Cruise Track and NZ Travel

I've put the S-257 cruise track and my Kiwi Experience tour on this map, so you can see that I truly circumnavigated the entire country! Flying to and from NZ was almost 18,500 miles; the S-257 cruise from Auckland to Christchurch was about 2,300 miles, and my bus tour on the South and North Islands was also about 2,300 miles.

Week 10: Return to Auckland

The final leg of my voyage, following the saga of last week, saw the surroundings going by a bit slower, with time to soak it all in, and time for reflection. I spent a leisurely few days making my way from Wellington back to Auckland, where this adventure began and would soon end. But before that, I will continue my narrative per usual.

13-April
Unfinished business in Wellington included a visit to the famed Weta Workshop, the fourth largest special effects and prop design studio in the world (the other top three are in the US). With my friends Luke and Ruth, we gawked at helms, swords, and armor from the Lord of the Rings movies, as well as weapons from District 9 and Avatar.

14-April
A final farewell to Wellington. NZ Route 1 rose from farmland to the Desert Road and the Central Volcanic Plateau, where now the mountains are covered in a blanket of snow. It was a brisk 10 degrees C, at 2,600 feet, before descending to Taupo.

16-April
I've diverted from my planned itinerary and taken a pit-stop in Rotorua, to catch up on the some of the scenery I missed last time! I visited Lake Rotorua and Sulfur Bay, where boiling pools of water and mud are right along the trail. I also managed to get out of town for a visit to the Redwood Forest trails.

17-April
The final leg of my journey, back to the beginning. Our bus pulled into Auckland in the early afternoon. I took time to visit the waterfront and sit on our hostel's penthouse porch on the 8th floor, to soak in the city. Tomorrow I head for the airport to leave NZ behind.

Week 9: Kayaking, Caving, and Hobbits, oh my!

Just a note about this absolutely crazy week...It's not often that you can kayak the Pacific coast, go glowworm caving, visit the Shire and a Maori village, stand next to geysers, jump out of a plane, hike around huge volcanoes, and go grade 5 white water rafting all in 7 days, but it's a lot to soak in, and you learn pretty quickly how the spirit of adventure can overpower comfort levels and you end up sitting down at the end just still processing what you've just done. It's not about a bucket list or bragging rights, though it's a crazy story to tell, and amongst new friends and fellow travelers is the best way to do it. This adventure isn't over yet, and I certainly won't try to top this week, but it has inspired in me a new drive to go with whatever and enjoy the ride, soak in the scenery, and reflect on the experience.

6-April

It’s a new group of friends that I’m departing Auckland with, and quite a change in scenery as well as we drive through the fertile farmland and rolling hills of the Waikato region. Soon enough we were driving through the bush-covered hills of the Coromandel Peninsula, and to our destination at Hot Water Beach. There’s plenty of volcanic history in the region, along with relic hot springs seeping out at the beaches, hence the name. We were picked up straight away to begin our kayaking adventure along the coastline to Cathedral Cove, past huge white cliffs, sea-stacks, through the Te Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve. It’s not often that your tattooed and muscular kayak guide turns into a beach barista serving cappuccinos. We kayaked through archways in the warm Pacific waters, and managed to beach ourselves successfully, before heading back to our private Kiwi Ex lodges at the Hot Water Beach Holiday Park.

7-April

For real this time, enjoyed my last sunrise over the Pacific, and we’re off again. We visited the town of Paeroa to sample the World-Famous in NZ L&P soda, and see their giant L&P statue. Most towns famous for anything will probably have a giant rendition somewhere to proclaim it. This evening I suited up with my new mates in wetsuits and harnesses for our glowworm caving adventure with the guides at the Blackwater Rafting Co. It was my first time abseiling into the black hole in the ground, but nerve-racking as it was, I made it 35 meters down pro-style. Our adventure continued with a flying fox (aka zip-line) through the abyss under glowworms on the ceiling, and a 9 meter jump into the underground river with our inner-tubes. After floating around under what appeared to be a galaxy in the night sky of blue glow worms, we explored into the depths of the caves, with some very cold swimming, eel encounters, and climbing up roaring waterfalls. We emerged from the black depths some hours later, but not realizing it until the cave walls turned suddenly into tree trunks, glowworms still glowing in the tree canopy. 

8-April

Yes, today is the day we’ve all been waiting for. The day to explore the Shire! Hobbiton village looks just as it did in the movies, and despite the overcast skies everything is so bright! From the painted doors to the gardens full of flowers and vegetables, it’s the place I’ve always dreamed of! The attention to detail was incredible, down to the fake moss on the fence posts. Yes, I geeked out quite a bit, but from Bag End over the bridge by the mill house to the Green Dragon, this place is just magical. And so is the pork pie and ale. Not far away is Rotorua, the cultural hotspot of New Zealand, and home to a thriving Maori culture. It also smells like sulfur though. Tonight our small group was welcomed to the Tamaki Maori Village, where we were led to our own traditional style sleeping house, introduced to flax weaving and stick games, and practiced a bit of song for performance later. Rejoined by the Kiwi Ex crew, formalities were held to enter the village itself and we engaged in cultural activities from learning the haka to watching poi performances. We stuffed ourselves at the hangi, which we watched get pulled from the cooking pits and served. Our special treatment at the overnight stay included our own hot pools and bonfire.

 9-April

Very sad to leave our beautiful accommodation at Tamki, but we got to explore the thermal wonderland of Rotorua at Te Puia. Here was Austral-Asia’s highest geyser, sulfur and boiling mud pools, and the chance to hard-cook some eggs in a hot pool. The geeking out continued. It’s not far to Lake Taupo, and the rain didn’t detract from the amazing Huka Falls, where the Waikato River has carved a dramatic channel through the bedrock. The Waikato River is the longest river in NZ, and has 9 hydroelectric plants powering the region. There’s geothermal power too, and plumes of steam are regular across the landscape. 

11-April

The rain from yesterday has cleared, and the clear skies outside my window fill me with dread. Preceded by much anticipation, today I put myself to the test, and passed! Hard to believe as it is, I managed to stomach the nerve-racking flight up to 15,000 feet and jump tandem out of a plane! What's crazy is, for about 10 seconds you don't even realize what's happened, and after that you're falling at terminal velocity towards the ground, which doesn't appear to get any closer. Because you've stopped accelerating, it doesn't even really feel like falling, and is therefore much more enjoyable.

I managed to be really psyched the whole way down, and enjoy the unnatural feeling of free-fall and the scenery around Lake Taupo on our parachute ride down. The realization of what I'd just done continued to dawn later in the day, which was filled with more excitement as we did a small hike in the Tongariro National Park, on the flanks Mt Ruapehu to the Taranaki Falls. Eventually the high clouds cleared for views of Mt Ngarahoe and Tongariro, and the sun illuminated the alpine desert landscape and autumn colors. Summer may be on it's way out, but it's just as beautiful.

Rangitikei River, photo: River Valley
Adventure Lodge (not my boat)

12-April
As if I haven't already done enough this week including 'blackwater rafting' my mates and I staying at the River Valley Adventure Lodge donned wetsuits and thermals for some white water rafting. The rains of the last few days has driven the Rangitikei river into flood stage, and it had only slightly calmed down by this morning, at about 25 cumecs (almost 900 cfs!). Our group had a few 8-person rafts; mine with my friends Luke Heidi and Harriet, and our estimable bus driver Josh. The trip progressed from grades 1 to 4, from the Calm Before the Storm and The Storm rapids, including some perilous grade 5 rapids requiring precision maneuvering and teamwork in our paddling. We actually managed to keep the raft upright the whole time through the Fulcrum and Dog Leg rapids, though we weren't the least bit dry. It was a total blast though, and our raft fared pretty successfully over the trip, which ended far to soon. Alas, it seems too soon to be moving on again, but it's time to leave the Manawatu region for Wellington, the glorious capital city! With any luck, I can catch up on sleep from this week!

Week 8: Farewell to the South Island

1-April

See the problem is, even short hikes around Queenstown have such dramatic topography that I’m absolutely winded. Queenstown Hill though provided fantastic views over the little city and Lake Wakatipu. Some therapeutic rock stacking added to the collection already on the summit, and roaming around was just like the scenery from Lord of the Rings.

2-April

Adventuring can be exhausting, so a day to stroll around the harbor and gardens was needed, and when your hostel has a fireplace, why not just take a nap? The bus is going their separate ways, and we said farewell to some of our bus-buddies.

3-April

Lake Pukaki

Queenstown, nutty place that it is, it’s been real. It’s time to head north again, up towards Lake Pukaki which offered views of Mt Cook in the distance, reflecting in the blue glacial-fed waters. An extensive canal system connects the area’s lakes to hydroelectric plants, which collectively supply 70% of NZ’s energy! Dropped off at the airport to join Air Safaris for an unforgettable flight over Lake Tekapo, glacial braided rivers, blue glacial lakes, ice-fields and the Murchison Glacier, the névés of the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers far below. Crossing the Alps, the cloud-covered west coast stands in stark contrast to the barren mountains to the east, and Mt Cook (aka Aoraki the cloud-piercer) and Mt Tasman tower over the surrounding region. Our pilot pointed out the landforms left behind by the last large glaciation. A hike later on offered views of Lake Tekapo and the Mt John observatory, in the perfect place to observe the un-polluted skies of the South Island.

Godley River delta into Lake Tekapo and upstream glacial-fed lakes

Mt Cook from Air Safaris flight and Southern Alps looking north

Glacial hummocks and Mt John south summit

Mt John over Lake Tekapo

4-April

Nothing beats a single-room cabin for NZ$30 that has views of the sunrise over the Lake! On top of that, school groups who leave behind heaps of free breakfast food at the hostel are also extremely appreciated. Today featured more dramatic changes in scenery as we drove from the dry rain-shadow of the Alps into the fertile farmlands of the Canterbury Plains. Things began to look familiar again as we cruised into Christchurch, though there wasn’t much to do around other than sit in the park to soak up the sunshine. Tomorrow I say haere rā to the South Island and kia ora to the North.

Week 7: The Wild West

26-March

Whataroa River

We’re rolling along the Wild West Coast of New Zealand. The orographic rainfall here has to be measured in meters, producing a stretch of rain forest along the coastline. The roads are winding along the steep ocean-side cliffs, but ahead of us in the south snow-capped peaks emerge. The rivers now carry clear blue waters from the alpine glaciers, and we can see an abundance of deep kettle lakes. The Franz Josef Glacier is just visible hidden in its large valley, and sits high above the little town of the same name. After checking into our hostel, it was time for Pizza Night! All I could eat turned out to be about fourteen pieces.

27-March

Today is my long anticipated adventure to the Franz Josef Glacier! We joined the guides for an early start, and after gearing up we headed to the helicopter pad. This being my first time in a helicopter, it was quite exhilarating! We flew over the braided Waiho river and up-valley, where the glacier terminus lay in the middle of the rain forest, just 300 meters above sea level. Rock walls rose up, and we landed on a stretch of ice still in the shadow of the valley. Donning crampons and gloves, I set food on my very first glacier! Our walk took us up along a route through ice-fields, crevasses, ice arches, and boulder piles. The sun, finally coming into view, turned the ice a brilliant piercing blue, and began to melt small streams across the glacier surface. The scalloped faces of the ice reflected the sunlight, and even walking into a crevasse the blue light penetrated through the walls. The source of the Waiho river plummets from the edge of the glacier near the ice falls, and rainbows shone in the spray. This was the highest we could venture, since the ice falls is the fastest moving part of the glacier, with continuously shifting ice, as we saw that day. Before long our trek across this surreal landscape had to come to an end, and as Arnold would say, we had to “get to the choppa!” The afternoon was spent relaxing in the hot pools, at a balmy 40 degrees C.

MORE GLACIER PICTURES TO FOLLOW

28-March

Lake Wanaka road

Our journey continues south along the West Coast, and from the cliff road we see the Tasman Sea, with water stretching  farther continuously until you reach Patagonia. After a stop at Lake Matheson to see its famous reflective qualities, we followed Route 6 and the Haast River inland through the lowest of the passes through the Southern Alps. Huge cliffs towered on either side, and house-sized boulders were strewn across the valley floor from landslides. It is here that we are crossing the Alpine fault, which is pushing the Southern Alps even higher while stretching the South Island. Within an hour we had moved from the coastal rain forest into beech forest, which dominates New Zealand’s alpine environments. This soon gave way to dry grasslands with sparse trees in the rain shadow created by the mountains. The morning’s rain disappeared as well behind the mountains, and the sun illuminated golden fields, dusky mountains, and two of NZ’s largest lakes: Wanaka and Hawea. These were carved out by glaciers in the last global ice age, whose terminal moraines dammed the valleys and provided the foundation for the town of Wanaka. In the early evening I climbed Mt Iron for views of the region through light drizzle. 

Lake Hawea

Kawarau River bungy

29-March

Departing Wanaka across the countryside to Queenstown, we learned about the region’s history during the gold rush, which basically funded the construction of the rest of the country. The rugged mountains could belong in the American West, and stories of miners, outlaws, and gold towns don’t seem at all out of place here. The Kawarau River was previously known as the “golden river”, but now is best known as the site of the first commercial bungy jump. We cheered on our comrades as they overcame their fears of jumping off a bridge. The arid region is also famous for its award winning pinot noir. It’s off to Queenstown! Known formally as the adventure capital of the world, if you’re looking for ridiculous things to jump off of, you can find it here. Tonight we explored the city’s famous nightlife and quirky bars.

30-March

Milford Sound is known by some as the 8th natural wonder of the world, and is our destination today. We hit the road before sunrise, and the long drive from Queenstown was the highlight of the day due to the fantastic views expanding before us. Approaching the Daren Mountains the clouds rolled in, producing a bizarre landscape with towering cliffs disappearing into the mist, cool mountain streams, and unmelted snow fields atop the saddles. The valley ended in a shear granite face, where we entered the 1km Homer Tunnel to exit on the Milford side. Stopped at The Chasm; a roaring mountain stream carving its way into the granite. Our boat awaited us in the harbor for a cruise on the fjord. Despite the rain and clouds, we saw waterfalls, huge cliffs coming straight out of the water, U-shaped glacial valleys, and more seals! We even dunked the fore-deck in a waterfall for a refreshing shower. 

 Countryside drive and the Darren Mountains

The Maiden of Milford and Milford Sound

Photo: Shotover Jet

31-March

 As I’ve said, if its ridiculous or downright insane, it was probably invented in NZ. Example: the jet boat. On this brisk and sunny morning I’m embarking on the Shotover River on one wild ride. With double jet engines it can cruise at 85 km/hr in as low as 10cm of water. The water of the river was so clear the bottom appeared right beneath us, and we suddenly zoomed into the Shotover canyon, drifting corners with cliffs on either side. The driver pulled some 360 degree turns, splashing water everywhere. The wind chill nearly froze my face, but I was too focussed on the cliffs whipping by. Round 2? Better the second ride. Back in the city riding my adrenaline rush I tackled the famous Fergburger, inducing some solid napping later. 

Kiwi Bus on the way to Milford Sound