Blogs from New Zealand, Oceania - page 2399

Cycling for Real We left Auckland on 6 December catching the train into town and then the ferry to Coromandel town. A lovely day with the sun out but with a bit of cloud to help us up the hill. After a stop for lunch we started out on the steepest hill we could find straight up to 360 metres. We had spectacular views all the way up even when we were walking and then on the decent, seeing both sides of the peninsular. Managed to call into another internet cafe to catch up with news from home. It's good to hear from everyone and know that we've lost another manager for instance. Carrying on around the Coromandel we stoppped at Hahei to visit the Cathedral Cove and go kayaking on the ocean. This coast ... read more

Pictures of Doubtful Sound at http://photos.yahoo.com/mikeleft@swbell.net , folder New Zealand thru Dec. 13. We have breakfast in our room again and I prepare a lunch for us to eat while in transit to Doubtful Sound. We pack small overnight bags and store our other bags at the motel. We walk into town and pick up some items we need and return to the motel to wait for our bus. The bus picks us up with another couple from our motel, about noon. The trip to Lake Manapouri takes about one hour. We take a ferry across Lake Manapouri and board another bus to take us over Wilmot Pass to Doubtful Sound. Doubtful Sound is actually a fiord, like Milford Sound. Captain Cook named it Doubtful Sound because he sailed to it, saw the narrow entrance and ... read more

Travelled up to Christchurch to watch a world record breaking game of cricket - not for teh 20 arrests, or 87 ejections, or 2 streakers - but NZ chased down 332 to beat the Aussies! Got a ticket in the renowned DB stand, and the Aussie Innings was dominated by some comedy ejections by the police. After the first guy was ejected for a poster that read "F*** off Clarke" it turned into a game of can you top this. Guys were kicked out throwing plastic bottles, taunting the security staff, spraying beer, and playing cricket in the aisles. Meanwhile the Aussies were racking up a decent total with some poor black cap bowling. The tea break entertainment a firefighter race around the outfield, was delightfully upstaged by two naked guys who made their way the ... read more

Hi folks, here goes for a pretty lengthy entry covering my previous 10 days in NZ. North Island I arrived on 2nd December, early morning, and having picked up a car headed north from Auckland into the Bay of Islands area. The first thing I really noticed about this country is how green it is. A lot of the scenery reminds me of the more rural areas of England, except here it is often more dramatic, and with better weather of course. In the bay area I had my first go on a jetbike and it was great fun. Nearly came off it a couple of times but made sure I held on 'cos the water wasn't anywhere near as warm as in Australia. Also went quad biking on the same day as you'll see from ... read more

Dunedin to Owaka in the Catlins is 115km and from Owaka to Invercargill is 130km. Be prepared to stay the night somehwere. Good DOC camps n this area. Mostly sealed roads now as of 2005. Golden sand beaches and long stretches of isolation. You have to get off the main road to really see the Catlins. Going south on Route 1 you will go through Waihola (25km). on the left is Lake Waihola. Next is Milton(17km). On south on Route One to Balclutha where the Clutha River passes through on its last leg to the sea. If going to take the turnoff to the Catlins be sure to get fuel and stock up here. (Good butcher on the right leaving town by the way). Can't miss the turnoff on the left leaving the town of Balclutha. ... read more