Franz Josef Glacier
Day 181 – Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand Yesterday was spent getting here, from Punakaiki to Franz Josef Glacier. It is the name of the town, and the name of its main attraction. Today, a shuttle took me to the car park from which many trails go to and around the glacier. I started with…
Pancake Rocks
Day 179 – Punakaiki, New Zealand Today’s bus was early, like 7:15 am early. Fortunately, I had my trusty travel pillow with me. The bus driver, from his accent, was Canadian, and I must have been the last one to arrive because he called me by name. (Everybody knows me!) He kindly gave us the…
Last day at Abel Tasman
Day 178 – Nelson, New Zealand The day began with my alarm not ringing. Fortunately, I woke up -and checked the time- and had still half the time I had scheduled for the morning. So instead of leisurely packing up my stuff -check-out day- and having a quiet breakfast with lots of time over my…
Abel Tasman National Park – 2
Day 176-177 – Marahau, New Zealand I didn’t write last night because I started nodding off over my 6-o’clock cup of tea, and I decided that shower, preparing next day’s lunch and diner were a priority. The morning boat took me to Tonga Quarry, where I had ended last day’s walk. I went for a…
Abel Tasman National Park
Day 175 – Marahau, New Zealand I’m up to date with my pictures! Check out Napier, Wellington, Marahau and Abel Tasman National Park. To recapitulate, the 4-5 day walk that follows the Abel Tasman National Park’s coast is labelled a Great Walk in New Zealand, and more important for me, it is graded “easy”. That…
Four seasons in a day
Day 174 – Marahau, New Zealand I’ve not exactly had the four seasons in a day promised by the locals as being the norm on the South Island, but I’ve had scorching, rain, wind and cold. Yesterday I took the ferry to Picton, crossing the strait between both islands. I spent the journey and the…
Wellington – 2
Day 172 – Wellington, New Zealand Since the weather forecast yesterday morning announced sunshine for yesterday and rain for today, I had decided to go to the gardens yesterday and to the museum today. So of course yesterday it rained and today we had blue skies. (And wind. Don’t forget the wind, Wellington is renowned…
Wellington
Day 171 – Wellington, New Zealand So I may be a few days late in my accounts. The main reason is that my successive hostels have had difficult, out of order and limited Wi-Fi, and writing on one’s phone gets tiring fast. My last complete post was about Haku Falls Tuesday. Wednesday I went to…
Skydiving!
No, I haven’t been skydiving. Yet. (Bet you believed I did for a few moments, though!) Taupo is one of the places in New Zealand where you have affordable skydiving possibilities (I’m talking less than €300). With the view over the lake (see picture above), it is a mesmerizing idea. I have seen quite a…
Haku Falls
Day 167 – Taupo Internet isn’t cooperating tonight, so I’m writing from my phone and I haven’t been able to upload my pictures. (I’m trying an upload through my phone, it seems to be working.) The first thing to see in Taupo is Haku Falls. The river Waikato flows from Lake Taupo (threw me for…