The hills of Arrowtown are covered with the autumn shades of red, yellows, and greens. The neatest part was that all of the reds in the hills were actually bare trees with red berries, and not red leaves. The path followed the Arrow River, and in one section ropes hung from trees. I imagine in the summer kids swing from the ropes and jump into the river below.
Speaking of jumping into cold water, I decided to be daring and jump into Lake Te Anau, despite the fact that it was a brisk 7 degrees outside. I ran off the dock and jumped in, and sure enough, it was freezing!
We took a tour bus out to the Milford Sound (which is actually a fjord, not a sound) in Fiordland National Park. The scenery was beautiful. The mountain/lake scenery reminds me of Yellowstone with the mountain reflections in the water., but as a whole it reminded me of my trip to Alaska. Alaska had many of the same mirror images, and the cruise section of Milford Sound was reminiscent of Glacier Bay (and just as cold). The whole trip through the mountains and in the “sound” out to the Tasman Sea had “waterfalls” or vertical steams running from the mountain top. The snow melt carves all kinds of crevasses through the rock. You can see marks on the rocks where water once ran its course, and hundreds of new tiny steams form new ones.
It was certainly my day for wildlife. Just before we entered the Milford Sound Tunnel we spotted a kea. The world’s only Alpine parrot, and a native New Zealand bird. On our trip back from the sea we saw several New Zealand Fur Seals near the coast and on a few rocks. New Zealand Fur Seals being one of two endemic marine mammal species in New Zealand. As I looked out toward the bow, I also noticed the dorsal fins of a pod of dolphins. I pointed this out to the captain who then confirmed my sighting of bottlenose dolphins and took us in for a closer look. As we approached the dolphins greeted us and enjoyed playing in the wake of the boat. I saw numerous dolphins not only leap completely out of the water, but do tricks as if to entertain us. Some did flips and threw their bodies to the side as they leapt out of the water. As I was leaning over the railing in excitement, one dolphin leaped up toward my face close enough for me to touch. The only other “notable” animal that really lives in the sound are the crested penguins, which I did not see, but that was to be expected (they’re seen mostly in the spring months -- that is their spring months).
My trip through the sound was incredible. This experience alone I would say could make the whole trip to New Zealand worth it (not that the other events are any less worthy). I have five more days left, and I can’t wait to see what will happen next!
May 26, 2009
May 24, 2009
New Zealand - Queenstown
I guess sleeping in means waking up at 7 am, and being out on the trails by 8:30 am. We checked to see if the café was open for breakfast, but nothing was open yet (at least some people get to sleep in). The trails today were nice. All were just off the road and a short walk to scenic photo opportunities. We saw a couple of waterfalls, unfortunately the blue pools were closed off. We passed by it the first time, and then noticed that an area was closed off with caution tape and a large danger sign. Now, if it were just me, I might be tempted to venture out into the unknown, but alas my sense of adventure was hindered.
We are staying in the small town of Arrowtown near Queenstown. It’s a quaint little residential town, and has that wonderful small town atmosphere. The people here are really friendly, and very trusting. When we were scoping out places to stay for the night we came across a lodgings called Shades of Arrowtown. The reception office was closed with a note on the door saying that the keys were in the doors and we were free to check out the rooms. If we decided to stay we should just take the keys and check in later in the afternoon. We checked out all the rooms and chose the only one that could accommodate three people. I get my own bedroom which is neat, while the master is situated in the main room.
Arrowtown is home of an old Chinese settlement. We checked it out and it has the old relic buildings. The story is similar to that of the immigrants that came to Columbia, CA in the California Gold Rush. In fact, they came to New Zealand for the same exact reasons. The entire town has a very “old town” feel which helps emphasize the history.
The heart of town is a few minutes walk, so we decided to give the car a break. Tonight we ate a restaurant called Willow Tavern. The food here was excellent and locally and organically grown and raised. I had the Maryland Chicken which came with a tomato based butter sauce, a baked potato, broccoli and cauliflower, and a small side salad. Then for dessert I had a delicious date pudding.
On our walk back I looked up at the sky and noticed that the stars are especially bright (wait, we have stars?) . It’s like staring at a brand new sky. Not only because there’s too many lights in California to ever see the stars, but because the southern hemisphere has a whole different set of stars ahead. It took a while, but I eventually found Orion (a autumn/winter constellation). It was lower in the horizon and at a completely different angle than what I‘m used to. The rest of the stars remain completely foreign to me, but a complete joy to contemplate.
We are staying in the small town of Arrowtown near Queenstown. It’s a quaint little residential town, and has that wonderful small town atmosphere. The people here are really friendly, and very trusting. When we were scoping out places to stay for the night we came across a lodgings called Shades of Arrowtown. The reception office was closed with a note on the door saying that the keys were in the doors and we were free to check out the rooms. If we decided to stay we should just take the keys and check in later in the afternoon. We checked out all the rooms and chose the only one that could accommodate three people. I get my own bedroom which is neat, while the master is situated in the main room.
Arrowtown is home of an old Chinese settlement. We checked it out and it has the old relic buildings. The story is similar to that of the immigrants that came to Columbia, CA in the California Gold Rush. In fact, they came to New Zealand for the same exact reasons. The entire town has a very “old town” feel which helps emphasize the history.
The heart of town is a few minutes walk, so we decided to give the car a break. Tonight we ate a restaurant called Willow Tavern. The food here was excellent and locally and organically grown and raised. I had the Maryland Chicken which came with a tomato based butter sauce, a baked potato, broccoli and cauliflower, and a small side salad. Then for dessert I had a delicious date pudding.
On our walk back I looked up at the sky and noticed that the stars are especially bright (wait, we have stars?) . It’s like staring at a brand new sky. Not only because there’s too many lights in California to ever see the stars, but because the southern hemisphere has a whole different set of stars ahead. It took a while, but I eventually found Orion (a autumn/winter constellation). It was lower in the horizon and at a completely different angle than what I‘m used to. The rest of the stars remain completely foreign to me, but a complete joy to contemplate.
May 23, 2009
New Zealand - Haast
The weather has been on our side thus far. While has rain or sprinkled pretty much every day; we haven’t encountered any nasty weather yet. The ferry ride from Wellington was said to have gone through rough seas, but in all honesty the waves didn’t seem too horrendous. There was some significant rocking through Cook Straight, but that was only a short portion of the ride. They had to suspend ferry service both the day before and the day after we left, so we must have lucked out. According to the weather news, we are just missing out on all the bad stuff. The only place that’s said to be having good weather at the moment is on the southwest side of the south island (where we are at this very moment).
After the three hour ferry ride, we headed for Greymouth (a short four hour drive away). The only stop we had planned was a place affectionately known as pancake rocks. We reached there just as the sun was setting and it made for some great sunset shots. I loved listening to the waves crash against the rocks and seeing the different kinds of formations the waves had created. The rocks are stratified which is where they got their name from. It makes me hungry for pancakes (it’s a good thing I’m not impressionable, huh?).
First thing up for the morning was the Okarito Trig Walk. That was certainly a way to wake up this morning. On a scale of 1-4 (four being the most difficult), it was given a 3 in difficulty (4 is an all day hike). It is supposed to be a 90 minute hike, and of course we had to do it in 20. It was a 150 metre climb more than a walk. It was an overlook, so the climb is to the summit. We started on the beach and went the 150 metres straight up to the top. Granted, I had some trouble, especially on the way down. It’s a stair climb with each step reaching about waist high on me. Do I have to tell you that I slipped and fell? (And now I have a fat bruise on my right knee). The view was nice, and overlooked the lagoon and Tasman Sea to the west and to the east are the Southern Alps where you can see a glacier.
I got a good indication of why the southwest side of the south island is known as the rainy side. There was a constant sprinkle/rain all day. In fact, there was a perpetual rainbow in our field of vision. Most rainbows I see are gone in a matter of minutes, or at most hours. The ones I saw today were there every time I looked out the window. It makes me believe that if I returned tomorrow there would be a rainbow in the very spot I saw it previously. It made for some good pictures though. A perfect arch against a picturesque scene. I even got the rainbow against the Franz Josef Glacier.
The viewpoint climb to Franz Glacier was much easier than the Okarito Trig, and I think it was far more spectacular. Even easier than that was the actual trip out to the glacier. It was a steady flat walk the whole way there. Instead of only being 20 minute hikes it lasted slightly over an hour, but at least the entire hike was flat rather than straight up. Interestingly enough, the hike to the Fox Glacier viewpoint was straight down (of course, you do have to go up it again). Again, the climb wasn’t nearly as difficult as the one done earlier (and done on a bad knee).
Which leaves us to the lovely Haast. The town here is even smaller than the one we saw in Franz Josef (and that was only a couple of blocks of stores). You can walk down the main road in a matter of 5 minutes here, but it is a lovely little community. Unfortunately, there’s only one restaurant open, but it made for some easy choices.
And for the best news…I don’t have to get up early tomorrow! (or so they say). It should only be a short drive away to Queenstown, plus we don’t have that much planned to do on the road in between. Plus, I heard something about going out to the diner for breakfast (hmmm, those pancakes are just calling my name).
After the three hour ferry ride, we headed for Greymouth (a short four hour drive away). The only stop we had planned was a place affectionately known as pancake rocks. We reached there just as the sun was setting and it made for some great sunset shots. I loved listening to the waves crash against the rocks and seeing the different kinds of formations the waves had created. The rocks are stratified which is where they got their name from. It makes me hungry for pancakes (it’s a good thing I’m not impressionable, huh?).
First thing up for the morning was the Okarito Trig Walk. That was certainly a way to wake up this morning. On a scale of 1-4 (four being the most difficult), it was given a 3 in difficulty (4 is an all day hike). It is supposed to be a 90 minute hike, and of course we had to do it in 20. It was a 150 metre climb more than a walk. It was an overlook, so the climb is to the summit. We started on the beach and went the 150 metres straight up to the top. Granted, I had some trouble, especially on the way down. It’s a stair climb with each step reaching about waist high on me. Do I have to tell you that I slipped and fell? (And now I have a fat bruise on my right knee). The view was nice, and overlooked the lagoon and Tasman Sea to the west and to the east are the Southern Alps where you can see a glacier.
I got a good indication of why the southwest side of the south island is known as the rainy side. There was a constant sprinkle/rain all day. In fact, there was a perpetual rainbow in our field of vision. Most rainbows I see are gone in a matter of minutes, or at most hours. The ones I saw today were there every time I looked out the window. It makes me believe that if I returned tomorrow there would be a rainbow in the very spot I saw it previously. It made for some good pictures though. A perfect arch against a picturesque scene. I even got the rainbow against the Franz Josef Glacier.
The viewpoint climb to Franz Glacier was much easier than the Okarito Trig, and I think it was far more spectacular. Even easier than that was the actual trip out to the glacier. It was a steady flat walk the whole way there. Instead of only being 20 minute hikes it lasted slightly over an hour, but at least the entire hike was flat rather than straight up. Interestingly enough, the hike to the Fox Glacier viewpoint was straight down (of course, you do have to go up it again). Again, the climb wasn’t nearly as difficult as the one done earlier (and done on a bad knee).
Which leaves us to the lovely Haast. The town here is even smaller than the one we saw in Franz Josef (and that was only a couple of blocks of stores). You can walk down the main road in a matter of 5 minutes here, but it is a lovely little community. Unfortunately, there’s only one restaurant open, but it made for some easy choices.
And for the best news…I don’t have to get up early tomorrow! (or so they say). It should only be a short drive away to Queenstown, plus we don’t have that much planned to do on the road in between. Plus, I heard something about going out to the diner for breakfast (hmmm, those pancakes are just calling my name).
May 21, 2009
New Zealand - Wellington
Wellington is very similar to Auckland. The one big difference is while a public transportation system exists, it isn’t as prevalent. Instead of a day of adventure, we were a bit more cultured and spent the day exploring the city and went to a couple of museums. The Wellington Museum was small and quaint, but gave a rich history of the city. We also went to the Te Papa museum. It was a mixture of art, history, and science.
Many of the displays that I’ve seen in the past couple of days project hologram like images intermingling real life artifacts and projected imagery. It’s a great use of technology, and I hope to see it used in the states soon. On a grander scale, I think it could bring so much of history to life (for those of us that lack an imagination). The interactive displays have been insightful as well. Hopefully, this will continue to connect the next generation with its past.
At the Wellington Museum there was a whole section on maritime history. The thing that struck me were some of the superstitions that sailors have. Nothing surprised me much, but one was new to me. I knew having women aboard was considered bad luck, but apparently naked women were considered to bring down swells and create safe passage. Now the first thing that came to my mind was an excuse for sailors to get a girl’s clothes off. Also according to the information, this is the reason for the scantily clad women decorated at the bow of the ship. Still seems like an excuse to me, but I digress.
The Te Papa Museum was quite large. We didn’t even get a chance to explore the whole thing before closing. The thing that struck me most was the Oceania section. They showed a large subsection of coral, and as you read the description it always ended, “not much is known about this species of coral.” Just a small reminder that we know more about space than we do about the world’s oceans. Much of our oceans remain unexplored and there’s much that we do not understand about it. They are the Earth’s life source, and yet we take it for granted every day. The section itself was small, and could have been elaborated upon.
So that does it for my north island adventure of New Zealand. Tomorrow we take the ferry to the south island and start a whole new adventure. I’m excited for the new explorations that lie ahead.
Many of the displays that I’ve seen in the past couple of days project hologram like images intermingling real life artifacts and projected imagery. It’s a great use of technology, and I hope to see it used in the states soon. On a grander scale, I think it could bring so much of history to life (for those of us that lack an imagination). The interactive displays have been insightful as well. Hopefully, this will continue to connect the next generation with its past.
At the Wellington Museum there was a whole section on maritime history. The thing that struck me were some of the superstitions that sailors have. Nothing surprised me much, but one was new to me. I knew having women aboard was considered bad luck, but apparently naked women were considered to bring down swells and create safe passage. Now the first thing that came to my mind was an excuse for sailors to get a girl’s clothes off. Also according to the information, this is the reason for the scantily clad women decorated at the bow of the ship. Still seems like an excuse to me, but I digress.
The Te Papa Museum was quite large. We didn’t even get a chance to explore the whole thing before closing. The thing that struck me most was the Oceania section. They showed a large subsection of coral, and as you read the description it always ended, “not much is known about this species of coral.” Just a small reminder that we know more about space than we do about the world’s oceans. Much of our oceans remain unexplored and there’s much that we do not understand about it. They are the Earth’s life source, and yet we take it for granted every day. The section itself was small, and could have been elaborated upon.
So that does it for my north island adventure of New Zealand. Tomorrow we take the ferry to the south island and start a whole new adventure. I’m excited for the new explorations that lie ahead.
May 20, 2009
New Zealand - Wairakei
First up on the agenda was a trip out to the buried village. Previously a tourist hotspot, the village was destroyed by a volcanic eruption nearly 120 years ago. The main attraction at the time were pink and white terraces along Lake Rotorua. New Zealand’s greatest natural disaster; the eruption destroyed the terraces and buried the village. Only in the last twenty years has much of the village been uncovered.
Trekking through the village, you can see where ground level once was compared to where it is currently situated. Looking at the village is a reminder of the power of nature. An eruption that can create so much damage also regenerates an abundance of life. The soil becomes nutrient rich and a feeding ground for many different flora. A natural cycle that has been in effect for millions of years. It’s impressive to me that a single species can disrupt a balance so easily, and a reminder of the immense power that we harness. Hopefully, now that we realize we have that power, we can use it to maintain what the earth has done so well for millions of years.
After the village, we headed towards Lake Taupo. Huka Falls was not the tallest waterfall I’ve ever seen, but it was certainly one of the more powerful. Approximately 60,000 gallons of water tumble over the cliff every second. The water is a beautiful azure similar to the waters I saw in Alaska.
In the same park is a section called Craters of the Moon. Unlike other geothermic areas that I see, there weren’t many pools. The land has a multitude of craters from which smoky white pillars of steam form. If it weren’t for New Zealand’s lush landscape, you might actually be able to picture it as a face of the moon. Instead, from a distance it looks like a series of mini forest fires from which plumes of smoke sprout. The steam vents are cool and make distinctive roaring sounds (maybe like that of a dragon).
We finished up at the park around three and started for a long trek towards Palmerston North. I heard on the radio today that they had to suspend ferry service through Cooks Straight due to 7 metre swells. We aren’t due to cross the straight till Friday, so here’s to hoping we have some good weather on our side.
Trekking through the village, you can see where ground level once was compared to where it is currently situated. Looking at the village is a reminder of the power of nature. An eruption that can create so much damage also regenerates an abundance of life. The soil becomes nutrient rich and a feeding ground for many different flora. A natural cycle that has been in effect for millions of years. It’s impressive to me that a single species can disrupt a balance so easily, and a reminder of the immense power that we harness. Hopefully, now that we realize we have that power, we can use it to maintain what the earth has done so well for millions of years.
After the village, we headed towards Lake Taupo. Huka Falls was not the tallest waterfall I’ve ever seen, but it was certainly one of the more powerful. Approximately 60,000 gallons of water tumble over the cliff every second. The water is a beautiful azure similar to the waters I saw in Alaska.
In the same park is a section called Craters of the Moon. Unlike other geothermic areas that I see, there weren’t many pools. The land has a multitude of craters from which smoky white pillars of steam form. If it weren’t for New Zealand’s lush landscape, you might actually be able to picture it as a face of the moon. Instead, from a distance it looks like a series of mini forest fires from which plumes of smoke sprout. The steam vents are cool and make distinctive roaring sounds (maybe like that of a dragon).
We finished up at the park around three and started for a long trek towards Palmerston North. I heard on the radio today that they had to suspend ferry service through Cooks Straight due to 7 metre swells. We aren’t due to cross the straight till Friday, so here’s to hoping we have some good weather on our side.
May 19, 2009
New Zealand - Rotorua
We left our hotel in Hamilton, and headed for a side trip to Waikato and the Waitomo Caves. We had our own private guide, who also happens to be the great granddaughter of Chief Taane Tinorau. The Maori didn’t spend much time adventuring through the cave system, but you can see why it would be hard for me to resist. What’s not to love about dark unknown spaces? A man by the name of Fred Mace apparently couldn’t resist the call of adventure either. Mace and Taane are considered to be the first to explore the caves, and Tanne continued to lead tours into the caves afterwards. The history books tell us the government became concerned about the number of visitors and the need to protect the caves from vandalism and graffiti, and thus tried to purchase the land. According to our guide, the government saw the enormous potential the caves offered and tried to trick the chief into surrendering the land, which led to the Scenery Preservation Act of 1903.
The caves were truly majestic. Our guide pointed out the geology of the caves and the atmospheric conditions. Of course, the big draw of this particular cave is the glowworms (Arachnocampa luminosa). The threads of the worms are invisible in the dark, but when you shine light upon them they glisten and you can see each intricate bead. We hopped into the boat and drifted out to the darkest part of the caves. Overhead there were thousands of sparkling lights (kind of sounds like the Main Street Electrical Parade, doesn’t it?). The lights are bluish in hue and clump together like a mini galaxy. While all of the footage that I saw on BBC’s Planet Earth was incredible, it can’t do true life justice. While the series takes many into situations that most will never get a chance to encounter; it cannot take place of the actual experience.
From Waikato we then headed to Rotorua. Now, Rotorua is known for its sulfuric smell because this is a geothermal hotspot. I can only imagine what this area must have been like only a century or two ago. All over the forest floor are large craters fallen from the acidic conditions. Geothermal pools bubble as the steam rises. As you stare out into the temperate forest, you can see the steam rise from the thick of the trees. It almost makes you feel like you’ve stepped back in time to the age of the dinosaurs.
I’m staying at a Best Western here in Rotorua. All of the accommodations have been much nicer than I expected. They’re nothing like the fancy hotels in the states. They’re nice in a completely different way. In New Zealand lodgings seem to try to make each stay a home away from home. This particular one even appears to have a small “backyard” where the springs run through. Also in the back is your own private Jacuzzi (you know I’m taking advantage of that, even if it’s 41 degrees Fahrenheit outside). There’s a small playground and a nine hole mini golf on the grounds. All of the staff have been incredibly gracious, treating you like guests in their homes.
Across the street from the hotel is the Rainbow Springs Nature Park. It’s a small park really, but one of the nicer ones that I’ve been to (and I don’t just mean on this trip). One of the nicest features is that they offer a 24 hour pass and stay open until 9 pm. That means, that if you buy your ticket at 8 pm, you can return the following morning. Plus, it’s not often that you find a zoological park open past dusk (especially during the off season). The grounds are beautifully lit with multitudes of dim lights in various colors. As you enter the park, the ground opens up to a large pool where the rainbow trout swim. While there are fences to keep you away from the animal, they mix in well with the scenery (wood fences with a wooden boardwalk), so that you feel that you are in an open natural park. In fact, if you were to disobey all the rules, are animals are truly close enough for you to touch, with very little actually separating you from them. A truly incredible encounter.
The caves were truly majestic. Our guide pointed out the geology of the caves and the atmospheric conditions. Of course, the big draw of this particular cave is the glowworms (Arachnocampa luminosa). The threads of the worms are invisible in the dark, but when you shine light upon them they glisten and you can see each intricate bead. We hopped into the boat and drifted out to the darkest part of the caves. Overhead there were thousands of sparkling lights (kind of sounds like the Main Street Electrical Parade, doesn’t it?). The lights are bluish in hue and clump together like a mini galaxy. While all of the footage that I saw on BBC’s Planet Earth was incredible, it can’t do true life justice. While the series takes many into situations that most will never get a chance to encounter; it cannot take place of the actual experience.
From Waikato we then headed to Rotorua. Now, Rotorua is known for its sulfuric smell because this is a geothermal hotspot. I can only imagine what this area must have been like only a century or two ago. All over the forest floor are large craters fallen from the acidic conditions. Geothermal pools bubble as the steam rises. As you stare out into the temperate forest, you can see the steam rise from the thick of the trees. It almost makes you feel like you’ve stepped back in time to the age of the dinosaurs.
I’m staying at a Best Western here in Rotorua. All of the accommodations have been much nicer than I expected. They’re nothing like the fancy hotels in the states. They’re nice in a completely different way. In New Zealand lodgings seem to try to make each stay a home away from home. This particular one even appears to have a small “backyard” where the springs run through. Also in the back is your own private Jacuzzi (you know I’m taking advantage of that, even if it’s 41 degrees Fahrenheit outside). There’s a small playground and a nine hole mini golf on the grounds. All of the staff have been incredibly gracious, treating you like guests in their homes.
Across the street from the hotel is the Rainbow Springs Nature Park. It’s a small park really, but one of the nicer ones that I’ve been to (and I don’t just mean on this trip). One of the nicest features is that they offer a 24 hour pass and stay open until 9 pm. That means, that if you buy your ticket at 8 pm, you can return the following morning. Plus, it’s not often that you find a zoological park open past dusk (especially during the off season). The grounds are beautifully lit with multitudes of dim lights in various colors. As you enter the park, the ground opens up to a large pool where the rainbow trout swim. While there are fences to keep you away from the animal, they mix in well with the scenery (wood fences with a wooden boardwalk), so that you feel that you are in an open natural park. In fact, if you were to disobey all the rules, are animals are truly close enough for you to touch, with very little actually separating you from them. A truly incredible encounter.
May 17, 2009
New Zealand - Auckland
Auckland reminds me a lot of San Francisco and the Bay Area. It has the same kind of temperature, transportation system, sights, and sounds. There are plenty of hills, but none as steep as the ones in San Francisco. In fact, those cranes that seem to have inspired George Lucas for Star Wars were also sitting in the waters of Auckland. The people here have been especially pleasant and generous, making the experience all the more enjoyable.
Our lodgings is situated in the domain section of town. There’s a large park nearby, as well as the museum, Auckland University, and a hospital. After breakfast, we headed over to the museum. The museum is composed of three major themes: the wars, natural history, and Maori history. The Maori artifacts and history is amazing. Their houses and boats are incredibly ornate. We watched a short cultural presentation of Maori song and dance.
After the museum we were set out to explore the city and its many shops. Tomorrow we leave for Hamilton, and the many more adventures which lie ahead.
Our lodgings is situated in the domain section of town. There’s a large park nearby, as well as the museum, Auckland University, and a hospital. After breakfast, we headed over to the museum. The museum is composed of three major themes: the wars, natural history, and Maori history. The Maori artifacts and history is amazing. Their houses and boats are incredibly ornate. We watched a short cultural presentation of Maori song and dance.
After the museum we were set out to explore the city and its many shops. Tomorrow we leave for Hamilton, and the many more adventures which lie ahead.
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