Last day in NZ

So Thursday I got up early and went to see the Fox Glacier in the rain. Quite impressive and I wished I had had more time to hike on it at well. But I was off to the Copland trail that lead up to natural hot springs. I thought it might be a cake walk since the destination sounded pretty cushy, but it turned into a proper kiwi tramp, up creek beads, over roots and across suspension bridges. But the rain cleared up and I made it to the cabin just at dusk. Strangely enough the only other people there were a group of American college students from Ohio on some sort of regimented "outdoor leadership" program, so basically I had the hot pools to myself. And wow, were they nice to slip into! Very hot and quite comfy. But later that night it poured and I got worried about the river fords that I had to cross and the danger that I might have to stay an extra night at the cabin. Sure enough, the rivers and creeks were in flood conditions and just barely crossable, but it was wet, wet, wet, slogging through tons of water with wet feet the whole day. Not the most fun, but authentically New Zealand. Can't have rain forest without rain.

That evening I was bushed and decided to spend the night in Fox Glacier town. It was great tho get a hot shower and some warm clothes. Then yesterday I drove through the Southern Alps to Christchurch. The mountains were really nice and I wished I had more time to do some tramps there. I could imagine how Hillary could train for Everest there. Have to go back next time. At one of the rest stops in the mountains, there were two Kea hanging out, which are the world's only alpine parrot. Very funny looking birds and quite tame. They must have been looking for handouts.

Christcurch is another sprawl of a city, but the city center is quite nice, very English. Last night I hung out a local brew pub and watched the rugby game. Chirstchurch beat the Sydney team and won the championship so everyone was in high spirits and it was actually a fairly competitive game.

So later this afternoon I fly back to Auckland and catch my flight home. Actually I'm sort of looking forward to it, but at the same time could se staying longer as well. Oh well, se everyone soon

Speedy Glaciers

I just got back from walking on the Fraz Joseph glacier which was awesome. It was very other worldly with the occasional CRACK of falling ice. Fraz Joseph is one of the only three glaciers that drop down into rain forest which is pretty odd, ice and tree ferns! It's very close to the coast as well and several thousand years ago dumped right out into the ocean. Supposedly it's melting and moving quite quickly, up to 1.5 m per day and the tip was like this bulldozer shovelling sand and rocks out of the way. It 's stuck in a tight U shaped valley and must be very similar to how Yosemite was carved out.

Today I was beginning to feel the pressure of the clock on my NZ holiday winding down and having to plan my final days carefully. I feel that I cut my time on the south island a bit sort and won't be able to make it down to Queenstown. But after getting off the ferry at Picton, I drove out to the Abel Tasmen, which is the northwest corner. I stayed there two nights and did a great sea kayak trip out to an island to see young fur seal pups. Really good and very few people about. I'd really like to do some more kayaking when I get back. Then I drove down the West Coast which is supposed to be very wild and rugged, but I found it very similar to past of N. California. One thing that was very unique though were these "pancake" rocks, weird eroded layers of sedimentary rocks right on the coast forming grottos and blow-holes. Quite spectacular and you could walk quite far out on them. Stayed there a night at this backpackers right on the beach that had a great ocean front hot tub. Then went down to the local pub and had an interesting conversation with a bloke that used to run a backpackers and the owner of the pub. And then today I was up early and on the road down to catch a glacier hike.

Tomorrow, I'll check out the Fox glacier and head up the Copland trail that takes you to a hut with natural hot spring. Both my friend Andy and another kiwi highly recommended so should be good. Then I'll have to head towards Christchurch to catch my flight home :(

Wet and Woolly in Welly

I'm still in Wellington for another day, but the weather's turned grey and drizzly. Yesterday I spent much of the day in the Te Papa, the national museum. It's a huge open building with something like 6 floors of exhibits and still free to the public! There was a large natural history part with lots on tectonics and the unique species to New Zealand, like the extinct Moa and the the Tautara. Then there was lots on the different experience of settlement of the country. But maybe my favorite exhibit was one on New Zealand in the 70's. I've been reading The Penguin History of New Zealand and had just been reading about the period, but seeing all the clothes, furniture, toys and such was pretty cool.

In the afternoon I ducked into a brew pub and got talking to the Swedish guy who had emigrated to NZ. He was an Oracle developer who had just quit is new job to go back to his old, so was hanging at the bar waiting for friends to watch the Wellington/Christchurch rugby game. I ended up staying and watching the game and hanging out with his group of friends. It turned into a really good evening and quite good to just chat with locals. Good people. Wellington seems to really have an active night-life and a lot of the bars would not at all be out of place in SF.

This morning I rode the cable car up the hill and walked down into town. It's about time to get some lunch and then I was thinking about heading out to the zoo for the chance to see some NZ wildlife it would almost be impossible to see in the bush.

Episode III in Wellington

Just got out from seeing Episode III at the Embassy, the same theatre they did the Return of the King premier at. The theatre is quite nice and very well restored. An in the lobby are two plaques with a cave troll and another with Golem as tokens of appreciation from Weta. And NZ follows the European style of letting you have a drink as you watch a movie! As promised Ep III was much, much darker with very like of the "funny" bits like the last two Star Wars. And everything dove-tailed very well, like it could fit together as 6 movies. And seeing the birth of Darth Vader is really something. Shame it took Lucas 3 films to really find his groove again.

So far I'm loving Wellington, it's finally something that feels like a real city, with people out and about and everything. Of course it's a bit smallish cornered in by hills and water, but there were plenty of 'burbs on the drive in. It's situated in a smallish cove with hills on all sides. The downtown feels like a real downtown and there's even access to a bit of wharf. The plan is to stay here through Sunday and see a bit more of the city and then take the ferry to the South Island. Should be spectacular.

Tramping - Kiwi for hiking

Just got back yesterday from four days of backpacking (or as the kiwis say tramping) through the Waikaremoana Great Walk. The first day was straight up the tall bluff over-looking Waikaremoana Lake which was a tough climb, but well worth the view. The next day was a long walk but one of the nice things about the Great Walks in NZ is that the have pretty well stocked huts that you can stay at each night. Pretty plush to get a mattress to sleep on! The next day the rain set in which was not so much fun, but authentically kiwi.

Can't write too much now because I'm in Naiper and going to try to catch an Art Deco architectural walk in a few minutes. More later.

Downtown Auckland

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Originally uploaded by leef_smith.

Steam and Vents

This mouring I'm in Rotorua, in the geologically active part of the North Island. Right next to the city center is a park filled with all sorts of hot water springs, steam vents and bubbling mud pits. The town is filled with the smell of sulfer, but not so over-powering that you couldn't learn to ignore it. So of course, it's a bit of a resort town, but more or less closed up for the season. It reminds me a bit of Ashland, OR in the winter when the town in still sort of open but really you can see that it's nothing like the summer rush. There are tons of empty cafe and restuarants and bars, but where are all the people? It strikes me that NZ doesn't seem as much of a "going out" sort of country as others. Maybe people just eat and entertain mostly at home?

I've found myself taking lots of architectual photos as usual, of 19th century building and turn of the last century. It's funny to see slightly different styles of Victorians, with tin roofs. Maybe that the was the more common style cause I saw the same in S. Africa. Could it be that being blessed with abundant redwood made SF's Victorians slightly odd?

I stopped at a colonial farm house on my way down with a great 19th century style garden. There's lots more tree ferns here and it slight odd to see them inter-mixed with elms and such. All sots of people have been complaingin about how cold it's been in the last few days as if the winter is really settling in. But actaully it's been a bit warmer the SF, so it's felt quite pleasant to me. But the trees are turning and it does feel like a real Fall.

Next I'm off to the coast and Waerenga-o-kuri where my friend Andy and her partner Tony live. She's teaching in tiny school in very rural NZ, so I'm curious to see what that's like and it'll be great to see Andy. I haven't seen her in like 8 years when we were both in Deli at the same time.

Now in Auckland

Yesterday was my first full day in New Zealand. Sunday was a bit of a haze, sorting out rental cars, getting settled in with my couching surfing friend, seeing a bit of West Auckland and going out to the beach. Where I'm staying is in the foothills of excellent hills. We drove up there and even the nearby park land is gorgeous. Saw my first weta in a little science museum they had there. Weta's are an insect species native to NZ. Their quite unique looking, with large legs, long antennae and a long stinger looking thing in the rear.

But back to yesterday, I made my down to the city center and wandered down to the wharf. There out in front of the maritime Museum they had KZ-1, the boat that challenged in the America's Cup back in 1988. Quite a site to see up on blocks where you could really see it's groundbreaking keel design. Then I went looking for a book store to get some Kiwi history to read. It looked like that was a common interest at least in the tourist zone cause they had plenty to choose from. I found the backpacker area but it was bit strange to see it have such a prominent place downtown, but it must be big business.

Next I went over to the Auckland Museum which was huge and quite good. It reminded me a bit of the Hong Kong museum, but with lots of war memorial stuff. I had no idea the kiwis fought in the Malaysia "emergency" and they had a special Gilipoli exhibit with lots of school children going through.

The plan now is to head out of Auckland and make down to where my friend Andy lives out side of Gisborne.

Millennium Falcon PC

Okay, I know this is super geeky, but I like it. It's not a computer. It can make the Kessell run in less than twelve parsecs! She's fast enough for you old man! Millenium Falcon PC

Sad Toad :(

Sad Toad :(
Originally uploaded by leef_smith.

Water Snake

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Originally uploaded by leef_smith.

Loved this little snake chilling out in the water.

Backpacking in Henry Coe

I went backpacking at Herny Coe this weekend as a sort of warm-up to my trip to New Zealand next week. It was a good way to test out my legs and realize what sort of shape I really am in! So I'm pretty sore today, but a good sore and ready to lay down some Km's Kiwi style. It was also great to be out in the green Spring California hills and appriciate how beautiful it is here.