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Archive for December, 2006

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Christmas Day

Wednesday, December 27th, 2006

In the sun!!!!!!!! A bit of a change from 3 days preivoulsy, but a welcome one!

After a lovely (?) 14 hour bus journey from Queenstown to Picton on 23rd, we jumped on 2 water taxis on Christmas Eve to Hopewell Backpackers on Kenepuru Sounds. An absolutely beautiful setting, which felt far from home and also from Christmas. We arrived in sun and were lucky that it stayed until Christmas Day.

Christmas Eve saw the owners of the backpackers hosting a party for every one – fizzy pop & canapes – with the guitar being bought out by three people (one a professional musician who has played with Jack Johnson apparently) later in the evening – with us all singing along into the wee hours.

We had a very relaxing Christmas Day – kayaking on the sounds was lovely and the rest of the day was spent relaxing – with a game of trivial persuits in the evening – we weren’t so good at that one as it was an aussie version and we don’t know enough famous aussies to answer the entertainment questions!!

Christmas Day kayak on Kenpuru Sound

Now back in Picton (in the rain) – we are crossing over to the North Island for New Year – here is hoping the rain holds off and our 5 day canoe trip is in the sun…

Rees Dart Track

Friday, December 22nd, 2006

We had planned to head up to Mount Cook after Stewart Island, but with the accomodation all being booked out we had a change of plans and decided to head out on the four day Rees Dart Track instead.

[read on]

Kiwi Hunting

Friday, December 22nd, 2006

After 9 days of bog we decided to head for Stewart Island, were the mud is famous...but we weren't going to walk, we decided to treat ourselves to a flight to a place called Mason Bay were you are likely ... [Continue reading this entry]

Dusky Track

Wednesday, December 13th, 2006
So on 4th December we headed into the wilderness for 8-10 days.  We weren't sure how long the track would take as too much rain can hold you up. The Footprint guide descibes it as: ...."a track for real trampers, the sort with tree ... [Continue reading this entry]

Hope Arm

Tuesday, December 12th, 2006
After drying out from the snow in Te Anau we went on a two day mission to Hope Arm (on Lake Manapouri). To get there we hired a rowing boat & rowed across a river before setting out on a 3 ... [Continue reading this entry]

and I thought it was supposed to be summer…

Sunday, December 3rd, 2006
View from tent Day 3 - Mackenzie Campsite   Our tent - the morning of the third day. Three days on the Routeburn track.  The first day we set out from Routeburn shelter in drizzle and ... [Continue reading this entry]

Wanaka

Sunday, December 3rd, 2006
Wanaka is just far too beautiful in the sun - a large lake surrounded by snow capped mountains.  When the rain comes in and the clouds cover the mountains it looks like the Lake District! In Wanaka we climbed Mount Roy ... [Continue reading this entry]