http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Stewart-Island/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Oceania , New Zealand , South Island , Stewart Island en-us Fri, 05 Dec 2008 01:49:35 UTC Fri, 05 Dec 2008 01:49:35 UTC Stewart IslandNovember 19 2008We left Invercargill at 8 to drive the 30 minutes to the southernmost point of the South Island to the town of Bluff where we were to board the fast catamaran ferry to Stewart Island. We were early so we hung out in a caf owned by a lady from Buffalo NY. She ended up in NZ after a divorce. She had quite a story to tell and we were good listeners. The ferry ride http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Stewart-Island/blog-347422.html After a casual start to the day we arrived at Invercargill headed for the Information centre to find out about a trip to Stewart Island and more specifically Ulva Island bird sanctuary. We ran into a few problems but I wonrsquot bore you with the details.As night closed in and so did the weather we headed west along the coast out of the city to find some parking for the night. As the rain came http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Stewart-Island/blog-346388.html We decided to spend a few days on Stewart Island at the most southernly point of New Zealand. This is pretty much as far away from Ireland that you can get http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Stewart-Island/Rakiura-National-Park/blog-344910.html ... So sang Paul Brady and I'll get to the island in a minute but first to Queenstown a mecca for outdoorsy types who not satisfied with the lush forests yellow beaches thundering surf clear lakes abundent wildlife and lofty mountains wish to throw themselves off a cliff out of a plane down a river. Whatever way you wish to challenge your inner sense of selfpreservation they can arrang http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Stewart-Island/blog-268057.html Stewart Island is the 3rd largest island in New Zealand and one of the few places with lots of Kiwi's birds out number people by a long way.. The ferry crossing to the island from Invercargil almost made it not worth it as it was so rough. People were being sick all around me and the only way I could feel better was sitting as still as possible and trying not to look at any of them it was worth http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Stewart-Island/Rakiura-National-Park/blog-260848.html From the damp squib which was Franz Joseph we headed to Makarora on the outskirts of Mount Aspiring National Park. Another good night which included karaoke where I sang for the first time ever and made such a prat of myself I went up another two times I must've been really bad because my fellow singers Katinka and Becca were actually quite good but we still managed the loudest the pity chee http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Stewart-Island/blog-247807.html Date visited 911th FebruaryWe very suddenly arranged Stuart Island quite out of the blue after I made a few phone calls. One of these was to the airport just to see if they had any standby tickets which they had. We turned up at the 'airport' where we checked in without showing I.D. We could have been The Jones's or Jack and Jill for all they knew. In addition I was suprised they didn't sca http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Stewart-Island/blog-245742.html Am Mittwoch dem 26.12. geht es mit der Fhre auf die Insel zur Halfmoon Bay und von da die ersten Km zur Port William Hut. Danach geht es neun Tage durch den Schlamm. Wenn alles nach Plan luft sind wir am 5.1.08 wieder in Invercargill in der Tuatara Lodge. Das war zumindest der Plan. Leider wurde unser Flug von Christchurch nach Invercargill disrupted und so konnten wir am 25. nicht mehr nach http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Stewart-Island/Rakiura-National-Park/blog-223426.html um kurz vor 7 stapfte andrew los zum anleger uim zu erfahren ob das schiff nun fuhr oder nicht. mit der option umzudrehen wenns nicht ginge fuhren wir dann leider doch rueber.hinlegen kopfhoerer rein mit windstaerke 10 11 mit boeen 12 rueber in einer nussschale. haette nie gedacht dass wir wiklich rueber fahren.die weiterfahret auf dem festland war mit 3 stops zum fruehstueck und lunch http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Stewart-Island/blog-190402.html zum ersten mal auf dieser reise bin ich heute morgen mit einem grinsen im gesicht aufgewacht diese insel macht mich mit der konstellation der leute doch irgendwie gluecklich insel feelingnach dem fruehstueck gings dann ab in die regenklamotten gott sei dank hab die regenhose ja auch nicht umsonst gekauft und dann raus.wir sind dann mit anfaenglichem regen die huegel hoch und runterge http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Stewart-Island/blog-190398.html Lidt syd for sydoeen ligger Stewart Island. Den er naesten een stor nationalpark og huser regnskov smaa bjerge og et fantastisk dyreliv. Efter Milford Sound tog jeg hertil for at vandre tvaers over oeen ca. 50 km. fra vestsiden til oestsiden hvor man undervejs kan baa i smaa hytter som er bygget specielt til vandrere. Da det var lidt uden for saesonen var det svaert at komme over til vestsi http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Stewart-Island/blog-172743.html I decided to go over to Stewart Island for three days as there are meant to be some lovely walks there and the opportunity to spot the elusive Kiwi bird We left the hostel and traveled to Bluff dropping of those who were not going over in Invercargill i was very glad i wasn't staying there it looked really rather horrible We got to Bluff checked in our luggage and borded the ferry as fairly http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Stewart-Island/blog-164502.html Perhaps surprising to you all the week on the farm has been one of the best weeks I can remember in a long time. Don't worry I'm not dropping out and moving to a commune but the thought definatlely crossed my mind more than once. Picture this I arrived soaking wet after getting completely lost on my way to the farm. I had planned to arrive before dark but by sixthirty I was an hour late http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Stewart-Island/blog-163777.html We left Wanaka in glorious sunshine to make the journey to Bluff where we would catch the ferry to Stewart Island AKA Rakiura. The drive was uneventful including eating our packed lunches in a park in a place called Dipton which appeared to be situated in the arse end of nowhere. There were very few people around and the only real company we had was the large trucks thundering through. We st http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Stewart-Island/blog-158704.html Stewart and Ulva Island Remoteness Redefined After Te Anau we really hadnrsquot planned the rest of our New Zealand leg of the trip. With a little more than ten days left at our disposal I was a little concerned that we would find ourselves in Christchurch with nothing to do for a few days while we waited for a flight out. A chance conversation with some fellow American tourists pointed my curi http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Stewart-Island/blog-155026.html