Blogs from Southland, South Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 16

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Southland » Milford Sound March 20th 2005

We were feeling energised by our very succesful walk and we decided to turn our planned rest days into action. Our next stop was the highly renowned Milford Sound, the only road-accessible fjord in New Zealand's "fjordland". The fact that it's the only road-accessible one might give you an impression how undeveloped New Zealand actually is - and I'm 100% in favour of keeping it that way. It was a long drive from Queenstown around in a huge loop back to and past a place we'd been only a couple of days before during our walk. After 4 hours' driving we passed "The Divide", only about 30kms as the crow flies from where we started our walk - but about 300kms by road! We were entering a place with one of the highest annual rainfalls in ... read more

A fossil forest is not a forest of fossils

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Southland » Catlins February 26th 2005

From "the bus"

Anat

We read in the book about the fossil forest in Curio bay. You have to go there only on the low tide. We did. We started to look for some fossils and saw nothing. And then we read the sign there and understood is a fossilized forest. Now, that was amazing. You can actually see the shape of the trees, you'd think you see wood but it's all rocks. And then Shiri calls me, and I here something like "Pinguin". I rushed to where she was, and there was he: a lonely pinguin, just standing there, very still. It was the nearest we'll probably get to one because usually you are not allowed to go near them, but we were just looking at the fossils... He was so cute............. Later we also saw sealions. They normally ... read more

The wierdest museum and the tiny church shop

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Southland » Catlins February 25th 2005

Bluff - The Southernmost city in NZ

Anat

In the southern town of Invercargil we visited the wierdest museum I have ever seen. It has under one roof: the town information center, some art stuff, living lizards (in glass cages, don't worry) and some exhibition about the islands under the 45 degrees line with stories about ship wreckage and castaways... one museum. And there was more I just don't remember. Is this the effect of the deep south?? We are still having great weather, haven't seen rain in days, and down here at the south, next to the sea it's so great. You see so much blue sky from one horizon to the other side horizon. Some clouds hang in the air but it doesn't seem realistic at all. Fantastic. We stayed in the smallest backpacker, in a place called Waikawa. On the other ... read more

noglow

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Southland February 19th 2005

poorhouse

Well, in Te Anau. Stormyish weather has dictated no glow worm trips of mysticalness for me. Of course they deceided this after I paid, and also after we set off. Much overcrowded tourist seasickness, a demonstration that the boat is far from watertight - but all in all a fun, free experience. It was way wilder than jet boating... Will be trying again tomorrow, between coaching and cruising Milford Sound. It really is a hard life isn't it? Have switched accommodation styles to cabin (cheap room with a block to sleep on) from hostel (cheap room with a bed but far too distracting for any sleep). Queenstown, advenutre AND party capital was the final straw. The UK boozehounds were on fine form, ensuring they came home superdrunk every half hour just to alleviate the chance of ... read more

Invercargil

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Southland » Invercargill January 9th 2003

Invercargil Watertower

Ali

It has been about 6 weeks since I last wrote on TravelBlog, I'm not sure why it has taken me so long to try and catch up. I finished travelling around New Zealand, and my made my way across to Australia. For the sake of completeness I'll try and write about the places I saw in New Zealand and my few weeks in Australia so far. But after even such a short time some of the details have faded. Laura and I drove down the southern scenic route from Te Anua to Invercargil. It wasn't as scenic as the drive down the west coast or the road from Wanaka to Queenstown, but there was a nice bridge, the Clifdon bridge - I think. Invercargil is the southern most city in New Zealand. The reputation of the ... read more

Catlins -Southern most point.

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Southland » Catlins January 7th 2003

Slope Point

Ali

The Catlins is an area on the south coast of the south island of New Zealand. The southern most point of the south island, some beautiful forests and waterfalls and farms and things. I should be writing about the Catlins there are lots of things that we should be talking about. Laura was going the same way (again) so I hitched a ride... well I didn't really have to ask - got used to the idea of having a chauffeur at this point. Hitching was going pretty well. So in the two days we spent in the Catlins I: Saw seals - there was quite a large one on the beach - went close to get a photograph and got barked at - jumped back and got a photo of the sand instead. Collected paua shells, ... read more

Brief history of New Zealand

The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year...more history

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