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Published: December 20th 2006
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Mt Cook National Park
I did the most beautiful hike at this park that took me across long swing bridges and to the base of Mt. Cook - the highest mountain in NZ Where do I begin? It has been an incredible couple of weeks which means there is a lot to tell and even more photos to include. I'll do my best to summarize and leave the rest to tell in person when I get home in 5 days!
I last left you heading to Stewart Island.
On the way to the ferry to Stewart Island you pass through Invercargill, the southernmost city in the world. Oddly, it looks a lot like Hamilton. It also houses the oldest and largest Tuatara lizard in the world... but that is about all it has to offer.
The ferry over to Stewart Island... I have a strong stomach but this ride was a good test of that strength. The swells were huge and you could not be outside, which meant lots of sick people all in one room together, yeah. However, after only an hour I arrived on the island to stay with a local family where I tried paua meat for the first time in the form of patties...not too bad! The texture is much like squid with a mellow taste as well.
I didn't have very much time on the
Paua meat in the shell
In Peter's home...his son took the meat you see in the shell and ground it up. Then he mixed it with egg, flour and spices to make into a patty. mmmm... island so I crammed in a beautiful five hour hike that afternoon around the tip of the island and had just enough time to enjoy some excellent fish and chips before joining a small crew at 9pm for a tour to view Kiwi birds. We boated out to a remote part of the island to walk silently through the woods. Keeping our mouths shut and eyes wide open we spotted only possums until we came to a beach on the other side. The first kiwi we saw was a male (much smaller than the females) eating small jumping critters which live in the sand. Later our guide used a calling device to mimick the birds and we saw and heard the loud croak of the female kiwi. She's HUGE!
On the way to Dunedin I took a tour of the Catlins Coast which took all day but was worth it. I saw Sea Lions, Yellow-eyed Penguins, Fur Seals, lots of birds, picturesque waterfalls and a few famous sites of NZ, like 'nugget point' (check out the pictures below).
Dunedin was a great city. It holds the steepest street in the world, (yes, even steeper than San Fran) lots
Sea Lion
My trip through the Catlins towards Dunedin, we stopped to watch this huge male come on to shore. of beautiful stone buildings, and is adjacent to the Otago Penninsula where I saw the Southern Royal albatross (pictured flying below) and had great viewings of a huge colony of yellow-eyed penguins. They were fun to watch as they waddled home after a long day if fishing to resst and tend to their young.
From there I went through Oamaru, on my way to Lake Tekapo and the Mt. Cook region. I wish now that I had spent a night in Oamaru, as the historic an art district was interesting enough to keep me there for hours. The locals were very friendly and commited to not ripping off tourists...which was nice for a change. (Because NZ, and the south island especially, are such popular tourist destinations, tours and merchandise is greatly marked up and over priced).
Ah, the center of the south island...it is beautiful, with many lakes formed from glistening glacier water and cute small communities built around massive snow-capped mountains. It is hard to take your eyes off the water because the color just doesn't seem natural and when the sun hits it, it comes alive.
Christchurch was the next stop. I liked this city
Famous 'Nugget Point'
(In the Catlins also)...you can just see the 'nuggets'(created by fault lines shifting) past the lighthouse. All kinds of wildlife live on and around these nuggets which you can easily see swimming in the blue water below. even more. It has a great center and the Botanic Gardens were the best I have ever seen. You could be entertained for hours by the various street performers and activities and it is not far from mountains or the ocean.
Heading north up the east coast I stopped through Kaikoura to watch Dusky Dolphins flip around our boat and witnessed a sheep being sheered. ha
In Blenheim I biked to a few wineries but after tasting many wines, I found biking home wasn't as easy. And up north, in Picton, I hiked around the famous Marlborough Sounds and prepared for the ferry to Wellington which I took on a beautiful sunny day.
I am now finishing my trip shopping for Christmas gifts and can not believe how fast these last months have gone.
Happy Holidays- enjoy your loved ones and I hope to see you all.
Elizabeth
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Chris
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Bangkok
hey Crazy!! I just arrived from the summer in quiet Hamilton to the vibrant mess in Bangkok. After a great nightout in H-Town (!!) and surfing in Raglan on my last day I left the city even with a very good impression :o) Bangkok is great fun but I really miss NZ! So, welcome back to Hamilton. enjoy!!!! talk to you later. your craZy german