Blogs from Queenstown, Otago, South Island, New Zealand, Oceania

Hi everyone, after a few days im getting ready to back my bags and move on, went out to Bannockburn, if William Wallace had seen this bannockburn scottish history would have been alot different, so on the ride i stopped at roaring meg (pics attached) the weather and the scenery at just wonderful, today im off to Glenorchy with the homemade camcorder mount for the bike, Glenorchy is where a lot of the films Lord of the rings was shot, i believe it is stunning. Ta ta for now ps i did the nevis bungy aswell 134 metre leap, and i must confess i was that scared a little bit of wee came out the end of my willy... read more

Bei gutem Wetter war für heute der Sprung in die Tiefe eingeplant. Zwei (wer, wird nicht verraten) träumten deshalb Nachts von starken Schneeschauern. Zunächst sah es auch sehr gut für die Beiden. Nachts hat es angefangen zu schneien und stark geweht. Wir fuhren direkt zur Kawarau Bridge um uns dort nochmals auf den heutigen Tag einzustimmen. Nach kurzer Bedenkzeit haben Jürgen und Bernd den höchsten Bungee Sprung Neuseelands (134 m !!!) gebucht. Als Combo-Paket wurde gleich noch der höchste Swing (überdimensionale Schiffschaukel über den Canyon) mitgebucht. Die Temperaturen um den Gefrierpunkt waren nicht gerade einladend. Mit dem Shuttle-Bus ging's dann zur Nevis-Schlucht, wo der ganze Wahnsinn stattfinden sollte. Nach dem eingeschirren wurden wir mit einer Gondel bis zur Mitte der Schlucht befördert. Der Blick in die Tiefe verdeutlichte uns nochmals den Wahnsinn! Bei gut... read more

Morgen's halb acht kurz vor Queenstown. Ein einsamer, von innen vereister Camper, wird durch den unermüdlichen Einsatz von Bernd wieder aufgetaut und zusammen mit dem Inhalt wieder zum Leben erweckt. Heißt im Klartext: Gas war alle  Heizung streikt  Temperaturen vielen unter den Gefrierpunkt  das Schlottern wurde lauter  Bernd's Gewissen meldete sich  raus in die eisige Kälte (min. -10°, kein Witz)  Gasflasche tauschen  Heizung wieder an. Nachdem die Lebensgeister mit heißem Tee wieder erwachten, ging's weiter nach Queenstown. Dort wanderten wir auf den Tiki Walk auf den Aussichtspunkt auf Queenstown. Der Waldweg war stellenweise noch stark vereist, aber es war für uns eine Frage der Ehre, den Berg zu bezwingen. Die nebenan fahrende Gondel war keine Alternative. Nach 45 min. erreichten wir die Aussichtsplattform und genossen dort die herrliche Au ... read more

Day 116-117 30th-31st December Today was the day we were off to Queenstown, Gillie and Simon’s friend from London, Stef had kindly invited all of us plus a couple we know from London, Dan and Julie to stay at his house to celebrate New Year. Gillie, Simon and Stef had also booked in to do a bungee jump at AJ Hacketts (first bungee jump in the world), so we had to be in Queenstown for that. We said goodbye to Simon’s family who had been really cool and headed off. Queenstown was only a couple of hours away and soon we at Stef’s house. It was a gorgeous day again and we all decided to have a couple of drinks on the roof before driving to the bungee site. For anyone that is going to visit ... read more

Lazy day in Queenstown today. Have returned the hire car as it would be wasteful to have it hanging around for the next six days while I go off tramping. A day of menial tasks - washing is drying as I type so I can then pack once I'm done here. Have been out and bought an x-mug and an x-plate to replace the aforementioned dying ones. Have booked transport out from the last day of the Cascade Saddle. So, tomorrow morning I dump a bag here and head off with a rucksack, to return here in six days (Saturday). The days unfold like this: Monday: Bus to Wanaka, check in hostel up there, get last few top-up food bits (running out of muesli bars) Tuesday: Up to the DOC office first thing to claim a ... read more

I leave Te Anau behind after a last visit to my favourite coffee shop for breakfast. Bump into local deer farmer Roy who I'd shared a drink with last night - very nice chap. Spent the rest of last evening with a couple from the Isle of Wight (sorry Rob - they're invading) and a couple from Colorado. Interesting people who don't know each other but keep bumping into each other all over NZ. Then in the car and the long drive up to Queenstown. Take a detour up the Remarkables and take a couple of pics then down into town and check in to my second home at Pinewood. Being back in a town makes me feel a bit low so I jump in the car again and drive out to the road end past ... read more

Well, I'm back in Queenstown having completed the Greenstone. But, dear reader, I am really struggling to find the energy to write what I must. All the practical, logistical, physical, and social sides of the tramp went as expected and much beauty was experienced. But there is so much wrong I find it hard to know where to begin. I have written so much during the past few days and thought through so much more that I haven't had a chance to write down and I fear my mind will forget. Let's hope I wrote down the important bits. I know you'll all be wondering what I'm on about and I will share it with you, I just need time and I know not where to get it from. I need to write so much more ... read more

I have just realised i never posted these photo's!! This was the start of the winter!!... read more