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Published: April 21st 2006
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Anyone seen my coat?
I had it a few minutes ago Were woken up at 2am by fire alarm - gee it was loud and piercing! Lucky they have robes here, everyone was turfed out. Fire engine arrived with unhappy firemen - it was a false alarm. Didn’t get to find out what had started the alarm but they don’t take chances here. Booked to go on glacier walk, then read sign - do you have a fear of heights? mmm wasn’t sure if that was one of mine or not so popped a valium just to be on the safe side. The walk was amazing, partly through rainforest and then onto the glacier, absolutely lovely, were again so lucky with weather. Was just right for an uphill walk, at one point we were on a really narrow path (with a chain to hold onto) that dropped down 200metres. Was cold once we got on the glacier, but was a fab walk, went up down and through! The guide was really informative, and the group really friendly (aussies & americans). AlthoughNZ still feels oddish - it’s so contradictory - have seen lots of lovely furniture - le corbusier, lovely retro danish, gorgeous antiques, and where does it all go? Guess it must
go to the architect designer homes, don’t think it would fit in the park homes. There’s some really good art - pictures & sculptures, fantastic jewellery - less in the line of clothes - you have to look harder. But it’s all there, the country is stunning but.....hmmm just doesn’t quite work for me, well it would be kinda cool to have a fab walk, decent dinner and then be able to email family & friends! Also there isn’t a mix of people - (there aren’t many anyway.) and the country feels old! Actually heard someone say - it’s doing my nana! people get bashed up, it’s a bugger! yep all the old sayings are here! And then it’s common for cars to overtake 2 at a time, you really have to keep one eye on the rear view mirror. Another common thing is pie shops! the pie is really popular here - and yes you can tell who’s eaten all of them (they are the pie people!) Actually may turn into one myself - not through pies - chips - its the veggie alternative! The veggie option just doesn’t exist, although stupidly I ordered the only one I came
Lake Matheson
much photographed across - vegetarian lasagne - now there was real skill in the preparation, it tasted of absolutely nothing, but there again I could have gone for the veggie pizza - as served by cafe neve - roast pumpkin, pineapple, capers, pesto, pumpkin seeds - yep sraight from oven to bin! Why? this place is based on the tourist industry - like most of NZ, so why do they do this? The local shop ran out of bread - at around 3pm until noon the next day - well of course you would -’cos there are so many backpacker places/motels/self-catering, wish the guy who managed to provide the internet access (in a bus) had also set up a bakery/veggie cafe! - although he was half an hour away. NZ wants and, from what you can see, needs the tourist so why do they behave like they are remote from anything that's civil ie., good service, food, intenet - oh shit I remember yep it’s Britain 40yrs ago - well if you’re hungry you’ll eat it! ! Think this country has taken me too far back into my childhood! - and no it’s not good therapy. Just arrived at next hotel -
Barb
on Gillespie beach and naturally enough there is no veggie option on their menu.
Accomodation here also varies so much too - from someone’s idea of traditional granny (so much floral) to stylised taupe. (Always good housekeeping )Must remember limited cooking facilities mean a toaster/kettle, maybe microwave, which as there are no veggie ready meals is limited. Yes of course you can make your own if you had remembered to pack your own spices etc.,(Gill you were so right!) but then if you’re hungry you’ll eat anything.
Thanks to people I don’t know commenting on the blog - Pat definitely try to fit in more of NZ on your next visit, the South is well worth the effort, Frazz are you are you a kiwi? only ask as it’s pretty half assed sarcasm - which would fit.
Still amazing scenery, had a bit of a groundhog day drive through glacier country to get here (Fox Glacier), steep sided gorges dripping with ferns, hairpin bends, bridge over rocky river bed followed by......yep, you’ve got it, more of the same. It’s undoubtedly very beautiful, but.
Went for a couple of gorgeous walks, round a lake with great views of Mts. Cook and
Fox Glacier
Terminal face Tasman, then to Gillespie Beach, miles of coastline coverered in driftwood, Barb spotted a dolphin playing close to shore. Then drove to to Franz Josef to get some supplies and some cash from the only ATM for miles. Oh, and to get some lunch, but B told you about that. The ATM wasn’t working, but joy of joys, one guy, and I’ll give him a namecheck, Ferg’s Kayaks, has set up an internet operation that is a joy to use. Reasonable prices, ethernet or wireless, friendly feel, chatty - and no surcharge to use my own machine. See guys, it can be done - most of the places we’ve been are what might be called ‘tourist’ destinations, communities reliant on the traveller dollar, the natural surroundings are spectacular, but really these places aren’t so remote, hundreds of tourists find their way there every day, why can’t the infrastructure be set up properly. Maybe I’m being a bit picky, perhaps being a member of the veggie awkward squad makes life difficult for the providers, but there are some people out there who are trying, the rest really need to catch up if they want to cash in on the opportunities. The
Fox Glacier
on top of it more I see, the more Claudia was right. This isn’t a third world country, I hear spokespersons on the tv every day saying exactly that, maybe that’s why my expectations are higher than they should have been. Frazz, if you’re still reading this, my beef isn’t with lack of facilities, after all if they’re not there, they’re just not there, what I’m saying is that facilities provided badly just doesn’t cut the mustard. The things that NZ does well, natural beauty, guided tours/excursions to those things, good clean, affordable accomodation - it does really, really well. The stuff you might want when you’ve taken advantage of those things it does much less well. Backpackers are catered for well, I guess they’ve been coming here for quite some time now, high-enders likewise - they can always just buy the comforts they want - but people like us, who are being encouraged by the tourist authorities to come here, are being let down a bit. Like Claudia said to us, this is a land rich with opportunity, if it’s done right it could be a paradigm for conscious tourism everywhere, but right now it’s work in progress. Despite my moaning though, the
Fox Glacier
Jon and Barb get into it south island has sent me away with a warm glow about the place. If I can find some net access I’m happy with in Fiji then the blog will continue soon, if not, catch y’all later.
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Frazz
non-member comment
a kiwi in Nelson
Hi John and Barb, I'm sitting here at my puter that works on windows 98 ( first edition I might add!) with my very fast dialup speed of ... hang on while I check what it is right now... OK 33bps feeling rather like a twit. The unfortunate thing about me using the internet is I tend to post before thinking which is exactly what I did with you. So first I'd like to apologise for sticking my nose in :( I dont know why I got so riled because alot of what you say is the same stuff as we kiwis moan about all the time. Anyway I do apologise and I've enjoyed reading your blogs, well most of them!! I know you will have an awesome time in the sun and sand of Fiji and I will enjoy reading about the rest of your trip Take care and have a good one, Ka Kite, Frazz