Freejan

SANDFLIES!! You whwn something is in your life all the time and it affects you but because it has been there all the time you don’t mention it? Well bloody sandflies need mentioning. Since Abel Tasman I have been bitten and the bites, despite treatment, carry on itching for weeks. I would heartily recommend the white pencil shaped After Bite from Aldi. It reduces the swelling amazingly. I have Paw Paw cream too which Caroline introduced me to in Aus which seems to help the itching. Fascinating stuff eh?!
Ok then onwards and upwards! Went to Doubtful Sound for the day yesterday – was an epic journey! A bus picked me up at 9.30am and drove us to Manapouri Lake (35 mins), then we got on our boat across the lake for 45 mins, then got a bus over Wilmott pass (35 mins) and then the big boat for 3 hours on Doubtful Sound. It was fine as we approached the Sound and the driver told us about the flora and fauna on the mountain side at either side of the pass. The mosses were amazing. The bus stopped on the hill going down to the Sound for our first view of it. Oooh! Big, exciting, remote and beautiful – even in the sun as we had been told it was better in the rain – which is fortunate as it rains 200 days a year or 2/3 days. It was bigger and quieter than Milford but part of this was due to the boat having a quieter engine. The weather gave in and the mist and rain came down. Looked quite mysterious as if something amazing would come out of the mist. The hills/mountains had softer edges so looked quite ethereal. Bit gobsmacking really. I met a french girl travelling on her own called Clautilda. So many young people are giving up work and going travelling. She has a job in Paris but saved up her holidays so that she could travel. So many different people you meet! Talking of which i met Carol a member of staff in the school where i was deputy head. Amazingly small world! Back by 6.30 I was dropped off feeling quite tired but happy!

We left beautiful Wanaka at 7 am ! Still dark. We did see a beautiful sunrise though before falling back to sleep on the bus. We stopped off first at Puzzleworld – I didn’t want to be puzzled so drank tea with a Swiss girl called Veve (not sure of spelling) and a german guy called Yoris who happens to be staying in the same hostel as me in Te Anau now. Our new driver was Lego a rather blokey kind of woman in her football shirt and crop trousers with peak cap. Full of life as all the drivers seem to be driving a bus called Dennis who had not been behaving the day before. We set off down the Kawarau gorge after calling at Mrs Jones’s Fruit Shop for fresh supplies and more fresh fruit ice-cream. Someone has to do it! We passed Lake Dunston which had been created by flooding a town called Cromwell to supply a hydro station for power. The landscape became more mountainous with lovely fast flowing rivers – reminded me of Wales. We stopped at the AJ Hackett bungy jump centre – the first one to be opened in 1980s. We watched a film about Hackett’s mad escapades all over the world and then went to watch some from our bus jump ( mad lot!).
And off we went! For a while….. Then, Dennis disgraced himself by breaking down! So, we had to wait around an hour for Pickle to come and get us and take us into Queenstown. Instead of 2.30 it was 4.45pm. Queenstown was bustling and the hostel huge. I wanted a bottom bunk and ended up in a 6 bed dorm with 2 girls and 3 boys – but- we had an ensuite bathroom. I was leaving at 7am so was ok. I have to mention the bride walking down the street being photographed. Was she a model? There didn’t seem to be a groom! Also, a free to join in dance workout on some grass by the lake – looked real fun but i resisted!
We left Queenstown at 7, yes 7am! On our way to Gunns Camp via Milford Sound. Our driver called Wee man was indeed a wee man. He was very enthusiastic about waterfalls. There were plenty of them as we gradually moved further into Fiordland National Park. The NP is 6million acres – bigger than Yellowstone Park. It was all created by glaciers and so, as our driver pointed out Milford Sound should be a fiord. Rivers create Sounds apparently. You learn something every day – said she who had been married to a geographer! We went through the Homer tunnel that was cut out by hand. Gunns Camp where we were to stay was where the men and their families lived while it was being made. Many men paid with their life. As Wee man played ‘Don’t go chasing waterfalls’ we arrived at Milford Sound. It was pouring with rain. We set off down a very atmospheric fiord. Waterfalls to the left of us, waterfalls to the right as we went down this channel with high rocky hills/mountains at either side. Several of the waterfalls were over 500m tall – higher than Niagra. I got quite wet when the ship/boat went very close to one of them! A lovely patient man persisted trying to take my photo! It was quite a sight even in the rain and i am looking forward even more to going on Doubtful Sound tomorrow. It rains 280/365 days on Milford Sound so i hope i have good weather tomorrow!
I am now ensconced in the Te Anau YHA hostel for 3 nights. Great to stop again. Signing off as bed time! Oh, yes, I went to see a Fiordland film here today, all filmed from an helicopter over all the seasons – spectacular! Only lasted 30 mins and i was gripped.
Night! X

The bus was late leaving. Our new driver ‘Lego’ was ‘awesome’ driving a bus called Dennis – not the usual Stray bus and had been in difficulties the day before. We set off – supposed to be in Queenstown by about 2.30. So, we stop at Mrs Jones’s fruit shop for fruit and frozen fruit ice cream – can one resist?! Onwards to the original A J Hackett bungy jumping base. Some jumped, i watched but after a few mins had seen enough. So had 2 mandarins in car park and eventually went for a cuppa – always the best thing to do if in doubt! Ok! Off to Queenstown – but alas alack, the bus broke down! We were already late so one hour later our knight in shining armour arrived! We got to Queenstown at 4.45pm. Got my bottom bunk. Now had wine and beer and a chicken burrito and it is 6.25pm. Will go for a bit of a wander, then shower and bed. Up early me thinks in the morning (7?). Off to
Gunn’s Camp tomorrow. Apparently some kind of old work camp. We’ll see! Only one night and then hop off at Te Anau for Doubtful Sound. Can’t wait. Forgot to say landscape changed to quite mountainous and it reminded me of Wales except the river was jade green!

This will be brief because i have spent a lot of just sitting drinking New Zealand champagne at lunchtime ( only 2 small bottles!), eating my fish and chips, reading and going to the cinema – The Paradiso – a cinema with a difference. There is an assortment of seats from sofas, recliners, physiotherapist couch and big comfy seats. You can order food for the interval and take in glasses of whatever you want. I had a ginger and white choc cookie straight from the oven with my beer in the interval. The film was NZ film entitled ‘Mahana’ and it was great. Maori christian workers and land owners and their struggles with power and emotions. Great.
I set off in the morning for Queenstown for a night. Not too busy a day but will feel it after my lovely peaceful days here. And there’s a thing – all the toilet paper is in single sheets so you need yards of it! Just thought I’d mention it! Night now. X

Ok so no problem with bank. Onwards and upwards! We were now into single track bridges country and a competition was set up by driver to see who got the nearest to the correct number – adding that there were thousands. As the driver had the bad news that he had to drive on to Queenstown as soon as he arrived in Wanaka, we never knew who won but a girl from Chile said she fell asleep after the 23rd she counted. We had gone over a ‘shared’ bridge the day before – trains and traffic – fun! Our next stop was at Ship Creek where we were all bitten by sandflies as we went Aw! Ooo! at the beauty of it. We looked for green gemstone which all people are allowed to do in NZ. All people can walk on all beaches and forests – even private if there is such a thing with beaches and forests. The national parks protect the flora, fauna and animals ( except possums it seems!). We entered the Haast region and our next stop was Thunder Falls Creek. The pale milky blue of the river, the tropical ferns and trees and the huge waterfall were a sight to behold! The walking to these places was not easy for me but very much worth the effort. We moved towards Aspiring Nat Park and Hobbit land. The hills were spectacular. My next mission, should I wish to accept it was a walk down to the blue pools. Now the walk was 15 min there and 15 back but we had to go over one of those wobbly bridges that only hold 15 at a time. Anyone who knows me in a wobbly bridge situation will know i showed great courage as we got 15 of us on the bridge and a stupid man came on the other way! I shouted go back but he wouldn’t and obviously had no clue about my panic! I am pleased to say I live to tell the tale! The blue pools gathered as rocks made the pale blue glacier water narrow as it went on down the valley. The pools were deep blue and sparkling and some daring young things jumped off a bridge there into the icy pools! Brrr! As we approached Lake Wanaka with a lot of ooing and arring the landscape became browner. Still mountainous but not as green.We passed Lake Harea and swung into beautiful Wanaka!
New Zealand uses 98% renewable energy and is a nuclear power free country – I will move here! Near Milford and Doubtful Sound is an underwater power station they are very proud of. “Totally sweet” as they would say round here!
Today has been a chilling/shopping/ emailing/ facebook catch up and blogging day. I have done a load of washing, dried it and even ironed my very creased trousers ready for creasing on departure day! I sat by the lake to eat a mandarin and remembered the lovely bbq and sunset cruise we had last night. We had joy we had fun we had mandarins in the sun!
My itinery is almost, and i use these words cautiously, sorted. Tomorrow i will book room for Te Anau where i also need to book a Doubtful Sound trip. Mega bucks but not as expenaive as flying over glaciers! I can’t believe how important being online is when travelling alone. Thank goodness for progress! I have a twin bedded room in a quiet hostel (Holly’s) all to myself. What more could i want on a birthday tomorrow?!

The time in Franz Joseph was spent mostly trying to get an email connection to Stray Travel who keep sending me the wrong itinery! I got on the bus Sun morning only to be told by Happy, our driver, that i wasn’t on the list! – well I’m here i say. He phones Stray who say all ok. From one aspect they are very good – often you wouldn’t know about places to stop between stops for the night and I have seen some beautiful sights. But and I know i shouldn’t start a sentence with but, but, their office organisation is a mess. Enough of my frustrations!
As we drove to Franz Joseph the landscape changed from rugged beaches with crashing waves to huge hills and tropical vegetation. One interesting stop was the pancake rocks. Stunning rock shapes all in layers like a pile of pancakes! The walk down to them was wooded and covered in a lot of New Zealand flax.
Franz Joseph and the Rainforest retreat seemed sort of Swiss or a typical hilly/mountainous ski resort. It is a centre based on the glacier there which is moving 7 times faster than it should, due to climate change. It is a worry for locals with a living based on tourism. I went out to do a bit of shopping and bought myself, at great expense, a poncho type jumper made from possum (very soft) and merino wool ( to give it strength). Very light and very warm in an air force blue colour. After another attempt to use wiffy I gave in and sat in the hot tub with a lovely young man from the Isle of Man who was on holiday from working on a farm in the north. I then showered and got ready for the pizza fest in the bar. I was early so had to have a beer while i was waiting! I had made friends with a couple of lovely girls called Claire and Nicola from just outside London and a lovely woman from Dublin got on the bus at Greymouth and sat next to me. We all stuck around together. The pizza fest was a real blow out – garlic bread, chips, a free drink and all the pizza you could eat for $18.50 – £9.50. Went straight to bed after that!
We left FJ and as I turned my mobile on I got a text from the bank saying they were sending me a new debit card as requested and it would be with me in 2-3 days. Luckily Claire had free calls to UK so she let me use her phone. Someone had swiped my card details but it had been investigated and no fraudulent action had taken place – thank god! I spent a stop at Lake Matheson doing that instead of enjoying scenery! Anyway, phew! No problems.

Arrived in Westport this afternoon in the rain. It is still 20 degrees but is marginally better than the 30s! I am getting into this backpacker lark! When I’ve travelled before i have never shopped and cooked for myself in the kitchen of where i was staying. I would have bread etc but would get breakfast with the place i was staying or go out. Similarly the evening meal would be somewhere cheap and out. You not only carry your case, backpack etc but bags of food. Like little donkeys we are arriving at hostels! We have to label the bags with room, name and date leaving. Then we put them in the fridge. So far the hostels have varied considerably in cleanliness and organisation. Tonight we are in the Tipin hostel in Westport – absolutely amazing! SO clean and the toilets, showers and kitchen are well resourced. You have to take the rough with the smooth! We stopped at a lookout point for seals at Cape Foulwind, named as such by Cpt Cook who thought the smell from the seals was dire! It was beautiful there though and the rain had stopped so we didn’t get wet walking up to the viewpoint. On the way over from Abel Tasman we drove alongside the Buller river and gorge, a beautiful muted green and very wide. We had passed the Kauharangi national park, heavily forested and hilly where the rangers were trying to kill off the possums because they are eating all the leaves on the trees and killing them. They even fly over dropping poison pellets to kill the possums. Not good in my book as what else will they kill? Anyway i doubt if my opinion will hold much sway here!
Did i tell you about the Pukeko bird? Well Caroline will laugh at this if she reads it. I saw this bird about the size of a skinny chicken with long legs, red on head and midnight blue feathers. Wow! I say. Oh that’s a Pukeko – very common round here! There’s me with mouth wide open only to be told no big issue here! What’s more i was in the Pukeko dorm in Abel Tasman! Serendipity!
I am the oldest on the bus by about 45 years which i find quite interesting to have an insight into how these young people think. It’s not nice really – egos inflated to enth degree, more money th

an me and so widely travelled! Where does the money come from? They wont pay $20 for a meal but will pay $319 for a glacier trip!!
Ok, it’s £160. But – every stop has activities. The hostels are cheap. They have paid for the bus – about £700, but then they have to do these activities. I’m glad I’m a cripple!

Onwards and upwards. As you may have noticed I have not succeeded in getting pictures on here but as i have a reasonable connection tonight i will try to download an app called WordPress which apparently helps with these things on android phones.
Other thing I’ve learned IT wise or phone wise is i can move my
photos to Dropbox to save them. Clever stuff.
Ok I’ll try to do that now. Just got back from a group meal at the local hostelry which was a new experience for me. I had chicken and they bring it uncooked on a hot stone and you turn it and cut it up until cooked. This comes with salad, chips, garlic mustard mayo and a beer for $15- £7.50. Quite good really! Off to Franz Joseph in the morning.

Well has life been one mind blowing whirl for a couple of days. I was not sure where I was or where I was going. T’wd seem i was going to Kaikoura from Christchurch. The driver (Mossie, as in mosquito!), said i was going up to Auckland from there etc etc. I don’t want to go there i say. Anyway we checked in at The Lazy Shag – me! Soon realised it was the bird! Very expensive at $26(£13) for the night. I had decided to do the fishing in the afternoon so paid my $94 – £46 and off we ( Christian, a Danish young man) were taken to see fur seals and then to Gerry’s, the fisherman. He took us to the boat where we fished with Dean and Craig. It was exhilerating! First we saw lots and lots of dusty dolphins who swam alongside us jumping and twisting in the air. Magical! Then we did the fishing after splashing at great speed out to sea. I had my line, felt a tug and gave 2 sharp pulls with the rod. Then came the hard bit, reeling it in! It took ages and i nearly gave up. But then, hey presto! My fish, yes my fish appeared!! It was an orange sea perch. There were 6 of us and we all caught fish – very hard not to apparently! We then went to pull up the crayfish boxes. Our crayfish were too small so we had to throw them back. No worries though as they had caught plenty in the morning. We went back to Gerry’s and were given copious amounts of the most amazing sauvignon blanc, shown how to drown the crayfish, cook it and chop it up. All very fascinating and very tasty! Much more wine later we were given our filleted fish and advised to go to the fish and chip shop and they would batter and fry our fish for a small fee. SO we had some amazing fish and chips! Being rather worse for wear i went to bed and slept in my clothes(shorts and tee) until 7 am when i got up and had a shower. I couldn’t find the tea bags i had brought with me so a girl there took pity on me and gave me one. I had some gingernut biscuits so that was my breakfast! We left at 9am and travelled to Picton where i joined a bus for Abel Tasman. We arrived about 6pm after stop to visit a winery and a supermarket shop. I am now at The Barn and i must say it is lovely here. No bunk beds, we are all on divans- 6 in a room. Apart from the 32degrees all went well apart from the bus having no air con. I was exhausted but enjoyed the barbeque we all cooked with our driver Happy! I had a shower and went to bed. No wifi as office closed. Today I have slept late, phoned Stray travel who continue to mess up my itinery, done my washing, caught up on emails/facebook and here, had a walk to beach and now going for a cuppa. It is very civilised here as I can make a pot of tea! Off in the morning to Westport. Might read up on that as i drink my tea if i don’t fall asleep -it is at least the same as yesterday, in the 30s. Pppffff!

I slept well in my bed and was awake by 8.30. After tea drinking and checking emails etc I dashed out around 10am. I had decided to walk to the nearest tram stop from my ‘motel'(really do feel like I’m in a film. Got on the tram and went round twice before i got off to pick up the shuttle bus to the gondola ( ski lift thing) up the top of Port Hills. It was a real eye-opener. You hear about the earthquake 5 years ago yesterday and you forget what these people had to deal with. The smaller quakes started the Sept before in the out of town areas but the Feb one demolished most of the centre of the town. The Cathedral of course but many
businesses and shops. Everywhere there is building going on. I
was most impressed by the Re start Malls – shops and businesses in shipping containers shops, cafes and even banks – I saw one today locked up with padlocks! I went their tonight to use an ATM and had my evening meal with two young men from USA who were walking round NZ getting lifts into towns to stock up on food etc. We had souvlaki together – wonderful- from a container. I had just visited the cardboard cathedral or transitional cathedral as it is known. It is there while they decide if they are going to knock down and rebuild the original in Cathedral Square. As with Colwyn Bay pier there are those who want to keep the old one and restore it and others who would like it knocked down. Must go to sleep now as earlyish start to meet the Stray Travel bus in the morning. I am worried about my route but no doubt things will be sorted tomorrow!

First shock was the temperature! 23! Just right. I found a taxi from airport $55! – much more expensive than Singapore when it was $20. Apparently taxis are expensive here – still only £26 so not too bad. I got up at 3.30 and Julee got up at 4. We left for Brisbane allowing an hour and half to get there. Ok until near Brisbane then traffic at standstill. We still got there for 6.40. Plane was 8.05. No panic! I added an extra 3 hours to my watch as we landed at 14.40. Although it was only 11.40 I was shattered. I am now ensconced in the Bealey Avenue Motel. I have a small apartment with kitchenette/lounge area with 2 leather sofas/bathroom with spa bath and bedroom. Sounds posh doesn’t it? It would be if modern but reminds me of something like the motels you see in movies with people on the run from the law or Thelma and Louise who we excuse of course! It will do me fine. I laid on bed trying to decipher the city map but was too tired. I fell asleep about 3.30 and woke up at 6.45! Had a shower and went down the road to the Alehouse for a vegetarian lasagne and Corona beer. Now 10.15 and calling it a day. Hard work this travelling. Oh yes that’s different too – went dark at 6.30 latest on Sunshine Coast was nearer 8pm here. Hello New Zealand!