussel Inn for dinner. It was quite yum, and the 10% beer I was drinking went down well too. It had some pretty excellent signs too – I thought.

and

Sunday – headed off climbing at the sea cliffs, was great to be back climbing over the sea again. I definitly miss climbing at gola on the west coast of Ireland. Think that has to be one of my favourite places… even if it is all scary trad climbing!

This pic of Michelle on Woosh(18) I think.

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So yes, a great weekend, quite a long way to go – but some quality climbing, twas fun. So Thanks to: L->R (Joe,Aroha,Luke and Warick) (Andrea and Michelle) for a great time.. hopefully won’t be too long before the next trip!

Damn I’m excited!! :) When I got here a year ago – one of the first trips I did was a canyoning one.. and most of the ppl on that trip had just come back from a rafting trip – which sounded just so cool. So, I asked if I could get on it next year (they run it every year).. and forgot about it.

Then a month ago I heard it was all booked up :( .. but yesterday I got a mail from the guy – Stewart – who’s organising it.. and a space has come free (the fool ;) You can read (if you want to) the .doc here. It’s a really cheap trip – as it’s run by friends for friends. $160 for 5 days of chilled out rafting in the wilderness(ish). Wow… can’t wait..

Also :) heading to Paynes Ford in about an hour with Warick, Aroha, Michelle and Luke (all denizons – for the moment – of 39 Fendalton!).

This weekend is going to rock