Advertisement
Published: July 29th 2006
Edit Blog Post
Mount Cook
The highest peak in NZ After leaving Dunedin another textbook long drive awaited us: we were heading to Mount Cook, the highest Mountain in Australasia. The drive was very scenic, we realised we were getting close to our destination as the greenery started making way for the Snowy White hills. We stayed in Mount Cook Village at the YHA, which looked like a huge wooden cabin from the outside. The first afternoon and night consisted of us watching films and sitting by the log fire: they had a sauna but I only lasted about 5 minutes before getting too hot, Sweaty Freddy lasted much longer trying to "sweat out all of the beer" he'd been drinking.
Mount Cook was climbed by none other than Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to climb Everest, we didn't fancy climbing the mountain and instead opted for one of the many walks they have on offer in and around the Mountain the next day. We were walking along snowy tracks the whole way and it took us about 5 hours, felt very Lord of the Ringsy. The terrain and views for the whole walk were stunning, everybody loves a good Icycle and their were plenty of these about. We
Ice Ice Baby
On the walk back from Mount Cook. crossed a couple of Rope Bridges before ending up at a lake (for lake read big puddle) and turning back. Was good to blow away a few cobwebs after all of the driving and get some fresh air, "OOh breath it in lad!".
The day after our Mount Cook excursion we headed to Mount Hutt, the nearest skiing Mountain to Christchurch, where Freddy was to go skiing. We spent two nights in Mount Hutt where we didn't get upto that much. We had a few pints and games of pool in the pub, where we were informed by some alcoholic who we were playing doubles with to "play with honour" aka not to play fouls?!?! Me and Will went for another walk, not quite as epic as our Mount Cook one, in fact it only took us 20 minutes and mainly involved walking through various housing estates.
Upon leaving Mount Hutt we headed for Kaikoura with a quick stop off in Christchurch along the way. Kaikoura is in the North West of the South Island and is most famous for being a great place to spot various Marine Life: Whales, Dolphins and Seals are all in abundance here.
A Bridge too far?
No! Crossed this no problem at all. We arrived quite late in the afternoon, so the first night involved watching TV and Will and Jonny playing Snap with the little kid that's parents ran the Hostel. We booked a Dolphin excursion for our first full day only to have it cancelled because of choppy waters. As we were now at a bit of a loose end we decided to go for a Wine tasting tour. We've noticed throughout our drives that their seems to be Vineyards everywhere so it would've been rude not to sample the local produce. Up until now our wine tasting on this trip was limited to 4 or 5 litres of boxed wine for about 3 quid so it was a nice change to taste some stuff that didn't taste rank (although the Fruity Lexia Goon isn't a bad drop). All of the wines tasted were enjoyable, though some of them seemed to be 90% sugar.
That night we decided to goto an Irish Pub in town where they had a quiz night, I fully expected us to at least compete but we finished in last place. At the start of the quiz we toasted our good friend Geordie Dave's Birthday, absent
This chairs canny big likes
A quick stop off back in Christchurch, time enough for a quick Cookmeister. but not forgotten- he's 22 now. Our undoing in the quiz was undoubtedly the Kaikoura Round, we knew bugger all about the place in which we were staying. One of the questions was "Where does the Sperm Whale
get it's name from?" Will bantered that it was "From Seamen"!!!! Needless to say that wasn't the actual answer, but 10 points for banter.
I finally got to swim with Dolphins the next day, Will and Jonny were absent from proceedings as they went on a Whale watching tour instead. After a 30 minute journey out to sea our boat stopped amongst a pod of 400 Dolphins, they were everywhere! Looking Pat Sharp in my wetsuit I jumped off the boat with my snorkel and got among it. To attract the Dolphins to swim near us we were encouraged to make high pitched noises, I was well practised in this due to the numerous "cookmeisters" that we've done on the trip so far. The experience was amazing: the Dolphins were swimming just underneath me, brushing past me and jumping in and out of the water all around me. They are such intelligent and playful creatures. At times it looks as if
A nice drop
At the wine tasting, Kaikoura they're about to have a head on collision with you before diverting their paths at the last second.
Upon re-entering the boat it was back to reality: I was promptly sea-sick, due to the chopppy waters of the journey out and also the fact that I could taste salt-water on my lips! On the journey back to land we spotted a couple of Albatross and various other Sea Wildlife. Back on land I met up with Will and Jonny"and we set off on another huge drive, this time we were heading to catch a Ferry to The North Island.
Signing off from the South Island, Mike.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.145s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 19; qc: 72; dbt: 0.0702s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
Mam
non-member comment
Dusky Dolphins
Yes, I'm well jealous. To swim with dolphins must be one of my top TO DO before I die things, and for there to have been so many of them, must have been amazing. The water looks very clear and turquoise. I suppose being sea-sick had nothing to do with the wine tasting earlier eh? Take Care son and have fun.