Advertisement
Published: December 14th 2006
Edit Blog Post
Pancake Rocks 1
We love Shrove Tuesday! So we pick up where we left off camped out at Punakaiki.
After a quick drive we got to the Pancake Rocks - a natural limestone formation which basically looks like a pile of pancakes. See the photos for an idea of what we mean... not bad, not much to look at although we did spot a couple of Dolphins out to sea! So after this we wandered further down the coast to Hokitika where we camped for the night in a DOC (Department of Conservation) campsite. Absolutely threw it down for the majority of the night, not much to say...
Carried on down the coast to the fantastically titled FOX GLACIER! Small alpine town built up around the tourist trade based upon the aformentioned glacier. Got booked onto a trip for a trip across the glacier for the next day, then got a little carried away and demolished a couple of bottles of wine, and had a mini party in Big Ahl (the campervan) before venturing to the local bar, for what we thought was a couple of civilised drinks. Four hours later, we stumbled out the bar after drinking multiple shots (including a flaming sambucas), and dancing
Pancake Rocks 2
More Sugar and Lemon! along to I Will Survive, and thrashing Yanks at one armed pool.
Scene changes to 9:25 am when we wake up, 35 minutes prior to our 4 hour hike on glacial ice... absolutely no chance we think. Close the curtains an back to sleep!!!
Bit of crafty fibbing gets us back on the trip the next day... karens lazily constructed story about a flat battery on the campervan causing some suspicion amongst the tour staff...
Next day, bright, breezy without a single hint of a hangover, we ventured out for the delayed trip... lovely weather... lucky us (it had previously been raining for 3 months solid for the trip)!
So out on the Ice its pretty cool, after hiking round rocky bluffs, holding onto chain hand rails... (would have been Extreme Hangover Hiking if it had been 24 hours previous!) we come to the actual glacier. Bit of walking about in crampons, not too exciting, but worth the experience.
So, after leaving Fox Glacier, we travel down the west coast once again, stopping at another DOC campsite, where we seem to have picked up an unwelcome stow-away in the form of a little mouse, who
Pancake Rocks 3
Karen took her elecution lessons from Pinoccio has the annoying habbit of coming to life when we have gone to bed and russtling through all our belongings (note, we have now laid down some heavy duty rat poison to kill the little bugger, if that dont work we are buying a cat!).
Following day, we travelled inland to Queenstown. Absolutely beautiful drive through rolling countryside, dramatic hills and wicked scenery. Karen had to drive, as I was far too excitable looking at the scenery.
Queenstown is pretty cool, although a little slow when we got there. We expect lively bars, all-night drinking, and people saying "awesome" all the time. All we got was the "awesome". Booked ourselves on another tour which we mede due to the lack of nightime entertainment. This one was a little belter. White water rafting in grade 4 rafting water along the Shotover River, after a pretty hair raising drive along the canyon to the river... we absolutely loved the rafting after waiving our rights away with a Liability Waiver Form. Ventured out for the night with a couple we met to try and liven up the town... had a good night...hope they did too : - )
After this,
Fox Glacier Town
James felt right at home here!!! we mossied on down the Milford Sounds, one of the place I (James) was most looking forward to seeing in New Zealand, and it did n;t disappoint.
After a 4 hour drive from Queenstown, we arrived at the Milford Sound carpark, which was our home for the night... I think the mouse approved as he got quite excited about 3 in the morning wrustling through our plastic bags...
Booked on a boat trip for the morning which didnt disappoint, smallest boat around, 60-70 capacity, instead of 600-700! And as we did the 8.55am trip, there was only about 15 people on the boat...
2 hours of stunning scenery, waterfalls down vertical cliffs 1000m high, sea lions, snow capped mountains, stuff from films... Awesome... photos look pretty good, but they dont do it justice!!!
So here we are now, sat in another campsite, on another computer, after just finishing of another bottle of wine, and another bbq lamb chop dinner wishing we were back at home in the freezing cold, miserably seeing Woolworth adverts for Xmas, struggling to find Xmas presents for everyone and wishing we did nt actually have to spend the money!
Bah Humbug!! Big Ahls Party
James looking his best
Advertisement
Tot: 0.063s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 8; qc: 24; dbt: 0.0245s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Kirsty
non-member comment
Wow
Dear Jim and Karen, I'm really enjoying reading your blog, looks like you are having an experience of a lifetime. We're busy with work, christmas and of course the wedding which is fast approaching! (5 weeks on Saturday, can hardly believe it!!) Will make sure we put some photos of the day and honeymoon online so you can take a look! In the meantime, take care and look forward to reading your next update! Kirsty xx