How to blow your travel budget in 5 short weeks

Oceania » New Zealand
November 24th 2005

Published: December 5th 2005

New Zealand has it all... well nearly. It's got soaring snow-capped mountains, beautiful sandy beaches, green rolling hills, dramatic glaciers, sheep, smoking volcanoes, unique architecture, more sheep, deep fijords and sticky rainforests. And did I mention it has sheep? It has enough rediculously convolluted methods to scare yourself silly by jumping from high things that you could turn yourse... Read Full Entry

Photos are below

Photos: 53, Displayed: 21

The Kepler Trail

We were above the snow line for a few hours... good opportunity for a snowball fight.

The Kepler Trail

Taking it all in again.

The Kepler Trail

The Iris Burn falls a 20 minute walk from the campsite at the end of day 1. The water is bloody cold but soothed our sore feet.

The Kepler Trail

We'd been a bit better organised with the food on this trip and rented a stove (carrying precooked pasta and about 8 tins of food in Abel Tasman was unbelievably heavy). Freeze dried mexican bean thing was nice enough. Freeze dried cooked breakfast the next day was the grimmest thing I've eaten. Even worse than that gineau pig.

The Kepler Trail

Day 2 was a lot flatter and through beautiful lush rainforest. My poor footsies were shredded by the end though. I have respect for people that run the complete 60km trail in 10 hours!

The Great Garage Sale

Driving through the tiny town of Tuatapere we randomly discovered the most life we'd seen anywhere in this sleepy country - the Great Garage Sale. There was even a band rocking the town!

Sheep sheering

More fun than you can possibly imagine. And I'm a natural apparently. The bloke who was running this new attraction in the middle of nowhere proceded to proudly show us his colection of naked sheep sheerer callenders. Rick loved it.

The bottom

This is the soutern most point of the south island. Not particularly exciting, so we held various rock throwing competitions to pass the time.

Niagra Falls

It really is Niagra Falls. I love a healthy sense of irony, but we drove for miles to see this!

Christchurch

Supposedly the most English city outside of England. It's a poor-man's Cambridge - they even have punting and everything.

Christchurch

Botanic Gardens

5th December 2005

A-hole
non-member comment

loser
Shut up! you only put that you ate guinea pigs just to piss me off, I know you didn't! I want to go sky diving woooo! sounds freakin amazing. Talked to Lynz online this morning and she was having contractions, but they were an hour apart at that point. E-mail her and wish her luck!!!! I am so nervous. I miss you and it was good chatting for TWO hours yesterday!!!! COme home soon so I have someone to take the piss out of. I miss having that sadistic pleasure of making you feel like shit! Love you Ash xxxx aka WHATEVER

17th December 2005

anonymous
non-member comment

Mwr nice beard
Mwr nice beard Mate, it must be heart warming to know that so many people miss you. I echo Ash's feelings - you are my hero and I also miss your excellent wit and repetoire of hilarious jokes. I also like the comment about the mountain biking, though I imagine your ideas of "challenging" and "rewarding" were bloody hard core, knowing what a skilled biker you are - far better than me. On a more serious note, looks like you are having a fantastic time so well done dude, and keep enjoying it. On a less serious note, my breast enlargement has worked out very well we feel. In case you didn't know I'm off to India in Feb / March for a charity motorcycle trip that looks awesome, so hopefully catch you before then dude. Your friend, and fellow c*** Loui

22nd December 2005

Ben
non-member comment

Funny
Good blog mate. Not sure that I agree with your comment on the solitude of the Tongariro Crossing (I didn't have good enough weather but many people have commented how it is just a bloody big crowd of people). The media is pretty bad in NZ as well - they like to sensationalise just as much as the Mail and the Sun. Banning smoking progressive? Not sure on that either. Good beard action though- though clearly I'll have to show you what one looks like when I see you in Sydney.

31st December 2005

Tim
non-member comment

Happy New Year
Hello! I expect it is by now 2006 where you are (it's still 2005 here, but only for about another 9 hours). I hope you enjoy the celebrations with the local farming folk and their fleecy friends. I'm about to got and get my mullet trimmed, before pulling in my half-mast stone-washed jeans ready for tonight's festivities.

28th April 2006

Cooperman
Nick Cooperman

When's the sequel?
Not had any blog action from you for a very long time now! In the meantime I've seen you and know at the very least there is a haircut story which would be of interest to your readers. Knowing you, I'm sure there's a lot more... :-) I hear you've now moved on from Sydney and have gone to SEA. look forward to hearing about it and seeing you back here at work in a few months time. Enjoy the last of your travels! Nick

28th May 2006

You know who this is
non-member comment

hmmm
Now hold on for a second here MISTER....where am I???I see all sorts of fancy pics and stories on your blog...but where am I???HUH?You are in big trouble mister.You just wait and see.....My toes are ready. but are yours ?

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How to blow your travel budget in 5 short weeks

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