Blogs from New Zealand, Oceania - page 2396

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Christchurch December 16th 2005

14.12.05 So today was our first day at the car market. Up at 8am to check e-mails to make sure we still have to go, and yes we did. We paid $65 for 3 days at the market. We put our van up for $3650 which was $250 more than what we paid as we were told we would make a profit. The prices have gone up from last time we had a look, ranging from $2000 to $4000 so that's good news. There were some really bad vans so ours shone out. So everyone hangs about or sits in their vans waiting for people to come through the door. As soon as anyone does everyone jumps up and goes to their van or gets out in excitement. We had just one couple look at our ... read more

Indiana Jones and the Quest of the Bridge To Nowhere

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Wanganui » Wanganui December 15th 2005

Landing at camp for the first night

Mayrad

The Wanganui River, once known as the Rhîne of the South Sea, winds its way through the heart of NZ's North Island, starting off where I had finished the Tongariro Track (if you agree to ignore the 200km trip I annoyingly had to take down to Wellington 1st). I decided to get away from the stress of travelling for a few days - yes, it's a hard life: even travelling can be stressful. However, I would hedge a bet that everyone at some point has, for a moment, wanted to completely immerse themselves in nature, away from the hustle and bustle of booming noises, catfood adverts, road-rage, George Bush's antics and general fast-forward panic of the western world, even if you weren't a hippy. Well, this was my moment. The Maori story goes, Taranaki once lived ... read more

Trekking

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island December 15th 2005

Glowing stream

Sean

Champagne Backpacking - best way to describe it. At the end of any hard days tramping in the NZ wilderness you can dock the boots at a clean comfortable hut. Bliss. NZ is gorgeous, not a new statement, but its incredibly accesible to the good stuff. Amazing trails all organized with superb trail markers. Its a shame that most people think of bungee, skydiving, sledging and jet boating when the infrastructure for hiking is so great Within the NZ national park system there are several classifications of Huts and Hikes, some preimum and well maintained and advertised and as such well stamped out with folks from all over. Others are just as spectacular and anomous. Just about every moutain range has a collection of huts within each valley and drainage, this system the absoute ease of ... read more

Coincidences

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Southland » Catlins December 15th 2005

Pooley

"Coincidences" It isn't often that people recognise that from bad situations good things always happen. It may not be that day or even that week, but sometime soon it will turn into a blessing in disguise. I was travelling along with my 2 Dutch travel partners Rob and Henrike when we stopped for a routine toilet stop on the way to the catlin forest. We were 25 kilometres from the nearest town and we spotted a roadsided public toilet located next to a small school. It was a normal sort of day, the sun was shining, we were surrounded by views of fields and hills and there was the impeccable sound of silence......apart from the odd moo of a cow!! Things soon took a sudden turn! After returning from the toilets, and having restocked our fresh ... read more

Vi far soderut

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Nelson Region » Nelson December 15th 2005

Med farjan "Blueridge" aker vi over sundet till sydon. Nu har vi tankt borja vandra mer intensivt och beger oss direkt till "Sunny" Nelson dar det regnar. Vi tar in pa vandrarhem, eftersom det inte finns nagon campingplats. Vi driver runt lite pa byn, provianterar och kollar pa sevardheterna. Har bor bland annat guldsmeden som gjorde "Ringen". Han hade en mycket liten och oansenlig butik. Trots att den mycket glade vandrahemsinnehavaren intensivt onskar att vi ska fa lite solsken innan vi drar vidare blir det tyvarr inte mycket av den varan.... read more

Hanmer Springs

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Hanmer Springs December 15th 2005

Thermal Pools

Bryan and Mindy

Before Mindy was to start work we wanted to do a bit of traveling. After doing most of our errands and flat hunting on bike, we knew something with a motor was in order. Instead of paying for an overpriced rental car, we decided to cash in and buy our beater car. On the day that we were scheduled to pick up our 1988 Honda Civic (this time a hatchback), our “Lean Machine” sales rep, Dennis, regretfully informed us that it didn’t pass its “Warrant of Fitness” test. No worries, Dennis had put his best panelbeater to work on “our car”, and without a rental agreement of any sorts loaned us another car for an overnight. Off we ventured towards Hanmer Springs! Hanmer Springs is most noted for its Thermal Pools and Spa (ahhhh). We ... read more

Goodbye, Aotearoa, for now

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Auckland December 15th 2005

Napoleon

Today was my last day in New Zealand. It was very sad and hard for me to leave such a beautiful country and so many recently acquired friends. On the way to the airport I had several DB's, since we had to finish the box before getting on the plane. It was cool drinking in the airport. Even grama had a couple beers with me which was sweet as. Being back in LA with family will be nice. Boulder, with the deuplex and 7 roommates is there waiting for me aswell, so there is light at the end of this tunnel. In the aiport I used my remaining minutes to call Janika and talk to her for a lil while after she got off work while I was waiting for my flight. I hope to keep ... read more

Te Anau to Invercargill

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island December 15th 2005

Leftwich

We get up very early since we have to be outside for our bus to pick us up at 7:15 am. It was raining so we tried to stay under cover until the bus came about 7:25 am. We changed buses in Gore, which was a larger city than we thought it would be. We arrived in Invercargill about 11:00 am and the bus driver dropped us right in front of our motel. Our room was not ready so we dropped our bags and went to find lunch. We were hungry since we got going so early and the first place we came to was a Burger King. We usually don’t eat at American restaurants while we are on the road but we were really tired of the usual Kiwi fare so it looked pretty good. ... read more

Pass the Plastic Bag Please

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Christchurch December 15th 2005

Jon and Aneta

Killing time in Christchurch prior to dinner and a shuttle to the airport (maybe a stop at the casino) thought we'd give one last line. NO WHALES!!!! We did get out on the boat however but too much fog so they aborted the trip and refunded most (not all) of our money. The extra bonus was Jon's seasick return to the dock. Ari please read as "Pull Over". Anyways. Adios to New Zealand. ... read more

Would you like a dolphin with that latte?

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Akaroa December 15th 2005

Meesh

Greetings from Akaroa Adventures! After a few days of travelling from Takaka, Picton and Christchurch, I arrived in Akaroa on Sunday evening. I've signed on as a helper for a small kayak, mountain bike and coffee shop on the main thoroughfare through town. In exchange for three and a half days of relaxed "work" and coffee making, I get my own room, a bed and food. I started my first day today. At noon, I ambled out of the house in the sweaty clothes I had just gone for a run in. I plopped down next to Darin (the owner of Akaroa Adventures) at the picnic table. I read my book for the next few hours, stopping only to give change to a backpacker who needed internet time across the street and to sell a blue ... 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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