New Zealand Travel Log #04 - 06

11.01.2018 Log 04

We spent only two nights in Christchurch and in that time we agreed on following plan: to visit my friends Emily and Liga and stay in their place for few days before departing to Lake Wanaka, about which we heard it's worth seeing. Then we should go back to Christchurch for a gig of our favourite band called Fat Freddy's Drop. On the way to Central Otago, where nearby a small village called Patearoa my friends live, we experienced unplanned turn of events, when Kiri, who gave us a lift in her four-wheel off-road, offered us to join in the party she was making for her son and his friend on the shores of Aviemore Lake. This unexpected experience was definitely worth it: we swam in cold water of the lake and made a huge bonfire that eventually resulted in a fire brigade being called on us. Similar spontaneous actions are usually cream of the crop of travelling and this one only prove it, so thank you Kiri!

When we returned to southbound road the next day, we continued hitching and it went smoothly again. With only a short stop in Moeraki, where they have another exclusive New Zealand natural wonder, we made it to Ranfurly, where we were picked up by Emily. I know Emily and Liga from an apple orchard in Kent, where we used to work together five years ago and since then we stayed in touch. It was a pleasure to see that they live well and happily. Central Otago seems like a nice place to live. Great plains framed by distant mountain ranges are the perfect stage for performances of clouds that are creating a unique show every single day. Emily has shown us around. Together we visited old and sunken golden mines in St. Bathans, where they also have the most haunted pub in New Zealand and the last day she dropped us in Alexandra, where we had a chance to spend one night drinking with another friend of ours, Alexandra, before we continued to Wanaka. The world is much more beautiful place to be when you have many friends in it.

And finally Wanaka. A place we liked a lot despite quite gloomy weather. We felt rested and relaxed so we returned to our favourite activity: hill-walking. In three days we ascended three summits surrounding the huge lake. The afternoon of the day we arrived we made it to the top of small and easy Mt. Iron, the next day we painstakingly reached the summit of Roys Peak and the last day we pleased ourselves with a short walk to Rocky Mountain overseeing Diamond Lake. In spite of loads of visitors that come with immense popularity of the place, Wanaka still has the atmosphere of a small hill town and we both agreed that it was one of our most favourite destinations so far. And now it's time to go back to Christchurch for some culture.

16.01.2018 Log 05

My Christchurch visit is slowly coming to an end. Although there is nothing interesting about this city either architecturally or historically, I like it for some reason. After an earthquake in 2011 the city changed its face: many buildings (often whole blocks of them) had to be torn down and that opened the way for sunrays. Because of that the city feels spacey and light. Beside that a lot of places for graffiti and street art occurred and I could notice, that the local scene is way above standards. My main reason for returning here was a gig dedicated to the 25th birthday of a band callcalled Salmonella Dub, where one of the acts were my beloved Fat Freddy's Drop. It must be said, that they played really well and made the entire crowd smile and jump. I was really missing the atmosphere created by a thousand of people unknown to each other, but connected by one medium that brings all of us together - music. Even though visiting a concert here (and consuming some booze there) is inhumanely expensive, I liked to be cultural again after really long time, so I can say that the money were spent well.

Yesterday we took advantage of the fact, that after three days of sort of not nice weather the sky cleared and sun popped out again, so we made a trip to nearby Lyttelton and surrounding hills. Those eight kilometres we walked that day meant a nice milestone for me: 300km walked in beautiful landscape of this country. And I don't plan to slow down - tomorrow we're going on, this time to the south of South Island, to Fiordland, which is a must see for every tramping enthusiast and places like Te Anau or Milford Sound simply cannot be missed. With a bit of luck I could even see penguins there.

22.01.2018 Log 06

We have already seen few fascinating places since we started our way to West Coast. The density of them in this country will not stop to amaze me. There is something interesting on literary every corner, wherever you go. Not far from Arthur's Pass, which we chose as the easiest way from east to west, we visited a cave stream - half kilometer long tunnel full of pools and narrows carved into bizzare shapes in the rock. Good thing was that we could go there on our own with no need for a hired guide. So we waded through an icy cold stream wearing our backpacks and using our head lights and that made for another uncommon experience. At some places the stream was so deep that it was reaching our waists and at other we had to battle strong current. That's what I call proper caving.

Another pleasant surprise was Copland Track. Following a recommendation we were given by a girl working as a tour guide who gave us a lift earlier, we made this fifty kilometres long trek to a mountain valley and back. The main thing that made us to decide for this one was, that there were natural hot pools included. It was really pleasant to sit in hot water in a late afternoon drizzle and watch the clouds licking hilltops around us. Most people don't go further from here, but we went and even though the trail is not maintained from the pools onwards, we followed it bravely to its very end just by the foot of a massive mountain range, where we spent one night in one of many trampers' huts. Local hills are covered by unique Rata trees that are blooming every Christmas time and turn the landscape into red. In combination with azure glacial river and white snow caps on tops of the mountains it makes for an unforgettable sight. If I had bigger food supply I could stay there for a week instead of just one day - that's how much the place enchanted me.

Now we arrived to Queenstown, busy and overcrowded town that is going to be our last stop before reaching Fiordland national park where we intend to walk infamous Dusky Track - one week to ten days long trek for advanced hikers that is in very harsh and remote environment. I expect that we'll be sweating blood there, but I have no doubts that it'll be worth all the pain. We can feel some pain in our legs already as we don't spare them at all.