Blogs from Arthur's Pass National Park, South Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 2

16 fév (Toujours à l'Onuku Farm Hostel d'Akora...) La journée à commencée par un chien hurleur au creux de la vallée en pleine nuit. Et le coq est venu coccoricoter par la suite. Et c'est maintenant le paon intrigué qui glouglousse en m'observant par la fenêtre sans rideau de notre petite shed poussiéreuse. Et les cigales qui n'ont pas arrêtées une seule seconde leur grinçante symphonie de toute la nuit. Aucun autre choix que de me lever donc. J'enfile un pantalon mou et je vais me faire bouillir de l'eau pour me faire un café fort dans le semblant de cuisine du campground de l'Onuku Farm Hostel. J'y sort les cigales prisonnières une à une en les agrippant par leurs vibrantes ailes alors qu'elles chialent en levant leurs pattes griffues. Beaucoup sont déjà mortes séchées par ... read more

Last part of the voyage home, from Christchurch to Arthurs Pass. I stayed at the Mountain House Backpackers as I always do, where I had a dorm room to myself. The bus gets into Arthurs Pass Village at about 9.30 am so you’ve got the whole day there even if only staying overnight. I headed off up the Bridal Veil track which leads through forest almost all the way to the top of the pass. Curiously there were no kea around the village so the first bird to add to the year list today was a tomtit just at the entrance to the forest. I saw a kea in the forest a little while later, but no brown creepers or riflemen which were the other two bush birds I was after. I’d be coming back down ... read more

After a lovely full and undisturbed nights sleep I am refreshed (apart from my legs, which ache from my run), tuck into some breakfast and get ready to head off. Just as I am leaving, Danny asks if he could accompany me, which of course I welcome. Far more enjoyable to walk with someone. So by 9am we have signed in at the DOC, checked the weather forecast and track conditions and head off. It’s a steep climb from the outset, and even without the sunshine and a light breeze present we are both sweating before long, clambering over the rocks and over the hillside. Danny sets a perfect pace thanks to his previous army career and we are soon at the tree line. From the tree line, there are several points where you think you ... read more

As we left the small community of Fox Glacier the whole area was enveloped in low cloud. It was a grey misty day as we travelled North to Hokitika. The weather improved as we reached Hokitika and the sun was shining with clear blue skies. There was a wild food festival and the town was very busy. We had a picnic by the beach and then set off for our drive through the scenic Arthur’s Pass. The road was very steep and winding in places but there was some great scenery. We ended the day checking in to a hotel in Springfield. Unfortunately we didn’t see Homer Simpson!... read more

Today I left Paroa and headed back over to Christchurch through Arthur's Pass. This route was very mountainous but was beautiful. It is similar to the Northern Alps mixed with Northern Scotland, with loads of wild gorse which was brought over originally to be used as hedges. The yellow flowering place made the countryside more interesting even if the locals are working hard to remove it! The roads this way were actually quite fast when you got to the flat valley floors where they ran alongside the fast flowing rivers. I twisted and turned my way through the mountains and over many bridges. There are loads of ski fields along this route with roads that looked more snow covered than the route I took up to the Remarks! There are also loads of Hawks flying above ... read more