South Island

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I have finally left Christchurch & become a traveller again! It was a long 6 months (actually 7.5 in the end), which I enjoyed despite the odd drama and a large dose of cabin fever! I will love my adoped family forever and missed them as I got used to flying solo again. Will also miss working at FAR, I have gotten used to working with those bloody birds and taking stick for my tea drinking habits!
I left Christchurch & headed south. Stopped for a night in Geraldtown before heading out to Lake Tekapo. Lake Tekapo is stunning, gorgeous blue water. I spent a couple of days doing some of the walks in the area and discovering how unfit I really am. Maybe walking up Mount John was a little ambitious but the views where fantastic. From Lake Tekapo I drove on over to Mount Cook. I walked out to glacier terminal lake which has icebergs floating in it. By absolute fluke bummed into one of the tour guides who took me out on a boat onto the lake. Amazing seeing the icebergs up close and got fantastic veiws of Mount Cook. That evening popped to the local pub for happy hour and watched the sunset over Mt Cook, fantastic.
The following morning it was hammering it down with rain so instead of spending a day indoors at Mount Cook I drove down to Dunedin. I spent 4 days in Dunedin, most of my time was spent drinking coffee and wine. I looked round the art gallery, which disappointly didn't really have any NZ art. I went to see a couple of the films on for the international film festival, was in the regent theatre so very glam setting. For my birthday I went around the speights brewery, tour was pretty good and tasting at the end allowed you to drink as much of the 6 beers as you could in half an hour - which turns out to be a lot!!! Went out on the town in the evening with a bunch from the hostel, 9 lads and me - not bad for an old lady!!!
From Dunedin I went on down the Catlins coast. Its an absolutely stunning bit of coast and really feels like your in the middle of nowhere (only 1 place to get fuel and 2 places to get food) Saw some awesome waterfalls, a yellow-eyed penguin, some sealions, wild coastline and a fossilised forset.
Next was Stewart Island, I abandoned the car in Bluff and got on the ferry. Stewart Island was gorgeous, the village was very quaint like going back to th 50's. The local bar was fantastic, had one of my best nights out for ages, got kicked out at 2am having spent the evening listening to old fishermens stories and the boys from the hostel doing Elvis impressions. I went over to Ulva Island and was lucky enough to see dolphins on the water taxi ride across.
From Stewart Island I drove on up to Te Anau. I went out to Milford Sound. Really different from last time I visited with Sue, the sun was shining meaning you got some fantastic views of Mitre Peak but missed out on the waterfalls and the earieness of it. I then did the doubtfull sound overnight cruise. You start out sailing across Lake Manipouri before driving over Wilmot Pass where you get fantastic veiws of the sound. The boat we were staying on was great, luxury after the hostels. The sun was shining so got to go out on a tedder boat and get really close to the waterfalls. The next morning the sun was gone and replaced by the rain and misty clouds. It was absolutely stunning, the atmosphere was amazing.
From Lake Manipouri I drove onto Queenstown, no longer by myself but with petrol paying Stephen. That evening I went up on the gondola, I went up in the sunshine and came down in the dark. Stunning views from the top. The next day i drove out to Arrowtown which is a cute old gold town and had coffee. Then drove out to Glenarchy, had lunch with a couple of Ozzy girls before walking around the lagoon. I then drove out to Paradise, road was fantastic, gravel road with 5 fords - the toyota is a beast!!!
The following day we drove on to Wanaka, stopped here as Pete & Patrick where in town so could catch up. I spent the afternoon walking around the lake before meeting up with the boys for a beer.
The following morning we drove up to Franz Josef stopping along the way to see bits of the west coast, which is stunning apart from those bloody sandflies. While Stephen spent the day walking up the glacier I drove out to Lake Matheson, which has awesome veiws of Mt Cook & Mt Tasman reflected in its waters. I then drove onto Gillespies beach & walked out to the lagoon.
We headed north from Franz Josef up the west coast and detoured off to see Hokitika Gorge, stunning blue water and had to cross a swing bridge. From there decided to detour again and stay in Arthurs Pass instead of Greymouth. Walked out to Punchbowl falls which where gorgeous. From Arthurs pass we drove back to the west coast via Lake Brummer. North of greymouth the coast was stunning, stopped at Pancake Rocks, unfortunately at the wrong time of day so didn't get to see the blowholes in action. Spent the night in Westport.
We drove up to Motueka which is where I left Stephen. I booked to walk the coastal track and stay in the DOC huts. Spent the afternoon getting everything I was going to need sorted. Although I was staying in the huts I still needed 5 days worth of food, a sleeping bag and stove plus cooking utensils!! My pack was very heavy. I loved doing the walk though, the first day I walked from Marahau to Anchorage. I stopped at the bays along the way which where stunning. The second day I walked onto Bark Bay, the walking was hillier and I added an extra 1.5 hours by walking out to Crusade falls so by the end of the day I was really tired and not sure I was going to manage the full 5 days. Day 3 I walked onto Awaroa, this was the easiest day. Left Bark Bay early so had to wait to make it over the tidal crossing Onetahuti. Was nice to break up the walking and lovely sunny day so great to sit on sunny beach for a while. Made it to Awaroa and dumped pack, descovered there was a pub in the village so did the hour round trip to get a beer, it tasted fanstic after 2 days walking. The next day was up at 6am to do the tidal crossing at Awaroa, had to walk it in the dark but the sunrise was stunning, made all the better for having got soaked walking through freezing cold water over lots of sharp shells. Had breakfast at Totaranui before walking on to Whariwhatangi, detouring off to Seperation Point. Whariwhatangi was the prettiest hut, an old farmsted. The following morning I walked back to Totaranui via Gibbs Hill to catch a water taxi back to Marahau. The walk up Gibs hill was steep (I had been warned it was a bit of a climb by the locals, should of guessed that meant a bloody big hill!!) but the veiws where awesome from the top. The shower at the hostel felt amazing that evening after 5 days walking about 65km without a shower. The following day to get over my walk I did a kayaking tour. It was really good and gave me a completely different perspective of the coast from walking it.
The following day I drove out to Farewell Spit, stopping at Te Waikoropopupu springs, which are the largest freshwater springs in the world. Farewell spit was gorgeous, walked along the spit from the visitor center and then cut across to Fossil Beach which was stunning, completely desertered. From there cut back across the farm to the visitor centre. I then drove out to Wharariki Beach which was also beautiful. Saw some seal pups playing in the river as it joins the sea. From there drove to Nelson, the sun setting as I drove down Takaka Hill was fantastic.
That evening went to the local pub for quiz night with a few of the long-termers at the hostel. The next day I went out to the world of wearable art. Some of the dresses are awesome, a gorgeous one made completely of melted carrier bags and a coctail dress made from cotton buds. The following day I booked on to do a microlight flight. They came and picked me up from town and drove me out to the airport at Motuaka. The flight was awesome, the veiws of the abel tasman where stunning. The colour of the water was gorgeous. I had mentioned I was thinking about doing a skydive so as I got of the microlight I got put on the back of an ATV and taken to the skydive place over the airfield. Asked if they where going up & if they could take me back into town, they said yes going up in 20 mins. Best thing ever, still smile when I think about it. I did a tandom jump from 13000ft. You then freefall to 8000ft in about 30 seconds, ears popping all the way and the wind is amazing. I want to go again!!!!
From Nelson I drove back to ChCh, with 2 american boys paying the petrol this time. We went down through Lewis Pass and stopped at Maruia Springs to sit in the hot pools.
In Christchurch I had a night with the family, great to catch up with everyone. The following night I went to a Greek Ball with Tim, who I had met in Stewart Island. Had a really good night, Kylie did a fantastic job at making me look like a girl, even getting my hair curly!!
I am now in Blenheim staying at Tim's. I have completely run out of money, jumping out of planes and cruising round the sounds is expensive! I am working on local vineyards trimming and wrapping grapevines to try and get some cash together to see the north island.

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Photos

Terminal Lake
Mount Cook

Mount Cook
From the bar!!!

Sealion
Catlins Coast

Fossilised Forest
Catlins Coast

Queenstown
From top of Gondola

Lake Metheson
Mt Cook & Mt Tasman reflected in water

Abel Tasman Track
Sunrise as doing Awaroa crossing

Abel Tasman Track
Veiw from Gibbs Hill

Microlight flight
Abel Tasman