Christchurch
After 3 slepless hour on the plans we reached the land of New Zealand at 5 am, and got through immigration without further complications. Cam, who is originally from christchurch had us sorted with accommodation for the night at his cousins friends who's living in town. Waiting for the first bus to leave, 3 different bus drivers tried to help us out finding the right one (even if we already knew which one do take) and insisted in following us to it making sure we'd get on safely. That's how friendly they are!
Whithout any trouble, we got on the right bus, managed to get off at the right suburb and find our way to the right house. Which i found impressive due to my sense of direction. As our Australian phones wouldn't work in NZ, and we hadn't been in contact with these guys ourselves, we simply had to knock on the door at 7am hope for someone to welcome us. We where standing outside a cute little streethouse, with the number 2 written on the letterbox. It felt a bit weird standing outside a strangers house at this early hours, but eventually the door opened by a young, blond guy who had obviously just woke up.
- Hi, we said nervously. You were expecting us, I hope?
- Yeah. Sure, come on in.
- sorry for waking you up, I said while climbing through the doorway
- It's fine, I have to get to work anyway.
James kindly showed us around his house that was shared between 7 people, and we joined him in the kitchen as he was getting ready for work.
Stina and I slept all morning, but when we finally made it out of bed in early afternoon we got ourselves into the city. It's not much left of the city these days. The earthquake 4 years ago destroyed it all, and the majority of the population moved elsewhere. Today, the city itself is mainly construction work in a desperation to build the city back up. We walked down empty street after empty street that finally brought us to the beautiful botanical garden.
We met James at the supermarket on our way back. He gave us a lift home, and for hours we sat in the back garden drinking beers and having highly intense discussions about death penalties. Cams cousin Brendan, who had been the one bringing us in contact with James, came over as he finished work. We stay'd up a few hours too long drinking a few beers to many but finally made it to bed.
Dunedin
We got up early to start our hitchhiking towards queenstown. The hardest part is always to get out of the city, where you're more likely to get a lift. Last years hitching sign 'anywhere please' which has been lying in our closet for almost a year was finally ready to be used again. Highly excited we hit the road, where we where surprised to se another couple hitching a ride. It didn't took us longer than a few minutes before a car stopped for us offering a ride to Milton which we kindly approached. 4 different cars finally brought us to not Queenstown but Dunedin in the end of the day. We like to be open for suggestion when it comes to final destinations, as our sign does say 'anywhere please'. As long as it's somewhere we haven't already been.
Checking into a hostel in town we met a couple of Canadian guys in our room who happily joined us for food. As Dunedin itself didn't have too much to offer we ended up spending the evening together with the Canadians over a case of beer, playing games and chatting away.
Te Anou
We had an interesting mixture of people picking us up on our way towards queenstown. An older man who used to be a hitchhiker himself back in the days, and who are more than happy to drive our of his way to pick people up to pay the favor back. Him followed by a very wierd big man in a youth. We all squeezed into the front seat, and as we chatted away about travelling he mention that he couldn't get a passport given that he's been in and out of prison a few times to many. Stina and I shared worried looks, but he calmed so down with the fact that it hadn't been anything serious. As we got dropped off in the middle of noway, 2 young German backpackers stopped for us and drive us to Alexandria. It's the first time we've been picked up by other backpackers. They where really nice and more relaxing, Which is nice for a change. Somewhere along the way we spontaneously decided to head for Te Anou instead for Queenstown and the last bit we hitched standing at the side of a road with the most beautiful scenery behind us before getting a lift to our final destination.
We planned to head for Milford Sound the next morning, which is renowned for its fjord and spectacular mountain views. The weather didn't look too good as we woke up, and the receptions irk warned us did storm, hail and heavy rain. We laughed, and headed off anyway. Neighter Stina or I was to impressed about it, despite the fact that both of us have experienced the fjords of Norway. We would probably have enjoyed if more with better weather. A German couple picked us up to drive us back towards Te Anou. We planned to stop for a trek on the way but as the rain started to get even heavier we decided to skip it this time and headed straight back.
Invercargill
We left for queenstown the next morning, knowing that they didn't have any free accommodation for the night. When the first driver to pick us up was heading for Invercargill, we spontaneously decided to spend one night there instead. Invercargill did not have very much to offer and seemed to be a bit of a ghost town and not a single person could be seen on the big empty streets. Most people would go there to head south to Stewart island. Something that is out of our budget. We planned or head to Bluff, the most southern part of the mainland, but heard that it wasn't really anything to see. Instead we walked to the gardens, and watched the wild animals, ready to leave the next morning.
Queenstown
We finally made it to queenstown, which had been our first final destination since we got to New Zealand. We're definitely living up to our hitching sign that does say 'anywhere'. This day we had the longest wait we've ever had. After a few short lifts we ended up in the middle of nowhere, on the road towards queenstown. Knowing us, we wasn't worried and believe that the longer we wait the better ride we're gonna get. It took us over an hour before we got picked up by Mike, an Australian like minded backpacker who drove us all way to queenstown and who was booked into the same hostel as us. We spend feh evening over a decent amount of beers chatting away with Mike and his friend, who turned our to be one of the most inspiring and adventurous travelers I've ever met.
I was up early the next morning to achieve my long life dream, bungyjump. A jump from 134 meters hight, the first one ever, and the highest in New Zealand. I was shuffled into a bus together with about 10 others on our way up the mountains. We got weight in and put on a big harness before they transferred us out to the plateau from where we would jump. I was second last, as the heaviest ones go first, and full of excitement I had to wait and look at 15 people jumping before it was my turn to go. They tied my feet together and clipped into my harness and led me to stand at the end of the plateau looking down at what I had in front of me. I wasn't scared, but excited as I dived into the sky. The feeling is indescribable. Trying to keep my mind in this very moment I laughed as wind blowed in my hair. I didn't want it to end. But it did, too quickly. I didn't even realized when I started to bounce up. To be in a upright position I unzipped my feet as they started to drag me back up. I wanted to do it again, and was tempted to pay an extra $100 for another jump. My wallet forbid me to. With the biggest grin on my face I headed back, happier than ever.
Our last day in queenstown we decided to hike to the top of the mountain 'Ben Lomond'. A full 8 hour trek. We was a bit worried as the weather had been quite horrible the last few days and was likely to keep that way for the next week. We was therefore happy to see the sun shining as we woke up that morning. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad after all. The first hour of the trek was insainly steep right uphill throught the woods. As we got over the treetops it faded out to an enjoyable walk over and around the montains. And the views was beautiful. Reminding my of the mountainviews I've been experienced while trekking in Scandinavia back in the days, which is something I've really missed. We couldn't have been more lucky with the weather, and the sun was shining as we enjoyed different view hiding behind every mountain we passed. The last bit up to the top got again, insainly steep but as we got to the top we realized how it was worth every step. The last clouds removed for us and gave us an amazing 360 degree view over the mountains stretching as far as our our eyes could reach, the lake below us and the tiny village of queenstown.
As queenstown is fairly known for beeing all year full of backpackers, it's also known for having a never ending nightlife that we hadn't yet experienced. Feeling exhausted after the trek we simply forced ourselves down to town, joined by a finish girl, a English guy and a German guy, all staying at our hostel. Given that Stina and I are on a very strict daily budget, we couldn't allow ourselves more than 3 beers each. And we had obviously hit a bad day for it as well as most of the bars and streets was way more empty than what we've been expecting. Not arguing this fact, we headed back to bed being able to say that we sure had experienced the nightlife of queenstown.
Wanaka
As it is a high season we're still not use to, all the hostel in Wanaka was fully booked and we ended up about 6km outside town. As we got there they kindly let us borrow 2 old bicycles that clearly hadn't been in use for a very long time. Wobbly as the were they still served us good enought to bring us into town. Wanaka is a small, cute village next to a lake surrounding by mountains. We walked through it in 5 minutes and ended up at the cinema. We were sitting on couches watching something silly with Johnny depp and stolen valuable pictures. Mainly, it was the couches that interested us.
Fox Glacier
A young south amarican girl picked us up the next morning and drove us all the way to Fox Glacier. We' re lucky to get a quick lift this time as rain was pouring down heavy as ever. It didn't stop in the afternoon and remained us from going outside all day. I had my first prober sleepin the next morning, as Stina was up early to do a skydive. We looked at her pictures as she got back and it looked absolutely amazing. If only my budget would allow me too ..
That afternoon we walked down to lake mathea, what's suppose to be one of the best viewponints in New Zealand with the mountains relflecting in the water. We saw no reflection as it is mainly showed in the early mornings, but was not disappointed. You can't get everything the perfect way. We got a lift halfway there, even if we were not trying to hitchhike. Our driver, Nigel, was a sociable local in his mid age, and we promised to meet him for dinner later on as he dropped us off, even if he was mainly invited himself. The walk around the lake was along a nice comfortable pathway. And even if there was no reflection to be seen, the view with the lake and mountains in the background was beautiful enought. After a cup of coffee in the middle of this surroundings, we walked the 6km back into town. We met up with Nigel that evening, as promised, joined by a English guy Stina had been skydiving with the same morning. Sam, who was travelling with his sister. As the night went on, Nigel insisted in buying us drinks as our budget wouldn't allow us to. We ended up at the only bar chatting away with this hilarious old locals who clarely had a couple of glasses to much.
Given that last night got way later than intended, we still managed to be up, fed, packed and ready by 8am when we met Sam and his sister Arla in front the hostel. Ready for the fox mountain hike. We drove together to the parking lot and began walking. We soon realized that it was not a mountain to hike, but a mountain to climb. Complaining about the steepness in our last climb made me feel stupid. That was nothing in comparison. 1300 meters straight uphill was laying in front of us. We met German Marcus in the beginning of the trek as he walked behind us, and got him to join us for the rest of the day. We helped eachother throught the tricky parts, routes that clearly put our rock climbing skills in use. The last bit felt easier as we got out of the forest and could see our final destination. Snow was lying along the pathway now, even it was still hot in the air. It's the first time I've felt snow in over two years. The temptation and childhood memories got irresistible and before we knew it we had a snowball war breaking out on top of the mountains. Finally, after 4 hours of constant climbing steep uphill we reached the top. We had a gorgeous view over the glacier, with new Zealand's highest mountain behind it. We stopped for lunch at the top for over an hour. Stina and I sharing what intended to be stir fry rice, but ended up more like a tasteless ricepudding. Sam had a nap, still feeling a bid wrecked from last night. We were lucky to have left the time we did, as the clouds took over the view leaving a thick, white cloudiness as the only view for the rest of the day. We felt sorry for the trampers we met on our way down. Heading downhill was as bad as going up. Careful not to slipped we helped eachother at every hard move, shouting when it got slippery, and handing eachother helping hands. Our knees sure disapproved in this steep downhill never ending track and when we finally reached solid ground I felt like my legs could no longer support my bodyweight and was afraid for them to collapse at any moment. We headed straight to the bar for a celebration beer before Sam and Arla was heading down to Wanaka the same night. Stina and I promised eachother not to do any heavy treks for a while after accomplished 2 mountaintops in 4 days. This turned out to be an empty promise and only a few days later we saw ourselves heading for a 3 day trek throught the Abel Tasman. But I'm getting ahead of myself ..
Hokitika
Since accommodation in New Zealand is just as expensive, or worse, than Australia I tried to sort cheaper options out with my long lost friend, couchsurfing. I got in contact with a lovely Belgian backpacker who's living with her kiwi boyfriend in Hokitika and kindly let us stay for the night. They weren't home when we got there but the back door was left open for us. It felt a bid wierd entering a strangers house, even if we had been told to make ourselves at home until they got back. We didn't wait for long before Liz and Kieran drove up the pathway. They where a lovely sociable couple, who met eachother couchsurfing a few months earlier. We shared a few beers and cooked dinner together with fresh vegetables and potatoes growing in their garden. Having a really good home cooked meal is something neither Stina or I have had for a long time. As it was getting darker Liz took us to watch the glow worms, where the whole forest is lightened up.
Nelson
As we left Hokitika in the rain, we got picked up by Swedish people for the first time. A lovely elderly couple from Stockholm travelling around New Zealand for a couple of months. It took us most of the day to make our way into Nelson city. We were planning to couchsurf again but I hadn't recieved a address fromthe guy I've been in contact with this time. Only a mobile number on which he did not answering. Worried that he might have changed his mind regarding us staying, we headed to a nearby bar and waited. We didn't have to wait for too long before receiving his reply and started walking in the right direction. Morrie turned out to be the nicest guy in his 30's, welcoming and helpful. He had 2 German backpackers staying there as well as we arrived, and was surely enjoying the company.
The weather was gorgeous the next morning, and we started the day with a couple of hours at the beach. We walked the 6 km into town in the afternoon and hit the visitor center to hopefully gain information about the Abel Tasman trek. As the queue to the information desk stretched across the whole shop we decided that we could sort it out ourselves! Passing the supermarket we bought food to last us for 3 day, and with a poorly written map we started planning our trek along the cost. As we got home and on interned we faced the realization that all the huts was fully booked for several days. All our plans was falling to pieces ...
Alban Tasman national park
First mission of the morning was to head into the city and get a tent, as we got 3 nights of camping booked instead of the huts. Morrie kindly borrowed us a couple of blankets to save us from the nightly cold. We repacked our backpacks with food, tent, blankets and insect repellence and hitched off to Marahau. Our first day wouldn't be very hard as the only available campsite was located only a couple of hours from Marahau, where the trek starts. We walked along an easy, comfortable pathway taking us throught the jungle along the cost. By the afternoon we found ourselves in apple tree bay where we put our tent up right at the beach. With a gorgeous costal view at our doorstep. As this site wasn't around any of the huts, there wasn't a lot of people around. Only me, Stina and Sandflies. Being one with the nature.
We headed to bed as the sun went down, and struggled through the freezing night. I thanked Stina for convincing me into bringing 2 blankets. We had a longer hike in front of us this day as we left our lovely campsite and sat foot back into the woods. The pathway continued to keep its easy grade. A few ups and downs was nothing compared to our previous experiences. We passed countless almont of people only doing day trips throught the Tasman. Taking the water taxi from Marahau to bark bay, walk for a few hours before taking the water taxi back. Flashpackers is what we call them. It was getting to late afternoon when we arrived to bark bay campsite. A bigger site close to the Bark Bay Huts. Finding a good spot we pitched up our tent. We put our blankets on the ground in from of it, as we always did. Reachable from the sun. We could lie there forever, reading, writing or talking away.
We woke up to the most brilliant sunshine, and started the day with a swim. As it wasn't to far to our next campsite we took it fairly easy with a 2 hour stop lying on the beach of oknaloukvit bay. As we got Awaroa, we got attacked by both Mosquitos and Sandflies as soon as the sun was setting. Even after we had drenched ourselves with insectspray. The cold precooked vegetable pasta we'd brought for dinner was hitting it's last minutes. Which is why it would have been hard doing a longer trek without a cooking stove. We felt a bit under geared compared to our fellow hikers. With our one layered $16 tent, no sleeping bags or proper outdoor clothing, and converse. And still we find ourselves so cool, and keep reminding eachother how great we are and how everything works out for us. Keeping that spirit!
We had a 30 minute walk crossing the low tide back to the Awaroa car park the next morning, where we planned to hitch back from. A tiny Misunderstanding of the tide- timing made us leave a bit too early and ended up crossing with water up to our waist. Getting to the carpark we had to realize that our possibility to get a lift from there would be limited to the minimum. Prepeared to walk all day to reach the closest town we started walking up the dirt road leading towards Takaka. After about an hour we saw a car in the distance coming from a third road towards an 3 way intersection in front of us. We waved, put our thumb out and half ran towards the car who thankfully stopped for us. As we got to the tiny town of Takaka, the road leading out of town was so crowded of Hitchhiker's that we simply had to wait for other people to get picked up before even trying. Getting a good spot, an amarican hitchhiker had to wait for us to get picked up before getting out there. It was ridiculous. That just showes how common it is to hitch in New Zealand! In the end, a lovely Japanese girl stopped for us. She already had a German hitchhiker in the front seat, so Stina and I, and the American, all squeezed into the back seat with our backpacks on our laps. As we drove away we passed at least 4 or 5 more of them leaving the city.
Picton
We stayed with Morrie for one more night as we got back to Nelson. He was happy to have us even if his 2 year old kid was staying over the weekend. The cutest, over energetic little boy. Stina and I went for a valentines dinner together at a Thai resturant around the corner, but other than that we did not achieve much more of the day. Morrie drove us out to the road towards Picton the next day. The good spots was already taken by other Hitchhiker's, but we found a decent one further down the street and made our way of Picton by early afternoon. The guy driving us got into a conversation with Stina, who was sitting in the passengers seat, about her own driving ability. Telling him that she hadn't been driving for 5 years and never ever in her life would put herself behind the wheels in Australia or New Zealand he simply pulled over and got out of the car forcing her to drive us away from there.
'What are you doing?, there's no way I'm driving', she said in a matter of fact voice as he left the car still going.
'No worries, we just have to stay here then. You have about an hour before we'll run our of gas' he said laying down in the back seat.
It's not only the fact that they're driving on the opposite side of the road. The road we were standing on was a tiny, whiny one leading up and down the mountains. Realizing that there was no other way, she got into the drivers seat and struggled back on to the road, throught the sharp turnes having him next to her. She did surprisingly good considering her insecurity about driving. We got into Picton safely and got dropped off outside our hostel. We stayed in a 28 bed dorm, but with our bunk in separate section having a sheet hanging from the ceiling. The town itself was not big. Most of the people comes here for the reason of taking the ferry to the north island. Which was our purposes as well. The beautiful south island of New Zealand has been treating us well for the past 3 weeks, and with excitement it was time to move on, to experience what the north island has to offer!
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