The End of New Zealand
Trip Start
Jan 25, 2008
1
15
17
Trip End
Jan 25, 2009
Sydney,
Australia
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Me on Leith Walk
. I wasn't complaining with the sunshine though. Over all we were to cover about 15 km, luckily it wasn't all paddling as the current did some of the work. It was really cool being in the kayaks and paddling along past these sheer rock faces about 2km high, you do feel incredibly insignificant. We also seen some seals and fish was cool aswell. After 3 hours or so we went right into the middle of the whole area surrounded by all these huge mountains emerging from the water and ate some lunch and our guide gave us load of New Zealand banter and history which was a good laugh. After about 5 hours in this kayak we finished our trip, didn't go as far as you would if in the ferries obviously but still loved it, a very different way to see the area which is pretty much one of the most picturesque places I have ever been to! Once we got back to the hostel we got showered and hung about a little as quite tired and then headed back to Queenstown as it worked out cheaper to do this. We eventually arrived back into Queenstown at about 6.30pm and booked back into our hostel but as I was up early and had been driving I was very tired so just met up with some guys we met last time we were there and played a bit of pool. ( Thinking after typing that bit it is impossible to do Milford Sound justice in words or even the pictures, when you see them ,but it is an unbelievable place )
The next day as we had pretty much seen Queenstown I had a lie in then we just went for a walk around part of the lake and I went to read my read my book and then at night just played some more pool as we had a drive the next day.
The following day we were going to stay with friends of mum and dads, Dave and Lynne who I had met previously when I visited them in Seattle with mum and dad. They now stayed in Dunedin so was looking forward to home comforts for a few days as had hostels for the last month or so. After about a 5 hour drive we got there late afternoon. We spent that evening chatting and got fed very well which was great. The next day we had booked to go to Penguin Place which was out on the Otago Peninsula. Also it was a very nice drive out there and really weird as close to the city but you felt very far away from things. On the drive to it there was some pretty tight roads to take on with no barriers stopping you just going into the water so was extra careful although kev was still pretty nervous I think. Before the penguins we also went out to see the albatrosses which also had a sanctuary out there but we didn't pay for that one just had a look around and Dave gave us his binoculars so could se some stuff. After this we headed tot see the penguins and seen quite a few. Not as many as I had thought but because of the time of year there were no young there but still seen the adults. Also seen a lot of big seals and small blue penguins. After this we headed back into Dunedin as it was starting to rain a bit aswell. On the Friday we headed into town, got pretty wet in the process and had a wander around. As t was raining we went into the public art gallery which was free and had some pretty cool stuff in it but not to big. After this kev wanted to go to the Cadbury Factory for the tour but I really wasn't in a big chocolate eating mood so just walked around for a while, I seen so many Edinburgh street names aswell which was really weird, George Street, Princes Street, Hanover Street and theres a Leith. Pretty much every where in the city centre was an Edinburgh name though, even Dunedin means Edinburgh in Gaelic. That night we watched some more super 14's....for a change. The next day Dave and Lynne left us as they were heading away for the weekend. That day it rained a lot again and we went to visit Baldwin Street which according to the Guiness World Records is the steepest street in the world, it was very steep and took a fair bit of effort getting up it, although funny to see lots of American tourits just driving up it, although it was a bit wet. After this kev went back the house cause he was soaked but I felt I couldn't get much wetter and really wanted to see the Botanics and then went to check out the campus which was really nice. I also found Leith Walk on my travels and stopped and watched some local rugby for a while whilst sheltering under a tree. Again we had a big drive the next day and had a night in front of the TV as you don't get to do it very often travelling (at least not watching what you want to).
So the next day we drove up to Christchurch. On the way up we stopped off at the Maoreki Boulders which is this collection of about 40 or so huge, really circular boulders which are randomly on a beach and nobody knows why they are there?? Once in Chritchurch we had to drop off the car first thing before heading back into the city as drop off was next to airport. In total we drove 3983km or 2475miles, quite a lot for 22 days I thought? Didn't do much that day but met up with some people we and met in Queenstown s o had a good night out with them. The following day we headed out to see the city as hadn't really on our last visit. It was very sunny so walked around a lot and eventually ended up hanging around in the town square watching some street performers and lying in the sun. At night we chilled out in the TV room watching some films and not much else as we were heading to Australia the next day.
I will leave it there again as seems as good a place as any. Don't know when next entry will be hopefully sooner than this one but as im settled a bit now not doing as much so don't expect them to be as adventurous?!? Speak soon, p
