New Zealand 19th Jan to 29th Feb....

New Zealand 19th Jan, Auckland......

I'm finaly here, the land of kiwi's and all Blacks...(so far seen none) I didn't even get a "hakka"  when I got off the plane! What do you have to do around here to get a Hakka?? The trip over was just over 5 hrs, I did bring my tablet and earphones to keep me entertained but the plane had dvd screens in the seats so actually saw the film 'the martian'. The flight was great, I was on a LAN air flight which is Chilean air....and back to the Spanish lingo..We touched down on time, and went through the long immigrations checks, I got a stamp no problem, i'm allowed to stay 6 months. What took the most time was the quarentine ....you had to declare any goods or foodstuffs, fill out forms, answering questions...phew.. then the bag was checked, x-rayed, a dog came and peed up it...( not really ;-)) I had my boots looked at...I was wearing them at the time, as one of the questions was 'have you any camping equipment used in the last month thats been to a reserve outside of NZ?'..I deliberatly didn't get behind any Chinese as who knows what they would have packed. I was finaly through, and out into Auckland. I did grab something to eat as I was starving, again i'm two hours ahead on Sydney time...thankfully It won't get any longer? ..I think?? I'll keep you posted. I'm now 12 hours ahead of europe time and 13 hours ahead of UK time....I'm up.... your going to bed...i'm going to bed, your starting your day...I got a bus from the airport to the hostel, the city is modern, looks like the UK in someways with the syles of some of the houses I though. Alot of hills, steep streets....I know I walked up one street looking for the hostel, I nearly needed ropes to clamber up it with me bags! finaly gets to the top....did you know there's two YHA hostels in Auckland? No neither did i! This wasn't mine!  I went back down the hill, nearly running from the weight of me bag dragging me down...I did get to the right one in the end...dripping with sweat...breathing like I had an Asthma attack! After a shower and a few cups of tea I was right as rain. It's another YHA, not as big as the Sydney one, but all the kitchens, free wifi was the same. I'm in a 4 bed dorm, the rooms are clean... ( not mom clean, but clean) I'm now a member so get discounts, I actually saved 30 odd NZ dollars on my up coming Whale trip; bargin! 

Whale spotting in Haukraki Gulf.....21st Jan.....

I've only ever seen a Whale once before in Sri Lanka many moons ago off a beach, great spouts of water as this gorgeous huge mamal breaches the surface. I was looking forward to getting up close and personal.....although not too close, we all heard the story about Jonah? The last boat trip was abit of nightmare, if you remember I was rough! This trip was no problem. It was another fast Cat, the seas had less of a swell, although it was over an hour to get to the Whales. There was plenty of Dolphins, all playing at the front of the bow which was great to see. My heart stopped a beat as we hit a wave and I was swamped! both my cameras hanging around my kneck got soaked! I dried them off but one ( the one I use the most) was not working properly, I could have cried! I reckon some water got into the electrics, once it dried out and I cleaned it it seems to be ok now, fingers crossed. I was alot more careful after that! At last we see a Whale, it broke the surface and the water frothed and it was gone again. The crew on the boat knew there stuff, it was a Buluga whale...(think thats how you spell it) 15 meters long...it would dive down then surface again after 4 minutes, the dolphins and birds were all feeding around it, then it would breach 4 more times before diving again....I wanted it to come right out the water head and all, but these Whales don't do that apparently....'why couldn't I get a Kardishian of the Whale world'???? It was amazing to see and such a great experience, think I will go again further down on South Island when I'm there. We headed back to Auckland, I still was feeling fine, chatted to some of the people on the boat and before long we were back on dry land. Great day! .......  

Auckland from the mouth of a crater.......

Today I was going to go to Mt Eden, which is an extinct volcano (I think it's extinct..I bloody hope it is anyway...) :-/..it over looks Auckland, a great view of the city and the surrounding area....which is surrounded by alot more volcanoes, a kind of landscape with acne, lets face it Auckland is like a teenagers face covered in zits...each one ready to pop! I took a slow walk up, and eventually reached the crater, it was covered in grass but you could clearly see the cone, no bubbling red molten...which was dissapointing. A sign was placed on the edge, 'do not climb into the crater or you will damage it' ...not quite sure how a person could damage a bloody great volcano, but hey. It was a lovely view, not packed with people but enough of our selfie taking friends, all with their umberellas up, masks on, various poses in the same position...changing hands to do the v sign...not sure if they were smiling, the masks were in the way! Why do they wear them over here? It's probebly the cleanest most enviromentally friendly country I know...I walked around the crater and sat there legs dangling over the edge....(couldn't have done that a few thousand years ago...) I took a slow walk back down the streets that must look like something from San Fransisco in America, all steep hills (not been there so not sure) It was getting dark, so I thought Id walk through the center upto the harbour, one guy stopped me as I was waiting at the crossing, a big Maori guy he was, looked scary enough without doing the Haka...'have you seen jesus' he said..." no sorry, ive not passed anyone else"....'you know Jesus'? "no sorry I don't never see him"....I wasn't being funny, I just though his mate was called Jesus and he was pissed up, like the Abo's in Australia...he gave me an astonished look and said 'Jesus who died on the cross' I realised what he was on about.....just then then it was safe to cross so I smiled took his leaflet, and made a bolt for it.  I was surprised how many Christians there were all singing in big groups on the streets, 'praising the lord'...i've not seen that in Europe for a long time. 

It's quite a busy place at night, and a good atmosphere, people out to enjoy themselves, I saw no trouble, there's actually signs everywhere that your not allowed to drink on the streets, a good idea. I headed back to the hostel, I was hungry and was making jacket potato with chicken for my tea....can't cook a roast ....no oven...I had crumpets this morning...crumpets! love YHA's...you can cook what you want. Tomorrow I'm heading to Rotorua, I'm getting the bus which is about 4 odd hours, no real hardship, it will be great to see the open countryside and raw New Zealand. The bus station was abit of a trek (or Tramp as the Kiwi's say) not helped by the hills, my bags feel heavier now, they're not, but after neary 8 months it feels like i'm dragging a car along behind me! I got to the station in plenty of time, the bus came and we boarded, a nice coach it was, new modern...unlike some of the wrecks I've been on. The aircon didn't freeze my nipples off, we all had to wear our seat belts, and he stopped frequently for a pit stop, not because of me, it was the general rule.....but boy was I relieved! The scenery was gorgeous, very green and mountains/volcanoes everywhere, hardly any cars on the road, we passed farm after farm then every now and then came to a town....One town I see a wierd house across from the bus stop, loads of people taking photos.... it looked really old, I saw a couple of blokes in top hats and a black costume....turns out it was 'hobbit town' from the film 'lord of the rings'....it's not on my list of things to see, i've not seen the films, (I did try but fell asleep)....so i wasn't really interested to see 'hobbitville' ....plus if I went there i'm sure they try to keep me as the rest of the gits had run off....;-)

On to Rotorua.......

We reached Rotorua, a lovely place it looked, with a clean small town feel, (it may be a city though?)  and the smell everyone warned me about??? Well I couldn't smell anything, maybe I'm used to bad smells sleeping in dorms, smelly feet, and weaponised farts....and that's just from me! I had abit of a tramp to the YHA but my trusty phone app told me where to go....I stopped for something to eat, it was Sunday and everywhere looked shut so I just went to the first place I saw open.....I had an all day breakfast! bloody lovely it was. I checked in had a shower and settled in for the night. It was a nice hostel, all the usual YHA mod cons....kitchen, free wifi....laundry..tv room..and the room was clean. My roomies were from China I think, they didn't sleep...I woke up in the night, or at least my bladder woke me up should I say, and the pair of them had the phone glued to their nose...they left the next day. Next morning I had an explore, I walked down to one of the lakes, a smashing chilled out place. float planes in the water, a nice park, black swans a few feet away from you....still not seen any Kiwis though....I have a list of places to see, not just in Rotorau but all over, my friends have made suggestions, and must do's....I plan on being here for a while so plenty of time, I'm not going to rush. I had a look around town after the lake, I booked a trip to Mount Tarawaia...a volcano..and a little trek ( or tramp should I say...thats what the Kiwis call walking...nothing to do with the tramp like way you look when you return..) 

I found a supermarket, and got my groceries, bread, milk, steak, potatos, cherry ripe, (oh yes, found somewhere that sells them ...happy days) and a packet of cereal..got to look after the ol bowels...;-) I also found my coal tar soap, no longer will I have to use the '50 shades of grey' soap I bought in Aus ever again!! There's plenty of restaurants here, Chinese....yeh right!!! Indian...Italian...it works out cheaper to buy in and cook it. I had half a cow and a jacket spud for under 10 NZ dollars....a fiver...owz that. ;-) my arteries may be shot but boy was it good!! I had a little chill in the lounge then decided to turn in, early start tomorrow. There was a note on the door that I had to go and see the reception about the trip, turns out it was cancelled due to the weather! I called and arranged to go next day. Having a back up plan for my lost days tramping I headed out on the local bus to a Maori village. Rotorua is one massive steam bath, everywhere you go there's steam pouring out of the ground, I went to a Maori village that gives you a taste of their culture...I was also going to get my Haka. It was abit touristy, but it was a genuine Maori village. You walk through the gates and the smell of eggs hits you...a very ripe ol smell..along the path you see bubbling mud pools..steam vents...houses...these people cook in the hot pools, how's that for enviromentaly friendly? a different story if one of these volcanos goes off and your sunday roast flys to the moon, but for now a good idea. Along the path was a big ol gyser, it's only half of the power it used to be due to the houses and hotels piping into the vents...but still shoots up a fair ol way. The locals then dressed up in traditional dress and put on a show, they did the Haka....lots of faces and shouts...the Haka is like a poem, there's different ones I copied a famous one and attached it to the blog..."..will I live ..Will I live...Will I die...will I die...." powerful stuff...I doubt they could do it in the Australian outback as they would have a mouth full of flies before they finished the first "will I......"they did a few songs as well, wont be in the top ten anytime soon...they danced..the women did a traditional dance with these balls on a string...cant think of the name...like numb chukkers that dont hurt...the blokes did the dance with spears and clubs...they were proud to keep their tradition alive, I liked that, it's a shame our PC goverment is the opposite...I had a wander through the village chatted to some of the locals who were friendly enough, then caught the next bus back to Rotorua. 

Next morning I was up and ready for my tramp. The bus came. It was about an hours drive to the base of mount Tarawia, there was two older couples on it...and a guy filming a commercial for Sony, complete with video camera the works...FYI I couldn't be in it..(git).... Ma'a the driver and Megan the guide, both were Moari really great people they were, he did a little prayer to the spirits in his native language, before we did our tramp, we all took our hats off and had to say a little prayer as well....mine was something along the lines of 'please volcano don't blow up today!!!'  I could see the weather gradually getting worse, we'd be climbing nearly a 1000 meters so the top would be cold...I brought my jacket luckily, its only the second time Ive worn it since June but Ive kept it close to hand in a quiet space in my pack...and boy did I need it! it was bloody freezing!! The rain was cutting into you, (it could have been sleet)..and there was us tramping around the rim of a volcano, how I wasn't blown off I dont know...we went down into the crater, sinking up to your ankles in lava rock and dust as you went down a steep slope...trying not to roll down by leaning back....that was an experiance in itself...the plus side was we were sheltered from the wind, plus the rain stopped and I could at least take my camera out. The film guy went to a different ridge they were at before a few days previous...with any luck he got blown off it...(unless he lets me be in his film, I do own a Sony Vario and a discman..)  ;-) It was a nice day, I wish I could have seen more, and not half froze to death...but a good day. I eventually got dropped off back at the hostel, had a shower and some dinner..a nice curry to warm me up. It wasn't cold or raining back in Rotorua you can actually walk around in a t'shirt even at night, I had a little wander, then turned in.

Just behined the hostel across the road theres a park with thermal pools and springs thats free to see so I had a day looking round there. It was all fenced off to stop the people from jumping in and taking a dip....then finding out it's scalding, not sure how many people did that before the fence went up. This will be my last day in Rotorua, it's time to move on, it's a lovely place I like it here its relaxing and easy going....I booked my bus ticket to Tongarino, it's a national park famous for it's trekking...sorry tramping..I'm going on 'Naked bus"....(no you don't have to be naked to go on it I checked.) it's cheap, there's a few companies to choose from but for some reason I was drawn to naked bus...;-) .  I checked out of the hostel, had abit of a wait but not long, then caught the bus. It would be a 4 hour trip, the bus was a modern double decker, and you know what it even had a toilet!! and did I use it? no I didn't need to....typical. The scenery was still amazing, the nearer we got to the stop the more it took your breath away. We passed a lake, bloody massive it was, they were even holding a power boat race...I had to change buses in a small town, not many big companies will pass through Tongarinio national park, I thought it would be hours to wait but it wasn't....a mini bus with a trailer pulled up and a group of us got on..only another hour to go...We went through the park on the drive through, which took your breath away, the volcanos looming ahead of you snow capped mountains..and it was summer! hope I don't freeze..The town, (I use the term loosely) must have had a total of 20 hotels and houses...and a school..the YHA was on the main road and the view was gorgeous...i'm looking out now at a volcano....thats not going off ..I know because I keep checking..watch this space! 

Haka..............

Ka mate, ka mate! ka ora! ka ora!  Will I die, Will I die

Ka mate! ka mate! ka ora! ka ora!  Will I live, Will I live

Tēnei te tangata pūhuruhuru  This is the hairy man

Nāna nei i tiki mai whakawhiti te rā Who brought the sun and caused it to shine

Ā, upane! ka upane! A step upward, another step upward!

Ā, upane, ka upane, whiti te ra A step upward, another... the Sun shines!

Tongariro crossing...tramping into the mouths of a volcano.....

It was an early start, it's not a tour, nor is it's guided....although I'm assured I wouldn't get lost......yeh right! I paid for a mini bus to take you to the start of the crossing, it was a good 25 minute drive, we had to meet the bus again at 4pm in some carpark persumably at the end of the crossing....you know me just go with the flow. I had my cameras and backpack, coat, water..some sandwiches...poncho...and it weighed a bloody tonne! I did lighten my bag before as well taking out stuff I wouldn't need. I took my other camera as my main one is playing up since it got wet on the Whale watching trip...Anyway off I tramped, it was busy as I walked along the path, seeing the park open out infront of you, the clouds were low, abit nippy but not cold...I hung back so the rest of the trekkers could go infront, unfortunatly there was more behind...loads of them! As the day wore on it thinned out but I was never out of sight of another person. I took a selfie at the start next to the sign telling you it was 19.4 klm to the end! Will my little legs make it? will the volcanos decide to blow...will I get lost in the wilderness? No....;-) 

The first 6 klm were easy, dead flat, lovely views and the clouds had lifted so off came the jacket. There was some portaloos where loads of people were milling around, my bladder was thankfully empty. The sign leading to the next stage ....and up..... was not subtle," ARE YOU READY FOR THIS? DO YOU HAVE HEALTH ISSUES? HAVE YOU GOT THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT? are you sure you can go on? Think the sign writers reletives were the were the ancestors of the moral officer on the 'Bounty'! A few people did turn back, I was not one! onwards I went...up and up...each step you went the view got better..(.in between the coughing...wheezing...cursing at the load i carried!...) but a lovely view! I took a rest stop and ate my cherry ripe ( for energy...;-)) then a couple of my sandwiches..I turned round just as some clouds were blown from across the face of this bloody great volcano looming over you! I nearly choked! All around me was lava rock, ash, and volcano debris..absolutly took my breath away...a perfect cone..a living volcano...it was like being at the feet of a giant! I got talking to a few people along the way, it's amazing how a camera can open a conversation. The going got harder but I wasn't suffering...YET...that would come later! One part we came to, you went up the side of a volcano, not the one I see previously...no theres more than one of these bad boys here! the lava rock was loose under your feet and it was hard going. Finaly reaching the summit you looked down into the mouth of a sleeping volcano! and at the base the other side was these little lagoons of luminous green water...you can see why they make films here! blown away I was. I took another rest stop, had the rest of my sarnies and took photo after photo of the surroundings....the sun was out but it was quite chilly up there and the clouds would fly past you one minute hiding everything then the next minute revealing the vista infront of you. The path down again into the lagoons was slippery as hell, you sank ankle deep into the loose stones...I stood on a ridge and took more and more photos so gorgeous it was. I did a time check and decided to push on, it was still 4 hours to walk...and I had to be there for 4pm...I stopped a few more times, but just to catch my breath, my feet were starting to ache now...my shoulder starps were cutting into me...but onwards I tramped ...

After another hour the path snaked round through the green scrub and vents of steam spewing out the ground, no volcanoes were infront now, but a gentle reminder from mother nature she's still about. The last toilet was just down the path..( yes I did use it) ..then it will be another 2 hour, or 7 klms to the end....and it was the longest 7 klms of my life!!! I reckon the path looped in one big circle and I did 14 klms really! My feet were falling off! I did a time check 3:30pm I had half hour to walk 2 klms....I walked with a father and daughter who were on the same bus as me coming up here. We made it dead on 4pm! Owz that! I got on the mini bus absolutly knackered....my feet ached... tingled..you name it, but I did it! absolutly amazing it was! There was three others who arrived abit later then we set off back to the hostel...all I wanted was a cuppa, a shower, and a sit down! The photo's turned out really well, it still doesn't do it justice, I tried to capture the moment when I was at the foot of the great volcano and the clouds blew across it revealing itself.....I think that will live with me for a long time..

..I'm now waiting for 3pm, I'm on my way by bus to Wellington, but sitting here now writting this i'm looking out the hostel door looking at the great volcano infront. I had a rest day yesterday, I smothered my feet in tiger balm before I went to bed and next day they were still killing! also smelled of tiger balm but hey! I got chatting to an American lady who was sharing my dorm, got some dinner...wrote this...a well deserved lazy day. I think this was a highlight for me so far in New Zealand...if my feet ever recover....I will do another trek on South island....watch this space ...

Wellington 3 feb ......

It was abit of a wait for the bus, it meant I could chill out and catch up on this blog. I sat in the kitchen reminiscing about the past week, the people I met, places I've seen, it's a much more chilled out place than Australia I think, there's absolutly no animal or insect that wants to bite, sting or rip your limbs off, there is the concern though that mother nature will unleash one of her volcanoes....or just shake the place down but compared to a 'salty' grabbing your legs and shaking you like a rag doll ...I know which I'd choose...I wouldalso be saying bye, FINALY.. to the bloke who 'befriended' me as no other sod would sit with him, think he was the local nut case, he reminded me of the dad in 'steptoe and son'....every time I went to the kitchen, even after peering round the corner first and checking he wasn't about! he would show up...eyes wide open and grinning like he was going to stab me 58 times! he'd sit down next to me and have the same conversation he had the last two evenings...how the other travellers were making too much noise, they were dirty...didn't know anything..he could talk without breath! by the first night once I realised he was mad as a hatter, I just kept saying yeh...yeh and praying he would just bugger off, id get up and disappear for 10 minutes come back and there he would be grinning...and so the same conversation again!!..everynow and then Id look up to see others just looking ...avoiding the stares of the other travellers in the kitchen as he talked about them,  ...and he really wasn't that flattering! Every now and then I get one!..If you don't hear from me again, ask the old guy in the wooly hat thats 2 sizes to big for him and the mad eyes what hes done with me!!!!  The bus finaly arrived, albiet abit late, I did have a connection but was assured the other bus would wait....as it turned out he did. The scenery was fantastic, the winding roads, rugged mountains...the odd farm, it made me even more determined to get a camper, at least then I could stop and look around. The buses are ok don't get me wrong, not expensive, they stop frequently for those with a bad bladder...who ever they may be...I've not froze to death yet, but theres just too much to see. We pulled into Wellington just after 9pm, it was dark and a fair ol hike to the hostel so I grabbed a taxi, the driver was an Afghani, a nice bloke...(once I checked he never had anything strapped to him) ..It was so quiet, the roads were empty, it wasn't built up, and by all accounts the taxi driver said there was no trouble here. I checked in, it was a big YHA, luckily there was a supermarket opposite so I dumped my bags then went shopping...cherry ripe, food...I had a craving for seafood, ive been eating steaks alot whilst over here (sorry to you veggis out there..) so tonight would be a seafood night...seafood spagbol my fav. I liked the hostel, I got chatting to a few people, thankfully no loons, some people ive actually met before on the way down, there looks like there's plenty to do here. I booked my ferry and a hostel in Kaikora, also a whale watching trip... as it gets booked quickly here, I've always just gone with the flow and booked buses and hotels as and when...you can't do it here, it doesn't help it's the Chinese new year....millions of selfie takers over here at the moment...also the New Zealand holidays..and high season, oh well. 

I had a lazy morning, (slept in....)...got my breakfast and headed out. It doesn't feel like a big city, I got a map and headed for the sea front, there's a harbour there, bars, restaurants and looks interesting enough. The people are really relaxed, no ones in a rush, the streets are not rammed I watched people going backwards and forwards, kids coming home from school and jumping into the sea from the jetty, it's got to be a good 10 feet up....buggered you catch me doing that..bet they wouldn't do that in Austaralia! it's really a nice city. Abit windy, maybe....a tad on the chilly side....'well we are close to the Antartic here' would be the excuse...".but its summer'"...I stayed in Wellington for a couple of days, I got my hair cut...30 dollars!! thirty!!! did my washing..ate myself silly..did the tourist thing....and now I was moving on down South.....

Good bye North Island hello South....6th Feb...

I was up early as I needed to get my bus to the ferry terminal, it was dark still outside, I couldn't turn on the light as Id wake the dorm up, I did pack the night before but my hung clothes looked the same as anyone elses in the dark, the bloke on the bunk below me just wore black, hes out here to work and I swear his whole wardrobe is black, I thought he was wearing the same stuff all the time but we got chatting as he was sorting through his bag and sure enough it was all black ...shorts trousers, tshirts...jumpers...hat..poor sod won't know what to do if his uniform turns out to be colourful. I finaly got my stuff, headed down to the lobby and waited. There was a few of us going it looked like, The ferry was going to take a couple of hours for the crossing, it looked just like any north sea ferry at home, we boarded, waited and set off through the channel to the open sea, I tried to take some pictures but it was blowing a gale...and bloody freezing! So I sat on the floor in a nice quiet spot down below, and people watched. The selfie taking brigade were having the usual photo shoot from every angle...the same pose just at different views..I got some brunch from the cafe on board and a cuppa, then as we came into the South Island about 2 odd hours later, I went back upstairs on deck as the views were like fjords outside...bloody lovely it was....it wasn't as windy, well it never is down south..;-) ...I was abit concerened as we were over half hour late and I had to get a bus at one oclock...but again in good Kiwi hospitality fashon, the bus waited for me....if that was England the bus driver would have pulled off chuckling as he see you in the rear view mirror! We went through Blenhem, the wine capital of New Zealand, i'm sure there's a few of you reading this that wouldn't have passed through Blenhem so quickly hmmmmm?? The road down was just gorgeous views, we stopped every now and then but eventually reached Kaikora. The town itself wasn't much, but the views were amazing from the surroundings, a big sweeping bay, mountains in the distance, and a barren wilderness beyond. The bus driver told me to go to the supermarket first and he would drop me off at the hostel as it was a little way down the road, which I thought was nice. The hostel was lovely, nice and comfy and looked out onto the bay. Just up the road was a seal colony so I took a wander up there before it got dark. Tomorrow I will be going on the whale boat so wont get a chance to see seals again (I don't mean a moby dick harpoon type boat either)

Whale watch kaikora. ......or not.....

The next day I got my coat, yep my coat....first time in ages I've worn a bloody coat again...it was windy...not a good sign...especially on a boat! I went to the office and was told that it may well be cancelled due to the weather...if it did go I would need seasick tablets....doh...my stomach was churning just thinking about it....we had to sign some forms, watch a film on whales while we waited,. then came the news it was cancelled, gutted! They gave us all a refund, I already booked my bus and hostel in Christchurch so couldnt go next day...oh well....fate. I walked back and headed off to the seal colony again, there was alot more this time and they come right up the rocks so it was a good day. The place itself wasn't that big, so after the whale watching, then the seals, a walk along the seafront you were at a loss. Well I was! it was the type of place a banjo player and people with web feet would not be out of place I think..;-) If I get time I will come back and try again with the whales....

Christchurch....hope the earth doesn't move....:-/....

I booked 'naked bus' again, if only for the name...it was a full bus but I had a seat to myself so I didn't have my camera bag on my lap for three hours! sure thats what causes my bladder problem! phew...The views along the coast road were amazing! The bus driver was practising for the grand prix but we were all told to wear our seatbelts so that was ok then! ;-/..I must say driving into Christchurch I felt sad how much of it is still damaged! you'd think a first would country after 5 years would have everything in hand...there was buildings fenced off...graffiti everywhere...broken buildings, shipping containers holding buildings up....(I kid you not!) a real emptyness, such a shame. The hostel I was staying in was right in the center, infact opposite was a big catherdal, that was still being repaired. Alot of people have relocated, and why wouldn't they. After a day or two of walking around it reminded me of the 'thunder dome' ...after the apocolyps people lived best they could...there was a whole shopping arcade made from shipping containers..tastefully done, there was restaurants, bars in caravans or again shipping containers...There is alot of building going on,  new buildings, old building being made safe...but you would think it happened yesterday! Thankfully the hostel was in one peice, I thought about sleeping in all my clothes incase a quake came, but I didn't.....I had my longji though ;-) The botanical gardens were nice...the way the people had 'made do' was something to see....I got chatting to people who lived there and heard about the events of that day....poor sods. Not that impressed with Christchurch....but a good experience. 

I spent a good few evenings trolling the internet for camper vans, wish I booked it sooner now ...they were all booked out! I must have tried a dozen companies...I had contacts from friends, from the people in the hostel but was getting nowhere...I decided on a car next, maybe get a tent, but was having just as much bad luck until finaly on the last day I got a break...id have to wait until after the weekend to pick it up, so it meant a trip downto Oamaru as the hostels here were all booked out! it was only a few hours down the road, has a colony of penguins, is supposed to be a nice victorian town....so I booked a couple of days down there then will come back Monday to pick up the car....happy days! I'll plan the trip and keep you posted....watch this space.  

Oamaru 12th Feb...penguins, and an old town.....

I'm back on 'Naked bus' again, I got a 3 stop travel passport which allows me to go to three south island destinations for NZ$50, a bargin as a one way trip would have cost NZ$39. The bus was busy, the stops frequent, but eventually reached Oamaru. It was as described, very old colonial buildings and a small town feel. It was midday so abit early to check into the hostel, I thought id try to see if they would let me store my bags while I had a wander, as it turned out they let me check in so happy days. It was a small hostel looked like a typical rural house from the horror films, but I made out it with no dramas. The place is famous for it's penguin colonies, the blue penguin, and the yellow eyed something or other....when I asked at the information place about them they said that the yellows had all done a runner and the blues are only back in the evenings and you cant take photos!! vain little gits! so a waste of time coming here for the penguins really. The town was nice enough, all these old cars buzzing about, old trains, and the buildings were dressed as they would have been a hundred odd years ago, so not a complete wasted trip, i was quite happy to walk around back in time. Come Sunday I got up and tried to find a roast dinner (well it is Sunday) I mean I didnt want a roast for breakfast, just ready so I could pounce at lunch time...All over South East Asia I found a place that does roasts...Vietnam, Malaysia....do you think I can find one here? five weeks I've been in New Zealand..... without a roast ..., pies I can get any time of day, sushi...chinese...but no roast...it's just not right! I had a steak and ale pie instead. 

I had abit of a wait for the Christchurch bus, it would pick us up at 4pm and we would get into Christchurch around 8pm, mainly due to the stops, and the sheep...it was a busy ol bus and the scenery flashed by, hopefully this would be my last bus trip in NZ. We reached Christchurch just after 8pm, there was quite alot of activity as they had just had another earthquake....can you believe it 5 years nearly to the day since the last one, this one was a biggy as well..... I didn't feel anything, but the cathederal opposite that was still being renovated after the last one had received some more damage, poor sods everyone is on tender hooks here. Thankfully it was reported that there were no fatalities...It was the talking point of the hostel, I think everyone was nervous from the after shocks....does put the wind up you though, I shall be sleeping fully clothed tonight and clean underware!! 

Back on the road.....15th Feb...driving again...

I got the bus to the airport next morning, yes I did survive the night, there was a few aftershocks apparently but I never felt it, mind you in bunkbeds it's always moving anyway so I was non the wiser...it could have been a catogory 6 but you think it's the person above you just having a restless night!. I had to get a lift to the car place from the terminal, and all the while i was crossing my fingers that my car was ok, my Spanish driving license was acceptable...and there was no problems. I decided against getting a tent...they were bloody expensive...I could buy a 3 bedroom semi in Christchurch for the money they wanted! I would sleep in the car, and hostels......I signed all the paperwork, ticked aload of boxes and she gave me the keys to my......Nissan........ 'cocoon'...I don't know the name, looked like the something your grandad would drive, and it was automatic! i've never in my life driven an automatic! 'aw don't worry it practically drives itself....' she said..(.not the car the lady)..I put my bags in and sat there...trying to work it out...after about 10 minutes I decided this thing wasnt going to drive me anywhere so I took over..:-) ...I slipped it into drive and resisting the urge to dip the clutch I was off...it's not too bad really...once I was used to it, the wipers still kept going everytime I indicated...turns out the indicators were the other side.. and stopped reaching for the gearstick and clutch...easy as pie really. I had abit of an explore around Christchurch....well to be honest I was lost as hell, i'm so used to sat nav telling me to to left right or what ever that trying to look at me map and the signs was harder than I remembered...I pulled into a shopping center which I wanted to find anyway so by pure luck I was heading down that road. I did some shopping...cherry ripe...food...water...toilet roll...had a look at my phone app to get the road number I wanted and the general direction to go.... and I was away....at last mobile after 8 months of not driving...driving on the left ( which I'm really not used to anyway, Ive actually driven most of my driving life in foreign countries )....here was me, driving with no sat nav...just using the stars and brain power....well a map as well, the signs actually help and the one road...but apart from that it was all down to me. 

Eventually I got on the road I wanted out of Christchurch over 'Arthurs pass'...a really scenic road that cuts from East to west apparently...I see the mountains infront of me, the houses thinned and the country opened up before me....I passed the Christchurch prison....I put my foot down abit incase the road was suddenly occupied by blokes in orange jumpsuits all running in different directions after the earthquake shook the walls of the prison down!...maybe I had one to many cherry ripe! It was about 4pm by this time, it would be dark around 8pm so I would find somewhere nice to pull over and stop for the night. I pulled over every so often as the views were amazing...plus I needed the loo. The sun was shinning, the place was fantastic, the only bummer was the radio didn't work! (to be honest it did work but only when you was within radio station range, and there's probebly only 2 radio stations in the whole of south Island ) I eventually found a great spot to pull over at the Arthurs national park entrance, no cars, surrounded by mountains, a river flowing next to me, perfect. It was starting to get dark, so I got myself ready for the night, sleeping bag out, moved my stuff about so I could get a comfy nights sleep...I was going to sleep outside, but was eaten alive by bloody sand flies everytime I stepped outside the car, horrible things! After making some salami sandwiches, eating my last cherry ripe, and some fruit the sun started to sink so I took some photos and then settled in for the night. I started to think how far the next people were to me now....then suddenly thought of freddy Kruger...the shinning....Amityville...the thing..you know all the stuff you generally don't think about normally! I read my book and just dozed off. I woke up deliberatly early so I can get the stars, it was a clear night, really crisp, the sandflies had all sodded off and the stars were amazing, millions of them, I took a few photos but messed up my exposures, I could have kicked myself so none came out! how gutted!!!!!? 

I went back to sleep and woke around 8pm, the weather was cloudy and threatened to rain. I set off after a quick breakie, and stopped at the first little town for a cuppa and found a lovely old colonial style cafe, I wasn't alone, it looks like others have been camping out and had the same idea as all these dishevelled looking people came in and out...I had a surprisingly good sleep...once i locked all the doors....put the key in the ignition...slept with my pen knife...I think tonight I will sleep in a hostel, get a shower and get some hot food so will head for Hokitika, I reckoned it was another 2 hours drive away, once I checked the sun, winds, maps etc...;-)...As it turned out it was another three hours away, but that was mainly due to my stopping for photos and toilets...The scenery still didn't fail to impress, the weather got grim but the mountain road just opened out to the ocean and the west coast highway....I got to Hokitika just after midday, along the coast I'd see the odd farm, mountains....sheep...the ocean, if you were playing 'I spy' it would lead to a very boring game after a while!...believe me!!! I stopped at the beach where there was all this driftwood stacked up into various shapes, it was called driftwood art and looked lovely. Next I found a supermarket and got some dinner for tonight and a few bits then went to find the hostel. It was a little way from town, but in the car it didn't matter, Id check in and I just wanted a shower, and some lunch, then Id go exploring....All was good, I had a shared room which turned out to be with a German lady, it was a small hostel, but cosy....not sure mom would approve, it was well used and abit rough around the edges....(the hostel not the lady)..it's ok for a night at least....(the hostel not the lady)....I went back to the beach with camera in hand. The town was small but very touristy, lots of shops, cafes, and tourist places...I had to stop on the roundabout while coming into town as a train was going across it, dont see that very often, I didn't even know there was tracks there!!?. It was a good day in all, I got chatting to some people and planned my next leg, and settled down for the night.

Glaciers and Franz Josef.......

After a good nights sleep and a breakfast I was ready for the day, the weather had turned foul! wind and rain and it didn't stop the whole time, gutted.  I packed the car and set off for the Franz Josef glacier...luckily there was only one road in and one road out so I didn't need the sun for navigation..;-) The wipers were going full pelt, the radio was gargling and spluttering as I must have been close to a radio mast....I decided to get fuel it was half a tank, but better safe than sorry. I made sure I knew what to put in by reading the rental agreement...'premium'...I filled up the half tank which cost about NZ$38...nearly 20 quid....is that good??? and away I went, on the road again. I did plan another night camping out, but by the looks of the rain I think I'll get a hostel, coward I know...I couldn't stop to take pics as the rain was so heavy, the scenery infront was more of low clouds and mountains appearing infront around hairpin bends...eventually I reached the little mountain resort of Franz Josef. I found a hostel luckily, the last bed...phew...so at least I'd be dry tonight...If I had a camper van it would have been ok, but a car ?? nahhhh. The rain did stop for a bit at least so I went to the bridge and tried to get a glimps of the glacier...the clouds were still low so didn't see much...then it started to rain again! 

Next morning I checked out and found another hostel, (I had to as the bed was only avalible one night....luckily the other place had internet so I used that to find and book a couple of nights in hostels..not taking any chances!)....it was overcast but not raining! I decided to chance it and go on the trek to Franz Josef Glacier. It wasn't a long trek, I had my poncho so was ready. I found the carpark ahead of the trail, suited up, and was away....I must have got halfway when the heavens decided to open again! I see people coming back towards me along the track, I thought they were bottling it because of the rain, turns out the river had flooded and the track was closed! I headed back to the carpark and went on a different track up along the ridge, it was still raining but I was already wet, and thought sod it I'd come this far! My boots were wet through, the trousers were soaked upto the knees....(thats where my poncho ended...)...I got to the viewing platform and all I saw was clouds....and rain... not my day! I got back to the car....squelching...when I took my poncho off it caught on something and tore....somedays your just not meant to get out of bed! I got back to the new hostel had a hot shower...a steak lunch...and tried to dry my stuff off...I got back on the internet and decided to go to Wanaka which was about three hours away...maybe it wont be raining there?? Id head off in the morning.

Next morning it wasnt raining! how about that!...I headed out and was determined to see this bloody glacier! I did the same thing as yesterday....and the same thing happened..I did see it briefly in the distance though, my boots got wet again, my poncho leaked like a sive....but I saw a glimps of it.....good enough! I got back to the car, changed my boots and socks, took my shirt off and put the heater/blower on full blast ...it got bloody warm but dried my stuff nicley on the drive to Wanaka....

Wanaka and Queenstown.....towns on the lake....

Driving throught the mountains was spectacular, made even more so by the rains that made a million waterfalls, everywhere you looked water was cascading down out of cracks and gullys high up, like mother natures overflowing bath. Sometimes the clouds would break so you get a clear view, most times it didnt so you were driving through a cloud basically. It was a three hour drive, I broke it up by stopping and to get some air....I had the heater going full blast to dry my boots and wet clothes...my boots smell!! boy do they smell! you try being in a confined place with them! ill have to give them abit of the ol Brut treatmeant once they dry....if they ever dry. It was like a turkish sauna in the car, i tried cracking a window open but the rain was heavy...my eyes were tearing up...not sure from the smell or the heat! so I stopped ....often...There wasnt many other cars on the road, lets face it what silly sod would drive out in this rain! I did pass some of our Chinese friends driving along taking selfies....The weather did start to clear when I got near Wanaka...(.try writing that when pished...;-) ...Its on a massive lake, surrounded by mountains, a picture perfect view. The town itself was lovely as well, crisp clean and modern, Im guessing home to a few thousand which has now doubled through tourists visiting. There was some triathlon event going on so it was a busy place. I found the hostel, good ol YHA...I was in a mixed 6 bed dorm ( the boots will be left in the car) I met roomies, the  girl briefly, we had an ensuite bathroom and she was in there from morning till noon....poor girl..I think she was from Malaysia, she wore a hijab...my other 3 roomies were....wait for it....Israelis...hows that for diversity..no wonder she was always in the bathroom.  They left the next day and I met a Norweigan girl travelling alone and a German lady who was a doctor....(hope she doesnt get a whiff of my boots shell think ive got gangerine). Next day I was now the only male in a 6 bed mixed dorm. I went to the supermarket and restocked my supplies....they had no cherry ripes so had to make do with a slab of cadburys...I did buy food as well..honest. The rain had stopped finaly so I went for abit of an explore walking along the lake throught the town. Theres some treks...or tramps should I say all around here, its famous for them, one was called the Rob Roy glacier walk, I planned to go on that one as it was well known to be  the best days walk on south island....ill have abit of that! Hopefully the rain will dissapear and i can get some photos. 

I had an early night, think Im getting a cold...the doctor has one too so it must be going around, im not surprised the amount of times I got wet! I decided to have a relax day next morning, the sun was out and not a cloud in the sky, i went down to the beach and sat by the water, it really got warm so I took some siesta time...had a lunch...bumped into some people I met in Christchurch...even got a tan....I left my boots out the back drying...hopefully they will be dry intime for the Rob Roy tramp...(.and theres not a pile of corpses next to them!) I treated my self to a steak dinner, not a small steak either...it wouldnt fit on the plate! I was cooking it and chatting to an English guy who was travelling around New Zealand, hes been here for 2 months, cant be much younger than me..;-) he was chopping some salad up and noodles...and there was me trying to get a cow into a frying pan....he looked like he was drooling...

I felt better next morning so decided to head to the Rob Roy tramp and then drive to Queenstown after, its only a couple of hours drive and Queenstown is supposed to be nicer than here...The sun was out again, not a cloud in the sky...bliss...I packed the car and headed off to the start of the national park which was an hours drive away....the road ended after the first 20 minutes! one minute there was a road....the next it was a dusty bumpy track...I wondered if i took a wrong turn...there was other cars following..and I caught up with a convoy in front, is my hire car ok to do this.? has anyone else done this in an automatic? I went through streams, dodged sheep....waited for flocks of sheep...you name it..eventually the national park carpark was infront...phew..I parked up, got my stuff, and off I tramped....the views down low were spectacular....it got even better the higher it got, there was a few other people on the same walk, I saw the glacier in the distance, water falls, forests...it looked like paradise..eventually after a couple of hours I reached the highlight, it was like a scene from the film 'the land time forgot'...you could picture dinosars walking around...bloody gorgeous it was. I took a million pictures! Everyone sat there just taking in the views around them...I had my sarnies..then decided to head back down. I got back to the car and a young girl came upto me, she could only have been 19 or so...apparently she left her bags in some guys van she met, did the trek and when she came back they had gone....her bags as well...poor sod, wasnt upset or anything but asked for a ride back into Wanaka...who am I to refues a damsel in distress..she sat there clinging on for dear life as I made my way over the dirt road....in my Nissan cocoon....back to Wanaka, I said id take her to the police station but she wanted to go to the tourist place incase they dropped her bags off there...so thats where I dropped her and then headed to Queenstown...my good deed for the day done...

Queenstown....city by the lake...

Queenstown was an even bigger town...next to an even bigger lake! I loved it, If I won the lotto this is where Ill live! (as well as Sydney in Australia ....Cairns...and Wellington...;-)..(I plan to win BIG!!) It had such a great feel to the place, it supposed to be the adrenalin junkies paradise...from paragliding to bungy...its here...I had to park the car on the road and walk to the hostel as I was right in the center of town, but you look up and surrounded by mountains, this is what the alps must look like in the summer...I booked my Milford sound tour for the next day, looking on the weather its supposed to be still sunny! fingers crossed. The place had a lot of character, even an old tramp steamer went up and down the lake dating back over a 100 years! (almost as old as my Nissan cocoon!!) 

I went to agency by the lake at 6am next day, a coach would pick us up and drive 5 hours to Milford sound (which we are told is not a sound but a fjord...the bloke who discovered it got it wrong) the coach was fantastic, even had a glass roof so you didnt miss any of the sights...We left Queenstown in brilliant sunshine, a few hours into the journey the fantastic view was that of rain! The roads were through avalanche valley, the driver took great pleasure in telling us about all the incidents of rockfalls that happened over the years...very reassuring, I got chatting to a girl next to me from the UK, took my mind off rocks falling on my head, and the fact you could see it coming through the bloody glass roof! The mountains were all cascading waterfalls by now, I suppose that was one good thing to come out of all this rain, it looked fantastic. The time actually went quite quickly, before we knew it we were at Milford sound. After alittle wait to board the boat we were off. It was still raining but I was determined to stay on deck and see this bloody sound/fjord ...I covered my camera and took pics as we passed the mountains, waterfalls, and other amazing landscape, we even saw dolphins and seals...I was wet through but loved everyminute. I think the rain made it that more special everywhere you looked waterfalls were cascading down the walls of the cliffs....just wish I was abit dryer! It was over all too quickly, we were out for 2 and a half hours...went upto the sea, and came back..... we stopped at the foot of these cliffs under a waterfall at one point..what a day! 

I left Queenstown next morning, loading up the car and setting off for the 3 hour drive to lake Tekapo. The sun was shinning again....of course it was...so a good run. Lake Tekapo is the star gazers mecca....ive never done any night sky photos..(apart from the Aurora in Iceland) but this will be a whole star scape above in a perfectly light free enviroment...apart from our friends the selfie taking brigade who tried to take photos of the universe using a flash! muppets!!!! The first night it was cloudy, so I waited until next day fingers crossed. it was clear and perfect I spotted a little church about half hours walk away and thought it would make a good backdrop....half of China had the same idea....I was there about and hour before sunset and coach after coach came....I moved along and got out the way and decided to go back a little later when they were gone. It got quite chilly but I brought my jackets....I layed on the beach just looking up at the night sky. Ive never seen so many stars!... it blew me away! How can it be possible that ET is not somewhere out there I went back to my spot and although alot had gone there was still some people there. I saw the moon rising over the mountain and took a few pictures of that....... I took alot of pictures! I dont think they do it justice though as to how big, and spectacular that night sky was....I must have got back about 2am...crashed around in the dark trying not to wake the others...sometimes I hate bunkbeds! 

Next morning was to be my last roadtrip, I was driving back to Christchurch where I would be taking the car back and flying back to Aus. My last night in Christchurch would be a memorable experience though! I went to bed early as I was knackered from the night before, I think I caught abit of a chill as well from the Milford cruise....or possibly all the other times ive been wet through! but anyway decided to go to bed early as tomorrow ill take the car back have a wander around Christchurch and go back to the airport to get the 7PM flight to Melbourne...it will be a long day. I layed down in my bunk and drifted off to sleep....some hours later I was woken by a what sounded like a plane taking off, an intense roar that got louder! It woke me...and im deaf!....or so everyone keeps telling me..;-) next thing I was jolted nearly out of the bunk and the place just shook and shook! it was the wierdest most frightning experience! it lasted seconds...ten twenty maybe, everyone got up when it stopped...(not my first earthquake....but by far the biggest ive ever witnessed..).it really put the wind up me. I got dressed, it was 4am....the others went back to sleep....my heart was still racing, I layed down and felt two other small quakes a while later...expecting the next to be a biggy. I didnt sleep well...those poor sods who live here in constant fear. A horrible experiance. Next day it was in the papers and on the news...no damage thank goodness, no casulties, the traffic lights was the only thing to be really affected....since the quake all the traffic lights in Christchurch were going through the sequence randomly fast, causing gridlock in places...I set off early to the airport as I didnt want any problems getting the car back, luckily I didnt see much disruption and got the car back. The girl even drove me to the airport bless her. 

So there I am in the airport, 7 hours early! buggered if im going into town now so I sat there, read, people watched...drank tea...went to the toilet....and eventually it was time to board. I loved New zealand, The scenery, the people....what a place. Now its back to Melbourne Australia for the last leg of my trip. ill finish off back on the Australia blog....see you there...