http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Oceania , New Zealand , South Island , Invercargill en-us Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:53:04 UTC Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:53:04 UTC It's been a while so have lots to tell you about going to skip boring bitsFrom Lake Wanaka went to the famous Queenstown and I have to say I really didn't like it. After the small friendly local towns few shops and emphasis on nature it was dissapointing to go to a place where there was no spirituality no NZ identity and so big not by UK standards. Walked around town had the obligatory c http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-347943.html InvercargillNovember 18 2008Traveled a very short distance today we took our time finishing up the Catlins region. We like this coastal area with the rugged beaches. We took one hike to a couple of waterfalls. The falls werenrsquot memorable but the walk through an ancient rimu rainforest was. We had a pleasant lunch in Papatowai and stopped at the Lazy Gypsy a crazy little shop where th http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-346134.html Matt drove Gail to work so that David could keep the car to take us out for the day he had just got home from his night shift so we wanted to let him sleep. When we got back to their house we had a lovely morning just relaxing reading our books. Itrsquos one of those things we havenrsquot had chance to do for ages so we really appreciated having the time and space to do it. When David got http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-344664.html We had arranged to stay the night with Gail and David some friends that wersquod met in the Cook Islands in Invercargill. We didnrsquot need to arrive there until late afternoon so we set off late morning and had a leisurely drive stopping at photo opportunities and generally going where the mood took us. We stopped for lunch by a beach with rolling waves braved by a few surfers and spen http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-344663.html Motorhome News from New Zealand 4 31st October 2008Christchurch to Invercargill with four Aussies in tow. A Kiwi friend returned from holiday in British Columbia Canada a week or two back a little disappointed and unimpressed by what he saw. 'We have it all here' Greg said checking his empty wallet. 'It's just a bit bigger in Canada.' We really can't believe that's true but let's take a http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-341819.html We arrived in Christchurch on the 20th Oct after our 2 weeks in Fiji and it was cold well colder than Fiji anyway We spent our first day van shopping and after a couple of hours had found the van for us and she goes by the name of Madge previous owners had called her Maddy given that she was a Mazda but we think Madge is better without being too different We didn't stay in Christchurch http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-340990.html Day 528 7.9.08Continuing on our journey south today we left Te Anau and were heading for Invercargill. We made a brief stop at Lake Manapouri but decided it was too cold for much of a walk and were soon back in the warmth of the vansWe visited the Rakatu Wetlands but although there was a fair amount of birdlife there the viewpoint was a little far away to give a really good idea of what was goi http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-323346.html After very little sleep we were awake and out by 8.30. However a few wrong turns around Dunedin we were eventually on our way by 9. We drove along the scenic route towards Invercargill in the far south of the island. We stopped for lunch here and then carried on all the way up to Queenstown.Now remember when i told you about Mark Chef Extraordinaire. Turns out something went badly wrong in the c http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-320310.html Vandaag hebben we onze plannen gewijzigd en zijn we naar Invercargill gereden waar de dichtbijzijnste tandarts is. Gelukkig wist Janine mij te vertellen dat haar kaakchirurg had verteld dat ze in NZ erg goede tandartsen hadden. Bij de tandarts konden we 's middags terecht dus moesten we eerst een paar uurtjes wachten. De tandarts wist me te vertellen dat de wortel in mijn tand ontstoken was. Deze http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-296746.html NZ day 8 Our drive halfway around the bottom of the Island plus an incredibly crazy moment in time The crazy moment was truly a crazy moment in time and truly it felt like I was running with my improbability drive at infinity. But it happened late in the day so yoursquoll have to wait to hear about it.We began our day leaving Te Anau on what tried to be an early side but turned out more to be http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-293456.html A beautiful 3day loop track with views of the ocean http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-278823.html After Dunedin we drive south along the coast through the Caitlins which is basically a scenic drive we see some sea lions on the way and end up staying in Invercargill instead of a homestay on a farm which we had originally planned but made a hasty exit out of the farm due to its exrtreme remoteness. This just a stop over as we head for Lake TeAnu. http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-278183.html Apres le charme de Dunedin nous voila partis pour Invercargill tout au sud de la NZ. D'accord quand on y vient on se dit que c'est peut etre pas le meilleur endroit a visiter dans le coin mais on y est alles pour voir des copains de Jersey Et oui les jersiais ont apparemment decide de venir tous s'installer en NZ Qui leur en voudrait C'est un pays tellement beau ou le ryhtme de vie est t http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-261720.html Had a nice drive from Te Anau to Invercargill. We then drove down to Bluff at the end of the south island. I had a problem with the computer. I thought it was a goner but a guy computer told me to just take out the battery and reinstall it. Sure enough it worked. Kiwi word is Bach. This stands for Bachelorrsquos place is what we would call a cottage. On the South Island they sometimes use the te http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-255628.html ....And we're backAfter quite the absence from traveling and blogging Tanner and I are once again taking to the road and spending the next 4 months slowly making our way back home. Our trip started on Feb. 24 when we left Wellington and headed to New Zealand's South Island.Here are some places we wenthighlights along the way Hiking at Abel Tasman National Park We walked more than 15 km whic http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-252816.html 211 Southern Comfort InvercargillA long drive back to Manapouri to go on the Southern Scenic Route that didn't turn out to be so scenic after all until pyou got to the sea. We passed an histroic bridge at Clifden Riveton an older whalers settlement and one of the oldest towns in New Zealand but went on to Invercargill. The backpackers was full but we got to stay at the owner's own house c http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-245754.html Well I liked the place Chloe said she thought it was dirty just like the UK.We were only there for the night so our view of the place was quite brief. We spent the afternoon in Queens park. It was very funny watching the girls running around after the ducklings trying to pick them up. Chloe was thier hero for saving one that got trapped in some drain thingy and couldn't work out how to get back o http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-218602.html We left Dunedin and headed for the Catlins. Which is the south eastern coast of the south island. It is mostly farmland there are only a couple towns along the way. One consists of 350 people the other 32 people. It is also known as a haven for seals sea lions dolphins and penguins. We saw all 4 of these creatures but the dolphin was asleep on the beach. The penguin was pretty special th http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-217288.html Down On Da FarmI am in New Zealand just 20k or so outside of Invercargill at my mate Jeff's. I arrived on Monday June 25. He picked me up at the Dunedin airport and we had a snowflurried ride home P Boohiss snow I got some cool pics from the plane. On Tuesday we went to town and sorted internet but didn't receive the modem and router until Friday morning's mail. We were busy all day with http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-175335.html again http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-164757.html Well the travel team are now all in the same place A good start one would hope The junior travel team member was not packed but that problem is being rectified as we speak. Tonight sees an early celebration of the 2 travel members birthdays since one will be in the channel tunnel on his birthday Pete and the other will possibly be in Prague Mitch.Hopefully we have been able to download a pho http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-164743.html Welllll okay. I am tired of the bus... tired of being in transit. Tired of hostels and partying and drinkers and meeting kids whos parents paid for the entire trip. Tired of lost causes and single serving friends and tired of sleeping on the bus. Also supremely tired of seeing people time and time again fall in love and then get torn apart due to the fact that they live in different parts of http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-161900.html Like the locals we topped up with drinking water at a tap provided by the Speight's brewery from their own borehole. Many bring huge containers but we settled for a few bottles. We headed 5km north to Baldwin Street which is according to the Guinness book of records the steepest residential street in the world. It certainly attracts the coachbased tourists. We of course walked to the top and ba http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-151733.html Today must have been our busiest day so far on our travels We packed so much in We got up early in order to get to the Cathedral Caves. Viewing these caves is dependent on low tide which was at 8.47am. They can be view an hour either side of low tide. Named because of their huge Cathedrallike arcs these caves were a definite must and we were really glad we saw them they'd been closed for a http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-151370.html Stewart Island is New Zealand's third and southernmost island as close to the South Pole as you are likely to go. It is relatively small and remote but teems with native birds forest walks and wildlife.We got up this morning with every intention of going to Stewart Island on the ferry from Bluff just south of Invercargill. Unfortunately the howling winds that Josh and I experienced at Slope http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-148107.html Heyweer heel wat gedaan de afgelopen tijd. Na de routeburn track dus de Kepler gaan lopen. Eerst nog mn spullen terug gekregen van die gozer van het casino mooi niet dus werkte gewoon in de cinema haha maar goed zolang ik mn spullen maar heb daarna Paul weer opgezocht uit Engeland en de volgende dag de Kepler track gelopen zooooo mooi. echt niks van verw8 en waren alle drie helemaal verbi http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-144529.html As soon as we woke up in Dunedin we realised we had a problem rain And rain was the story all morning as Saber and Ol Grey Banger rumbled out of Dunedin and down into the Catlins. What is supposed to be a beautiful drive with stunning coastal views and waterfallfilled forests ended up a bit of a fogfest with emma barely able to keep an eye on our huge orange backside as we led the way. http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-136901.html Het is nu 10 maart. Vanuit Christchurch vertrokken naar Kaikoura.Alles draait hier om Whale watch dus die hebben we maar direct geboekt.En of het de moeite was. We waren nog geen 15 minuten op zee en de eerstewalvis vertoonde zich met een geweldige duik en bijhorende zwaaiende staartDit fenomeen speelt zich hier af boven een ravijn van 1280 meter diep3 walvissen hebben we gespot op een afsta http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-136792.html There's nothing better than starting your day feeling all refreshed from a good night's sleep and owing to the good facilities and friendly owners at the campsite we decided to stay another night and spend the day exploring Invercargill. Just before we left the Geordie lad we spoke to last night came over with a big bag of food that he and his brother no longer need now that they've had to cut t http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-127686.html The proof is in the photos and their descriptions so I will leave most of the explanation to those devices.Left Invercargill around 10am and headed east towards Dunedin. I realized ten minutes out of town that I had forgotten to capture Invercargill on camera. Fortunately I had a postcard of the town at hand.We stopped at various sites along the road which was the southerly most route that we co http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Invercargill/blog-124571.html