The Best Of New Zealand

New Zealand, My

After leaving Africa I felt the need to post “Africa, My” seeing the continent as one country – as I believe it should be. Now I feel the same about New Zealand, the youngest country in the world that has amazed me and made me to want to go back. The psyche of the people combined with the nature of the island provides a very interesting mix for the visitor indeed.

My first experience with a Kiwi was my ex-manager. When I was working in Barcelona, he was based in Switzerland and I had to travel every month or two to see him and the team. I do not want to generalise here but definitely some attributes he had, I found in NZ’s people visiting his country later on. Starting maybe from the typical Kiwi – Ozzie dispute, it is probably just like any other dispute of this kind. The small place is blaming or taking the piss out of the big place but it does not necessarily happens when the other way round. I have not been around Australia very much so I will stop the comparisons of the two countries right here.

Another Kiwi attribute would definetely be problem-solving. They all just seem to have a flare about it. Whether hitch-hiking in the middle of nowhere or asking for directions and how-to questions a Kiwi will almost always find a way to help, even if it means getting out of his way. Their love for nature is of course innate but in a way that the Kiwi does not try to control it or fence it – how could he anyway. I was surprised for example that in one of the great walks we did, we had free access to caves and caverns – some very sensitive formations for just anybody to walk in. Also, somethng very important to me for wherever I go… the Kiwi is not a loud nationalist or patriot. This by no means implies that a Kiwi is not proud to be a Kiwi. He is… he just doesn’t have to make  a fuss about it. There is of course the question of a Kiwi identity and how it is represented across the world. But I reckon only people that make money out of this “representing” business, truly care about it.

The youth seems to be embracing the latest U.S fashions; racer boys, modified cars and fancy hip hop clothing is all around, in general though there is a picture of health and well being. The latter is probably because of the fact that the average Kiwi will love sports and especially the national pride; the rugby the All Blacks taught the world. Loving sports in this case means also practising them (something which is not the case in Greece for example) and there are thousands of venues or simply parks and places to do just this.

All in all, the saying “open space, open minds, open people” is truth in the case of New Zealand. Its size helps a lot the independent traveler and the sights to see are just one of the best in the world. For trekking I could have easily spent five more months – and this is only the south island. I definetely recomend it to anybody that loves the outdoors and the sense that you can really control your trip due to the fact that it is still a bit cheaper than Europe. I will never forget this blessed place and even though I have not touched on the Maori coulture as much as I wanted, well… maybe this will be the aim for my next visit.

Aoraki National Park

Takaka to Christchurch

Takaka is a very beautiful hippie (mostly) village on the Golden Bay area of NZ. We stay at Barefoot Backpackers run by a Scottish lady and her partner; really good people. The next day we say goodbye to Stefania and drive with Nils back to Westport. Tinka is there waiting for us and we all decide to drive to Greymouth. I did not see much of the Golden Bay but I have the feeling it is very nice. Even nicer than the Gold Coast in Australia maybe… Especially Takaka strikes me as a village similar to Byron Bay but less touristic and spoiled. If I ever go back to New Zealand again I promise to start my trip from Takaka! In Westport we have our last dinner together. Steaks and wine!

Being here works perfect for me as I can now take the Tranzalpine train to Christchurch. The route is thoughtfully called one of “the greatest train rides of the world”. It takes me about five hours (with a bit of a delay) and passes from Arthur’s Pass, a magnificent section of the Southern Alps. Once in Christchurch I have three days to relax and basically hang out until I go back to Oz. Consumption habits kick in and I buy a second hand Lonely Planet book on “Southeast Asia On A Shoestring”. It makes me start thinking about the rest of my destinations. Yummy!!!

See you back in Australia then, ciao!

The Heaphy Track

Ready for my second Great Walk and after a very rainy day in Karamea we consult the DOC office (Department Of Conservation) before we start. They say it is all good to go! Stefania is not equipped at all for the walk but it should be OK. The problem here is that the track is not circular like the Kepler but one way, so we send the things we do not want to carry by post to the next city; Takaka.

After doing the Kepler, this one seems easy enough even if it is longer (80 kms) and also a four day track. The first day is the most spectacular one as we follow the Tasman beach and the weather is brilliant for it. On the third day in the hut, Nils appears. He has decided to do the track too but in one day less! I am happy to see him and we all complete the track together. He has left his car on the end of the track and he’ll now take it to go back to Westport to pick up Tinka (that has moved from Karamea in the meanwhile). I know… complicated! In any case we’ll meet again in Takaka.

The Heaphy river from the Heaphy Track

Franz Josef to Karamea

It is the first time I’ll be on a bus here in NZ. It is funny but it seems there is no “normal” service running. The driver is explaining the sights we pass to our left and right. He even stops the bus for us to take photos! I decide immediately that is the last time I board on a NZ bus as well. Arriving at Franz Josef I guessed I would have the same feeling as in Queenstown. Not many things to do unless you pay for an “activity”. So I book a guided walk on the glacier and then I will find out I could have done this myself – fair enough though I did not have the equipment I needed. It results not being so bad but still it could be better. From here on I decide to hitchhike.

After three (!!!) hours of waiting, Oracio from Chile picks me up and he drops me to Hokitika. I have no plans anyway so I stay there one night. It is a very small and quiet town and the good thing is I meet two Irish girls that can give me a lift towards up north. They are going to Westport but on the way to there we pass from Greymouth (transalpine train connection to Christchurch) and in Punakaiki we see the infamous Pancake Rocks and its blowhole – too crowded for my taste. Just before Westport we also visit the Seal Colony.

As the history has it, in Westport I meet an Italian girl called Stefania. We decide to hitchhike together from there to the north without any particular plan. Karamea is the most northern point on this road and it results easy to reach. As a town is totally small and unimportant but it captured me for a reason. Smaller than Westport is still a thousand times more interesting. We are staying at an ex-rugby-bunk-bed-shelter in front of a well… rugby field. There we team up with a German couple; Nils and Tinka, good guys and good cooks! We stay in Karamea for two nights and decide to do the Heaphy Track, another great walk!

The Milford Sound, Queenstown and Wanaka

On a day trip and still based in Te Anau all four of us would take Birgit’s dying car (Pablo) and go to see this nature’s wonder; Milford Sound. Not many things for the independent traveler to do there. With Milford track out of the question (booked out until March) we will bargain for a boat trip deep inside the magnificent sound. We are left speechless even if the weather is not the best – always being the case in Milford Sound.

Next stop is Queenstown. I guess if I was 18 years old I would have liked it more. The prices there are much more expensive than in the rest of NZ. But as they say; it is always like this as long as customers let it be. After the Milford we say goodbye to Astrid and the three of us spend a night in this buzzing city. Next day we would climb the “pagoda” and get rewarder with a great view. Wanaka is next.

I would have never thought I would like it so much and therefore we stay there for four nights! It is possibly the nicest of the villages I’ve witnessed so far. There is also a “legendary” cinema there; Cinema Paradiso, founded by a Scottish man. We see “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” – reminds me of home – and “Mongol” which does not remind me of nothing. Trekking-wise we are doing the Rob Roy track in Mt. Aspiring National Park and Roy’s Peak very close to the township. The first one is incredible as it rewards us with an almost fake view of a picture frame that has it all; glaciers, waterfalls, rivers and rocky peaks. The second one gives us a picturesque panorama of lake Wanaka and its surroundings but it is hard to climb (3hrs uphill). After this beautiful pause in a village I strongly recommend to everybody before it becomes like Queenstown, I have to keep moving and Franz Josef township is next. The latter I’ll be doing it alone as the moment has come to part ways with Alex. I wish him all the best in his travels. The same to Birgit that left us in Queenstown…

The Kepler Track

I am obviously very excited before I began the Kepler Track. It would be my first four-day hike as well as one of the great walks of NZ. The track is 60km long and a circular one.

In Te Anau we had to wait for an extra day as a hut was booked out but it was worth every minute of the wait. In my first true touch with Kiwi nature the first two days were the highlight. Amazing views and difficult uphills along with the satisfaction of reaching the mountain peak revealed lakes such as the ones in… OK I’ll say it; Lord of the Rings! The feeling was great but the photos not so much. They obviously came in a second place 😉

There in one of the uphills Alex and I meet Birgit (Austria) and Astrid (Germany) who will remain with us for the next few days. The last day of the track I’ll do it by myself and Alex will pick me up at the end of it. Completing the track we celebrate Alex’s birthday in Te Anau over a nice dinner and some beers.

Luxmore Hut and Lake Te Anau (by Nigel Wilson)

Christchurch to Te Anau

The car has been rented and the journey is upon us. I have recently changed my return ticket to Australia (Gold Coast) from 31st of January to 21st of February. What I have seen so far simply do NOT allow me to stay any less. I will now try to give a brief summary of my route so far. Alex is a good driver indeed by the way 😉

Christchurch to Lake Tekapo

I was stunned by the beauty of lake Tekapo when we got there. We are camping in lake Alexandrina which is a small part of Tekapo. Beautiful and the camping is for free. We spend the night with a couple of German graphic designers drinking gin and tonic and playing Uno. The next day we would do our first (short) trek around Mt. John Summit and the lakeshore. There is a space observatory on the peak and a cafe by the name of Astro Cafe. We will then meet Daniela a German girl travelling by her own.

Lake Tekapo to Aoraki National Park

On the road to Aoraki (Mount Cook) National Park I would reconsider my opinion about lake Tekapo. It was nice but lake Pukaki is just brilliant! The waters reflect the mountains so clear, that it seems it is the same picture upside down. I guess I will have to reaccess my Ooo’s and Aaw’s many times as I travel more in NZ. We are staying in White Horse Hill camping ground for two nights. In the two days to follow we do two hikes. The Hooker Valley track is an easy 3-hour track with marvelous views of rivers and the Hooker glacier and two suspension bridges – Indiana Jones style (obviously I am NOT referring to the last episode bliahh…). We meet the German couple again and they join us in our second hike here, the Ball Shelter route. Again a 3-hour hike including views on Tasman glacier and the Blue Lakes. The later even have icebergs in them! That’s where one understands the fact that our planet is warming up too fast.

Aoraki National Park to Dunedin

We are sad to leave Aoraki but we have to keep going. A town called Twizel is our next stop, more of a service stop than an objective though. We camp there for the night and the next morning we stop in Oemaru to see blue penguins and drink tea. We also stop to see the Moeraki boulders (a strange formation of perfectly round rocks on the beach) and we end up in Dunedin. I had information that there isn’t much there, but from a short walk I immediately like it. I spend the evening at the beach drinking beer and writing my diary. It is indeed very nice. Dunedin is also the capital of NZ’s indie music industry. The next morning won’t be enough to find it out though as for once more we have to keep moving.

Dunedin to Te Anau

We are off and after getting lost a bit and stopping in Clinton for a short picnic, we have to go back to Balcutha and continue our way down to the Catlins. The Catlins is a very pretty area just like the outskirts of Hobbiton (I imagine ;)). Sheep, cows and a calm landscape with tall trees is the main theme here. Many waterfalls here as well, of which we get to see one. Purakaunui falls is very nice but we are told that is more impressive after rainfall (logical). From there we pass on to Owaka but petrol shortage make us go back and camp at Kaka Point. Some times accidents are for the best though and there we see the sunset from the Nugget Point lighthouse, a brilliant sight to see. Next day we stop to Invercargill. I was not impressed at all by this city – sorry to say. We did have a pub meal there though as we wanted to drive all the way up to Te Anay and just chill – after all this driving and rushing. On the final kilometers to Te Anau, expectations are high. And not without reason. The Fiordlands were basically one of the main reasons for my trip to NZ afterall. With places such as the Doubtful & the Milford Sound the area is like taken out of a fairytale. Tomorrow we are off to do the Kepler track; a 4-day hike which is considered the modest but hardest cousin of the Milford track.

Until the next episode… wish me luck for the hike – it is going to be the biggest I have ever done!!!

Ciao!