Blogs from South Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 1170

P.S. Little interesting things: -- I do my laundry in a sink and hang my clothes on tree branches to dry. -- I get to run around barefoot without being arrested! -- According to Kiwis, the Dutch explorers who "discovered" New Zealand were drug addicts. -- Got a nasty sunburn three days ago and am now peeling like an ugly lizard. -- Showers are a rare luxury. -- Fruit tastes organic and delicious. Kiwis consume lots of dairy products. -- Kiwi money is rainbow colored! -- My bus driver yesterday has a beard and ponytail, shuns baths and calls himself "Pop Star." -- The North American accent sounds ugly to many culture's ears. Hell, my own voice is starting to make me cringe. -- Tons and tons of folks traveling around here are drifters, lost ... read more

Thanks for the comments and the rest of it. Sorry no thrilling updates!! I am alive, just lazy. Or rather not lazy but hardcore busy running around the country in crazyfast time. 3 weeks doesn't begin to be enough trust me. Given I am paying $1 for 10 mins here there will be no actual information sorry. Perhaps sometime else. I do have maybe 100 pics I took to show you, so be sure not to invite me around if I come back otherwise you're in for a whole long show. I don't suppose this poorhouse-basic computer in accomodation full of errrm scary dubious characters would work with it anyway! Currently at Franz Joseph Glacier, it is wet and dark and the ice trips have been cancelled according to the bus driver. Still, am here for ... read more

Another lovely day in New Zealand, Picton is a small sea-side town, it's main purpose is that it's the ferry port to Wellington I guess but it's no Rosyth, it's full of nice boats and small yachts, picturesque vila's on the front and a street of nice cafe's and local shops. After more than 4 weeks of on the road travel we're knackered and looking forward to a rest in Fiji, we've decided to spend 18 nights there now and the plan is to do as little as possible, sind a nice wee beach lie in the sun, catch up on some reading and defo no driving. Sure we'll go on day trips and I'm looking forward to a spot of line fishing but resting the bones is the order of the day, or even fortnight. ... read more

Well today we had to leave the beauty of Kaikoura. We both loved the place, it had spectacular scenery and our hostel was so cosy. Anyway we are now on the path back up the coast to Picton. Picton is where we will get the ferry across to Wellington and then drive all day (10 hours) up to Auckland so we can catch our flight to Fiji on Friday. When I say we will drive I really mean Andrew because as much as I have offered he has still not accepted, wonder why?!! We are spending two days in a lovely hostel which has a great garden, fully equipped with spa pool. There are loads of sand flies and other little biting creatures here so I bought some super strength insect repellent, Andrew however is still ... read more

Woke up early this morning for another day at sea, it couldn't be as successful as yesterday, could it? The weather forecast wasn't good but we were lucky, we were out at 8:15 and although it had been raining earlier it was clear and quite bright, partial cloud cover at times but good spotting conditions. We were looking for Lagenorhnchus obscurus, or the Dusky Dolphin, Dusky Dolphins are found in coastal temperate waters of New Zealand, about 20 mins from the coast of Kaikoura. This species is normally found in small pods of 6 to 15 animals, but larger groups of 20 to 500 animals, or massive aggregations of over 1,000, are also common, according to our guide. They are the most highly social and acrobatic of dolphins, they leap, spin, somersault and often associate with ... read more