Return of the Hobbits

Having arrived in Auckland from Sydney we headed north into a land of huge (kauri) trees and giant (Maori) people. At the top of New Zealand is Spirits Bay where according to Maori legend, the spirits of the deceased leave for their journey to the afterlife. It is certainly a place befiting such a legend. Beyond the quiet campsite set in the dunes, white sand stretches for miles while inquisitive sting rays frollick in the iridescent surf and a further out fat kahawai cruise past hopefully looking to snap at my fly!

After five nights in a tent, a decent bed was called for and we spent Christmas in an oppulent B&B on the Bay of Islands. We took another dive trip to one of New Zealands excellent marine parks and of course there was time for a spot of fast fishing action out in the bay. From here we made a dash for the South Island and its many delights. On route Vic took in a tour of the set of Hobbiton, which was apparently very intereresting and she was told that she would have made a fine Hobbit. I abstained, worried of being identified as a potential hobbit myself and balking at the exhorbitant entrance fee. The following day we took part in our first crayzeee kiwi activity, black water cave tubing. I have always been skeptical of caving/potholing as a fun sport(?), an activity best left to strange bearded folk from Yorshire. Such folk would probably not consider our tour technically caving, as it involved floating through a cave system on a giant inner tube while in between jumping off cliffs in the dark into icy water, but I remain skeptical none the less.

By New Year's Eve we were in the Marlborough Sounds, famous for its vine yards. It therefore made sense that we celebrated Hogmanay in the traditional way by getting completely pished, only this time we stuck to fine wine. A very pleasant day. On New Year's day we headed to Golden Bay, a huge arc of sand at the top of the South Island where we stayed in a wonderful guest house for a few nights. It had a distcinctly spiritual bent (composting toilets, buddhist statues etc) and as such I was slightly apprehensive of being mobbed by fish freedom fighters with catapults and chick peas as I snuck off for a day's (successful) trout fishing. Having safely made it back from the fishing (all fish returned- as usual, FFFs), we headed to the West Coast region, a stunning landscape where mountains rise steeply through lush rain forest. On the way we did a day's white water rafting on the mighty Buller River which was spectacular and exciting. Further down the coast glaciers run down to almost sea-level, this unusual phenomoen of permanent ice at such a low latitude is due to the massive rainfall (snowfall in the mountains). We were lucky and took a fantastic guided glacier hike in rare fine weather. We are now in Wanaka where the sun is still shining as it has been for most of our time here. New Zealand is great!

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