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Published: February 17th 2009
A beer in Franz Joseph
a perfect finish to a great day!This is hopefully for all of you to see what fun I'm having in New Zealand & Australia!
I will do my best to add photos and as much info as possible.
You can also add the odd comment!
I arrived today after 26 hours on a flight, they are quite strict on what you bring in and even my walking boots had to be checked and cleaned!!
The immigration officer looked for a ring on my engagement finger and told me that there is a 'single women's law' here for English visitors, so I asked him what that was, and he said 'that we weren't allowed to take a kiwi home!'
I got myself into the city centre and found the hotel easily. I went for a wander and met up with Karelle.
Now we are off out to have a beer or two!!
Tuesday 24th February Got up early and left Auckland for Christchurch. Uncle Neil met us there and took us for a tour and lunch in Christchurch.
We stayed with Neil & Kirstan for the night. We sat and chatted with a bottle of wine in front of a the
View - Near Christchurch
First day with Uncle Neil! fire in their living room. It was lovely to meet Kirstan and catch up with Neil.
Wednesday 25th February We left Neil and Christchurch in our little blue hire car that we nicknamed the hairdryer! We drove across Arthur's pass where we stopped to have a hearty lunch. We drove West to Hokitka for a quick stop and a walk on the beach. We decided then to drive down the West coast to Franz Joseph Glacier. So in one day we dove up and down mountains, round lakes, stopped off at the beach and arrived at Franz Joseph ready to have a Speights beer in front of a roaring fire after checking into our log cabin!!
Thursday 26th February Still suffering from jet lag I woke up early, so we set of to the bottom of Franz Joseph Glazier. We were lucky as it was before all the tourist arrived. It was so huge you just couldn't get any kind of perspective. Tomorrow - we walk the glacier! We then drove onto a mirrored Lake - Lake Mattheson which took us about 2hrs to walk around, we probably could have done it a lot
quicker but stopped on lots of occasions to take photos! This afternoon we are off to a thermal spa!
Friday 27th February After being kept up most of the night by all the twenty somethings on their kiwi experience we got up early for our walk on Franz Joseph Glazier. We were given all our kit, crampons and massive rather attractive walking boots! We set off on a old coach to the valley were we had to walk 45 minutes through the bush to get to the bottom of the glacier. It was truly amazing and you just can not get the perspective from any photo. Once at the bottom of the glacier we put on our crampons. I was a little nervous but couldn't wait to get onto the glacier. Our guide Simon (very young but Karelle & I both agreed quite cute!!) led the way with his big axe! It was and amazing experience and one which I would love to do again.
We stopped for some lunch and left Franz Joseph behind to drive to Wanaka. It was about a three hour drive. Again the views were amazing. We drove through Aspiring National
park, a most beautiful terrain we were surrounded by snow capped mountains. Driving was quite tricky as you just couldn't keep your eyes on the road!
We arrived at Wanaka and found ourselves in a really quaint backpackers hostel which was paradise compared to the night before!
Saturday 1st March Today we have had a relaxed and chilled morning wandering round Wanaka. This afternoon we are going on a horseback wine tasting tour!! Awesome!! Sweet As!
Sunday 2nd March We left Wanaka this morning and drove for three hours to Te Anau. We are staying in a little two bed cabin. We are here until Tuesday when we start our kayak trek. Te Anau is verry beautiful, but at the moment it's raining! The weather here is a bit like the UK, wet but not so cold.
Monday 3rd March - 8th March Both Karelle & I got colds, so for a day felt a little sorry for ourselves but we've kept going and not let us stop us doing anything!
Tuesday morning we were up at 5.30am to go on our kayak trek for three days. It was an amazing experience
Bruce Bay
A quick stop off on the way to Wanaka. but one of the hardest things I have done. Pyhsically it was much harder than I thought it would be.
Camping was great, it was really back to basics - Carly - I didn't even take a lipstick!!!
We were with 8 people including our guide - Adrian! There were 4 guys and 4 girls and everyone was dead nice.
The second day however the winds got up so we didn't kayak in the afternoon so went for a bush walk instead. I felt a bit like Ray Mears tasting berries and things from trees and drinking from the stream!
The winds got up to about 30 knots that night so we weren't sure if we'd get back, there were even whirl winds coming off the water, but we tried and we made it. It was an amazing experience and I'm quite proud of myself to have done it as it was quite out of my comfort zone. I did have a few war wounds - some blisters and 72 bites from pesky sandflies!!
All the kayak group went out for a beer or two that night after a well earned and needed shower (not together even though we were
Lake Wanaka
I like it here!!! quite close after our 2 nights in the outback!!)
We left Te Anau on Friday to travel to Dunedin where we stayed for one night to travel onto Christchurch the next day.
We stayed with Neil & Kirstan on Saturday and had another lovely eveing with them, this time going out into Christchurch.
Sunday we travellef to Kiakora. It was a lovely sunny day as we drove along the coast seeing a few seals on the way.
I have booked onto a boat trip for tomorrow - hoping to see dolphins, I am on a waiting list to swim with them so fingers crossed.
No more photos for now will upload more next week!
Hope you are all missing me a lot!!! I am loving it here!!
Monday 9th March I swam with dolphins today! It was amazing. There were apparently approx 300 of them, they were in their natural environment and not enticed at all. It was pretty scary at first, they would swim so close to us. We had to make noises and swim in circles and they just loved swimming around with us, it was almost like they were playing with
kayak trek
Don't we look hot!!! us! It was the most amazing experience yet. The sea we were swimming in was about 780m deep!!
Now it's raining, so we are going back for some New Zealand 'fush & chups'!!!
Tuesday 10th & Wednesday 11th March Tuesday we got on the ferry from Picton in the South Island to Wellington in the North. The ferry ride wad 3 and 1/2 hours long.
In Wellington we met up with an old friend of mine from twofour - Jenni Long, who kindly put us up for the night and told us a bit about working in the media here!! We went out for a lovely meal in Sweet mama's, I had chilli to try and shift this dreadful cold! And of course had to try Tui the local beer!
Wednesday we have another long drive further up North on our way to Rotorua.
Thursday 12th March We stayed in Lake Taupo. We had a nice walk in the morning to Huka falls which was another truly amazing site. We had a picnic by the lake then a walk in town followed by a coffee. I am addicted to a flat white coffee here! I
have to have at least one a day, don't know what I will do as they do not make them at home! After this we travelled to Galatea.
Friday 13th March We were staying with the Satherley's. They live in a small farm in Galatea with cats, dogs, donkeys, chickens and cows! I was in my element.
We had such a lovely time here, it was the perfect end to our trip. We had great company and fantastic food! It was great to meet our friend Fraser's parents! Big thanks to Michelle & Matt!!
Fraser's friend Mike took us or a 10km walk in a national park. We then went back to Mike's place for a few beers and then to his parent's farm to watch the cow's milked!! A very precise operation.
That night we went to the local RSA for a few Speight beers!! And met the locals!
Saturday 14th March Saturday morning we went off road driving with Matt in his land rover. Karelle was a natural!
We had a superb hearty breakfast and then hit the road to Rotorua & the Wai-o-tapu thermal pools. This was something I certainly haven't seen before...but you'll have
to wait to see the photos!!
Tonight we are in Hamilton in Karelle's friend's Anna's house. Tomorrow I leave 😞
I have truly loved New Zealand. It is somewhere I want to spend a lot more time.
The people are so nice, helpful and friendly. The country is just stunning. There is so much to do and we've just not had enough time to do it.
Off to Oz tomorrow, I will miss New Zealand but most of all I will miss my travel buddy, Karelle.
Sunday 15th March I fly to Cairns. It was so easy getting to Trinity Beach, I just got a shuttle which dropped my right at the door of my apartments - Amaroo at Trinity, where I will be staying for the next two nights. It was lovely. A perfect apartment where the only view from my balcony was the sea!
I had a walk and sat on the beach for a while just taking it all in. It is like a small bit of paradise. The beach is almost empty and so beautiful.
Monday 16th March I woke up and made myself breakfast and ate on my balcony! Then
spent the morning on the beach. The weather is glorious.
This afternoon I am going to go for a walk to take some pics.
Wednesday 18th March I have spent a couple of days getting straight and orgainising the next few weeks so that I do not have to worry about it.
So now everything is nearly all booked!
Cairns is lovely, and the weather is hot!
This afternoon going to have a wander round the galleries.
Tomorrow I am off to Whitsundays
Thursday 19th March - Sunday 21st March I have been staying at the YHA on Airlie Beach.
I have had a lovely time at the Whitsundays. The first day I just chilled and sat by the sea and had a look around the town. It rained a little but it was nice and cooled us off a bit!
On Saturday I went on a boat trip with a company called Manatray. There were only 30 of us on the boat and a really great crew.
We went out to Whitehaven beach, took some great photos, got stuck in a rain storm on the beach and then went back to the boat for a
lovely lunch. In the afternoon we went to the reef and I did a dive. I was quite nervous as I haven't done this before, it took a little getting used to. I felt a little out of my comfort zone. My instructor Simon was great, and very patient. We went 11 metres and it was like entering a different world, truly amazing. After 40 mins of diving I snorkelled.
I met Carlos & Federico from Argentina on the boat, a really nice couple of guys who had travelled New Zealand in a Week And Oz in a week, and we thought 3 weeks was not long enough!! Later that night we all went out for a nice meal. I had the local Barimundi fish which was delicious!.
Sunday - the three of us went to Day dream Island. Carlos has to leave today, Federico goes to Cairns and I go in the opposite way to Noosa.
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Jenny
non-member comment
HEY!!!
Hey Maria, Wow its sounds and looks like your are having an amazing time away!!!! I am very jealous!!! I have now added your page to our favourites so mum and dad will be able to have a look and see what you are up to! Just to let you know i didn't get the graduate job in the end - but all is not lost I got an assistant buyer job!!! Which is still not ideal since I am carrying out the role of a buyer but at least it is a step in the right direction!!! Well I look forward to catching up on your blog next time!!! Continue to enjoy yourself - I'm you won't struggle with that. Love Jen xxx