Blogs from New Zealand, Oceania - page 2331

We took a day hike on Franz Josef Glacier, which was just over 4 hours ice walking. We were all kitted up with leather boots and crampons etc, given a brief coach on ice walking, and off we went! There were only 13 in our group, and chose to be in the lead group (not that there was much choice for Spen!!), hacking the ice away for the other groups and roping up the steep inclines. The views and satisfaction were great when we got to our peak, which was 2,100 feet up! ... read more

Tongariro Crossing As I had mentioned in the last blog entry I was going to go on a hike ( or tramp as Kiwi's call them) through a place called the Tongariro Crossing which people will remember as 'Mount Doom' from Lord of the rings. On the 15 of Feb me and Mike a Canadian guy traveling with us both went on the tramp (the girls decided to go horse riding, wimps!). The views were stunning but the walk was very hard walk. The normal walk alone is 17km and as an option you can have a go at climbing the mountain which adds an extra 3 hours to the walk. We couldn't go all the way and not have a go so we ended up spending hours at some points literally crawling on our ... read more

The scenery in New Zealand is impossible to describe, it truely is amazing, and so completely different as you journey through the country. But nowhere is more impressive and awe inspiring as the southern fiordland, and today we journey to Milford Sound fiord to take a boat cruise. The drive itself is amazing, twisting through mountains and valleys. Then through the Homer Tunnel, a bizarre dimly lit hole blasted down through a mountain and out to Milford Sound on the other side. The day is cloudy but clear, and the view is stunning, contrasting the black tannin-stained water with the steep rocky sides of the mountains, Mitre Peak being the highest. We boarded the Mitre Peak cruise boat, a small boat which was much better for close up views of the scenery, and free tea, always ... read more

Wow!! Did you ever jumped from a 43 meter high bridge?? I did it! I bungy jumped this afternoon and it was CRAZY!!!!! I've never, never, NEVER been that scared in my whole life!!! And lucky you, i've got it on DVD and I've got tons of pictures that we'll put soon on the website super soon....WOW! It was just crazy, my heart stopped, i almost lost my shoe and I screamed as loud as I could.... The feeling was just incredible...really hard to describe! Anyways, it was really worth it!! Which is why i bought the dvd and pictures, I don't think i'm gonna do this any time soon!!Anyways, while you wait for the pictures, check it out on the net: www.AJHackett.com Queenstown, Kawarau Bridge!!!!! Talk to you soon!! Leaving tomorrow for Dunedin..we'll try to ... read more

I heard about this great hostel from a couple at Kinloch lodge so I booked two nights here before I left. I wanted to visit Punakiki because it has a rugged coastline and the famous "Blow Holes" where the pounding surf surges through vertical holes in the sandstone and blows up into the sky. Quite dramatic. Anyway I arrived yesterday to a rainforest retreat surrounded by native forest and 8 minutes from an incredible beach. I'm staying in a small A-frame that has windows on the ceiling that look up into the forest and the sky. I can see the stars at night. I have to walk a small trail into my oasis through forest and past other well hidden retreats. My place doesn't have electricity so last night I lit 10 small candles and read ... read more