avelog

After wandering through Southland and Stewart Island, we’ve arrived in Queenstown, tourism capital of New Zealand, gateway to all things adrenalin and outdoors. This city of 50,000 seems to survive completely on tourism, although I’m sure there must be some other industry mixed in there somewhere. Tons of touristy shops, etc, with very little else in town.

The last day on Stewart Island (way back when) was supposed to be our New Zealand sea kayaking debut, but due to strong winds, we instead took a sea taxi over to Ulva Island, a unique natural bird sanctuary 8 minutes off Stewart Island. Originally owned and protected by a postmaster and naturalist with the surname Traill, this small island was New Zealand’s first protected reserve, and once ridded of rats, became a haven for all those birds and plants that have succumbed to invasive predators elsewhere in New Zealand. On Ulva Island you won’t find any deer, opossums, or rats, those scurges brought across the ocean by European settlers, but you will find kiwis, wekas, kakas, Stewart Island robins, and bluebirds, along with a host of endangered or geographically extinct plants and trees. The experience was quite breathtaking, with gorgeous and undisturbed woods, and birds galore. We were told on our return taxi ride that there are currently far fewer birds than normal because of a strong wind the past few days, and that on a normal day, birdsong can easily drown a reasonable conversation.

The next morning, bright and early, we took the ferry back to the mainland, with a surprise visit from some magnificent albatrosses in the middle of the crossing. Liz misplaced her prescription sunglasses sometime between Ulva Island and the mainland, and we have yet to locate them, having called all the places we visited as well as leaving a description with the local police detachment. After a visit to the local YMCA (an exorbitant $12 apiece), we set out once more in the car, stopping for the night in Tuatapere at a mostly empty modern hostel. We couldn’t turn up the opportunity to make use of all the brand new facilities, so we bought some raisins and oil, and were happily surprised and quite proud when we managed bake a batch of delicious scones to have with tea and jam after supper.

The next morning we made a dash for Queenstown to return the car, with the highlight of the drive being a gigantic bull sitting beside the road in a flimsy wire fence. I originally thought it must be a statue because of it’s size, but it winked at me on the way by, so we had to turn around for another look since Liz was doing something silly like looking out the other window during the first pass. Once at our new hostel (allows camping) in Q’town, we dumped all of our accumulated junk out and I took the car back to the rental place, only getting lost twice on the way since I’d left all the maps and everything with Liz at the hostel.

We spent yesterday shopping in the abundant outdoor stores and collecting supplies for our next tramps, and just this morning managed to bum a ride to Te Anau off two reluctant French women so that we don’t have pay $60 for the bus. Tomorrow we start the Milford Track, dubbed the “most beautiful walk in the world” by New Zealand Tourism; a phrase echoed elsewhere in more reputable publications. It better be… we payed a fortune for the track and transport. Then we stay two nights at the Milford Sound Lodge, with some sea kayaking on our rest day, heading out the following day on the Routeburn Track, another apparently amazing tramp. We’ll be back in Q’town the afternoon of the 14th if all goes according to plan, and will pick up the second rental car ($15 per day!!!) on the 15th.

I think we’ll be happy to get away from the super-tourism of Q’town for a while!

After an excitingly choppy ride on the high-speed catamaran that passes for a ferry over to Stewart Island, we checked in as tenters at Stewart Island Backpackers to discover that there was a school group of ~40 twelve-year-olds packing the place and generally creating havoc. On the upside, their chaperones gave us a bunch of free food including supper and dessert that night!

None of the guides were leading kayak trips the next day, so we embarked on the three-day Rakiura Track, our first overnight tramp in New Zealand and the first real test for my poor, injured foot.

The first day was mostly super- (read: disappointingly-) easy, mostly consisting of well-groomed and well-engineered gravel pathways and staircases. Of course, the forest and coast were gorgeous as we enjoyed full sun and blue skies, and the path’s monotony was broken twice as we discovered that the “high tide detours” were very muddy and very steep climbs that were completely at odds with anything else we encountered on the track. The first night’s campsite was a grassy clearing next to the beach; quite lovely despite the sandflies. We could see the glow from the mainland across the straight and saw the flash of the lighthouse that we’d passed on the ferry the day before.

Many New Zealand tracks focus on a hut system for housing trampers as opposed to camping. This means that budget-concious trampers who use the campsites to save money and avoid the crowded huts must sometimes make do with poor campsite placement compared to hut placement. Our second day was therefore a gruelling 7.5 hour grind instead of the hut-trampers’ 5.5 hour trek. Up to a summit lookout and down the other side with some boardwalk, some mud and plenty of climbing, made slightly worse by the fact that this was our first trail in umpteen months. The second campsite was nothing special, just a clearing cut somewhere in the forest, with plenty of mud.

Third day was a fairly easy 3.5 hours out along a well-formed track; not difficult in itself, but slightly painful after the previous day’s work. Overall a nice forest walk with a nice view at the top, but I wouldn’t do it again. Maybe it’ll be the Northwest Circuit next time!

The computer here doesn’t have much in the way of accessible plugs, so once more there will be no photos. Hopefully I can rectify that tragedy very soon! We’re back to the mainland tomorrow morning and scooting to Queenstown to return the car!

Cheers!

Stewart Island is a small island south of New Zealand’s South Island, and considered the country’s third and oft forgotten island. It has a small tourist-oriented town and a lot of wilderness/wildlife. The plan was to head over on the passenger ferry this morning, since departure times are posted as 9:30am, 11:30am, and 3:30pm, but for no apparent reason, they decided to sail at 9:30am and 5:00pm today, so we’ve been stranded in Invercargill for a few hours with no plans.

I’ve had a couple of disappointments the past few days. After applying to UBC and having lenghty discussions and visits with one of the profs there, I was of the understanding that I was going to start a program there in the fall with funding through a research project involving the study of invasive species brought in by shipping on the west coast. I had a week of deliberations after leaving Canada and decided to accept the position offered within the timeframe given, only to receive a reply two days after my email stating that the prof had gone behind my back and found a different Master’s candidate to fill the spot, leaving me with no opportunity at UBC for the fall and no plans. I was quite frustrated with this and felt betrayed, but I recovered after a few beers and some sleep. I still had hope in my NSERC application, and with that funding would likely be able to pursue something interesting along a different avenue.

Well, during our current limbo awaiting ferry departure, I’ve received news that NSERC sent me a rejection letter sometime last week, stating that this year’s competition was particularly severe. That leaves heading to South America and getting lost in the jungle for a few months my only option left. Hopefully I’ll still have a chunk of money left after this New Zealand/Australia trip. I guess I’ll have to do some thinking in the next few months and decide where I’m headed; some serious world-wandering, accompanied by the necessary job-seeking in foreign countries, or a re-grouping and a concerted effort to find something interesting to do in grad school (I only applied to one school this year because I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do).

No photos today (it’s now been a while) since the computers at this internet cafe in Invercargill are fairly difficult to use. We spent three or so days along the Catlins Coast and stayed the last night at a little campground that only had a tiny kitchen and pay-stove. This wouldn’t normally be a problem, except that we still hadn’t found a fuel canister for the stove and had no other way to cook. Problem solved: the girl at the office gave us the end-of-day meat pies and sausage rolls that were sitting in the oven since they were closing up. Not the most elegant, healthy, or invigorating meal, but free and filling!!

On Stewart Island, the plan is to do a morning of sea kayaking followed by a three day hike on the Rakiura Track, one of New Zealand’s Great Walks. We’ll take the ferry back on April 3rd and make a dash for Queenstown to return the rental car. Then our other tramps and we’re off with our cheap-cheap-cheaper rental car after Easter.

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Brilliant sunshine, bright blue water, and howling wind combined to make today gorgeous, yet terribly chilly. We’ve made our way south from Dunedin, landing in a very friendly and comfortable motor camp last night. Given that the cold weather seems to have set in on the south island, we’ve invested in hot water bottles, and put them to good use last night.

Today was a series of walkabouts with wonderful views, the warmth of the car quickly forgotten every time we stepped out into the fierce wind. An afternoon stop at Cannibal Bay to find sea lions turned into a four hour adventure during which we crossed a head narrow stretch of bush to another beach, following it for a few kilometers when we became aware that the beach around us was scattered with sea lions enjoying the sun, partially obscured by the sand they intermittently flipped onto themselves.

The internet access is only dial-up, so no photos. If we can find a place to get a fuel canister for my stove we might do some more primitive camping. Tonight’s stay is courtesy the fine folks at Surat Bay Lodge - a backpackers hostel - who’re allowing us to tent beside the main building for a reduced fee, instead of getting a room.

A couple more days on the Catlins Coast and we’ll be in Invercargill and go over to Stewart Island.

Sorry for the boring, descriptive posts, but we aren’t getting much quality time on the internet these days (read: we have better things to do! ).

We managed to snag a computer at the uni here in Dunedin using Laura’s login/password, so I’ve been able to upload some new photos to Flickr, including some earlier ones from Liz’s camera, having just received the cord from Canada. NOTE: I’m not showing all the Flickr photos on this website, cause it’d take too long to load!!! Make sure to check them out!!

I neglected to mention earlier that upon arrival in Dunedin, we proceeded to the tourist info downtown in the Octagon, and while walking back to the car, were absconded by a pair of boorish hooligans (read: Laura and Nelson). Apparently Dunedin is small enough that there’s no need for any form of communication other than random street yellings and we didn’t need to go find their address or phone number.

Last night was filled chocolate dreams after taking the Cadbury World tour and picking up some cheap chocolate at the shop on the way out (not enough free samples!!!!).

Some sightseeing will follow internet activities this afternoon, and a tour of the Speights Brewery is in order tonight once Nelson gets off work. Tomorrow will be the Otago Peninsula, and we’ll proceed down the coast sometime later in the week.

PS. Elizabeth says “Hi Mum!!!!”, and waves vigorously!