Published: February 22nd 2006February 22nd 2006
Near Paradise
Drove out from Queenstown beyond Glenorchy to a place called Paradise and beyond in the Dart valley (I think).
Anyway, back to putting photos on and catching up. I've walked up the Rob Roy valley today for views of glaciers, waterfalls etc. Rained and low cloud so couldn't see much of Mount Aspiring and nearby peaks. Never mind. I've been pretty lucky with weather overall. Tomorrow I am going climbing - first time in months. I'm looking forward to it. I expect to have a few sore muscles a day or so later.
I prefer Wanaka to Queenstown I
The car
In case you were wondering what I was driving around in. Fingers crossed for an easy sale at the right price in Auckland in a couple of weeks.
It's hard to believe that in just over 4 weeks I will be back in the UK. Time is going v quickly at the moment (I am sure we have all experienced the elasticity of time!). I have a week and a half left on the South Island, then back up North for some more walking, car selling and kayaking before Hong Kong and home (via Radley first). Then what?!
There are more photos below
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Displayed: 23
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Dressing like a Kiwi tramper
The shorts over thermals look. Fetching isn't it?!
Dressed appropriately
Cold & windy. Grateful for a couple of shelters along the way to get out of the wind.
Ridge
Kepler day 2 continued. only blown over once.
The tops
despite the wind, good views.
Inside hut 2
Interior of one of the bunkrooms at Iris Burn hut. Me, 40 trampers from a rotary club and a couple of other 'independent' types.
Fjordland crested penguin
confused in the car park at Milford Sound. ok you need to zoom in a bit to see it!
Milford in the rain
more pictures from the sounds to follow at some point - decided not to take the digital camera kayaking on these occasions.
Into the woods on Stewart Island
the furthest south I have ever been (sorry can't get this the right way up for some reason! - well, I was after the light and shade etc so doesn't really matter)
Me on the Rakiura Track on Stewart
Another self timer classic
Beautful beaches
and not many people around either
Kiwi Tracks
but no I didn't see one. Most of the people in the 2nd hut did at 03.30 am. I have got so good at staying semi asleep I didn't realise what was going on. These were actually on Ulva Island off Stewart. Had a good trip there one morning - lots of birds, learning about plants etc
Elephant seal
She was on her 10th day of moulting
And here is the proof
bits of elephant seal skin from where she had been further along the beach. Strange stuff.
Translucent fern
apparently 1 cell thick. Can that be right?
Bark
Beginning to know one podocarp from another.
Catlins
took the long route from Invercargill to Dunedin, it was well worth it. Beautiful beaches and wildlife.
Sea lions
Male Hooker's sea lions on the Catlins coast.
Petrified forest
can you tell this was once a log?
Moulting yellow eyed penguin
obviously the time of year for it!
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