Queenstown, 27/1 21.30

Today was the end of New Zealand Explorer! From now on we are all on our own, but we are all staying here a couple of days before heading in different directions in smaller groups, where I will be moving to Christchurch to get settled before uni starts February 22.

It has been nine days since my last post, and A LOT of things has happened in between. We had three days of tramping in Nelson Lakes National Park, which was absolutely terrific. Definitely one of the places I will be visiting again! We then drove to Kaikura to get up at 4.15 in the morning to go swimming with dolphins, another incredible experience. Our guides managed to find a group estimated to be around 500 dolphins, playing around and swimming really close to us if we sang to them! Apparently sounds make them interested, so we performed our best to keep them entertained.

Christchurch was next, an overnight visit at my aunt’s place, before heading to Mount Cook Village. Fabulous to sit in a proper living room again, and really nice to see my aunts. I am heading back to them on Sunday, and I am looking forward to staying there a few days before moving in at Ilam Apartments.

Mount Cook National Park offered us a two day trek over Ball Pass, a very early morning gave us the most spectacular views of the mountains in the changing morning sun and different clouds passing by. We spent another night in Mt. Cook Village after the trek, before heading to Queenstown for rafting, a last night out together and now the coming days in smaller groups doing all you need to do while in Queenstown. I will be doing a bungyjump tomorrow – in total seven of us are jumping – and the day after tomorrow four of us are going canyoning near Wanaka. Sunday I am catching a bus to Christchurch, and from then it is all about getting ready for uni, meeting new people and places, and hopefully continuing having heaps of fun.

I plan to post more detailed descriptions of our different trips during the next week or two, so stay tuned. Pictures and my Google Map will be updated as well at some point.

Motueka, 18/1 10.35

Here we are, back in Motueka Top 10 Holiday Park after three good days of kayaking. We got back yesterday around 4.30PM, had ice cream, a cold beer and a shower, while the teachers prepared diner for us. The evening was spent playing cards and hanging around before going to bed at 10.30PM.

The kayak trip started out in Marahau, where we met up at 8.30AM on day one with the company renting us the kayaks for a three hour briefing on safety, weather conditions and what to be aware of in the waters outside the Abel Tasman National Park. We then headed out and paddled north, west of Adele Island, past “The Mad Mile” to Bark Bay where we set up our camp. A lovely campsite, kept surprisingly clean (as all the other DOC campsites we have visited, the standards are incredibly high here) with a landscape that changed a lot with the tide. The tides around Cook Strait are several meters high, leaving harbours and lagoons as sandy beaches at low tide.

Day two was spent paddling north to Shag Harbour, one of the lagoons only accessible at high tide, and a beautiful little spot where a lot of guided tours seem to be going as well. We then turned south again, past Bark Bay to Sandfly Beach where we had lunch before going to Pinnacle Island to watch fur seals playing around in the water and lying on the rocks. Quite spectacular to hear the baby seals calling out – probably for food – and the adults communicating with strange sounds quite similar to dogs barking.

Camp on day two was set up at The Anchorage, a quite big DOC campsite. Around dusk I went for a much needed walk with one from our group – it was absolutely lovely to use the legs a bit after two days of paddling, as well as just getting away from the big group and have a bit of private conversation and space to be inconsiderate to the other persons.

On day three we continued south, where we had to return the kayaks in Marahau at 3PM. We paddled east of Adele Island and Fisherman Island, before heading southwest to see Split Apple Rock and go for a swim. Split Apple Rock is one of the sights always included on tours in the area, an almost spherical rock split down the middle. At 2.15PM we headed north to Marahau, handed back the kayaks and went back to Motueka.

Today is an entire day off, some have gone horseback riding, some have rented bikes, and I am going with two others on a wine tour this afternoon to see a few wineries and a brewery. I am looking forward to half a day out of camp, relaxing and enjoying (hopefully) good local wine. Tomorrow we are getting up early to drive to Nelson Lakes National Park for a three day hiking trip split into two groups, one hiking a bit longer each day than the other. I will be great to have a few days in the rainforest, and I am hoping that we have to cross a river or two on the way – after all the really cool trips which are remembered are those with a few challenges on the way, and as a group we are more than capable of dealing with a few harder passages on the tour.

Motueka, 14/1 22.30

Nice and easy day, driving from Picton to Motueka with a short break for swimming in a river and a quick and early lunch. We arrived in Motueka around 1.30PM, had more lunch and went shopping to get food for our three day kayaking trip starting tomorrow. I managed to get hold of the materials to make a slackline, something that has caused us much more trouble than we could ever imagine - apparantly they went out of fashion here several years ago. But now we have the materials for endless hours of good fun slacking, and I am all packed up for the kayaking trip tomorrow. Now I'm off to bed!

Picton, 13/1 21.00

Today we reached the South Island! The crossing of Cook Strait went quite easy, and a curious thing about the ferry between the North and South Island is that you actually don’t travel north or south to go from the one island to the other. We arrived at noon, went to the Top 10 campsite and pitched our tents while some bought our lunch. The afternoon was without any planned activities, and I decided to go for a run on my own, do a bit of laundry and take a walk in Picton and buy a bit to eat and drink while driving around in the bus tomorrow. It was a pleasure to be on my own running and walking for an hour and a half, to just let the thoughts wander off and not have to be considerate to anyone. Not that I mind traveling in a group, but I really need my privacy once in a while, and it can be quite hard to find in between 21 other persons on the campsites.

Yesterday was spent driving from Whakapapa to Wellington. We got up to a morning that was just as freezing cold as the evening before, had breakfast and started the 5 hour drive to the capital. After a few stops, including lunch, we arrived in Wellington around 4PM and had two hours on our own in town before we headed to the campsite 13 km away from the city centre. I had to spend that time buying diner, but had enough time to go for a walk and visit a couple of outdoor stores to see if anything good was on sale – which was not the case. We arrived at the campsite at 7PM, and I started cooking immediately in order for diner to be served at 8PM (barbequed lamb and beef, which seemed to please the audience). Some of us had a few drinks on the campsite, and we went to bed at around 23.30.

This morning we got up around 6AM, some had a fast breakfast before leaving for the Interislander Ferry at 7. We arrived at the harbor, dumped our rented cars and got our baggage checked in before walking onto the ferry. At 11.30AM we arrived in Picton to a warmer day than on the North Island, got three new rented cars and moved on to the campsite.

Looking back on the first week, what strikes me is the amazing landscapes. Forests all over, some almost like jungles, hills and mountains, volcanoes and rivers – more beautiful and diverse than I could ever imagine. I am sure that I will soon feel at home in these surroundings, even though I am missing all the people I left in Denmark. My room at Ilam Apartments seems to be absolutely safe now, rent has been paid for the first 10 months and from February 5^th I have my very own place again for the first time in 6 months – lovely!

Tomorrow we are driving to Nelson and Motueka to prepare for a three day trip in kayaks. I am a bit worried that my legs will cause me trouble in the kayak, but I'll keep my spirits high and hope for the best.

Whakapapa 11/1 20.45

Back from two great days in Tongariro National Park. We left the campsite at 11.30 sunday morning and drove to the carpark near Ketetahi Hut, situated at around 700m above sea. We then started tramping up to the Ketetahi hut at 1480m through a forest that looked almost like jungle. Suddenly the forest stopped, and gave way to low bushes and grasses, and this continued all the way to the hut where we left sleeping bags and food, and kept on the Tongariro Crossing track to the Red Crater at 1886m. The weather was quite harsh, winds around 20m/s made it pretty cold standing still. The view was magnificent though, looking out from the vulcanos on the lowland. We all agreed why they chose this particular area for Mordor in Lord of the Rings, it is truly deserted and unwelcoming. We walked back to the hut again, had diner and went to bed around 22.00.

This morning we got up and had breakfast at 8.00, and started out climb up to Red Crater once again at 9.15. The weather was still very windy (still around 20m/s), and at Red Crater it started snowing. The snowflakes were more like small ice crystals, all hitting the right cheek like small needles. Rough, but very exciting as well - outdoor life is a bit too easy if it is only carried out in good weather conditions. The last climb up to Red Crater was extremely sandy and loose, although it had gotten wet due to heavy rain at night.

When we headed down Red Crater it looked like the weather was clearing a bit, but as soon as we reached the approach to Mt. Doom (which is really called Mt. Ngauruhoe - no wonder it is now known as Mt. Doom, since the original name can't be pronounced at all!) rain was closing in. During our lunch break we decided not to go for the summit, since the weather conditions was poor and the view from the summit was blurred by clouds. Instead we headed down the crossing, to the Mangatepopo Hut where we had almost an hours coffee break before we walked the last half hour down to the carpark at the other end of the crossing where the other group had departed yesterday and left our two cars for us.

After a short drive back to Whakapapa we went to the Department of Conservation (DOC) visiting centre and had a look at their exhibit on the vucanic area that we had been crossing. After a quick tent-pitching and a shower we went to have pizza, burger, a steak and a beer or two at the local restaurant. It has been a fabulous trip, but it is also very nice to be back in camp again, ready to move on tomorrow. Next we will drive to Wellington tomorrow, visiting a beach on the way if the weather is pleasant, and the day after tomorrow we are heading to the South Island with on the infamous boat to Picton.

Whakapapa 9/1-2010, 22.00

Yesterday we had a wicked day of mountainbiking just south of Rotorua. We were split into two groups depending on speed and daredevilness, and our guides from Planetbikes were excellent at finding tracks suitable for our abilities. The bikes we rented were in surprisingly good condition, and except from a few minor crashes, everything was pretty much perfect. I am definetely considering getting a mountainbike when i get to Christchuch!

We spent the night at Cosy Cottage camping in Rotorua, went for a drive looking for outdoor stores to buy a slackline which turns out to be almost impossible on the Northern Island, and tried digging our own hot pool in the sands around Lake Rotorua (which was a much cooler project in our minds than in the real world - the sand kept collapsing, filling up our pool).

Today we got up at 7AM after a good, continous nights sleep, had the traditional oatmeal for breakfast and headed south to a "Thermal Wonderland" half an hours drive south of Rotorua, heading towards Taupo. The thermal visiting centre was advertised as being much more spectacular than it actually was, but the weather was good and we spend a couple of hours strolling around pools of different colours and a harsh smell of eggs.

Lunch was eaten at a small parking lot just next to the highway, and we drove on to Taupo where we spent two hours buying food and looking around the different shops in Taupo. At 4.30PM we started our drive to a camping site in Whakapapa, had a delayed diner due to an old barbeque that only works with old 50 cent coins, that can only be purchased in the shop on the camsite that is closed after 6PM - we arrived at 6.20PM.

Tomorrow we will start the Tongariro Crossing divided into two groups, hopefully reaching the summit of Mt. Doom the day after tomorrow. The weather forecast is not looking too bright, but we'll se how it all turns out. After all, Danes ought to be prepared for a bit of rain and cold weather.

Auckland, 7/1-2010 kl 21.25

Day one in New Zealand. We made it through snow in both Denmark and London, half an hour after we departed Heathrow was shut down for the evening due to heavy snow. Our flights went as planned, and it was not nearly as tiresome as I had feared, even though we were seated for 2 hours from Kastrup to London, 11½ hours from London to Bankok, 9 hours from Bankok to Sydney, and finally 3 hours from Sydney to Auckland. It does not seem like we are struggling with jetlag so far, and the only trouble we have encountered is two missing bags that will probably show up during the next few days.

In the airport we picked up three rented cars, and it seems like it will work out driving in the wrong side of the road without causing major accidents. We arrived at Manukau camping in Auckland around 5PM, and the tents have now been pitched, we have had a well deserved shower, and diner has been cooked and eaten - barbequed salmon with rice and salad. The last five of us are being picked up at the airport right now, since it was impossible to get enough seats on the same flight from Sydney to Auckland.

Tomorrow we are going mountainbiking near Rotorua, leaving Auckland before 8AM to be ready at 11AM. I am looking forward to a decent night's sleep, with my feet level with my head.

The night before

Well, this is it. Almost. Everything has been packed (or is ready to be so first thing in the morning), and my train is now only 11½ hours away. I sure hope the snow won't cause any trouble! The only two things missing is a power plug for NZ outlets, the one sold to me in Århus turned out to be wrong, and a pipe which will be used as a pointing device - everybody knows that you must be right if you are pointing with a pipe!

It has been quite strange saying goodbye to family and friends during the last two weeks. I still don't think I realize what it will be like to move around the Earth, but on the other hand the distance today seems smaller and smaller with e-mail, Facebook, Skype and all the other clever programs. Luckily, the saying goodbye has been a lot of fun and good times instead of people crying for hours - just the way I want to leave everybody, with a big smile. I trust that you will all take care of Denmark while I travel the world to find a cure for cancer (or at least earn a MSc in Medical Physics).