I've decided to post some journal entries from my travels in New Zealand for the benefit of those who won't get see the pictures or talk with me about it. Mind you, this is not a narrative meant to explain everything about New Zealand and my time there, only a reproduction of what I thought was worth putting into my own journal. Enjoy, post any questions as comments and I'll respond as soon as I can.
November 1st, Nelson - Franz Joseph
We were picked up at 7:30am by our Atomic Shuttle right at our front door. The Atomic buses are smaller and not as comfortable as Intercity, but they are significantly cheaper and have door-to-door service.
Stopped for a lunch break in Punakaiki, the sight of the "Pancake rocks." Nice stopover point, especially for geologists, but not really worth more than the half an hour we spent there.
Rolled into Franz Joseph at 4:30 and checked into our hostel - The Chateu Franz. Nothing french about it besides the name, but a very nice hostel with free soup, hot tub, movies, and meal/happy hour deals at the locals watering holes. We booked ourselves onto the half day glacier hike for tomorrow and will probably do some other small local hikes afterwords. Franz Jospech is a tiny town all centered around the hostels and the glacier activities. Perhaps Fox is a bigger town, but I continue to hear that FJ is the superior glacier.
November 2nd, Franz Joseph Glacier
Hiked on the glacier today - what a fantastic trip! It is so much bigger than you realize, it's 2.5km just to walk to it after the public walking path ends! It is one of only 3 temperate glaciers in the entire world, the other two being fox glacier in NZ and one in Patagonia. FJ is only 200 meters above sea level.
The guiding outfit provided all the gear we could ever need, which meant I was dressed overly warm. The crampons and boots were very sturdy too. Getting on the is was great and very easy, the crew cuts fresh steps into the glacier every day - something that is needed with all the movement of the glacier and the rainfall (9 meters annually). They are a bit worried about global warming having a bad affect on the glacier, but so far it's nothing too serious.
We can only see a small part of the glacier from the valley floor, the "panhandle," portion. To get to the actual pan part we would need a really long hike or a helicopter flight - which is offered in town but is too spendy for my tastes.
The ice in the glacier really is blue! This is because glacier ice is significantly denser than normal ice, so the light refracts and we only catch the blue spectrum (occasionally green and, in the antarctic, sometimes purple).
Going through the ice cave was great, and it was more physical an activity than I'd guessed. Walking with emphasis in every step to make sure the cleats all stick into the ice is a decent workout. Still, a full day up would have been a good adventure at my fitness level.
Anna and I decided to use some advice we got in the hostel about the hike. They typically split each hike into groups of ten people, and we were recommended to go in the last group - the slow group. Most people don't like the idea of going in the slow group, but the slow group also gets the most time on the ice and doesn't have to keep moving to make room for the other groups; like being the last pair on the golf course, you can take your time with each spot and really enjoy it. This was good advice, made for plenty of time to take pictures and asking questions of our guide.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
New Zealand Part 3
I've decided to post some journal entries from my travels in New Zealand for the benefit of those who won't get see the pictures or talk with me about it. Mind you, this is not a narrative meant to explain everything about New Zealand and my time there, only a reproduction of what I thought was worth putting into my own journal. Enjoy, post any questions as comments and I'll respond as soon as I can.
October 29th, Blenheim - Marahau
Sleeping in today! The bus to Marahau didn't leave until 12:50pm, so we had no early start, no rush, no pre-packing the night before. It was a very welcome change, on shouldn't always be in a hurry when on vacation.
Our "Atomic Shuttle," didn't go all the way to our destination, but our driver as very helpful and got us a transfer on another bus. Kiwi customer service is fantastic!
We are staying at the Marahau Beach Camp for 2 nights. It's a great deal at only nz$20.00 a night - and convenient because many of the services into Abel Tasman leave from their parking lot.
We made a dinner of rice, mince, onions, and corn which was fairly tasty but as always it could use some salt! But we made enough for 2 nights, so no cooking tomorrow!
October 30th, Abel Tasman National Park
Today we finally got to do a bit of tramping in NZ! The way to get into Abel Tas is either on foot via the walking track or by water taxi. Anna and I decided to get taxied in to Onetahuti (On-uh-ta-hoo-tee) beach and then trek 15K south to be picked up at Anchorage Beach. It might have been the best thing we've done the entire trip.
We loaded up into the taxi boats in the carpark and were towed out by tractor down to the beach. Tractors are definitely ideal because of low-tide launches - lots of wet beach to cross before hitting the ocean.
The sun was out and no clouds in sight, but the wind at sea as pretty stiff and there were easterly swells of 5-7 feet! Made the going rough and very bumpy, but fun none-the-less. We got a quick tour of "Split-Apple Rock," and the seal colony at Tonga Bay - only one seal had arrived, it's still very early in their mating season.
We put in at Onetahuti in an interesting way. The boats have no open bow, so all exit happens at the rear next to the outboard motor. So all the boats have to back onto the beach, and to get on and off the each boat is equipped with an anchor on a winch-line at the bow which they use to pull themselves up off the sand after dropping the anchor further out.
After a wet landing we set off hiking. It's a great place for a walk, like if Forest Park in Portland were tropical and on the beach. The trails are well kept and not too difficult for anyone. We did hit one tricky bit - some tracks are only accessible at low-tide, and we tried to cross one a few hours after low-tide and it was filling in with water. So we had to get our feet muddy and ford a stream or two but we managed alright and had a good laugh about it.
My favorite section of the track was crossing a long cable bridge. It was very cool, just wobbly enough, and reminded me of Indiana Jones.
We got to Anchorage Beach almost an hour earlier than estimated, so we knew we'd made great time hiking. The ride home was as exciting as the ride in, but a bit faster since we were going with the swell this time.
After leftovers we got desert at the very classy cafe next door. Anna had pavlova and I had dark chocolate pudding. Both were delicious, pavlova is like angel food cake on steroids, so good! Tomorrow we will check out and probably hike to kill some time, then catch a late shuttle to Nelson. And after that, a long ride to the Franz Joseph Glacier!
October 29th, Blenheim - Marahau
Sleeping in today! The bus to Marahau didn't leave until 12:50pm, so we had no early start, no rush, no pre-packing the night before. It was a very welcome change, on shouldn't always be in a hurry when on vacation.
Our "Atomic Shuttle," didn't go all the way to our destination, but our driver as very helpful and got us a transfer on another bus. Kiwi customer service is fantastic!
We are staying at the Marahau Beach Camp for 2 nights. It's a great deal at only nz$20.00 a night - and convenient because many of the services into Abel Tasman leave from their parking lot.
We made a dinner of rice, mince, onions, and corn which was fairly tasty but as always it could use some salt! But we made enough for 2 nights, so no cooking tomorrow!
October 30th, Abel Tasman National Park
Today we finally got to do a bit of tramping in NZ! The way to get into Abel Tas is either on foot via the walking track or by water taxi. Anna and I decided to get taxied in to Onetahuti (On-uh-ta-hoo-tee) beach and then trek 15K south to be picked up at Anchorage Beach. It might have been the best thing we've done the entire trip.
We loaded up into the taxi boats in the carpark and were towed out by tractor down to the beach. Tractors are definitely ideal because of low-tide launches - lots of wet beach to cross before hitting the ocean.
The sun was out and no clouds in sight, but the wind at sea as pretty stiff and there were easterly swells of 5-7 feet! Made the going rough and very bumpy, but fun none-the-less. We got a quick tour of "Split-Apple Rock," and the seal colony at Tonga Bay - only one seal had arrived, it's still very early in their mating season.
We put in at Onetahuti in an interesting way. The boats have no open bow, so all exit happens at the rear next to the outboard motor. So all the boats have to back onto the beach, and to get on and off the each boat is equipped with an anchor on a winch-line at the bow which they use to pull themselves up off the sand after dropping the anchor further out.
After a wet landing we set off hiking. It's a great place for a walk, like if Forest Park in Portland were tropical and on the beach. The trails are well kept and not too difficult for anyone. We did hit one tricky bit - some tracks are only accessible at low-tide, and we tried to cross one a few hours after low-tide and it was filling in with water. So we had to get our feet muddy and ford a stream or two but we managed alright and had a good laugh about it.
My favorite section of the track was crossing a long cable bridge. It was very cool, just wobbly enough, and reminded me of Indiana Jones.
We got to Anchorage Beach almost an hour earlier than estimated, so we knew we'd made great time hiking. The ride home was as exciting as the ride in, but a bit faster since we were going with the swell this time.
After leftovers we got desert at the very classy cafe next door. Anna had pavlova and I had dark chocolate pudding. Both were delicious, pavlova is like angel food cake on steroids, so good! Tomorrow we will check out and probably hike to kill some time, then catch a late shuttle to Nelson. And after that, a long ride to the Franz Joseph Glacier!
Monday, November 22, 2010
New Zealand Part 2
I've decided to post some journal entries from my travels in New Zealand for the benefit of those who won't get see the pictures or talk with me about it. Mind you, this is not a narrative meant to explain everything about New Zealand and my time there, only a reproduction of what I thought was worth putting into my own journal. Enjoy, post any questions as comments and I'll respond as soon as I can.
October 27th, Auckland - Wellington
Took the Trans-scenic Rail "Overlander," on a twelve hour train ride from Auckland to Wellington. Great way to see the NZ countryside, only cost nz$69, and train is always a great way to travel. Large windows and an open viewing deck emphasize the trip is about the scenery.
That said, it's a lot of the same green hills with grazing sheep and cows. At times it feels like those old movie sets where the background revolves behind the main characters as they ride in a car.
Though we only spent a few hours in Wellington, I was pretty impressed with it. Nice downtown, vibrant pedestrian corridor on Cuba Street, and a great hostel at Worldwide Backpackers.
October 28th, Wellington - Blenheim
We caught the Interislander Ferry early in the morning and it was far more than I expected! More like a long distance cruise ship than just a ferry, with several nice seating lounges, a children's play area, cafe, I-site, and a cinema all on board! It was a very pleasant ride to Picton, windy but the scenery in the Cook Straight was nice.
We were able to snag a bus to Blenheim right from the ferry terminal and checked into our hostel around 1pm. We decided to rent a pair of bicycles to go wine tasting, which was an amiable way to tour except for two things: the bikes weren't very good, especially Anna's, and there was a very stiff headwind. We made very slow progress at maybe a jogging pace, but I like to think that just wetted our appetites more.
We tasted at two wineries and I got to try some beer as well at Allan Scott, Cloudy Bay, and Moa Beers. The tops for me at Moa was the Weka Lager and the 5 Hops Winter Beer, along with the Sauvignon Blanc at Allan Scott. When I get home that's the one I'll look for to share with my wine connoisseur friends.
We stayed at the Grapevine Hostel, which is a very nice place with a creek running in the back yard. Only one toilet and one shower, but right now that's not an issue with so few travelers around. We had a nice pancake and bacon breakfast in the morning before moving out to catch our bus to Marahau and Abel Tasman!
October 27th, Auckland - Wellington
Took the Trans-scenic Rail "Overlander," on a twelve hour train ride from Auckland to Wellington. Great way to see the NZ countryside, only cost nz$69, and train is always a great way to travel. Large windows and an open viewing deck emphasize the trip is about the scenery.
That said, it's a lot of the same green hills with grazing sheep and cows. At times it feels like those old movie sets where the background revolves behind the main characters as they ride in a car.
Though we only spent a few hours in Wellington, I was pretty impressed with it. Nice downtown, vibrant pedestrian corridor on Cuba Street, and a great hostel at Worldwide Backpackers.
October 28th, Wellington - Blenheim
We caught the Interislander Ferry early in the morning and it was far more than I expected! More like a long distance cruise ship than just a ferry, with several nice seating lounges, a children's play area, cafe, I-site, and a cinema all on board! It was a very pleasant ride to Picton, windy but the scenery in the Cook Straight was nice.
We were able to snag a bus to Blenheim right from the ferry terminal and checked into our hostel around 1pm. We decided to rent a pair of bicycles to go wine tasting, which was an amiable way to tour except for two things: the bikes weren't very good, especially Anna's, and there was a very stiff headwind. We made very slow progress at maybe a jogging pace, but I like to think that just wetted our appetites more.
We tasted at two wineries and I got to try some beer as well at Allan Scott, Cloudy Bay, and Moa Beers. The tops for me at Moa was the Weka Lager and the 5 Hops Winter Beer, along with the Sauvignon Blanc at Allan Scott. When I get home that's the one I'll look for to share with my wine connoisseur friends.
We stayed at the Grapevine Hostel, which is a very nice place with a creek running in the back yard. Only one toilet and one shower, but right now that's not an issue with so few travelers around. We had a nice pancake and bacon breakfast in the morning before moving out to catch our bus to Marahau and Abel Tasman!
New Zealand Part 1
I've decided to post some journal entries from my travels in New Zealand for the benefit of those who won't get see the pictures or talk with me about it. Mind you, this is not a narrative meant to explain everything about New Zealand and my time there, only a reproduction of what I thought was worth putting into my own journal. Enjoy, post any questions as comments and I'll respond as soon as I can.
October 24th, Auckland
Having my first conversation in New Zealand in Spanish was something I did not anticipate! In the line to get through the bio-security check point there were four South Americans having a laugh. One noticed that I was laughing at their jokes and struck up a conversation. It was fun, I do enjoy speaking a second language.
It was a good idea to take a shuttle directly to our hostal, the driver actually gave us a small city tour and some good advice about travel plans in the Northland.
After settling in, Anna and I went for a short walk into town for lunch. We ate at this Irish pub with really superb cuisine (not something you often say about Irish Pubs abroad). It was a bit spendy, but far superior to most pub food. Next we went to a rugby match at Eden Park, the big stadium where the All Blacks play. We watched Auckland dominate Tasman 49-10. I still don't understand all the rules, but it was great fun to watch the match. I might have to find some rugby matches back in Portland.
October 25th, Auckland
Today is labor day in New Zealand. With such nice weather I wouldn't want to work either! We had a day in Auckland today, seeing some sights, visiting parks and the Auckland Museum, and seeing the harbor. We booked some tickets to the Bay of Islands and to Wellington at the I-site, which was extremely helpful. They arranged all our bookings had loads of useful information, and got cheaper rates than I could find (saved $120 on the train tickets alone)!
It's funny that people keep assuming that Anna and I are a couple :)
There are some lovely parks in Auckland. This country seems very keen for nice and natural opens spaces. The park around the museum is large and popular. We had a tough time finding a cheap place to eat because of the holiday. Ended up eating at the "Slurp," cafe on campus at the University of Auckland.
October 26th, Bay of Islands
Fun Facts about New Zealand:
* The number one export is dairy products
* 98% of their energy is from renewable sources (80% hydroelectric, 18% geothermal, 2% fossil fuels)
* Some locals prefer to hunt pigs with 2 dogs and a knife instead of using a rifle.
We booked a day trip through Great Sights to the Bay of Islands - a 4 hour bus to Paihia, 3 hours on the water, 2 hours of wandering, and a 4 hour bus ride back. It was a beautiful trip, and the weather cooperated extremely well, bright and sunny all day. While on the boat we saw dolphins! They swam right up under the bow of the boat like they enjoyed the attention. And when we left they made a good show of jumping in the boat wakes. Fantastic, graceful creatures.
The top of the trip was passing through "The Hole In The Rock." Drove our whole tour boat through a hole that the sea had won into one of the islands. The Maori say that if a drop of water falls on you it's good luck. Nearby is an old lighthouse and a small house that was once the home to the lighthouse keeper (now automatic). You can rent the house now for $12/night!
Once again our driver was very helpful with travel suggestions. He's made over 100 circuits around NZ, but for his vacations he prefers going to Coromandel.
Auckland traffic incoming in the morning is worse that I-5 into Portland - largely because Aucklanders don't carpool or use public transportation (only 16% of Aucklanders use public transportation). Very sad, so many cars and so few people.
October 24th, Auckland
Having my first conversation in New Zealand in Spanish was something I did not anticipate! In the line to get through the bio-security check point there were four South Americans having a laugh. One noticed that I was laughing at their jokes and struck up a conversation. It was fun, I do enjoy speaking a second language.
It was a good idea to take a shuttle directly to our hostal, the driver actually gave us a small city tour and some good advice about travel plans in the Northland.
After settling in, Anna and I went for a short walk into town for lunch. We ate at this Irish pub with really superb cuisine (not something you often say about Irish Pubs abroad). It was a bit spendy, but far superior to most pub food. Next we went to a rugby match at Eden Park, the big stadium where the All Blacks play. We watched Auckland dominate Tasman 49-10. I still don't understand all the rules, but it was great fun to watch the match. I might have to find some rugby matches back in Portland.
October 25th, Auckland
Today is labor day in New Zealand. With such nice weather I wouldn't want to work either! We had a day in Auckland today, seeing some sights, visiting parks and the Auckland Museum, and seeing the harbor. We booked some tickets to the Bay of Islands and to Wellington at the I-site, which was extremely helpful. They arranged all our bookings had loads of useful information, and got cheaper rates than I could find (saved $120 on the train tickets alone)!
It's funny that people keep assuming that Anna and I are a couple :)
There are some lovely parks in Auckland. This country seems very keen for nice and natural opens spaces. The park around the museum is large and popular. We had a tough time finding a cheap place to eat because of the holiday. Ended up eating at the "Slurp," cafe on campus at the University of Auckland.
October 26th, Bay of Islands
Fun Facts about New Zealand:
* The number one export is dairy products
* 98% of their energy is from renewable sources (80% hydroelectric, 18% geothermal, 2% fossil fuels)
* Some locals prefer to hunt pigs with 2 dogs and a knife instead of using a rifle.
We booked a day trip through Great Sights to the Bay of Islands - a 4 hour bus to Paihia, 3 hours on the water, 2 hours of wandering, and a 4 hour bus ride back. It was a beautiful trip, and the weather cooperated extremely well, bright and sunny all day. While on the boat we saw dolphins! They swam right up under the bow of the boat like they enjoyed the attention. And when we left they made a good show of jumping in the boat wakes. Fantastic, graceful creatures.
The top of the trip was passing through "The Hole In The Rock." Drove our whole tour boat through a hole that the sea had won into one of the islands. The Maori say that if a drop of water falls on you it's good luck. Nearby is an old lighthouse and a small house that was once the home to the lighthouse keeper (now automatic). You can rent the house now for $12/night!
Once again our driver was very helpful with travel suggestions. He's made over 100 circuits around NZ, but for his vacations he prefers going to Coromandel.
Auckland traffic incoming in the morning is worse that I-5 into Portland - largely because Aucklanders don't carpool or use public transportation (only 16% of Aucklanders use public transportation). Very sad, so many cars and so few people.
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