Blogs from Stewart Island, Southland, South Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 2

Hello So we left Qweenstown amid beautiful sunshine our plan to drive to Milford Sound and then onto Southland proper. The weather was still shining four hours later on our arrival. After securing the tent we walked down to the bay and were greated by stunning views of the glacial fiord. This was unfortunaetly not to last as the forecast suggested 3 iniches of rain over the next 12 hours. We awoke around 3am with the familiar pattering of rain on the canvas. This soon turned into a torrent and by morning we were surrounded by a lake of immense propertions - (it was worth buying a proper tent in the UK - and not one of these shabby NZ things!!) A short 50 metre run to the lodge for breakfast ensured that we were soaked ... read more

day 9: freshwater landing to north arm 12km today i again woke to rain and was walking late. a slow start and slow going most of the way. i walked up and down many small hills and through streams before the real hard work began. i made two ascents, steep, muddy, blah blah, and longer than usual. today the north west circuit met the raikura (the new zealand great walk) track. a funny thing....not two steps after the trails met i was walking on boardwalks. i walked continuously on them for 4km until the hut. after about 100km of mud, rock, root and more mud it felt awkward. tomorrow is my last day of walking and should be pretty cruisey. day 10: north arm to halfmoon bay 12km a cruisey day all around and pretty boring. ... read more

day 5: long harry to east ruggedy 9.5km i climbed steadily again this morning to a quick descent and another steep climb....and again and again, though the second two felt more gentle. i spent much of my day on the coast. i crossed a rocky coastline beneath a huge cliff face. wave pummelled the rocks and as they crashed the ocean's smell had more strength. though the day was cloudy they were high and i could still see the south island's fiordland. i felt like a little kid rock hopping on a day too cold for swimming. i departed the coast and made a quick ascent to a lookout near the top of a mountain. i quickly perched myself on the tallest rock outcropping and sat to take in the view. rom there i could see ... read more

so here goes. i've just finished 10 days on the trail in the most magical soul-full (i made that word up just now) place in the entire world. a note on pictures before i start. i busted my camera on day 3, but fortunately i had a backup disposable....that means you'll have to visit me to see the photos i took. hah. day 1: oban bay to port william hut 12km today is the beginning of my journey on the north west circuit. a 10 day tramp wrought with mud and thick bush and spectacular skies. i am brushing antarctica....or as close to it s i will ever be. i am on my own, my company the words in my head. i am ready to be this way, to mlet my mind wander and wonder as ... read more

Vi tar en buss soderut till Invercargill, ett stalle som enligt busschaufforen inte ar vart att slosa bort ens en eftermiddag i. Dock behover vi gora ytterligare inkop och trotsar hans rad. Vi bor over natten pa en campingplats dar vi satter upp taltet i ett gammalt stall. Torrt men doftar svagt av gammal hastskit. Det ar dags att ge sig ut pa spaning efter vilda kiwifaglar, vilka man lattast ser pa "Stewart Island" soder om sydon. Enligt guideboken ger vi oss ivag pa en vandring som man endast bor genomfora om man ar masochistiskt lagd, da leran emellanat ar sa djup att den nar upp till laren. Pa morgonen den 21:e traskar vi ivag till Invercargills flygplats och packar in oss ett litet 6-sitsigt flygplan. Flygturen tar oss over sundet och bjuder pa fina vyer ... read more