Blogs from Fiordland National Park, South Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 27

i've just finished my first multi-day solo tramp in new zealand!! the kepler track is a new zealand great walk (which basically means they take really good care of the track because lots of people walk it) that starts and ends in te anu. i decided the easiest way to do this is to write my daily journal entries from while i was out....here goes. day 1: te anu control gates to luxmore hut- 13.8km this morning i woke early to birdsong outside my tent, crisp cold still air and a grey high ceiling of cloud. i made final preparations for my first tramp: checking and double checking stove, matches, tent, longies....the stuff you do. the air was so cold my fingers and toes felt like they might never warm up. i drank my coffee alone ... read more

After a long and windy road we finally reached Milford Sound.... read more

Still here in Queenstown and been on Jetboat..ACE..... read more

Once finished the track, we all took an overnight crusie. It's well worth taking the crusie, you see some amazing views that you wouldn't see on the walk. I recommend getting up early the next morning, you will definitely bring home some stunning photo's. Matt, Lu, Sam and Karl took the posh private cabin option. The average age on the boat 75! Nai, GD and Helm took the not so posh option and ditched the private cablin, which was fine it was only the three of us in the one cabin. The great thing about our boat, we had a Contiki tour on board. The average age on our boat 23! It was an awesome night , very loud and lots of fun. No photo evidence has been uploaded just landscape shots. More details on Milford ... read more

After leaving the steep streets of Dunedin (apparently home to the steepest street in the world - which we couldn't find!), we headed further south to the, as yet, relatively unexplored coastal region of the Catlins. This area was 'awesome' (Simon's new favourite word) and seemed to have more seals and birds than tourists. After spending a couple of days exploring the beaches and wildlife of the Catlins we got back in the van and drove southwest towards Fiordland passing through tourist magnets such as Invercargill (New Zealand's equivalent of Slough) and Tuatapere, self titled "home of the sausage". Luckily time was against us, so we pressed on to lake Manapouri, a gateway town to the magnificant Milford and Doubtful Sounds (giant fiords). This area was just ridiculous in its sheer size and beauty and definitely ... read more